USA > Iowa > Clayton County > History of Clayton County, Iowa : from the earliest historical times down to the present : including a genealogical and biographical record of many representative families, prepared from data obtained from original sources of information, Volume I > Part 13
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Events of 1856-The following brief mentions, taken from the files of newspapers, give a good idea of the activities and growth of the county along many lines. The prominence of the county is shown by the fact that Reuben Noble was nominated as an elector at large, thus heading the first Republican state ticket ever put into the field, although, on account of private business, he declined to be a candi- date. Squire Peet tells of the establishment of Henry (Honey) Creek postoffice five miles southeast of Littleport with Mr. Marshall as postmaster. Yankee Settlement Center is the name of a new town platted by Joseph Gibson ; it is reported as containing a tavern, black- smith shop, two stores, steam sawmill, two doctors, two lawyers and a Congregational church, while the Methodists are building a church and from eight to ten other buildings are being erected. Mr. Gibson did everything possible to promote this settlement, giving one lot free to mechanics and selling them a second lot at from five to ten dollars. An addition to the town of Hardin was also platted and lots offered for sale. National had a new steam mill, owned by W. H. Harrah. A new postoffice was opened at Geisselman's ferry, on the Colesburg and Garnavillo mail route. From Strawberry Point comes a report of a large building erected by Stearns Bros. ; that a church and schoolhouse are being built ; that Tremain and Blake occupy the former Stearns' store, and a Mr. Pearse has established a daguerrean parlor. In May, Robert R. Read resigned the office of clerk and Judge Price appointed the young man, Thomas Updegraff, as his successor. This was the first official position held by Mr. Updegraff, who for many years was prominent in the county and later, as a member of Congress, a power- ful factor in state and nation. His biography will be found in another chapter.
Garnavillo was hard hit by the removal of the county seat. Some
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wags unfeelingly rubbed in the defeat by removing the stone curb of the town well to Elkader. The Herald sees no fun in this and waxes indignant over the outrage. But the Herald itself was obliged to yield to circumstances, and on May 29, 1856, it makes its first appearance at Guttenburg in the hope that it will soon be the county seat. A. W. Drips continues as editor, and the Herald office is located in the Odd Fellows building. A new town, which should not be omitted from the list of the many established in the county, was that of Windsor, in Farmersburg township. This was laid out by J. C. Russell, and the surveying was done by Truman Beckwith. This is the present town of Farmersburg.
Field of Business-Perhaps no better review of business condi- tions in the county can be gained than by glancing through the advertis- ing columns of the county newspaper. Then as now enterprising merchants and business men believed in publicity, and the advertisements form a fairly complete directory of the best business houses. The scarcity of news- papers is evidenced by the fact that advertisements were inserted from many towns. In March, 1856, while still at Garnavillo, and before the removal of the county seat, the Herald contains the following business cards: At Garnavillo, the Garnavillo hotel, B. F. Forbes, proprietor ; Jacob Nicklaus, notary ; Noble & Granger, E. H. Williams, Schuyler R. Peet, J. O. Crosby and Elijah Odell, attorneys ; John Linton, physi- cian ; R. C. Drips, justice ; O. McCraney, real estate; Beach & Brown, shoemakers ; Daniel C. Forbes, tailor; E. P. Atkins, grocer. There are ten business cards from Dubuque, including hotels and merchants. West Union and St. Louis are represented, as is also Galena. Henry Gifford advertises grain cradles for sale at Boardman's grove, three miles east of Elkader. Lots are offered for sale in Schroeder's addi- tion to Garnavillo by John Barnes and O. McCraney; Keumpel and Stearns, of Clayton, announce their cabinet, chair and bedstead factory ; Buell Knapp has the "Premium" harness shop, over Carter's store at Elkader; Barnes and Crawford, of Volney, announce the dissolu- tion of the firm; Levi Angier asks all to settle up; James I. Gilbert advertises a public sale of stock ; Leonard B. Hodges offers for sale a two-story brick house in Hardin, also one hundred building lots in that town, which he advertises in most extravagant terms. There are many estray notices, one of which, concerning a "Verirrte Kuh," is printed in German, using English type. The fourth page of the paper is entirely devoted to advertisements. Randall & Jones' corn- planting machines are boosted. The North West Express Co., oper- ating teams from St. Paul to Dubuque, via Decorah and Garnavillo, is an advertiser. Among the Clayton advertisers are J. H. & William Grannis, general merchants ; the Clayton foundry, formerly of Elkader, run by Keen Bros .; J. A. Brown, furniture; Hoyt & Campbell, wagon makers ; Clark & Rogers, J. G. Jerome and Frank Smith & Co., general merchants. R. C. MacKinney & Co. have a furniture store at McGregor. The Guttenberg advertisers are the City hotel, formerly Gilmore house, by J. B. Lahr ; G. F. Weist, hardware; Fleck & Bro., general merchandise, and G. Poetz, cabinet maker. Alex. McGregor inserts a half-column concerning the advantages of his ferry, and directly attacking statements made by Frank Smith & Co., of Clayton.
