History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 52

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 52
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 52

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).

422

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

James V. Billings settled on section 32 in 1864, where he still resides. He pur- chased of Stephen Morse, who removed to Grundy county, where he died in March, 1881. Mr. Morse purchased the farm of the government. Mr. Billings was born in Montgomery county, New York, March 16, 1811, where he lived till thirty-six years of age. His father, Caleb Billings, was also a native of Montgomery county, and died in the house in which he was born. James V. lived the first thirty-six years of his life in the same house, and a brother of Mr. Billings still owns the homestead of his father. Mr. Billings married Temperance Jane Bunn, also a native of Montgomery county. They re- moved to Rock county, Wisconsin, in July, 1849, where they lived until they removed to this county. They have eleven chil- dren-Earl, born in 1835; William H., born in 1837; Winfield S., born in 1839; Henrietta, born in 1841; George W., born in 1843; J. B., born in 1846; Margaret E., born in 1848; Temperance J., born in 1851; Sarah M., born in 1854; Alice A., born in 1856, and Addie C., born in 1858. They lost one child, Nellie, born in 1860 and died the same year. Mr .. Billings' farm contains 220 acres, also seven acres of timber. He formerly owned forty acres within the present limits of Parkersburg. Facilities for emigrating have greatly im- proved since Mr. Billings began his pio- neer life in Wisconsin in 1849. His route to Wisconsin was by way of the Erie canal to Buffalo, and thence to Racine by way of the great lakes. The boat on which he and family took passage from Buffalo was wrecked near Conoatt, Ohio, and sank, but the passengers were all rescued. The en-

tire journey occupied three weeks, two of which were spent on the lakes.

Mrs. Sally S. Hersey, living on section 15, is the widow of William Hersey, who was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1822. His parents dicd when he was a boy. He was brought up in Massachu- setts; was married at Natick, in that State; removed to Grafton, where he lived ten years, and came to Butler county in 1864 and settled .on section 15: Mr. Hersey died May 3, 1877. Mrs. Hersey was for- merly Sally S. Felchi, a native of Massa- chusetts. She has nine children, three sons and six daughters-Levi F., Martha L., Sarah F., Lucy E., Mary S., Esther A., Nancy G., William HI. and Thomas T. G., all born in Massachusetts. Mr. Hersey was quite a large land owner, and a suc- cessful farmer. He owned at one time about 600 acres, a portion of which has been conveyed to the children.

David Caywood resides on section 13, where he settled in 1866. He has been a ' resident of this county since 1863. Mr. Caywood was born in Tompkins county, New York, but brought up in Chemung county, where he lived from the time he was four years old until he was 38. He was married in Chemung county to Mary Boyer, who died August 9, 1866. His present wife was Susan Davis, born in Lewis county, New York. Mr. Caywood has three sons by his first wife-James, George and Grant. He has two children by his present wife, twins-Mary and Wil- bur, born in 1869. Mr. Caywood's farm contains 220 acres.

John Knapp settled on seetion 8 in 1867, where he now lives. He purchased of Martin Manser. The farm was entered by

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

E. W. Babcock. Mr. Knapp was born in Steuben county, New York, in 1839. He went to Illinois when 18 years of age; en- listed in the Eighth Illinois Cavalry, Com- pany G. He served two years and three months in the army; was wounded at Beverly Ford, Virginia; being disabled, he was discharged, and came to Iowa in 1865, scttling on section 4, in this town- ship. He afterwards removed to section 6, where he lived one year, then to present location in 1867. He made all the improve- ments on his farm. His father came here in 1866, and died at the residence of his son, in 1874. His mother died September, 1867. Mrs. Knapp's maiden name was Emma Chesley, daughter of Nathaniel Chesley, who settled on section 3, of this township, in 1855. Mr. Chesley was born in Vermont, moving to the State of New York, where he married Phoebe Parish; they moved to Ohio, where they lived eight years, and thence to this county. They had 12 children, eleven of whom are still living, only two of whom are residents of this county-Mary J., wife of Henry Brown, of Monroe township, and Mrs. Knapp; all the others live in Clay and O'Brien coun- ties, except George, who resides in Fall City, Nebraska. Mr. Chesley removed to Clay county, with his family, in 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Knapp have three children- Elon J., Cora A. and Andrew Guy. Mr. Knapp's farm contains 80 acres.

