History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 91

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 91
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 91

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For I am too thin and sallow To make shadows on the floor --- Nary shadow any more!"

The foregoing is not a mere picture of imagination. It is simply recounting in quaint phrase of what actually occurred in hundreds of cases. Whole families would sometimes be sick at one time, and not a member scarcely able to wait upon another. Labor or exercise always aggra-

vated the malady, and it took General Laziness a long time to thrash the enemy out. These were the days for swallowing all sorts of roots and "yarbs" and whisky straight, with some faint hope of relief. Finally, when the case wore out, the last remedy got the credit of the cure:

WOLF HUNTING.

In early days more mischief was done by wolves than by any other wild animal, and no small part of their mischief con- sisted in their almost constant barking at night, which always seemed menacing and frightful to the settlers. Like mosquitos, the noise they made appeared to be about as dreadful as the real depredations they committed. The most effectual, as well as the most exciting, method of ridding the country of these hateful pests, was that known as the circular wolf hunt, by which all the men and boys would turn out on an appointed day, in a kind of circle com- prising many square miles of territory, with horses and dogs, and then close up toward the center field of operation, gathering, not only wolves, but also deer and many smaller "varmint." Five, ten or more wolves, by this means, would be killed in a single day. The men would be organized with as much system as a small army, every one being posted in the meaning of every signal and the application of every rule. Guns were scarcely ever allowed to be brought on such occasions, as their use would be unavoidably dangerous. The dogs were depended upon for the final slaughter. The dogs, by the way, had all to be held in check by a cord in the hands of their keepers until the final signal was given to let them loose, when away

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

they would all go to the center of battle, and a more exciting scene would follow than can easily be described.

BEE HUNTING.

This wild recreation was a peculiar one, and many sturdy backwoodsmen gloried in excelling in this art. He would care- fully watch a bee as it filled itself with the product of some sweet flower or leaf bud, and notice particularly the direction taken by it as it struck a "bee-line" for its home, which, when found, would generally be high up in the liollow of some tree. The tree would be marked, and in the fall a party would go and cut down the tree and capture the honey as quick as they could before it wasted away through the broken walls in which it had been so care- fully stowed by the busy little bee. Several gallons would often be taken from a single tree, and by a very little work, and pleasant at that, the early settlers could keep themselves in honey the year round. By the time the honey was a yearold it would turn white and granulate, yet be as good and healthful as when fresh. This was called by some "candied" honey.

SNAKES.

In pioneer times snakes were numerous, such as the rattlesnake, viper, adder, blood- snakes, and many varieties of large blue and green snakes, milksnakes, garter and watersnakes, and others. If, on meeting one of these, you would retreat, they would chase you very fiercely; but if you would turn and give them battle, they would immediately turn and crawl away with all possible speed, hide in the grass and weeds and wait for a "greener" custo-

mer. These really harmless snakes served to put people on their guard against the more dangerous and venomous kind. It was a common practice, in order to exter- minate them, for the men to turn out in companies with spades, mattocks and crow- bars, attack the principal snake dens and slay large numbers of them. In early spring the snakes were somewhat torpid, and easily captured. Scores of rattle- snakes were sometimes frightened out of a single den, which, as soon as they showed their heads through the crevices of the rocks, were dispatched, and left to be de- voured by the numerous wild hogs of that day. Some of the fattest of these snakes were taken to the house and oil extracted from them, and their glittering skins were saved as a specific for rheumatism. Another method for their destruction was to fix a heavy stick over the door of their dens, with a long grapevine attached, so that one at a distance could plug the entrance to the den when the snakes were all out sunning themselves. Then a large com- pany of citizens, on hand by appointment, could kill scores of the reptiles in a few minutes.

AGRICULTURE.

