USA > Iowa > Chickasaw County > History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa > Part 18
USA > Iowa > Howard County > History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa > Part 18
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SCHOOL SYSTEM A NUSIANCE.
At the same term of the board of county solons it was: "Re- solved, That the board of supervisors of Chickasaw county, Iowa, deem after long experince and mature reflection, the present school of the state of Iowa a nusiance-a conglomerate of misun- derstandings and inconsistencies, having a direct tendency to squander the school fund and not benefiting the youth of our state but very little; and that we would;recommend and use our influence to have the present school law remodeled, and each sub-district made a body corporate, thereby allowing each sub-district of the townships to have the exclusive control and management of their own school matters, and that the county superintendent be in- structed to forward a copy of this resolution to the secretary of the board of education."
The first teachers institute recorded convened October 3d, 1864. The principal portion of the entry is as follows:
"Agreeable to notice, teachers met at New Hampton to open an institute. Institute opened at 2 P. M,, and organized by selecting F. D. Bosworth, chairman, and D. F. Callender, secretary. J. L. Enos had been selected as lecturer, and to conduct the. exercises
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181
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
during the session of the institute. The order of exercises was then read, and the meeting adjourned."
Upon reassembly on the following day, the meeting was con- ducted in accordance with the programme read on the preceeding day, as was also the case on the 5th, 6th, and 7th, and on the 8th resolutions were adopted and officers selected for the ensuing year. The session closed at 12 M. on the 8th.
J. C. Johnson succeeded Mr. Bosworth in 1866, and in 1870 W. P. Bennett appears as successor to Johnson. In October of the latter year the name of Jos. F. Grawe appears as succeeding Mr. Bennett. And at the election of October 11th, 1870, Jos. F. Grawe was reelected to fill the same office by almost the unanimous voice of the people, there being but three votes cast against him. The same gentleman seemed to be as great a favorite at the election of October 10th, 1871, and continued to hold the office at the bidding of the great majority of his fellow citizens, until January 4th, 1875, and O. A. Truman was appointed, by the board of supervisors, to fill the vacancy; which he filled until superceded by Major W. D. Collins, who was elected October 12th, 1875. He was succeeded by H. A. Simons who was elected October 18th, 1879, and was replaced by J. A. Lapham the present incumbent whose election occurred on the 11th day of October, 1881, his opponent being a very popular man, Oscar A. McFarland now principal of the Lawler school:
COMPENSATION OF TEACHERS OF COUNTY, 1880-81.
No. Employed. ·
Compensation per Mo.
TOWNSHIP.
MALES.
FEMALES.
MALES.
FEMALES.
Bradford.
7
16
$ 23 77
$ 23 47
Chickasaw
5
14
27 34
19 05
Deerfield
2
23
23 75
24 46
Jacksonville.
4
20
21 75
20 14
Utica
7
14
22 36
18.85
Dayton
4
11
29 50
20 60
Dresden
3
10
22 33
23 27
Fredericksburg
6
9
26 66
19 46
New Hampton.
7
10
24 54
20 19
Richland
5
8
28 25
21 70
Stapleton.
4
5
22 15
19 90
Washington.
3
8
24 25
24 74
1
182
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW. COUNTY.
IND. DISTRICTS.
Chickasaw.
2
2
27 50
25 00
Fredricksburg
0
4
28 50
Ionia
1
1
35 00
25 66
Lawler
1
2
53 33
32 50
Nashua
1
4
80 00
35 00
New Hampton
2
7
50 00
25 63
The number and value of school houses according to the report of county superintendent for 1881.
Number School House.
TOWNSHIP.
FRAME.
BRICK.
STONE.
VALUE.
Value of APPARATUS. $
Bradfoad.
11
..
..
$ 6 600
Chickasaw
8
..
..
2 200
Deerfield
10
..
..
2 825
....
Jacksonville
6
..
..
1 300
....
