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 77

Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 918

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 77

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Patrick Blake also came in 1856, and located on section 5, where he at once went, to work on the construction of a house.

Patrick Blake, one of the pioneers of Cass county, was born in Ireland, on the 17th of March, 1824. When nineteen . years of age, he came to America, being on the ocean over seven weeks. He land- ed at Philadelphia, and living there about five years, he then went to Phoenixville, and was there engaged in iron mining for five years. He then returned to Philadel- phia, and there remained until 1856, when he, in company with his wife, three chil- dren, two brothers and a sister, came to

the west to locate a home. They went to St. Joseph, Missouri, and remaining there some time, they came to Cass county, Iowa, and purchased eighty acres of land on section 5. He immediately erected a log cabin, in which the family moved and lived about eleven years, when he re- placed the rude log house with a large frame building. His farm now contains three hundred and sixty acres of finely cul- tivated land, a fine orchard and many fine farm buildings. Mr. Blake was married in 1847, to Margaret O'Brian, a native of New York State. They have nine chil- dren, seven of whom are now living- Sarah A., Thomas, Elizabeth, Mary, Ar- thur P., Margaret E. and Katie; Ellen, died at the age of eight years.

Jesse Waggett came in the spring of 1857, from Henry county, this State. He purchased land on section 25, now owned by J. M. Bulan, on which he built a house and made improvements. He remained about one year, when he sold to Sawyer, and removed to Missouri, where he died about two years afterward.

William Hopley settled in Washington township in 1858, and established the first dairy in the county. In April, 1865, he removed to Atlantic township.

At an early day, Edward Manley came from Indiana, and located on section 26. He afterward went to Kansas, where he now resides.

OTHER PROMINENT PEOPLE.

In order that an adequate idea of the representative people of the township may be gleaned from these pages, the fol- lowing sketches of the more prominent citizens are given:

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

Martin Luther Hetrick, born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, on the 16th of March, 1830, is the son of Christian and Barbara Hetrick. His father was a shoe- maker and stone mason by trade, but his latter years were devoted to farm life. Martin learned the stone mason trade with his father, and when twenty years of age he left his home, and moved to Frank- lin county, Pennsylvania, and there made it his home about one year, when he moved to Frederick county, Maryland, and from there to Allegheny county, that State, and in June, 1853, he was united in marriage with Jemima McElfish, a native of Mary- land. Martin continued his profession as builder and contractor until 1867, when he was engaged in the mercantile business until 1872, when he purchased eight hun- dred acres of land, in Dawson county, Nebraska, and opened a store of general goods, and there did a large business for a short time, when the crops were eaten by grasshoppers, and as the farmers be- came disheartened with the loss of large crops, Mr. Hetrick was nearly financially ruined. In the fall of 1876, he left that country and came to Iowa, locating in Cass county, and spent the winter in the town of Lewis. The March following he rented a farm in Pymosa township, and remaining there two years, he came to Washington township, and there lived on the farm of Mr. Hicks, until the spring of 1881, when he purchased his present home of one hundred acres of land on section 34. Mr. and Mrs. Hetrick have six children-Mary E., wife of N. G. Perdew, of Dakota; Anna M., wife of W. Everett, of Colorado; Rudolph, at home; John, now living at home; Geneva, wife

of R. A. Shearer, of this township, and Adda, at home.

Hugh Livingston (deceased) was born in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, Octo- ber 21, 1821. He was reared to the occu- pation of farming, which he always follow- ed. He was nnited in marriage, February 21, 1843, with Mary Ann Todd, in the town of Mercer, Mercer county, Penn- sylvania. She is a daughter of John and Gettis (Elder) Todd, who settled in Law- rence county, when she was about twelve years of age. They died in that county. Mr. and Mrs. Livingston resided in Penn- sylvania till the fall of 1865, when they removed to Clinton county. They there engaged in farming, remaining in that county five years. In September, 1870, they became residents of Cass county, lo- eating upon a farm of four hundred and twenty acres. lying in sections 3 and 4, of Cass township, and 33 and 34 of Wash- ington township. They resided till 1882 upon section 3, Cass township, then hav- ing sold their land in Cass, they moved to section 33, of Washington township, where he died December 1, 1883, much regretted by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Mr. and Mrs. Livingston have had eight children, six of whom are living-Elizabeth, wife of Richard Swear- ingen, of Pottawattamie county; Hannah, widow of Samuel Hauke, living in Hall county, Nebraska; John C., a resident of Cass township; George, in Buffalo county, Nebraska; Sarah M., wife of Charles Ros- sell, of Pottawattamie county, and Clar- ence E., who resides with his mother at the homestead. Ella Mary died Novem- her 15, 1883, aged twenty-one years; Minerva J., wife of W. P. Cubage, died in

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

Jackson county, April 8, 1866, aged twen- ty-two years. Clarence E. Livingston was born in Lawrence county, Pennsyl- vania, March 26, 1865, and was eight months old when his parents left the State. He now carries on the farm.

