USA > Iowa > Chickasaw County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume I > Part 26
USA > Iowa > Howard County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume I > Part 26
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There was also a plentiful supply of timber on the land bordering these streams, mostly of the different varieties of oak, and some hickory. Such of this timber as was valuable for fencing and building purposes has been pretty well culled, and much of the smaller timber was used for fuel. The early settlers gen- erally located near the timber from which they obtained material for building houses for themselves and stables for their stock. There are no stone quarries but the glacial bowlders are abundant, some of them of large size. Agriculture and stock raising, for which the township is well adapted, are the principal voca- tions of the people of Dayton Township. A good deal of attention is also given to the dairying industry.
INCIDENTS OF THE EARLY SETTLEMENTS
From a historical paper prepared by L. J. Young, and published in the New Hampton Courier, in 1881, the most of the incidents pertaining to the early settlers and early settlements herein are gleaned.
The first settlement in Dayton Township was made by a land speculator, who made an entry of a valuable tract of timber. some time in the month of May, 1853. And it is given as the opinion of the writer that this entry of the specula- tor was largely responsible for the tardy development of the township, in that it tended to prevent actual settlers from locating here. It is stated that the first permanent settlers to locate in the township were William Millikan and a man by the name of Smith, from Illinois. They came in about 1854. Millikan built a temporary shack near Spring Creek where he had pre-empted land. His place was known by hunters and trappers for miles around, as the "Hunter's Home." It is said that Millikan often entertained and fed as many as fifteen or twenty hunters and travelers, and land speculators in one night. Smith also pre-empted land and built a shack thereon but sold his claim to a land speculator some time in the winter following. Relating to Millikan, the article from which these facts are gleaned, says :
"The same winter ( 1854) our honest host of the 'Hunter's Home.' was shamc- fully wronged from the legal possession of his homestead. The facts related to
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me by him were as follows: During the fall Millikan received intelligence that his son lay sick at Dubuque, and was not likely to recover, and wished to see him. He left all his household goods in his house and went to Dubuque. While he was gone a land speculator with two bribed witnesses, made oath that Mr. Millikan had left the country and did not intend to return. and the speculator entered the land. Mr. Millikan, being a raw Irishman, and knowing nothing about the laws of our country, made no disturbance about it on his return."
In May. 1855, a man by the name of J. D. Colt. from New York, located on a quarter section of land in this township and was probably the first to make an effort at cultivation of his land. He built a comfortable log house and felt secure in his possessions. But in the following November William Haslam, of Illinois. put in an appearance with a title for that same land; Haslam's title being from the Government bearing a date nineteen days prior to that of Colt. Mr. Colt gave Haslam permission to occupy the house but retained possession of all the improvements until the first of March, 1856, when he gave full possession, on being informed that Haslam's title would hold good. But Haslam paid Colt a reasonable price for the improvements and the matter was amicably adjusted to the satisfac- tion of both parties.
In May. 1855, D. A. Jackson, from Pennsylvania, came to this township and entered a body of land of about two hundred and seventy acres. Mr. Jackson was an enterprising eastern farmer and began the improvement of his land with an industry and energy that he brought with him from the Keystone state.
During the spring of 1855 Benjamin Bailey, of Ohio, was numbered as an- other new settler. A Mr. Kershaw and Mr. Negus came in and remained for a few months when they sold out and left. J. B. Cotant, another emigrant from the Buckeye state settled here in July of 1855 : Eli Darst, of Illinois, came in June of that year. Others who are named among the settlers locating here in 1855 and '56, are E. B. Hewitt. William S. Morley and Rev. C. M. Webster. Mr. Webster was elected county surveyor in August. 1856, and was appointed postmaster of a postoffice located at his house, known as Beaver Falls postoffice. This postoffice was subsequently removed to Utica Township. The tide of emigration flowed steadily towards this township from this time on and the lands were being taken up rapidly.
At the present time Dayton Township has a population of 742, mostly farmers, of different nationalities, but all loyally united in the promotion of American ideals. The farms, farm buildings, and everything about the farms, are indicative of modern ideas and general prosperity.
