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 15
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About this time, in the spring of 1858, the papers began to fill with notices of sheriff sales, and in nearly every one of these is a tragedy, written with the heart's blood of some hard-working, dis- appointed pioneer and his brave and devoted wife and little family, to whom the long journey across the prairies, the breaking of old home ties, the hardships and the deprivations of log cabin days and the long hours of toil in field and wood, had ended only in failure, owing to conditions for which they were not to blame and over which they had no control. Some lost heart entirely, but it speaks volumes for their courage and manhood that the vast majority started anew, bare handed, and finally won their way to success.
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Third County Seat Fight-In 1858 Elkader made another try for the county seat, and Judge Oliver Crary ordered a vote to be taken at the April election. As there were no newspapers either at Gutten- berg or at Elkader, and as the McGregor paper maintained a neutral attitude, not much can be learned concerning the details of this cam- paign. The vote was Guttenberg 2,038, Elkader 1,706. At the same election Alonzo Brown was elected to the newly made office of super- intendent of common schools. The fact that Guttenberg cast 1,036 of the votes in her favor at the election was the subject of much comment and of great dissatisfaction on the part of Elkader. The Times suggests that Garnovillo is the proper place for the county seat, and this suggestion was eagerly taken up by the people of that village, laying the foundation for the successful fight which was made the following year.
Indians at McGregor-In March, 1858, McGregor was visited by a party of Indian chiefs and warriors under the conduct of J. R. Brown. They were Sisigons and Mudewakanpons, and among them were Chiefs Little Crow, Black Dog, Red Legs and others with un- pronounceable names. The fact that this delegation created much interest and excitement in McGregor shows that Indian visits were already becoming rare.
In April, 1858, Mr. Richardson sold a half interest in the Times to C. C. Fuller, who was with the paper for some time. McGregor was not a model town at this time, nor could it have been expected to be. There were hundreds of strange visitors, and but few of the old- timers had been there more than a few years; the river brought many roughs and desperadoes and, at North McGregor, there were large gangs of illiterate workmen. The most of these men of all classes were young and hardy, and each had his goodly measure of wild oats to sow. The streets of McGregor were lined with many drinking places and there were gambling houses and dissolute women. All this does not reflect upon the McGregor of today, nor upon the staid residents of the place at that time; it was simply an incident of the rough pioneer time and but duplicated the scenes which have occurred in every border city.
River Pirates Captured-In 1858, however, it was found that this was a rendezvous for a large, thoroughly organized band of robbers who operated from the head waters of the Mississippi clear to the gulf. There had been a number of thefts at McGregor and Prairie du Chien, but they were not traced to any organized gang until the thieves fell out among themselves and one of their number gave the startling information which opened the eyes of the authorities. S. L. Peck headed a posse which captured three who were camping on Big Island, opposite the mouth of Sny Magill creek. They learned that the leader of the gang was known as Dr. Bell, and that he had a boat, loaded with stolen goods, down the river. The authorities attempted to make the arrest and shots were exchanged in which Bell was wounded, but the officers were unable to capture him. Returning to McGregor a larger posse was gathered, the ferry boat, McGregor, secured, and a second attempt made to capture the pirate, but he had escaped. Two other boats loaded with plunder were found further
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down the river, and not less than $5,000 worth of property was dis- covered. A vigilance committee was formed, and at Prairie du Chien some of the pirates were roughly handled and made to confess some- thing of the workings of the gang. It was found that there were scores of river pirates connected with this outfit; that they operated both on the Mississippi and on the Ohio; that they had agents at New Orleans, and that regular boats took the plunder to the Texas coast for disposal. In June, S. W. Carpenter of the Dubuque detective force effected the capture of Bell, who, under many aliases, was the captain of the pirate gang. The officer and his prisoner arrived at McGregor on the steamer Gray Eagle in the evening and, says the Times, "were escorted from the levee to the McGregor house by some hundreds of our citizens, who were looking anxiously for their arrival, as a dispatch had been received stating that Bell had been arrested and would be here that evening. The crowd was almost wild with excitement, and manifested their satisfaction at his arrest and appre- ciation of the services of Mr. Carpenter by giving that gentleman three as hearty cheers as ever were heard on the shores of the Missis- sippi." The pursuit of Bell was as exciting as any story ever told by Nick Carter. The officer traced him to many towns in Illinois, back to Iowa, at Davenport, thence across through Illinois to Chicago, being always just a little behind his man. A clue was followed to Glen Haven, Mich., and the arrest was made at Pier Cove, Mich., where he had found refuge with a gang of counterfeiters. Although there was much excitement, there was no thought of lynching at McGregor, unless an attempt at rescue was made and, on the following day, Deputy Sheriff Tuttle took the prisoner to the county jail at Garna- villo. Bell and other members of the gang were tried and the gang was broken up, but the light sentences given were very unsatisfac- tory to McGregor people.
