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 98

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 98

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CHAPTER XXXIII.

PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.

That geographical sub-division of Cass county which is now known as Pleasant township, was originally a part of Cass township, and was set off from it in 1870, when the county was reorganized to make its civil townships coincide with the con- gressional. The warrant for the election

for organization purposes was issued to John W. Fuson, June 11, 1870, and the election was ordered to be held in Octo- ber, 1870, at the Stetler school house.

This township is, in common with the remainder of the county, well watered and drained, and has advantages for the

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

raising of stock and grain which offer ex- cellent inducements to any one looking for a location for the pursuit of either or both of those industries. Lone Tree creek has its source in the northwest part of the township in numerous little rivulets, and where these join to form the creek, it flows tortuously toward the west, and joins Baughman's creek in the southwest cor- ner of section 7, just before the combined stream leaves the county. Baughman's creek flows into the township from Cass, at the northeast quarter of section 4, and flows southwestwardly till it has its con- fluence with Indian creek, as before men- , tioned. Clark's creek has its origin in sev- eral rivulets a little south of the center of the township, and flows southwest until it leaves the township and county, about the center of the west line of section 31. Besides these streams and their many branches, small tributaries of other streams have their origin in, or flow through, corners of the township; so that one of the prime factors necessary to make this section successful in an agri- cultural sense, is supplied by nature to begin with. This fact, taken in connec- tion with the uniform excellence of the soil, and the proximity of the town of Griswold for a market, renders the town- ship one of the most favored of nature's garden spots. Pleasant ridge, commenc- ing between sections 1 and 2, and extend- ing southward throughout the entire length of the township, seems to have been unduly favored. The road along its top passes through one of the prettiest pieces of farming country in the west. Splendid farms, large and well-kept houses, neat and tasty improvements,

sleek-looking stock, and all the things that go to make glad the eye of the lover of a happy blending of nature and art, greet the gaze all along this road.

The railroad line formed by the Atlan- tic and Southern, and the Red Oak and Atlantic, enters the township from the north between sections 5 and 6, and passes out, in its course toward Red Oak, about the middle of the west line of section 19. The shipping facilities thereby afforded supplies whatever might have otherwise been lacking for comfort and convenience. Good wagon roads intersect the township at short intervals, following, in most cases, the section lines.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Pleasant township, with its splendid farming country, lay untouched by the plow, or even untrodden by the feet of the settler, for several years after immi- gration had commenced in other portions of the county; so that when William Baughman took up his claim and built his log cabin, he found no neighbor in what is now the rich and populous district of Pleasant.

Mr. Baughman came in the spring of 1855 and located land on sections 4 and 5. He then went back east and brought his family to Indiantown, while he came again to the township, cutting logs for the building of a cabin. These logs he hauled to Lewis, where he had them cut. Hauling them back, he built with them the first house in the township, and his family moved into it in the spring of 1856.

William Baughman was born in West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, June 19,

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

1828. His parents were Jacob and Mar garet (Cort) Baughman, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. William was there reared to agricultural pursuits, receiving his education in the common schools. He was married March 22, 1834, to J. B. Schwartz. In the fall of 1855, they started west by the way of Pitts- burg, coming from there to Keokuk on a boat, and thence overland to this county, where he has continued to reside since that time. Mr. Baughman was elected in the fall of 1881, to the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, and served two years.

Samuel Stetler came in 1862, from Illinois, and traded his farm in that State for one hundred and sixty acres on sec- tions 24 and 25. He then went back to Illinois and got his family and household goods, and settled on his new purchase, where he still resides.

Samuel Stetler was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, December 27, 1816, and is a son of Barnard and Mary Stetler, natives of the Hawkeye State. Samuel spent his early life in Columbia county, where he was brought up on a farm and attended the public schools. In 1837 he was married there, to Elizabeth Shumaker, also a native of that county, where they resided till 1855. In that year they re- moved to Lee county, Illinois, and there purchased unimproved land, which they settled upon and cultivated. In 1857, Mr. Stetler went to California, overland, leav- ing Lee county, March 1, and arriving at bis destination in California, August 20. He engaged in mining, and remained in that State until September, 1859, when he returned to his home in Illinois, via Nica-

