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 99
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816
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
John Stabler, in March, 1884, came to Cass county and bought three hundred and twenty acres of land in sections 27 and 28 of Pleasant township, land for- merly owned by Capt. J. A. Russell. The greater part of this land is improved and he has a frame house and other farm buildings. Jobn Stabler is a native of England, born in Yorkshire, April 30, 1857. His parents emigrated to America when he six months old, and settled in Bureau county, Illinois, where his father purchased a farm in the town of. Nepon- set. There he spent his early life receiv- ing his education in the district schools. In February, 1880, he was united in mar- riage with Ella Traynor. They have one child, Clyde.
L. L. Colton came to Cass county in 1876, and purchased a farm of T. W. Williamson, located on the southwest quarter of section 29. There was then upon the place, a frame house, and a grove had been planted. Mr. Colton has since built a frame barn and made other im- provements. He was born in the city of Buffalo, New York, April 29, 1831, and is a son of Samuel H. and Samantha (Dodge) Colton. The latter was a de- scendant of John Dodge who was born near the river Tweed, in England, and emigrated to America in 1667, and settled on Block Island, in the State of Rhode Island. Samantha (Dodge) Colton was born in Herkimer county, New York, in 1804, and removed with her parents to Buffalo, in 1810. There they were among the pioneers of that city, and endnred the hardships and privations incident to the early settlement of any locality, and which in their case, were rendered partic-
ularly severe, being added, as they were to the horrors of the war of 1812, during which they were driven from their home by the British soldiers and their Indian allies. This occurred December 30, 1813, the time when Buffalo was burned by the British, Samuel H. Colton was born at Cherry Valley, New York. He settled, with his parents, in Buffalo previous to the war of 1812. His death occurred in Johnson county, Iowa, July 5, 1881. He was then in the eighty-eighth year of his age. When the subject of this sketch was very young, his parents moved to Wyoming county of the same state, where they lived six years, then returned to Erie county and located at Alden. He remained there until 1862, when he came to Iowa and engaged in driving stage from Bellevue to Dubuque. The same year he joined the army and was employed in the quarter-master's department until July 1865, then returned to Iowa and purchased a farm in Washington township, Jackson county. He lived there until the date of his coming to this county, 1876. Mr. Col- ton was married in Erie county, New York, February, 20, 1851, to Mariette Johnson a native of St. Lawerence coun- ty, New York, and daughter of Amasa a'nd Sarah (Wells) Johnson, natives of Connecticut. Mr. and Mrs. Colton have one child-Alice, wife of W. W. Shu- man.
Robert D. Adams, an elder in the Gen- eral Presbyterian Church, was born in Morgan county, Illinois, August 20, 1839. He was reared upon a farm, and in his childhood attended a subscription school until the system of free schools was established, after which he attended
817
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
school winters and worked at farming during the summer seasons. At the age of nineteen years he went to Cass county, Illinois, and engaged in farming. He en- listed August 12, 1861, in company C, of the Second Illinois Cavalry, and served until August, 1864. He was at the front and in active service the greater part of the time. After his discharge he settled in Morgan county, Illinois, upon a farm. March 4, 1865, he was united in marriage with Margaret J. Ware, who was born at Sidney, Shelby county, Ohio. He then removed to Cass county, Illinois, and re- mained till 1870. In the fall of that year he purchased wild land in the south west quarter of section 13, Pleasant township, to which he then removed. He now has a well cultivated and desirable farm, and a pleasant residence, surrounded by fruit and shade trees. Mr. and Mrs. Adams have two children-Lewis R., and Jessie M. Their eldest child, John Paul, died in infancy. Clarence died at the age of four years and eleven months.
Albert W. Wyman settled in Cass county in the spring of 1882, purchasing then, the southwest quarter of section 16, Pleasant township. There was a small frame house upon the place, which he has rebuilt and enlarged. He has also im- proved the place otherwise. Albert W. Wyman was born in Skowhegan, Somerset county, Maine, June 23, 1848. When he was seven years of age, his parents moved to Sheffield, Bureau county, Illinois, where he spent his childhood and youth. In 1869, he was united in marriage with Kate L. Peeples, a native of Scotland. After marriage he settled in Neponset, Bureau county, where he bought a resi-
dence and remained until he removed to Cass county in 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Wyman have a family of five children- Nettie, Thomas, William, Charlie and James.
