USA > Iowa > Cass County > History of Cass County, Iowa; together with sketches of its towns, villages, and townships; educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, and a brief review of its civil, political, and military history > Part 72
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Johan Johannis, a native of Germany, was born on the 6th of May, 1828, where he was reared on a farm. In 1864, he left his native land and emigrated to America, where he settled in New York, but soon moved to Cook county, Illinois, and there remained until 1879, when he came to Cass county, settling in Victoria township, where he has planted shade trees, built a fine house and has improved his land. Mr. Johannis was married in 1853, to Mary Muns. They have had six children-Charlie, William, Henry, Au- gust, Mary and Lewis.
W. T. McKee came to Cass county, Iowa in 1873, settling on section 28, where he purchased eighty acres of prairie land. He sold his farm in Massena town- ship in 1881, and came to Victoria town- ship, where he has since resided. He was born on the 21st of February, 1847, in Blair county, Pennsylvania, and when six years of age he went to Maryland, and lived with his grandparents in Alleghany county, until fifteen years of age, when his parents moved to Maryland, he then made his home with them until seventeen years of age, when he enlisted in con- pany K, Third Maryland Infantry, serv- ing fifteen inonths, when he was discharged with his regiment. He then returned home and remained a short time, when he went to Dayenport, Iowa, and was there
engaged in farming until 1873, when he came to Cass county. He was married in February, 1867, to Mary Ruch. They have been blessed with seven children- Nora M., Anna T., Henry F., Katie, Wil- liam A., James G. and Clara E.
Robert Bagshaw resides on section 14, Victoria township, where he owns a large farm. He came to Cass county in the fall of 1872, and in the winter of 1874-5 he purchased the southeast quarter of section 14. He has improved this farm, and has planted an orchard and has some fine farm buildings. He was born in Derby- shire, England, in 1845. and was there lo- cated until 1869, when he left his home and emigrated to America, locating in New York. On the fourth of July, of the same year he moved to Wisconsin and there remained until 1873, when he came to his present location. He was married in 1873, to Elizabeth S. Walker,.a native of Illinois. They have six children- Robert J., Hugh F, Alice E., Alfred E., Lula F. and Mabel C.
Walter Rae came to Cass county in 1875, and settled on section 25, Victoria township, and in 1877 he moved to Adams county and there remained two years, when he came back to this county and settled in Lincoln township. In 1880 he rented a farm on section 23, and in 1882 bought his present location on section 23, Victoria township. He was married in 1871 to Janet Johnson, a native of Scotland. They have seven children- Jessie, William, John, Allen, Robert, Mary and George. Mr. Rae is an elder of the Presbyterian church, and in this county is one of the prominent leaders of that faith.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
John M. Laing, a native of Michigan, was born on the 8th of February, 1842, and was there educated. In 1864 he started for Illinois, and located in Mc- Donongh county, where he entered land, and there remained until 1872, when he came to his present farm in Cass county. He built a frame house which was des- troyed hy a cyclone, and soon after built. his present house. He has planted many shade and ornamental trees in his groves, and has three hundred and twenty acres of good improved land. He was married in 1865 to Emma Lindsey, and by whom he has had seven children-George A., Dora E., Nettie M., Orlando J., Day, Aaron F. and Chester A. Mr. Laing is class leader in the Methodist Episcopal church, and is one of the prominent mem- bers.
Reuben Robinson, was born in Ver- mont, on the 25th of July, 1818. He was married in March, 1839, to Emeline Smith. He remained on the old home- stead until 1872, when he sold out and came to Illinois, where he spent a year in Lee county, and in the spring of 1873, he came to Cass county. The family lived in a wagon, by which they had trans- ferred their goods, and in the fall camped in a school house. They now own an im- proved farm on section 27, Victoria town- ship, have good buildings and a fine orchard. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have been blessed with six children-Melvina B., Laura L., Elizabeth S., Emma N., Ella S. and Hattie.
M'DILL POSTOFFICE.
This office was established in 1877, at the residence of Enos Sayers, on section 21, with Enos Sayers as postmaster. He
hield the office until 1879, when it was re- moved to the residence of John Codding- ton, on section 15, who was commissioned postmaster of the same, In the year 1880, Mr. Coddington removed from the township and the office was then discon- tinued. The postoffice was on the mail route from Anita to Mt. Etna.
