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 22
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McGregor During War-In 1862, through the efforts of Senator Hammer, a law was passed by the legislature establishing a city court for McGregor, and in September, 1863, McGregor was incorporated under a new law, abandoning the first charter under which it was incorporated in 1857. With the completion of the first portion of the railroad west of the Mississippi, the freight to be ferried from Mc- Gregor to Prairie du Chien grew enormously in bulk. In order to handle it, John Lawler, agent for the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad, had barges built with railroad tracks built on them. These barges were moored at approaches built on either shore, freight cars were loaded onto them, four or five to each barge. The ferry then towed the car-laden boats across the river. This worked all right in the open season, but not in winter. To solve this problem Lawler built a pile bridge, leaving two open spaces in the channel for the pas- sage of boats. When the navigation season closed a temporary bridge was thrown across these openings and through train service maintained during the winter months. These temporary bridges had to be torn
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out each spring, and to avoid this Mr. Lawler devised the scheme of lashing barges together and putting them in these openings. A cable and drum made it possible to swing these barges open to allow the passage of boats. In this way the pontoon bridge across the Missis- sippi, from McGregor to Prairie du Chien, was constructed and, with some minor changes, it remains practically the same today, as the longest pontoon bridge in the world.
Rafting-In these days rafting was one of the greatest industries along the Mississippi. From every river and stream in Iowa, Minne- sota and Wisconsin the logs came racing and jamming down to the Mississippi, where they were pinned together into great rafts, manned with a crew of oarsmen and a pilot and started on their long voyage down the river, either to the lumber mills or to New Orleans for trans-shipment. One familiar phase of the old time life upon the Mis- sissippi was these monster rafts, with their long sweep of oars at bow and stern and a little shanty built in the center, where the men ate and bunked. The shouts of the red-shirted oarsmen as they bent to the oar in obedience to the orders of the pilot, bawled out in forceful and picturesque English ; the dancing, singing and card-playing with which they passed the hours when not on duty-all these are scenes never to be forgotten by old time dwellers along the river. McGregor was one of the points where these rafts tied up, took on supplies, wet and dry, and the old town resounded many times with the rough merry- making of their boisterous crews. Mrs. C. McHose, of McGregor, who lived near the wharf in those early days, gives the following description of a typical scene of the raftsman's life. She was awak- ened one night by singing and the sound of a fiddle. The river was flooded by a full June moon. In its light a log float was seen drifting by, with a score of raftsmen dancing and singing around the fiddler in the center. The fiddler stopped, one of the crowd scrambled on top of the shanty, struck the attitude of an old time Methodist preacher, and, beginning with "My Brethern," in sonorous tones, launched into an exhortation to righteous ways. A few moments later, above the boisterous laughter with which the harangue was received, the voice of a man at the oars sang out clear above the water, "Go tell Aunt Rhody her old grey goose is dead." The would-be preacher stopped, the song was taken up and as the raft drifted out of view into the shadows of the night, the weird volume of harmony came echoing back from the darkness. In fogs and bad weather the rafts were tied up to the shore. This was the signal for a grand carousal and many are the tales told in the river-towns of the wild doings, and of the yet wilder bouts when the men were paid off at the end of their journey and came up the river on the little raft boats which raced back with them to the pineries of the north. In 1865, the Times says: "The river banks are piled with the pine products of the north, while many rafts of logs, lumber, lath and shingles lie as yet unhandled at the waters edge." Two years later tow-boats came into general use to increase the capacity and speed of these monster rafts and, still later, two boats were used, a small boat for steerage at the bow and a large propeller at the stern. In this way lumber rafts worth nearly a quar- ter of a million have been towed.
