History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 46

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316

USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 46
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 46

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

urer; J. R. Jones, James R. Fletcher, E. A. Glenn, Lorenzo Bartlett and George R. Peet, directors.

The first fair was held in October, 1876, and proved to be a splendid success.

In 1876 the officers were Cyrus Doty, president; C. H. Ilgenfritz, treasurer; E. A. Glenn, George R. Peet, A. N. Leet, L. Bartlett and J. R. Jones, directors.

In 1877, during the month of October, the second fair was held, and was a very interesting one.

In 1878 the officers were as follows: Cyrus Doty, president; N. H. Larkin, vice- president; J. O. Stewart, secretary, C. H Ilgenfritz, treasurer; board of directors, A. N. Leet, Charles Fitch, James Burke, H. F. L. Burton and C. R. Nelson.

In 1879 no fair was held on account of the drenching rain.

In 1880 the officers who managed the affairs were J. R. Jones, president; Levi Baker, secretary; H. F. L. Burton, treas- urer; board of directors, C. R. Nelson, J. H. Hickle, John Shannon, C. H. Forney and W. E. Burton.

For 1881-J. R. Jones, president; O. J. Pope, vice-president; H. F. L. Burton, treasurer; J. O. Stewart, secretary; board of directors, Cyrus Doty, Aaron Doty, John Shannon, John Kephart and Jacob Hickle.

The officers for the year 1882, were as follows: J. R. Jones, president; O. J. Pope, vice-president; J. J. Eichar, secretary; H. L. F. Burton, treasurer; board of directors, Cyrus Doty, William Tenny- son, John Shannon, John Kephert and Aaron Doty.

A fair was to be held during the three days, September 25, 26 and 29, but only

continued for two days, as the exhibition was not sufficient to warrant it on the third.

BY-LAWS OF THE ASSOCIATION.

The by-laws adopted by the Clarksville Agricultural Association, and which now govern them, are as follows:

BY-LAWS.

SECTION 1. The board of directors shall have entire control of the grounds of the Association.

SEC. 2. Each officer of the Association who shall be absent from the annual fairs of the As- sociation, shall be fined $1.00, unless good cause can be shown for such absence.

SEC. 3. Animals or articles intended for exhibition shall only be admitted by the gate- keeper on showing the secretary's card with the number and class of his entry .

SEC. 4. The secretary shall enter each class in a separate book for the use of the awarding committee.

SEC. 5. No animal or article shall be taken off the fair ground without leave of the president, who, in such case, shall give a check card which shall admit the animal or article when brought back.

SEC. 6. Premiums in no case shall be given unless the judges consider the object worthy.

SEC. 7. All roots, etc. offered in competi- tion shall be cleansed and trimmed, and exhibited in baskets or open vessels. Grain and seeds may be exhibited in sacks.

SEC. 8. The secretary of the Association shall furnish a card with the name of owner and No. of class of the entry thereon.

SEC. 9. Each committee shall be furnished by the secretary of the Association, with a book containing the number and designation of every animal, article, etc. entered for competition in the class to which the committee is appointed.

SEC. 10. Farms, fences and all other objects of competition which necessitate a committee 10 travel in the country, shall be entered for such competition before or_ on the 20th of August,

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

and the committee adjudicating thereon shall report in writing by their chairman to the presi- dent of the Association on the morning of the second day of the fair.

SEC. 11. All objects entered for competition which shall require a committee to travel in the country, shall be subject to an entrance fee of $2 00 for each object unless they are situated upon the same farm.

SEC. 12. If any stockholder shall at any time fail to heed the call of the board, or pay in any installment, called in as aforesaid, within ten days after being notified so to do, then the board of directors may, at their option, either col- Ject the said installment by law, or declare the stock forfeited to the Association. If, however, at any time within ten days after such forfeit- ture the delinquent stockholder shall give to the board sufficient and satisfactory reason for his delinquency, the directors may, at any mceting, rescind such forfciture and receive the payment due, togetlicr with ten per cent. damages, as a penalty for such delinquency.

SRC. 13. The by-laws of the Association may be amended or altered at any meeting by a vote of the majority of the stockholders present.