Another sensation which stirred McGregor and the whole of Clayton county was the assault of Alexander McGregor upon James M. Mckinley. McKinley was counsel for James McGregor in the celebrated suit against Alex McGregor, and during one of the many trials had made remarks derogatory to Alexander. Mckinley went to McGregor on business and Alexander McGregor met him on the street and assaulted him. It is stated that McGregor threw him down and continued striking him until the blood streamed down Mckinley's face. McGregor justified his actions on the ground that Mckinley had grossly insulted him by his remarks at the trial.
Political Unrest-1858 was the year of the great Douglas-Lincoln debates, a political duel which stirred the whole nation and which changed the course of American history. Viewing Lincoln as we do today, as the incomparable orator, as well as the great statesman and martyr, it is hard to realize that Colonel Richardson could have said what he did in his issue of June 30, under the caption, "Abraham Lincoln." The Times said: "This gentleman (Lincoln) is settled upon by the Republicans of Illinois to succeed Mr. Douglas as Senator, in case the legislature to be elected in November shall contain an opposition majority. Mr. Lincoln, in a speech comparing his qualifi- cations with those of his distinguished opponent, remarks that a living
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dog is better than a dead lion, and the admirer of this self-named living dog regards the canine illustration as evincive of a wit that should scintillate only in that most learned and dignified body, the Senate of the United States. Mr. Lincoln has the reputation of being a wag, but we did not know before that, from the confessed nature of the man, the waggery appertained to that portion of his organism which a real dog possesses. We have heard this man speak and, with- out flattering some very ordinary aspirants to oratorical honors to whom we have listened, we think Mr. Lincoln exceeds in dullness almost any stumper we ever heard. Douglas and himself being pitted against each other, it is expected they will canvass the state in company, and if the 'living dog' is not cur-tailed close up before the so-called dead lion gets through with him we shall drop all pre- tentions to prophecy. Who that has a particle of state pride or love of country would see, unmoved, the master spirit of American politics, the exponent of correct domestic principle and the defender of na- tional honor step out of his place in the Senate to admit a man whose tastes and sense combined could not prevent him from appro- priating to himself the title of a 'living dog.' A title, by the way, that will stick to him as long as he wears hair. Illinois certainly can do better than to take such a man as this from his kennel." In justice to Mr. Richardson it must be said, at once, that within a few years he revised his opinion of Lincoln and was loyal to the Union. Doug- las was, however, at this time his idol, as he was of thousands of other people.
Trip Through County-A side light upon county affairs is given by Mr. Richardson when he tells that on a recent trip through the county he found Elkader dull, with fishing in the Turkey river the chief occupation, that prairie chicken are plentiful and that hunters often kill 30, 50 and 60 in a day. Concerning the crop he says: "They are far below an average; many fields of wheat straw were harvested with fire, some were given to the hogs; the saved wheat will run from 3 to 12 bushels to the acre. Oats is about a half crop in appearance, but it is said the grain is unusually light, not more than 20 pounds to the measured bushel. Corn looks unusually well, except that it shows a tendency to stalk. Grass is about parallel in excellence. Potatoes are said to be rotting. An early frost will play havoc with the corn."