ragua and New York. He resumed farm- ing, remaining in Lee county till 1862, when he traded his farm there for one hundred and sixty acres of land on sec- tions 24 and 25, in what is now Pleasant township, this county. In September of that year they removed here, making the journey with a pair of horses and a wagon. They brought with them their household goods and provisions, camping on the way, and after their arrival here, laid in the wagon until their house was complet- ed. His farm, which was then wild prairie, is now well improved and culti- vated. He has substantial buildi: gs, a fine grove, and a fruit orchard. A hedge fence nearly surrounds his farm. Mrs. Stetler died in 1861, leaving five children -Perry, Almira, Ellen, Clara A. and Catherine. Mr. Stetler was married the second time, in 1863, to Frances Sifford, a native of Virginia. By this union there are five children-Mary Belle, Maggie A., Carrie M., Cora E. and Emma. Mr. Stet- ler's eldest son, Perry, was born in Colum- bia county, Pennsylvania, August 9, 1840. In 1861 he enlisted in the First Illinois Heavy Artillery, and did gallant service for three and a half years. After his discharge he was married, and settled in Lee county, where he died in 1879.

George Stedwell, from Winneshiek county, bought eighty acres of wild land on section 31, in the spring of 1866, and settled on it.

Henry A. Barton came in 1867 from Washington county, and purchased eighty acres of land on sections 23 and 26.

Josiah Merritt came first in 1868, and after a while went back to Illinois. In 1870 he returned to make a permanent

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

settlement, and shortly afterwards bought eighty acres on section 4, Pleasant town- ship.

Thomas B. Grennell came in 1869, and settled on section 14, on land which he had bought the fall previously.

Thomas B. Grennell was born in New York, in that part of Montgomery county now known as Hamilton county, June 24, 1832. His parents, Abram Grennell, a native of Massachusetts, and Lucinda (Dewey) Grennell, a native of Vermont, settled in New York State about 1826, where they resided in Hamilton county, until their decease. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in the town of Hope, in that county, spending his younger days in attending school, and working upon his father's farm. When in his twenty-first year, he went to work for himself, at lumbering and farming, in that county. In the fall of 1869 he started west, and went to Illinois, where he remained a short time, then coming to this State and county, where he had pur- chased, the previous year, wild land on section 14 of what is now known by the name of Pleasant township. He spent the winter near Lewis, and during the time, built a house upon his land, into which he moved, April 5, 1870. Since that time he has improved all of his land and planted many fruit, shade and orna- mental trees upon the place. He has erected good frame buildings and has a desirable residence. Mr. Grennell was married January 1, 1862, to Frances Mor- rison, a native of the town of Wells, Hamilton county, New York, and by this union had six children-Lottie L., War- ren Jerome, Thomas Henry, Minnie A.,

Ida P. and Charles Albert. Mrs. Gren- nell died on the 26th of December, 1880. Mr. Grennell has been fairly successful in business. As a citizen, he is much respected and always takes an active interest in any measure intended for the public welfare.

Joseph Harlan came from Polk county in 1869, and located in the southwest quar- ter of section 24.

W. T. Hughes came in 1869, and bought the southeast quarter of section 22, where he now resides.

John Ketchum also came in 1869, and located on the south half of the northwest quarter of section 35.

John H. Lowman came in 1869, and bought the southeast quarter of section 34. He was born in Cass county, Indi- ana, October 5, 1839. At the age of fifteen years he removed with his parents, to Iowa and settled in Camp township, Polk county, where they were early settlers. His father purchased a farm there, on which he still lives. John H. resided with his parents until his marriage in 1861, to Lucinda McCullom, when he settled on a farm near the old homestead. In August, 1862, he enlisted in company . G, of the Twenty-third Iowa Infantry, and served until after the close of the war. He participated in the engagements at Thompson's Hill, Champion Hill, Black River Bridge, Milliken's Bend, siege and capture of Vicksburg, Fort Blakely and Spanish Fort, also a num- ber of minor engagements. He was dis- charged with the regiment, in July, 1865, and returned home. His father gave him a portion of the old homestead, which he occupied till 1868, then sold, and bought

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

a larger tract, near by. This he sold, one year later, and went to Dakota, but not being satisfied there, he returned to Iowa and purchased unimproved land in the southeast quarter of section 34, Pleasant township, Cass county, where he now re- sides. He has a valuable farm, which is well improved and a desirable residence. Mr. and Mrs. Lowman have eight child- ren-Mary J., Emily A., Frank H., Sa- mantha J., Minnie M., Samuel Guy, Mary S. and Lucy Ethel.

Simon Proctor came in 1869, bought two hundred and forty acres of wild land on section 14, and in the fall erected a frame house, into which the family re- moved, and where he lived until his death.