SEC. 14. The board of directors shall have power to call a meeting from time to time for the purpose of assessing the stock of the Association, which assessment shall not at any one time exceed twenty-five per cent, of the capital stock.

SEC. 15. The board of directors may at any time call a meeting of the stockholders by giv- ing ten days notice of the same through the village press.

[Signed.]

IKE E. LUCAS, Secretary.

FARMERS' PRODUCE ASSOCIATION OF GREENE.

An association under this caption was organized in 1875 for the mutual benefit of the farmers and producers of Butler county. It was incorporated under the general law 'of Iowa. The following were the found-

. ers : J. L. Spaulding, H. Johnson,

Wesley Searles, J. M. Packard, A. Pal- matier, B. Huskins, John E. Downing, W. Hassell, J. C. Lockwood, E. Hiller, John Gates, M. Wilson, J. B. Dexter, T. F. Heery, G. B. Merrick, O. D. Barnum, H. W. Smith, Martin Gates, Lewis Farthan and E. Lydig. As its articles of incorpor- ation stated, the association commenced business on the 20th day of March, 1875, and was to terminate on the 20th day of March, 1885, unless sooner discontinued by a two-third vote of the stock. The capital stock as advertised was $10,000, which could, by the same vote as above mentioned, be increased to $25,000, and which should be divided into shares of $50 each. The affairs of the association were conducted by a board of seven direc- tors, and until the first election, the follow- ing gentlemen were appointed to act in the capacity of trustees, viz: John Gates, Wesley Searles, Hugh Johnson, J. L. Spaulding, J. M. Packard and J. B. Dexter. In the early part of March, 1875, a meeting of the stockholders of the association was held and officers were elected as follows: President, Wesley Searles; vice-president, Thomas F. Heery; secretary and treasurer, J. L. Spaulding; directors, B. Huckins, Wesley Searles, John Gates, J. L. Spauld- ing, T. F. Heery, H. Johnson and M. Wil- son.

In April, 1875, the association purchased the building known as "Warehouse B.," and on the 3d of May, commenced doing business with C. Fortney, attending to the purchasing. Everything went smooth for a time, and the business prospered; for in September, 1875, we find that a dividend of ten per cent. was declared on the stock, and $207.90 was placed to the reserve

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

367

fund, representing the gain over the divi- dend for the months of May, June and July. But, in October, the bank of Greene failed, and its cashier, J. L. Spaulding, who was treasurer of the association, lit out for parts unknown, taking what money he could find with him. This so crippled the enterprise that it was finally abandoned,

and the warehouse sold to Mr. John Gates, who still owns it, and it is run by Bruce & VanSaum.

This association would have been a great benefit to the farmers and producers, had it been a success, as it was to be run more on the co-operative plan.

CHAPTER XIV.

EDUCATIONAL.

In this respect the facilities in Butler county are fully up to the average of Iowa's counties. The present mode of govern- ment of the public schools differs much; from early days, and is a great improve- ment, for as it is with all innovations, the law in this respect has run the gauntlet, and finally arrived at what must be con- sidered as filling about all the require- ments. There are, however, some weak points which prove in many cases very inconvenient, if not exasperating. The law provides for the organization of what is termed district townships, which are divided by the local board into sub-districts. The district township, as the name implies, is a township organized for educational purposes. All of the sub-districts are a part of the whole, and the finances and all business matters of one and all are managed by the board of directors or

school supervisors, made up of one from each sub-district. Thus one district cannot make up their minds to vote a tax and build a school-house which may be sadly needed, unless the whole township agrees that the tax can be levied; a school teacher cannot be engaged by the sub-district where she is to teach, but the whole town- ship has a voice in it. The board of directors fixed a price to be paid to all teachers in the township, and thus one teacher with a hard school to teach, and fifty pupils, must receive the same compen- sation as does the teacher with an easy taught school and but five pupils. To partially rectify this opening for injustice, the law provides for the organization of the sub-districts into independent districts, or in other words, gives them power to choose their own board of directors and officers in whom is vested all the powers

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

held by the officers of the district town- ship. It also provides for the erection of school-houses by the independent districts, but modifies this by the declaration that there must be fifteen scholars of school age in the district before this can be done. There is one district of this kind in the northeastern part of the county, which was made independent by all of the sub- districts in the townships agreeing to become independent, and so organizing; and this one only having ten scholars, can- not build, even though it has at the present writing, and has had for some time, money in the treasury appropriated and taxed for the purpose of building a school-house, but they have not the required number of scholars-only having ten -- and are therefore at a standstill.

COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.

A review of educational matters would be incomplete without a history of the office above named.

When Butler county was organized in 1854, the office of superintendent of county schools had not been created, and the educational matters were, to a very limited extent, vested in an officer, termed school fund commissioner. The commis- sioner, as is implied by the name, only had charge of the school funds. He had power to loan them to private parties on accepta- ble security, at moderate interest, and in fact, the records show that most of mortgages, in early days, were held by him. Mr. James Griffith was the first school fund commissioner, and was elected in the fall of 1854 for one term. He made a careful and efficient officer, and the first mortgage

loan in the county, is recorded as hav- ing been made by him.

James Griffith has resided in Coldwater township since 1852. The first settlement in the township was made only a year previous to his coming here; John Fox, L. Colston, Commodore Bennett and Mr. Lakin having taken claims in 1851. Mr. Griffith was born in Kentucky in 1817; he removed to Indiana with his parents when a child, where he lived till thirty-five years of age, or until he came to Butler county in the fall of 1852. He has been twice married. His first wife was a native of Virginia, and died in Indiana. His present wife was Elizabeth A. Landis, a native of .Virginia. He has four children-Frances . Jane, born in Indiana in 1839; she is now Mrs. Clarke Carr; William A., born in Indiana in 1842, is a graduate of Cornell College, Iowa, graduating in 1865; he is by profession a teacher; Charles W., born in what is now Dayton township, April 21, 1855; he was probably the first white child born in that township; his youngest child, Belle, was born in Coldwater town- ship, February 21, 1863.

He has lost two children in Butler county-Abram P. and James Madison. Mr. Griffith resides on section 13, near the line, of Dayton, in fact the principal part of his farm is in the latter township, where he has 160 acres, having but 30 acres in Cold water, on which his residence stands. Mr. Griffith being one of the pioneers of the county, endured with his fellow pioneers, all the privations incident to a pioneer life. He has seen Butler county progress from a state or nature till it now ranks with the more advanced and impor- tant counties of the State. He has been a

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

369

. close observer, and possesses an excellent memory, and is valuable authority on the early history of Butler county.

John H. Morton was the next eommis- . sioner of school funds; but before the expiration of his term of office, the office was abolished by law. The duties devolved upon the county judge, and so continued until the county court system was changed to the board of county supervisors, who have since managed the sehool funds, with the exception of those devoted to holding normal institutes, which matter is treated at length in its proper place.

When, in 1858, the commissioner was dispensed with, the office of

COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS .

was created, and D. W. Mason was elected to fill it in the spring of 1858. Mr. Mason was a lawyer, and is noted more fully in connection with the history of the bar of Butler county. He only served a few months, when he resigned, and M. D. L. Nieee was appointed to fill the position so made vaeant, and filled out the unexpired term. Mr. Niece was one of the early settlers of Butler county, coming here and loeating in the township of Pittsford in November, 1856. He was born in Ohio, was brought up to the occupation of farm- ing, and in early manhood engaged in teaching during the winter season. Sev- eral men, who have sinee become noted, attended, in their boyhood, these winter sehools. James A. Garfield was a pupil of his during the winter of 1846-7, at Orange, Ohio. Charles E. Henry, ex-Marshall of the Distriet of Columbia, and Emerson E. White, President of Lafayette College, Indiana, were also his pupils. As before

stated Mr. Niece came to Butler county in 1856. He has been engaged mueh of the time in teaching; was county superin- tendent of schools of Butler county at one time, and has the office of county surveyor.

His brother, Nathaniel Nieee, eame to Iowa from Ohio in 1839, and settled in Linn county. He came to Butler county, and settled in Pittsford township in 1855. He had entered a farm there the previous year. His wife was Ziprah H. Lewis. They have a family of nine children, five of whom are living. Nathaniel Nieee died March 21, 1882; his wife died the day previous, and they were buried in one grave at the same time.

