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 78
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110
The wagon roads for the most part in- tersect each other at right angles, and follow the section lines in most cases. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad passes through the southeast part of the township, touching only sections 35 and 36.
There are nine school districts in the township, all of regulation size, being composed of four sections each.
Highland Grove is located in the north- eastern corner of the township, and Ham- lin's Grove on sections 2 and 3. Besides these there are several lesser natural groves in the township. The country is a beautiful undulating prairie, varied occasionally by mild hills and patches of timber. The improvements are worthy of the soil, which is as good as exists in the county.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
William Hamlin was the pioneer settler of Benton township. He came on the 6th day of May, 1851, and located on sec- tion 6, He set about improving his claim, and the log cabin which he built was the first structure of any kind erected in the township. It was sixteen by sixteen feet in ground area. He remained about five years, when he removed to Pymosa township. He afterwards removed from
637
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
the county, going to Arkansas, where be now resides. He is a brother of Nathaniel Hamlin, of Audubon county.
Robert Stansbury came to Benton town- ship in the spring of 1853, and located on section 11, where L. D. Pearson now re- sides. He built a cabin, and made some improvements, but becoming dissatisfied, he gave up his place, and removed to Audubon county, and from there to Kan- sas. His present whereabouts are not to be ascertained.
William Millhollen came in the spring of 1854, and locating on section 10, built a cabin and improved a farm. The widow of M. R. Shultz now owns this land. Mr. Millhollen now resides at Bear Grove, Guthrie county.
James Montgomery came in the spring of 1854, and settled on section 14, where O. B. Brown now lives. He built a cabin and made some improvements, but after staying a short time, he removed to Bates county, Missouri, where he died during the time of the war. He was a native of Kentucky, and came here from Illinois.
John Eagan came in the spring of 1854, and located on section 14. He built a cabin, and began improving his claim. The land on which he settled is now owned by Chauncey Slater. After he had been here about one year, he was driving his team one day, when he was thrown from the wagon, receiving injuries from which he died a short time afterward. The family now resides in the vicinity.
Joseph Northgraves first came to Ben- ton in 1854, and located a piece of land on section 29, where he erected a house 16x20 feet, made from boards cnt with a "whip-saw" out of native timber. He
then returned to Hamilton county, Ohio, and in the fall of 1855 removed his fam- ily to Benton township. They remained here until 1877, when Mr. Northgraves ·disposed of his property and removed to Adams county, where he operates the flouring mills at Eureka, having followed the milling business most of his life. Mr. Northgraves is a native of England, and came to America with his parents when three years of age.
Rensselaer Silvers came to this town- ship in the spring of 1855, and located on section 1, at the place where John Dill now lives. On his arrival he immediately set about building a cabin and improving a farm. He was a native of North Caro- lina, and had grown to manhood in the south. He was living in the county when the war broke out, and in October, 1864, was drafted and served with the Fourth Iowa through the balance of the war, as did also his brother Isaac. At the close of the war, Rensselaer returned to the county, but after a stay of about three years, removed to Missouri, where he now resides.
Jonathan Decker came in the spring of 1855, and settled on section 1, where he built a cabin for a shelter for his family, and set about improving a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He was a na- tive of Ohio, and had lived in that State until coming here. He remained here until about the year 1866, when he re- inoved to Audubon county. He after- ward removed with his family to Ne- braska, where he now resides.
S. H. Perry came here in 1856, and lo- cated on section 12, where he built a cabin and made some improvements.
638
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
Henry McDermott now owns the land on which he settled. Perry staid some five or six years, when he removed to Exira, Audubon county. On the death of his wife, which occurred some time after- ward, he returned to Pennsylvania, his native State.
Orson Brown came in September, 1856, and bought land of James Montgomery, on sections 13 and 14, on which he settled.
