History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 88

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 88
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 88

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).

Shepard Berry had a narrow escape from drowning. He was returning from work with a team of horses when the storm

struck him; and in endeavoring to cross a stream, his horses became unmanagable; he was thrown into the current, and as he could not swim, would probably have drowned had he not fortunately grasped one of the horse's tails, and thus pulled ashore in an exhausted state.

Fred Smith's new two story house was blown over, also a two story house of Isaac Dubois, who lives just over the line in Coldwater township. Fred Schuman's house was taken off its foundation.

A great many bridges were carried away, among them the one across the Coldwater, west of town. It stood about twenty feet above low water mark.

In Scott township, Floyd county, a great amount of damage was done by the same storm, and several persons badly injured, a babe fatally. Mr. John Johnson, who lives in that vicinity, gave the following par- ticulars:

Mr. Church's house was torn to pieces by the gale, and everything they had swept away. All the members of the family were more or less hurt, some of them quite se- riously.

-The destruction of property on John Waller's place was very great. Four of his tenant houses blew over, together with a large barn. A German, living in one of the houses, had his leg broken in two places. His wife's jaw sustained a double fracture, and two of their children were badly hurt, the younger so much that it died on Tuesday morning.

The wing of Mr. Oaks' house was torn away and his sulky plow carried a mile distant.

The large school house in District No. -17, was carried over ten rods from its foun-

B. Priest.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

dation. Trees four inches through were twisted off like pipe stems.

A house belonging to Mr. Johnson, a Swede, was prostrated, and he was caught by some of the timbers and seriously in- jured.

East of Greene the storm was also quite severe. The upper story of Thomas Mont- gomery's house was torn away and several of the remaining windows broken by large hail.

The house of James McAbee, who lives on Flood Creek, was torn all to pieces. The inmates miraculously escaping.

On the Root farm, south of town, the water ran so high that it carried off sev- eral thousand tons of hay, entailing a heavy loss to the owner, Mr. Bedlong.

Richard Kival, who lives a few miles northwest of town, had a lively time when the storm struck his place. The boys were just coming in from milking; before reach- ing the house the roof went off and part of the building was carried over, upsetting a stove, which set fire to the floor,

A man in Bennezette was going home with his team of horses hitched to a wagon, and seeing the storm approaching, un- hitched his team and got under the wagon box. When the wind struck, it turned the wagon over several times, but le hung on and came out uninjured. The wagon was blown against some trees, where it lodged. His horses went with the gale.

On the Iowa Central at Rockwell, a great amount of damage was done and sev- eral lives lost. A railroad bridge was swept away and a freight train coming along shortly afterwards, went headlong in to the abyss, with the exception of a few rear cars. The engineer, fireman and

front brakeman jumped into the stream and succeeded in-escaping with their lives.

Thomas Federspiel's house was destroy- ed, himself badly injured, and his young- est child killed. His wife and hired man also sustained severe injuries. G. N. Brough's house was turned over and set on fire by the stove. The furniture and everything was burned.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

The constitutional amendment, section 26, is as follows: "No person shall" man- ufacture for sale, sell, or keep for sale, as a beverage, any intoxicating liquors what- ever, including ale, wine and beer. The General Assembly shall, by law, prescribe regulations for the enforcement of the prohibition herein contained, and shall thereby provide suitable penalties for vio- lations of the provisions hereof."

The vote in Butler county on the adoption of the amendment, stood as fol- lows:

Townships.

For.

Against

Fremont.

Dayton.

Coldwater.

130

Bennezette.

Pittsford.

West Point.

139

Jackson. .

Butler.

174

Shell Rock.

270

Jefferson.

Ripley

Madison

Washington

Monroe

112

Albion.

180

Beaver.

170

Totals

1,632

762

Majority in county for amendment.