Election of 1858-The lines were drawn for the political battle of 1858 along still sharper lines than ever before. The Dred Scott de- cision, the Douglas-Lincoln debates, the growing feeling between North and South furnished the bones of contention. W. E. Leffingwell, Democrat, was opposed for Congress by William Vandever of Du- buque, and they held joint debates throughout the district, which were attended by eager crowds of partisans. The Democrats nom- inated William McClintock for judge, Elijah Odell for prosecuting at- torney, William Pattee for member of board of education and the Re- publican candidates for these offices were E. H. Williams, Milo Mc- Glathery and A. D. F. Hildreth. Judge Price and Samuel Mur- dock were bitterly opposed to the election of Williams, and a num- ber of sharp letters were exchanged through the medium of the press. Robert R. Read declined the Democratic nomination for clerk, recom-
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mending the support of Updegraff, who had tied for a Republican nom- ination with Dr. Hutchinson.
In the Times of Sept. 29, 1858, is published a legal notice signed by James McGregor warning against trespass on the Giard claim. This is followed by a lengthy opinion of the Supreme Court, signed by Judge George F. Wright, in which the claim of James McGregor is sus- tained and the ruling is adverse to Alexander McGregor at every point. It was but a few months after this decision that Alexander McGregor died, his death occurring Dec. 12, 1858, and he was sincerely mourned by the people of the city. A biography of this pioneer citizen is given in another chapter. Alexander McGregor willed to the proprietors of North McGregor $5,000 to build a road to Monona, 12 miles west, and this work was begun in 1859.
Journal Founded-In May, 1858, "The Clayton County Journal" was founded on the ruins of the old Herald, with Willard F. Howard as editor. This paper was published at Guttenberg, was Republican in politics, and took an active part in the defense of Guttenberg as the county seat. The Journal, as the county seat paper, contains, if any- thing, more of the news of the county than does the McGregor paper. Among other matters, mentioned, in its issue of June 10, is the pros- pective establishment of a large woolen factory at Elkader and it also states, what was not published by the Times, that the railroad company at McGregor was forced to discharge all its men and suspend its operation on account of lack of funds. It was during this year that it was proposed to erect a county high school building at Garnavillo. The citizens subscribed $2,000, together with two blocks of land, and the county was to give $18,000 for the building. Later a decision was made that county funds could not be used for this purpose but the building was erected by private parties with the idea that it would be taken over by the county. This was not done and it was operated as a private academy until finally abandoned on account of lack of support.
Gold Discovery-It was in 1858 also that there was great excite- ment on account of the discovery of gold at Strawberry Point. This was said to have been found on the farm of "Widow Massey," and also near Volga City. Not enough was found, however, to pay more than 50 cents a day and the excitement soon died down.
This was a period of great activity in school work. There were school celebrations and picnics in the various parts of the county and the first term of the county high school was announced to open at Garnavillo, September 6, with J. Briggs as principal. At the close of the school term, there was to be a teachers' institute of one week. This school remained open but a few weeks, closing to await the erection of the proposed county building. At the election, all of the Republican candidates received majorities exceeding 300, except Judge Williams, who was defeated in this county by 330, but who was elected by the vote of the district. There had been a change in the judicial districts by the constitution of 1857, which legislated Judge Murdock out of office, and upon the election of Williams, to whom he was bitterly opposed, Judge Murdock instituted proceedings to retain his office for a longer period, but this he later abandoned and Judge Williams took
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his seat. Updegraff was re-elected clerk, without opposition. Possibly owing to the small attendance the preceding year the Agricultural Society took no steps toward holding a fair in 1858, but the people of Farmersburg held an independent fair, which proved quite a success.
First Teachers' Institute-The first teachers' institute held in Clay- ton county convened at Garnavillo November 7, 1858. J. Briggs was the conductor, and lectures were delivered by Rev. L. T. Mathews and J. O. Crosby. Others taking part were Mrs. Preston, of Elkader ; Miss Smith, of Volga City ; Mrs. Morrow, of Volga City ; Prof. Bugbee, of Fayette Seminary, and Superintendent Brown. A teachers' asso- ciation was formed with J. Briggs as president and W. H. Muzzy, of Elkader, as secretary. O. D. Eno was prominent in teaching circles, and announced a meeting to take place at Elkader in January, 1859. This meeting was addressed by E. A. Crary, and essays were read by Mrs. S. A. Angier and Miss Stebbins.