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Educational Progress-With the new school law there was greatly increased activity among the teachers of the county. In October, 1861, a successful institute was held at Garnavillo, with H. Emery as president, John Everall as secretary and Prof. Putnam of Indiana as instructor. A teachers' association meeting was held at Windsor in March, 1862. Alonzo Brown was the first county superintendent, being elected in 1858. He was very active and promoted the first teachers' association and the first institute which was held in Garna- villo. Prof. J. Briggs was one of the leading educators of the county. Mr. Emery was from Monona and soon became popular with the teachers. Prof. Kramer, together with Kingsley, Crary and Everall, were among the leading male teachers, and Miss Melvina Stewart was prominent among the women. During these years the force of male teachers was depleted by enlistments in the army. The institute for 1862 was held under the direction of Supt. Emery, Prof. Ingalls as conductor and, in 1863, the institute was held at McGregor. At the association meeting held at Windsor in the winter of 1864 Supt. Emery was presented with a watch by the teachers in acknowledgment of his faithful service, though their hearts were filled with sorrow as they knew that he was about to die of consumption. In 1865 a suc- cessful institute was held in Elkader and in November of that year, Jonathan Briggs, who had devoted his life to the instruction of the young, completed the building of an academy upon the site of the "Old Brick Tavern" at Garnavillo. This institution was conducted by Mr. Briggs for several years, but finally had to be abandoned on account of lack of support.
Church Activities-Among the church activities during this war period were the building of the Freewill Baptist Church at Strawberry Point at a cost of $4,000, in 1861 ; the holding of numerous church conventions ; the meeting of the County Sunday School Association at National, in 1862; a convention of Universalists in 1863; the activity of the Good Templars at Strawberry Point and other towns in the county ; a donation party by which the meagre salary of Rev. Joseph R. Cameron was helped out at Volga and Elkader, and the raising of $3,000 to build a Congregational Church at Garnavillo.
Agricultural Societies-A meeting of the Clayton County Agri- cultural Society was held at Garnavillo, May 25, 1861. Norman Ham- ilton presided and Alonzo Brown was secretary. Previous fairs had been more in the nature of local enterprises and the society was now founded on county lines. A constitution was adopted and the follow- ing officers were elected: President, Edwin Sherman; secretary, Norman Hamilton ; treasurer, John H. Shoulte; directors, Joseph Eiboeck, George Killam, Alonzo Brown, John Dice, M. B. Sherman, George W. Beach, Samuel Murdock, O. W. Crary and P. M. Potter. It was decided to hold the fair at Garnavillo, in October, 1861, and premiums were announced for a two days' fair. The weather was bad and the crowd and the exhibits were small. Twenty-four persons made entries and eighteen of them drew premiums. There not being a sufficiency of money to pay them fully, nearly all those entitled to premiums liberally returned part of the money. The amount re- funded was $21.15 and the amount paid was $33.10. The second
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annual meeting was held at Garnavillo, May 21, 1862. At this time it was decided to locate the fair permanently at Farmersburg or Na- tional, and $80 was voted for an exhibition building. Edwin Sherman was elected president and N. Hamilton secretary. A state fair was held at Dubuque in 1862, and some of the fancy stock bought there by N. Hamilton, Edwin Sherman, James Uriell and John Osterdock was shown at the county fair. At this state fair flour made by the Stone Mill at Clayton took first prize. Of this second county fair it is said that it was attended by the usual "fair" weather, which meant that it rained every day. Nevertheless the fair, which lasted one day only, was well attended and enough was received to pay the premiums in full. At the meeting in 1863 O. W. Crary was elected president and N. Hamilton secretary. A fair was held at National and is said to have been a success. Judge Price made an address, as did Mr. Beebe, of Dubuque. Miss McWilliams took the riding premium. The society now had 200 members, but the secretary bitterly complains that 81 of them were delinquent. On the second day of the fair a collection was taken for fair buildings, netting $50. In 1864, J. E. Corlett was president and N. Hamilton continued as secretary. The fair was held October 12 and 13, during one of the most exciting periods of the county's history. It was the time of the draft and of Union meetings and a spirited election contest with the county seat war on, and many Union meetings, and probably for these reasons the county newspapers give no account of the fair. In 1865 James Parker was president and J. E. Corlett secretary. The fair was said to have been a success, although it rained on the last day and it was thought there was suffi- cient members in good standing to secure the $200 aid offered by the state.
