History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 76

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 76
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 76

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).

During the winter of 1854 Hiram Broth- erty and family moved in and entered land. He had some means and was indus- trious, besides being a good manager, and as a consequence prospered. Some years afterward he built a new house on the Franklin side of the county line and moved into it, thereby becoming a resi- dent of Franklin county, where he now resides.

The Wickham's, Lester and Abisha, together with their wives and children, came, perhaps, in 1855. Lester and his wife had two children-a daughter named Hetty and a son named Irwin. Hetty married Nathan Ball before coming here, and they accompanied tlie Wickhams.

Abisha and his wife raised one son, Thomas, wlio is now married and a re- spectable citizen. Irwin, Lester's son, died in early manhood. The wives of both Lester and Abisha are dead, and both men are now widowers and stay with Thomas. The Wickhams are good, hon- est, civil citizens. They located south of the South Fork, and were almost isolated for some time, not having any near neigh- bors; but of late years quite a number of Germans and others have improved farms near by, and now there is quite a settle- ment.

Charles F. Kleever, a German, was the first to settle there after the Wickhams. He is a good citizen, and has a very intel- ligent and industrious family. Mr. Kleever has been very industrious in the pursuit of happiness.

About the month of May, 1855, John M. Nichols came and settled in the town- ship, but prior to that, during the winter, or perhaps fall of 1854, Elias Ox- ford came from the State of Indiana and settled in the township. Oxford was a brother of Mrs. Rush, and an uncle of John M. and William R. Nichols, also of Nancy J. Getchels. He and his wife brought up a large family, who have all married. Nearly a year since, Oxford died, his wid- ow still survives and stays with one of her sons-in-law. John M. Nichols came from Indiana to Illinois, where he stop- ped one winter, moving here the next spring. He is a fair-minded intelligent man and has held the office of constable, justice of the peace and county supervisor, and now holds the office of road supervisor. Being economical and industrious he has accumulated considerable property, and

664

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

now lives at ease on one of the best farms in the township. Hc and his wife have raised a large family, most of whom are grown to maturity and a majority of them married.

Sometime during 1855 or 1856, Ben. C. Needham came into the township and be- came the owner of all of section 9. Later in 1856 he moved in with his wife and children. Soon after, his father, B. C. Needliam, Sr., moved here, also his uncle, Azarialı Needham, and a brother, Silas T. Needham, who all became settlers. Ben. C. Needham, Jr., soon after divided up his section of land and conveyed a por- tion to B. C. Needham, Sr., a part to his uncle Azariah, a part to Samnel Overturf, a portion to Rev. H. H. Janes, and 160 acres to his son Perin O. Needham.

P. O. Needham, son of B. C. Needham, Jr .; R. H. Needham, son of Azariah Needham, and W. H. Boylan, son-in-law of Azariah, all volunteered, and went into the military service, on the part of the Union, during the rebellion. Both R. H. Needham and W. H. Boylan died in the service of their country, but P. O. Needham, at the end of his term, came home all right. B. C. Sr., and Azariah Needham, after living to a good old age, have both died. Benjamin C. Needham, Jr., still resides on, and owns a portion of his original purchase, where he is seemingly contented and happy.

Silas T. Needham and wife are comfort- ably situated, on a good farm, which they own, in the township, and have reared a respectable family, who are all married but one daughter. Both of these parties are mentioned at length elsewhere.

In the latter part of June, or early in the month of July, 1855, John Harlan, Sr.,

moved from Ohio into the township, and became a settler. His family consisted of his wife, four sons and one son-in-law, five daughters and one daughter-in-law. Mr. Harlan, Sr., bought eighty acres of land, partially improved, on which there was about thirty acres of timber, of W. R. Jamieson, on which he resided. He also furnished money to enter his three oldest sons eighty acres of land each, also the same amount to his son-in-law, Samuel A. Dearmaun, and entered eighty acres for himself. Nearly all his children set- tled near him. These parties are treated at length in this chapter.

Some time, perhaps in 1856, W. R. Nichols came into the township. He soon became the owner of considerable real estate, and in a few years married Miss Oxford, and settled down to farming, in which occupation he has ever since been engaged, except that he has, occasionally, taught school. He is now well situated in life, owning considerable real and personal property. He is principally engaged in farming, raising and dealing in stock. He has held several minor offices, such as constable, township clerk, town trustee, township assessor and justice of the peace.