Henry Weeks settled on section 6, in 1866. He bought his farm_of Henry Mead, who purchased of Babcock, the . original owner of the farm. Mr. Weeks was born in Middlesex county, Massachu- setts, in 1823, going to Illinois in 1854, and settling in Ogle county. He married

Jane Gibson, a native of Canada. They have three children-Joseph, born Feb- ruary, 1863, Mary E., born here in 1867, and Charles F., born May 29, 1877. Mr. Wceks is the only one of his father's family living in Iowa. Two brothers of Mrs. Weeks, Joseph R. and Theophilus, live in Shell Rock. Mr. Weeks has about 270 acres of land.

Joshua R. Culp, settled on section 29, in the spring of 1869. He bought his farm of W. H. Billings. Mr. Culp was born in Niagara county, New York, January, 1829. He removed with his parents to Coldwa- ter, Branch county, Michigan, when nine years of age: His father, Nicholas Culp, died in Michigan. Mrs. Culp was born in Coldwater, Michigan. Her maiden name was Harriet Gage. Her father, Elias Gage, is now deceased; her mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Culp have three children-Orissa, Harry J. and Aurelia. The youngest child was born in Albion township; the others were born in Michi- gan. Mr. Culp has 80 acres of land. He was the first settler on his place.

Jocob Mundinger lives on section 6, where he settled in 1869. He was born in Michigan, in 1839; when fourteen years of age he removed to Dubuque county, Iowa, with his father, where he lived about ten years. He went to Montana Territory in 1864, and engaged in mining; was absent about five years; returning to Iowa he settled in Jones county. His wife was Phoebe E. Rolston, daughter of David Rolston, who settled in Jones county, in 1853, where he still lives. Mr. and Mrs. Mundinger have five children-Ira, Clar- ence, Ennice, Frank and Harvey. The parents and a brother of Mr. Mundinger

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

came here in 1876, and reside in the town- ship.

Thurman S. Chapel resides on section 13, where he settled in the fall of 1870. He was born in Erie county, New York, in 1827; he removed from his native State to Illinois, and from thence to Butler county in the fall of 1868; he has been a resident of this township since that time. Mrs. Chapel's maiden name was Ann E. Brown, a daughter of James Brown. Mrs. Chapel has the deed of this farm, which she obtained from her father, who received it of John Bicknell in 1860. Her father never resided here, but six of his children, four sons and two daughters, settled in this township, all of whom have since removed, except Mrs. Chapel ..

Mr. Chapel enlisted in 1861, in the Fifty-second Illinois Infantry, Company H, and served in the army three years. He was at the battle of Shiloh, the Siege of Atlanta, and with Sherman's March to the Sea. Mr. Chapel has been twice married; has two children by his first wife-May A., now Mrs. Francis Upton, of Michi- gan, and Odelbert. Mrs. Chapel has also been twice married; her first husband was Miles P. Dean, by whom she had three children-Mrs. Julia A. Grandon, Anna and Fremont. Mr. and Mrs. Chapel have two children-James W. and Roy. The farm contains eighty acres. They have also 160 acres on sections 11 and 14.

Elias S. Hovey resides on section 2, where he located in 1875. He purchased his land of non-residents, and has made all of the improvements upon it. He was born in the town of Brookfield, Orange county, Vermont, in 1823; but brought up in the town of Albany, Orleans county.

He was reared to the occupation of farm- ing; came to Iowa in November, 1855, and settled in Buchanan county, where he purchased an improved farm. In 1867, with his brother, Elijah A. Hovey, he engaged in the well business. Another brother, George Hovey, became a member of the firm in 1871. In 1873 they secured a patent on a drive-well. . George, subse- quently, became sole proprietor of this patent. It was claimed by Andrews that the invention of the Hovey brothers was an infringement on what is known as Greene's patent for drive-wells. Andrews being the agent employed by Greene to collect royalty on the drive-wells of the country. The case is still pending in the courts. Mr. Hovey is a large land owner and stock dealer. He has 440 acres in a body, where he resides, and 120 acres on section 12. He is the present postmaster of Swanton, though the office is kept at the residence of Mrs. Marcia A. Hovey, in Jefferson township. His wife was formerly Martha M. Fisk, born in Brookfield, Orange county, Vermont. They have three children - Almira M., wife of Charles H. Little; Horace N. and Carrie. The eldest was born in Vermont; the others in Buchanan county, Iowa ..

