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 79

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 79

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).

he had returned on a visit. His mother died here. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have eight children-Charles H., Alice C., wife of Isaac C. Russell, Willie C. and Katie W., (twins), the latter a teacher and at present attending the State Normal school at Cedar Falls, Luana S. and Lavina M., (also twins), Horace D. and Bertha D. They lost their seventh child and third son, George A., when an infant. Mr. Williams was severely injured, in 1868, by being thrown from a horse. His life was long despaired of, and he has since been an invalid. Since then he has spent much of his time in reading, and is a man of much general information.

James Jordan resides upon the south- east quarter of section 16, of Benton town- ship. He also owns eighty acres in sec- tion 21, having in all, one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Jordan located here in May, 1868. No improvements had then been made upon his land. The nearest residence to his was, at that time, that of James M. Brown two and a half miles distant. He was born in Monroe county, Indiana, in 1842. When he was thirteen years old,his father died and he went to what is now Ford county, Illinois, and re- sided with an elder brother, till 1862, when he returned to Indiana and enlisted in the Fifty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He served until September 11, 1863, when he was discharged for disability. . He par- ticipated in the battle of Corinth and the siege of Vicksburg. After his discharge, he returned to Illinois, and was there niar- ried, in 1865, to Agnes Dungan, who was born near Madison, Indiana. , Soon after his marriage he returned to Indiana and remained there from the spring of 1866,

HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

645

till August, 1867, when he came to this county and passed the first winter near Grove City, locating here, as before stated, in the spring following. He has been one of the prominent farmers and officials of the township. He has been assessor seven years, and still holds that office; township trustee three years and secretary of school board, twelve years. He is a Republican politically. Mr. and Mrs. Jordan are the parents of six. living children-Emma, Mary, Arthur, Myrtle, James W. and Grace. They lost two children, Lettie and an infant son, Homer.

Henry Howell, proprietor of the Ben- ton mills, also owns a farm of two hun- dred and forty acres on section 20. The mill is located on section 29, and was built in 1870, by Joseph Northgrool, who operated it for six or seven years, and of whom Mr. Howell purchased it in 1877. It is situated on Troublesome creek, and has two run of stone and water power that never fails. Its capacity is about one hundred bushels of grain in twelve hours. This is the only mill ever erected in Benton township, and does the milling of the farmers for many miles around. The machinery consists of the "Garden City Purifier," "Eureka Smutter and Scourer," with a corn-sheller attached, which is operated by water. This mill does first-class work. Mr. Howell was born in Delaware county, New York, and was reared in Genesee county, on a farm. He received his education at the Delaware Literary institute of Franklin, New York. He went to California in 1855, and en- gaged in mining until 1859. He then went to Illinois and remained until he came to this county. He has been en-

gaged in farming, in connection with car- penter work, the greater part of his life. He purchased bis farm here in the spring of 1883. It is excellent land and espe- cially adapted to the raising of corn. He has, the present year, (1884), ninety acres of corn, which will average fifty-five bushels per acre. Mr. Howell was mar- ried to Mary Strother, a native of Indiana. They have two children -Grace and Homer.

A. C. Gochanoier resides upon section 1. He owns a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in sections 1 and 12. He settled here in March, 1883, buying his land, which was unimproved, of S. M. Ballard, paying for the same twenty dol- lars per acre. He has one hundred and forty acres broken, and one hundred and twenty acres of timber. This will prove a valuable farm. Mr. Gochanoier was born in LaSalle county, Illinois, in 1852. He was there reared to the occupation of farming. His father, J. C. Gochanoier, was a native of Ohio, and removed to Illi- nois at an early day. He is still a promi- nent farmer of LaSalle county, in that State. Mr. Gochanoier came west to ob- tain a larger farm than he would other- wise have, and has been fortunate in his choice of a location, having a large and excellent farm. He was married to Eva I., daughter of John A. Parker, of this township. They have four children- May Belle, Lilly, Franklin E. and Esther.

John McGrain settled on the northeast quarter of section 1, where he owns eighty acres, in March, 1876. This land was entered by Charles C. Marsh, and the first improvements upon it were made by James R. Silvers. Mr. McGrain was born

646

HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

.in Lafayette county, Indiana, in 1829. He was brought up in Illinois, and lived with his parents until twenty years of age. In 1849 he went overland to California. The company with which he went was one of the first to cross the plains to California after the discovery of gold in that State. He drove an ox team, consuming about five months in making the trip. He re- mained there about eighteen months, en- gaged in mining. At that time the news of the discovery of gold in Australia reached California, and Mr. McGrain, with a number of other miners, deter- mined to go to the new land of gold. Ac- cordingly, they took passage for Australia in the second ship that left San Francisco bound for that place. He spent nearly thirty years in Australia, returning in 1876, the year in which he located here. He spent the time in Australia, first in mining and later in stock-raising. He was married in that country to Eana Rol- lins, a native of Australia, but of English parentage. They have one child, Wil- liam, born here in 1879.