Utica
10
Dayton
7
..
..
2 450
43.
Fredericksburg.
9
..
..
4 475
186
New Hampton.
8
..
..
2 150
156
Richland.
6
..
3 300
337
Stapleton.
7
..
..
2 450
65
Washington
7
..
..
2 275
60
IND. DIST'S.
Chickasaw
1
..
1
2 100
.....
Fredericksburg.
1
..
..
700
.....
Ionia
1
..
..
2 000
.....
Lawler
1
..
..
4 000
.....
Nashua
..
..
12 000
.....
New Hampton ..
..
..
..
700
.....
In 1882, according to the reports, as filed with the county audi- tor, it is found that there are in the county 5,257 children, between the ages of five and twenty-one years, divided among the several townships as follows:
TOWNSHIP.
NO. OF MALES.
NO. OF FEMALES.
Bradford
367
372
Chickasaw
233
293
Deerfield
180
163
Jacksonville
210
234
..
..
3 150
30.
Dresden
8
..
3 210
135
183
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
Utica
226
196
Fredericksburg
180
156
Stapleton.
259
275
New Hampton
336
395
Dayton
128
116
Dresden
106
110
Richland
139
123
Washington
250
210
Total
2614
2643
2643
Grand total .5257
" Report of number of schools in each sub-district for the years, 1880 and 1881:
1880.
1881.
TOWNSHIP.
NO. SUB-DIST.
NO. ROOM.
NO. SUB-DIST.
NO ROOM.
Bradford
10
12
10
11
Chickasaw
8
8
8
8
Deerfield
12
11
12
11
Jacksonville
11
12
11
12
Utica
10
10
10
10
Dayton
7
7
7
7
Dresden
8
8
8
8
Fredericksburg
9
9
9
9
New Hampton
8
8
8
8
Richland
6
6
6
6
Stapleton
7
7
7
7
Washington
6
8
8
8
IND. DISTRICTS.
Chickasaw
1
2
1
2
Jonia
1
2
1
2
Lawler
1
3
1
3
Nashua.
1
5
1
6
New Hampton
1
5
1
5
Fredericksburg
1
2
1
2
Bradford high school.
1
..
1
1
Total 108
125
111
126
184
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
The following is condensed from a report of J. A. Lapham, county superintendent, for 1882.
There are at present one hundred and twenty-nine teachers em- ployed in the public schools of Chickasaw county. There are one hundred and five county school houses, leaving twenty four teach- ers employed in the towns and villages. Of these New Hampton has eight, Nashua seven, Lawler Ionia, Chickasaw and Fredricks- burg two teachers each. Bradford township sustains a high school. Deerfield and Jacksonville each hired another teacher in the sum- mer season, making a total requisite of one hundred thirty-one teachers to supply our public schools.
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Of this corps of teachers two (Profs Simons and Felker) hold professional certificates. Thirty-eight hold firstclass certificates. Eighteen of these are employed in the towns and villages and twenty are in the country schools. Sixty-five have second-class certificates and twenty-seven have third-class certificates.
The number of scholars in the county between the ages of five and twenty-one, as indicated by secretaries' reports, is 4999. 2564 are males, 2435 are females. This statement may vary from the facts somewhat, as in a number of instances the secretaries wrote that they had failed to ascertain the exact number in their respec- tive districts. I regret that this should be true. A little effort on the part of each officer will give a correct report. Further informa- tion from the same source shows the average attendance to be 2325, or about forty-six per cent of the number of school age. Of course many of school age do not attend at all, so that the average daily attendance compared with the enrollment is much larger. It, how- ever in some instances falls below fifty per cent.
The average cost per month for each pupil is about $1.68. This refers to the amount paid teachers. Contingent expenses raise it to more than two dollars per scholar. In one district the amount per scholar per month was $4.57; in another $4.50. In a number of instances it amounted to over three dollars.
