USA > Iowa > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 8
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Grove, Mason settling on the east side of the grove and Skinner on the south. Mr. Franklin Prentice and his two little boys were living on the west side. These families, with the Dunham family, at Dunham's Grove, comprised all the families in the county during 1851.
"During the fall of this year a small band of the Sioux Indians from Min- nesota, were passing through this country. They came to Galland's Grove in the north part of Shelby county, and there stole a pony of Captain James M. Butler. They came on up to Mason's Grove, and at the home of Jesse Mason stole an auger, and I believe some other things, Mason, and the other men, being up at Four Mile Grove (near Ells) for a few days hunt. Mason came back to camp ahead of the other hunters and found the Indians in possession and about to appropriate everything in sight. Mason knew the Indians too well to try to scare them by shooting. He cut himself a good big whip and took after them, hitting all that he could reach and told them to "get right out of there!" and drove them all out of the grove and across the Boyer river. You will notice that all places hereabouts were located by 'Groves.' We had no towns and people had to live near groves in order to get fuel and building material, and to have neighbors.
"Mason settled in section 17, Milford township, just east of Deloit. Levi L. Skinner settled on section 19, in the same township.
"Mason bought a cabin and claim for fifty dollars that Mr. Prentice had made on the east side of the grove, and Prentice took another claim and built a cabin, on the Boyer bottom on the west side of the grove. His claim was in section 18, Milford township, and section 13, Goodrich township. Prentice's family was a wife and two small boys, Chauncey F. and Jacob L. Mason's family consisted of himself and wife and five daughters, Elizabeth, Jane, Mar- garet, Angeline and Matilda, and two prospective sons-in-law, George J. and Noah V. Johnson. The Skinner family was made up of Skinner and wife, one son and one daughter, one step-son, three step-daughters and Calvin Horr, a prospective son-in-law. In 1851 James M. Butler, of Galland's Grove, en- gaged Lorenzo Dow Rudd to build him a cabin in North Grove, in the south- west corner of what is now Union township, Crawford county. He was as- sisted by John Rudd, S. R. Rudd, and Walter Jackson. In this cabin was born the first white child born in Crawford county, Don J. Butler, son of James M. and Catherine Butler, on April 16, 1852. The next births, and long thought to be the first born, were the Mason twins, David and Jesse, born September 12, 1852. Thomas Dobson, who played a prominent part in the early settle- ment of the county, came in 1852 and settled in Mason's Grove, near the Boyer river. With him or soon thereafter, came his father, who began the erection of a mill on the Boyer, which proved a great blessing to this community and the country north and west. Settlers from Ida Grove, Mapleton, Smithland, and even as far north as Cherokee, came to it to get their corn ground and a little lumber. Thus, at the end of 1852, the population of the county was made up of only some six families. In this year, however, the government surveys were commenced by a Mr. Anderson, who surveyed the county into townships of six miles square, George and Noah V. Johnson assisting him as chainmen. In 1852 A. R. Hunt settled at Mason's Grove. Benjamin Dobson brought on
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his family and continued to work on his mill. Edmund Howorth with his sons, Edmund and Daniel, and daughters, Sarah and Mary, settled at Bee Tree Grove in Union township. This Bee Tree Grove was a two bee tree, or three bee tree, I have forgotten which. These two families made up the immigrants for 1853. The government surveys were completed this year.
"On October 12, 1853, Rev. Thomas Dobson, of the original Latter Day Saints church, united in marriage George J. Johnson and Elizabeth Mason, Noah V. Johnson and Jane Mason, Calvin Horr and Elizabeth H. Mowery. The licenses were procured from the county judge of Shelby county.
"In 1854 came John A. Dunham, son of Cornelius Dunham (the first set- tler) with his family and occupied the farm first settled by his father, who moved down the Boyer, near Dunlap, in Boyer township. With John A. Dun- ham came his father-in-law, Rufus Richardson, who settled at Mason's Grove; also Clark Winans, B. F. Wicks, E. W. Fowler and D. J. Fowler, who likewise settled there. John Gilbreath and John R. Bassett settled at Coon Grove, and Mathias Didra, all in Denison township. William H. Jordan, Robert D. But- terworth, and Charles Kennedy settled in Union township. Walter Jackson, who assisted in the erection of the Butler cabin, must have been in the county, for he is said to have died in the county in August, 1854, and his was said to have been the first death, John A. Dunham, who died in December of that year, being the second. John Gilbreath made the first entry of government land, the southwest quarter of section 36, Denison township.