875

782

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Dr. A. O. Strout, of Parkersburg, is a native of Maine, born in Durham, Septem- ber 29, 1849. He worked on his father's farm in summers, and attended school from eight to ten weeks each winter, till the fall of 1865, when he taught a term of school in Pownal, Maine. In the fall of 1866, he removed to Indiana, where he taught school the greater part of the time during the first year. In the fall of 1868 he entered the Cook County Normal School, then situated at Blue Island, Illinois, and graduated from that institution, July 3, 1871, when he entered upon the active duties of a professional teacher, at Forty- seventh street, Chicago, Illinois. During the first year he employed three assistants, and had 225 pupils in attendance. In two years the school had increased to over 600 pupils, and ten assistants. The second year he ran this large school, he com- menced the study of medicine. In Sep- tember, 1873, he entered the Chicago Med- ical College, graduating therefrom March 16, 1875. In the fall of 1875, he located at Anamosa, Iowa, where he soon acquired a large practice. On the first day of April, 1876, he was appointed prison physician for the State penitentiary, located at Ana- mosa, which position he held till the spring of 1879, when he resigned. He settled in Parkersburg the following fall, since which time he has continued in the active duties of his profession. Dr. Strout is the present Master of the Masonic Lodge at Parkersburg, one of the strongest in this section of the State. He has been twice elected town councilman.

Milton Wilson was born at the village of Wilson, Niagara county, New York,

July 22, 1826. The place of his birth was first settled by his grandfather, Reuben Wilson, in 1810. Reuben Wilson was the father of twelve children, six sons and six daughters. Three of the sons are yet liv- ing, but the daughters all died before reaching the age of twenty-five. Calvin Wilson, the father of Milton, was born in Canada West, in 1800, and died in 1878. His mother, Hannah (Sherwood) Wilson, was born in Vermont, in 1804. and is yet living Her parents, Nathaniel and Lu- cinda Sherwood, located at Wilson in 1813. Her father died there at the age of fifty- six, and her mother at the age of seventy- six. Calvin and Hannah Wilson were the parents of thirteen children, four sons and nine daughters. The sons are all living, and four of the daughters. Milton was the third child, but first son. He was reared on a farm, and spent his entire life in his native State engaged in agricultu- ral pursuits, with the exception of two years in the city of Lockport, where he was in the mercantile trade. In 1850 Milton Wilson and Adaline Freer were united in marriage. Mrs. Wilson was born July 25, 1829. Her father, Solomon Freer, was born in Ontario county, New York, in 1799, and in 1824 married Mary Ann Snyder, who was born in 1808, in Ontario county. In 1826 they moved to Niagara county, New York. where they located, and raised a family of nine chil- dren, two sons, and seven daughters, all of whom are living, save one daughter. Mr. Freer died in 1879; Mrs. Freer in 1878. In the fall of 1856, Mr. Wilson sold his farm in, Niagara county, New York, and on the 26th of May, 1857, with his family, started west. [See page 476.]

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

DIPHTHERIA.

In the spring of 1878 this dread disease broke out in Greene and for some time continued to rage. The physicians were of the opinion that it originated from a local cause, as the town was not at the time entirely free from filth, and from the few cases thus produced was carried on by contagion. About the first case was that of Charles H. Fugle, on the 20th of March, and although severe, was not fatal. Soon after this the family of C. H. Strana- han was taken down, and within a few weeks his wife and two of his three chil- dren were taken away by the hand of death. Edward Jordan's family were sick, but all recovered. The home of Mr. Atherton was invaded and two children taken. About the same time Charles Ramsey lost two of his children.

After this there seemed to be a lull in the ravages of the disease for several months, and no very violent or fatal cases appeared until late in the fall, when cold weather began to set in. Then it again appeared, and the family of G. B. Lathrop, in Dayton township, lost two of its mem- bers; eight of Henry Wagner's family had

the disease, one proving fatal; Robert Prindle's household was despoiled of two of its members, and many others were taken with the disease. It is claimed that within two months there were as many as seventy-five cases in Greene and vicinity. In May, 1879, it broke out in the family of W. H. Crouse, west of Greene, leaving only two of the family of six children.

About the last cases were Pearlie Sam- son, Anna Harlinske and Minnie Sutton who contracted the disease at the same time, while attending a public gathering, and all died. A rigid quarantine was then es- tablished throughout the town, the schools were closed, public gatherings of all kinds were prohibited and it was finally brought under subjection. The last case was in March, 1879.

It is estimated that there were about two-hundred and fifty cases in all, of which at least seventy-five proved fatal. This estimate includes the town of Greene and surrounding country within reach of the practice of Greene physicians, who were at the time, Doctors C. C. Huckins, V. C. Birney and William Young.

STATE CAPITOL, DES MOINES, IOWA.