Simon Proctor, (deceased) was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in January 1818. When he was quite young, his parents removed to Washington county, of the same State, left Washington when a boy, went to Guernsey county where he was joined in marriage with Hnldah French. After marriage he settled in Guernsey county, Ohio, where, September 4, 1853, Mrs. Proctor died, leaving five children, three of whom are now living- A. Edward, Joseph and Mary Caroline. Mr. Proctor was again married in 1855, to Mrs. Elizabeth J. (Blakely) Gordon, widow of M. H. Gordon. She was born in West- moreland county, Pennsylvania. They remained in Guernsey county, where Mr. Proctor owned a farm until 1868. They then moved to Missouri and lived upon rented land in that State until the spring of 1870, when they came to Cass county and settled in Pleasant township. He had previously traded his farm in Ohio for two hundred and forty acres of unim-

proved land on section 14, and in the fall of 1869, he had come here and erected a frame house, into which the family moved on their arrival. Mr. Proctor resided here until his death, in February, 1877. He had by his second marriage, seven children-Alice, Emma V., Walter C., Elmer E., Sherman, Charlie C. and John Oscar. Mrs. Proctor has one son by her former marriage-William B. Gordon.

George W. Halsey came in 1869, and bought sixty-five acres of land on section 1. He came from New Jersey.

R. T. Donohoe came in 1868, and enter- ed the northeast quarter of section 23, but did not remove to it till the fall of 1870.

S. W. Garvin came in 1868, and bought eighty acres of wild land in section 7, and settled in 1870.

S. W. Garvin was born in Bureau county, Illinois, January 18, 1844, and is a son of Noble and Sarah (Mercer) Gar- vin, the former a native of Kentucky, and the latter of Ohio. They were early set- tlers in Bureau county, where . S. W. grew to manhood and was educated in the pub- lic schools; He enlisted in the service of his country, in March, 1862, in Company I,of the Sixty-fourth Illinois Sharpshooters known as "Yates Sharpshooters," and served until July, 1865, when he was dis- charged with the regiment. He was in the battles of Chickamauga, and Island Number Ten, and with Sherman's army from Chattanooga to the sea, and through the Carolinas to Washington, where he was present at the "grand review." After the war he returned to Bureau county Ill- inois. In March, 1866, he started west on a prospecting tour, visiting Missouri, Minnesota and Iowa, returning in 1867.

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

In April of that year he came to Iowa and lived in Boone county three years, then came to Cass county, and bought eighty acres of wild land in section 7, adjoining Griswold, in Pleasant township. He set- tled on this land in 1870, and has since made it his home. He has a well improved and desirable farm. Mr. Garvin was mar- ried in 1866, to Martha Childs, of Bureau county, Illinois. They have three chil- dren-Sarah E., Wallie and Alma. Mr. Garvin was elected to the office of county supervisor in the fall of 1883, and has filled various township offices.

D. W. Smart came in 1870, and pur- chased forty acres of land on the south- west quarter of section 6.

Frank Sherwood came in 1870, and settled at first on land owned by his father, on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 13. The place was wholly unim- proved at that time, but he immediately began to make improvements, building a frame house and breaking a portion of the land. He has since purchased the north half of the same quarter section, and still makes it his home.

Frank Sherwood was born in the town of Shelby, Orleans county, New York, September 10, 1842. He grew to man- hood on a farm, in his native county, attending, in his boyhood, the district school. He afterward attended Millville academy ten terms, then one term at Medina academy. He graduated from Eastman's National business college, at Poughkeepsie, New York,in 1864. Novem- ber 3, 1869, he was married to Sabra Mans, also a native of Shelby, Orleans county. They remained in that county till the spring following, coming then to

Cass county, as before stated. He has, since coming to this State, taught eleven terms of school. Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They have three children-Jen- nie May, Freddie H. and Ralph Emerson.

W. J. Wood came to Cass county in the spring of 1870, and purchased land on sections 31 and 32, Pleasant township. He is a native of Indiana, born in Put- nam county, October 14, 1842. He is a son of Dobson and Mary (Tabor) Wood, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Kentucky. They were early settlers in Putnam county, and in 1850 removed to Iowa and settled in Wapello county. In the fall of 1850, Dobson Wood visited that county and entered eighty acres, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land. To this he moved his family, making the trip from Indiana with teams and bringing their household furniture with them. They were on the road thirty days. Dobson Wood resided in Wapello county until his decease in 1867. W. J. Wood re- mained with his parents till 1863, when he was married to Ella Marshall, a native of Preble county, Ohio. He then bought forty acres of land in Wapello county, which he lived upon until 1869, when he sold out and removed to Cass county. In the spring of 1870, he purchased unim- proved land on sections 31 and 32, which he has converted into his present valuable and highly cultivated farm. He has a good frame house, a frame barn with a stone foundation, a fine grove and also many fruit trees. Mr. and Mrs. Wood have four children-Warren E., Freder- ick E., Ella M. and Geneva L.