ORGANIC.
Victoria township assumed official or- ganization at the October election, 1870, beld at the Tate school house, with Thomas Tate, Jr., organizer. June 11,1870, the territory technically known as town- ship 74, 34, was set off from Edna town- ship. The growth of this sub-division during the past few years has been rapid and substantial, as in 1873 there was a population of about two hundred, while to-day it has more than trebled that number. There is no record of a pro- ceedings of the first election, but it is learned from authentic sources that the following were the first officers: William E. Johnson, Thomas Tate, J. C. Sholes, trustees; Royal Hudspeth, clerk; Joshua Devore, assessor.
EDUCATIONAL.
School district No. 1, embracing sec- tions 1, 2, 11 and 12, has a school house on the south-east corner of section. 2, erected in 1880. The first school in this district was taught by John Tate, at his house, during the winter of 1863-4. In 1867 a school house was erected on the south-west corner of section 1, and Eliza Tate was the first teacher. The first teacher in the new building, erected in 1880, was Fannie E. Moseley.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
School district No. 2, includes sections 3, 4, 9 and 10. It has a school house lo- cated on the southwest corner of section 3, erected in 1876. Alice Hill has the credit of being the first teacher in this district.
School district No. 3, including sections 5, 6, 7 and 8, has a school house on sec- tion 5, which was erected in 1884, Mrs. Eliza McDiarmid being the first teacher in this building. Prior to the erection of this building, school was held in the dis- trict at a house on section 7, which was built about the year 1868. The pioneer teacher in this house was Mrs. Royal Hudspeth.
School district No. 4, comprising sec- tions 17, 18, 19 and 20, has a school house on the southwest corner of section 17, erected in 1878. The first school in this district was taught by Mrs. George N. Morse, at her home on section 20, in the fall of 1878. Before the term was com- pleted Mrs. Morse was taken sick and the school was abandoned. The first teacher in the school house, erected in 1878, was Alice Hill.
School district No. 5, has a school house on the northwest corner of section 22, erected in 1877. The district embraces sections 15, '16, 21 and 22. Abbie Skellinger was the first teacher in the house erected in 1877.
School district No. 6 comprises sections 13, 14, 23 and 24. This district was or- ganized in 1871, and the first school was taught by H. S. Smeleer, at his house, lo- cated on section 14. In 1872 a school house was erected on the northwest cor- ner of section 24, at a cost of $600. Alice
A. Hill taught the first term of school in this building.
School district No. 7 embraces sections 25, 26, 35 and 36. The first school was held at the residence of Mathew Sym- onds, on section 36, in 1871, being a two months' term during the summer of that year, and taught by Francis Symonds. In 1872 a school house was erected in the southwest corner of section 25. Alice Webb was the first teacher in this build- ing.
School district No. 8 includes sections 27, 28, 33 and 34. The first school house in this district was built in 1872, on the northwest corner of section 34. Mary Sweet taught the first term of school in this building during the winter of 1872-3. There were but six scholars, all children of Joshua Devore.
School district No. 9 embracing sec- tions 29, 80, 31 and 32, has a school house on the northeast corner of section 31, which was erected in 1875. James Wat- ters taught the first term of school in this building.
RELIGIOUS.
The United Presbyterian congregation of Victoria township was organized March 23, 1880. The meetings of the society are held in what is known as the Bell school house, on the southwest corner of section 25, in district No. 7.
HISTORICAL EVENTS.
The first school in the township was taught by John Tate, at the residence of his father, Thomas Tate, on section 1, during the winter of 1863-4.
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
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The first death which occurred within the territory now known as Victoria, was that of Rev. Asa Walden, who died Au- · gust 7, 1861.
The first birth was that of William H., son of Wm. E. Johnson, born May 10, 1858.
The contracting parties to the first mar riage of Victoria, were Asa Walden, Jr., and a Miss Gardner, in 1861. The mar- riage ceremony was performed by Rev. Hillman.
CHAPTER XXII.
BRIGHTON TOWNSHIP.
