USA > Iowa > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
The first war meeting of which we have record was held at the courthouse on Monday, August 18, 1862. There were a number of these meetings and the second one was held on September Ist. Mr. Laub, Mr. McHenry and Mr. Butler seem to have been leading spirits in these war meetings. An officer from Coun- cil Bluffs was detailed to secure volunteers and a number enlisted. At this time the western frontier posts were endangered by the Indians, to whom the un- settled state of the Union had given courage. To man these posts the government was obliged to detail many troops to the west, and several times during the year large troops of cavalry horses and their escorts passed through Denison on their way to the far west.
In this year the first threshing machine is recorded as coming to the county. It was a great novelty and people went from different parts of the county to see it working on the Dow farm.
1863 found but little addition to the settlement. Times were hard, prices were high for what the settlers had to buy and the inconveniences of markets were such that they got but little for what they produced. It was in this year that the county commenced offering bounties for volunteers and a number of the loyal men of the community enlisted. The part that this county took in the great war, together with the names of the veterans who afterward made this their home, will be told in another chapter.
The year 1864 was almost a repetition of 1863 and saw but little growth, either in town or county. It is illustrative of the far off condition of our people that the heighth of the war spirit did not reach us until the last months of the rebellion's history.
161
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
The close of the rebellion brought a new era to the county. Some of the soldier boys returned and others, who were hardened to camp life and ready to exchange the adversities of war for the adversities of the frontier, came to the new west. The railroad was also approaching at the rate of a mile a day and all this gave new courage and spirit to the settlers. Mr. N. J. Wheeler came to Denison on the first passenger train, which reached here November 3, 1866. The station was in a box car near McHenry's farm. Mr. Wheeler, whose father al- ready lived here, had secured an option on a school section, section 16, in Soldier township, and first went there to live. The oldest settler in that vicinity at the time was a Mr. Dowd, who lived in a willow log cabin. There was a stage sta- tion on the West Soldier on the stage line from Denison to Sioux City. After remaining a season on the Soldier Mr. Wheeler returned to Denison and he has, from memory, described for us what he found here at that time. He clerked in a frame store where now the Racket store stands on Main street. The court- house was erected. Mr. Denison lived in his brick house where the Gronau resi- dence now stands. W. A. McHenry lived on the property just west, now owned by Dr. Boyle. Morris McHenry lived on the site of the J. B. Roman's prop- erty. There were but few buildings south of Broadway, and these included a small brick schoolhouse, the residence of A. D. Molony, a saloon which stood on the present site of the Methodist church, and the Methodist parsonage of which we have spoken. Elmer Howe had a store where the Gulick block now stands on Main street, Mr. Laub being farther down the street. Mrs. Seagraves had a store on the Bulletin lot. There were three hotels, the Highland House, the Denison House, and Acker's Hotel, which occupied the present site of the Merchant's Hotel. The Review office was on the present site of the W. A. McHenry resi- dence, occupying the old log school. The first lumber yard was owned by Wheeler and Warner, Mr. C. H. De Wolf being their representative. He built the North- western depot and had yards in that vicinity. Mr. Samuel Sprecher had a store building located on the site of the residence of Mr. C. Green. This building was afterward moved up town and is still standing, being occupied by the Denison Auto Company as a garage. Dr. Davis came about this time and was located in a little drug store on what we call "the bookstore corner." Among the new- comers at this time, 1867, were Mr. James Greenough and Mr. Charles Bullock, who started a drug store on Main street, and Mr. C. F. Cassady who, after clerk- ing, became the proprietor of the Chicago Store and later of the Acker hotel which he called the Commercial House.
It was soon after the coming of the railroad that the county suffered its first real invasion from the grasshoppers. The old settlers tell us that they came like a cloud one September afternoon, alighting in the cornfields. By night the fields were stripped of their blades. The corn itself was not greatly damaged, but the grasshoppers laid their eggs and the great damage came the next year when the young were hatched and ate every green thing. It is reliably told that the grass- hoppers were so thick upon the railroad grade near the McWilliams farm that freight trains were stalled, unable to run over the slippery tracks, and that the farmers were called on to clear the rails in front of the trains. The farmers made wooden or galvanized iron troughs, which they filled with kerosene. These were attached behind a drag and driven across the fields. The drag caused the ·Vol. I-11
162
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
grasshoppers to jump and many of them fell into the troughs and were killed. Wagon loads of them were killed in this way, but in spite of all efforts much damage was done. It is reported that Mr. Samuel Luney succeeded in saving a forty acre field of wheat by the diligent use of this grasshopper exterminator and that his was almost the only good piece of wheat in East Boyer township. When the grasshoppers finally migrated Mr. Wheeler tells us that they rose in great clouds, going to the southeast and obscuring the sun for hours. The times were good, however, in spite of the grasshoppers, from the coming of the railroad until the panic of 1873.