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

Joseph Carter came in 1871, and pur- chased land on section 25, locating there.

John G. Gibson came in 1871, from Johnson county, and purchased one hun- dred and twenty acres of wild land on section 34, which he moved on to and im- proved.

Samuel A. Miller bought the north west quarter of section 11, in 1860, but did not settle on it until 1872.

Jesse Thayer located in Pleasant town- ship in 1871, and bought eighty acres of wild land on section 5, in 1872, which he began improving, and now has it in a good state of cultivation and well improved. It has since been, and is still, his resi- dence. He is a native of Crawford coun- ty, Pennsylvania, born April 21, 1836. His early life was spent upon a farm in his native county. In 1858 he came to the State of Iowa, and located in Allama- kee county, purchasing land in Rossville township, which he improved and lived upon until 1871, coming from there to Cass county. In the fall of 1861 he en- listed in company B, of the Twelfth Iowa Infantry. He was wounded at the battle of Fort Donelson, and discharged on ac- count of disability. In the fall of 1863 he again enlisted in the First Iowa Cav- alry, company K, and was in active serv- ice until the close of the war. He was discharged at Austin, Texas, February 18, 1866, and returned to Allamakee county. In the spring of 1859 he was married to Ellen Wheeler, who was born in Craw- ford county, Pennsylvania. By this union there were four children: Charles, Ern- est, Nellie and Orpha. Mrs. Thayer died in 1875. In 1877 Mr. Thayer was mar-

ried to Mary Shaffer, and by this marriage has two children-Frank and Ezra.

Rev.Henry Mccullough, one of the elders of the Presbyterian church at Griswold, was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, May 25, 1845. He is a son of Robert and Eliza- beth (Ling) Mccullough. He grew to manhood in his native county upon a farm, obtaining his education in the public schools. In 1866 his father died, and two years later he came to Iowa and located in Poweshiek county, where he resided till March, 1871. He then came to Cass county, where a few weeks after his ar- rival, he was joined by his mother and sisters. His mother bought land on sec- tion 26, Pleasant township, upon which the family resided until 1881, when they removed to land that he had previously purchased and improved, on section 11, of this town. Mr. Mccullough joined the Presbyterian church in Ohio in 1867, and has since that time, been a consistent member and an active and earnest Chris- tian worker. He was one of the first members, and the first elder, of the Gris- wold church.

REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. .

Among the more prominent and ivflu- ential citizens of the township are the following well known agriculturalists, the true bone and sinew of Pleasant town- ship:

Thomas N. Roberts was born in Wes- ley township, Washington county, Ohio, December 13, 1832. He is the son of Adolph and Elizabeth (Crosby) Roberts, both of whom are natives of Pennsylva- nia. His father was born on the 21st of November, 1802, and with his parents settled in Ohio previous to the war of

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

1812. His mother was born June 18, 1803. When she was seven years of age, her parents removed to Ohio. After his mar- riage, Adolph removed to Washington county, Ohio, where he bought timber land, clearing a portion of it. In 1836 he sold and removed to Athens county, and purchased timber land, erecting on it a log cabin, where, with his family, he re- sided until 1843, in which year he sold his place and removed to the, then, Terri- tory of Iowa. His family then consisted of himself, wife and seven children. The journey westward was made with one team of horses, provisions and household goods being thus transported from Ohio. Arriving west of the Mississippi, they selected a location in Louisa county, which after a trial of one and a half years, they gave up for a more desirable one in Linn county, his farm there being on the pres- ent site of Cedar Rapids. In August, 1849, they removed to Johnson county, where Adolph had previously entered land, located in Penn township. He died there in 1872, but his widow still occu- pies the homestead. Thomas N. made his home with his parents until 1851, when he entered a blacksmith shop in Cedar Rapids, as an apprentice. He served nearly three years, then returned home and built a shop on the old homestead, where he worked at his trade and managed his father's farm three years. He then opened a shop in West Liberty, where he worked at his trade until August 13, 1862, when he enlisted in company E, Twenty- eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, serving three years. Among the more important engagements in which he took part, were the following: Port Gibson, Edwards

