History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 64

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 64
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 64

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).

549

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

William Kingery resides on section 13. He came to Butler county in 1856, and to his present farm in 1865. Mr. Kingery was born in Indiana, in 1828. February 8, 1849, he married Mary Nº Etter, a native of Ohio. They have five children-Benja- min, Aaron, Jacob, William and Amos. All natives of Butler county. Mr. Kingery's farm contains about 360 acres.

F. G. Etter resides with his brother-in- law, Mr. Kingery. He was born in Indiana, in 1842, coming here in 1877. He cnlisted in 1861, in the Forty-first Regiment, which was also the Second Indiana Cavalry Regi- ment. He served four years in the Depart- ment of the Cumberland. He participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Stone river, Chickamauga, Siege of Atlanta, and Sherman's March to the Sea. Mr. Etter is a blacksmith by trade, and is engaged in business at Greene.

Soon after Lacon and Bennett were set- tled; in the spring of 1852, John Fox, and his brother-in-law, Lum Coleston arrived, accompanied by their families, and located in the vicinity of section 12, where they erected cabins. In September, 1853, they sold to John M. Hart and John V. Boggs.

John M. Hart, who resides on section 11, is one of the earliest and best known settlers of this township. He located on the farm where he now lives in 1853. When Mr. Hart settled here, Cedar Falls was his nearest post office, and Dubuque and Cedar Rapids were his trading points. Mr. Hart was born in Highland county, Ohio, in 1820. He removed with his par- ents, John and Margaret Hart, to Indiana, in 1828. Mr. Hart has been twice mar- ried. His first wife was Adeline Riley, who died iu 1846, and his present wife was

Elizabeth Lyons, a native of Virginia. Mr. Hart has one son by his first wife- Francis M .- and seven children by his present wife-Andrew J., Charles L., Sarah M., Martha M., Jane, Lewis W. and Lovina. Mr. Hart has become quite a large land holder, owning at one time about 800 acres, the greater part of which he has divided among his children. His homestead, where he has lived thirty years, contains about 280 acres. Mr. Hart and wife are members of the Christian Church. In politics he is a staunch democrat, and- has held local offices.

The next pioneers were James Griffith and family, from Indiana. On September 19, 1852, they settled on section 13 of Cold- water and section 18 of Dayton. The cabin he crected was located just over the linc of Coldwater, in Dayton, and con- sisted of logs, covered with a "shake" roof, and a floor of punchcons hewn from basswood. Mr. Griffith is now in com- fortable circumstances, and the little log shanty of olden days has long since been abandoned for his present neat and com- modious residence.

Within a short time, John Hardman and family, from Michigan, made their appear- ance and made a claim on section 13, where they remained some three or four' years, when death entered the family and the name of John Hardman was added to the list of "departed."

In June, 1853, John II. Miller and Aaron Hardman, with their families, joined the already busy colony and secured homes in the northeastern part of the township. Mr. Miller remained here until 1856, when he passed quietly to his eternal home.

550

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Mr. Hardman followed him in the latter part of the seventies.

A little later William Hall and family came from Iowa river, bringing consider- able stock, and purchased a claim on sec- tion 8. They left during the war.

John V. Boggs and John M. Hart arrived in Coldwater at about the same time, in 1853. Both are still in the township --- the former in the village of Greene, and the latter upon his original place, on section 11.

William Choate was also one of the arrivals at this time, and claimed a place near where Greene now lies.

David Miller was prominent among the pioneers, coming from Indiana and locat- ing on section 10, where his family re- mained for a number of years.

In 1854, came Elias Miller. He gave up his life in defense of his country, dur- ing the war of the rebellion.

John and William Strong were arrivals of 1854. Both have pulled up stakes, and gone in search of what is hard to find-a" "fairer land."

Solomon Sturtz came in the spring of 1855, locating at his present home, on section 11. In the fall of the same year, Philip Moss, a German Baptist minister, accompanied by his wife, came to the township and located on section 13. They both died in 1860.

Felix Landis came with his family in 1856, and located on section 14, his present home. He bought his place of Charles Wood in 1855. Mr. Wood afterward went to California, where he probably died. The log house built by Mr. Wood, and where Mr. Landis lived for many years, is still stand- ing near his residence. Mr. Landis was

born in Ohio December 27, 1807. He re- moved with his parents to Indiana when a young man, and was married in Carroll county, that State, to Leathe Armstrong, a native of East Tennessee, born in 1816. She removed with her family to Indiana in 1831. They have had six children, five of whom are still living-John, Joseph, Em- eline, now Mrs. L. M. Lockwood; Ru- dolph, and Martha, now Mrs. Jolin E. Mil- ler. They lost their fifth child, Mary J., at the age of one year. Mr. and Mrs. Landis are members of the German Baptist Church.