In the earlier settlements of this section, ponds, marshes and swamps abounded where to-day are found cultivated and fer- tile fields. The low and flat places were avoided for the higher grounds, not only on account of the wetness, but for sanitary reasons. Agricultural implements were necessarily rude, and the agriculture of a corresponding character. The plow used was called a "bar-share" plow, the iron point of which consisted of a bar of iron

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

about two feet long, and a broad share of iron welded to it. At the extreme point was a coulter that passed through a beam six or seven feet long, to which was at- tached handles of corresponding length. The mold-board was a wooden one split out of winding timber, or hewed into a winding shape, in order to turn the soil over. In the spring time, when the ground was to be prepared for the seed, the father would take his post at the plow, and the daughter possession of the reins. This is a grand scene-one full of grace and beauty. The pioneer girl thinks but little of fine dress; knows less of the fashions; has probably heard of the opera, but does not understand its meaning; has been told of the piano but has never seen one; wears a dress "buttoned up behind;" has on "leather boots," and "drives plow" for father. In the planting of corn, which was always done by hand, the girls always took a part, usually dropping the corn, but many of them covering it with the hand- hoe.

In the cultivation of wheat, the land was plowed the same as for corn, and harrowed with a wooden-toothed harrow, or smoothed by dragging over the ground a heavy brush, weighed down, if necessary, with a stick of timber. It was then sown broadcast by hand at the rate of about a bushel and a quarter to the acre, and harrowed in with the brush. The implement used to cut the wheat was neither the sickle nor the cradle. The sickle was almost identical with the "grass hook" in use, and the cradle was a scythe fastened to a frame of wood with long, bending teeth or strips of wood, for cutting and laying the grain in swaths. There were few farmers who did

not know how to swing the scythe or cradle, and there was no more pleasant picture on a farm than a gang of workmen in the harvest field, nor a more hilarious crowd. Three cradles would cut about ten acres a day. One binder was expected to keep up with the cradle. Barns for the storage of the unthreshed grain are com- paratively a "modern invention," and as soon as the shock was supposed to be sufficiently cured, it was hauled to some place on the farm convenient for thresh- ing, and there put in stack. The thresh- ing was performed in one of two ways, by flail or tramping with horses, generally the later. The flail was used in stormy weather, on the sheltered floor, or when the farm work was not pressing; the threshing by tramping commonly in clear weather, on a level and well tramped clay floor. The bundles were piled in a circle of about fifteen to twenty feet in diameter, and four to six horses ridden over the straw. One or two hands turned over and kept the straw in place. When sufficiently tramped, the straw was thrown into a rick or stack, and the wheat cleared by a "fan- ning-mill, or sometimes, before fanning- mills were introduced, by letting it fall from the hight of ten or twelve feet, sub- jected to the action of the wind, when it was supposed to be ready for the mill or market.

RELIGION.

The religious element in the life of the. pioneer was such as to attract the attention of those living in more favored places. The pioneer was no hypocrite. If he believed in horse-racing, whisky-drinking, card-playing, or anything of like character, he practiced them openly and above board.

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

If he was of a religious turn of mind he was not ashamed to own it. He could truthfully sing

"I'm not ashamed to own my Lord, Or blush to speak His name."

But the pioneer clung to the faith of his fathers, for a time, at least. If he was

a Presbyterian he was not ashamed of it, but rather prided himself on being one of the elect. If a Methodist, he was one to the fullest extent. He prayed long and. loud if the spirit moved him, and cared nothing for the empty form of religion.

CHAPTER IV.

COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

As stated, on its creation Bremer was attached to Fayette for judicial purposes. It was subsequently attached to Black Hawk for the same purposes, and was duly organized in 1853. At this time the pow- ers of the present board of supervisors was vested in the county court. This court consisted of a judge, a county prosecuting attorney and the sheriff. The judge had entire jurisdiction in all matters which could not properly be brought before the District court, and he was, therefore, to a certain extent, "supreme ruler" in local matters. The office was the most import- ant one in the gift of the people of the county.

The records of the county court com- mence with the first session, held at Wa- verly, in the fall of 1853. The first court consisted of Jeremiah Farris, county judge; Austin Farris, sheriff; and Hon. W. P. Harmon, prosecuting attorney.

ACTS OF THE COUNTY COURT.

The first entries upon the records of the county court, were orders fixing the amount of bond required of the various county officers elected August, 1853. The date of the record is August 15, 1853. The bonds of the treasurer, recorder and sheriff, were each fixed at $5000.

The first regular session of the county court upon record, was held in December, 1853. The only business transacted was the issuing of several county warrants, the first being in favor of William Powell, for

1 services rendered as judge of election, at the August election, 1853, for the sum of one dollar, and for making return of said election, for six dollars and forty cents. The second order was in favor of John S. Jenkins, for the sum of two dollars, for services rendered as judge of election. The third warrant was in favor of Wil- liam Pattee, for the sum of $100.75, for

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

furnishing books for the various county offices.