CHAPTER XIX.
THIRD DECADE.
1870-1880.
We have before us a copy of the Denison Review printed July 16, 1869. Of the previous issues, when Mr. George W. Stephens was its editor, we have no copies. We believe we can give no better picture of the Denison of that day than by describing the little paper which reflected its life. It is a little six column, four page paper. It was published by J. D. Ainsworth. Among the business cards we find those of D'r. William Iseminger, physician and surgeon ; J. W. Denison, real estate; J. D. Miracle, attorney at law ; D. L. Gillette, proprietor Denison House ; J. M. Acker, proprietor American House. There were also the cards of Dr. J. B. Cline, of Jefferson, who stated that he would visit Denison the second weeks in July and October ; also the cards of Samuel Gonser, an attorney of Peter- son, Clay county, Iowa; W. H. Nixon advertised as a painter and paper hanger ; W. T. Spillman as a real estate agent in Denison and Charter Oak; Edward Miles and George Dann were carpenters, builders and general jobbers; Mr. Abner Graves called attention to his new stock of furniture and watches at the old Craw- ford House, while A. Warner advertised lumber. The first page of the paper was devoted to general literature, the second to Iowa news and the proceedings of the board of supervisors.
. Among the real estate transfers we notice one hundred acres sold for seven hundred dollars; another hundred acres purchased by Michael Purcell for one thousand dollars; several eighties sold for a thousand dollars ; a quarter section for thirteen hundred dollars and forty acres in Milford township for eighty dollars.
Among the business houses advertising were Greenough & Bullock, druggists ; R. Heffelfinger, hardware; S. Sprecher, groceries; C. F. Cassaday, dry goods; O. K. Prouty, harness ; and J. W. Denison as agent of the Providence Western Land Company. These were all the local advertisements. The railroad time table shows two passenger trains daily in each direction, except Sundays, when there was but one. Three freight trains ran each way daily, except Sundays.
The church directory shows two churches, the Methodist, with Rev. W. E. Smith as pastor; and the Baptist, with Rev. George Scott. Mr. C. H. De Wolf was agent for the Wheeler & Warner Lumber Company. Among the items of
163
164
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
interest is the announcement that a sidewalk has just been completed in front of the Baptist church on Main street, and that the same church has ordered an organ, at the expense of three hundred and fifty dollars.
The next issue contains the card of H. N. Wheeler, justice of the peace. Suc- ceeding issues tell that Freeman Knowles is building a house; that Charles Bul- lock is erecting a home and Sheriff Blankenship is reported to have sold one hun- dred and twenty acres of land to Martin McKim for six hundred and ninety-six dollars, and two hundred acres for eleven hundred and fifty dollars to S. J. Comfort.
Some of the dangers of frontier life will be better understood from the fol- lowing item: "A son of Elder Scott's the other evening while picking up chips picked up a rattlesnake and put it in the basket, thinking it was a piece of cloth. He did not perceive his mistake until he heard it rattle. He dropped it 'instanter.' Fortunately for him the snake did not attempt to bite."
Among the arrivals at the hotel whose names are still familiar we note those of T. J. Hoffman, Thomas Dobson and J. G. Vassar. As the newspaper progresses it attracts new advertisers, among whom we find Asa Rust, boot and shoe maker, corner Main and Tremont streets; and a variety store, selling dry goods, clothes, boots and shoes, groceries, "Yankee notions," and agricultural implements, all of which are sold by H. C. Laub.
In August, 1869, the current market prices in the Denison market were, wheat, $1.00; oats, 40 cents; flour, $3.50 per hundred weight; corn, $1.00; beef, 6 to IO cents ; potatoes, $1.00; dried apples, 20 cents pound; dried peaches, 20 cents pound; butter, 15 to 20 cents ; sugar, 14 to 19 cents a pound; syrup, $1.25 to $1.50 per gallon ; coffee, 27 to 40 cents pound; candles, 30 cents pound; lard, 20 cents ; salt, per barrel, $3.75.