After 1855 Ancil Durank and M. D. L. Niece came from Ohio and settled here. M. D. L. Niece was a single man, and has never married. He has a good. education, has taught school several terms in the township, and has held several small offices, such as township assessor, and, perhaps, clerk, and was once appointed to fill a va- cancy in the office of county superintendent of schools. He was also once elected to the office of county surveyor.

Jehn Harlan

667

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Ancil Durand's first wife was a sister of Nat G. and M. D. L. Niece, and was a lady of fair mental culture; had a good common-school education. She raised a family of two children-two girls and two boys. Both the boys are unmarried and reside about Bristow. Soon after coming into the township he was elected justice of the peace, running in opposition to Orson Rice, and the contest was a lively one. He has subsequently been elected several times to the same office in the township. He has also held the office of supervisor of roads and that of township clerk, and at one time was elected county judge. He is now holding by appointment the office of marshal of the incorporated town of Bris- tow.

Seth Strong, one of the settlers of 1854, did not remain in the township long. His first wife dying, he re-married about the winter of 1855-6 with Mary Canon, a widow and one of the Demoss sisters, and finally went to Black Hawk county, where he and his wife are supposed to still re- main.

- Henry A. Early and his wife remained in the township until the fall of 1882, when, having sold out his farm near Bris- tow, he bought another farm in West Point township, where he removed and soon afterward died. His oldest son, W. F. Early, married, and now resides in La Porte, Black Hawk county. He has held the office of township assessor, justice of the peace and some other offices in West Point township. Thomas M. Early, the second son, is noted at length elsewhere. John, the third son, has recently been married. Orra, the fourth son, married a Miss Hall. Tooker, the fifth and young-

est boy, still remains unmarried. They had but one daughter-Elizabeth, who married John Hewit. The old gentleman and lady were always looked up to, and were very much esteemed and respected. He, in his time, was elected to several township offices.

In the spring of 1866, Samuel Overturf and family moved into the township. His wife died a few years ago. He still re- mains a widower, resides in the town- ship, and is a respected member of so- ciety.

Soon afterward James Logan removed here with his family, consisting of his wife, one son and four daughters. All his daughters are married-Eliza J. to John Jamison, Bina to L. J. Austin, Mar- tha M. to Ross Jamison, and Lizzie to Jas- per M. McCormick. David, the only son, unfortunately, was deprived of his eye- sight when about fourteen years of age. He is unmarried and stops at home with his father's family.

Soon after Logan came, the widow Pow- ell and two daughters moved from Bu- chanan county into this township. The old lady is dead. One of the daughters, Mary Jane, married Thomas Demoss. The other daughter, Rachel Ann, remains single and resides with her sister, Mrs. Demoss.

H. H. Janes came into the township at an early day. He was a preacher of some prominence-a Second Adventist. He took well with the people, and prospered for a time, until the decease of his wife. He afterward married a widow, who was also a preacher, when things did not go so well with nim, and soon after they sepa- rated. Her present whereabouts is not known to the writer. It is understood

668

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

that the elder is soon to remove to Neb- raska. In 1856, '57 and '58, many others came to the township.

ORGANIZATION.

At the first county election W. R. Jami- son drove an ox team to Clarksville, to attend the election, and was the first resi- dent of Pittsford township to cast a vote. In February of 1855, John Palmer, county judge, made an order making all the west half of the county, except, perhaps, the territory now embraced in Coldwater town- ship, into one township, to be called Rip- ley, and appointed W. R. Jamison to call an election for the purpose of electing township officers, and organizing said township, which was done in April of that year, the election being held at the house of Henry A. Early, in what is now Pitts- ford. There was a full board of town- ship officers elected; Henry A. Early and W. R. Jamison being elected the two first justices of the peace in the township. In the subsequent divisions of the county into townships, the name of Ripley was given to a township south of West Point, and this township received the appellation of Pittsford, by an order of County Judge Converse, at the suggestion of Azariah Needham and other Vermonters.