Various entries are made upon the first page of the record of the county court, of different dates, the order in which they are recorded going to show that they were not entered at the time specified.

On the 6th day of February, at a regu: lar term of the county court, the county was divided into election precincts, as fol- lows:

Township 91, 92, 93, range 11, and townships 91, 92, 93; range 12 constituting the first precinct, and known as Bremer precinct.

Township 93, range 13, and township 93; range 14 constituting the second pre- cinct to be known as Polk precinct.

Township 92, range 13, and township 92, range 14, constituting the third precinct, to be known as Washington precinct.

Township 91, range 13, constituting the fourth precinct, to be known as Jefferson precinct.

Township 91, range 14, constituting the fifth precinct, to be known as Jackson pre- cinct.

On the sixth day of March, 1854, the county court being in session, the name of Bremer precinct was changed to Fred- erika.

At this time, the county court issued an order for the regular April election.

The county seat having been located at Waverly, by the commissioners appointed for that purpose on the 29th of June, 1854, the first record is made of the county court being held at that place.

The county judge, at this time appointed Phineas V. Swan prosecuting attorney, pro tem., for the district court then in session.

On the 3d of July, 1854, court being in session, an order was drawn upon the county treasurer, for the sum of $147.60, in favor of Richard Miles "for building and com- pleting the court house in Waverly." Mr. Miles was also allowed $1.25, "for services in clearing the ground, and furnishing seats for court room."

On the 15th day of June, an order was made that lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 be sold at public auction on Tuesday, July 4, 1854, in block 25, in the town of Waverly.

On the 4th, court was convened, and the following record was made:

"Ordered by the court that Edward Tyrrell sell at public auction, lots No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, in block No. 25, in the town of Waverly, in the county of Bremer, Iowa.

Lot No. 1 was sold to Moses Layman for the sum of $40; lot No. 2 to Silas Walters for $24; lot No. 3 to Moses Layman for $26; lot No. 4 to P. W. Koukle for $53; lot No. 5 to Daniel Layman for $76; lot No. 6 to Edward Tyrrell for $50; lot No. 7 to Moses Layman for 57. Mr. Koukle, failing to pay according to terms of sale, his bid was declared null and void by the court.

On the 15th of July, 1854, the following order was entered upon the records:

"Comes into court, Edward Tyrrell, one of the trustees of Washington township, in Bremer county, Iowa, and stated that on the 15th day of July, 1854, Sarah Inger- soll, a resident of Washington township, made application to him, the said Tyrrell, for a portion of Hiram Ingersoll's property to be secured for the support of Catherine Ingersoll, a daughter of the said Hiram Ingersoll, which from sickness and disease is unable to contribute or provide for her

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

support, and that the said Hiram Ingersoll is about to abscond and leave the said Catherine Ingersoll without leaving any means for her support; the said Tyrrell therefore requests that the court issue a warrant authorizing the trustees of said township to sieze the property of said Ingersoll. Due proof being made to the court that the said Ingersoll was about to abscond and leave his family, or a portion of them, in such condition that they would be likely to become chargeable_upon the public, the court therefore ordered that a warrant issue authorizing the trustees of said township to sieze the aforesaid prop- erty. The warrant was accordingly issued."

On the 17th of July, Hiram Ingersoll and his wife, Sarah, appeared before the court, when the latter made statement that if the former would pay to her the sum of $60, she would give bond to the county, that Catherine Ingersoll should not become a charge to the county. The court thereupon . ordered that when the sum of $60 was paid to Sarah Ingersoll, and the execution of her bond, the property of Hiram Ingersoll be released.

On the first day of August, 1854, the fol- lowing record was made by the court:

"The amount of fees received by the judge, treasurer and clerk of Bremer county, from the 15th day of August, 1853, up to the 1st day of August, 1854, as al- lowed by law, amounts to.$143.50, of which $112.60 was paid to the treasurer, and $30.90 paid to the clerk, which was di- vided between the aforesaid officers as provided by law, paying to eacli of said officers the sum of $47.83."