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To this the Clayton firm replies in a still longer advertisement accusing McGregor of misrepresentation and setting forth the advantages ot Clayton as a ferry point. The rivalry between these two towns for the immigrant trade is well illustrated by these counter statements. Among the other stores advertised are those of J. S. Belknap, at Lodomillo, and of A. C. Woodward at Volga City. Among the oddities is the advertisement of "French shirt bosoms, excelling all others in ease of ironing and durability. For sale by M. L. Wood."
Dubuque View of Clayton-In the spring of 1856 Clayton county was visited by the editors of the Republican and of the Staats Zeitung of Dubuque. The description of the county and of its towns is very flattering, and a portion of it reads as follows : "The traveler who first lands in Clay- ton county at Guttenberg, and seeks to penetrate into its interior from that point, at first encounters nature in its rough and primitive majesty. He ascends a gigantic bluff, step by step, until he attains a mountain elevation. Then at his feet he beholds the Mississippi, dotted with lovely islands and sparkling in the sun, rolling on its waste of waters to the sea. Before him spreads the forest, as it was a hundred years ago, beautiful in its grandeur. He journeys through it, and soon smil- ing farms greet him from the hilltops, and the country grows less rough. Five miles from Guttenberg he enters upon the most beautiful rolling prairie we have ever seen, which extends far on either hand, to within three miles of Elkader. This prairie is high and is broken into every imaginable variety of hill and dale. It is covered with farms, most of them in the very highest state of cultivation. The other portions of the county are almost equally as beautiful, and there is scarcely a foot of it but what is susceptible of perfect culti- vation. The Turkey river, a most beautiful stream, furnishing abun- dant water power, runs through the county diagonally, from its north- west to its southeast corner, and upon its banks and those of its tributaries, as well as along the Mississippi, which forms the eastern boundary of the county, there is an inexhaustible supply of timber.
"Guttenberg-This is the largest town in the county, and contains a population of over 1,000. It was incorporated as a city some three years ago, and is governed by a mayor and five trustees elected annually. The inhabitants of Guttenberg are almost exclusively Ger- man, there being but four or five American families in the place. It is a significant fact that one of these few Americans was chosen mayor. The German mind is not absorbed by a lust for office. The site of Guttenberg is very handsome, strongly resembling that of Dubuque. Its houses are large, well built, and for the most part constructed of stone, of which there is any quantity close at hand. There is a better steam mill there than there is in Dubuque, and some of its buildings would do honor to Main street. Business is flourishing -a number of new houses are going up, and everyone appears to be making money. Socially the people of Guttenberg are above all praise. We spent about thirty hours there, and never were there thirty hours more delightfully engaged. Of a very high order of intelligence and gifted with an unusual knowledge of the world, their conversation is as charming as their hospitality is grateful. To our friends, Messrs. Nicklaus, Prignitz, Uhl, and many others, we owe most particular obli-
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gation. In Guttenberg there stands a three-story house constructed of stone in a very elegant, tasteful and substantial manner, which was built almost entirely by a man and his wife, who now own it. They were three years in accomplishing the job, and now receive a hand- some income from its rent. This extraordinary couple, of course, are German. All over the county we heard the warmest praise of the German settlers. The prominent American citizens spoke of them as ornaments in every way to the county, and extolled, glowingly, their intelligence, their industry, their patriotism, and the great increase of wealth which they produced.
"Garnavillo-Ten miles northwest from Guttenberg, and in the heart of a prairie as beautiful as a garden, lies Garnavillo, a place of some five or six hundred people, and until lately the county seat. It wears an air of health, cleanliness and contentment that is very charm- ing, and seems to be in no way dispirited by the loss of the seat of government. It has a number of good stores, shops and dwellings, and is honored by being the residence of the Hon. Reuben Noble and E. H. Williams, two men of whom any state would be proud.