John Walkinshaw owns a valuable farm of two hundred and forty acres, located on sections 11 and 12. He came to this county in 1877, and purchased then, eighty acres on section 12, upon which was a small frame house and a granary. He improved and fenced this land and afterwards bought one hundred and sixty acres on section 11. He also has the latter purchase fenced and under good improvement. Mr. Walkinshaw is an energetic and prosperous farmer. He was born in the northern part of Ireland, in 1827, and there grew to manhood. He was reared to the pursuit of agriculture, and received his education in the public schools. In 1853 he came to America, landing at Philadelphia, and locating in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he was employed in farming, two years. He then removed to Whiteside county, Ill- inois, and followed the same occupation, three years, after which he bought a team of oxen and engaged in breaking prairie for several years. He remained in that county till 1877. He was married in February 1857, to Mary Schoch, a native of Pennsylvania. They have six chil- dren-Laura, William, John, David, Fred and George. Mr. and Mrs. Walkinshaw are members of the Presbyterian church.
Jesse Underwood came to Cass county in 1867, and located then in Washington township, where he lived till the spring of 1869. He then moved to Bear Grove township, and remained until the spring
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
of 1873, when he bought the southeast quarter of section 2, Pleasant township, which was, at that time, wild land. He now has a well improved farm, all under fence and in a good state of cultivation. He has a good, substantial dwelling, a grove, and an orchard containing apple and other fruit trees. He was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, April 10, 1823, and is a son of Jesse and Julia A. (Meyers) Underwood, natives of the same State. When he was thirteen years of age, his parents moved to Ohio, and settled in Knox county, where his youth and early manhood was spent. He was united in marriage in Coshocton county, Olio, February 12, 1846, with Mary Mc- Cullough, after which he resided in Knox county until 1867, coming then, as before stated, to Cass county, Iowa. They made the journey with two pairs of horses and two wagons, bringing their household goods with them. They left Knox county October 8th, and arrived in Lewis, Octo- ber 12th. Mr. and Mrs. Underwood have seven children-Mary Ann, Henry, Cath- erine, Isaac, Laura Lorina, John W. and Sarah. Their second son, Isaac, was born in Knox county, Ohio, September 22, 1851, and was sixteen years of age when his parents moved to Cass county. He now carries on his father's farm. December 24, 1877, he was married to Elizabeth In- graham, daughter of Clark and Electa In- graham, and a native of Henderson connty, Illinois. They have three children- Clark, William H. and Myrtle.
George II. Carpenter was born in Tomp- kins, county, New York, May 27, 1856, and is a son of Daniel and Betsy (Shepard) Car- penter. He was educated in the district
school, and afterwards attended a graded school, in the village of Groton, Tomp- kins county. He completed his education at the State normal school, at Cortland, in Cortland county, where he spent two terms. He then, at the age of seventeen years, began teaching school. At the age of twenty-one he went to Bureau county, Illi- nois, and engaged in teaching, which he continued fourteen terms. He was subse- quently employed in clerking in the store of J. A. Russell, and also had charge of an elevator. October 10, 1882, he was married to Nora, daughter of J. A. and Sophronia (Barrett) Russell. In March, 1884, Mr. Carpenter came to Cass county, and settled on section 28, of Pleasant township. The farm which he owns and occupies contains two hundred and forty acres of land, and was formerly the prop- erty of the late Captain J. A. Russell, of Bureau county, Illinois. This is a highly improved and desirable farm. All of the improvements were made by Captain Rus- sell.
Daniel A. Miller is a native of Franklin county, Indiana, born September 13, 1841. He is a son of G. W. and Harriet Miller, of whom the former was a native of Vir- ginia and the latter of Indiana. They re- moved, when Daniel A. was very young, to Fayette county of the same State, where his early life was spent. In September, 1861, he enlisted in company F, of the Second Indiana .Cavalry, and served until September, 1864. The next month he re-enlisted in company I, of the United States Veteran Volunteers, and served in the defences of Washington and vicinity for one year. He was then discharged with the regiment, and re-
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
turned home. In January, 1866, he came to Iowa, and located in Warren county, purchasing land in Jefferson township, on which he lived until 1872, when he sold out and came to Cass county. He settled upon the northwest quarter of section 11, Pleasant township, on land which he had bought in 1860. He has since purchased other land, and now owns two hundred and forty acres, all under good improve- ment. He has erected commodious and substantial buildings, and planted a grove and orchard. The latter is one of the finest orchards in the State, and contains six hundred trees. Mr. Miller was mar- ried, in 1867, to Mary Wakefield, a native of Pennsylvania. They have six children -Flora E., Minnie E., Stella E., Daniel C., Alice A. and James Emerson.