The first lawsuit in the township was before Henry A. Early, justice of the peace, wherein W. R. Jamison was plain- tiff, and Orson Rice defendant; judgment in favor of plaintiff, for which decision Rice so abused the justice that he resigned his office.

SCHOOLS.

In the winter 1854-5, application was made to the school fund commissioners

of Butler and Franklin counties for a school district, or rather a sub-district to be formed of the west half of Pittsford and the east half of Ingham township, in Franklin county, which was granted. In the meantime another sub-district had been applied for and formed, includ- ing the east half of Pittsford and the west half of West Point township, which was called Sub-district No. 1. The sub-district in the west half of the township was named No. 2. In the spring of 1856, a log school house was erected in each of the sub-districts, In sub-district No. 1, Martha J. Niece taught a summer school and Miss Melissa M. Over- turf a summer school in sub-district No. 2. These were the first schools ever taught in these townships.

There were several changes in the sub- districts from time to time, as the law and wants of the people seemed to require, until September, 1866, when P. O. Need- ham and W. R. Jamison were appointed by the board, a committee to report a plat and plan of re-districting the township, which they did, and the board imme- diately confirmed and adopted the report This divided the township into five sub- districts, which still exist with very little change or alteration. One change made was the formation of sub-district No. 6 out of territory attached to sub-district No. 2, which is generally known as the Keaver district. Another change was made at an adjourned meeting of the board, in the fall of 1882, attaching the southwest quar- ter of section 27 to sub-district No. 2, making No. 2 about six miles long, which John W. Stewart, county superintendent, decided, on an appeal, to be wrong. With

669

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

these exceptions, no changes have been made in the boundaries of sub-districts since 1866.

There are six sub-districts and seven school houses in the township, which were erected at an average cost of about $800 each, or perhaps a little more.

The board of directors consist of five sub-directors, all republican.

FIRST TIIINGS.

The first death in the township was a man by the name of Calkins, who died soon after coming here. The second death was that of John Harlan, Sr., who died Decem- ber 19, 1855, as previously stated, of dys- pepsia; his disease was of long standing. The third death was that of Mrs. Jackson, before mentioned.

Hannah Boylan was the first child born in the township, a daughter of Isaac Boylan and wife. She, after attaining womanhood, became the wife of Mesling Gibson, and soon after died of consump- tion. She was born in the fall of 1853.

Henrietta Wood was the second birth in the township, born in the summer or fall of 1854, and is now the wife of Aaron Joy, and the mother of a large family of children.

The third birth in the township was that of William Brotherton, in the fall of 1855. He was one of a pair of twins, the other twin died when a few weeks old. Wil- liam became a resident of Franklin county, and is still unmarried.

The first marriages in the township have already been stated.

The first sermon preached was by the Rev. Richard Merrill, in the spring of 1854. As there is a chapter being pre-

pared for insertion in this history, in rela- tion to the Presbyterian Church, we shall not here enter into the matter. There has been a good deal of religious ex- citement and zeal exhibited in the town- ship at times, by different denomina- tions and' persons of a devout turn of mind. Among others, the Advent Church flourished for a time, but is almost dor- mant at present. The United Brethren also run well for a time but there is no or- ganization in the township at present. The Methodists have had several or- ganizations in the township. Soon after the first settlement of the township, the Methodist church commenced to hold revi- val meetings each winter in the old school house at Boylan's Grove, in the east part of the township, which were kept up year-" ly as long as the old school house remain- ed standing. Other denominations gener- ally participated, until all seemed to have turned from the error of their ways, but it is said, by the time the next winter came, they generally were all to warm over again, the work done on each winter re- quiring repair by the succeeding winter. It is, however, thought that the citizens of Pittsford will compare favorably with the adjoining townships both in religion and morals.

DESCRIPTIVE.

There are three streams of water running throngh Pittsford, to-wit: Boylan's creek on the east and northeast; the west fork of Cedar river running from the northwest to the southeast; and Thorp's or Dutch- man's creek running from west to east in the south part of the township. The West Fork and Thorp's creek were formerly

670

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

skirted with timber as far as they run through the township, but by degrees it has been nearly all appropriated by the settlers of this and other townships, but there still remains in the township, upper and lower Boylan's Grove and Jamieson's Grove, besides some other timber, making in all something over fifteen hundred acres of timber land in the township.