That our city was growing in refinement may well be noted by the first adver- tisement of a music teacher, "Lovina Colton, of Vevy, Indiana," who proposed to give lessons if a class of fifteen could be obtained. An extract from the Mag- nolia Star gives a picture of the Denison of 1869:
"Denison occupies a beautiful tract of upland and is a thriving and sprightly town; has a neat, brick courthouse which would be an honor to older and more densely populated counties, two churches, Methodist and Baptist. The church buildings are good, especially the Baptist. There are three dry goods stores, one drug store, one grocery store, two agricultural warehouses, two grain ware- houses, two hotels, one harness shop, one shoe shop, one hardware store, two furniture stores, one wagon shop, one tailor, one billiard hall, one bank, one flour- ing and saw mill, one painter, one lumber yard, four lawyers and one printing office."
That this was a town of some importance in western Iowa is shown by the fact that the western Iowa Baptist association held its meeting in Denison. The churches of Adel, Guthrie Center, Jefferson, Kendrick, Lake Creek, Logan, Panora, Sioux City, Maple Valley ; Vermillion, Dakota territory ; Yankton, Dakota territory : and Denison being represented.
After this date the county filled so rapidly that it will be impossible to give the names of the many new arrivals from time to time. We are fortunate, how- ever, in being able to reproduce a list of the registered voters of Denison and
--
EP :. :
SCENE IN DENISON IN THE '70s
-
165
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
East Boyer townships in 1869. Nearly all of these names are familiar and many of them will recall volumes of history in and of themselves, and therefore we have decided to give this list the considerable space which it requires, believing that it will be of much interest :
"Charles Ainsworth, Allen Alcorn, Alonzo Abernethy, J. D. Ainsworth, Stephen Bassett, Joseph Brogden, B. W. Burk, James Burk, Edwin Bachelder, S. P. Blankenship, J. R. Bassett, R. P. Bartley, Judson Bond, A. F. Bond, Charles Bullock, L. Bundy, A. W. Coburn, F. W. Coburn, J. B. Coburn, A. B. Conyne, James M. Coleman, Martin Conroy, J. S. Comstock, G. D. Chapin, L. Cornwell, A. Cornwell, W. J. Cochran, Sen Cochran, Cornelius Crisp, William Crisp, T. Chapman, C. F. Cassaday, John Daily, George Dann, J. W. Denison, Thomas Doty Day, C. H. De Wolf, A. F. French, Thomas Finney, W. J. Graham, S. H. Brant, L. C. Goodrich, Isaac Gillmor, William Goodrich, John Gilbreath, Abner Graves, I. B. Goodrich, Daniel Gillett, James Greenough, Philetus Havelin, Reuben Heffelfinger, Milton Hendricks, W. E. Hitchcock, Thomas Hays, William Hart, Elmer Howe, D. D. Harkness, William Iseminger, John Kelley, John Killion, Andrew Kiser, Freeman Knowles, H. C. Laub, Thomas Luney, Samuel Luney, William Luney, Matthew Lewis, W. L. Lyon, Philip Lochmiller, Cas- per Lochmiller, Laughery, A. D. Molony, J. D. Miracle, Edward Miles, Michael Molony, Jr., Michael Molony, Sr., Thomas Morris, Hiram Matthews, Hugh Mc- Williams, David McWilliams, Albert Marshall, A. W. Manning, Cary Matthews, Morris McHenry, William McHenry, F. H. Morgan, J. L. McClellan, William Nixon, D. S. or C. D. Nash, E. P. Partridge, O. K. Prouty, Oscar Parker, W. A. Porter, Michael Riddle, N. Richards, James Rollins, Joseph Rankins, A. Rust, J. Robenalt, Moses Riddle, Daniel Riddle, James Smyth, Samuel B. Smyth, A. C. Smith, George Stephens, Samuel Sprecher, J. D. Seagraves, M. Stone, John Spear, Solomon Slater, James Slater, A. J. Seabury, I. C. Seabury, Joseph Smith, Rev. George Scott, Rev. B. Shinn, E. Van Vliet, H. H. Wescott, Marcus Wright, D. F. Woodruff, John West, N. J. Wheeler, Orville Wheeler, H. N. Wheeler, John Wade, James Williams, and William Weatherby.
It is hoped that by this time the reader has a picture in his mind of the little village as it was when the year 1870 dawned upon it. We confess that the history of the decade preceding is not as complete as it might be, but the material at hand is very limited, compiled from the memories of the older settlers, which memories are naturally incomplete and at times contradictory. In fact the written history of Denison begins practically with July, 1869, from which time the news- paper files of the city are available. Get well in mind a little village of from two hundred to three hundred population, a magnificent brick courthouse, thirty by forty feet in dimension, the palatial brick residence of Mr. Denison, the main street with its straggling line of frame business houses, the little brick school- house, the few scattered residences, the saloon where the Methodist church now stands, the depot with its cluster of lumber yards and elevators, in the district later christened by J. Fred Meyers as "the navy yard," and the mill down by the river, and you have almost a complete reproduction of the Denison of that day.