PRESENT OFFICIALS
The present officials of Dayton Township are: Henry Rosaurer. Cecil Gray and Charles Waltz, trustees : John Armhalt. clerk ; F. Burgart. assessor. Follow- ing is the financial report of the township for 1916:
Amount on hand January 1. 1916 $ 800.41
Received from County Treasurer 2,726.60
$3.617.01
Disbursements
3.602.98
Balance on hand January 1. 1917.
14.03
$3 617.01
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STAPLETON TOWNSHIP
The territory comprising Stapleton Township is a part of what was originally Yankee Township, which was one of the five divisions of the county at the time of organization. Yankee Township, or Election District, comprised an area of one-fourth of the county, and was located in the southeast corner of the county. According to the census of 1856 it had a population of 522, mostly composed of emigrants from the New England or eastern states-hence the name "Yankee" seemed to have been suggested as appropriate to designate the township. But the appropriate and significant name was lost when, in 1857, Stapleton and two other townships were organized out of the territory of Yankee Township.
ORGANIZATION OF STAPLETON TOWNSHIP
At the April term of the county board, 1857, an order was made organizing a new township in Congressional Township 95, range II, to be known as Stapleton Township. The name of this township was given in honor of Thomas G. Staples, who settled within the boundaries of the new township in 1850. Mr. Staples con- tinued as a resident of the township for many years, and was the first postmaster in a postoffice bearing his name. Later Mr. Staples removed to Lawler and con- ducted a hotel at that place for several years. In the early '8os he removed to Missouri.
Among other early settlers that might be named were Patrick Casey and James Casey, and two brothers named Hill, who all came about the year 1855. There were several others who came in about that time but the tide of emigration to this part of the county did not move as rapidly as to some other sections, in the early years. It is stated that in 1855 there were but two houses within the boundaries of what now constitutes Stapleton Township. It is a certainty, established by the record, that there were few land entries made previous to that year. But an impetus in the movement of settlers to this section began about the year 1857, and from that time there has been a steady growth in population.
The first store established within the boundaries of this township was that of John Nicholas, about 1857. His store was located on his farm, about one and a half miles east of the present town of Lawler. It was a typical country store that Nicholas conducted, a favorite resort for people of the surrounding country, and it was also the only stopping place on the road between Jacksonville and Waucoma.
Stapleton Township is not so well supplied with streams as are some other townships of the county, the only ones of importance being Crane Creek and two smaller streams. These, with their tributaries traverse the township and af- ford drainage for the lands. These streams, like all others in the county, were fringed with timber furnishing fuel and material for building and fencing for the early settlers. The land generally is a rich black loam and susceptible of profitable cultivation. The rocks and bowlders, relics of the glacial period, are found in considerable number throughout the township as they are in all parts of Chickasaw County.
The first steps to secure the location of a railroad through this section were taken by the citizens in November, 1868. The effort was in behalf of the Mc-
A CREEK SCENE NEAR LAWLER
RED BRIDGE CROSSING CRANE CREEK NEAR LAWLER
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Gregor & Sioux City Railroad and resulted in securing the road, with a depot located on the west side of Crane Creek; which was established in 1869. This was on land owned by John Lawler. Here a town was platted and named in honor of the owner of the land. Lawler immediately began to boom and soon be- came an important shipping point. It has since had a steady, substantial growth and is one of the live towns of Chickasaw County. Further mention of Lawler and its business industries will be found in the chapter of towns and cities of Chickasaw County.
According to the 'census of 1915 Stapleton Township had a population of 634. The present officials are : T. E. Pope, Matt Nulty and S. D. Fleming, trustees ; Ray Nulty, clerk ; C. E. Young and Nick Loewen, justices of the peace ; William Costigan and P. H. Green, constables : Thomas King, assessor. Following is the financial report of the township for 1916:
Amount on hand January 1, 1916
$ 267.96
Received from County Treasurer 2.342.76
$2,610.72
Disbursements
2.520.78
On hand January 1, 1917 .
89.94
$2,610.72
DRESDEN TOWNSHIP
At the March term of County Court, 1859, an order was made creating a township under the name of Dresden, from Congressional Township 94, range 12. This order took a part of the west side of Fredericksburg, and a part of the east side of Richland Township. Subsequently the east tier of sections was detached and added to the Township of Fredericksburg, but these have since been restored, except the southeast quarter of section 12, and the northeast quarter of section 13. These sections still remain as a part of Fredericksburg Township, and it is upon these sections that the Town of Fredericksburg is located.