"Elkader-Situated on both sides of the Turkey river, ten miles west of Garnavillo, and upon a bench of land designed by nature for a town, Elkader has peculiar and natural advantages which the enter- prise and sagacity of her citizens have not failed to improve. She is a young place, and has, as yet, scarcely begun to show what she can yet be made. Her inhabitants number some half a thousand, but we mistake greatly if they are not doubled e'er another year. There is a gigantic flouring mill here, owned by Timothy Davis, Esq., and which is a monument to the skill and wealth of its proprietor. There are some half-dozen excellent stores, a hotel, shops, school houses, etc. The site of Elkader is very beautiful, and when the town shall have spread over the high tableland which is designed to form the principal portion of the place, it will be hard to find a handsomer place in Iowa. The district court, His Honor Judge Murdock presiding, was in ses- sion when we entered Elkader, and the town was thronged to over- flowing by the lawyers and the "pares curiam" from far and near. Had it not been for the very acceptable hospitality and kindness of our friends there, we should have fared but badly, as every nook and corner of the hotel swarmed with human beings. To the kindness of Mr. Carter, Judge Williams and Mr. Havens we are deeply indebted for hospitality graciously and freely offered.
"Clayton Centre-Five miles east of Elkader is a new town just out of the woods, and yet in its first days of infancy, which may make something yet. It is settled by a German colony, the most of whom have already built for themselves small stone houses. As this town is very near the center of the county, no doubt anticipations are entertained by some of its citizens of one day enjoying the honor of the location of the county seat.
"Communia-Some six or seven miles south of Elkader is the site of what remains of the somewhat famous "Communia Colony," an association of Germans formed years since upon the principle of living in common. They have a beautiful place, and it is under the highest state of cultivation. The experiment of socialism, however.
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turned out to be a failure, and great have been the troubles of the colony. Many of its members have left it, and those who remain are harassed by an infinitude of lawsuits about the property, which is now of great value.
"Public Men-The last legislature of this state was presided over in each of its branches by a gentleman from Clayton county. Maturin L. Fisher was the president of the senate, Reuben Noble was speaker of the house. This extraordinary tribute to the pre-eminence of the public men of Clayton was not undeserved. She has within her boun- daries probably as much real talent as any other county of the state. The two gentlemen we have named, Timothy Davis, Judge Williams, Judge Murdock, Dr. Hoffbauer, and many others, are statesmen and jurists fitted for any post of honor and respectability. Well may the citizen of Clayton bless the fortune that led him to cast his lot on her fair bosom."
MC GREGOR AND "THE TIMES"
October 10, 1856, is the date of the first issue of "The North Iowa Times," published at McGregor, with the proud motto, "We march with the flag, and keep step to the music of the Union." With this paper came a new factor into Clayton county in the person of Col. A. P. Richardson, who was the editor of the Times, F. W. Merrell being the publisher. Col. Richardson was a man of great ability and a terse, forceful and fluent writer. He came to Iowa as a man in the prime of life, already well versed in political affairs and having attained to high honors in the state of Indiana. He was born in Phila- delphia, May 28, 1818. His youth was spent in southern Ohio and his young manhood in northern Indiana. In this state he was promi- nent in Democratic political circles, serving one term in the Indiana state senate and having been appointed as a colonel of the state militia, from which appointment he gained the title by which he was familiarly known.
He first came to Iowa as a guest of his wife's relatives, who lived at Monona, and he was so pleased with the country that he came to McGregor and established the Times. His reputation as an editorial writer was not confined to this section, nor to Iowa; he was known, and his opinions were respected, throughout all the northwestern states. While a partisan, Col. Richardson was always a patriot. When the test came in 1861, no man was stronger in his utterances for the defense of the Union. He was the editor of the Times almost continuously for a period of fourteen years, dying at McGregor, December 5, 1870. Col. Richardson was on the ground several weeks before the first issue of his paper appeared. A prospectus was issued and many subscribers secured in advance for this paper, which was to be the organ not only of McGregor, but of the Democrats of the county.