As we have noted, the time from the coming of the railroad to the panic of 1873 was one of prosperity and enterprise. The Baptist church was erected on
166
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
Main street ; Albert Palmer located a blacksmith shop; J. L. McClellan leased the American House and changed its name to the Eagle Hotel; and the firm of Mc- Henry & Brother, bankers, began its business career as a corporation on April 26, 1869. This business was a natural growth and marked an epoch in the advance of the village. As early as 1858 Morris McHenry as county treasurer had charge of the only safe in the county, so that he naturally became the custo- dian of what little idle money there was. This led to what became a banking business. The first written certificate of deposit was given to John Purdy in the spring of 1864. The first checks were drawn on Officer & Pusey's Bank, Council Bluffs, which was the commercial center of all western Iowa. After a few years checks were drawn on B. F. Allen's Bank, at Des Moines. In 1866 drafts were sold on Chicago and the business was extended until exchange was sold on New York and the principal European cities. In 1865 the business having grown too large for one man to handle, Morris McHenry took in with him as partner Mr. W. A. McHenry. No bank was organized, however, and we have before us a tax receipt issued to A. B. Conyne, March 8, 1865, on which appears the adver- tisement of Morris McHenry & Company, land and tax paying office. It was not until 1869 that this business was dignified with the name of a bank. In 1872 we find it noted that bank fixtures were received and in 1874 the town was electri- fied by the announcement that Morris McHenry & Brother had decided to build a brick bank building on the northwest corner of Main and Broadway, on the lot south of Mr. Cavanaugh's, the structure to be twenty-two by sixty-four feet and two stories high. Later these dimensions were increased by the purchase of addi- tional ground from Mr. Cavanaugh, and villagers were delighted by the further announcement that a town hall would be included in the second story. This hall was the scene of all social, political and theatrical gatherings for many years.
In 1871 the erection of a brick residence by A. F. Bond, on the corner of Church and Pine street, was a notable event.
In 1870 among the business men there were H. N. Wheeler, justice of the peace; W. H. Nixon, painter; J. W. Denison, real estate, and later engaged in the lumber and grain business ; J. D. Miracle, lawyer ; Miles and Dann, carpenters ; D. L. Gillette, proprietor Denison House ; C. F. Cassaday, merchant ; Heffelfinger & Co., hardware; O. K. Prouty, harnessmaker; C. H. De Wolf, lumber; S. Sprecher, groceries; Greenough & Bullock, drugs; H. C. Laub, general store; and Morris McHenry & Brother, bankers. Among the next newcomers was Mr. Claus Sievers, with his harness shop. J. S. Gilbreath established a broom fac- tory in 1871 ; and in the same year there was agitation for the establishment of a cheese factory, which finally materialized, and opened for business in 1874 under the direction of D. D. Harkness, who soon shipped the first Crawford county cheese to the Chicago market. This factory was followed by a stock concern and the officers were as follows: E. S. Plimpton, president ; J. W. Wightman, vice president ; George W. Stephens, secretary; L. Cornwell, treasurer; and S. E. Thew, H. W. Gould, and C. F. Cassaday, directors.
During the early years the sidewalk question occupied that place in the public mind which the paving question does today. There were meetings of citizens and formations of associations. In 1873 an association was formed to build a sidewalk from Main street down Broadway to Locust, thence down Locust to
167
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
the depot. A. F. Bond was president, William McHenry, secretary, and L. A. Sewell, treasurer, while the subscription committee was composed of C. F. Cassa- day, Morris McHenry, G. W. Fox, R. Heffelfinger, H. C. Laub, E. S. Plimpton and W. A. McHenry. The railroad company and the Providence Western Land Company each donated one hundred dollars for sidewalk purposes, and on May 13th the lumber arrived and operations commenced in earnest. The first street crossing ever made in the town was put down in 1872 by Messrs. Laub and Heffelfinger between their stores. The crossing from Cassaday's store to the Review office was the first one across which a loaded team passed, in 1873. Per- haps it would be interesting to note where that hard fought for sidewalk com- menced and ended. According to the Denison paper, "The initial point is at Wheeler & Warner's lime house on the sidetrack at the depot, thence north past the residences of J. C. Burk, G. W. Fox, Dr. Iseminger, M. Stone-the lumber is on the ground for building in front of the Grave's lots-R. Heffelfinger ; here a crossing takes you right to Charley Cassaday's gate; thence north again past the Eaton lots to the residence of E. Liddle, thence east past James Williams' and Morris McHenry's abodes, thence down the hill and up again past the Burk house barn. Here, for the time being, the walk terminates, but it will not be many days before Mr. Laub will have it completed around his premises, when you can go straight east to the corner, then north to Prouty's, thence across the street to the postoffice. From there you can go due north to the Denison residence, then west to the residence of W. A. McHenry, or you can come north to Cassa- day's store and thence east across the street and then north to the Gardner House. This we believe to be the extent of the sidewalks as built up to this time. The crossings should be graded up as rapidly as possible and we trust that our road supervisor, Mr. McAhren, will lose no time in performing his part of the work. Here is an instance illustrative of what united efforts on the part of citizens can accomplish. Why not carry the same unison yet further, build more walks, and even organize a Citizens' Association for the purpose of not only encouraging but of building manufacturing interests here. With unison and capital, and capital will seek investment when it is encouraged, Denison can be made a large manu- facturing town."