Mr. Niece's term of office expired with 1859, and at the election in the latter part of that year, I. R. Dean was chosen super- intendent of sehools. Dean had settled at New Hartford at an early day, where he followed preaching the gospel, being of the Baptist faith; but at the time of his- election was residing at Shell Roek. His term expired in 1861, and he died. a few years later.

In the fall of 1861 Richard Merrill was eleeted to this office, and served for two terms.

Mr. Merrill was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, on July 14, 1814. He emigrated in early childhood with his parents to Belmont county, Ohio, where his youth was spent on a farm and attend- ing common schools. After arriving at manhood he undertook the task of obtain- ing a liberal edueation. By dint of that dogged perseveranee which characterized him through life, and by his own unaided efforts, he prepared himself and entered New Athens College, from which he gradu-

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

ated with credit to himself. After this, being strongly a Presbyterian in his faith, he went to a theological seminary at Pitts- ford, Pa., and completed the course of study preparing him for the ministry, and commenced preaching the gospel in Car- roll county, Ohio. He continued there in the ministry until 1859, when he came to Butler county, where the first few years of his residence were spent principally in preaching the gospel, having charge of congregations at Coldwater, Boylan's Grove and Butler Center. He continued a useful life, and an active worker in every good cause until December 4, 1875, when, at the age of 62 years, he was called from earthly labor to that home beyond the river. He was a man of strong mind. He reasoned vigorously. He accepted. no proposition until he had tested it by his logical powers. When it met the approval of his intellect he inflexibly maintained it. As a· citizen he interested himself in everything that tended to build up society. As a friend he was warm and abiding. The labor and turmoil of his life is over, and he has gone to his rest. For a number of years prior to his death he resided at Butler Center, and was extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits. His widow still lives there.

In the fall of 1865, W. H. Gue was elected superintendent, but after serving a few months, resigned, and has left the county. Gue was a man of considerable ability. He lived at Shell Rock, and was elected just after his return from the war. W. A. Lathrop was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by his resignation.

George Graham was the next superin- tendent elected in the fall of 1867. He was a Presbyterian minister, and still

resides in Clarksville; he was a good scholar, and made an efficient and accom- modating officer. He was succeeded in 1869, for the years 1870 and 1871 by W. A. Lathrop, who also made an excellent . officer. A sketch of Mr. Lathrop is found in connection with the history of the bar.

In 1871, John W. Stewart was elected superintendent of the schools of Butler county, and made one of the most thorough and capable officers in the State, elevating the office to a level with that of any county in the State; he held it for ten years.

John W. Stewart is a son of Elizabeth (Crooks) and William Stewart, and was born in Alleghany county, Pennsylvania, November 29, 1837. In 1856 he had com- pleted an academic course at Cochvanton Academy, in Crawford county, and one at Alleghany College, in Meadville, Pennsyl- vania. In 1856 he came west, and settled in Rock county, Wisconsin, and engaged in teaching. From there he went to Grecnc county, where he taught until he entered the army. In August, 1862, he enlisted in company K, 22d Wisconsin Infantry, as a private, but was soon promoted to the Ist lieutenancy. In the winter of 1862 he was obliged to resign on account of ill health. He then returned to Wisconsin, and in the fall of 1864 came to Butler county, Iowa, located on a farm four miles south of Shell Rock, and occupied himself with farming and teaching until 1868. At this time he disposed of his farm and engaged in mercantile trade at Shell Rock. In this business he remained until the fall of 1872, when he was elected county superintend- ent of schools in Butler county, which office he held for ten years.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Mr. Stewart is a stalwart republican; he cast his first vote for Stephen A. Douglas, but when Fort Sumpter was fired upon, changed from the democratic to the repub- lican party. He is a member of the Meth- odist church. He was married December 29, 1859, to Miss Martha J. Graham, who was born in Pennsylvania, They have three children living-Lillian, now the wife of Wallace Weed; Cornelius Wil- liam, and Lulu Elizabeth. He is a mem- ber of the Escalop lodge of Masons, of Shell Rock.