In the opening number the advantages and prospects of McGregor are dealt with at length, and the paper announces its advocacy of the election of Buchanan and Breckenridge. The advertising columns are almost evenly divided between McGregor and Monona. Noticeable among the McGregor advertisements is that of Lee & Kinnaird, suc- cessors to Lee & Nichols, bankers and land agents, at McGregor. This
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is the first advertisement of a bank in Clayton county, and, while doubtless others had done a banking business, it was the first professed institution of that kind in the county.
The people of McGregor were intensely interested in railroad development, believing, mistakenly, that the extension of lines west of the river would add to its importance. In this relation the Times says, "the completion of the railroad to Prairie du Chien will give us all the eastern facilities possessed by any town in the state. The neigh of the iron horse cannot yet be heard, but we see the influence of his approach in the increased activities in every man among us." George E. Woodward, chief engineer of the McGregor, St. Peters & Missouri River Railroad, writes, for the Times, that the first preliminary survey is now completed to Clear Lake, in Cerro Gordo county, a distance of 140 miles from McGregor. He also adds that "the carrying out of this project proclaims the most brilliant future for McGregor."
For five days, October 12-16, inclusive, the river boats touching at McGregor numbered thirteen, as follows: The Fanny Harris, Galena, War Eagle, Greek Slave, Badger State, Arcola, Ocean Wave, Jacob Traber, Fall City, Lady Franklin, Kate Cassel, City Belle, and Tisho- mingo. These boats landed 3,621 packages of merchandise, weighing 328,477 pounds.
F. W. G. Merrell remained with the Times but two weeks, the paper passing entirely into the control of Mr. Richardson, who became more and more outspoken in his political attitude. The Times accused Seward, Sumner and other abolitionists of attempting to disrupt the Union, and supported the Fugitive Slave Law, saying, "after the north has found it convenient and profitable to sell their negroes to the south and thus relieve themselves of the reproach and the damage which slavery has caused us, is it right, is it manly, is it patriotic, is it in accordance with the Constitution to write upon the flag, pretending to be national, 'that fugitives from service or labor shall not be sur- rendered on claim'?"
An interesting paragraph found in the Times is the following: "Coulee de Sioux is. the old French name for the ravine or road that now leads westward from McGregor. It was once a celebrated Indian trail, and from its gradual rise, and the consequent facilities of sur- mounting the bluffs of the Mississippi on a westward march, it was established by the government as the best means of access from the east bank of the river to their more western fortifications. A ware- house is still standing here, built by the United States for the deposit of military stores. Four hundred teams per day now use this road." One of the peculiar institutions of that day, advertised in the Times, is the "Floating Palace, Steamship James." This was a store, on a river boat, which traveled from town to town, and which was then tied up, ready for business, at McGregor.
County Politics-The Times began publication too late to take part in the campaign in 1856 to any great extent. In July the democrats nominated for senator Andrew S. Cooley, of Garnavillo; for repre- sentatives, James Tappan, of Girard, and John M. Ballou, of Clayton, and for clerk, Robt. C. Drips, of Garnavillo. The republicans held a convention at Elkader, nominating H. B. Carter, of Elkader, for sen-
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ator; Lafayette Bigelow, of Mendon, and Francis Rodman, of Jeffer- son, for representatives; Thomas Updegraff for clerk, and H. S. Granger for attorney. The result of the election was a complete victory for the republicans, the vote being, for congress, Davis (Rep.) 1,081, Leffler (Dem.) 37; for senator, Carter (Rep.) 1,043, Cooley (Dem.) 421; for representative, Bigelow (Rep.) 1,016, Rodman (Rep.) 982, Ballou (Dem.) 458, Tappen (Dem.) 499; for clerk, Updegraff 1,113, Drips 384. Granger, for attorney, had no opposition, and the majority for a constitutional convention was 295.
Michael Uriell was president and F. Belfoy, the editor of the Elka- der Tribune, was secretary, of the agricultural society, and the fair for 1856 was held at Guttenburg in September. Owing doubtless to the exigencies of the times, the Herald had no issue between September 25 and October 30, 1856, and no details of the fair are given, except the premium list. At this time the population of Clayton county is given as follows: Boardman, 778; Buena Vista, 193; Cox Creek, 535; Clay- ton, 622; Cass, 629; Elk, 546; Farmersburg, 840; Garnavillo, 1,094; Grand Meadow, 417; Giard, 600; Highland, 460; Jefferson, 2,073; Lodomillo, 734; Mendon, 718; Monona, 811 ; Mallory, 736; Millville, 662; Morasser, 392 ; Read, 637 ; Sperry, 732; Volga, 532; Wagner, 520. Total, 15,361. Under the provisions of a prior election bridge projects were entitled to receive funds from the swamp land fund, if completed by April 8, 1857. There was a race between three bridges to be completed in time. The bridge over the Turkey river at Elkport was completed in November, 1856, and the bridges at Millville and Peck's Ferry were rushed through under high pressure. The bridge at Elkport broke down as soon as completed, much to the disappoint- ment of Guttenberg merchants, but it was immediately rebuilt.