There is nothing in the township, which can, in reality, be called a slough, but the West Fork and Thorp's creek are bordered by extensive bottoms, which sometimes overflow. These bottom lands afford a large amount of pasturage and hay each year, and could readily be made to produce tame grass. The tillable land in the town- ship is of a superior quality, and for agri- cultural and stock raising purposes, Pitts- ford, it is thought, is not to be surpassed by any township in the county.

As to stone quarries, there are many su- perior quarries of both lime and sand- stone found on Boylan's creek and other places, which are being extensively worked, one quarry and a lime kiln being used by Elias Frick. The quarry and kiln are both located on the D. & D. Railroad, by which Frick ships large amounts of building stone and lime. The lime burnt is of a superior quality.

The Dubuque and Dakota Railroad passes through the township from east to west, leaving Bristow on the east, and passes through Dumont toward the west part of the township. There was a township tax of five per cent. voted in favor of this road about ten years ago. Considerable work was done, by way of grading the road, soon after. The company finally failed to finish the road, as stipulated, and, as a conse-

quence, the tax was forfeited. The road changed hands, as well as name, and was completed through the township in the summer of 1879. In the meantime, the township voted another tax of five per cent., to aid in building the road, which, it is thought, is all paid. Bristow and Dumont stations on the road, furnish suf- ficient market facilities for produce of all description in the township.

As to towns, Bristow is an incorporated town, on the east line of the township, partly in Pittsford and partly in West Point townships. The Bristow depot is located on the West Point side of the township line. Bristow furnishes a mar- ket for all in the eastern portion of the township, and Dumont furnishes a market for all in the western part, and all others that see proper to patronize it.

The present population is about 725, being an increase of about 25 per year since the first settlement, and the voters are estimated at about 183.

The present assessed value of personal property is $26,301, and the assessed value of lands is $114,261; but it is to be re- membered that the assessed value of prop- erty, for the purpose of taxation, is only about one-third of the real value in money.

The first. settlement of the township only dating back to the fall of 1852, it will be preceived that both settlement and improvment have been very rapid. Those settling in this township are a mixture of English, Irish, Germans, Hollanders and others; however, citizens of the United States predominate.

Joseph Merrel, one of the early settlers, still remains a resident of the township. His first wife died and he then married a

671

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Miss Mckinney. They have a large fam- ily of children. Jo. is an honest man and minds his own business.

During the war of the rebellion there was an organization called "The Union League," formed in the township. It was for a time well patronized, and, being a secret organization, it is not for this his- torian to state what good or harm it did, if any. But it was rather short lived, and dropped out of existence quietly.

MAILS AND POSTOFFICES.

In the first settlement of the township most of the settlers received their mail at Janesville, in Bremer county. Subse- quently, about 1854 or '55, the settlers, having more business at Cedar Falls than Janesville, had their mail ordered to Cedar Falls, distant about thirty-six miles. At an early period there was a postoffice established at Clarksville, Butler county, but as the mail was only carried, when carried at all, once a week, and there being two streams to cross-the West Fork and the Shell Rock-over which, at that time, there were no bridges, and, in fact no road leading to Clarksville, it may well be conjectured that no one in the township patronized that office. At that time the mail was only supplied to Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Janesville, once each week, and carried on horseback.

Some time during the latter part of 1855, or the first part of 1856, George A. Rich- mon, then a resident of Butler Center, in this county, having secured some influence with the Postoffice Department, at Wash- ington, managed to have Henry A. Early appointed postmaster. Mr. Early resided in the east part of the township, near Bris-

tow, then named West Point; there being already one postoffice in the State called West Point, it was suggested by W. R. Jamison that the office be named Boylan's Grove, which was agreed to. Mr. Early acted as postmaster for some time. The postoffice became permanently located at West Point, now Bristow, and is still known as Bristow postoffice.

Shortly after the appointment of Mr. Early as postmaster in the east part of the township, Isaac Stover, who resided just over the line in the east edge of Frank- lin county, applied to the same, George A. Richmon, who succeeded in getting a post- office established, named Union Ridge, and Stover appointed postmaster. So started the Union Ridge postoffice; but at that time and for some time afterward there was no mail route to or past either office, the postmaster sometimes carrying the mail himself on foot, and at other times the patrons of the office would con- tribute and hire some one to carry the mail once per week. Mails were very light at that time.