W. A. Bagley came to Cass county in September, 1873, and located in Wash- ington township. In 1874 he purchased some wild land on section 10, and in the last of March of that year, he moved into a small frame building, which he had pre- viously built, and there began to cultivate his land. He has since replaced his small frame house by a neat, commodious one, has improved his farm, and has made an elegant place of the wild and uncultivated land. He was born in Athens county, Ohio, on the 2d of June, 1821, and is the son of Williams and Louisa Bagley. His father was a native of New. Hampshire, and was one of the first white settlers in Muskingum valley. He was a clothier by trade, but on going to Ohio he pur- chased land and followed agricultural pursuits. He built a woolen mill on the Muskingum river, and in 1832 he traded his property for land in Logan county, where he lived three years, and then went to Bureau county, Illinois. In 1837 he came to Iowa, and located in Muscatine county, where he died in 1838. The sub- ject of this sketch remained in Muscatine county with his parents until 1852, when he went to Cedar county, and there re- mained about two years, when he returned to Muscatine county and purchased a farm. Two years later he returned to Cedar county, where he was engaged in the mercantile trade two years, when he moved to Milton township, that county,

where he lived on a farm until 1873, when he came to Cass county. Mr. Bagley was married in 1848 to Lucretia Burgan, a na- tive of Ohio. They have ten children- William F., Mary, Charlie, Emma, Hattie, Sallie, Scott, Katie, Louis and Burt.

Alfred B. Gray, came to Cass county in 1875, and purchased a farm on section 4, Washington township. He has since im- proved his farm, built a large frame house, and planted an orchard which is now one of the finest in the township. He was born in Cedar county, Iowa on the 13th of April, 1843, and is the son of Ebenezer and Eliza (Boland) Gray, his father a na- tive of Ohio, and his mother of Virginia. Ebenezer came to the territory of Iowa in April, 1839, and settled in what is now Muscatine. He then went by team to Cedar county, where he was among the early settlers. He remained in that county until his death, which occurred in 1884, while his widow is still a resident of that county. Alfred was reared to manhood in Cedar county, and made his home with his parents until 1864, when he enlisted in company G, Forty-seventh Iowa Infantry. He served about three months, when he was honorably dis- charged, and came to his old home in Cedar county, where he remained a resi- dent until coming to Cass county. He was married in 1868 to Mary Mattison, a native of England, but when quite young came to America, and located in Stark county, Ohio, where her father died when she was seven years old. She came to Cedar county when twelve years of age, and was there a resident until 1875, when they came to Cass county.

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

Christian A. Dierksen moved to Wash- ington township in 1870, and began culti- vating the prairie, and soon built a small house. In 1881 he sold his place and pur- chased two hundred and forty acres on section 3, where he now resides. He is a native of Germany, and was born in Jan- uary, 1832. He attended school until six- teen years of age, when he began farm- ing, and soon left his native land for America, coming directly to California, where he was engaged in mining. In 1866 he returned to Germany to visit his friends, but soon came back to America and began farming in Johnson county, Iowa, where he remained until 1870. He then came to Cass county, and began to improve the land. He was married in 1870 to Dorathea C. Petersen, a native of Germany. She died in October, 1871, leaving one child, Agnes C., who died in August, 1872.

H. M. Brown resides on section 14, Washington township, where he pur- chased two hundred and seventy acres of nice land in 1880, and has since remain- ed there. He was born in Ohio, in 1842, and was there reared. He learned the trade of a harness maker, and in 1862, came to Clinton county, Iowa, where he was engaged in the harness business un- til 1864, when he returned to Ohio, and enlisted in the One Hundred and Seventy- sixth Ohio Infantry, and served in that regiment until the close of the war. After the war he returned to Ohio, and was there engaged in the boot and shoe busi- ness until the spring of 1868, when he sold out and came to Marion county, Iowa, where he commenced farming and was so engaged until coming to Cass

county, where he has since followed that occupation. Mr. Brown was married to Saralı A. Blackwood, a native of Ohio, and by whom he has had eight children- Edward E., Henry E., Emory O., Herbert W., Joseph W., Abbie A., Asa, and Carrie M.