Not unfrequently this record is made where there are enough children in the distict for a good school if they would (or could). attend.
When we remember that our public schools cost us between
1
185
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
$8,000 and $10,000 yearly. in addition to the amount permanently invested in school property, it is a question of deep interest whether they are giving us the results we have a right to ex- pect.
In instances not a few, a good teacher is devoting her time to five or six pupils while there are eight, ten, or fifteen more in the neighborhood who ought to be in school.
Of our teachers, about forty are males and ninety are females. Cases of trouble in school have been very rare indeed within the last year. In many of the country schools ladies are doing as effi- cient work as the men (in winter as well as in summer).
*
* * * *
* *
We have at present many good, true teachers in the county. On them do we depend largely for the successful issue of the graded system.
The subject of wages has received some attention the last year. A willingness to pay good teachers for their labor is more manifest. In the district townships Utica, Jacksonville and Deerfield have taken the lead, Utica pays $24, $27 and $30, according to grade of certificate. Jacksonville is but $3 behind on first-class certificates and $2 on the others
Deerfield pays thirty dollars to most of her teachers indiscrim- inately. We know of three teachers in independent districts (country schools)who receive thirty-five dollars per month. A few received thirty-two dollars, and many thirty dollars. We respect- fully suggest that it would be well to grade the wages in all the districts in the county. Where this is done a manifest injustice is frequently worked.
* * * * * * * *
I am pleased to note that our first class teachers are in stronger demand. They are found to be far cheaper even when paid five to ten dollars more per month.
There have been three new school houses built within the last year. One in Jacksonville, one in New Hampton, and one at North Washington. Better houses are being built. * * * * * * * *
Our annual institute had an enrollment of one hundred and
186
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
three. Young men find it almost impossible to attend in the summer season. They furnish part of the money to sustain the institute, and (by their request) I think an arrangment for a session of one week in March for those who cannot attend next summer, and for young aspirants who will enter the work for the first time next spring. In many cases they have had no preparation for teaching whatever.
I have endeavored in this annual report to state the condition and prospects of our public schools as nearly as possible.
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187
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
1 1
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1
CHAPTER VII.
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CENSUS AT VARIOUS DATES; ABSTRACT OF ASSESSMENT ROLLS; VALUE OF PROPERTY IN COUNTY, ETC.
The census returns of the assessors, as made at a special term of the county court, July 21st, 1856, were as follows:
589
Chickasaw
508
Deerfield.
325
Obispo.
488
Richland
111
Yankee
522
Total enumeration of Chickasaw county 2 543
The returns for 1857 were:
263
Deerfield
North Washington. 179
Obispo (part)
333
Stapleton
225
. . Obispo (part).
335
-
Bradford
.
188
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
New Hampton 256.
Dayton 136.
Chickasaw. 504
Bradford
987
Richland and Fredericksburg
786
Total enumeration of Chickasaw county 4 024
ABSTRACT OF THE CENSUS OF CHICKASAW COUNTY FOR 1859.
No. of males. 2 033
No. of females 1 783
Total population
3 816
No. entitled to vote.
914
No of militia.
793
No. of foreigners not naturalized.
144
No of children between the ages of five and twenty- one years.
1 249
No. of acres of improved lands.
12 754₺
No. of acres of unimproved lands.
299 570%
No. of acres of sorghum
464
No. of gallons of mollasses from sorghum
2 887
No of acres of orchards.
814
No of tons of hay from Hungarian grass
3
No. of acres of meadow.
639}
No. of tons of hay
8 684
No. of bushels of grass seed
29}
No of acres of spring wheat.
3 032
No. of bushels of spring wheat harvested
10 425
No. of acres of winter wheat.
10
No. bushels of winter wheat harvested
13
No. of acresof oats
1 711}
No. of bushels of oats harvested
14 514
No. of acres of corn. 3 153₺
No. of bushels of corn harvested
53 821
No. of of acres of potatoes.