Orson Brown resides upon the north- east quarter of section 14. His farm com- prises one hundred and twenty acres in that section. He also owns one hundred and twenty acres in section 13. He pur- chased his home farm of James Mont- gomery, in September, 1856, at which time he located here. Mr. Montgomery , had made a few improvements, consisting of the erection of a log house and the breaking of sixty acres. Mr. Brown has a well improved farm. His present resi- dence, which is among the best to be found in Benton township, was built in 1866, but additions have since been made. He hauled the lumber for building his house from Boonesborough and Des Moines, the trip requiring five days. He has in his orchard about two hundred and seventy-five bearing apple trees, twenty- five cherry trees, and other varieties of fruit. Mr. Brown was born in St. Law- rence county, New York, January 1, 1824. His father, Luther Brown, removed to Indiana when Orson was about sixteen years of age, and settled in Steuben county, where he lived until his death. Orson Brown went overland to California in 1852, being just three months on the road between Council Bluffs and Placer- ville. He returned in 1856, and soon af-
terwards came to Cass county. His. . brother, Anson Brown, came here in 1854, and pre-empted several pieces of land. He settled on eighty acres, forty 'of which was in section 11, and the bal- ance in section 13. Later, he removed to Atlantic township, thence to Missouri, and afterward to Ottawa, Kansas, where he still lives. Orson Brown has been twice married. His first wife was Jane Tilletson, who died here in 1870. His present wife, formerly Mrs. Jane (Wood) Brown, was born in Michigan, and came to this county in 1872. Mr. Brown had, by his first marriage, five children-Mary, wife of Cortes Taylor, of Sioux county; Ernest, living in this county; Rosetta, wife of Lewis Anderson, of Anita; Martha, in Sioux county, and Jane, at home. He lost. two sons-William and Charles. Mrs. Brown has one son by her former mar- riage, Elmer.
Henry McDermott located on section 12, in 1857, where he now has a large tract of improved land.
Henry McDermot was born in Richland county, Ohio, in 1828. He was reared a farmer, also engaged to some extent, in carpenter work. He came to Iowa in 1856, with his family, locating in Johnson county. The following year he settled on section 12, of Benton township. His farm contains five hundred and sixty acres. He also owns owns one hundred and twenty acres three miles east of Anita. He was married to Elizabeth Miller, a native of Richland county, Ohio. They have six children-John, Charles, George, Thomas, David and Emma.
James B. McDermott came in March, 1857, and purchased of Dr. G. S. Morri-
·
639
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
son the southeast quarter of section 35, on which he made a permanent settlement.
James B. McDermott located in March, 1859, upon the southeast quarter of sec- tion 35, Benton township, where he now resides. He purchased the land at that time, of Dr. G. S. Morrison, who then liv- ed in Grant township. At that time the only settlements in Benton, were on Crooked and Troublesome creeks. Mr. McDermott is a native of Richland county, Ohio, born in 1826. He was reared to the occupation of farming. He came to this State in 1855, accompanied by his family, and his brother Marcus, and his family. He lived in the southern part of Red Oak township, in Cedar county, two years, coming to Cass county, November 1, 1857. He had purchased his land here the pre- vious year. Mr. McDermott is one of the large and successful farmers and stock raisers of Cass county. He increased his quarter section to about six hundred and forty acres. He has divided much of his land among his sons, but still owns the most of his original purchase. He was married to Elizabeth E. Westheffer, a na- tive of Pennsylvania, born in 1825. She removed with her parents to Ohio in 1844. Mr. McDermott's parents were Mark and Sarah McDermott. His father died sev- eral years since. His mother is still liv- ing at an advanced age. They were na- tives of Pennsylvania, and among the early settlers of that part of Ohio. Mrs. McDer- motts parents were William and Mary Westheffer. Mr. McDermott was previ- ously married in Ohio, and lost his wife there. He had two children by his first marriage-Martin L., and Anna E. He has by his second marriage, four children
-Charles W., James D., Verdie and Eva B. The youngest three were born in Benton township.
Charles W. McDermott, son of James B., and Elizabeth McDermott, was born in Cedar county, Iowa, in 1856. He come to Cass county with his parents the fol- lowing year. He is married to Isabel Nordman, a daughter of Frank Nordman, of Franklin township. Mr. McDermott resides on section 35, where he owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres.
James M. Brown, an early settler of this county, was born in New Hampshire, in 1820. He removed with his parents, to Erie county, New York, when quite young. His father, James Brown, died when he (James M.) was twelve years old. His mother married again and removed to Cat- taragus county, New York, where she died. James M., left home at the age of sixteen and went to Calhoun county, Mich- igan, where he worked by the month, for a time, thence to Rock Island county, Illi- nois. In 1853, he crossed the plains to California with ox teams, being on the road six months. He remained there two years then returned to Rock Island county and lived there until 1858, when he came to Cass couuty, Iowa. He purchased there of Samuel M. Ballard, a farm of three hundred and twenty acres, unimproved, and comprising the south half of section 10, of Benton township, where he settled and still resides. Mr. Brown was married in Rock Island county, to Sarah Martin, a native of Kentucky. They have five chil- dren-Mrs. Elma Millhollen, Mrs. Ellen Howlett, Mrs. Lydia Hall, (widow), Mrs. Alta Pratt, and Grant. They have lost one child, Franklin. Mr. Brown came to
40
640
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
Cass county in limited circumstances, but is now prosperous and has succeeded well financially. Politically, he is a Democrat.