A large part of the land in this township was covered with a growth of small timber and underbrush. Much of this has been cleared and the land put in culti- vation, and there is a goodly portion of the township occupied by fine farms of fertile soil and highly productive. The township is well watered by the East Wap- sipinicon River, which enters in the northeast corner and flows in a southwesterly direction through the township.
There is no town nor postoffice within the boundaries of Dresden Township. the mail facilities being furnished by the Fredericksburg postoffice and the rural deliveries from that office.
The people of the township are mainly interested in agriculture and stock raising. In this line of enterprise the farmers of Dresden Township are fully abreast of the times, and their farms, houses and barns, and everything about the farm, indicate that prosperous conditions prevail. According to the census of 1915 the population of Dresden Township is 714.
The present trustees of the township are H. R. Swanger, F. Kolthoff and Will Schnurrstein.
CHAPTER XII
TOWNSHIP HISTORY-CONTINUED
NEW HAMPTON-RICHLAND-FREDERICKSBURG
NEW HAMPTON ORGANIZED, 1857-FIRST ELECTION OF TOWNSHIP OFFICERS-SOME OF THE EARLY SETTLERS-HANDICAPPED BY LAND SPECULATORS-INCIDENTS OF EARLY TIMES-FINANCIAL STATEMENT. RICHLAND-FIRST SETTLERS-PENNSYL- VANIAA AND OHIO COLONIES-POPULATION-PRESENT OFFICIALS-FINANCIAL STATEMENT. FREDERICKSBURG-NAMED AFTER FIRST PERMANENT SETTLER- PRESENT POPULATION-PRESENT OFFICIALS-FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
New Hampton is one of the four townships located in the central section of Chickasaw County. It was originally a part of Yankee Election District estab- lished at the time of the organization of the county, in 1854, and the territory now comprising New Hampton Township remained a part of the original division un- til April 6, 1857. when the following order appears on the record of the county court :
"That township 96, range 12. be organized under the name of New Hampton Township, on the 6th day of April, A. D. 1857, and that David Edwards is hereby appointed as organizing constable." Signed by Lorenzo Bailey, county judge of Chickasaw County.
On the first Monday of April, 1857, an election for township officers was held at the house of David Edwards, for the purpose of choosing officials and perfect- ing the township organization. The election board was qualified for the required duty by S. M. Prentiss, Esq., of Richland Township. The persons constituting the board were : Gideon Gardner, John Patten and Homer Hamlin, judges ; David Edwards and Harrison Gurley, clerks. The following persons were elected to the respective offices : J. W. Vanauken, Dennison Calkins and N. D. R. Cole, trustees : Gideon Gardner and James Melenda, justices of the peace; Oscar Carpenter and Elias Marsh, constables ; De Witt C. Chapman, town clerk ; Joseph Gardner, road supervisor.
EARLY SETTLERS
Settlements in the territory now comprising New Hampton Township were not made as early as in some of the other townships of the county, probably due
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to the fact that the greater part of land in this township was considered by pro- spective home seekers to be too low and wet for successful cultivation. The modern method of overcoming this condition by tiling and drainage was not gen- erally practiced by farmers at that time. The names of any considerable number of early settlers are somewhat obscure. It is conceded that James Jared was one of the first to make a permanent settlement here, locating on a tract of land which is now a part of the City of New Hampton. Henry J. Hewitt was another of the early settlers. Mr. Hewitt claims that his wife was the first white woman who ever cooked a meal in the vicinity of New Hampton. Hollis Bowen, and his sons, Roby and Hollis. Jr .. came from Illinois, in 1854. Mr. Bowen pre-empted a tract of government land in sections 10 and II in this township and made this his home for the remainder of his life. Josephus Straw was another among the early settlers, coming in the early part of 1857.
Among those who made settlements in the northern part of the township in early times were, M. M. Utley, J. R. Kenyon, John Dillon, C. Carr, E. Conny, P. Colby, John Lynch. Pat Lynch, M. Stanton, Edward Smith, John Morton, M. Folan and M. Keegan. Other famil'ar names among the early settlers in that section of the county are, T. McFarland, John McCollum, Phillip Yearling, A. Gross. Jacob Gross, M. McEnter and Pat McEnter, M. Mullen, Charles Burke, James Brannon, Thomas Brannon, E. Sheckleton.