The Union Ridge office was supplied from Geneva, Franklin county, Al Ben- son, postmaster. In a few years Mr. Stover, desiring to remove to some other place, the Postoffice Department directed him to notify the patrons of the office to meet and select by ballot the person whom they wished appointed postmaster. The election was called and held at the house of Mr. Stover. There were two candidates for the position. James Har- lan had some friends who wished him elected, and W. R. Jamison also had friends who wanted him elected. The contest was quite animated, and the

672

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

contestants were about to come out a tie, when Mrs. Stover came in and decided the matter by casting her vote for Mr. Jami- son, who was accordingly declared the victor, and duly appointed postmaster at Union Ridge. He held the office some time, carrying the mail from Benson the greater part of the time, or having it done at his own expense. Afterward Samuel Jamison, Isaac Stover and James Harlan were in turn appointed postmaster at Union Ridge. James Harlan was ap- pointed in 1862, and held the office six years. By that time. there was a mail route established, and mail carried twice à week.

In 1868 H. J. Playter established a gen- eral variety store at Jamison's Grove, on section 20. Mr. Harlan, weary of being postmaster, had Mr. Playter appointed, who held the office until 1869 or 1870, when he resigned. Ross Jamison was then appointed postmaster, and held the office until April 28, 1875, when W. R. Jamison was appointed the second time, and held the office until some time in the latter part of 1877, when he resigned in favor of James Harlan. But there being other aspirants for the office, A. L. Bick- ford was appointed postmaster. This caused the site of the post office to be re- moved about four miles southeast of Union Ridge, to the town of Dumont, and Mr. Bickford has since been-postmaster.

OFFICIALS.

The following named persons have held office higher than township office:

Ancil Durand has held the offices of county judge, postmaster and notary pub- lic.

M. D. L. Niece has held the offices of county superintendent and county sur- veyor.

W. R. Jamison has been elected prose- cuting attorney and county supervisor, and twice appointed postmastet at Union Ridge, and is now a notary public.

James Harlan has been postmaster at Union Ridge, and once elected county su- pervisor.

John M. Nichols has once been elected county supervisor.

S. B. Dumont has held the office of county supervisor, and has represented the county for two terms in the lower branch of the legislature, and is now aeting in the capacity of a notary public.

Henry C. Brown has been elected a member of the board of county supervis- ors and also a member of the lower braneh of the State legislature, which last named term of office has not yet expired.

Gilbreth Hazlett has held the office of county supervisor, and also that of sheriff, to which office he has been re-elected, and is now serving his second term.

-Henry A. Early, now deceased, has held the office of postmaster.

Henry J. Playter has been postmaster. A. L. Bickford has been postmaster, and still holds the office.

PROMINENT CITIZENS.

In this connection we present the sketch- es of the personal history of a few of the prominent citizens of Pittsford town- ship, arranged with regard to the date of their arrival in this locality. Space for- bids giving a personal history of each citizen in the township, even though it does furnish very interesting reading, but

673

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

enough is given to illustrate the kind of men Pittsford of to-day has.

James W. Mckinney is one of the pioneers of Pittsford township, where he has lived since May 7th, 1854. He was born in Ohio, in 1823, and remained there until fourteen years of age, when his par- ents emigrated to Indiana. He returned to Ohio after several years, and coming back to Indiana was married to Emma Beedle, a native of that State, and they came to Butler county in May, 1854, as above stated, and entered the farm on which he has since lived on the 11th of that month. He was accompanied to this county by an older brother, Ephram, with his family, who located upon a farm ad- joining, where he lived until the spring of 1882, when he sold to Lewis Austen, and removed to Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. James McKinney have been blessed with eleven children, six sons and five daugh- ters. They lost their oldest child-Mary E .- by death. The two oldest children were born in Indiana and the balance are native born of Butler county. Mr. McKin- ney is of Irish descent, his great grand- father having come from the "land of the Shamrock.". His grandfather, Ephram, assisted in the building of the first house where Cincinnati now stands, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. His father, John S. Mckinney, died in Indiana where he had lived many years.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 76

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