Lewis Beason was born in Greene county, Ohio, January 16, 1834. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Lee) Beason, natives of the same county and State. His father died in Jackson county, Oregon, in 1864, while his mother died in Logan county, Illinois, in 1865. When sixteen years of age, Mr. Beason went with his parents to Logan county, Illinois, and in 1854 went with his father to Oregon and California, on a specula- tive tour. They were absent two years, engaged in mining, etc., when Lewis returned to Illinois, where he remained but a short time, when he again started for California. While passing through Cass county, he met R. D. McGeehon and J. R. Kirk, old acquaintances, and was induced to remain. He settled in Atlan- tic township, on section 21, where he remained about five years, when in 1861 he traded his property here for what was known for years afterward, as the Beason Station, on the site where Anita now stands. He remained here until the fall of 1870, when he removed to his present location in Benton township. Mr. Bea- son served as a member of the board of supervisors of Cass county for four years, and was virtually the first postmaster at Anita, although a man by the name of Gardner was first appointed, but did not serve. He was also the first postmaster of the old Lura postoffice. At present Mr. Beason has one of the finest farms in Benton township, with an elegant resi- dence, beautiful lawns, a bearing orchard of about three acres, and is one of the
prominent and influential citizens of Cass county. He was married in 1860 to Augusta Wooster, a daughter of Calvin and Hannah (Matson) Wooster, natives of New York. Mrs. Beason's father died at Anita, May 28, 1883. Her mother, who is nearly eighty-two years of age, makes her home with her daughter upon the farm in Benton township. Mr. and Mrs. Beason have had seven children, four of whom are living: Charles I., born Octo- ber 13, 1865; Lewis H., jr., born March 6, 1870; Olive, born August 25, 1873; Edith, born January 24, 1882. Mr. Bea- son is a member of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and in poli- tics is a Democrat. In addition to the property already spoken of, he has four hundred and sixty acres of land in a fine state of cultivation and raises a large amount of Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs.
OTHER SETTLERS.
Below are given the sketches of citi- zens, who, while not arriving at a day so early as those mentioned, are still worthy of note by reason of their prominence:
Richard F. Parmely resides on the east half of the southwest quarter of section 11. He also owns a farm in Exira town- ship, Audubon county .. He settled here in 1866, purchasing the place of Calvert Strall. The only improvements were eighteen acres broken. He was born at Niles, Michigan, in September, 1836. He removed with his parents to Iowa, in 1847. They settled at Coltonville, Jack- son county. He came, in 1857, to Audu- bon county, which was then thinly popu- lated, and the townships were not organ-
5
641
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
ized. Game, at that time, was plenty, including deer and elk. He was married in Audubon county, August 25, 1862, to Mary E. Johnson, who was born in Adams county, Illinois. They have four chil- dren-Perry F., Rosella, Myron and Pearl A. The two eldest were born in Audu- bon county. As Mr. Parmely went to Jackson county in 1847, and to Audubon county ten years later, he has spent much of his life on the frontier. He built his house here in 1866, drawing his lumber for that purpose from Des Moines, a dis- tance of eighty-six miles, by the wagon road. It took five days to make the trip. His father, Dennis Parmely, was a native of Erie county, New York, born in 1813. He removed to Michigan, where he was married, and, as before stated, came to Iowa in 1847. He now lives in Dexter, Dallas county. During the winter of 1860 and '61, two brothers-in-law of Mr. Parmely, Daniel and Luke Imus, started on foot to go from Hamlin's Grove, Au- dubon county, to Mount Ayr, in Ring- gold county. Nearly the entire distance to Fontanelle, Adair county, was unbroken prairie. A terrible storm arose, during which the brothers perished on the prairie. One was found dead upon the prairie, the other succeeded in reaching a small, unoccupied house, where he was found frozen to death. They were buried in Hamlin cemetery, in Audubon county. The younger brother, Luke, is supposed to have died first, as he was found about six miles from the elder brother's body, laid out in proper shape for burial. A satchel was placed under his head and his shawl was wrapped about his head. Their bodies laid about three weeks on
the prairie before discovered, and when found, the mice had eaten the flesh off the side of Luke's face, disfiguring it so that friends hardly recognized him. They perished between Morrison's Station and Fontanelle, at that time an unsettled prairie for twenty miles.