The land began at this time to be taken very rapidly, and the newcomers had to be quick in battling the speculators, or purchase the land they might otherwise obtain free, through the generous laws of Uncle Sam. Many came who could appropriately be termed transients, merely staking ont claims and then moving on in search of something better; while others came determined to live down the obstacles in the pathway of civilization. It is impossi- ble to note the arrivals in detail; yet this, with the names of those following, is suffi- cient to show how the germ-commencing with the two sturdy pioneers who came in 1851 -- gradually developed into the town- ship of Coldwater, which is to-day among the most prosperous, wealthy and produc- tive townships in the great State of Iowa.

Joseph Miller is one of the earliest set- tlers of Coldwater township. He was born in Miami county, Ohio, in 1818. In 1845 he removed to Warren county, Indi- ana; from thence, in the spring of 1856, to Tippecanoe county, coming to this town- ship in the fall of that year. He settled at his present home on sections 5 and 6,

551

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

which he purchased of the government. He was married in Ohio to Sarah McCol- lum, born in Washington connty, Pennsyl- vania, in 1818. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have had ten children, to-wit-Cornelius D., Mary C., now Mrs. Linas Greene; Jesse R., Oliver H. P., Margaret; now Mrs. John F. Boldan, and Joseph A. The deceased children are-Francis M., Elizabeth, Wil- liam A. and Martha. Francis M., their oldest child, enlisted during the rebellion in the Thirty-second Iowa Volunteer Infan- try, and died at Cape Girardeau, January 20, 1863. Mr. Miller has held the office of assessor of the township, and is now one of the trustees, and a member of the county board of supervisors. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members of the U. B. Church.

Samuel McRoberts resides on section 14. Mr. McRoberts was born in county Armagh, Ireland, in 1812. At about the age of thirty he removed to Canada; from thence to Iowa, in 1856. His first settlement in this county was in Butler township, one mile north of Clarksville, where he bought a farm of Mr. Shafer, who entered the same. He bought a quarter section of his present farm of William J. Nettleton. He has now 300 acres of well-improved land. Mr. McRoberts came to America with noth- ing, but by industry and good management has acquired a competence. He has two brothers living in Canada. Mr. McRoberts was married in Ireland to Mary Quinn. They have four children-Samuel, Mar- garet, John and Mary Ann. Mr. and Mrs. McRoberts are members of the Presby- terian Church.

Edward S. Tracy resides on section 5. Mr. Tracy is one of the early settlers of this township, having settled on his present

farm, which he purchased of the govern- ment, August 24, 1857. Mr. Tracy was born in Delphi, Onondago county, New York, in 1835. His father, Samuel Tracy, is a native of Connecticut; he died in Onon- dago county about 1842. Mr. Tracy came to Dubuque in February, 1857; and to Clarksville the following March. He now has abont 200 acres; the original farm con- tained 117. - Mrs. Tracy was formerly Miss Hannalı Backus, born in Genesee county, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Tracy have five children-Rachel Ann, now Mrs. Ransom Palmatteer; Charles, Carrie, Jamin and Nettie. Mr. Tracy has been justice of the peace, township clerk, assessor and town- ship trustee.

Emanuel Leybig resides on section 13, where he settled in the fall of 1857. He purchased his farm of unimproved land of Joseph Miller, in June, 1856. He was born in Pennsylvania, in 1827; his father, Jacob Leybig, was a native of Somerset county, that state, dying there in his eighty-seventh year. Mr. Leybig came to Chickasaw county, Iowa, in the spring of 1856. His first wife was Rebecca Shirer, a native of Ohio. She died in 1880. His present wife was a half sister of his first wife. He has eight children by his first marriage-Mary E., Eliza J., Christiana, Jacob V., Carrie, Emma, Elizabeth and Ida. His farm contains 106} acres.

Abraham Flora resides on section 2, lo- cating here in December, 1862. His farm contains 80 acres, 40 acres of which he purchased about 1860, and the remaining 40, of Benjamin Ellis, several years later. Mr. Flora was born in Preble county, Ohio, in 1836. His father, John Flora, a native of Pennsylvania, removed with his family

552

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

to Carroll county, Indiana, living there until his deatlı. A. Flora came to Butler county from Indiana, May 17, 1858. His wife, Mary Sarah Ellis, is a native of Indi- ana. They have seven children-Harvey E., Louisa A., Henry A., Lewis O., Susanna E., William W. and Abraham L.