Isaac Worley owns and occupies the north half of the southeast quarter of section 15, where he settled in 1873. His farm was at that time unimproved, but is now all under cultivation and well fenced. He has an orchard of fifty trees, in good . bearing condition and about one acre of grove. Isaac Worley was born in Perry county, Ohio, 1818, and was the eldest of a family of eleven children. He was brought up on a farm in Perry county, and there married to Rebecca Holden, a native of Pennsylvania. They have four children-John L., in Nebraska; Sarah A., wife of W. H. Warner, of Audubon county; William H., also in Audubon county, and Edward E., in Cass county.

DeWitt A. Winston resides on the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 22. He owns one hundred and twenty acres, comprising the half of the northeast quarter and the southeast quar- ter of the northeast quarter of section 22. Mr. Winston came here in 1869 and made a location of two hundred and forty acres of land, including the above de- scribed, also the south half of the southeast quarter of section 15, and the northwest quarter of section 22. This land was purchased of Frank Whitney and deeded to Mrs. Nancy M. Winston, the mother of De Witt A., Sept- ember 15, 1874. The farm now owned by the latter, was deeded to him immedi-

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

ately after. The land was entered in 1856, by Joseph W. Power, but no im- provements had been made at the time of Mr. Winston's, settlement here. He has since broken and otherwise improved nearly all of the two hundred and forty acres. He is a son of Alanson and Nancy M. (Bartholomew) Winston, natives of Connecticut. Alanson Winston learned the trade of clock-making at Bristol in that State. He was engaged later in the business of wood turning. The subject of this sketch was born in Bristol, Con- necticut, January 9, 1843. 'He was brought up in his native State and there marricd to Jennie Byington, also a native of Bristol, born in September, 1844, and a daughter of George and Margaret A. (Lee) Byington. Mr. and Mrs. Winston have one child-Nathan D., born here, January 18, 1872.

William Gillett resides upon the south- west quarter of section 15, where he owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. This land he purchased in June, 1876, and it was then unimproved. He now has nearly the whole farm under cultivation. Mr. Gillett was born in Clayton county, Iowa, in 1859. His father, John W. Gillett, was one of the pioneers of that county. John W. Gillett was born in eastern Maryland and becaine an orphan at an early age. He came to Clayton county, Iowa, when a young man and afterwards removed to Atlantic where he died. His wife died in Clayton county. They had a family of four sons and two daughters, all of whom reside in this county. William Gillett was married to Alice Ferry, daughter of Mark Ferry, a

resident of Dakota. Mrs. Gillett died July 14, 1884.

James Walker, a prominent farmer in Washington township, was born in Che- shire, England, April 20, 1830. His father, also James Walker, was a farmer by occupation. He died in England in 1843. In 1845 James Walker came to the United States, accompanied by his brothers, George, Elisha and Charles, and two sisters, Mary and Elizabeth. They located in Des Moines county, Iowa, where Mary, the elder of the sisters, was married to William Arrowsmith, wlio, is now deceased. She is still a resident of Des Moines. Elizabeth died soon after coming to this State; George is now living in southern Kansas; Elisha died in Des Moines county, where Charles now resides. Their mother joined them in that county, in the fall of the same year in which they ar- rived, 1845, and died there a few years later. James Walker was married in Lee county, Iowa, October 20, 1858, to Ann Okel!, a native of England. They began married life in Des Moines county, where they resided until 1878. He owned in Washington township, of that county, a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres, with good buildings and improve- ments. In the spring of 1875 he pur- chased a farm containing four hundred acres in sections 35 and 36, Washington township, Cass county. To this he re- moved in the spring of 1876, since which he has been a resident of this county. His farm is under a high state of cultiva- tion, and his improvements are among the best in the township. He makes a business of buying and feeding cattle and

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

hogs for market. Mr. and Mrs. Walker have seven children-Nettie, Ralph K., Mollie, Bertha, Nellie, Willie and Harry. Mr. Walker is at present serving as school treasurer and director in his dis- trict, and is one of the most highly es- teemed citizens of the township.