"1855 was a notable year, for John Dobson and Lucy Winans were married February 18 of that year. John had to face the storm and cold and travel something like one hundred miles into the Nishnabotny country to find the county judge of Shelby county to get the license. John and Lucy are still liv- ing (1902) on the same section on which they were married, loved and respected by all. The old farm has become a town with two railroads, known as Deloit. In this year the settlers at Mason's Grove were Isaac B. Goodrich, S. B. Greek, John Purdy, Henry C. Laub, S. S. Sisley, James Slater and Solomon Slater. In Union township: S. E. Dow, S. J. Comfort, John Vore, Cyrus B. Whitmore and Reuben Vore.
"In April of this year, 1855, was held the first election. It was held in Coon Grove, I think, at a squatter's cabin, named Harrison.
"At the August election, 1855, John R. Bassett was elected county judge and B. F. Wicks, treasurer and recorder. On September 15, 1855, Judge Bas- sett issued his first marriage license, to Samuel G. Kennedy and Mary Howorth, who were married, by him, at his home in Coon Grove.
"J. W. Denison entered a large amount of land for the Providence West- ern Land Company in the winter of 1855 and 1856. On May 24, 1856, the county seat was located on section II, township 83, range 39, and the town named Denison. In this year quite an increase in the population was had. George C. King, William J. Todd, John B. Huckstep, Edwin Cadwell, Tracy Chapman, Esau McKim, Robert H. Darling, Reuben Blake, O. F. Wight, Joseph Brogden, Eli Baer, and Morris McHenry settled at Mason's Grove; B. B. Bishop, H. B. Ernst and Stephen B. Conner in the southwest part of the county. In September of this year, was surveyed the first county road, Jesse
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the spot selected for the building site. Each end of every log was saddled and notched, so that they would lie close down, and the cabin was built up seven or eight feet high. When at this height, the next log laid lengthwise would be set in three feet from the outside edge of the cabin, then set on another end log, then set the next lengthwise log in three feet, and so on until the gable of the cabin was formed. It was then ready to cover with clapboards, which were usually cut from a straight grained tree, of four feet length, and were put over the roof, breaking joints. Snow would sometimes sift through the roof.
"The chimney was made by cutting an open place in one of the walls, as were likewise the windows and the door. If no window glass was available, greased paper was used in its stead. Inside, the houses were chinked and daubed by driving in cordwood sticks and daubing with clay, wet to the proper consist- ency, and put on in much the same way plaster is now applied."
Mr. Lawson also gives us the following interesting incidents concerning early milling difficulties :
"The first mill was built by Mr. Chatburn on the Boyer river near Woodbine (Harrison county) in 1854. He manufactured his mill stones from large boulders such as we find scattered upon our prairies. He used the leather tanned from an ox hide for making the belts and by his inventive genius he constructed a mill suitable for the grinding of corn. As an instance of the obstacles with which the early pioneers had to combat, we recite how, on one occasion, when these belts became softened by the rainfall, they were devoured by the ravenous wolves that over-ran the country, causing the mill to be put out of service until leather could be obtained from the east."
His description of the Indian raids is as follows :
"In the fall of 1853 the first Indian troubles commenced. The settlers in the different groves had not yet been troubled by Indian depredations and were indifferent and unbelieving when the strolling trappers told them that the In- dians were beginning to be hostile. In September, 1853, Bill Reed was sitting in his cabin in the village of Manteno (which was a postoffice just on the western margin of Galland's Grove, in Shelby county) with three or four set- tlers, when the cabin door opened and in walked twelve Sioux warriors, who immediately commenced clearing the house of all they could find to eat. The settlers sat like statues, Indian style, uttering no word, maintaining this sen- sible attitude until after the departure of the Indians who ruthlessly took what- ever they could lay their hands on, and started for the homes of other settlers. They would intimidate the settlers by their hideous warwhoops. During the same fall the Indians camped one evening about two miles south of Dowville. The whole community was alarmed. During the day most of the settlers had been robbed. A favorite pony was stolen from Jim Butler and he was deter- mined to have it dead or alive. During the night the settlers gathered together -their number was about twenty. All were armed with rifles or shot guns. They came upon the camp of the Indians where they were roasting the stolen chickens and pork of the settlers. W. H. Jordan, who understood the peculiari- ties of Indian warfare, took charge of the plan of action and he advised the shooting of all the guns simultaneously for the purpose of alarming not only the Indians but surrounding settlers as well. The Indians immediately on
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hearing the volley, broke camp and started on a retreat toward Mason's Grove, taking with them the Butler pony, though of this the settlers were not aware as they had decided to defer an attack until the next morning. On approach- ing their camp the next morning and finding they had departed, they set out in pursuit, following the track of the pony which the Indians had stolen. They traced them to Mason's Grove, where the Indians had done considerable plunder- ing, and followed on their trail until night approached, taking up the trail left by the pony's hoofs again the next morning and Mr. Butler persisted in his pursuit until the Indians had almost reached Des Moines before he recovered his pony, a feat which he accomplished by bribing an Indian to aid him in entic- ing it away from their camp."