William Iesalroad resides on section 7. He bought his farm of Mr. Higgins. The farm was first settled by Elias Miller, whose father purchased the land of the government. Mr. Hesalroad settled here in the spring of 1865. He was born in Prussia, in 1833; emigrated to Pennsylva- nia in 1855, and settled in Somerset county, in that state, where he married Mary Walbring, a native of Prussia, born Octo- ber, 1830. She came to Pennsylvania in 1858. The parents of Mr. and Mrs. Hesal- road never came to this country, but re- sided in Prussia until their death. Mr. Hesalroad came to Butler county with his family, in 1861. They have five children -William Wesley, born in Pennsylvania; John, Harriet S., Sarah and Lewis W. They lost five in childhood. Mr. Hesal- road's farm contains 300 acres. They are members of the Christian church.

William Moore resides on section 2, where he settled in 1862. He bought his farm of Benjamin Ellis, but no improve- ments had been made when he settled there. Mr. Moore was born in Ohio, in 1832, but removed to Indiana with his father's (Johathan E. Moore) family when a child. William Moore came here from Indiana, in the spring of 1858. This was his first settlement. His farin contains 80 acres. His wife was Elizabeth Ellis, a daughter of Benjamin Ellis, who settled in Floyd county, from Indiana, in 1858.

Mr. and Mrs. Moore have three children- Sarah Margaret, John R., and Susan A.

Elihu Moore purchased his present farnı, on sections 2 and 3, of S. C. Whittlesy, in 1865. Mr. Whittlesy entered the farm as government land. Mr. Moore was the first resident on the farm. He is a brother of William Moore, of this township, and was born in Carroll county, Indiana, in 1836. He went to Missouri when twenty- one years of age, where he lived about three years, coming to Butler county in July, 1861. His farm contains 160 acres. His wife was Eliza Saulsbury, born in Indiana. They have seven children - Emma, John, Cora, Jesse, Adda, Elizabeth, and Alta. Mr. Moore's father, Jonathan Moore, died at the residence of his son, September 18, 1878.

Solomon Sturtz resides on section 11. Mr. Sturtz was born in. Somerset county, Pennsylvania, in 1814. In 1836 he removed to Muskingum county, Ohio. He after- ward removed to Carroll county, Indiana, and came to Butler county, Iowa, in the spring of 1865, and settled in his present home in the fall of that year. His farm contains 160 acres, which he purchased of the government. He also owns land else- where. His improvements are among the best in the township. He was married, in February, 1836, to Elizabeth Troutman, a native of Somerset county, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Sturtz have had nine chil- dren, seven of whom are living-Margaret, Catherine, John, Lydia, Benjamin, Eliza- beth and Susan. Mr. and Mrs. Sturtz are members of the Presbyterian Church.

Thomas Bettesworth resides on section 19. IIe bought his farm of R. A. Babbage, in 1870. Mr. Bettesworth was born in Eng-

Solomon Startz.

555

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

land, in 1837. He came to the United States, with his mother- who lives with him-in , 1865. His father died in England. Mr. Bettesworth lived in Maquoketa, Jackson county, for some time, coming to Butler county in 1870. He worked on 'what is known as the "Babbage farm" for about three years before settling on his present place. His wife was Abbie Wright, daugh- ter of Lyman Wright. They have two chil- dren-Lyman, and Walter. Mr. Bettes- worth's farm contains ninety-two acres.

John F. Richmond resides on section 32. He was born in County Cavan, February 27, 1847. He came to this country in 1851, with his father, Francis Richmond. The family settled in Greene county, Wiscon- sin, where his father died. Mr. Richmond enlisted, in 1864, in the Sixteenth Wiscon- sin Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He enlisted as a recruit, joining the regiment at Atlanta. He accompanied Sherman in his famous march to the sea. Mr. Richmond came to this county about 1870, and settled on his-present farm in 1872. Mr. Richmond has engaged consid- erably in teaching, and has taught eight winter terms in this county. His wife was formerly Miss Hattie Mann, daughter of D. E. Mann, an early settler of Grundy county. They have two children -- Pearl, and Susie. His farm contains 160 acres.

Isaac Spoor, who resides on section 3, bought his present farm of Messrs. Brooks and Ryner. He was born in Wayne county, New York, in 1829. He moved from Monroe county, New York, to Illinois in the fall of 1856. In 1872 he came to Iowa, and pur- chased his farm soon after; but did not locate here till 1878. He has 160 acres of prairie, also seven acres of timber land.