HISTORY

BREMER COUNTY,

IOWA.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY. 1

0 NE of the most interesting, as well as the most useful, studies to the youth- ful mind, as well as the advanced thinker, is that of general and local history. Espe- cially is this true when the historian treats of a country as it existed in its primitive state; tells how it was peopled, and enters somewhat into detail in relation to the manner and life of the pioneers. There is a peculiar fascination about the rude life of the early settlers of a new country. The freedom of action, the unconstrained manner with which he receives one and all, and the generous hospitality, is indeed commendable.

Less than a half century ago, that part of the State of Iowa comprising the county of Bremer was an unbroken wilderness, inhabited only by the wild beasts of the forests, wild birds of the air, and no less wild red men, who roamed at will over the broad prairies, fishing in the Cedar and Wapsipinecon rivers, or hunting the game

that everywhere abounded, seemingly car. ing nothing for the morrow, and only liv- ing in the ever present. The thought of the "palefaces" penetrating this beautiful country had not yet disturbed them, and so they continued on in their daily life of hunting and fishing, with occasionally a short war between tribes, to relieve the monotony of their lives. But the time was soon to come when they would surrender up the lands and move on toward the set- ting sun. The time was soon to come when all nature must be changed; when the fair prairies, with their beautiful flowers, painted only by the hand of God, must be broken up by the husbandman, and grain fit for the use of civilized man sown therein.

Forty years ago, still all was a wilder- ness; the soil had been unvexed by the plow, and the woodman,s ax had never been heard; the cabin of the settler, with its smoke curling heavenward, with an air

786

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

inviting the weary traveler to come and rest, was not to be seen, nor even the faintest trace of civilization, but, instead, boundless emerald seas and luxuriant grasses.

"These, the gardens of the deserts-these, The unshorn fields, boundless and beautiful, And fresh as the young earth ere man had sinned. Lo! they stretch,

In airy undulations, far away, As though the ocean, in the gentlest swell, Stood still, with all his rounded billows fixed, And motionless forever."

The prairies, indeed, were a grand sight -in the summer, "clothed in verdure green;" in the fall, in that color that too well tells of the departing years. If a grand sight to see the prairies, as the tall grass waved to and fro, it was a magnifi- cent sight, in the fall of the year, to see the annual prairie fire as it sweeps over all. A correspondent of an Eastern paper, in an early day, in traveling West, witnessed one of these fires, and thus describes it in a communication to his paper:

"Whilst enjoying the sublimity of the scene, night threw her mantle o'er the earth, and the sentinel stars set their watch in the skies, when suddenly the scene was lighted by a blaze of light, illuminating every object around. It was the prairie on fire. Language cannot con- vey, words cannot express to you the faint- est idea of the grandeur and splendor of that mighty conflagration. Methought

that the pale Queen of Night, disclaiming to take her accustomed place in the heav- ens, had dispatched ten thousand messen- gers to light their torches at the altar of the setting sun, and that now they were speeding on the wings of the wind to their appointed stations. As I gazed on that mighty conflagration, my thoughts re- curred to you, immured in the walls of a city, and I exclaimed in the fullness of my heart:

'O fly to the prairie in wonder, and gaze, As o'er the grass sweeps the magnificent blaze; The world cannot boast so romantic a sight, A continent flaming, 'mid oceans of light."

Behold, how changed the scene! Where the rude wigwam of the red man once stood, a palatial-like residence is seen; where once the sons of the forest gathered together for the worship of Manitou, the "Great Spirit," the handsome church edifice is erected in which assemble those of another race worshipping the God of their fathers. Change is written upon every hand. How this change was wrought, the various steps by which the wilderness has been transformed into habitations for civilized man, is the duty of the histo- rian to show; and in the following pages the attempt is made, with the hope that his efforts will be appreciated, and that the facts contained therein may be of in- terest, and the lessons of the past may be instructive to each and every reader.

787

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

CHAPTER II.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

To the readers of local history, the chap- ter pertaining to the early settlement of a country is of general interest, especially is this the case with pioneers themselves, those who have witnessed the changes that have been made, who have seen a trackless wilderness transformed into a beautiful country, and filled with an en- terprising, happy people. He here reads, slowly and critically, every word, recall- ing memories of the past, which for a generation have been buried among a host of recollections, which now arise before him like a dream. His old associations, the deeds, the trials and battles against hunger and cold, while the settlers were few and far between, and wolves howled about the little log cabin, sending a chill to his heart; and the wind driving the sift- ing snow through the crevices-all now arise vividly before him. Often is it with pleasure, he can recall these recollections, viewing with satisfaction the thought that he has lived to see a thrifty and wealthy land, dotted with school houses and churches, villages and cities.