CHAPTER XI.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
We have seen that the first township election was held in 1854, but at that time the county was still under the jurisdiction of Shelby county. A petition was circulated, and, in 1855, Crawford became a separate political entity. Tem- porary officers were elected in April and permanent officers at the regular elec- tion, which was then held in the month of August. These first permanent offi- cers were, John R. Bassett, county judge; B. F. Wicks, treasurer and recorder ; and Thomas Dobson, district clerk. The county judge was in reality the entire government. He acted not only as judge but was, in and of himself, the board of supervisors. Judge Bassett, our second county judge, is worthy of more than passing comment. He lived to a ripe old age, each year but adding to the love and esteem in which he was held. We quote from the sketch of his life published at the time of his death, in 1892:
"John Richardson Bassett was born in Cayuga county, New York, Novem- ber 9, 1811. He was married, to Sophia Nobles, on February 5, 1835, and re- moved to Crawford county, Iowa, in 1854. Upon the organization of the county he was elected county judge and served successive terms for ten years. Under his supervision the county seat was located, named, and the present courthouse built. He was baptized and became a member of the First Baptist church of Denison in May, 1860, under the ministrations of Rev. J. W. Denison, the pastor.
"Judge Bassett was one of the oldest citizens of the county. His first home was in a log cabin in Coon Grove, three miles south of Denison. This home was known for miles around, as the Judge and his wife were noted for their hospi- tality. It was while living here that he acted as county judge. In the early days this was the most important office in the county. The Judge was greatly adverse to debt, and it was due to his strong stand that Crawford county was not plunged in indebtedness in the years of its early history. He also filled the posts of justice of the peace, township clerk, school director and road supervisor, and in every capacity he always placed the public interest foremost, and dis- charged every trust with fidelity. He was not merely personally honest, but he saw to it that no one else robbed the public-which is quite a different thing and requires a higher degree of moral courage.
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"For seventeen or more years he lived in the pretty woods one mile north- east of Denison. Later he resided in Dow City, in South Dakota, and finally in Arion. After leaving the farm, he ever made his home with his only daugh- ter, Mrs. Richards. Not the least of the nobler qualities of the judge was shown in the tender care he gave his invalid wife for many years when she was so helpless that her time was spent in bed or in a comfortable chair. On Feb- ruary 5, 1885, their friends gathered at their home to celebrate their golden wedding. The testimonials of esteem bestowed at that time showed clearly the high consideration in which they were held by all who knew them.
"Judge Bassett died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ellen Richards, at Arion, on Saturday, December 17, 1892, at 10:00 P. M. The funeral services were conducted at the Baptist church in Denison on Monday at 2:30 P. M. The sermon, preached by Rev. Coffee, of Dow City, was most appropriate. Speaking for the old settlers, Mr. E. S. Plimpton gave the deceased many fitting words of praise. The pallbearers were Morris McHenry, Edmund Howorth, George Barr, W. W. Coon, David Rush and George Shinn, the four first named being old settlers of the county. The attendance at the church was large. Burial was made in the Denison cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Richards and their daughters, Mr. and Mrs. Slocumb, Mr. Charles Noble and son, Marion, were the immediate relatives in attendance.
"Judge Bassett was a devout Christian, a doer of good deeds. Despite the adversities of life, he seemed always cheerful and hopeful. His life is an ex- ample of the honors which can be obtained by conscientiously doing one's duty, fearlessly and honestly before God. His life work was well done and he is now at peace with his Father above."