Wartime Politics-Politically the history of these war times is most interesting. The Republican party had been successful in the elections of 1860 and had built up a strong and vigorous young party. With the incoming of a Republican president, under the old spoils system, there were many offices to be given, and, very naturally, there were many eager applicants. Into this normal course of politics was thrown the bombshell of war. To understand the politics of 1861, it must be remembered that there were four almost distinct divisions within the two parties. Among the Republicans, there were the Aboli- tionists, with whom the abolition of slavery was paramount even to the perpetuity of the Union. There were other Republicans, de- scendants of the old Whig party, who had but little sympathy with the anti-slavery movement, who opposed its extension, but were not anxious to abolish it in the South but who were opposed to democracy along old party lines. Among the Democrats, there was an element in full sympathy with slavery and with the sentiment of the South, believing in state's rights and feeling that the national government had no right to coerce the states. The other element of democracy opposed and dis- trusted Lincoln, but thought that the preservation of the Unioni was above all party considerations.
"Union Party"-With the opening of actual hostilities, the country was swept by a wave of patriotism, which, for the moment, did away with all thought of partisanship. It was at this time that many good
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men of both parties conceived the idea of a "Union Party," which would be formed of both parties, who were to drop all partisan division during the war and have patriotism as the only plank in their plat- form. This was a highly Utopian idea, worthy of noble-hearted men, but thoroughly impracticable and taking no account of human preju- dices and ambitions, or of the fact that the oil and water of Democ- racy and Republicanism would not mix.
Early in the year there was a call for a Union convention in Clayton county. This movement was fathered by Judge Eliphalet Price and in the call he was joined by many prominent men of both parties. The sentiment expressed was of absolute devotion to the Union and the desire for strictly non-partisan action. This move- ment gained rapid momentum in the county. At Guttenberg a caucus was held and at McGregor there was a large mass meeting which was addressed by Judge Baugh, C. F. Remick, Reuben Noble, John T. Stoneman and D. Hammer. In the meantime John Garber, as chair- man of the Republican county committee, called a convention, and this meeting, which was held in Elkader and presided over by H. E. Newell, elected delegates to the state convention and resolved that the call for the Union convention was unwise, but instructed the central committee to abstain from calling a convention for the nomination of county officers. August 22 the Union mass convention was held and was largely attended, both by Republicans and Democrats. The reso- lutions were strongly in support of the Union and opposed the agita- tion of the question of dividing Clayton county and the making of any county seat contest during the war. Later, the Unionists held a second convention and placed candidates in nomination for county officers. This was the rock upon which the Union party split. The majority of the nominees were Democrats, some of the Republican wheel horses and officials were left off the ticket, and it was apparent that the Democrats were in control. With this state of affairs the Re- publicans soon placed a ticket in the field and the issues were joined largely along the old party lines. This drifting back into party, in spite of the war, took place in the state as well. The Republicans of the state nominated Kirkwood for Governor and resolved strongly for the Union and approved the acts of Lincoln. A Union state conven- tion placed a ticket in the field and took high ground as to the sup- port of the Union, but was inclined to be critical and to cling to the idea that some compromise might still be effected with the South. At this convention Reuben Noble was nominated for Supreme Judge, his opponent being Judge McHenry, of Des Moines. Noble received 150 votes to 94 for McHenry. Mr. Noble declined the nomination, as he did not wish to oppose his friend, Ralph T. Lowe, the Republican nominee. The Democrats held a state convention, at which there was a split. The Mahoney faction, which was in thorough sympathy with the South, leaving the convention. The Democrats resolved in favor of supporting the war, but divided the blame for the conflict equally between northern abolitionists and southern radicals. The course of Lincoln was viewed with alarm as tending toward a military despotism, and, while favoring the prosecution of the war to preserve the Union, the doctrine of state's rights was maintained. At this convention
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Maturin L. Fisher was the nominee for Lieutenant-Governor, but, like Mr. Noble, he declined. With the pronouncements in state politics, it is easy to understand that those at heart in support of the Union quickly gravitated to the Republican party, that the Union party was a failure and that those opposed to the acts of Lincoln gradually be- came lukewarm in support of the war. The Clayton county election resulted in a victory of nearly two to one for Kirkwood. All the Re- publican county ticket was elected, the chief fight being for sheriff, in which John Garber (Rep.) defeated Jonathan Kauffman by a vote of 1,647 to 1,258. Henry Clay Dean, the Mahoney or "Secesh" candidate for Governor, received but 50 votes in the entire county.