At the March term of the county court, in 1858, it was ordered that the following territory he set off and constitute the civil . township of Brighton : All of township 77 north, range 37 west, and sections 4, 5, 5, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, and 18 in township 76 north, range 37 west. When the petition for the setting off of this township was presented to Samuel L. Lorah, county judge, he asked the petitioners what name it should receive. Thomas Meredith sug- gested the name "Britain," wishing to have it so called in honor of his native country. But Judge Lorah objected, say- ing he had too strong a recollection of the old "tea trouble," to indulge in names of that kind. Mr. Meredith then suggested "Brighton," as a compromise. This be- ing acceptable, the task of naming the infant township was finished. The war- rant for holding an election for organiza- tion purposes was issued to Thomas Mere- dith, and the first election was ordered
] held at the house of Samuel K. Shields, April 5, 1858.
When the civil townships were re-organ- ized, in 1870, to correspond with the con- gressional townships, Brighton was re- organized with its present boundaries, being township 77 north, range 37 west. l'he growth of the township has been rapid of late years, though it had a strug- gle to hold its own for a time. The cen- sus of 1860 showed a population of sev- enty-three in the township. But the emigration to Colorado which had then commenced, was taking a good many away, and this, with the circumstance of the enlistment of volunteers for the army, left the township in 1863 with but forty souls within its borders. In 1865 emigra- tion had increased the number to 113. In 1867 the population was 129; in 1869 it was 308 ; in 1870, 337; in 1873, 403 ; in 1875, 617; and in 1880, with the impetus given by the growth of the new town of Marne,
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
the total had reached 1,153. Since the census of 1880, it is safe to say that the population has considerably increased.
The surface of the township presents a succcession of gentle undulations varied by occasional stretches of level prairie. Natural groves occur here and there to break the monotony of view, and what is lacking in this regard is supplemented by the many beautiful. artificial ones which adorn a large proportions of the farmers homes. The larger natural groves are : Berry's Grove, on the west half and the southeast quarter of section 32, and Eight- Mile Grove, on the northeast quarter of section 32, the northwest quarter of sec- tion 33, and the southeast quarter of sec. tion 29. The streams are also mostly well timbered for a portion of their length.
Though Cass county is remarkable for for the uniform excellence of its water supply and natural drainage facilities probably none of her galaxy of town- ships is more favored in this regard than is Brighton. The Indian creek comes into the township at the middle of the northwest quarter of section 5, and flowing in a southerly direction, passes into Washington at the line between sec- tions 31 and 32. Camp creek has .its source in numerous little tributaries which rise in the northern part of Brighton, and in the southern part of Audubon county. These come together at little intervals till the creek begins to assume proportions, and when it reaches the center of section 16, it has its conflu- ence with Little Camp creek. It then runs south with a slight trend toward the southwest, passing into Washington at the center of the south line of section 32.
Numerous branches, large and small, of these and other streams, supply the vari- ous farms with water for their stock and drainage for their land. Thus blessed by the hand of nature, and settled by a thrifty class of citizens, it is not strange that the township is rapidly growing in wealth, while the farmers are enabled to add regularly to their improvements, while keeping up those already made, as a result of their labors in this chosen re- gion.
The Rock Island railroad runs diag- onally through the township, northwest by southeast, entering from the east at the middle of the east line of the south- east quarter of section 36, while its west- ern entrance into the township is at the middle of the west line of section 18. The town of Marne, centrally located on this line of road, affords to the citizens of the township a good market for their grain and stock, as well as a ready means of re- ceiving in return the products of the manufacturer and those of other soils.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Victor M. Bradshaw was the first set- tler in Brighton township. He left the settlement in the neighborhood of Indian- town and came to this township, and took up a claim at what is known as Ludley's Grove. He afterward removed to Cass township, and as a sketch of him appears in that township history, with which be is more identified, it is unnecessary to speak of him at length here.
Aaron Byrd, son of James L. Byrd, settled on section 36, in 1852.
Thomas Meredith came in 1855. He entered land now owned by William Trailor, John W. Berry and others, and
589
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
pitched his tent in what is since known as Eight-Mile-Grove. The family occupied a tent until Mr. Meredith completed the building of a house. An autobiograph- ieal sketch of Thomas Meredith, with a remininiscence of early settlement, ap- pears in chapter 6, and any further note of him is unnecessary in this place.
Thomas Ludley came in 1855. He had just come to America from England, his native country. He took up a claim in the north half of the southwest quarter of section 33, and erected a cabin near where the house of Mr. Altig now stands. In June, 1856, he purchased the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of seetion 32; and again added to his possessions in 1858, by securing the north half of the south west quarter of seetion 28. Although he was a constant seeker after more pos- sessions, he did not use much energy in improving what he had, and, in conse- quence, did not do well here. On account of his ill-success he left the county, going to Oregon.
