History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 69

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 69
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 69

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).

1859-John Boyd, John Klinetob and John H. VanDyke, trustees; E. D. Mar- quand, assessor; John Stevenson, clerk; E. D. Marquand, justice of the peace; Josiah Stevenson, constable.

1860-Henry Newman, John Boyd and John H. VanDyke were elected trustees October 11, 1859, but Henry Newman was the only one who qualified, as John Boyd and John H. VanDyke refused. Henry Newman resigned the office the following February, and on the 7th of that month the township clerk appointed Richard Heed, John Klinetob and Joseph Hilton, who served for the ensuing year. Martin V. Wamsley was elected clerk.

1861-Joseph Hilton, John Klinetob and John Boyd, trustees; E. D. Marquand, clerk; John Klinetob, assessor; E. D. Mar- quand, justice of the peace.

1862-Elisha Doty, John Boyd and Joseph Hilton, trustees; E. D. Marquand, clerk.

1863-Jeremiah Kocher, Elisha Doty and William S. Wamsley, trustees; Cyrus Doty, clerk; John Klinetob, assessor.

1864-Jeremiah Clark, Elisha Doty, trustces; Cyrus Doty, clerk.

1865-G. P. Klinetob, Aaron Doty, Milton Marquand, trustees; Cyrus Doty, clerk.

1866-Aaron Doty, Henry F. Leitz, J. W. Butts, trustees; Cyrus Doty, clerk; John Klinetob, assessor.

1867-Daniel Pope, Jeremiah Kocher, A. Sampson, trustees; G. P. Babcock, clerk; John Klinetob, assessor.

1868-Wm. Neal, Jacob A. Murckley, Jeremiah Clark, J. P. Upp, trustees.

1869-William Neal, Jacob A. Murck- ley, Samuel McCrery, trustees ; J. P. Upp, clerk.

1870-William S. Wamsley, William Neal, Samuel McCrery, trustees; Cyrus Doty, clerk.

1871-William S. Wamsley, F. Thorn- ton, trustees; C. B. Nelson, clerk.

1872-F. M. Russell, A. Sampson, J. H. Hickle, trustees; Cyrus Doty, clerk.

1873-F. M. Russell, A. Sampson, trus- tees; C. B. Nelson, clerk.

1874-We have no record.

1875-John Boyd, C. B. Wilson, B. Priest, trustees; S. Moyer, clerk; F. M. Russell, assessor.

1876-B. Priest, John Boyd, Aaron Doty, trustees; Cyrus Doty, clerk.

1877-W. W. Hemenway, T. D. Darby, T. T. Miller, trustees; Wilson Bennett, clerk.

1878-E. D. Marquand, F. M. Russell, S. W. Chever, trustees; Wilson Bennett, clerk.

1879-J. Scofield, S. W. Chever, J. H. Hickle, trustees; F. M. Russell, clerk.

1880-The same as 1879.

1881-J. Scofield, F. Patterson, S. W. Chever, trustees; F. M. Russell, clerk.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

1882-F. Patterson, T. D. Darby, S. W. Chever, trustees; F. M. Russell, clerk.

EDUCATIONAL.

The first school house in this township was located on section 1, and was built of logs. U. G. Lawrence was the first teacher. The building after a number of years was torn down, and the material used in its construction made into firewood. The first frame school house was built on sec- tion 14, in 1855, and George McClellan was the first teacher. It has now been replaced with a larger structure costing $800; and at this time, 1883, Miss Mary Lusted is the instructor. The second frame house for school purposes was erected the same year, on section 25, but was afterwards sold to Mr. Douglas, and used for a dwelling, and a more com- modious building erected in its stead. There are now ten school districts in the · township, all having good substantial frame houses, well furnished and in good condi- tion. They have in general a competent class of teachers, and the educational ad- vantages and facilities are second to none in the county.

RELIGIOUS.

