USA > Iowa > Chickasaw County > History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa > Part 26
USA > Iowa > Howard County > History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa > Part 26
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RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.
The earliest settlement within the limits of township 94, north, range 13, west, now known as Richland, was made by Jas. B. Upham, who, as early as the fall of 1854, located his farm on section one, about one mile north of where the present village of Williamstown stands; here he reared the family mansion, more comfortable than palatial, out of the logs cut from the woods so near his own door, and like Selkirk could have said he was "monarch of all he surveyed," for not a neighbor for twenty miles was there.
Joel Parsons and David Tingley, however, located their farms in the fall of the same year, but did not move on them until in the spring of 1855, when they took up their residence in the county. In the same year, viz, March 20, 1855, H. H. Bailey laid claim to a farm in section twelve, the same as now owned by him. With him came George Bailey, Malachi Hardock and others, and were followed by a colony of twenty-one persons from the town of Erie, Penn. These parties procured an order from the county court, at the March term, 1856, to organize the township, and pro- ceeded to elect the necessary officers and lay the foundation for the present system of government. .
Forest City was, by some irregular proceedings of the board of canvassers, declared the county seat in April, 1858, but in June of the same year an information being filed in the clerk's office, the court ordered a mandamus restraining the records, etc., from being taken there from New Hampton, and ordering the board to correct the irregularities of their return and count the. votes; this was
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reversed by the supreme court on an appeal being taken. The court decided, however, at the spring term, 1859, that the town of New Hampton had the best claim to county seatship, and the records were returned to that place, and Forest City has quietly retired to private life, and is now numbered with the things that were. Where its streets were laid out now nods the bending corn, and where its citizens trod, with the proud step of the metro- politan, now echoes only to the tread of lowing kine and the whistling ploughman.
The first brick edifice erected within the limits of the county was built in Forest City in the year 1857, and was a woodhouse, henhouse, etc., and owned by the Hon. Hiram Bailey; the mason who laid the bricks in the walls was no less a personage than J. H. Powers, now one of the most shining lights of the Chickasaw county bar. These bricks were burned in a kiln owned and operated by Zelotes and Thompson Bailey, who enjoy the credit of making the first bricks ever manufactured in the county.
Williamstown has absorbed all that was of Forest City, and still remains a small, though enterprising, village. It seems that Wm. Grant applied for a postoffice at or near Forest City, and gave it the name of Williamstown, but in 1877 it was moved to the corners where it is now located. The first postmaster after its removal was W. Hood, who still retains the onerous office. The store is owned by Hood & Bailey, who also own the creamery.
The town also boasts of a neat and tasty church, in which the Methodist Episcopal denomination meet for worship. It was erected during the year 1881, by Bennett Bros., of New Hampton, at a cost of $1,825, and reflects great credit upon them for the substantial and workmanlike, in which it has been built. It is of frame, 26x42 feet, and has a seating capacity of about 250. The present pastor, who presides over the spiritual welfare of this flock, whose number is about fifty-five, is Elder Jno. Jones. And here it would, perhaps, be as well to say that Rev. Samuel Prentiss delivered the first sermon in the township at an early day, but the exact date our informants were not agreed on.
The educational interests of the younger generations are insured by a fine school, which is open the whole year, and under the wise administration of Principal Milo George, and Assistant Principal Bradley A. Lillebridge, the sixty-five pupils make the necessary
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progress. Anna Lillebridge is secretary and treasurer of the school board of the district.
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP.
We have been so fortunate as to obtain the MSS. of a historical sketch of Deerfield township, written by I. A. Sawin, in: 1859, which, as a concise and accurate account of the township to that year, we quote in full:
"Deerfield township embraces town 96, range 14, and the south half of town 97. The surface is generally undulating, or gently rolling, being in no part hilly. The bottom land of the streams, say one-half mile in width, is nearly level. The West Wapsie enters the township near the northwest corner, and runs its entire length in a direction east of south. The Middle Wapsie runs a few miles through the northeast corner of the township, also in a southeasterly direction. I believe there are no good mill sites on the streams. The water is good and furnishes great facilities for raising stock. The larger portion of the township is prairie. Valuable groves of timber, principally of the kind known as jack oak, are found along the streams and in the northern part. This timber is excellent for fencing, being easily made into rails. A single acre has been known to yield four or five thousand. Timber for building purposes is very scarce.