Mr. Spoor learned the trade of a carpenter, in the State of New York, and worked at carpentering and cabinet-making until he settled here. He was married, December 8, 1862, to Josephine Harris, a native of New York. They have five children- Lillie May, Cora Jane, Carrie E., Marcia Elizabeth, and an infant daughter.

INTERESTING ITEMS IN EARLY DAYS.

The first known birth in Coldwater township, was Margaret, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hardman, in 1854, who re- sided on section 13. She now resides within a few. miles of her birtliplace, be- ing now Mrs. M. Bragg, of Dayton town- ship. She had several brothers and sis- ters, born at an early period.

It is claimed, upon good authority, that the first marriage to take place, united the destinies of Frances Jane Griffith and Martin Van Wamsley. The ceremony was performed by Judge Van Dorne, onl the 4th of September, 1856, at the resi- dence of the bride's parents. The bride- groom died in a Texas prison, during the war, in 1864, and the widow has since married Clark Carr, and is now living in Jackson township.

Another early marriage occurred in 1856, the contracting parties being Elias Miller and the "Widow" Miller. The marriage occurred at the residence of Esquire James Griffith, who officiated. Mr. Miller. is now dead and Mrs. Miller has again married.

The first death in the township was in 1853, of apoplexy, John Hardman, jr., son of J. Hardman, sr., at the age of thirty years.

556

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Another early death in this vicinity, was on September 20, 1853, Able P. Grif- fitlı, of congestive chills, aged eight years.

In early days the settlers here were obliged to go to Ceder Falls for market and mail. On one occasion, late in the fall of 1853, James Griffith and John M. Hart started for Cedar Rapids, a distance of 95 miles, with four horses and a wagon, for supplies, and after much trouble suc- ceeded in making the trip in one week, camping by the wayside. They brought back with them 1,100 pounds of flour, for which they paid one dollar and eighty-one cents per hundred. .

AN EMBRYOTIC VILLAGE.

There are probably but few persons now living in the town of Greene that are cognizant of the fact that at a very early day, before Greene was dreamed of, a vil- lage plat was laid out, surveyed and re- corded just south of the present thriving town. T. T. Rawson was the instigator of this, and the poetic name of "Elm Springs" was bestowed upon it. A post office was established under the same name, which has since been changed to Greene post office. Nothing ever came of the historical enterprise, as the hoped-for railroad did not put in an appearance until after it had become a thing of the past, dim even to memory.

THE TOWNSHIP NAME.

As the name which the township bears is an uncommon one, there has been spec- ulation as to the occurrence which sug- gested it and as to who was the originator of the eccentric appellation. One idea concerning the matter-and for aught

known there may be many theories - is that upon a certain occasion in early days a Kentuckian who had settled on section 8 went to the stream now known by the same name to get a drink of water, and getting down on "all fours" he sucked in draught after draught of nature's purest beverage and got up, exclaiming: "Cold water! cold water!" Hence, it is claimed, the stream first took its name and after- ward the township.

OFFICIAL ORGANIZATION.

The clerk's record for the township of Coldwater, embracing the first fifteen years of its official existence, lave unfor- tunately been lost, and therefore anything we might say as to the proceedings of the board during that time would be mere speculation or hearsay.

The first election was held in April, 1855, at the house of John V. Boggs, who lived on section 12, and it is claimed there were less than ten votes cast. The officers elected were: Justice of the peace, James Griffith; constables, A. Hardman and II. P. Balm. Charles Wood was elected as- sessor, but he did not qualify, and James Griffith filled his place. Thus it was that the township was organized.

Among others who were prominent offi- cers in early days may be mentioned E. S. Tracy, Joseph Miller and Asa Phillips.

The records that have been preserved commence with a session of the board on the 14th of April, 1873, in Greene, at which time William M. Foote was clerk and G. L. Mills, Joseph Miller and John Riner were trustees. Since that time the following are among the gentlemen who have at various times been on the board to

557

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

oversee public affairs, to-wit: Solomon Sturtz, William Hardman, E. S. Case, Wil- liam M. Foote, James Griffith, Samuel Thomas, L. Ellis, O. D. Barnum, W. W. Riner, Charles Northfoss, E. J. Moore, W. A. Griffithi, John M. Hart, Joseph Miller and Henry Moss. The officers at this writing are: Trustees, Joseph Miller, G. M. Tyler and Samuel Thomas; clerk, W. A. Griffith. The officers elected in No- vember, 1882, to serve in 1883 are as fol- lows: Trustees, William C. Martin, Sam- uel Thomas and G. M. Tyler; clerk, W. A. Griffithı. Meetings are held in the school house of district No. 1.

COLDWATER DURING THE WAR.