Leonard Everly came in 1855, and en- tered the west half of the north west quar- ter of section 33, and the northeast quar- ter of the northwest quarter of the same section. He built a cabin on that part of his land which was in the south portion of Ludley's Grove, near a spring. His cabin was a very primitive one, being erected of sapling poles. He made a business of horse-trading, and was very successful at it, accumulating some wealth. He re- moved to a place west of Lewis, where he died.
William E. Porter came in 1857, and entered the southeast quarter of the north west quarter of section 33.
John W. Russell came in August, 1857, and entered the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 33; in the year following he entered the remaining one hundred and twenty acres of the quar- ter section. He came here from Ohio more for the purpose of investing in land than taking up a permanent home, and could not be called a permanent settler, though he built a house in which to reside while here. At one time he owned four quarter sections, and still has large landed interests here. He is now residing in. the State of Ohio.
John A. Collins came to Cass county in the fall of 1863, and spent the following winter in a small shanty on the present site of the residence of George W. Crouch, in the southeast quarter of section 24. The same winter he bought the place upon which he now lives. It comprises the north half of the southeast quarter and the east half of the northeast quarter of section 36. Upon this land was a small house, partially completed, which be fin- ished, and to which he has since built additions, making his present residence. He paid one hundred dollars down for his land, which left him the sum of twen- ty-five dollars to live upon until he could raise a crop. He owned one team and that a poor one. He broke, the first sea- son, three acres, and rented land to raise grain upon. He now has under cultiva- tion two hundred and forty acres, with good improvements, and is in a prosper- ous condition financially. Mr. Collins was born in Campbell county, Virginia, March 7, 1827, and is a son of James Collins. His mother, Mary Collins, was a native of Campbell county, of the same State. Both
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
parents died in. Virginia. John Collins lived in that State until twenty-nine years of age, engaged in farming, and, a portion of the time, as traveling salesman. He was married in October, 1854, to Mary I. Lynch, a native of Campbell county, Vir- ginia, and daughter of John and Levicy Lynch. Mr. and Mrs. Collins removed in 1856 to Randolph county, Indiana, where they lived seven years upon a farm. They have nine living children-Elizabeth F., Mary E., Henry A., Liston, Walter, Sarah V., James F., Susan L., and Cleopatra A. Mr. Collins has been township trustee and is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
George W. Crouch located on the southeast quarter of section 24, in 1864.
George W. Crouch was born in Camp- bell county, Virginia, June 1, 1831. He is a son of Lewis and Matilda (Hogan) Crouch, natives of Virginia, where they resided until their decease. Mr. Crouch was married in Virginia, August 24, 1853, to Mary Blankinshift, a native of that State. In 1854, they removed to Indiana and remained until 1863. In that year they came to Cass county, and settled upon a farm in the southeast quarter of section 24, Brighton township. Upon this place was a small log house, contain- ing one room, and twenty-five acres broken. At that time the country in this vicinity was very new, and thinly popu- lated, the only dwelling in sight of his house being the cabin of James Harris. Indians were plenty, and the greater part of the land was unbroken prairie. Mr. Crouch paid for his land, thirteen dollars per acre, with a crop on. He came here with but little means, but is now in pros- perous circumstances. He has a fine farm
of one hundred and sixty acres, all im- proved, with substantial buildings, and a good grove, a part of which was planted by himself. He is engaged in general farming. Mrs. Crouch died in this county and he was again married, September 18, 1870, to Mary Johnson, a native of Vir- ginia, and daughter of Thomas and Eliza- beth Johnson. Mr. Crouch had, by his first marriage, four children-Alice, now the wife of S. Allen, and living in Arkan- sas; Roland, living in Cass county; Charles L., living at home, and Sarah C., who died October 19, 1879.