John E. Bailey resides on section 21. His farm includes two hundred and forty acres in that section, and one hundred sixty acres adjoining in section 22. His first purchase was the part lying in 21, which he bought in 1873. The remainder he purchased in 1879. All, with the exception of forty acres, is broken and fenced. His house was erected at a cost of two thousand dollars, and his barn and other farm buildings cost a similar sum. He is largely engaged in stock raising and makes a specialty of raising hogs. Mr. Bailey was born in Orleans county, Vermont, in October, 1846. His father, Colonel J. P. Bailey, in the spring of 1854, removed with his family from Vermont to Louisa county, Iowa, where he still resides. John E. remained with his parents until he came to Cass county, in 1873. He is the only one of his father's family who settled in this county. He has been twice married. His first wife was formerly Sally A. Hall. She died December 7, 1875, leaving one son- Johnnie S. He was married the second time to Lottie A. Williamson, daughter of E. T. Williainson, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa. By this union there are three children-Frank, Charles and Cora.

Henry J. Hayward is a native of Logansport, Indiana, born October 21, 1843. His father, Henry Hayward, moved in 1848, to Huron county, Ohio, where he

died in 1874. His widow, Louisa Hay- . ward, died in Rice county, Kansas, in February, 1884, while living with her daughter, Mrs. Louisa Peters. Henry J. Hayward left his home in Ohio, and came to this county in March, 1876. He pur- chased his present farm at that time. It contains two hundred and eighty acres, located on sections 24 and 25, of Wash- ington township. He also owns eight acres of timber in Atlantic township. He bought his farm of Jacob Miller, who re- sided here four or five years. Mr. Hay- ward was united in marriage at Bellfonte, Ohio, November 5, 1867, with Elizabeth Lewis, a native of that place, and daugh- ter of John and Lucy (Cowle) Lewis. She was born November 5, 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Hayward have two sons-Oliver, born in August, 1873, and Arthur, born in February, 1879. John Lewis died at Bellfonte, Ohio, in 1854. His widow is now living with Mr. and Mrs. Hayward.

EDUCATIONAL.

The first school board in Washington township, was elected March 20, 1871, and consisted of the following: George Keck, W. M. Watson and M. Kirkpatrick, directors; E. D. Hawes, secretary; M. W. Watson, president; John Spoor, treas- urer.

The present school board is as follows: A. C. Fulton, president; H. M. Brown, secretary; James Walker, treasurer; A. C. Fulton, John Fulton, John Bailey, James Walker, E. C. Kennedy, A. Breh- mer, C. R. Hunt, H. F. Huntoon and M. L. Hetrick, directors.

The first school in Washington town- ship was taught by Rev. Hawsford Short, a preacher of the Congregational denomi-

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

nation in the winter of 1855. He rented from Joseph Everly, a house with one room, in which he taught the youth of this section. This house, shingles and all, was made of native lumber, and was on section 26. The land is now owned by Mrs. A. Bull.

District No. 1 .- Sections No. 1, 2, 11 and 12, constitute the Washington, or district No. 1. The building, which is located at the southeast corner of section 2, was erected at a cost of $550, in the summer of 1871. D. C. Cady was the first teacher. George B. Swartz now has charge as teacher.

District No. 2 .- This district, which is also known by the name of Grant, is com. posed of sections 3, 4, 9 and 10. The school house, a nice frame one, is located on the southeast corner of section 4, and was erected in the spring of 1874, at a cost of $560. Hattie Campbell was the first teacher, and the present teacher is Addie Denison.

District No. 3 .- This district is also known as Lincoln. It is composed of sec- tions 5, 6, 7 and 8. The first school house was moved from Brighton township, in the winter of 1870-71, and Mary Kincaid taught the first term at the new location. In the summer of 1879, a new building was erected on the northeast quarter of section 7, at a cost of $600. Cynthia Wilson was the first teacher in this house, and Carrie Mckinley teaches at present.

District No. 4 .- This district, which is also known by the name of Jefferson, is made up of sections 17, 18, 19 and 20. Its school house is located on the south- east corner of section 18. It was erected in the summer of 1873, at a cost of $500.

Hattie Fulton was the first teacher in this house, and Cynthia Wilson is the present teacher.

District No. 5 .- The schoolhouse in this district was built in the summer of 1876, at a cost of $543. It is 22x26 feet, ground measurement. Sections 15, 16, 21 and 22 go to make up this district, which is also called Jackson district. The build- ing is located on the southeast corner of section 16. The first teacher was Nora Watson. Catherine E. Vaughn is the pres- ent teacher.