Murder of William Potter-The county was again excited by a murder which occurred at Garnavillo. According to the story told by witnesses, a stranger, who gave his name as William Potter, went to the house of John Wentworth and demanded lodging. He was refused and returned to the house with an axe. Wentworth called William Gladdin to his aid and, as Potter rushed at Wentworth with the axe, Gladdin shot him. A coroner's jury heard the case, and Gladdin was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.
YEAR BOOK OF 1859
In January, 1859, the directors of the county high school brought suit against the county judge to compel him to pay $3,000 to the support of that institution as it was claimed the law provided. Judge Murdock and J. O. Crosby appeared for the high school and Reuben Noble and Milo McGlathey for the town. The decision was against the high school. In February, 1859, the county seat question came to a head before the county court, the adherents of Guttenberg claiming that, under the law, there was no April election to be held. They also attacked the validity of the petition which was sworn to by Alonzo Brown, whereas it was claimed that it should have been sworn to by those who circulated the petition. Judge Crary decided to receive the petition, which was signed by 1,535 voters, and the election was ordered. On March I the Journal speaks of the lack of interest in the county seat contest, but there was no lack of interest when the election day approached, and Garnavillo was triumphant by a vote of 1,905, to 1,747 cast for Guttenberg. The Garnavillo people went over to move the county belongings, and there was, at Garnavillo, a repe- tition of the scenes of rejoicing which had taken place at Guttenberg but a few years before. The same month the Journal migrated also, and it appeared, on January 26, under a Garnavillo dateline. The first mention of Col. Joseph F. Eiboeck, who was afterward to become such an important factor, first in Clayton county, then in the state, and afterward in the nation, is found in the Garnavillo Journal of May 10, 1859, when he delivered an address on "Hungary" at the German school. With the location of the county seat at Garnavillo efforts
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were made for the erection of a county building, and the grand jury reported the jail as totally unfit and also recommended the erection of a building for county offices. There was too much jealousy throughout the county to permit of any building being done, but Garnavillo took on renewed prosperity with the coming of the county seat.
Guttenberg was not long without a newspaper, and in May, 1859, the Mississippi Valley Register was founded by McBride, Tipton & Co., McBride having formerly been with the Herald. Tipton remained with the paper but a short time and, in January, 1860, O. D. Eno became the editor. It was a democratic paper, and it suspended not long after the election of Lincoln, in 1860. In August, 1859, the McGregor Press was started by George and S. S. Haisitt, and its editor was Orlando McCraney. Unfortunately no copies of these papers are now to be had. The people of Farmersburg were so pleased with the success of their fair in 1858 that they organized and held a second fair in October, 1859, but on account of the excitement pertaining to the election, there was no account of it in any of the county papers.
Politics-The campaign of 1859 was bitterly fought. Hon. Tim- othy Davis was president, and Eliphalet Price was vice president, of the Republican state convention which nominated S. J. Kirkwood for governor. The Democrats nominated A. C. Dodge, and the issues were joined. Joseph Eiboeck purchased the Journal, August 4, 1859, and at first attempted to conduct it as an independent newspaper, but he soon declared himself as a Republican. Mr. Eiboeck quickly showed himself to be a powerful writer and a clear thinker although he was apt to be carried away by his enthusiasms, and he entered at once into the campaign. At the Republican convention held at Garnavillo, Mr. Chesly acted as chairman. There was a contesting delegation from Sperry, and excitement ran high. John Garber, H. S. Granger and E. P. Olmstead were candidates for county judge, Garber being nominated. Jacob Nicklaus was nominated for recorder. W. S. Scott for sheriff, J. W. Van Orman for superintendent, R. G. McClellan for surveyor, Henry Schumacher for drainage commissioner, and F. W. Sherman for coroner. For the legislature, Gilbert Douglas was nomi- nated for the senate and Samuel Merrell and D. C. Baker for repre- sentatives. This was the first political recognition of Samuel Merrell, who was afterwards to become governor of Iowa. The Democrats nominated D. Hammer for senator and A. M. Renwick and S. R. Peet for representatives. A third convention, by the so-called "People's party," was called at Clayton Center. A. E. Wanzer was at the head of this movement, and a full county ticket was placed in the field.