But again it will be, with sadness that the past is recalled, as thoughts spring up of the dark and painful side of early days. How a wife, whose virtues, bravery and simplicity will always be remembered, or a child, prattling in innocence, being called from earth to the eternal home, laid away under the cruel sod, in solemn quietude,

by the rough but tender hands of hardy pioneers. Time had partially allayed the sting, but the wound is now uncovered by the allusion to days gone by, and the cases are not a few, where a tear of bitter sadness will course down the cheek in honor of the memory of those who have departed.

Notwithstanding the many disadvan- tages, and even sorrows attendant upon the first steps of civilization, the ad- versities to be encountered; the pioneers led a happy life. The absence of the aris- tocratic and domineering power of wealth and position, must have been a source of comfort and satisfaction. Merit alone in- sured equality, and this could not be sup- pressed by traditions. The brotherhood of man was illustrated in a sincere and prac- tical way, and hospitality was not consid- ered so much a christian trait as a duty to humanity.

Prior to 1845, the territory now com- prising the county of Bremer was a vast expanse of prairie and timber, uninhab- ited by aught save Indians, and wild ani- mals. The confines of civilization had not much more than crossed the Mississippi, and a journey through the territory west of the "Father of Waters," was a tedious, and justly considered a dangerous task.

This county, lying as it does in the Cedar and Wapsipinicon valleys, had no doubt been visited by white men, for these

788

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

fertile valleys had long been the trail of the hunter and trapper before actual set- tlers made their appearance. This part of the State was known as an Indian reserva- tion, belonging to and occupied by vari- ous tribes. Those in actual possession, it is claimed, were the Winnebagos. Yet there were also members of the tribes of Musquaukees and Pottawatomies. There were about five hundred of the Winneba- goes who had quite a large village on sec- tions 22 and 23, in Jefferson township. The Musquaukees numbered abont one hun- dred, and the Pottawatomies about fifty. During the summer season they would leave their homes here and push north- ward for game and fish, leaving only their sap troughs, log shanties covered with bark, and their brass sugar kettles. The latter they buried where they would not be discovered by passers by; and it is not improbable that there are many of these brass utensils yet hid in the woods in Jef- ferson township.

The Indians did not, as is generally im- agined, cultivate land, plant corn, or raise vegetables, but lived a life of indolence. The three tribes were intermixed and lived together in comparative harmony. The most notable chiefs were Womano- kaker (often spelled Wananoker), Four Eyes, Pukatuk, Winneslieik, Hanahetaker, and Big Way (sometimes spelled Big Wave). Womanokaker (or Wananoker) was the great war chief; and the tradition has been handed down that he got his name from the fact that he had at one time stolen the woman of a white man- thus the name, "Woman-okaker." He is remembered as having the end of his nose shot off by a bullet. He lived on section

23, Jefferson township, near where H. C. Krech now resides, and his counsel had much weight among the Indians.

After the settlement of this county by whites began, the Indians became quite troublesome, stealing anything they could lay their hands upon. Finally, in the fall of 1848, two of the settlers made complaint to the government authorities, and, shortly afterward, the entire body of Indians were removed by a detachment of United States troops, from Fort Atkinson.

In the spring of 1845, the first settlement by white men was made in the territory now comprising Bremer county. Charles McCaffree was the first white man to locate, making claim to the whole of sec tion 34, township 91, range 13, on what has since been known as Quarter Section Run, in Jefferson township. Mr. McCaf- free is of Irish descent, born in Jeffer- son county, Kentucky, and during a por- tion of his early life was engaged as a boat hand on the Mississippi. After a few years of this life he went to southern Missouri, but in a short time turned his face northward, and settled in Lee county, Iowa.