C. C. Smith located in Pleasant town- ship in 1874. In 1880 he purchased his present farm, which is located on the southwest quarter of section 16. The land is now all improved and fenced. Mr. Smith was born in Lincolnshire, England, February 1, 1854. He resided in his na- tive land till twenty years of age. He then left his home and came to America, landing in Boston. He immediately went West, going to Nebraska, where he re- mained a short time, and then came to Cass county. In 1876 he was married to Mary A. Shaffer, who was born in Illi- nois. They have three children-Henry Ross, Charles F. and Laura A. Mr. Smith is an enterprising and industrious farmer, and is already a successful one.
George Brunner resides on section 17, Pleasant township, where he owns a farm of one hundred and forty acres, all under a high state of cultivation, and well im-
proved. He has planted a fine grove, and also an orchard. Mr. Brunner is a native of Germany, born in Hesse-Darmstadt, August 4, 1838. He is well educated, having attended the common schools of his native country until fourteen years of age, after which he attended a high school for two years. In 1856, he came to the United States, landing in New York. He located in Chambersburg, Franklin coun- ty, Pennsylvania, where he found employ- ment, and remained until 1862, when he enlisted in the service of his adopted country, in company B, of the One Hun- dred and Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Vol- unteer Infantry. He participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, where his regi- ment entered the engagement with eight hundred and sixty men, and came out with two hundred and thirty; also the battles of Antietam, Shepardstown, Chan- cellorsville, and many other minor engage- ments. He was honorably discharged at the expiration of his term of service. In the spring of 1864 he went to Illinois, and remained in Whiteside county until fall. He then re-enlisted, in company G of the Eighth Illinois Cavalry, and served till the close of the war, and was dis- charged with his regiment, at St. Louis, in July, 1865. He returned to Pennsyl- vania in the spring of 1866, and was mar- ried there, one year later, to Susan C. Glenn, a native of Maryland. They then went to Whiteside county, Illinois, and rented land, on which they lived until 1873. In that year they removed to Mont- gomery county, Iowa, where they spent one year, and then came to Cass county. Mr. and Mrs. Brunner have one child- Omar F.
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820
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
HISTORICAL ITEM.
William Baughman built the first house in the township, in the winter of 1855-6, and moved into it the following spring. He was also the first settler in the town- ship.
EDUCATIONAL.
As is always the case in an intelligent community, much interest is manifested in the schools. The buildings are all in good condition and supplied with modern furniture, maps, etc. There are eight districts, besides the independent district of Griswold.
District No. 1 .- The first school house in this district was built in 1873, on the northeast corner of section 11. It still remains in good condition and continues to serve the district for educational pur- poses. Lavina Underwood was the first teacher in this district.
District No. 2 .- The first building erected in this district for the education of the youth of the several sections com- prising it, was built on the northeast corner of section 8. George Macomber was the first to wield the birch in this house. The building was sold, in 1881, to Caleb Marshall, who now uses it for a granary. A new school edifice was then put on the northeast corner of section 9, which is now used by the district.
District No. 4 .- This district comprises sections 17, 18, 19 and 20, and its first school building, which was erected in 1873, was then located on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 17. Mattie Craig was the first teacher in this house. The building is still used for school purposes by the district, but has
been removed to the southeast corner of section 18.
School district No. 5 .- This district is composed of sections 15, 16, 21 and 22. Its school building was erected in 1876, on the northeast corner of section 21. The first term of school was taught by Mrs. Catherine Young.
District No. 6 .- This district is made up of sections 13, 14, 23 and 24. In 1868, a school house, the first one in the district, was erected on the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 23, and the school was opened with Clara Warner as teacher. That house was in use until 1882, when it was sold to W. J. Martin, whom it now serves in the capacity of a granary. The present school edifice was built in 1882, on the southeast corner of section 14, and Emma Baughman taught its first term of school. The cost of the building was $520.