Mrs. Ann W. Pratt is the widow of Isaac Pratt, who was born in Wayne county, New York, in 1816. He was reared in his native State and there mar- ried to Ann Wake, who was born in York- shire, England, in 1826. She came with her parents to the United States, in 1832. Her parents, George and Mary Wake, set- tled in Wayne county, New York, and in 1850, removed to Illinois, where her father died. Her mother still lives in that State, at the advanced age of eighty- three years. Mr. and Mrs. Pratt were married in New York, in July, 1847. They removed to Rock Island county,

Illinois, in 1850, where Mr. Pratt died in 1863. They had six children, five of whom are living-Mary E., Wilbur D., Roland C., Anna E. and George I. Emma, their second child, is dead. Mrs. Pratt settled with her family, on her present farm, in 1875. It contains one hundred and twenty acres, located on section 23, of Benton township.

William C. Blackledge, an early settler in Cass county, resides on section 16, on the farm owned by George Moore. Mr. Blackledge formerly owned the place. He settled here in March, 1867, being the first settler on this section. Deer were quite numerous here at that time. He was born September 11, 1842, in Jeffer- son county, Ohio, where he spent his younger days. In August, 1862, he en- listed in company A, of the Ninety-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was wounded at the battle of Perryville, by a fragment of a shell, but resumed his place in the ranks after three weeks. He was in the battle of Chickamanga, the campaign of Atlanta, and marched with Sherman's army to the sea. He was also in the battles of Bentonville and Kenesaw Mountains, the latter engagement being one of the most important and desperate battles in which he participated. He was at that time under command of Jefferson C. Davis. He witnessed the death of Colonel Dan McCook, who was killed with a spade in the hands of a private rebel soldier, as he leaped over the enemy's works. After the war he returned to Ohio, coming here, as stated, in 1867. Mr. Blackledge has been twice married. His first wife was Martha Jane Adams, a

647

HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

native of Ohio, who died here in March, 1874, leaving five children-Cora, Ord, Hermine, Theron and Harry. His present wife was Ida Parmely, a daughter of Dennis Parmely.

Cornelius W. Deeds settled where he now resides, on the southeast quarter of section 2, of Benton township, in July, 1864. He purchased his land of the gov- ernment, and has, of course, made all of his improvements. His first house was a log cabin, in which he lived until he built his present residence in 1882. He has an apple orchard, containing about four hun- dred bearing trees. His farm contains eighty acres. He was born in Westmore- land county, Pennsylvania, in 1835. In 1841 his father removed to Lee county, Iowa. Cornelius was reared a farmer and has always been engaged in that occupa- tion. He was married to Artemisia Mapes, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Solomon Mapes, who died in Audubon county, Iowa, in 1882, at the age of eighty-two years. . Mr. Deeds' father, John Deeds, enlisted in the Thirty-seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and died while in the service, at Alton Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Deeds have five children- Lila, Etna E., Capitola G., Elihu and Ada U. The eldest two were born in Lee county, the others here.

William Morgan lives on section 24, where he settled in 1875. He at first pur- chased eighty acres, but now has two hundred and eighty acres, forty of which is in Grant township. He was born in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, in 1834. He was brought up in his native country, and in his youth, served an apprenticeship to the trade of linen thread making. He

came to America in July, 1867, landed at New York and went to Illinois. In 1874 he came to Cass county and bought eighty acres of land, on which he settled the fol- lowing year. He had, when he came here, but little of this world's goods, but is now in prosperous circumstances. He was married in Scotland, to Margaret Gow. They have eleven children, of whom the eldest two were born in Scot- land. They have eight sons and two daughters. They lost one son previous to coming to this country.