Benjamin F. Shaffer (deceased) settled on section 17, of Benton township, in January, 1868. He was born in Utica, Knox county, Ohio, August 13, 1831. June 1, 1861, he enlisted in company B, of the Fourth Ohio Infantry, and served till June 21, 1864. He was one of five brothers, all of whom served over three years in the army during the rebellion, and all returned safely home. Mr. Shaf- fer was in active service during the whole time. He was in the battles of Antietam, Gettysburg, the second battle of Bull Run, and others. He returned to Ohio, and in 1866, was married to his present widow, Eliza (Red) Shaffer, who was born in Hartford, Licking county, Ohio, 'n 1846. They cr me to Iowa in 1866, and ived two years in Jasper county, before coming to Cass county. Their land here was wholly nnimproved at the time of their settlement upon it. Mr. Shaffer was an energetic and enterprising man and one of the successful farmers of this township. He died June 22, 1884 after an illness of one year. He left a widow (before mentioned) and three sons-John F., Frederick R. and Charles M., all of whom are living at the homestead.
John A. Charles, son of Robert Charles, was born in Richland county, Ohio, Octo- ber 30, 1841. His father died in that coun- ty in 1876. John A. Charles was brought up in his native State. August 11,1862,he
642
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
enlisted in the One Hundred and Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the fall of 1863, when he was discharged for disability. He took part in Buel's campaign against General Bragg, in Kon- tucky, in 1862. After being discharged he returned to Ohio, but was in govern- ment employ until the close of the war. He came to Iowa in 1867, and lived in Muscatine and Johnson counties, until he came to Cass county, in 1870. He first located in Pymosa township, where he improved a farm. He settled where he now resides in March, 1883. His farm comprises the north half of the southwest quarter of section 22. He purchased this land of Wilbur D. Pratt, in the fall of 1882. Mr. Charles was married in Iowa to Temperance M. Mason, a native of Richland county, of Ohio. They have four sons and four daughters, all of whom were born in Iowa.
John Dill settled where he now resides, on the south half of the northeast quarter of section 1, in March, 1873. He purchas- ed his land of J. S. Gifford, who purchased it of James R. Silvers, who had bought the land of Charles Marsh, by whom it was entered. Mr. Silvers made the first improvements upon the place, consisting of the building of a log house and the breaking of twenty acres. Mr. Gifford built the present house, a one story frame structure. About seventy acres of the land is now under cultivation, the balance, ten acres, is covered with young timber, including elm, burr oak, white oak and hickory. Mr. Dill was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, in 1833. His father, Benjamin Dill, died when John was four years old. His mother re-married and re-
moved to Rock Island county, Illinois, where he was reared. He was married to Sarah E. Stewart, also a native of Dear- born county, Indiana. She removed to Rock Island county, with her parents, in 1854. Mr. Dill moved to Missouri in the fall of 1859, but returned to Rock Island county, in 1860. He remained there un- til he came to Cass county, in 1869. He has been a permanent resident of Benton township since the fall of 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Dill are the parents of eight children -Mary Jane, Melvina, William E., Sylva A., Rachel, Elizabeth, Rosa and John. They have lost three children, two sons and one daughter. Mr. Dill has on his place an orchard of two hundred bearing apple trees, in a flourishing condition. Miss Sylva Dill is at present (1884) teach- ing school in district No. 7, of Exira town- slip, in Audubon county. Miss Elizabeth Dill is also a teacher, having taught her first term, in Union township, Cass county, in 1884.