The first religious service was held in the cabin of Malon Wamsley in the fall of 1851, by Rev. S. W. Ingham, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. But few services were held. In 1852, a Baptist clergyman held service in Seth Hilton's cabin. No organization, however, was effected of any denomination. The churches are well represented in the town of Clarksville, with which many of the people of the township are connected.

GENERAL ITEMS. .

The first marriage was that of John Rains and Miss Elizabeth Allen.

The first birth was a son to Mr. and Mrs. Malon Wamsley, born July 30, 1852.

The first death was that of Joseph Kirker, who died and was buried on section 12 without service of any character.

Linwood Cemetry is located in this . township on section 13. The first inter- ment therein was a son of Dr. Tichnor, of Clarksville. The grounds are under tlie supervision of the authorities of the town of Clarksville.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Herewith a few sketches of the repre- sentative men of Jackson township are appended:

Captain Chas. B. Nelson stands conspicu- ous as one of the defenders of the Union during the bloody days of the rebellion. His father, Charles C., was a native of Vermont; his mother, Laura (Ellsworth) Nelson of the State of New York, and it was in Wayne county of that Old Empire State that on the 11th day of October, 1825, Charles B. Nelson was born. In 1840 the family emigrated to Winnebago county, Illinois, and there continued farm- ing. In 1847, at Beloit, Wisconsin, Cap- tain Nelson married Miss Maria Mathers, daughter of Daniel and Roxana Mathers. In 1861, he responded to the call of his country by enlisting as a private in Com- pany A of the Fifteenth Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry, and was mustered into serv- ice September 27. In June 17, 1863, C. B. Nelson was promoted to First Lieutenant, and served in that capacity until January 14, 1864, when the regiment was mustered

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

out of service. But Lieutenant Nelson was not the man to remain at home and see his country in need of help. He therefore within ten days after reaching home had a company of one hundred men enrolled, and on the 2d day of February they were mustered into service as Company H of the Forty-seventh Wisconsin, with Captain ·Chas. B. Nelson as their leader. This company served until the close of the con- flict, being discharged September 13, 1865. Thus it can be seen that Captain Nelson served nearly four years, during which time he was in many hard fought battles, besides numerous skirmishes. At Dallas' Woods, May 28, 1864, he was severely wounded, by being struck in the right shoulder by a piece of shell, thus totally disabling his right arm for three years. He never has regained its full use. After the conflict was ended, Captain Nelson came to Clarksville, as his family had removed to that place, in 1863, and he soon settled on section 3, Jackson township, where he still resides, and will undoubtedly spend the remainder of his life, as he here owns 400 acres of fine land, well improved, and his home is surrounded with all the necessaries of the best social life. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have had six children. Their oldest daughter died in 1865, and their oldest son was killed by the fall of a limb at Ft. Sill, Indian Territory, in 1877. The four children living are- Lillian, now Mrs. Willis O. Robinson, of Bloomington, Nebraska; Charles, Carrie, now Mrs. Charles Leet, of Santa Barbara, California, and Wesley. The mother of Captain' Nelson now resides with him. She has spent the last ten years traveling in various parts of the United States, and

although she has now reached her eighty- sixtlı year, she is in apparent good health, and still enjoys traveling by railroad.

Benjamin Priest was born in Pittsford, Vermont, November 22, 1819. Soon after his birth his parents moved to Mount Holly, Vermont, where Benjamin lived with his parents till twenty-one years of age. He then went to New Hampshire, and worked on a farm for four years, then returned to Mount Holly, where he en- gaged in the manufacture of butter trays, which business he followed until 1865, when he left Vermont to find a home in the west. He came to Iowa, and pur- chased 587 acres of land in the township of Jackson, Butler county. On this land he built a large, comodious dwelling house, with all the necessary out buildings. For years he made a specialty of dairy farming, keeping between forty and fifty cows. By careful farming he brought his farn up to a high state of cultivation, second to none in his vicinity. By close application to business he accumulated a handsome prop- crty. He was a man held in high esteem by all who ever knew him, either in Ver- mont or his new-made home in Iowa. He 'was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and politically was a most decided repub- lican. For some time previous to lis death lie was in failing health, and on December 11, 1882, he died at his home, surrounded by his family and friends. In March, 1850, Mr. Priest married Elvira Shepard, of Mount Holly, Vermont. She was the daughter of William and Fanny Shepard. Her father was of English, and her mother of Danish extraction. Her father was born in New Hampshire, July 29, 1780, and her mother in New. Hamp-