Samuel Donnel resides on the north- west quarter of section 4, where he settled in the fall of 1870. He was born in Seneca county, Ohio, in February, 1828. He re- mained in his native county until nineteen years of age, then removed with his par- ents to Marion county, Iowa. In 1849, he went, overland, to California and there en- gaged in mining and farming until 1865. He was married in that State, to Maria Honeywell, who was born in Massachu- setts and went to California with her par- ents. She died in Sacramento City. Mr. Donnel was again married to Mrs. Tamsy E. Flora, a sister of John C. Cannon, an early settler of this town. . She was born in Indiana, in April, 1823, and came early to this county. Mr. and Mrs. Donnel have one adopted son-Edwin Collins Donnel.

Charles H. Aborn owns and resides on the northwest quarter of section 31. His farm includes one hundred and sixty-eight acres. He settled on this place in Feb- ruary, 1868, purchasing his land of Ariel Slater. The only improvements upon the place were a log cabin, a small log stable and twenty acres broken. Now the land

648

HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

has all been broken, stocked down and fenced. He has a good dwelling and barn erected at a cost of about fifteen hundred dollars, also an abundance of pure water. Mr. Aborn was born in the town of Tol- land, Tolland county, Connecticut, July 27, 1833. He was brought up on a farm. His wife was formerly Harriet Eliza Slater, danghter of Ariel Slater. She was born in Ellington, Connecticut. They have two children-Jennie H., now the wife of J. A. Nichols, of Englewood, Cook county, Illinois, and Arthur Charles, now married to Alice Lavring. Mr. Aborn's parents were Jedediah and Laura (Rider) Aborn, natives of Connecticut. His grand- fathers were soldiers in the Revolution. His paternal grandfather was in the battle of Monmouth, and crossed the Del- aware river with Washington, to attack the enemy, one of the most memorable events of the Revolution. Mr. Aborn came here first, in 1866, on a prospecting tour. The country in this vicinity was at that time very new, deer and other game were abundant. The site of the city of Atlantic was then unbroken prairie. Mr. Aborn has witnessed the development of the county to its present advanced con- dition.

Thomas J. Roberts owns and occupies one hundred and twenty acres located in the southwest quarter of section 33, of Benton township. He settled here in March, 1882, purchasing his land of Henry C. Herbert, who was the first settler upon it. The principle improvements on this place, are, a good frame house, a corn crib and granary combined and a frame build- ing, formerly a dwelling but used now as a stable, also an orchard of fifty bearing

trees. The land is all under cultivation. Mr. Roberts was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, in 1831. He removed to Illinois with his parents, when a child, and was there reared to the occupation of farm- ing. His father, Ebenezer Roberts, lived in Illinois until his death. Mr. Roberts came to Cass county in 1869, and settled on section 16, of this township, where he lived twelve years. He then sold his farm and moved to Pymosa township, remain- ing there until he came here in 1882. His wife was formerly Eunice M. Bennett, a native of Pennsylvania. They have six children-John B., James M, Rachel L., Eva Ann, Lula and Minnie J. They have, also, lost six children.

Walter F. Marsh resides upon the south- west quarter of the south west quarter of section 12, Benton township. The forty on which he lives, was pre-empted by An- son Brown in 1853 or '54. Mr. Marsh bought the pre-emption right of Mr. Brown in 1855. In the fall of the same year he pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres, comprising the southeast quarter of sec- tion 11, on which he built his first house. His farm still consists of the above de- scribed land. At the time of Mr. Marsh's settlement here there were living in what is now Benton township the following settlers: Stillman H. Perry, who, several years since returned to his native State, Pennsylvania; Anson Brown, now in Kan- sas; James Montgomery, who removed to Missouri and is now deceased, and Mrs. Elizabeth Eagan whose husband was kill- ed here, by the running away of his horse. The above named all lived on Crooked Creek. Jefferson Goodale was living on section 6. He is now dead, but his family

649

HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

still own the homestead. Mr. Marsh came here in company with his brother, Charles Marsh. Walter F. Marsh was born in Sharon, Litchfield county, Con- necticut, in September, 1825. He removed to Pennsylvania with his parents when six years old. He was brought up in that State, and married to Arralutia Minkler, a native of Susquehanna county, Penn- sylvania, born in 1830. Mr. and Mrs. Marsh have ten children, five sons and five daughters-Helen A., Parthena B., Horatio W., Zelotes C., Albert H., Chester E., Walter E., Phoebe G., Florence A., and Olive. They have lost two children- Arabelle and Estella.

Charles Marsh, a brother of W. F. Marsh, resides in Exira township, Audu- bon county. He first settled on section 12, of Benton township, where he entered a quarter section and lived until March 1, 1884. He was born in Sharon, Litchfield county, Connecticut, in 1828. He was married to Elizabeth Millhollen, daughter of William Millhollen, an early settler of Benton township. They have five chil- dren-George, Anna, Eva, Isadora and Louisa. They have lost two sons-Frank- lin and Earl.