T. C. Winder settled in March, 1872, on section 25, Benton township, the land was then unimproved prairie. He now has a tine farm of one hundred and sixty acres with good improvements. He was born in Harrison county, Ohio, in the town of Freeport, in 1842. When seven years old he moved to Iowa with his father, Samuel Winder. They located in Louisa county where Samuel Winder died in 1870. His widow, Ruth Winder, still lives at the homestead. T. C. Winder enlisted in October, 1861, in the Eleventh Iowa Vol- unteer Infantry, and served until Novem- ber, 1864, more than three years. He took part in the battle of Shiloh, siege and battle of Corinth, siege of Vicksburg
643
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
and siege of Atlanta. He returned from the army to Louisa county and engaged in farming. He was married to Sarah M. Williamson, a daughter of James Williamson, who came to this State in 1835. Mrs. Winder was born in Louisa county. They have six children- Roy, Oliver, Harry, Chester, Arthur and Glenn.
J. S. Cromwell located on his present farm in the north west quarter of section 29, Benton township, in the spring of 1865. He had purchased the place the previous autumn, of Henry Ragan. The The farm then contained one hundred and twenty acres, comprising the east half of the northwest quarter of section 29, and the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of the same section. This land was conveyed by the government, to A. L. Grosvenor of Council Bluffs, the date of the conveyance being July 9, 1855. The latter sold it, October 19, 1855, to William Stewart, who built a small frame house and broke a few acres upon it. The land was transferred several times before Mr. Cromwell purchased it in 1864. At that time, there were on the place, the small frame house above mentioned, to which a small addition had been made, a poor log stable and forty acres broken. Mr. Cromwell now has two hundred and forty acres, one of the finest farms in the township, and in fact, one of the best in the county. He has an orchard of three hundred trees, also many evergreen and ornamental trees. Everything pertaining to the place gives evidence of the refined and cultivated taste of the owner. Mr. Cromwell was born in New York in 1833, where he was reared to agricultural pur-
suits. His father, Charles Cromwell, died when he was sixteen years of age. At the age of nineteen years he went to Mc- Henry county, Illinois, where two elder brothers were living. Ile lived in Illi- nois twelve years, and was married to Mary Slater, daughter of Ariel Slater, an early settler of this town. Mr. and Mrs. Cromwell have two children-Ella, wife of Madison Caughey of Atlantic, and Elsie, at home. The former was born in Illinois, and the latter, here. Mr. Crom- well has been justice of the peace of this township for seven years.
Francis L. Henry resides on the north- east quarter of section 28. He also owns eighty acres in the south half of the southwest quarter of section 22, having altogether, two hundred and forty acres, upon which he has made all the improve- ments. The date of his settlement here is 1874, when he bought the first described land of Moses Reeves and the last des- cribed of Philip Marvin. Mr. Henry was born in Park county, Indiana, in 1849. He came to Iowa with his parents in 1850. The family settled in Mahaska county, where his father still lives. Mr. Henry is a Greenbacker, politically, having been a member of that party since its organiza- tion in 1864.
Levi H. Griffith was born in Washing- ton county, Pennsylvania, in 1844. Four years later his parents removed to Ohio, where his father, Levi Griffith, died. His mother removed with her family, to Van Buren county, Iowa, in 1855, and the fol- lowing year went to Mahaska county, thence to Marion county, where the sub- ject of this sketch was married to Minerva C. Adams, a native of New York. He
644
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
removed to this county in August, 1874. His mother came here with him and re- mained until her death. Mr. Griffith has been a resident of this township since 1874, but settled where he now resides, in the spring of 1878. His farm contains three hundred and twenty acres, located in section 24. He purchased his land of different parties and none of it was im- proved at the time of his purchase. He built a frame house in 1878, and broke about thirty acres. Ile also planted an orchard of two hundred and forty trees, which is now (1884) in fine bearing con- dition. Mr. and Mrs. Griffith have seven children, three sons and four daughters- Lonisa, Ann, Adella, Ella, Edwin, Grant and Roscoe.
George E. Williams owns and occupies a farm of two hundred and eighteen acres in section 29 and 30, of Benton township. He has been a resident of Benton since October, 1864. He first settled on the southeast quarter of section 30, where he lived until he removed to his present resi- dence in 29, in the spring of 1874. Mr. Williams was born in Grafton county, New Hampshire, September 6, 1830. He lived in his native State till 1850, then removed with his parents to Genoa, De Kalb county, Illinois. He was married in Illinois, in 1857, to Mary E. Oakes, a native of the town of Potsdam, St. Law- rence county, New York, born in August, 1838. Her parents, Asa and Hannah Oakes, were born, reared and married in New Hampshire, removed to New York and thence to Illinois, where they remained until their decease. Mr. Williams' parents removed with him, to this county, in 1864. His father, however, died in Illinois, where
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.