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

shire, March 4, 1795. They came to, Ver- mont, where they resided till the time of their death. The father died in Walling- ford, Vermont, February 18, 1856, and the mother in Rutland, Vermont, October 23, 1843. They reared a family of six chil- dren, as follows: William A., born Octo- ber 29, 1819; Elvira, wife of the subject of this sketch, born April 13, 1822; Dexter C., born April 24, 1825, was a soldier of the Union army, and died at New Orleans, of disease, August 2, 1865; William F., born March 15, 1827; Viana J., born December 1, 1831; Sarah M., born June 18, 1834. Mrs. Priest is a woman held in high esteem by all who ever knew her, for her sterling worth as a woman and a Christian.

Samuel McCrery came to Butler county November 5, 1853, and first stopped at Clarksville. In the following spring he purchased fifty acres on section 7, Butler township, and twenty acres of timber on the Shell Rock, and commenced tilling the soil, residing on said land until 1869. He then sold out, removed into Jackson town- ship, and now resides on section 13, and owns ninety-two acres. Mr. McCrery is a native of Kentucky, born in Jefferson county, on the 26th day of February, 1807. His parents were James and Margaret (Lynn) McCrery. In 1813 the family re- moved to Washington county, Indiana, and subsequently into Clinton county. Here the father died, having reached the advanced age of seventy-five years. The subject of this sketch is the oldest of eight children. He resided with his parents, and on the 15th day of November, 1836, mar- ried Miss Mary B. Shaffer, and continued farming in the Hoosier State until 1853. He then concluded to try the western

frontier. Accordingly, he loaded his worldly goods and family, (wife and six children), into two wagons, and started westward on the 4th day of October, arriv- ing as above stated. Mrs. McCrery died on the 16th day of April, 1881. She had twelve children, ten of whom are now living-John, Margaret, Catherine, Jane, Emma, Sarah, Ruth, William L., Martha, and Mary B. Mr. McCrery is a democrat in politics, and a Presbyterian in religion.

William L. McCrery was born in Butler township, March 31, 1857. He has always resided in the county, and September 5, 1882, married Miss S. Nettie Doty, daugli- ter of Aaron Doty. Mr. McCrery is a democrat in politics.

S. W. Cheever resides on the south-west quarter of section eight, Jackson township, where he owns a fine farm of 160 acres. He first came to the county in 1870, but re- mained only a short time. In 1871 he again came to the county, purchased his present farm and hired 74 acres broke. In the fall of 1872 he brought his family to the county and has since resided on his farm and tilled the same. Mr. Cheever was born in West Moreland, Oneida county, New York, February 11th, 1825. He was reared on a farm, learned the carpenter's trade and followed the same in his native State until 1867, then engaged in farming. In 1852 he married Miss Cornelia E. Foote. She died leaving three children-Francis M , Edward H. and George H. He subse- quently married Miss Helen M. Tufts and by this union have four children-John T., James F., Fred, and Roscoe Conkling.

Aaron Doty, son of Elisha and Hannah (Reed) Doty was born in Ogle county, Illinois, January 8, 1836, and resided in

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

that county until 1860. He then married Miss Hannah A. Talbott and soon came to Butler county and he now . owns 350 acres in this county and 160 acres in Dakota. The children are -- S. Nettie, Martha Etta, and James T. Mr. Doty is a democrat in politics and has held local office.