William M. Trailor, one of the early settlers of Cass county, came here in 1864. In the fall of that year he built a log cahin on the banks of Indian creek, on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 29, Brighton township. He removed here from Menard county, Illinois, with wagons. On his arrival in Lewis, he met Thomas Meredith, of whom he bought a quarter section of land, a portion of which was on the northwest quarter of section 29, and one hundred and twenty acres on the southwest quarter of the same section. He occupied his cabin eighteen months, then built a house, having the frame sawed at a mill in Brighton township, about a mile south of his place. He lived in this house about two years, when it burned down. It was one and a half stories in height, and its dimensions were sixteen by twenty-six feet. The lumber of which it was built, doors, windows, shingles, nails, etc., were drawn from Boonesboro, one hundred miles distant, by Mr. Trailor. In the burning of his dwelling, he also lost his household furniture. His present resi-
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
dence is a much larger building, two stories in height. Mr. Trailor now owns more than eighteen hundred acres of land, including all of section 19, and the west half of scction 20, also land elsewhere in the township, and some in Pottawattamie county. He has accumulated this property here, except five thousand dollars, which he brought with him when he came. Mr. Trailor was born in Menard county, Illi- nois, February 19, 1832. He is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Robinson) Trailor, who moved to Illinois from Kentucky in 1830. The former was a native of Ken- tucky, the latter of Virginia. Both died in Illinois. William M. Trailor lived in Illinois until he came to this connty, residing on the farm with his father until hi's marriage, March 22, 1853, to Miss Saralı A. Bell, a native of Menard county. She died in Cass county, and Mr. Trailor was again married in 1869, to Sarah E. Johnson, a native of Campbell county, Virginia. By the first union, there were five children- Harriet, wife of Lewis Allen, of Pottawattamie county; Marion S., living in Brighton township; Minerva M., wife of Earl Squires, also of Brighton township; Artie L., and .Henry. Mr. Trailor has by his second marriage four sons, whose names are, Thomas, Edward, Francis and Murray. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the, Methodist Protestant church. Mr. Trailor' is one of Cass county's most enterprising and prosperous farmers.
William F. Altig came to Cass county in the spring of 1864, and purchased a farm of two hundred and forty acres, located on section 33 of Brighton town- ship. To this he has added, until he now
owns four hundred acres lying in a body, a part of which is on section 32. He erected his present residence in 1872. Mr. Altig makes a business of raising stock, paying particular attention to Hol- stein cattle. His farm is admirably adapted to this branch of husbandry, both naturally and by improvement, being well watered by three springs, fenced and furnished with suitable buildings. Mr. Altig is an enterprising and thorough- going farmer, also a prosperous one. He was born in Mason county, Kentucky, August 14, 1832, and is a son of James M. and Maria (Elyea) Altig. The former was a native of Virginia, and died of Asiatic cholera in 1833, .when William F. was an infant of nine months. The latter was a native of New York. After the death of his father, his mother re- mained a short time in Kentucky, then removed to Ohio, and three years later (1837) to Menard county, Illinois, where our subject resided till 1864. He was married there in 1856 to Mary A. King, who died in 1863, leaving him two chil- dren, William H. and Maria J., both of whom are now married, and living in Douglas county, Dakota. He was after- wards married to Miss E. J. Short. By this union there were five children-James M., who died at the age of thirteen months and ten days; Mary E., Effie L., . John N. and Jerome B. Mr. and Mrs. Altig are members of the Protestant Methodist church. Mr. Altig belongs to the Masonic order and the Ancient Order United Workmen.
Marion A. Butler came to the township in 1869, and located on a farm on sections 7 and 18, where he still resides. --
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
William Berry bought the land he now occupies, in 1857, but did not come here to live till 1872.
William Berry, was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, October 18, 1819. He is a son of George and Sarah (Floyd) Berry. When three years old he remov- ed with his parents, to Clinton county, Ohio. He remained there until 1851, when he removed to Butler county, Ohio. He was a stone mason by trade and always followed that occupation until he came to Cass county. He was married in Butler county, May 18, 1852, to Sarah Coulter, a native of that county, and daughter of Nathaniel and Mary (Buchanan) Coulter, who died in Butler county. Mrs. Berry died May 16, 1859, leaving four children -Amanda J., wife of John Jay, living in Dakota. Susan A., wife of James Jay, also in Dakota, John W., in Butler county, Ohio, and Alice, who died August 16, 1860. Mr. Berry was again married De- cember 12, 1867, to Mrs. Margaret Zeek, widow of H. II. Zeek. Mr. Berry moved to this county in 1872, and settled upon land which he had purchased in 1857. He now rents his farm which contains one hundred and sixty acres. He is politic- ally a Democrat.
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