In the spring of 1845, as stated, he came to Bremer county and located upon section 34, in what is now Jefferson township, put up a little log cabin in a small grove about fifty rods from the creek, on land now owned by Henry W. Briden, north- east of the present residence of Mr. Bri- den. During the first year of his resi- dence, McCaffree broke about fifty acres, and raised considerable sod corn. Soon after McCaffree settled, there came to the county, Jerry O'Conner, an Irish- man, who had for a time been making his home in Lee county, who took a

789

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

claim embracing all of section 33, adjoin- ing McCaffree's, and together they kept bachelor's hall. O'Conner broke and fenced about five acres and raised some corn, near where the house of H. D. Gould now stands. After this McCaffree and O'Conner went back to Lee county. The former soon returned, but the latter never came back. O'Conner during the season was accustomed to do but tlittle clothes- washing; when his shirt became worn and dirty, he would tear off the sleeves and collar, and put on a new shirt. When he started for Lee county he liad on the bodies of not less than five shirts. The weather being cold when they started, they wore their overcoats. O'Conner, having neither boots nor shoes, made a sorry appearance traveling bare-footed with an overcoat and five shirts on. The following year, McCaffree was married to Cynthia, a daughter of John H. and Mary Messinger, who were then residents of the county. They went to Independence to have the marriage ceremony performed. They had a family of ten children-Har- din, Floyd, Mary, Hannah, Laura, John, Hestina, Lewis, Owen and Elbert. Mr. McCaffree and wife remained in the county after marriage for about eight years, when they removed to Spring Creek, where they remained three years, then returning to Bremer county. In about one year he went to Missouri, where he lived nine years, until the rebellion drove him from that State, when he again ·settled in Bremer county, in 1862. He died about 1872, and was buried in the burial ground of Jefferson township. Mr. McCaffree was a man of good impulses, genial and social in disposition, and of

much integrity. He made many friends among the pioneers. Mrs. Cynthia Mc- Caffree, his wife, is still a resident of the county, living in Jackson township. She is the oldest female settler living in the county.

In the fall of 1845 Charles McCaffree brought his brother Isaac and their mother to Bremer county as permanent settlers. Isaac now lives somewhere in Missouri, having left Bremer county before the war. About the same time-September, 1845 -Jacob Beelah and his family and son-in- law, Andrew Sample, moved into the county and took claims which, after the survey, turned out to be on section 35, township 91, range 13, now consti- tuting Jefferson township. A log cabin was erected by them on the premises now owned by David Marquis. Not much is remembered of Beelah, as he did not re- main long, removing to Floyd county. . Andrew Semple, however, is remembered better, although he left about 1851. He is said to have been a disagreeable, quar- relsome fellow, nearly always in trouble with some of his neighbors. He moved into Chickasaw county, where he was a part owner in the town site of Nashua. He won a hard name there by his drink- ing, carousing and lawlessness, and finally left for Missouri, where he was when last heard from. Jacob Beelah has not been heard from since he left the county, but the grove he settled in, near the southern line of Floyd county, has since borne his name, though slightly corrupted, being called Beelar's. Grove. Thus the first set- tlement in the county was made.

Early in the spring of 1846, a party came to the county from Marion county,

790

HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

Indiana, consisting of J. H. Messinger, with a large family of girls and boys; George Tibbetts, with a like family; T. Fisher and P. Miller. They all came with ox-teams, spending a number of weeks in the journey.

J. H. Messinger took a farm on sections 35 and 36, township 91, range 13, and he and his wife lived there for twenty years, until called away by death. The family consisted of four boys and five girls. Elias J. was the oldest son, and now lives at Waterloo, where he owns a part of the mill power of the Cedar river. John was the second, and lives two miles north of Waterloo. Robert P., the third, still re- sides upon the old homestead, and is the earliest settler now living within the county. Henry M. C. was the youngest son. In 1878 he went to Oregon, where he still lives. Of the girls, two of them married the Tibbetts boys, one married Charles McCaffree, and one is now Mrs. H. B. Boyd, of Jefferson township. The youngest married Isaac Conner, and is now dead. Mr. Conner is in Kansas.

George Tibbetts located on section 24, -the present site of Jefferson City. His family consisted of four boys and four girls. About 1851 he ran away to Minne- sota to avoid arrest. He has never returned, unless in secret. It is reported that he died a number of years since, with small-pox. His wife was a good woman, and much liked by all who knew her. For a number of years she lived with members of her family, finally going to Minnesota, where she died. Wesley Tibbetts, the oldest son, located on the north side of the Big Woods, on section 15, in what now constitutes Jef- ferson township, and the next son, Henry,

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 88

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