M. J. Freeman was born in Madison county, New York, April 27th, 1839. His parents were also natives of the Empire State. The father, Benjamin F. Freeman, died about the year 1847. About 1850 the mother, Elizabeth (Holdridge) Freeman, with her three children-A. R., M. J., and D. R., emigrated to Waukesha county Wisconsin. Four years later they went back to Chatauqua county, New York, and remained until 1857, then returned to Wisconsin and settled in Dane county. In 1861, M. J. Freeman enlisted in Company D of the Seventh Wisconsin and served until September 1864. In 1865 he married Miss Lucy Ryan, a native of New York, and in 1866 came to Iowa, lived in Grundy county until 1874, then came to Butler and has since been a resident of Jackson town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman have had seven children, five of whom are now liv- ing-Elton, Elsie, Elmer, Ellis and Elwin.

Clark Carr was born in Bennington county, Vermont, in 1844. While he was yet an infant the family emigrated to Illinois, where he was raised ou a farm, and in 1862 enlisted in Company H, of the 127th Illinois, and served three years. He was taken prisoner at Young's Point, near Vicksburg, December, 1862, and confined in Monroe Prison, Louisiana, for two months. Mr. Carr was in many hard fought battles, among which were Chicka- mauga Creek, Lookout Mountain, Mission

Ridge, Kenesaw Mountain, Arkansas Post, Siege of Vicksburg and Siege of Atlanta. In 1866 he came with his parents to Iowa and has since resided in Jackson township. In 1868 he married Mrs. Fran- ces J. Wamsley nee Griffith, daughter of James Griffith and widow of Martin Van Buren Wamsley, and they now have two children, William A. and James L.

Martin Van Buren Wamsley, better known as "Van" Wamsley, was born in Adams county, Ohio, February 9, 1837. He first came to Butler county with Wil- liam A. Wamsley, but did not remain but a short time. A few years afterward, however, he again came to the county and on September 4tlı, 1857, married Miss Frances J. Griffith, daughter of James and Elizabeth Griffith. In 1861 he enlisted in company G, 32d Iowa. He was wound- ed at Pleasant Hill, taken prisoner and died at Tyler prison, Texas, leaving a wife -now Mrs. Clark Carr-and four chil- dren, Richard P., S. B., Mary E. and Van Walter.

Charles H. Caswell was born in Boone county, Illinois, November 1842; received a common school education, tilled the soil and in 1868, at Beloit, Wisconsin, married Mrs. Margaret Soin nee Dolan. In the fall of 1871 he came to Iowa, lived in Bremer county until March, 1882, then came to Butler county and has since had charge of the C. T. Allen farm, which is located on sec. 11 of Jackson township. Mr. and Mrs. Caswell have three children, Charles M., Josephine M. and Anna E.

E. E. Mott was born in Wayne county, New York, July 6, 1826. His early life was spent on the farm, but he subse- quently learned the carpenter's trade and

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

followed the same in his native State for some years. He emigrated to Illinois and settled in Lake county, where he served as master mechanic for a company of con- tractors and builders. He then came to Iowa and May 16, 1860, settled at Rock- ford, Floyd county. Mr. Mott is a sort of a genius and while living in said county worked at various trades,-blacksmith, shoemaker, carpenter, etc., also did some farming. Subsequently he came to Butler county and settled in Coldwater township. He came to Jackson township in 1879 and settled on section 1, where he now re- sides. Mr. Mott has been married three times. His first wife, Miss Sarah West, died in the State of New York. He mar- ried Mrs. Mary Jane 'Stone nee Burnham. She died, leaving two children-Frank and James. His present wife was Miss Cady, They have seven children-Jack, Harry, Ida, Minnie, Jessie, Fred and Kate.