District No. 6 .- This district is also called the Webster district. It is com- posed of sections 13, 14, 23 and 24. The building, which is on the northeast corner of section 23, was erected in 1877, and cost $700. M. J. Craig taught the first term of school in this house. F. J. Booth is the present teacher.

District No. 7,-This district, which is also known as Union, is made up of sec- tions 25, 26, 35 and 36. The first school house, within its limits, was erected in 1862, at a cost of $800, and opened with Celia Gridley, (now the widow of John Mills) as teacher. She, at present, resides at Tabor, Iowa. This school house was the first one built in the township. The present building, which is situated on the south west corner of section 25, was erected in the summer of 1875, and cost $475. Adelaide Hopley taught the first term of school in this house. The present teacher is Ella Kettering.

District No. 8, is also called Howard district. Its school house cost $517, and was built in 1872, on the northwest quar- ter of section 34. H. Howard was the

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

first pedagogue in this school. The pres- ent teacher is Alice Battersby. The dis- trict is composed of sections 27, 28, 33 and 34.

District No. 9 .- This district is formed by sections 29, 30, 31 and 32. It is called Ellsworth. The first school house in this district, was erected in 1867, of native lumber. Minnie Goltra taught the first term of school. The building now used for school purposes, was built in the sum- mer of 1877, at a cost of $625. It is located on the northwest quarter of sec- tion 32. Charles Bagley taught the first term of school in this building. The pres- ent teacher is George Powell.

RELIGIOUS ITEM.

In 1858, Father Platt, of Fort Des Moines, came to the township, and held mass at the house of Patrick Blake, on section 5. Father Dexter, of Omaha, held services at a later day, in the same neigh- borhood.

HISTORIC.

George Reeves was the first who died in the township. . His death occurred in the winter of 1856.

The first marriage in Washington town- ship was that which united, as man and wife, Alvin Jessup and Harriet Driscoll. The ceremony occurred at the old Everly farm, now owned by Peter Hopley, in June, 1853. The groom was a native of Indiana, and at the time of the marriage was a resident of Cass township. At last accounts he was in Missouri. The bride

was a native of Burlington, Iowa, where she was born in 1834. She is now dead.

Joseph Everly was a man who bore a good reputation when in his normal con- dition, but who, unfortunately, was ad- dicted to the excessive use of liquor. One day, in the fall of 1860, he rode into Lewis on horseback, and spent a good portion of the day in drinking. Jacob Watson was also in town that day with a team, and about dusk, having finished his trading, started for home. It seems that after passing Turkey creek bridge, Watson was overtaken by Everly, and a quarrel began, which was overheard by a neighboring family. The next morning Everly was found dead in the brush at the side of the road, three-quarters of a mile beyond Turkey creek bridge, with the marks of a club across his skull. The affair did not create much excitement. The grand jury took the matter in hand, but did not return an indictment against any one, and the affair was dropped. Everly was bu- ried in the Lewis cemetery.

TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.

The first officers of the township of Washington were: William Worth, B. D. Shepherd and M. Kirkpatrick, trustees; E. D. Hawes, clerk; M. W. Watson, as- sessor; Eli Watson, road supervisor.

The present officers of Washington township are: R. Marshall, clerk; Ralph Warner, L. Grout and J. D. Goff, trustees; L. A. Dawson, assessor; M. W. Watson, justice.

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXIV.

BENTON TOWNSHIP.

The subdivision of Cass county which is known as Benton township, was consti- tuted June 11, 1870, from Grant, Pymosa, and the now extinct township of Turkey Grove. All of congressional township 77 north, range 35 west, enters into its formation. The election was held in October, 1870, at Cannon's schoolhouse, and the warrant as election officer was issued to J. C. Cannon. At this election the following officers were chosen: L. D. Pearson, Orson Brown and William Gingcry, trustees; Samuel Howlett, clerk; James Jordan and Joseph Clure, consta- bles; H. Parker, justice; Chauncey Slater, T. J. Roberts, J. B. McGill, D. G. Hat- field, IIenry Mc Dermott and James McDermott, road supervisors. There is not one section in the township which does not have its stream, large or small, for purposes of drainage and irrigation. The Troublesome creek flows diagonally through the township, from northeast to southwest, entering from the north at sec- tions 1, 2 and 3, and passing into Pymosa from the south west quarter of section 31. Crooked creek enters from the east on section 12, and flows west till it joins the Troublesome about the northwest corner of section 15. These streams and their smaller tributaries afford water for every farm in the township.

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Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co. Number of Pages: 918

Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 918