Joint meetings were the order of the day, and the Journal tells of such a gathering at Garnavillo. A. C. Rogers, Republican, and Dr. F. Andros, Democrat, presided. D. Baugh, Democratic candi- date for county judge, was the first speaker. He was followed by Reuben Noble and, although approving the political portion of his address, Col. Eiboeck disapproved of the personalities with which he attacked Mr. Baugh. Mr. Odell also spoke for democracy. Mr. Eiboeck states that he thinks such meetings do no good and simply excite the people against each other. At this election the proposal to issue bonds for $15,000, bearing 10 per cent interest, for the erection
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of a courthouse, was voted upon and defeated. The result of the election was mixed. Hammer (Dem.) was elected for the senate by 16 majority, and Merrell (Rep.) and Peet (Dem.) were elected repre- sentatives. John Garber was elected county judge by a large majority, as was also Jacob Nicklaus. Horace Emery (Dem.) was elected super- intendent, Ezra Hurd (Dem.) surveyor, John W. Potts (Dem.) drain- age commissioner, John P. Kriebs (Dem.) coroner and John Kauffman (Dem.) sheriff.
It was just after this election that John Brown made his famous raid on Harper's Ferry. Both the Republican and the Democratic papers denounced John Brown in the strongest terms. Col. Eiboeck stated that "we hope they will send him (Brown) to the lunatic asylum for lifetime, or, if he has his senses, hang him at once. Men-nay, not men-Abolitionists, throughout the whole north, appeared to have co-operated with this Brown, and plans have come to light which, if they had succeeded, would have resulted in the death of many thou- sands, and perhaps in the destruction of this hitherto happy confed- eracy of the states of America."
In November, 1859, Alonzo Brown makes his report as county superintendent. The number of persons of school age was 6,851, an increase of 489. The number of pupils attending was 3,695, and the average attendance 2,337. One hundred and eight schools were taught in the county, and there were eighty-five schoolhouses, varying in valuation from $5 to $3,500. Marion township had had no school, as it had no schoolhouses. Male teachers were paid from $4 to $9.50, averaging $5.50 per week. Female teachers were paid from $2.08 to $5 per week, averaging about $3. The superintendent thinks these wages too low.
APPROACH OF WAR
Closing this period, from 1850 to 1860, we find a county that has been tried and tested by adversity but that has come through triumphant. The people have responded to the calls of civic life with splendid zeal and high courage; bent, but not broken, by the hardships they were forced to meet. But this fiery test was but the preparedness for the supreme test of manhood and citizenship which was to come. They had won the victories of peace; the victories of war were before them. The people of Clayton county approached the great crisis in the nation's history with eyes wide open. They had builded well. Their institutions were sane and sound. They had developed and maintained a healthy, sturdy manhood; a manhood which was to go forth, unreservedly, in their country's service. Their consciences were clear and they were unafraid. The men of the south made their greatest mistake in that they did not take into account the quiet, undemonstrative, but no less determined and effective patriotism and fighting qualities of just such men as these in Clayton county. The history of this decade can not be more fittingly ended than by using the prophetic words of Col. Eiboeck, in the Elkader Journal, to close the record of the dying year 1859. "Reader, wherever you may be, look a short distance into the future, and see what stirring events are before you. Let us all be prepared to meet them with becoming man-
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hood; let us all stand firmly forth in this country, determined to brave the impending blasts; and Heaven grant that our proud and happy country may outride the storm. In America, the land of Wash- ington, Jefferson and Franklin, we see around us, everywhere, the signs of a desperate and terrible conflict, such a one as has never before been witnessed since the days of her revolution. Americans, a second great revolution is before you, as great as that which severed your connection with the mother country. On the one side is arraigned the free and independent thinker of the north, the offspring of New England bravery, the sons of New England revolutionists. Men who have depended upon their own labor and industry for all they are and all they expect to be, imbued with a courage and perseverance that are ever active, whether the danger is near or far off. Vigilant in the midst of peace, brave in the midst of danger, and when his principles are involved in the issue, he knows no compromise. For our own part we shall battle with the hosts of freeman, trusting to the rectitude of our principles and a just Providence for success."
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