Division of County Proposed-In 1861 and 1862 there was con- siderable agitation for the division of Allamakee and Clayton counties, making a third county from the north half of Clayton and the south half of Allamakee. In the summer of 1861, a meeting was called at Garnavillo to oppose this movement. F. Andros acted as chairman and Samuel Murdock, D. C. Rogers and F. Andros were appointed to inter- rogate legislative candidates and the voters agreed to support no one who favored division. McGregor quietly supported this movement, as did Lansing, which hoped to be the county seat of North Allamakee. The opposition was too strong, however, and the members from this county worked against division in the legislature, and, later, sup- ported a law forbidding county seat elections oftener than once in three years.
Campaign of 1862-In 1862, politics were comparatively quiet. William B. Allison, later the distinguished senator from Iowa, was nominated for Congress, and his opponent was D. A. Mahoney, one of the most radical southern sympathizers in the state. The only county officer elected was clerk of the district court and for this place H. S. Granger had no opposition. The Democrats were in a hope- less minority in state and county, and the election was devoid of excitement. Allison received 1.511 to 1,131 votes cast for Mahoney.
Peace Party. 1863-In 1863, the "Peace Party" had its rise. It was argued that the war was a failure and that nothing remained but to make the best possible terms with the South, many advocating that it was best to let the confederacy go, rather than to prolong a costly and futile war. This peace movement stirred the most vigorous oppo- sition and in place of political meetings there were "Union meetings" and "Union Clubs" formed all over the county.
With the progress of the war, with its fearful toll of blood and treasure. the resentment against the secessionists grew to a white-heat and with it came the increasing demand for the liberation of the slaves. The resolution passed by the Volga City Union Club reflects the Union sentiment of the entire county. The resolutions follow : "Re- solved that censure cast upon the government by the North for using the sword to put down this infernal rebellion when it is evident to everyone that it can be done in no other way, stimulates and encour- ages the rebels to protract the struggle, and hold on in their mad career, at the enormous sacrifice of both blood and treasure. Resolved, That we will never consent that one foot of territory, within our national boundary, shall go down to posterity with the curse of slavery
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upon it. Resolved, That we are ready to make almost any sacrifice in our power, rather than undergo the anguish of witnessing the down- fall of our beloved country, and with it, the last hope of the oppressed throughout the earth." J. G. Whitford was president and W. A. Pen- field secretary of this club. The people were warned against the Chicago Times and the Dubuque Herald as dangerous, disunion news- papers. It was at this time that the peace convention was held, to which reference has already been made, at which there were so many radical utterances against Lincoln and against the war.
In 1863 the Republicans adopted the name "Union," which they had refused to adopt in 1861, but at this time the word meant not a union of parties but the support of the "Union" as a nation. The Republicans presented the name of Judge E. H. Williams as a candidate for Supreme Judge. He was defeated for the nomination by Judge J. F. Dillon. This caused considerable feeling in northern Iowa and especially in Clayton county, and the nomination of Col. Stone for Governor was not popular. The Democratic state convention criticised the conduct of the war and, while maintaining a patriotic attitude toward the Union, was strongly in favor of peace. Maturin L. Fisher, of Clayton county, was the Democratic nominee for Governor, but he refused to run, and Gen. J. M. Tuttle was the nominee. The Demo- crats placed a full legislative and county ticket in the field, as did the Republicans, who, however, went under the name of the Union party. The entire Republican ticket was elected with average major- ities of about 400. In this election J. Briggs ran as an independent candidate for superintendent, receiving nearly 500 votes.