"The soil is generally of rich sandy loam from one to three feet in depth, lying on a clayey subsoil. Water of excellent quality is obtained by digging from twelve to twenty feet. In the north center of ninety-six, extending into ninety-seven, is a tract of several hundred acres of limestone land, furnishing inexhaustible quarries for lime and for building.
"Wild animals, which abounded at the time of settlement, are now scarce. A few deer, of the hundreds which once abounded here, are all that now remain. A small pack of grey wolves- perhaps half a dozen-still make their home with us. The prairie wolf-a skulking, cowardly brute, which sometimes, though seldom, performs the feat of robbing a henroost-is quite plenty. A few wildcats, badgers and raccoons are also found. Of amphibia the beaver, otter, muskrat, and mink are quite plenty.
"The southeast quarter of section three abounds with the remains of human skeletons, and on the surrounding prairie, to the distance
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of two miles, they are occasionally found. When the first settlers came upon the ground, in 1854, the stench arising from the slaughter ground was yet quite strong. I have not yet been able to obtain a very clear or authentic account of this massacre, by which several hundred human beings must have lost their lives; but the following, obtained at second-hand, two years ago, from a Winnebago Indian, is submitted in the hope that inquiry may be stimulated and more certain information be procured:
"About twelve years ago-or say in 1847-a party of Sioux warriors left their old men, women, and children, to the number of three hundred or more, here, and proceeded to Prairie du Chien. A party of Winnebago warriors found the camp in this unprotected condition, and murdered every soul. They then took the road to the Mississippi, and meeting the returning Sioux warriors, settled the affair by paying them fifty ponies as an indemnity. The skeletons, many of which were those of infants, corroborate the main facts of this account, but the time given does not agree with the statements of the first settlers, or the well known condition of the skeletons in 1856, many of which were entire at that time. I think the date of the massacre must be later than that given in the above account.
"On the 5th of May, 1854, the first permanent settlement was made in this township. Almon Harris, of Massachusetts, John Spurr, Myrick Spurr, and Edwin Hale pitched their tents on sections three and four, and immediately commenced improve- ments. Mr. Harris is still a citizen of the township; the other three have left. Though a mechanic by trade, Mr. Harris' efforts at farming are successful in bringing under cultivation a quarter section of the most beautiful prairie, and at this time, September 1859, he is building a substantial frame building, ample for all the purposes of his farm. His nearest neighbor was James Frazee, of Chickasaw, seven miles distant.
"The second settler was William Morris, an Englishman by birth, who settled on section eight in the latter part of May, 1854, and who is still a resident of the township. About the same time Abner Gallup also settled on section eight, but did not remain long. William Doyle and Mrs. Martha Harris came in early in the spring of 1855, and settled in the northern part of the town- ship. M. P. Choat settled in the southern part about the same
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time, and immigrants now came in so rapidly that in the autumn of 1856 there were nearly as many settlers as at the present time.
"I am not aware that any mineralogical or geological examina- tions have been made by scientific men. I am informed by C. H. Dore, Esq., that while digging a well on the farm of David Love- lace, on sections 12-96, at the depth of sixteen feet pieces of timber resembling cedar trees of several inches in diameter were taken out. Small specimens of coal were also found, which ignited and burned readily. While digging a cellar on the farm of Heman Culver, Esq., I found many specimens of a petrified nut, resembling the Madeira nut in every particular, save that they were larger.
"Deerfield township was organized April 7, 1856. William F. Wright was the organizing officer. The first election was held at the house of C. D. French on the same day. Heman Culver, Jacob A. Cummins, and M. P. Choat were judges, and William F. Wright, and J. G. Farnum, clerks. The following is a list of the officers chosen:
Trustees-M. P. Choat, M. D. Harris, and C. D. French.
Justices of the peace-Heman Culver, and T. W. Ashley.
Clerk-J. G. Farnum.