Charles L. Gleason lives on section 28. This farm was entered by H. B. Wemple. Mr. Gleason has lived here since the spring of 1878. He was born in Massachu- setts, in 1836. He is the son of Luther H. Gleason of Beaver township, Grundy county, who settled there in 1857,purchasing his farm of N. Drew. Mr. L. H. Gleason was born in Middlesex county, Massachu- setts, in 1812; he learned the trade of a shoemaker, which he followed till coming

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

here. He married Mary Felch, a native of Massachusetts. They have four chil- dren -- Charles L., Etta, Halina, wife of James Daniels; and Martha, wife of Elijah Lamb. Charles L. married Mary Cramer, daughter of Samuel Cramer, born in Canada West, in 1843. They have two children-Grace, born in 1865, and Edith, born in 1868. Mr. Gleason was one of the first business men of Parkersburg; he located there in 1866, being the first who manufactured boots and shoes in that village. His farm contains 128 acres.

ORGANIC.

In 1855 this township was merged into the organization of Beaver, and remained in this connection until 1856, when it was set off by Judge Vandorn, P. P. Parker being authorized to call the first election. This was accomplished, and the first elec- tion was held at the house of Stephen Morse, who at that time lived about one mile east of Mr. Parker's. . This was in April, 1856; the first officers elected were supervisor, Richard Daniels; justices, Stephen Morse and Jesse Owen; trustees, J. L. Kemmerer, E. W. Babcock and Asa Overacker; Clerk, P. P. Parker; con- stable, Joseph Codner; assessor, Abel Turner.

Township affairs have been managed in a careful and frugal manner, as efficient officers have always held the helm of local government.

The last annual election was held in November, 1882: Justices of the peace, C. S. Lobdell, N. T. Johnson and William Dawson; trustees, S. H. Taylor, Monroe Brown and James Ray; Clerk, Daniel Downey; constables, S. Bass and J. N. Dawson; assessor, Richard Daniels.

PROCTOR'S POND.

This small body of water is without special historical interest other than the occasion which gave it the name it bears.

The people of Albion township are, and have been, a union loving, law-abiding class-yet in 1864 there were a few who preferred the success of rebel arms, and were outspoken in thesr denunciation of "Lincoln hirelings." A number of these "brave boys in blue" chanced to be at home on a furlough-and thesc expressions of dislike towards the Union cause came to their ears. They soon traced out the source -- and repairing to a wheat-field found Jonas Proctor-the man they had business with, and demanded at once that he "hurrah for Lincoln and the Union;" he positivly refused, whereupon he was taken and given free transportation on a rail to this pond near New Hartford. On the way, a man by the name of Smith, of like tendency, was pursuaded to join the interesting procession. Upon arriving at the water, Smith not desiring a bath, shouted lustily for the Union. Proctor, however, remained sullen and silent, and was ducked; still refusing to comply, the ducking was continued until he was unable to express himself otherwise than by grunts, which he did, indicating also by motion of the hand his willingness; after thus expressing himself he was released. This body of water has been known from that day to this as "Proctor's Pond."

DURING EARLY DAYS.

When the settlement of this township commenced, and for some years after, the nearest mill was at Cedar Falls, and the pioneers made their tedious and often

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

dangerous trips to that place in summer and winter for flour and other eatables. Mullarky & Henderson kept a trading post at this point, and supplied the country for miles around with goods, bartering with the farmers for their wheat or flour. The mill at this time consisted of a little 24- inch burr in the old saw-mill. There was also a little shanty put up at New Hart- ford, which was kept as a tavern where travellers could obtain supplies. The mail route was established here in 1855, and carried on horseback through to Iowa Falls and Fort Dodge until 1857, when the stage company of Fink & Walker com- menced running their heavy ambulances over the line. The stage exchange was established at Mr. Parker's, and remained there until the cars began running through this section.

The first birth in the township occurred in August, 1854, and was a plural affair, twins to Augustus and Catherine Coon, but the cvent, in one sense, proved a very sad one. Mrs. Coon gave her life in giv- ing birth to the innocent ones. The babies werc christened Alonzo and Melisse; Alonzo died in infancy.

The first marriage of parties from Al- bion took place on the 7th of January, 1856. They were P. P. Parker and Miss Martha McEwen. The ceremony was per- formed at the house of Adna Thomas, in Beaver township, by the Rev. Samuel Wright.

The first marriage to occur within the township united the future destinies of Mr. Abel Turner and Harriet Waters. The happy affair was solemnized at the house of William S. Waters, by the Rev. John Connell, in 1857.