State elections were held in August and the presidential elections in November. Fremont carried Clayton county by a large majority, the vote being: Fremont, 1,520; Buchanan, 748; Fillmore, 67. Men- don, Mallory and Read were the only townships giving a democratic majority. The North Iowa Times rejoices over the national victory for Buchanan, and declares "the Union is safe."
First Steam Ferry-November 13, 1856, the McGregor, the first steam ferry boat between McGregor and Prairie du Chien, tied up at the foot of the main street of the proud little city. This boat was built at Cincinnati at a cost of $12,000, and was of three hundred tons burden. The Times boasts that "it will compare favorably with the Brooklyn or Fulton line, and is the best ferry that has ever passed Dubuque." A grand excursion was given by the boat owners to promi- nent citizens of the twin cities, to Clayton, where a dance was held, and, on their return journey, resolutions were passed in honor of the enterprising proprietors.
The Times of December 5 chronicles the killing of a bear by Mr. Sturn within two miles of McGregor, and states that four bears had been killed a few miles up the river.
As a reward for his stalwart democracy A. P. Richardson was made postmaster of McGregor in 1857, succeeding V. R. Miller.
Early History of McGregor-In celebration of the new year the Times devoted a page to the history of McGregor and a statement of
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its then condition, from which the following extracts are taken: "There is some difficulty in obtaining a correct history of McGregor from the earliest settlement, prior to the time the U. S. government had erected a garrison fort, at a point on the east bank of the Missis- sippi, nearly opposite McGregor. Prior to the year 1840 a warehouse had been built near the landing at McGregor by the general government, to store provisions and other necessaries for the soldiers. This ware- house still remains as a monument of the early days of McGregor. About the same time the government made a road from this place to Fort Atkinson, and built a fort at the latter place. The selection of this road by competent engineers conclusively proves the route from this place as the most feasible to the interior country west of it. The state road from this place is laid nearly on the same route. The country west was then inhabited almost exclusively by Indians; but few white men having, prior to that time, penetrated this region of country ; nature was then presented in her merriest mood, and in all her grandeur. Alexander McGregor was one among the earliest settlers at the place now known as McGregor. Some time in the year 1840 or 1841 a horse ferry boat was procured to run from this place to a point on the east bank of the Mississippi, at Fort Crawford, which has been continued up to this time; prior to which time, canoes and skiffs had been used as the only means of crossing the river. In 1845 James McGregor obtained a conveyance for the tract of land on which McGregor now stands. About this time Alexander McGregor built a house near the landing at the place near where the government warehouse still stands. There were but few other improvements worthy of note.
The bluffs then presented a rugged range of hills, which might almost be classed under the name of mountains, and few that then beheld the site of McGregor dreamed that there could ever be even a respectable town, and none thought of there ever being a city.
The population of McGregor has now fully reached 662. Had the census been taken two months since, the population would have reached eight hundred and upward. The following is the population at this time: Married persons; males, 143; females, 143. Number of children under 10 years, 153. Number of children over 10 years and under 21, 271. The number of unmarried male persons is 151. The number of females unmarried falls below this number, being, as near as ascertained, 24; and their charms are such as to give them promise of a short life of single blessedness.
The number of steamboat arrivals bound up, and discharging freight at McGregor, are as follows: April, 17; May, 116; June, 105; July, 89; August, 65; September, 62; October, 78; November, 83; December, 5. The amount of tonnage from October I to December 5, as reported in the North Iowa Times weekly, was 3,002,451 pounds, making an average for the season of 1856 of 1,500,000 pounds per month. The following statement shows the division of trade here, as nearly as can be ascertained: There are eight wholesale and retail dry goods and grocery stores, three wholesale and retail stove and tinware stores, six eating and oyster saloons, one meat market, one drug store, one bakery, one wholesale and retail hardware store, seven
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