Assessor-Jacob A. Cummins.
Constables-D. Jared, and Willard Bennett.
Road supervisor-Chauncey Boyes.
Whole number of votes cast, 24.
The almost total destruction of the crops of 1858, caused by the extraordinary floods of that season, reduced many settlers to ex- tremities, and many subsisted during the year on the barest necessaries of life. Again, this season, 1859, the farmer is doomed to the almost total loss of his corn by the frost of September 2d. But such is the energetic character of the people, that but little discouragement is manifested. They feel confident that a suc- cession of good seasons, which must soon follow, will relieve them of their embarrassments and repay them for all their toil and privations. Seldom does an entire township present a more industrious population. I do not know of a single ablebodied individual, who does not obey the scriptural injunction, to earn his bread by laborious industry. Surely, if any community de-
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serves a bountiful supply of the necessaries of life, this community ought to receive it." :
JACKSONVILLE TOWNSHIP.
Jacksonville township embraces all of the territory known as townships 96, and south half of 97, north, and 12, west, and con- tains a township and a half, surveyors measure, or 54 sections. Like the balance of the county it is well watered, Crane and Plum creeks, and the Little Wapsie traversing its almost entire length. The soil is rich, dark soil, as most bottom lands are, with the exception of some sandy spot near the creeks and river. The juicy grasses, which cover the untilled portion of the land, are such as to draw the attention of much of the farming community to the business of stock raising and grazing, and we find this to be the principal mode of farming, although some land is given to raising corn, wheat, oats, barley, timothy, and other grains and seeds.
Of the early settlement of this township it is impossible to decide who was the first to locate within its bounderies, but the weight of evidence seems to indicate that Henry Shaffer was the first pioneer who located therein; the date of his settlement was 1853. Hazzard Green located himself in 1854, and seems to have been the second, but we find among those that came the same year the names of John Davidson, Hiram Palmer, R. H. Mills, T. E. Mills, J. Fitzpatrick, Frank Dane, John Conner, S. Shaft, and B. B. Orton. The following year many more located in the same township, among them D. R. Kerby, now the banker in the town- of Lawler, and Francis Clarkin.
Hazzard Green built the first house in the township, a log hotel on what was later the plat of the town of Jacksonville. This: hotel he was landlord of until 1857, when it was torn down .. Shortly after he erected it, Allen and Wilkerson, of McGregor, built a branch store at this place, the first in the township, this was in the fall of 1855. It was a board shanty 14x20, erected in a week, no plastering adorned the walls, and, the winter being a severe one, the wind and weather kept the temperature within it at so low an ebb that John R. Jarrett, who was manager and Clerk (now a prominent merchant of McGregor, Iowa,) was compelled to wear his overcoat and overshoes all the time to keep comfort-
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able. The first blacksmith in the place was-White and Julius P. North opened a hardware and tinware store in the same year. In the year 1856, the proprietors of the ground on which the town of Jacksonville now stands, seeing from this growing settlement that a town would eventually spring up there laid out and platted it and and put the lots in market. At this time the hotel, stores of Allen & Wilkerson and J. P. North the blacksmith shop and the dwelling houses of Messrs. White and North comprised the whole of the town yet it was of considerable importance being a stopping place on the roads from Dubuque to Austin, Albert Lea, etc.
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All the goods at this time were brought from, Dubuque except flour and that was from the nearest mills at Clermont, Elgin and Elkader, and all the freight for the places beyond traveled the thorough fare that passed through Jacksonville township. Hazzard Green at this time was landlord of the hotel, justice of the peace and postmaster, for he had by his efforts succeeded in having a postoffice located here as early as 1855. Although he and several other parties had to bear the expense of supporting the stage which brought the mail from West Union, this they did for accom- modation of the people as no postal route was laid out from that place. 1
Jacksonville at its first organization was united with Utica, and the two together were known as Obispo township; the date of this first organization is gained from an order of the county judge at the March term of court 1855, wherein is ordered the organizing, and necessary election, of Obispo township. But at the March term 1858, by order of the court the townships were separated and organized as they now are, and this one named, Jacksonville, by one of the parties who was influential in the movement, a Mr. Dickinson, who came from Jacksonville, Ills.