John Bicknell and Miss Chesley werc united in marriage the same year.

The first death in Albion occurred in July, 1854-a sweet little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur.

The first death of an adult was Mrs. Moses Lemon, in February, 1855, which is mentioned elsewhere.

Rev. Mr. Burleigh preached at the first religious services held in the township. The meeting was held at the house of William F. Younker, in December, 1854. There are now no churches in the town- ship except those at Parkersburg.

It is well remembered that among the first to dispense the word of God in the township was a man named Willard Ding- man, sometimes called "Elder." He and his wife boarded with the family of "Cooney" Gardner. While here he began abusing his wife and acting in a disgrace- ful manner, forgetting that "decency had. to be observed in this community." Hc carricd the matter too far, and finally his relatives turned out for the purpose of tar- ring and feathering him. No tar could be found, and, as a substitute, they took mo- lasses, and after putting on the necessary coat of this, covered it with feathers, they turned him loose. Not satisfied with all this, the loving relatives followed, and would have killed the poor wretch, had it not been for William Connell, who inter- ceded in his behalf. Dingman left for New York State the following day.

Moses Lemon, an eccentrie character, settled in Albion township at an early day, and with his wife commenced pioneering on a claim a short distance from where Mr. Parker now lives. He was not con- sidered of sound mind when he first came,

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

and his wife dying entirely unbalanced his mind. He would perform some of the queerest freaks and pranks imaginable- in fact many of his actions were so far out of the ordinary line that the more timid early settlers became afraid of him. It is also said that many were the little chil- dren who were glad to get into bed at the regular time by the remark from the tired mother that she guessed she would "have to call in old Mose Lemon." An- other remark which always had a magical effect upon unruly urchins was in the shape of: "Don't do that, or don't meddle there-Old Mose'll get you!" Soon after the unfortunate man settled here his wife died, and he grew a great deal worse. Her death occurred in mid-winter, and so affected him that he was hard to control. During the night following his wife's death he succeeded in escaping from his room and getting out on the prairie, where he took off his shirt, and stark naked and barefooted he took a wild, madman's run of a mile, bounding over the frozen, snow- covered prairie like a deer. He finally brought up at the cabin of Solomon Cin- namon, where he remained through the balance of the night, going back the next morning apparently none the worse for his crazy adventure. In a few days he re- turned to his original home in New York State, and since then all trace of him has been lost.

SCHOOLS.

The first school taught in the township was by John Bicknell, in the winter of 1855-6, in a little log school-house at New Albion. This was the first school-house

erected in the township, and had been put up the fall previous.

The first frame. school-house was put up by District No. 1, in the summer of 1856.

There are at present nine school houses in the township, including the one at Parkersburg.

NEW ALBION.

A village by this name was platted about 1856, in the northern part of the township, lying partly in sections 3 and 4. Quite a number of parties were interested in its project, among whom were Jacob Brown, Dr. Wright, Clifford Dawson and Chesley and John Barker. It was at one time quite flourishing, with saw mill, store, post office, etc.

The post office at this point was estab- lished a number of years ago. In Aug- ust, 1857, Mrs. Lorenzo Perry walked to Cedar Falls for the mail, for she, as well as most of the neighbors, had her mail sent to that point. On her return she brought the official documents establisli- ing the post office at New Albion, under the title of Swanton; also a commission for Jacob Brown as the first postmaster, the office being kept at his house. The present acting official in this capacity is Mrs. Marcia A. Hovey. A personal sketch is appended:

Marcia A. Hovey is the widow of Lewis Hovey, who was a brother of Elias S. Hovey, of Albion township. He was born in Albany, Orleans county, Vermont, Jan- uary 3, 1831. He came to Linn county, Iowa, in 1854, and went to Buchanan county the following January, where he purchased a farm. Mrs. Hovey's maiden name was Marcia A. Nefford; she was

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

born in the town of Glover, Orleans county, Vermont, and went to Linn county, Iowa, in 1855, where she was married to Mr. Hovey. They came to Butler county in November, 1866, and settled at Swanton, in Jefferson township. Mr. Hovey ob- tained his farm of his brother, T. K. Hovey, one of the early settlers of Jefferson town- ship. The latter now lives in Buchanan county. Mr. Hovey died very suddenly, April 5, 1877. Mrs. Hovey still owns the homestead farm, which is one of the finest in the township. She has two children-Julia I. and Emma P .; the former was born in Buchanan county, the latter in Butler county. The homestead farm contains 300 acres.