317
No. of bushels of potatoes harvested
13 519
No. of hogs sold.
569
Value of hogs sold.
$2 818 40
No. of cattle sold
674
189
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
Value of cattle sold.
$14 292
No. of pounds of butter manufactured 71 234
No. of pounds of cheese manufacture. 10 111
No. of pounds of wool grown.
2 226
Value of domestic manufactures. $363
Value of general manufactures.
$4 020
Value of agricultural implements. $17 390
No. of dwelling houses 772
No. of families 772
The whole number of inhabitantants in Chickasaw county, ac- cording to the return of the United States marshal, appointed to take the census of the county, in 1860, was 4,740.
The following is a consolidated report from the assessment of the county as returned for the year 1879:
Polls
2,910
Acres of land. 316,070
Value $1 809 475 00
Town property
156 632 00
No. of cattle.
15,420 ·
107 926 00
No. of horses
6,790
187 275 00
No. of mules
127
=
3 863 00
No. of sheep.
1,740
1 261 00
No. of swine.
7,995
7 911 00
No. of vehicles taxable.
311
5 311 00
Merchandise
4 490 00
Manufactures
73 315 00
Other taxabl property .....
7 194 00
Or a total of all property of $2,401,242.00 to which should be added those articles of property exempt from taxation, viz: $67,- 748.00 making a grand total of $2,468,990.00 as being the wealth of the county for that year.
The report, from the assessment sheet, for 1881, shows as fol- lows:
No. of polls.
2,874
Value
$1 725 724
Acres of land 314,315
134 934
Town property
159 755
No. of cattle
16,244
186 456
No. of horses 7,241
51 477 00
Monies and credits.
190
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
No. of mules
103
66
3 022
No. of sheep.
1,601
1 601
No. of swine.
9,796
9 772
No of vehicles taxable.
299
4 787
Merchandise
44 288
Maufactures
3 140
Monies and credits.
67 754
Other property
12 508
$23 537 41
1
According to the report of the census marshal who took the census of 1880-there were in the county in that year 14,537 in- habitants of all ages, sex and color. The town of New Hampton being credited with 1,147, Nashua 1,116, and Lawler 487, the bal- ance being distributed throughout the rural districts and smaller towns.
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191
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
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1
CHAPTET VIII.
·
1
BRADFORD TOWNSHIP; LOCATION; EARLY SETTLEMENT; VILLAGE OF BRADFORD; NASHUA; SETTLEMENTS; CHURCHES; SCHOOLS; SOCIETIES; ETC.
BRADFORD TOWNSHIP.
The history of Bradford township, in the days of the pioneers, is closely allied to that of the county, and the history of the latter is the history of the former, inasmuch that there we find the first hardy settlers, who located in that vicinity, when all the balance of the county lay in its primeval solitude.
Its territory embraces all of township 94 north, 14 west, and com- prises 36 sections. . It is plentifully watered by the Cedar and Little Cedar, with their affluents in the west, and Two Mile run and its branches, in the east. On the former are several very fine mill sites, which have been improved. The Cedar Falls and Minnesota branch of the Illinois Central railroad, traverse a small part of it having, a depot at the city of Nashua; the only impor- tant, but not the oldest town in the district.
Long prior to any settlement,within the boundary of the present county, there was a trading post and station, and an Indian bury-
192
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
ing ground, near where the town of Bradford now stands, and about the year 1840, a Mr. Wheeler had obtained a contract from the government, to break up and fence, some 400 acres of land for the Indians to cultivate; it being the intention of the gov- ernment to treat it as a reservation for some Winnebago Indians. The breaking being done, during the summer of that year. His employes, who did the work were, Barber, McCormick,, Gilmore, two brothers named Benson, Joe Parsons and of the latter we have gained the knowledge of these facts. Parsons reports that, at that time, the country abounded in all kinds of large game; bears, elk, and deer, and the streams were filled with fish; he shortly left the county and went back to Illoinis, where he staid until about 1861, when he returned, and settled in the southern part of Richland township, where he still resides.