John D. Anderson, the present county superintendent of public schools of Butler county, is a native of Ohio, having been born in the town of Beverly, Washington county, that State, in 1846. He came to Grundy county, Iowa, in 1874. Mr. An- derson taught several terms of school in that county, and came to Butler Center in ' 1877, and took charge of the school of that place. He was eminently successful as a teacher, and was elected in the fall of 1881, to succeed Mr. John W. Stewart as superintendent. Mrs. Anderson was form- erly Miss Florence Davis, daughter of James W. Davis, Esq., of Allison.

It is not the intention in this review to make an exhaustive treatise upon . the methods or work of the office, but we will merely mention a few of the points wherein Butler county has improved upon the gen- eral mode of conducting matters relating to this most important office.

One important and decided improve- ment is in the shape of a manual, entitled "Course of Study for the Public Schools of [Butler County," which was prepared

by John W. Stewart, in 1881. The object of this is to secure a more uniform classification, and systematic method of teaching, and wherever it has been fol- lowed, the best results have been obtained. One of them is kept in each school, and teachers obtaining certificates are required to sign an agreement that, as far as possi- ble, they will follow the course prescribed. In connection with this, the teacher is given a blank to be filled just before the end of the term, which will show to the successor just how far each scholar has reached in studies, and obviates that neces- sity of spending a week or more in reviews, determining where to place scholars, as in former times. This is termed a report of classification and progress and is very ben- eficial, as it enables the teacher who fol- lows to at once know the condition of the school.

Another point is this: just prior to the meeting in the spring and fall, of the boards of directors of the various town- ships, the county superintendent mails to every secretary a statement of the "needs and wants" of his district, as found by the superintendent on his last visit, and this is read to the board at their meeting. It has, in most cases, the effect of keeping the various schools supplied with the ne- cessary apparatus, and the house and grounds in good shape and repair.

SCHOOLS IN BUTLER COUNTY.

By the report of the State Superinten- dent of Public Instruction, made in 1864, we glean a number of items which will indicate pretty clearly the condition and advancement of educational matters at

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

that day. The county at that time was just ten years old as an organization.

The report states that every township in the county had been organized as dis- trict townships, and a total of 66 sub- districts; the total number of children in the county, of school age, was 2,207; total number of schools, 63; average number of scholars in attendance, 609; number of tcacliers in the .county, 101; aggregate cost of tuition per week for each scholar, thirty-five cents; aggregate amount paid, teachers during the year, $7,811.

In connection with these items, it is stated that the year previous, 1863, Butler county had 17 districts, and 57 sub-districts; number of children of school age, 2,007; average attendance at the schools, 694; number of teachers in the county, 92; average cost of tuition per week for each pupil, thirty-three cents; aggregate amount paid teachers during the year, $6,239.39. Now, as a means of comparison, we will turn our attention to, and in this connec- tion give some interesting facts concern- ing the

PRESENT CONDITION OF EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

J. D. Anderson, the efficient county superintendent, in submitting his first annual report in October, 1882, for that school year, says:

"The schools of our county are in a . prosperous condition. Exceptions to this · rule are found, of course, but generally in the hands of young and inexperienced teachers * When our children are in the school room every day of every term, in time for every roll call, they will be able to complete the work of the com-

mon school, and will come to maturity with a good, practical education. Our graded schools are presidcd over by teachers of special merit, who have had professional training, and such schools are in excellent condition. In the county we have none of the higher institutions of learning and depend largely on our gradcd schools and normal institutes for instruc- tion in methods."

From the same report upon which the above general remarks were made by the superintendent, we glean the following items, which will be of interest,-the figures represent a total for the entire county-viz:

Number of district townships in the county. 11

Number of sub-districts 84

Number of independent districts. 46

Number of graded schools. 9

Number of schools of all kinds in the county . 150

Number of teachers employed . 148

Average number of months of school each year. 7.1

Average compensation of teachers per month-male. $35 15

Average compensation of females. 28 70

Number of scholars between the ages of 5 and 21 -- male. 2,540

Same-female. 2, 422

Whole number of scholars between ages of 5 and 21 4,962

Number of deaf and dumb children, of school age. 6

Number of pupils enrolled in the schools 4, 397

Average daily attendance 2,474

Average cost of tuition per month for each pupil. $2 14

Average cost of tuition per school year for cach pupil. $15 19

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 46

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1316

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316