This was certainly a small amount re- ceived to enable the officers to sport the dignity of their respective offices. 1

On the 19th day of December, 1854, an order was issued for advertising the letting of a contract to build a county jail, and on the 26th of December, the contract was awarded to James W. Wood for the sum of $1194.

On the 25th day of August, 1855, the following record was made:

"Ordered by the county court, that Michael Currier, of Jackson township, Bremer county, Iowa, be and is hereby ap- pointed county agent, to sell intoxicating liquors, for said county, for medicinal, me- chanical and sacramental purposes, and no other purpose, from the 25th of August, 1855, till the first day of May, 1856, and that the said Currier give bond in the sum of one thousand dollars, and to purchase liquors to the amount of $211.31."

Jonathan N. Fowler, of Le Roy town- ship, was also made county agent for the same purpose, and required to give bond to the same amount. He was permitted to purchase a bill amounting to $69.66.

It would appear from the foregoing that the citizens of Jackson township were not in as healthy a state as those in Le Roy township, or else they were of a scientific turn of mind, and required a large amount of liquor for mechanical purposes.

G. C. Wright, ex-officio county judge, on the first day of April, 1857, issued a proc- lamation, calling an election in the various townships, on the 4th day of May, 1857, for the purpose of voting upon the ques- tion whether the county of Bremer should vote the sum of $100,000 to aid in the con-

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

struction of the Chicago, Iowa and Ne- braska Railroad.

The election was duly held, resulting in favor of issuing the bonds by a vote of 385 for, and 234 against.

The same ex-officio judge, on the 4th of March, 1857, issued a proclamation to the qualified voters; that an election would be held, in April, of that year, for the purpose of voting upon the question as to whether hogs should be allowed to run at large. The election was duly held on the 6th of April, 1857, and resulted in adopting a law whereby hogs were to be restrained, the vote standing 429, to 108. The canvass of votes was signed by George W. Ruddick, prosecuting attorney of the county.

Under the date of May 13, 1857, appears the following entry:

Now comes into court B. F. Perkins and makes the following as his report as liquor agent of Bremer county, which report is accepted:

Paid out for liquor and handling. $417.05.

Twenty-five per cent. of which is. 145.05. Remaining on hand of said liquor. 200.00. Twenty-five per cent. of which is. 50.00.

Which said $50.00 substracted from $145.05, leaves $95.05; salary allowed agent by judge, $30.00; leaving a balance of $65.00 to be paid to the county. treasurer by me.

[Signed] B. F. PERKINS.

Immediately following this is the record of a new license issued to Perkins as agent of the county, to sell liquor for medicinal and mechanical purposes, in Washington township, and states that he shall not dis- pose of liquor except for the purposes mentioned. Perkins was a lawyer who had located at Waverly.

On the 24th of September, 1857, county warrant No. 884 was issued to I. M. Pres- ton for the sum of $7,000,to be paid in one

year, for services rendered in securing to the county the title to the swamp or over- flowed land, according to a contract which had been made. On the same date an ad- ditional amount of $500, was issued in warrant No. 885. There is some mystery as to the date of this, as it bears two dates, i. e., August 24, 1856, and August 24, 1857; both appearing in connection with the same paragraph. The matter evidently gave rise to some trouble, as two pages further on, in record, appears the entry, under the date of August 24, 1857, in which it culminates as follows:

"Ordered by the county court that war- rant No. 884, for the sum of $7,000, and warrant 885, for the sum of $500, that were issued to I. M. Preston, on the county treasurer, on the 10th of August, 1857, be and the same are hereby declared null and void, on the ground that no services have been rendered the county by the said I. M. Preston, and that said warrants have been issued without Bremer county hav- ing received any value therefor."

It was also ordered that the treasurer be notified not to pay any money on the war- rants, and the contract made with Preston was annulled. A few days later the war- rants were presented and cancelled by the county judge, George W. Maxfield.

In 1858, the taxes levied on the taxable property of Bremer county, was as follows: For county, state, school, road and bridge purposes, ten mills on the dollar; road tax; one dollar; county poll tax, fifty cents.