District No. 7 .- Sections 25, 26, 35 and 36 go to make up the sub-division of the township known as the seventh school district. Its first and present school house was built in 1873, on the northwest corner of section 36. Sarah Donohoe, of Milford, was first to teach a term of school in this house.
School district No. 8 .- This district is formed by the combination of the con- tiguous sections 27, 28, 33 and 34. Its school building stands on the southeast corner of section 28. It was erected in 1874, and the first teacher was Catherine Young, of Montgomery county. The building as first erected still serves the district as its school building. Mary J. Lawrence at present presides over the
821
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
destinies of the scholars attending, in an educational sense.
District No. 9 .- The first school house in this district, which comprises sections 29, 30, 31 and 32, was erected in 1868, and opened with Mary Collins as teacher. In 1876, it was found that the old building had outgrown its usefulness and was too small for comfort, and another and larger edifice was built. It is located on the northeast quarter of section 31. Oscar Phillips was the first teacher in the new building.
RELIGIOUS.
Shortly after the school house in dis- trict No. 6 was completed, in 1868, relig- ious services were held in it, which were conducted by Rev. William Fuson, of the Baptist denomination. Ministers of other denominations also preached there.
The Methodist Episcopal church is rep- resented in Pleasant township by a con- gregation numerically quite strong. It was organized in Jannary, 1871, by Rev. W. H. W. Rees, and was the first relig- ious organization in the township. Rev. B. A. Fassett is the present pastor. (See Ecclesiastical chapter.)
Rev. James Andrews organized a Pres- byterian congregation at the school house of District No. 6 on July 11, 1871. The meetings are now held in the First dis- trict school house, with Rev. Hunter as pastor.
The Christian church society have a handsome edifice on the southeast quarter of section 34, erected in 1883. Their first services were held in Montgomery county. Rev. E. J. Stanley is the present minister. (For full particulars, see Eccles- iastical chapter.
Ministers of various denominations have at different times preached in the school house in District No. 8, but since the towns of Griswold and Elliott have been built, no regular meetings have been held. LOWMAN CEMETERY.
This cemetery is so called because the land which it comprises, was set apart for the purpose by J. A Lowman. It was laid out in 1870, on the southwest quar- ter of section 34. The first interment was that of Ida Guess, daughter of Eli A. and Sarah Guess, who was buried in Jan- uary, 1871. She was two years old when death called her away.
OFFICERS.
The township officers for 1884 are as follows: Clerk, Z. M. Wright; trustees, George Forsythe, J. H. Lowman and W. A. Hill; assessor, S. H. Lamborn; justice of the peace, J. M. Keel; for constable, J. P. Hill was elected, but as he did not qualify, G. S. Dirkey was appointed in his stead.
TOWN OF GRISWOLD.
The farm of John Rezner in Pleasant township was purchased for the town of Griswold, in November, 1879. At that time the land was covered with a huge corn crop, which yielded over sixty bushels per acre. The title was taken in the name of C. E. Perkins, of Burlington, Iowa, as trustee, and F. H. Whitney, of Atlantic-the father and builder of more cities than any man in southwestern Iowa -was commissioned to convert the field of golden grain into what is to-day a great mart of trade. He authorized Henry Miller to clear away the stalks and erect the first house. This was in early De- cember of 1879. E. G. Peck, of Atlantic,
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
a young man of fine business capacity and commendable ability and pluck, who is now a resident of Davenport, Iowa, was then appointed post commander and took immediate charge of Mr. Whitney's ad- vance on the furroughed field. The sale of lots began at once and continued unin- terraptedly until almost every location on either side of Maine street, for nearly a half mile in length, had been taken, and ยท a stroll about the place discloses many fine and impressive residences, surrounded by beautiful grounds, made charming by their shade trees and lawns. No city ean look back upon the marvel of such rapid development and advancement, as has characterized this young town. Winter had set in before a house was built; not a spring-time, of summer or of autumn has smiled upon it, but instead, they have conspired together and spent their forces in opposition. The fact that cold and storm had no terrors, and that all other obstacles have yielded gracefully to the invincible spirit of those locating in a dreary, desolate cornfield in the dead of winter, is sufficient evidence that the men who build cities are here. They were the first to see the railroad interests ma- terialize at this point, and that, as well as other advantages, were only waiting an opportunity to come to the surface. This foresight has already been abundantly re- warded. The name of the new town was given it in honor of J. N. A. Griswold, Esq., one of the directors of the C. B. and Q. railroad, and a prominent and suc- cessful merchant of New York. While there may be nothing really remarkable in the developments of the past, or any- thing striking in the present, still there
is much which cannot fail to be of inter- est to those who have been closely con- nected and identified with the town in all the various changes which have occurred from year to year. To those who have watched the growth and progress from its earliest origin, until the present time, the accomplishment of comparatively a few short by-gone days would seem now like a great task, but it is, in fact, the sure and legitimate results of an advanced state of civilization.