The first school according to the best accounts was one opened in the town of Jacksonville during 1855, and taught by aman by the name of Cole, although it is claimed that a school was taught in a log cabin near Crane Creek the year before, by a son-in-law of Dickinson's, but of this there remains nothing certain, and the question remains involved in some obscurity.
The first preaching in the town was from the lips of "Elder Dickinson" as he is commonly called to this day, and occurred in the year 1856. In that year there were two church societies
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formed, a Methodist and a Baptist, but neither ever erected a church; nor has there ever been one built in the town yet, al- though several are scattered throughout the township, both of these societies worshipped in the school house.
During the panic of 1857, the town, like many others scattered throughout our grand old state, suffered from the effect of the col- lapse in values, and the wheat crop of that year seems to have failed, for many old settlers relate how in that year starvation stared them in the face; all winter they fought the wolf from the door, soft corn was their only food and especially blessed was he that had enough of that; every merchant failed and went under, and the whole business of the place seemed to be paralyzed; long had they to remember that terrible winter; and it seems that the town has never recovered from it, even to this day there is no business transacted there, and, but a feeble remnant of a town is visible.
Early in its history, Dr. Edw. Hubbard located himself at the town and commenced the practice of medicine, but the country proved so healthy, that he lingered along for several years and see- ing that his chances to acquire a fortune were small, he "departed for pastures new" and for many years the place was without a physician, and as for lawyers it is said none ever settled within its limits.
Jacksonville township has but little of the eventful in its his- tory that would make it interesting, but it has been said "that the less there is of history to write about a place, the more it demon- strates that its existence has been peaceful."
At one time there were several stores in addition to those named above among which we find-the names of Dickinson & Vaughn, Kerby and Lynch and others. A store kept by John VanAuken now of Lawler, was the last in the place.
UTICA TOWNSHIP.
This is the eastern of the northern tier of townships. It is well watered by the Little Turkey river, which enters it on section 19, township 97, north range 11, west, and running in a southeasterly course passes out on section 25, township 96, range 11, west; and by Crane creek, which irrigates the southwestern quarter. The land is fine rolling prairie, interspersed with good timber; the
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latter being particularly fine on the creek and river bottoms. There is a postoffice at Saude in the northern part of the township, but most of the community avail themselves of the Lawler post- office, which is most convenient of access, besides being their prin- cipal shipping and trading point. This township was united to Jacksonville and known as Obispo, until March, 1858, when they were seperated by order of the county court and organized on their present basis.
This is a purely agricultural and stock-raising township, no towns or villages dot its prairies, and with the exception above mentioned no postoffices, are located therein.
The northern part of it is largely populated by the Scandinavian element, but in the southern part the Irish and native American prevails.
Tradition hath it that the first settler in what is now Utica township was Jas. Lyon, or as he is familiarly known; "Judge Lyon" who located on land therein as early as the summer of 1852. But we are credibly informed that he was preceded two years by Terence Cummerford who reared his roof tree and ploughed his acres as early as 1850. These were followed in 1853 by G. Clapper and in 1854 by Wm. Everingham. These scattered farms, which they essayed to open formed the nucleus of the settlements of the next few years, that in a short time transformed the lifeless waste into smiling farms, whose rich harvests gathered each year add to the wealth of the county. Among the arrivals for the year 1855 occurs the name of D. R. Kerby, now engaged in the banking business at Lawler.
DRESDEN TOWNSHIP.