In regard to the other county officers; the clerk held an office which would correspond, today, with that of auditor and clerk of the court. Going back to the records, now housed in our beautiful courthouse, we find a musty old vol- ume, the pages, blue and the writing, brown and dim. In this book, the first record is dated, September 3, 1855, and is a court call by the county judge, the business on hand being a road petition in the vicinity of Deloit. This petition was not allowed-establishing a precedent which has been followed by the board of supervisors many times. On December 3, of the same year, it is recorded that the county judge, the clerk and recorder met and presented their different accounts of moneys received by them, from August Ist to December Ist, and divided the same between them according to law. The whole amount received to apply on their salaries was seventeen dollars and forty-five cents, which was divided as follows: John R. Bassett, county judge, five dollars and seventy- five cents; Thomas Dobson, clerk, three dollars; Benjamin F. Wicks, recorder, eight dollars and seventy cents. The first marriage license was recorded Sep- tember 4, 1855, the contracting parties being Samuel Kennedy and Mary Ho- worth. In March, 1856, the south tier of townships was set apart as a separate township, to be called Union township. This was the first subdivision made of the county, all the north part still being Milford township. David J. Fowler was the sheriff, and in November, 1856, it is recorded that he received, as sal- ary, four dollars and fifty cents. This, however, included services as clerk of election. The temporary county judge was E. W. Fowler and, for his services
JOHN R. BASSETT First County Judge
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prior to the regular election, he was allowed four dollars and sixty cents. The minutes of the board are very limited and show that the volume of business was not much larger than the salaries. On March 12, 1857, Mr. Wicks was al- lowed twelve dollars and eighty-seven cents for his services, one year, as treas- urer and recorder. In January, 1857, the board met to equalize assessments. This board was comprised of Judge Bassett, Morris McHenry, assessor, John B. Swain, sheriff, and Morris McHenry as surveyor. The first tax levy recorded was as follows: County, six mills ; state, two; road, one ; school, one-half ; road poll tax, one dollar ; county poll, fifty cents ; "also one day's work, or one dollar, on the highway for all who are able-bodied men." In June, 1857, John Purdy took his place as, clerk, succeeding Mr. Dobson. In March, 1858, a new sub- division was made, and the township of Denison was created. The order of the county judge reads as follows: "Jacob Whitinger, you are hereby commanded to post up, in three of the most public places in the now being newly organized township, fifteen days previous to the 15th of April, 1858, boundaries of the new township, to be as follows: Commencing with the northwest corner of Union township, on the east side of Monona county, running due east along Union township line twenty-four miles, until it strikes the west side of Carroll county, thence north eight miles, thence due west, twenty-four miles, until it strikes Monona county, thence south to place of beginning. The above bound township to be set off for election and revenue purposes, to be known and called by the name of Denison township. March 15, 1858. John R. Bassett, county judge."
These boundaries were frequently changed and the townships were made ir- regular in shape. As early as 1860 we find that section I, township 82, range 39, being what is now the northeast corner of Washington township, was taken from Union and added to Denison. Following down the pages of the minute book we come to many interesting items. In August, 1858, Morris McHenry was allowed eighteen dollars as secretary to the district clerk, and Thomas Dob- son was allowed twenty-five dollars, the same being six months salary as our first county superintendent of schools. In March, 1859, H. C. Laub earned two dollars by chopping wood for county offices. At the election, in 1858, Mr. Bas- sett was re-elected judge, Mr. S. E. Dow was made treasurer, and Morris Mc- Henry was continued as surveyor. The tax for this year was, state, three and one-half ; county, five and one-half ; school, one; road, two; road poll, one dollar.
The nature of the country is well shown by the bounties paid for wild ani- mals, among which we note twenty-one wild cats; eleven prairie wolves; two timber wolves; one lynx, and one swift wolf, for each of which a bounty of one dollar and a half was paid. All through the records of the early years we find many bounties paid, both for wolves and wild cats.
As showing the value of lands, we find that, in 1859, prairie lands, in Mil- ford township, owned by non-residents, were assessed at three dollars an acre; in Union township, at two dollars and a half per acre, and lands in Union town- ship, owned by residents, were assessed at two dollars and a half. In 1859 the tax levy was, state, one and one-half; county, six; school, one; teacher's fund for the district township of Denison, two and one-half; contingent, one-half.