J. Scofield, superintendent of the County Poor Farm, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1843. In 1845 the family migrated to Jo- Daviess county, Illinois, where the father died in 1846, leaving two children-Eliza- beth, now Mrs. J. C. Jones, and Josiah, who is the subject of this sketch. He, when five years of age, went to live with one J. W. Marshall, and remained serving him as an errand boy about the store until sixteen years of age. He then worked two years on the C., B. & Q. R. R., after which, in 1861, he enlisted in Company F, of the Twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served nearly four years. He then returned to Illinois and engaged in farm- ing. In 1866 he married Miss Mandania Minor, and in 1869 came to Iowa, and has since been a resident of Butler county, and

since January 1, 1877, has had charge of the County Poor Farm. Mr. Scofield is a republican in politics, and a member of the Masonic fraternity. The children are -Mary, Charles, Nellie.

C. P. Klinetob is a native of Pennsyl- vania, born in Luzerne county on the 28th day of April, 1828. His parents were Philip and Elizabeth (Moore) Klinetob. He was bred to farm life, and on the 22d 'day of June, 1857, married Miss Nancy Hummer, a native of the State of New Jersey. In March, 1860, they emigrated to Illinois; resided in Lee county until 1866; then came to Iowa, and have since been residents of Butler county. He set -. tled on his present farm in 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Klinetob have four children-C. W., John H., Ida J., and Lydia F.

William Patterson was born in Hem- ensford, Canada, in 1812. His early life was spent on a farm, but he subsequently learned the cooper's trade, and in 1831 married Miss Maria DeLong, a native of the State of New York, born in 1812. They continued to reside in Canada until 1845; then emigrated to the United States; first lived in Kane, and afterward settled in DeKalb county, Illinois. In 1860 Mr. Patterson brought his family to Butler county, and resided in Jackson township until his death, which took place October 22, 1879. Mrs. Patterson still lives on the homestead. She has seven children living -Clarissa, now Mrs. John Hodgson; Wil- liam H., Charity, now Mrs. Duncan Mc- Cray; Frank, Sarah, now Mrs. A. Seitz; Alonzo B., and Abigail E., now Mrs. Albert Neal.

Daniel Wait was born in Orleans county, New York, on the 8th day of April 1833.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

His father, Eli Wait, was also a native of the Empire State, but his mother, Abigail (Sprague) Wait, was born in Vermont. Daniel Wait was reared on a farm and in 1856 united in marriage with Betsy Nichols, daughter of Benjamin and Nancy Nichols and continued his residence in his native State until 1861, then came to Iowa and resided in Butler county three years. He then went back to New York, but in 1871 again returned to Butler, and has since been a resident of Jackson township. Mr. and Mrs. Wait have five children- Harriet, Carrie, Fred, Jessie and Edward. Mr. Wait is a republican and a member of the Masonic fraternity.

William Tennyson is a native of Eng- land, born in Yorkshire, December 3, 1829, and resided in his native country until twenty years of age. He then emigrated to the United States, and for six years traveled in various parts of the Republic, In 1855 he located at Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and was, therefore, one of the pioneers of Linn county. In 1865 he came to Butler county and settled on section 11, Jackson township, where he still resides. His land is good and his improvements are among the best in the county. He is a democrat in politics, and a Royal Arch member of the Masonic fraternity. At Centerville, St. Joseph county, Michigan, he married Miss Mary Shields. She died in 1877, leaving six children-Florence, Allen G., Robert S., Cora E., Jesse W., and Dan D.

Stephen Barkelew was born in the State of New Jersey, February 17, 1830, and re- sided in his native state until 1857. He then emigrated with his parents, Stephen and Mary (Dunham) Barkelew, to Coshoc-

ton county, Ohio, where he helped till the soil, and in 1860 married Miss Mary E. Coulter. In 1864 he came to Butler county, and has since been a resident. of Jackson township. The children are -- Charles, Erskine, Edward, James, William, Lillie, and Frank.