On the sixth day of June, 1859, applica- tions were made to the county judge, by J. J. Smith and Miles P. Comstock, for licenses to operate a ferry across the Cedar river, at Waverly, the former on Ellsworth

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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

street and the latter on Jefferson street. The proper notices having been posted, Judge George W. Maxfield ordered that licenses be granted to the parties. The following is a copy of the license:

STATE OF IOWA, BREMER COUNTY.

To M. P. Comstock:

You are hereby licensed to run a ferry boat for the transportation of persons, teams, goods, wares, merchandise, etc., across the Cedar river, at the foot of Jefferson street in the town of Waverly. The rates of toll hereby allowed are as follows:

Trip for double team, same day .. .25 cents. Trip for one horse and carriage, same

day .. . 15 cents.

Trip for man and horse, same day. 10 cents.

Transient person trip, same day. 5 cents. Persons in the habit of crossing may

commute at the rate of from. .. 15 to 50 cents. For crossing cattle over five in number per head. 2 cents. Less than five in number. 3 cents. Ferry to be run from 6 o'clock A. M., to 9 o'clock at night.

[Signed.] GEORGE W. MAXFIELD, County Judge.

Several petitions were presented to the judge shortly after this, for a license to run a ferry across the Cedar river at Janes- ville. Asbury Leverich and R. Morehouse were among the applicants, and Asbury Leverich was successful. It later appears, however, that the case was appealed, and the application of the Morehouse petition was allowed.

On the 1st day of September, 1859, Judge G. W. Maxfield issued a proclama- tion to the effect that at the October elec- tion the question would be submitted to the people as to whether the county of Bremer should use the Swamp Land Fund,

then in the county treasury, and apply it to the following purposes, viz:

$250 on the road and bridge in Frank- lin township, where the road leading from Waverly to Fairbanks crosses the Wapsi- pinicon river, in said township. $150 on the road on bridge known as Titcomb's bridge in Fremont township. $200 on the road and bridges leading from Martins- burgh, in Frederika township, to Bremer in LeRoy township. $291.25 towards the construction of a bridge in the town of Waverly.

The election was duly held and resulted in a majority favoring such use of the Swamp Fund, the vote standing 599 for, to 145 against the proposition.

Under the date of October 1, 1860, appears the following entry upon the records of the county court, and it was undoubtedly hailed with feelings of grati- fication by the county officials:

"The amount of salary allowed the county officers has been increased by the taking of the United States census, from five hundred dollars per year to five hun- dren and fifty dollars, the number of inhabitants of the county exceeding five thousand,

GEO. W. MAXFIELD, County Judge."

On the 24th of October, 1860, a case came before Judge Maxfield, in which Rhoda Harmon was charged with insanity by her husband, J. W. Harmon. Sheriff Ellis was directed to bring the accused be- fore the court, and Dr. O. Burbank, J. W. Harmon, Mary Jane Harmon and D. Mills were subpænied as witnesses. Evidence was taken which all went to substantiate the charge, and the testimony of Dr. Burbank

818 HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.

was to the effect that Mrs. Harmon was laboring under temporary insanity and that with medical treatment, suitable care and attention, she would soon recover. The judge then says, that-

"Having taken the testimony of W.W. Norris, J. G. Ellis and J. W. Harmon, in regard to the value of the property of J. W. Harmon, the hus- band of the said Rhoda Harmon, after deducting what is exempt from execution, which said tes- timony established the fact that the property of said J. W. Harmon was worth less than one thou- sand dollars. It is therefore ordered by the county judge that the cost and expense growing out of the charge of insanity of the said Rhoda Harmon be paid by the county, and, inasmuch as there is no poor house in said county, and further' as the county jail is not in a suitable condi- tion for keeping the said Rhoda Harmon, that she be taken in charge by the said J. W. Harmon, and kept by him until further order of the court, or until information shall be received that the Insane Asylum is open for the reception of pa- tients; and that while she remains in the charge of said J. W. Harmon, he receive such an amount as is allowed by law, not to exceed the sum of $50 per year, and that she also receive such med- ical attendance as may be necessary for her speedy recovery."

What finally became of the case the record does not state.

During the winter of 1859-60 an act was passed by the General Assembly, which was approved by the Governor, changing the mode of local government, and creat- ing the board of supervisors of the county. This board took charge, and had all the powers formerly vested in the county court, excepting the issuance of marriage licenses, probate matters, and civil cases.

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 91

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