In 1873 Mr. Laub's magnificent brick building was completed and H. S. Gulick, of Clinton, erected a frame dwelling; B. H. Wiggins built a brick black- smith shop immediately west of the Review office; Mr. Kuhn erected a residence ; Lester's residence and photograph gallery assumed shape; C. F. Cassaday made arrangements for the erection of a store on Court avenue; Greenough & Bullock planned for the erection of a large two story brick; William Goodrich built a handsome residence ; M. Stone built a grain and lumber office ; Miss Horton built the building on Main street and established a millinery emporium; George W. Stephens erected a building east of Phinney's tailor shop for the establishment of a second printing office; Mr. Norman built a brick house in the western part of town and the Hird residence was erected south of the depot. Father Rust and A. McCarthy built themselves a home on Broadway. Among the other build- ings of 1873 we note the residences of N. F. Smith, L. A. Sewell, W. W. War- rick, Ed Trowbridge, A. L. Barrett, Thomas Doty, R. M. Kuhn, L. J. Carter, S. S. Lewis, Harry Scaggs, Mr. Shangfeldt, Charles Wood, and George Chase ;
168
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
Miller Brothers erected a store and residence ; Ed Liddle a wagon and blacksmith shop, while the Catholic society erected the third church edifice of which the town boasted. It will be seen that 1873 was a busy year. It was in this year also that Mr. Sprecher sold his grocery to A. J. Bond and Milton Hendricks; John V. Patterson purchased an interest in Laub's store; C. Green burnt his first kiln of four hundred thousand brick; and on August 27, 1873, we find the following important announcement :
"Messrs. Miller Brothers recently purchased of R. Heffelfinger the lot now occupied by his warehouse, paying therefor the sum of four hundred dollars. Mr. Heffelfinger will move the warehouse to the rear of his store. The new firm will erect a building and engage in the grocery trade at present, with the intention of adding thereto dry goods, clothing, and boots and shoes." In the fall of the year we also find, "Miller Brothers hung out the first German sign last week that has ever appeared in this place." A. L. Barrett in this year be- gan his career as a vender of meat ; J. B. Dunbar came from Vermont and leased the Cornwell mill; Mr. H. C. Laub, having reached the ripe age of fifty years "is about to retire from active business, leaving the management to younger men ;" the new firm was Laub & Company, the partners being G. W. Dewey, of New York; J. V. Patterson, of Ohio, and M. Y. Baker, of Baltimore. Asa Rust, who had been so long located on the southeast corner of Main and Tremont that "Rust's shop" as one of the land marks, moved to Broadway; the enterprising
newspaper reporter rounding up the business of the town the last day of the year, 1873, learned that M. Stone had purchased 87,000 bushels of wheat ; 2,500 bushels of barley; 2,000 bushels of corn, and 1,300 bushels of oats, and that since the 20th of August he had sold lumber to the amount of $8,150. J. W. Denison bought 20,000 bushels of wheat; came to the amount of $1,200; 30,000 lbs. of pork, and his lumber sales reached $2,500. C. H. De Wolf since the Ist of August had sold lumber to the amount of $7,000. The interesting reporter also adds: "The first dry goods and grocery store kept in Denison was owned by J. W. Denison in 1856, and was kept in the building now occupied by Rust's boot and shoe manufactory. In the same year, earlier in the season, the steam flouring mill of Reynolds and Company was drawn in by between ten and fifteen yoke of oxen on wagons."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.