Township 94, north range 12, west, is known as Dresden. Much of the land is covered with timber and brush although it has some very fine farm lands, and is well watered by the East Wapsipini- can river, or as it is more familiarly called "Wapsie." There is no village within its boundary, not even a store or postoffice, and the inhabitants get their mail either at Fredericksburg, just across the line, in the township of the same name, which lies directly east of it; or at Williamstown on the west. There is no data from which to gather any of the first settlers names from oblivion, and as the population is purely and simply agricultural has little or no his-
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tory. The story of every day life, while it has the charms of peacefulness and quiet, has nothing in it attractive to the historian or romancer, nor would it be interesting to the general reader. The township was organized, as such, in the year 1859, the order of the county court being issued at the March term of that year. Subsequently, the east tier of sections were detached and added to Fredericksburg township, but have since. been restored, except, the southeast quarter of section 12, and the northeast quarter of section 13, which still remain a part of the latter. The only in- dustrial institution within the township, as far as we have learned is, the cheese factory about one mile north of Williamstown. This was established by John Kolthoff, May, 1878, and has been in active business ever since. The building is a neat and substantial edifice and supplied with all the modern machinery for turning out a first-class article, and judging from the prosperity of the owner, it most likely does.
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The following letter, in regard to the "Little Brown Church," at at Bradford, was received to late for insertion in its proper place, in the history of that township, but as it presents a picture, drawn by a masterly hand, of the early labors of the first pastor; the building of the church, whose very existence seems classical; the church of which that "Sweet Singer in Israel," W. S. Pitts, of Fred- ericksburg has written such a charming song. The winter Rev. J. K. Nutting, was the first shepherd of the church, and although the letter was not written for publication, we have taken the lib- erty of inserting it in full.
MILBANK, Dakota, February 22, 1883.
Editor Chickasaw County History:
I received your note in reference to the "Little Brown Church" at Bradford, and am happy to reply, tho' I shall hardly be able to specify as minutely as to dates, as you may wish, but these you can readily obtain.
I came to Bradford in October 1859. At that time the town was quite the metropolis of the county, and the prospect was good that manufacturing would be carried on to an extent that would sustain a large population. The county seat had already been transferred to New Hampton, which was a lonesome and
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unlikely-looking spot enough, tho' occupied by some most excellent people.
My congregation moved about, seldom more than three months in a place, for several years. At first we worshiped in a hall over what was then Thomas' store (now, perhaps, Dickenson's). Then we went to a large square room directly north of that-built by Andy Sample for a store. This building had been left without care, and had been taken possession of by sheep, until our little flock ousted them. Then we went to the dining room of the Cory hotel, and sometimes, I think, to the ball room of the Bronson 1 house. At last we settled in the brick school house (now academy), which, at that time was a most uncomfortable place.
During the year 1861-2 (I should say), I occupied for a study, a room in the house of Mr. Dickinson. Here began the little church building.
Our able men were mostly in the army. The times were ex- cessively hard. Wheat, at McGregor or Waterloo, about thirty- six cents per bushel. "Stumptail" Wisconsin money going back on us; everything looking dark. S. F. Eastman came to my study to consult with me; he said it would not be possible to raise as large a salary as I had been receiving, but hoped I would try and stay on what could be raised, that is, four hundred and fifty dollars. I told him (what he already knew), that prices of all merchandise had nearly doubled, and that it would be very difficult to provide for my family, but that I would stay on one condition: that he should take hold with me, heart and hand, to build a church. To this he agreed, and I considered success a certainty from that moment.
Soon after we made our first move by going to Mr. J. Watson for a donation of timber. He went with us to the woods, and. generously marked for our use enough of the finest oaks on his land, to furnish nearly all the dimension timber and coarse lumber generally, for the whole building (the sills, however, were given by Joseph Bird). This done, I next secured a force of choppers (headed, I think, by Dea. Billings), to go into the woods and get these trees ready for the mill. Some of the logs were hauled to the mill (then near by), on the snow, but many were left until the next June. Then Wm. Pomeroy got an ox team, and I went with
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him to get the rest. I shall always remember that job, because of a singular incident. We disturbed a pheasant with a covey of half- grown young. The mother made the usual fuss and pretence to draw our attention, while the chicks scattered in all directions. The team passed on and I lingered behind to see what would happen. In a few moments I heard the peculiar call of the mother bird, and in an instant one and another of the chicks came whirring past me, to rejoin her. One of them came so near that I put out my hand and caught it as one would a ball, "on a fly.' I feel reasonably certain that in this respect I stand alone among my race. Who, beside me, ever achieved the distinction of catch- ing a pheasant with the bare hand, on the wing? But I should not expect to do it again.
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