Second Lincoln Campaign-In 1864 was the presidential election, and the endorsement of Lincoln was the great question. While the victories had been with the Union arms, Lee's army was holding out stubbornly, and the loss of life in Grant's army was appalling. Many calls for troops were made, and these necessitated the draft, which was highly unpopular. The Democrats nominated Gen. George B. McClellan, and the first portrait of the candidate ever used in a Clayton county paper was when his picture appeared at the head of a column in the McGregor Times. D. Baugh, as chairman. called a county convention of "all those opposed to the re-election of Mr. Lincoln and the continuance of this war for the sole purpose of freeing the negroes at the expense of the lives of hundreds of thousands of white men, and imposing upon us a national debt too onerous to be borne; and all those in favor of calling a national convention for the purpose of restoring peace with all its hallowed influences." The dele- gates from Mendon township, elected under this call, were Door D. Hoxsie, John T. Stoneman, William Coss, M. Mathews, Andrew Teets. M. O'Brien. B. Strouse, T. Beckwith, A. Hockhaus, Sam Peter- son, D. Hammer, D. Baugh, L. Seals, William Huntting, G. S. C. Scott. The Republicans nominated B. T. Hunt as district elector, H. S. Granger for clerk and J. Oglesbee for recorder. At this election, also, McGregor made a try for the county seat. Many of the prominent Re- publican leaders of the state spoke in this county, among them Governor Stone, ex-Governor Kirkwood, William B. Allison and B. T. Hunt. The Republican majorities in the county averaged 500, and the
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soldier vote added about 300 more. As to the county seat, Elkader received 2,403 and McGregor, which had made but a half-hearted fight, received 1,609. This was the last county seat election.
Campaign of 1865-In 1865, the shadow of Lincoln's death lay heavy on the hearts of all. The close of the war had ended criticism, and the course of Andrew Johnson as president had not as yet become acute. These things combined to make the election of the Republican ticket a foregone conclusion. In this emergency the Democrats aban- doned their party name, to an extent, and their state ticket was known as the Iowa Soldiers' ticket, and Gen. T. H. Benton was the candidate for Governor. He spoke at Elkader, and his chief issue was opposition to negro suffrage. The nomination of Stone as Republican candidate for Governor was unpopular, and the Elkader Journal bolted that part of the ticket. Many of the county candidates were inclined to follow the Journal's lead, and leading Republicans sent the candidates a letter demanding that they support the ticket. This demand was signed by Thomas Updegraff, Samuel Merrill and others.
Illustrating the peculiar political conditions of that year, is the account of a political meeting held at Elkader, at which Reuben Noble spoke in favor of Benton and his platform. Judge Williams opposed the Benton platform but favored his election on account of his high character. Judge Murdock spoke in favor of Stone and for his plat- form and negro suffrage. He also attacked Judge Williams and Judge Noble in a witty speech. E. Odell spoke urging the election of Stone.
The Bentonites held a county convention at Garnavillo, placing a full county ticket in the field composed of both Democrats and Republicans. Noble, Williams and Eiboeck lead the fight against Stone on the grounds of personal unfitness. Merrill, Updegraff, Drummond and Murdock were the Stone supporters. For sheriff, Capt. Elisha Boardman, and for coroner, H. D. Bronson, had no opposition. The opposition to Stone caused him to run more than 300 behind his ticket, his majority being 103, while Lieutenant-Governor Gue, Republican, also received 451 majority. The entire Republican ticket was elected with the exception of Lieutenant Hutchins, who was defeated for rep- resentative by William Leffingwell by 81 majority. An incident of this election, in those days when the ballots were printed by private parties, was, that on account of a mistake made in printing tickets at a McGregor office, Judge George G. Wright lost 714 votes in this county because his middle initial was printed "C."
County Affairs-The population of Clayton county in 1865 was 21.022. There were nineteen colored inhabitants, eleven of whom lived in McGregor and six in Giard. There were but two incorporated towns in the county, Guttenberg with 1,004 population, and McGregor with 2,008, just twice the size of Guttenberg. The population by townships was as follows: Buena Vista, 159; Boardman, 965 ; Cass, 1,010; Clay- ton, 800: Cox Creek, 739; Elk, 440; Farmersburg, 1,087; Garnavillo, 1.179: Giard, 1,106; Grand Meadow, 728; Highland, 729; Jefferson (not including Guttenberg) 1.068; Lodomillo, 789 ; Marion, 810; Mal- lory. 871 : Millville, 656: Mendon (not including McGregor) 1,072; Monona, 1.468; Reed, 853; Sperry, 814; Volga, 1,069; Wagner, 808.
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