Many of these early settlers entered government land, and others bought land from eastern speculators who pre-empted land in this township with a view of disposing of it at a good margin of profit to home seekers. Some of the most de- sirable sections of land was in the land speculators' hands and they were not any too scrupulous in their dealings with purchasers, who were generally persons of limited means and compelled to give mortgage notes at a high rate of interest. While the soil and other conditions of the land in New Hampton Township are as favorable for crop production as any other in the county, or in the state, the early settler had many discouragements for the first few years. Crops were un- certain and often a complete failure. Especially the wheat crop, which at first was their principal crop. But when the chinch bugs got in their work, causing such damage as to make the wheat crop a practical failure for one year after another. the farmers finally abandoned wheat raising, and gave more attention to diversified farming. In the meantime, those who had purchased land, with an iron-clad 10 per cent mortgage in the hands of eastern speculators, were in hard lines. It was only by the persistent energy, the intelligent thrift and indus- try. that was a characteristic of those early settlers, that they overcame the diffi- culties in which they were involved.
INCIDENTS OF EARLY TIMES
It was a good many years after the settlement of Chickasaw County before any railroad crossed its border. During those years the farmers found their near- est market at McGregor and it was to that place all the grain and produce had to be hauled. And the hauling was attended with many difficulties. The roads were bad, and in some seasons were almost impassable. It required about a week to make the trip, but the time and difficulties of travel was not all the discourage- ments the early settlers had in marketing their produce. On account of the bad
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, WILLIAMSTOWN
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condition of the roads it was necessary to carry light loads, and because of low prices for produce the returns were also very light. The average price of wheat was about forty cents, and dressed pork about two dollars a hundred, with other things in proportion. Even with the present prices of wheat, pork, corn and oats, and with the present improved condition of roads, the farmers of today would be greatly distressed with such market facilities. In the early times a bushel of wheat would pay for about a yard of calico, a wagon load of wheat would hardly bring sufficient cash to pay for a pair of cow-hide boots. But with all that it is a question whether the farmers of the early times were not as con- tented with their lot, as are those of today.
POPULATION-PRESENT OFFICERS
The census of 1915 gives the Township of New Hampton a population of 712. The present township officers are: A. F. Kenman, George Young and Ben Shortley, trustees; T. B. Condon, clerk; F. E. Sherwood and E. G. Shepard, justices of the peace ; Hawley Miller and W. F. Kruger, constables; T. F. Stan- ton, assessor.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Amount on hand January 1, 1916.
Received from County Treasurer $2.408.40
Received from other sources.
$2.408.40
Disbursements 3,181.21
Overdrawn January 1, 1917
772.81
$2.408.40
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP .
The territory now comprising Richland Township was a part of Bradford Township at the organization of the county. At the March term of County Court, 1856, Congressional Township 94, range 14, was ordered to be organized under the name of Richland Township.
The distinction of being the first white man to establish a permanent settle- ment within the boundaries of what is now Richland Township is given to James B. Upham, who located here in the fall of 1854. He built a comfortable log house out of material furnished in a grove of timber near by, and here he continued to live with his family for several years. Prior to this a man by the name of Joel Parsons was here in the employ of the government, breaking and fencing lands for the Indians. This was in 1840. Parsons afterwards settled here with his family.
H. H. Bailey came here from his Ohio home, in 1854, and in the following year located a claim to a tract of land in section 12. At the outbreak of the Civil war Mr. Bailey enlisted in an Ohio regiment and served in the army during the war. Returning here at the close of the war he set about the work of im- proving his land, adding more acres to his original purchase, and here he has re- mained since.
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CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
In the latter part of 1854, and in the early part of 1855, quite a colony of emi- grants from Pennsylvania and Ohio came to this section of the county. Among these were, D. Tingley, D. McDonald, L. Bailey, Malachi Havelick, twenty-one persons in all.
EARLY SETTLERS AND EARLY INCIDENTS
The first school in what is now Richland Township was taught by Olive Smith in a little log cabin that was located about fifty yards from the present school building, District No. I.
Doctor Wilson was the first doctor that came to this township. He came in 1857 and found abundant opportunity for work in his profession in treating "fever and ague," which generally prevailed in this section.