Griswold is situated fifteen miles south- west of the county seat (Atlantic), in Pleasant township. It is the southern terminus of the A. and G. branch of the C. R. I. and P. and northern terminus of .the R. O. and G. branch of the C. B. and Q. railroads, connecting it with the lead- ing markets of the south and east. The town is surrounded by some of the finest and most productive agricultural and stock-raising lands in the State, which is a guarantee of a permanent and ever increasing tradc.
THE BEGINNING.
Henry Miller commenced the erection of the first house in Griswold, November 20, 1879, for Frank Whitney. It was run as a boarding house by Ed. Peck, who came here from Atlantic. The building was on the present site of .the First Na- tional bank.
The next building was Peck and Whit- ney's hardware store, which was com- menced shortly after operations were commenced on the boarding house.
The first grocery store was put up by Kearns, who is still in Griswold, in Octo- ber, 1879, by the side of Peck and Whit- ney's hardware store.
823
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
In the winter of 1879-80, Messrs. Whit- ney and Miller bought grain, having erected platform scales for weighing pur- poses. In six weeks they bought 60,000 bushels of corn. For three days in suc- cession they took in 5,000 bushels a day. Mr. Miller's son doing the weighing. It can be imagined that their office was a busy place about that time.
Stafford and Hawks opened the first store of general merchandise, December 20, 1879, in the building now occupied by Corbett and Jackson.
The first banking business was estab- lished by F. H. Whitney, which was after- ward merged into the present National bank.
The pioneer drug store was established by Dr. John Pipher. He was also the first postmaster and continues to hold that position.
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The jewelry business was first estab- lished by T. J. Luccock. The business is now carried on by J. M. Tinsley.
F. H. Whitney established the first hardware store, who afterward disposed of it to Milner Brothers.
F. H. Whitney erected the first hotel. Previously, there was a small boarding house kept by Henry Letz, and was known as the Iowa House.
The first elevator was erected by F. H. Whitney in 1880, at a cost of $14,000. He also purchased the first grain.
The first boot and shoe store was estab- lished by A. W. Pearson, in May, 1881.
Dr. J. L. Moore was the first practicing physician locating in Griswold in 1880.
The blacksmith business was first estab- lished by William Glass.
The first livery stable was started by Sheets and Gifford.
The pioneer lumber yard was that estab- lished by S. B. Milner and Company.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
Stafford and Hawks were the first to establish business at this point. Goods were brought by team to Griswold and December 20, 1879, they opened for busi- ness in the building now occupied by Cor- bett and Jackson. In the fall of 1881, they erected their present building. The salesroom is 24x60, with an addition of .ten feet. They carry a general stock of dry goods, groceries, etc.
Corbett and Jackson embarked in the general merchandise business in August, 1880. They have a salesroom 24x75, and carry a large stock of boots and shoes, groceries, etc., and are commanding a large and increasing trade.
Among the business interests of Gris- wold is the firm of Weirich Brothers and Bryant, dealers in dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, etc. This business was established in December, 1883. The firm is composed of young men of business tact and ability and although established but about year, do a good business. They have a salesroom 24x70, and carry a stock of $12,000.
Gordon and Son, dry goods, is a late addition to the business interests of Gris- wold. The firm began business the latter part of September, 1884. Their store room is 22x64 in dimensions and they handle a stock of about $8,000. '
The pioneer drug store was established by Dr. John Pipher, in January, 1880, who was also among the first business men of Griswold. He carries a full line
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