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This is the first mention of taxation for Denison township purposes and is quite in contrast to the nearly one hundred mills which we will pay today.
The county seat was located at Denison by John R. Bassett, county judge, upon the request of the Providence Western Land Company, which donated the courthouse square and erected the first courthouse, which was a brick build- ing, just half the size of the old courthouse as it stood for so many years. The first item of expense recorded in connection with the courthouse is a bill of four hundred dollars paid in 1859 to Wright & Bischer, "for finishing courthouse."
In 1858 S. J. Comfort, who was our first prosecuting, or county attorney, received twenty dollars as his year's salary. In 1859 the salaries paid were as follows: B. F. Dobson, one year's salary as sheriff, five dollars; Morris Mc- Henry, deputy treasurer and recorder, twenty-five dollars; John R. Bassett, county judge, forty-six dollars and ten cents ; S. E. Dow, treasurer, twenty-four dollars and ninety-one cents. On April 5, the governing powers held an im- portant meeting, the county judge reporting receipts of fourteen dollars, eighty- five cents; the county clerk, four dollars, eighty-five cents; treasurer and re- corder, eighteen dollars, a total of thirty-seven dollars, seventy cents, which was divided among the three as salaries. In July, 1859, the salaries were as follows : County judge, none; treasurer and recorder, twenty dollars; district clerk, one dollar and five cents. Probably on the strength of this salary, Uncle Morris was encouraged to branch out for himself, for, on December 24, 1859, the min- ute book for the county judge records a marriage license issued to Morris Mc- Henry and Mary L. Comfort. The honeymoon was interrupted, however, for in January, 1866, Mr. McHenry was allowed one dollar and a half for survey- ing the courthouse square.
In 1860 we find that the school fund apportioned by the state, the same being based upon the number of children of school age, was divided as follows: Denison township, one hundred, ninety-three dollars, twenty cents; Milford, one hundred, fifty dollars, twenty-seven cents; and Union, eighty-five dollars, eighty- eight cents. In April of the same year Benjamin Dobson was awarded three hundred, sixteen dollars, sixty-seven cents, for a bridge, appropriated by the public, known as Dobson's bridge, "near the mill of said Dobson." This is the first county bridge to which reference is made. The tax levy for this year was, state, one and one-half; county, four ; school, one.
During 1860 the county was treated to its first real criminal sensation. Joel Yeomen and Sidney Yeomen were accused of stealing from the stable of B. B. Bishop one gray mare and one bay mare, the property of H. C. Laub, of the value of one hundred and fifty dollars. They proceeded northward with said mares, avoiding all roads and public places as much as possible, and John Vore, the sheriff at that time, takes oath that, "I, with others, did track, pursue, and overtake said Joel and Sidney Yeomen, and found said mares in possession of said Joel and Sidney, who fled from us and left said mares and concealed them- selves in bushes, or weeds, and that said Joel and Sidney were there and then arrested, on the 6th day of October, 1860, and that said Joel was brought before John R. Bassett, county judge, and that he plead guilty and was committed to jail." Among other items in this connection we find that Hartwell Jordan, James M. Butler, and Robert Bell were each allowed three dollars and a half
MACE
SELLING THE OLD COURTHOUSE - AUCTION SCENE
THE FIRST TRIAL IN CRAWFORD COUNTY COURTHOUSE. DENISON
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as members of the sheriff's posse; that J. W. Denison was allowed five dollars for printing hand bills for the detection of Sidney Yeomen, who seems to have gotten away, even though arrested in "the bushes and weeds aforesaid;" that S. J. Comfort was allowed two dollars and a half for prosecuting Joel Yeomen, and finally that John Vore was allowed one hundred, thirteen dollars, ten cents, for taking Joel to Fort Madison. This is the first county record of a criminal proceeding.
In 1861 H. C. Laub was allowed twenty dollars salary as county superin- tendent, while H. H. Crowell, editor of the Boyer Valley Record, which led a stormy and precarious existence in Denison for about a year and a half, was al- lowed two dollars and a half for printing blanks; and eighteen dollars, twenty- five cents, for publishing the county proceedings. In this year Morris McHenry was allowed twenty-two dollars, fifty cents, as deputy treasurer for March, while S. J. Comfort received seven dollars and a half for his services as clerk during the same period.
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