E. D. Marquand came to this county in 1855, and in June of said year entered 240 acres of land located on sections 25, Jack- son, and 30, Butler townships. He then went back to Ohio and the next year brought his family west and has since resided on the land he first entered. Mr. Marquand organized the township he now lives in and named it Jackson because the township he lived in in Ohio was known by that name, and at the first general elec- tion he cast the first and only republican ballot in the township. Mr. Marquand was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, June 28th, 1816. His parents, Charles E. and Nancy Marquand, were natives of France who came to the United States in their youth. He was born on a farm and subsequently was engaged in general mer- chandise for a period of six years. June 28, 1838, he married Miss Mary E. Barke- lew, daughter of Stephen and Mary E. (Dunham) Barkelew. She was born in New Jersey in 1821. They have had twelve children, nine now living-Henri- ette now Mrs. M. B. Gilbert; Mary E. now Mrs. Jas. W. Winship; Chas. H., Theodore F., Louisa, now Mrs. Geo. R. Copeland; Stephen E., E. D., William and Ellsworth.

Cyrus Doty was born in Ogle county, Illinois, September 3, 1834, and is said to be the first white child born in said county. His parents, Elisha and Hannah (Reed) Doty, first located in the county in

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

1832, but went back to Peoria on account of the Black Hawk war. In 1834, how- ever, they settled permanently in that county and were, therefore, among the earliest pioneers. In 1841 the mother died, leaving five children, three of whom are now living-Cyrus, Aaron and Louisa. The father subsequently married Miss Catherine Jones and he now resides in Tama county. Cyrus Doty was reared on a farm and resided in his native State un- til 1860. He then came to Butler county and settled on the southwest quarter of section 11, Jackson township, having pur- chased the land in 1855, and has since re- sided on the same and now owns 240 acres. Mr. Doty is a democrat in politics and has held local offices. His religious connections arc with the Christian Union Society. In 1856 he married Miss Char- lotte Aplington, a native of Brown county, New York, being a daughter of James and Sarah Jane (Anthony) Aplington, and they have reared a family of twelve children, eleven of whom are now living --- Samuel N., William N., Mary C., Edith A., Charles B., Nellie M., Rosa A., Simon H., Lillian C., Myrtle and Earl I.

A. B. Patterson is the tenth of the eleven children of William and Maria (DeLong) Patterson. He was born in De Kalb county, Illinois, April 10, 1851. He came with his parents to Butler county, and has since been a resident of the same. In 1873, he married Miss Maggic McDon- ald, then of Butler county, but a native of Dubuque, and, in 1874, settled on section 23 of Jackson township, where he now re- sides. In 1877 his dwelling was destroyed by fire. The children are-Lucius, Addie, Rena, and Edna.

John Bonwell settled on section 1, Jack- son township, October 31, 1854. He was. born in Kentucky, but removed with his parents to Virginia, and there married a, Miss Stafford. He then removed to Ohio, where his wife died, leaving seven chil- dren, five of whom are now living-James, Arthur, Susan, Margaret, and Elizabeth. He subsequently married Miss Martha Sny- der, and removed to Indiana, where she died, leaving three children, one of whom is now living-Charles. He afterward mar ried Miss Elizabeth McKee, and came to Butler county, where he resided until his death, which took place October 2, 1874.

Charles Bonwell was born in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, January 4, 1851. He came to Butler county with the family, and has since resided on the homestead. On May 25, 1881, he married Miss Bertha Shannon, and they now have one daughter -- Isa.

John B. Hickman has been a resident of Butler county since 1866. He is a native of England, born in 1838. His parents were Matthew and Frances (Humble) Hick- man. In 1854, the family emigrated to the United States, and first located at Ken- osha, Wisconsin, but they subsequently resided in Greene county, Wisconsin, Lake county, Illinois, and then again located at Kenosha. In 1866, they came to Iowa and settled in Butler township, where the parents still reside. There are seven chil- dren in the family-Mary, Dorotha, John B., Anna, Frances, William and Lucy. John Hickman was married at Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Humble, and they now have four children -Frances E., Lucy A., Cora and Roy. Mr. Hickman is a republican in politics,

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Baptist in religion, and a member of the I. O. O. F.

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 69

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