The father of the Marsh brothers, 'died in Pennsylvania, in April, 1830. Their mother came here and lived with her children till her death in 1867, at the age of seventy-nine years. The brothers have spent some time in prospecting and mining in Colorado. Charles went there in 1859, and remained till 1864. W. F. went in 1860, and came home in 1863 Both W. F. and Charles Marsh have been Republicans since the organization of that party, and still fight under that banner.

Andrew Wishart resides on section 29. He owns a farm of one hundred and twen- ty-four acres located in sections 29 and 32, on which he settled iu 1871. He was born in Scotland in 1817, and lived in his native country until 1871. When a young man he learned the business of slate-roof- ing, of his father, and for forty years followed that occupation. Four of Mr. Wishart's sons are engaged in that busi- ness. He was married in Scotland, to Jane Willcocks, also a native of Scotland. They have a family of nine children, seven of whom are living in this country. Mr. Wishart on coming to the United States, landed at Portland, Maine, thence to Boston, thence to New Hampshire, where he had a son living, through whose influence he went to Illinois. Learning there, from friends, that his present farm was for sale, he purchased it and removed here immediately after.

Martin Shultz, (deceased,) settled on the west half of the northwest quarter of section 10, in January, 1859. The family still reside here. Mr. Shultz was born in New Jersey, March 29, 1818. He was reared in that State, and at the age of twenty-three, went to Pennsylvania, where he was married to Julina Kelley, who sur- vives him. They moved from Pennsyl- vania to Franklin county, Ohio, in 1844, and in 1855 came to Iowa and settled in Guthrie county. Four years later they came to Cass connty. Mr. Shultz ex- changed his farm in Guthrie county for the farm now occupied by his family in this county. It was owned by William Millhollen, who made the first improve- ments upon it. Mr. Shultz died in Au- gust, 1881, at the age of sixty-three years

650

HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

He was a man highly respected in the community in which he lived. Mr. and Mrs. Shultz had one adopted son, William Henry, born December 24, 1860, in Shelby county, Iowa. He now resides on the homestead with his mother.

EDUCATIONAL.

The pioneer school board of Benton township was elected in the spring of 1871, and was composed of the following : Hi- ram Pattee, president ; W. T. Murphy, secretary ; C. W. Deeds, treasurer; W. T. Murphy, Eli Spry, G. E. Williams, C. W. Deeds, J. H. Willis, James McDer -. mott, Hiram Pattee, directors. The last school board, or that of 1884, were : L. S. Hinshaw, president ; James Jordan, secretary; G. E. Williams, treasurer ; R. F. Parmeley, J. D. Walker, John Kelley, W. Bicket, C. R. Chaffee, L. S. Hinshaw, J. B. McDermott, A. Wishart, G. E. Wil- liams, directors.

School district No. 1 is comprised of sections 1, 2, 11 and 12, and is one of the oldest districts in the township. The first school house was erected in 1860, on sec- tion 12. It was made of native lumber, and was 18x24 feet in size, costing $410. Prior to this, school was taught in the dis- trict at the residence of John McGill, where L. D. Pearson now resides, on sec- tion 11, and was probably the first school taught in the township. In the fall of 1876, a new school house was erected on the northeast corner of section 11, which cost $500. The first teacher in the building was Maggie Sheleday, while W. M. Doty taught the fall term of 1884. The present director of this district is R. F. Parmely.

School district No. 2 includes the terri- tory of sections 3, 4, 9 and 10. The pres- ent building was erected during the sum- mer of 1881, on the southwest corner of section 4. Julius Hill taught the first term of school in this building, and Blanche Noon taught the fall term of 1884. J. D. Walker acts as director at present.

School district No. 3 has a school house situated upon the northeast corner of sec- tion 7, which was erected in the summer of 1872, at a cost of $650. L. C. Frost taught the first term of school in this house, and Jennie Noon taught the fall term of 1884. Several years prior to the erection of the present house in this dis- trict, a school house was built and school held therein. The district at present is composed of sections 5, 6, 7 and 8. John Kelley is the director.

School district No. 4 includes sections 17, 18, 19 and 20, and has a school house on the northwest corner of section 20, erected at a cost of $700, during the sum- mer of 1872. Mrs. J. W. Walker taught the first school in the building. The present teacher is Pearl Dennis. W.Bicket is the director of the district.