This township did its full share in fur- nishing men to crush the rebellion, and with the exception of one call, men were always ready and waiting to fill the quota assigned the town. The exception men- tion was in answer to the President's call for men in 1864, when the draft was issued and J. M. Miller was summoned.

Among those who went from this town- ship into the Twenty-first Iowa Regiment were Aaron Moss, Jacob Moss, John J. Sturtz and Francis M. Hart. All of whom . returned safe after the war ..

. The Thirty-second Iowa Regiment num- bered among its gallant heroes the follow- ing from Coldwater: Solomon Sturtz, Adam Sturtz, Michael Sturtz, James L. Hardman, W. T. Hall, Jacob Leidig, Joel Phillips, Elias Miller, Nicholas Strong, F. M. Miller, John A. Landis and Joseph M. Landis. The latter enlisted in an Indiana Regiment. Of these Adam Solomon and Michael Sturtz, F. M. and Elias G. Miller, and William T. Hall never returned, find-

ing graves in southern soil. J. C. Leidig died after his return, from the effects of injuries received.

EDUCATIONAL.

Originally the entire township of Cold- water was considered an organization, although not active, and was then known, as it yet is, as the District township. About 1854, James Griffith succeeding in having the territory divided into two districts- No. 1 embracing the eastern half of Cold- water, and one mile into Dayton; No 2 consisting of the western half of Coldwater. The first school-house was put up by Dis- trict 1, shortly after the division, on section 13, and built of logs, which the neighbors all turned out and helped to build. The first school in the township was taught in this building -- as soon as it would "hold water"-by Edward Goheen, with five or six scholars. This log house was used for school purposes until the summer of 1865, when the present neat frame build- ing, 22x30 feet, was erected near the old one, at a cost of $700. The last teacher in the log house was Miss Jennie Hart, with twelve juveniles to answer the call.

District No. 2 was not long in following the example of her elder, and in 1865, a. log house was constructed by contribution of labor in the center of section 8. The first school was taught by Joseph Miller, with an attendance of eight. The old log cabin was dispensed with in 1868, and the edifice now in use put up on the same site, it being about a counterpart of the house in the above district. Miss Hannah D. Shook instructed the last school held here, being attended by thirty-three pupils.

558

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

These two districts did effective service, and answered the requirements until 1866, when, as the population had grown rap- idly, District No. 3 was set off and made one of the factors of the whole; and dur- ing the same year a log school house was erected near where the present house now stands. The first teacher was Miss Mary Clark; attendance about ten. The present school house is the same that was origin- ally erected, although it has been greatly improved and repaired, and now occupies a site in the northeastern corner of section 35. The last term of school was taught by Irene Ackley; attendance about sixteen.

District No. 4 was made at about the same time, embracing the town of Greene; and the neighbors turned out and put up a little log hut for a school house. This stood a short distance south of the present building. It was used until 1871, when a frame building was erected, at a cost of $800, and the following year, as this did not furnish sufficient room, another frame building of the same size and cost was erected. The first school was taught by Rudolph Landis, in 1865, to an attendance of six. In 1873 this district was re-organ- ized as the Independent School District of Greene, and as this takes it out of the jurisdiction of the township, a further ac- count of it will be found in the history of Greene. W. A. Griffith and J. Zook taught school in this district prior to its independent organization.

District No. 5 was set apart in 1870, from the northwestern part of what was formerly the territory of District No. 1, and during the following year put up their neat school house, on the southeastern cor- ner of section 3; size, 20x28 feet; cost,

$600. Miss Kate Ohmert taught the first school, and W. A. Griffith the last; the former having seven scholars; the latter, thirty-one.

District No. 6 was taken from the center of numbers one and two, in 1-74, and the same year built a house 20x28 feet, at a cost of $650, which they still use. Miss Ella Clark first called school to order here, with twelve scholars, and Miss Sarah Wil- liams was the last teacher, with an attend- ance of fifteen.

A district numbered as seven was set off in 1877, which now has the number four to fill the vacancy caused by the independent organization of the Greene school. It embraces sections 17, 18, 19 and 20, and in 1878 constructed a school house in the southeastern part of section 18, size 20x28 feet, at a cost of $600. John Wilson taught the first school in this house, with an attendance of nine, and Sadie Babcock the last, to an attendance of fourteen.

District No. 7 is the youngest district in the township, having been set off in 1879, embracing sections 27, 28, 33 and 34. A house was erected in 1880, size 22x28, on section 33, at a cost of about $550. Miss Sarah Williams taught the first, and Miss Abbie Mabee the last school.

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 64

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