TOWN OF PARKERSBURG.

This is one of the best points for trade and business in Butler county. The streets always present an animated appearance, with the well-to-do farmers making their purchases and transacting business; the grain buyers busy, the merchants made happy by thrifty trade, showing a marked contrast between it and the staid older towns. It lies in the Beaver valley, ex- tending into both Albion and Monroe townships, and is at the confluence of the North and South Forks of the Beaver. This stream furnishes a powerful and per- manent water-power, which has already been improved and partially utilized. No locality presents a more favorable oppor- tunity for the employment of capital in manufacturing enterprises. Situated upon a division of the Illinois Central Railroad, one of the most important thoroughfares in the country, the town is possessed.of

most desirable shipping facilities. Back from the river the valley gives way to a gradual slope, which rises to the level of the surrounding country. Parkersburg reminds one of the stories of New England life, and as you view the many white-robed cottages resting so gracefully upon the sloping hillside, you can almost imagine yourselves in some hamlet of the Eastern States.

The site which the town now occupies was formerly covered with a heavy and rank growth of brush, which was hard to penetrate either by man or beast, and was called by some of the early pioneers the "Brush Bed of the Beaver." This, how- ever, soon disappeared. The plat covers the following described portions of land: the southwest quarter and the south half of the northwest quarter of section .30, township 90, range 16; and the northeast- ern part of the southeast quarter of sec- tion 25, township 90, range 17, embracing in all about 240 acres. The plat was sur- veyed by Engineer Smithi, of the Central railroad, an Englishman. The streets are laid out after English fashion, too narrow; they are laid north and south, east and west.

THE BEGINNING AND BUSINESS INTERESTS.

The earliest steps leading to the found- ing and subsequent development of a town or locality is a matter which must of neces- sity receive the first attention of the his- torian, and the collection of such data as will be of interest is attended with much more difficulty and uncertainty than would be supposed by those who have never nn- dertaken the collection of such matter. Even though it be but a decade and a half

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

in the past, the reports are often as differ- ent and conflicting as can be imagined, for to the memory-

"Years that have passed Are but as fleeting hours."

The land upon which the village stands was purchased from the United States government in 1854 by a speculator living in one' of the castern cities, whose name has been forgotten, but he never made any improvements, and it is doubtful whether he ever saw the land. In 1857 John Con- nell and his son William H. purchased the land and erected a cabin a short distance south of the village. When the railroad survey was made this section of country was skipped as to stations, although Ap- lington and New Hartford, both east and west of it, had been decided upon and platted; but when the railroad managers realized the natural advantages of the location and the confluence of the North and South Forks, they came to the conclu- sion that there was a chance for a town here, and accordingly Parkersburg was platted and recorded, receiving its name in honor of P. P. Parker, a prominent and esteemed early settler, and the station was commenced and completed in 1865.

The first sign of life, in a business point of view, commenced at about the same time, when Mr. Thomas Williams erected what was called the Williams House, which he opened in a small way and com- menced keeping "tavern." This building was the starting point of what is now the Commercial House, it being at that time about one-fourth as large as at present. It has changed hands a number of times, and has finally become the property of Robert

Norris, being run in a satisfactory manner by O. W. Cooley. About the same time that Williams commenced the erection of his hotel, R. T. Jackson-or, as he was familiarly known, "Ring-Tail" Jackson- made his appearance and commenced put- ting up a store building, which he com- pleted soon after Williams completed his hotel-size twenty by thirty feet, two stories high. He at once had his goods brought, and before his store was enclosed was selling goods from one of the rooms in the Williams Hotel, where everyone made their headquarters. There is a differ- ence of opinion as to how he received his goods, some claiming he had them brought with team and wagon, and others that he got them on the construction train and be- fore regular trains were running. This was the first store in the placc, and although the stock of goods was limited a good business was commenced.

In the summer of 1865, before Jackson had settled, and long before he was hand- ling goods over the counter, Benjamin Needham made his appearance, and put up a large building, about 30x40 feet in size, near the depot on the north side of the track. Here he put in a limited stock of general merchandise, and continued to run the store until the time of his death, a few years since, when the business was closed. The building at present is occupied as a tencment by several families. The build- ing of this house was immediately followed by the erection of the store building of N. T. Manley & Son, who put up a substan- tial building on Depot strect, near where the corner drug store now is, and put in the first extensive and complete stock of general merchandise brought to Parkers -.

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 52

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