In the following winter Mr. Wheeler and his sons returned, and engaged in making the rails and fencing in the ground. It was a most beautiful tract of land, and well fenced. The next year the In- dians were brought on to the land, but the experiment indulged in by the government, like many others proved a failure, the Indians being unprovident and disinclined to work. Prairie fires destroyed the fences, and soon all went to decay and ruin. The trading post referred to above was a log house and stood at the south end of the grove on, what is now known as the Cagley estate. The above could hardly be called a settlement, as no white fami- lies located then, but in the year 1848, Truman Merritt settled, with his family, on the east side of the Little Cedar, near where Greenwood now is. Here then he built his family mansion, of the logs from the trees that surrounded him and settled down a pioneer of pioneers; here then was born unto him a daughter, in 1850, the first white child born in the county, who, after grow- ing to womanhood, married Avery Earl, and still resides near the city of Nashua. About 1851 some other settlers came into the township among whom we find the names of John and J. A. J. Bird and Wm. Tucker, and followed shortly after by Edward Jones and his sons Alexander and John, and Andrew Sample, Gillet, Case and others. A son of Mr. Case, Elmer by name, having been born in 1851, near Greenwood enjoys the distinction of being the first male child born in the county. Tradition hath
193".
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
it that about the year 1850 there came into the"county a man by the name of DeForest, he was an old bachelor and lived as a hei. it in the woods, and pursued the avocation of hunter, and trapper, he afterwards moved into Bradford, where he died, but in what year "deponent saith not." The brothers John and J. A .. J. Bird settled at the place where the town of Bradford was subse- quently platted, and the emigrants that arrived during 1851 and '52 seem for the most part to have selected that vicinity, here then grew a town just above the junction of the two Cedar rivers, which was, by the expectation of those early settlers to, be the com- ing metropolis of the west, a Chicago of the Iowa prairies, but their hopes were far from realization, and although the town has one of the most beautiful locations in the county, still its glory has departed, and it hides its diminished head and awaits calmly the end. Here in 1854 was located the county seat which distinc- tion Bradford held until 1857 when the seat of justice was taken to New Hampton.
We find that in the year 1852 Peter Perkins and - Kaufman. located at Bradford, and should be enrolled among the names of those early settlers, we have tried to rescue from oblivion, as should . also that of Samuel Brink, who came in 1853. In 1852, according to .. most accounts, the first school was opened, but by whom taught has passed from the memory of the oldest inhabitant.
The first court house was built at Bradford, in 1854, and was the primitive log house, without ceiling, common to the architec -.. ture of those early days, and in it were held all the public meet- . ings. James Lyon was the first county judge.
The first and second sermons ever preached in Chick- asaw county were by an itinerent Methodist minister, by the . name of Ingam, at the house of John Bird, the third by a Mr. Coleman, a Congregational minister,-these in the. year 1853. Afterwards a few sermons were preached by A. D .. Babcock, a Baptist minister, but the first church society organ -- ized was at Bradford, in the fall of 1855, and was Congregational in denomination, and of which the Rev. O. Littlefield was the first pastor. This church being the oldest in the county, will be more fully referred to elsewhere. A good story, illustrating the rough- ness of the times, is told regarding the second sermon, of Mr. In-
194
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
gam. It seems that a portion, and a large one at that, of the men seemed to take offence at something he had reproved them for in in his first sermon, gave out that if he attempted to repeat it, he should receive a drubbing, but not detered by their threats, he assayed to speak the second sermon, as we have said, at the house of John Bird, as soon as he had begun an ominous gathering of men was seen to approach, each armed with a club and headed by Andrew Sample, a typical frontiersman, who could out swear, out drive, wade through more snow, and was fuller of energy than "any other man," and who hnd been loudest in in his denunciations. The crowd approached and instead of at once proceeding to hostilities-remained to listen awhile, and something the speaker said so touched the firey heart, of their leader, that on the conclusion of the services, he approached Mr. Ingam, and putting out his brawny fist, swore that he s hould preach there when ever he d-ned pleased, and he would lick the man who dared deny him, and throwing away his club called on his companions to do likewise, and Mrs. Bird gathered up enough of them, next day to answer for stove wood for sometime.