Rev. S. M. Prentiss was the first preacher to come into this section. There was no church building but the preacher made use of "God s first temples" in pointing people to the way of life. Reverend Prentiss engaged in other callings as a matter of necessity to obtain a living; one of these was making brick and doing other kinds of common labor.
S. S. Birdsall was the first blacksmith. He came in 1855 and opened up a shop soon after coming. At that time oxen were used for breaking sod and for animal motive power, generally. The hard ground plentifully covered with stones made it necessary to keep the oxen shod, and shoeing oxen was one of the princi- pal duties of Birdsall, the blacksmith. He had a contrivance by which he lifted the ox off his feet and held him suspended while the work was done. This con- trivance had a name but the informant could not recall it, but said that it was in general use at that time, and that one of them may still be found among the old relics.
The first stage driver was George Lancaster, who drove the stage from West Union to Bradford, connecting at West Union with the stage line to Dubuque. Part of this Bradford and West Union Road, near the residence of Mr. H. H. Bailey, was swampy and quicksand. This extended for about half a mile, and Mr. Bailey put up signs at each end of this swamp warning travelers of the con- dition of the road. Some of the travelers, however, disregarded the warning, and usually got stuck. Mr. Bailey lived near by and did quite a little business in entertaining over night people who got stuck in that swamp, and in helping them out of the difficulty the next morning.
Ash Davis has the distinction of being the first fiddler who located in this sec- tion. He boarded with the Bailey family and worked during the day and played the fiddle for puncheon floor dances almost every night. The country was not thickly settled but distance was no hindrance when a dance was to be pulled off. The young people traveled miles to a country dance, the means of conveyance being a wagon drawn by three or four yoke of oxen.
There was an old Indian trail from Bradford to Fort Atkinson, running diag- onally through Richland Township. This trail was worn down to the depth of about six inches by the constant travel of the Indians, and the trail remained distinctly marked until the ground was broken and converted into cultivated fields. Not far from the residence of Judge Bailey was an oak tree which was used by the Indians as a look-out. They had a place of observation in the top of this
GENERAL MILO L. SHERMAN Fredericksburg
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tree and reached the place by means of a ladder made of forked sticks. It is noted that the trail referred to followed the level country, avoiding the hills as a measure of safety.
POPULATION-PRESENT OFFICERS
The census of 1915 gives Richland Township a population of 685. The present officers of the township are: H. H. Bailey, C. H. Edson and R. E. Stephens, trustees; Ed. Feuchtwanger, clerk; B. H. Boice, justice of the peace: H. C. Ransom. constable ; M. Christensen, assessor.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
The trustees' financial statement for Richland Township, in 1916, shows the following :
Amount on hand January 1, 1916. $ 39.43
Received from County Treasurer 1,948.32
$1.987.75
Disbursements
1,962.41
Amount on hand January 1, 1917
25.34
$1.987.75
FREDERICKSBURG TOWNSIIIP
Fredericksburg is the southeastern township in Chickasaw County. At the organization of the county the territory included in this township was a part of Yankee Election District. At the April term of County Court, 1857, it was or- dered that Congressional Township 94, range 11 and 12 be organized under the name of Fredericksburg Township. Subsequently a part of the west side of, Fredericksburg, and a part of the east side of Richland, were taken and organized as Dresden Township.
The first permanent settler in the township was Frederick Padden, and it was the first part of his name that suggested the name of the township. Mr. Padden located with his family on the present site of the Town of Fredericksburg, Sep- tember 21, 1854, and for some time was the only settler within the bounds of the present township. In 1855 a number of settlers came from Ohio and other eastern states and located claims in this vicinity. Among these were, Samuel Marsh, Thomas P. Vokes, William Case, James Potter, Charles Connor. John S. Marr, John I. Quackenbush and John Dayton. Most of these came with their families and settled in permanent homes. In the opening of spring, in 1856, the tide of immigration set in and continued to flow steadily in this direction.
Fredericksburg Township is nearly all prairie land, with only a few original groves of small timber. The land is generally level and the soil is a black loam, and highly productive. The principal industry of the township is agriculture and stock raising, with a good deal of attention given to the dairy business. In the early times the farmers here, as in other sections of northern Iowa, depended on wheat as their principal crop. After several years' experience they found that wheat was a very uncertain crop in this section ; that when the crop was not an
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