School district No. 5 embraces sections 15, 16, 21 and 22, and is, therefore, the center district of the township. The pioneer school was taught by Mrs. J. W. Walker, in the spring of 1870, at her home on section 16. During the summer of 1872 a school house was erected in this district, on the southeast corner of sec- tion 15, at a cost of about $700. The first term of school in this building was also taught by Mrs. Walker. The present building, which is situated on the north- west quarter of section 22, was erected in

651

HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

the fall of 1880. It is 24x34 feet in di- mensions, and cost $700. J. T. McClellan taught the first term of school in this house. Eva McDermott taught the fall term of 1684, with C. R. Chaffee as di- rector.

School district No. 6, comprising sec- tions 11, 12, 13 and 14, has a school house in the south west corner of section 12. The building was put up during the summer of 1877, and cost about $750. The pio- neer teacher was Annie Pratt. Fannie Moseley taught the fall term of 1884. L. S. Hinshaw is the present director of this district.

School district No, 7 includes the terri- tory found in sections 25, 26, 35 and 36. In the summer of 1872 the school house of this district was built, at a point about the center of section 36, at a cost of about $700. In the fall of 1882 it was removed to a more convenient and central portion of the district, being located on the south- east corner of section 26. D. G. Wooster was the first teacher in the building, and Eliza Butcher taught the fall term of 1884. J. D. McDermott is the present director of the district.

School district No. 8 embraces sections 27, 28, 33 and 34, and has a school house situated on the southwest corner of sec- tion 27. The building was erected during the summer of 1876, and cost six hundred dollars. To Emma Jameson belongs the credit of being the first teacher in this building, while Minnie Hartshorn taught the last term of school in the house. A. Wishart is the present director of the district.

School district No. 9 comprises sections 29, 30, 31 and 32. In the summer of 1875

a school house was erected on the north- west corner of section 32, which cost about seven hundred dollars. The pioneer teacher in this building was B. Forester. Frances Jones tanght the term of school in the fall of 1884, with G. E. Williams as director of the district.

GOVERNMENT.

The first officers of Benton township were elected in October, 1870, and were as follows: L. D. Pearson, Orsou Brown and William Gingery, trustees; Samuel Howlett, clerk; James Jordan and Joseph Clure, constables; H. Parker, justice; Chauncey Slater, T. J. Roberts, J. B. McGill, D. G. Hatfield, Henry McDer- mott and James McDermott, road super- visors.

The present township , officers are: Henry Howell, clerk; James Jordan, assessor; John Charles, William Gingery and J. B. McDermott, trustees; O. B. Brown and Nathaniel Yeates, justices; James Wishart and Jolin Hartshorn, con- stables; W. H. Millhollen, C. E. Bowen, John Kelley, N. F. Lambert, William Long, L. S. Hinshaw, William Lowe, J. P. Hartshorn and E. Kimball, road super- visors.

RELIGIOUS.

The Highland Methodist Episcopal church society is a flourishing organiza- tion composed of about twenty members. They were first organized in 1864. Their church building, located on section 2, was erected in 1872. (See Ecclesiastical chap- ter for fuller particulars.)

HIGHLAND CEMETERY.

This cemetery is situated at the south- east corner of section 2, and contains

652

HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

three acres of ground. It was laid out in the summer of 1881. The first inter- ment in this cemetery was that of a child. The second person buried was Martin Shultz.

EARLY ITEMS.

William Hamlin was the pioneer of Benton township, settling in May, 1851. He also built the first house, planted the first corn and potatoes, and gathered the first crop in the township. This was all in 1851.

FLOURING MILL.

The flouring mill, situated on Trouble- some creek, was erected by Joseph North- graves in 1870, at a cost of about three thousand dollars. The mill was known for a number of years as Northgraves' mill. In 1877 it was disposed of to Henry Howell, the present proprietor.

COWBOYS.

As this part of Cass county was inhab- ited by a class of ruffians who were com- monly known as the Crooked creek cow- boys, the following explanatory article is taken from the files of the Atlantic Daily Telegraph, bearing the date of February 22, 1883:

"Our readers have heard and read much about the 'Crooked creek crowd,' or the 'Troublesome creek banditti,' but proba- bly very few know exactly who the men are and what their career has been. To our non-resident readers we will say that the localities named are in a northeasterly direction from this city, in Benton town- ship, ten or twelve miles from Atlantic, near the Audubon county line. First, there are the Brown boys-Frank, aged

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.

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