Station, Champion Hill, siege of Vicks- burg, Sabine Cross Roads, Perryville, Winchester and Cedar Creek. He was wounded at Winchester, where a ball took a piece off the top of his ear. He was taken prisoner, at Sabine Crossroads, on the 8th of April, 1864, and detained as a prisoner of war, at Mansfield, Louisiana, until June 11, of the same year, when he was paroled, and went to New Orleans, where he remained until August 4, 1864, when he rejoined his regiment in Virgi- nia. He was mustered out with the regi- ment on the 31st of July, 1865. He re- turned to Johnson county, and, Cincin- natus-like took up his old occupation of farming. Here he remained until 1873, when he came to Cass county, and located on section 2, in Pleasant township, where he has erected good buildings and has his farm in a state of high cultivation. He was married in 1855, to Maria Dean, daughter of David and Melinda (Beck- with) Dean, who were the first settlers of Buckingham township, Tama county, in 1852, and were among the pioneers of Wright county, in 1855. They have five children-William R., Gilford A., Thomas Everett, Emery E., and Orin Adolph.

Lawrence Dolan, a native of Ireland, was born on Whit-Monday, 1843. His father displayed a great interest in educa- tional matters and gave the use of his home for a school room during the winter seasons. As he was a highly educated man, he gave his children good instruc- tions in the various branches, and the subject of this sketch acquired an educa- tion that has been ever useful to him. In 1864, he left his native land for America, locating in New Haven, Connecticut,

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

where he was engaged with Frederick Jones, in an axle manufactory, and later with J. R. Sargent and Company, hard- ware factory. He remained in Connecti- cut until 1866, when he came to Iowa and located in Harrison county, where he taught school for about a year, and after- ward spent three years on the plains be- tween Omaha and Salt Lake City. In July, 1869, he came to Cass county, and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of wild land, on section 22, Pleasant town- ship, and erected a house 12 x 18, with eight foot posts. In 1883, he erected a commodious residence, with plans of the latest style in architecture. He now owns a farm of three hundred and twenty acres, finely improved, and raises a large amount of fine stock and is one of the most prosperous, enterprising and substan- tial farmers of Pleasant township. 'Mr. Dolan was married June 14, 1869, to Catherine Caffey, who was born in the town of Kilbeggin, county of West Meath, Ireland. They have six children -Charles C., Bridget C., Mary A., Ellen J., Patrick T. and Theresa M.

Henry Letz came to Cass county in. 1870, and located in Noble township, pur- chasing the northeast quarter of section 23, which was wholly unimproved. This land he improved and cultivated, making it his home till 1880, when he rented the place and removed to Griswold, where he built a hotel, naming it the "Iowa House." He continued keeping hotel till Septem- ber, 1884. He then rented it and moved to a farm in Pleasant township, for which he had traded bis farm in Noble township. He is now located on the northeast quar- ter of section 18. Henry Letz was born

in Strasburg, France, October 23, 1843, and is a son of Michael and Eleanor Letz. At the age of eleven years he came with his parents to the United States, and settled in LaSalle county, Illinois, where he remained until he came to Cass county. He was married in 1870, to Jane Cooper, a native of Ireland. She came to this country when three months old. Mr. and Mrs. Letz have three children-Richard, Ralph and Eleanor.

Henry Linneman came to the county of Cass in 1872, and located in Pleasant township. In 1879 he purchased eighty acres of land on section 22, where he built a neat frame house and granary. He is a native of Lippe-Detwold, Ger- many, and was born on the 6th of No- vember, 1845. He was brought up in the "Fatherland," and attended school until he was fourteen years of age, when he entered upon the toils of life, laboring on a farm. This he followed until he was nineteen years old, when he emigrated from his native land to the shores of America. On coming to the United States, he first located at Burlington, Iowa, where he soon took up his old occu- pation of farming. From there he moved to Henderson county, Illinois, and there resided until 1872, when he came here, as already stated. His father died when Henry was seventeen years old, and his inother, with her four children came to America. Mr. Linneman is a thrifty, in- dustrious man and a most excellent citi" zen, and is fast accumulating a comforta- ble competency, in strictly legitimate agricultural pursuits. He is one of the solid men of the township, and highly appreciated by his friends and neighbors.

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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