The above Andrew Sample was the first sheriff, of the county, and was one of the most prominent men in the infant settlement, having done as much or more than any other man, in developing that region of country, he finally returned to his native state, Missouri, where he now resides.
In 1854 it was the only town in the county, and continued to be the leading one until 1860, since which time it has steadily retrograd- ed, until it has become almost the "deserted village" of the plains. The town was platted on land belonging to the Birds, and they for many years were the most prominent citizens. The township was · organized by Jno. and J. A. J. Bird and others by order of the county court, in March, 1855, and comprised of township 94 ranges 13 and 14 or what now are known as Bradford and Richland townships, but at the March term of said court in 1856, the latter was sepera- ted from Bradford, and organized as Richland township.
Here we should notice, that the church, erected in Bradford in the early days of the county's history, by the Congregational society, still stands one of the landmarks of that section-still its spire pointing upward seems the monitor bidding all prepare for that journey all must take.
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195
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
W. S. Pitts, M. D., of Fredericksburg, has made it immorta through that beautiful song, "The Little Brown Church in the Vail." Sevices are still held in it, the Rev. C. A. Marshal, of Nashua, being the officiating clergyman.
According to the best accounts the first store, in the village of Bradford, was kept by J. A. J. Bird who afterwards sold it out to a Mrs. Chapman; it was but a small affair at the best, and was noted for never having much of any stock, but it deserves a place in his- tory, as the first attempt at merchandising in the township; the. date, however, when it was opened is in considerable doubt, but was probably about 1853. After this Pooler and Nicholas opened a larger and more pretentious store, followed shortly by Fritcher- and Marinus, both kept dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, hardware, drugs, and everything else. There was also about this. time a, store by - Eastman of the same general charcater. We- have been assured that, the first store after Mr. Bird's was kept by Haskell and Mandeville, but of this there seems to be some doubt; but in 1855 they were among the merchants, along with Leland and Sample, the latter firm however confining themselves to cloth- ing and groceries, `Haskell and Hubbell, A. W. Billings and Lonson Covey, were also among the merchants of those early. days.
These were succeeded by several others, but E. R. Dickerson alone remains of all, and at the present writing, is the sole merchant in the village.
A saw mill was erected, at Bradford, by Andrew Sample, in the year 1854, but which was afterwards moved away on the dam being washed out by a freshet. Two steam mills were afterwards erected, one by the Bird Bros, and the other by Haskell and Mitchell, but both were destroyed by fire in a few years.
A hotel was erected by Geo. Brunson in 1854, and has been known as the Brunson House to this day, it was originally a small. frame building, but has had numerous additions built on. Prior to this Dan'l. Fritcher had a log building, where he had day boarders, and sold meals to the weary travellers, who came into. town, for in those days this town was the general stopping place for all of the stage lines, and for emigrants, seeking a home in the: boundless west.
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196
HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
The first Blacksmith and wagon maker, was Wm. Dow, who was the foreman in a shop erected"and owned by the hotel keeper, Geo. Brunson, but almost simultaneously, the Ellis Bros., opened another shop for the same business, and Peter Perkins an- other; it is in considerable dispute which of these last named was first.
"Pigs Eye" was the euphonious name of the leading saloon of those early days, was kept by a man by the name of Dodge, a small, deformed individual, since dead. Although prior to his establishing himself, a man by the name of Herbert had a small saloon, which is belived to have been the first in the town- ship.
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