USA > Iowa > Decatur County > History of Decatur County, Iowa, and its people, 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
TUSKEEGO
This is only a station on the Burlington Railroad. It was laid out in 1879 on section 20, Bloomington Township, the land being owned by A. M. Jackson. The town was laid out in business and residence lots. The first building was erected in 1879 and the first
182
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
merchant was S. W. Hurst. A postoffice was established there in 1879.
HIGH POINT
This is an old postoffice village in High Point Township. At one time there were several stores there, but now there is little left except the name.
WESTERVILLE
Westerville is an old town situated on Grand River, on section 28, in Richland Township. A postoffice was established at this place in 1853 and Theron Westervelt was appointed postmaster. He named the town. In the following year a village was laid out by William Henshaw and named Milford. This name was afterwards discarded.
Richland Township was settled early by such men as Alexander Brammer, Michael Foland, Theron Westervelt and others. In 1852 a colony from Tennessee settled in the northeast corner of the town- ship, in what was afterward known as Little Tennessee.
Another authority on the early history of this section states that the Town of Westerville was first settled by Henshaw, and was known by the name of Milford until 1855, when Theron Westervelt came from Ohio and built a gristmill and changed the name to Wester- ville. I. P. Lamp was another early settler, also Samuel Landis.
CHAPTER XV
POLITICS IN DECATUR COUNTY
When the County of Decatur first became a definitely organized territory of the State of Iowa, there were but two great parties in power in the country-the democratic and the whig. Decatur County generally favored the former of these. This obtained especially in state and national issues, but, however, in the affairs of the county there was a different status. Until the year 1858, or until the open- ing of the Civil war, a political candidate for a county office depended largely upon his personal popularity and known ability rather than upon his particular party affiliation. The people willingly supported the man whom they thought best, although the majority were pos- sibly adherents of the opposite faith. With the opening of the war, though, it became necessary for each man to be either a supporter of the Government or a secessionist; there was no middle ground. A man claiming to be strictly neutral would be considered doubtfully and very probably hostilely. After the struggle with the South the personal side of county campaigns again bceame evident, although in not such a pronounced manner as before. It is today that a worthy man may be successful in his home county politics even if his party is not the party of the majority of the people.
HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL REMINISCENCES OF DECATUR COUNTY
By An Old Politician
Possibly the political history of Decatur County does not differ materially from that of the other counties of the state, but it will not be denied that our political campaigns have been more of the strenu- ous variety, mainly because the two parties have always been very nearly even in numbers. The democratic organization has ever been under the strictest discipline and led by shrewd and in many instances unscrupulous leaders. In no other county in the state is the opposi- tion more alert and aggressive, and under such circumstances republi- can victories are only won by united effort and under a wise general-
183
184
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
ship. Both parties have always charged the other with machine rule, and bandying back and forth the epithets "boss" and "ring" are prominent features of every campaign.
Party lines were not closely drawn in our county prior to the presidential campaign of 1856. The pioneer settlers were too busy building homes and cultivating fields to attend the caucus and conven- tion, and candidates for office were selected almost solely with refer- ence to their personal popularity. A county seat fight which over- shadowed every other issue, prevailed for several years prior to the location of the county seat in Leon in the spring of the year 1853. Voters divided into the east and west sides and candidates on the east side ticket were generally successful as the members of that faction were more numerous.
Quite a number of pioneers settled in the southern part of Decatur County prior to 1840. Among them were the Hamiltons, Harfields, Stanleys, McDaniels, Logans, Scotts, Millers and. Burrells. Allen and Andrew Scott arrived in the year 1836. Immigrants settled in the southern portion of the county because the boundary line had not been located and that section was supposed to have been in Mis- souri. Allen Scott, who then resided near the present site of Davis City, was indicted by the grand jury of Buchanan County, Mo., for selling whiskey to the Indians. The prosecution was not pushed, however, for the settlement of the boundary line question followed very soon after. Prior to this settlement which occurred in 1853, a number of slaves were held in the southern part of the county. In 1852 John McDaniel owned George, a colored man, and Mr. Dun- can who lived near Lineville, owned a number of slaves. George died in slavery and was buried in the Pleasanton cemetery, where a neat monument has been erected to his memory.
The first court case (mentioned elsewhere) was tried by Judge William McKay. Judge Mckay's knowledge of law was limited and he was strongly addicted to the use of intoxicants.
Samuel Forrey came to our county in 1855 and began to practice law in Leon. He organized the republican party in this section and was the first person who made republican speeches over the county. Up until the time he was appointed judge he was influential in the selection of county candidates and practically dictated the platforms of the party organization. Judge Forrey was born in Columbia, Penn., in 1825.
Party lines on sectional issues were more closely drawn in 1856 than ever before. The republican party that year conducted its first
185
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
national campaign with its first national standard bearer, Col. John C. Fremont, popularly known as the pathfinder. The republican party was in process of formation and practically absorbed the strength of the old whig organization. The main issue was, of course, the slavery question. At the election in 1856 Decatur County polled 650 votes and Buchanan received 240 plurality. There was a strong know nothing sentiment in Hamilton Township and it cast a major- ity of its votes for Millard Fillmore. The county continued strongly democratie for many years, although in 1864 the republicans carried the most of the county ticket by small majorities. It may not be out of place in this connection to venture the opinion that the county always has been really democratic from the commeneing of its his- tory down to the present time.
The campaign of 1856 brought into the limelight of publicity a young man of more than ordinary ability who afterwards became a successful soldier, an able lawyer and jurist, a millionaire and a member of the United States Senate. When nominated for the Legislature by the district composed of the counties of Decatur and Wayne, Thomas M. Bowen had not obtained his majority. though he has commenced the practice of law at Corydon. He was a native of Iowa, gifted as a speaker, a handsome, well-formed young man. After serving one term in the Legislature he lived successively at Bedford and Clarinda. On the breaking out of the Civil war he entered the Union army and was promoted rapidly on account of his soldierly qualities. He was the friend and protege of Gen. James Lane of Kansas and at the close of the war he was a brigadier gen- eral commanding. Having been mustered out of the military service he began the practice of his profession at Little Rock, Ark .. and was soon afterwards made one of the judges of the Supreme Court. At the expiration of his term of office he was appointed governor of a western territory where he served several years and then located in New York City. Having lost all he possessed in speculation he returned to Arkansas, but finding the republican party out of power he remained but a short time, and finally located in Colorado. IIe began to practice and soon became a district judge. He made some remarkably lucky ventures in mining property and was soon reckoned among the wealthy men of that state. His election to the United States Senate is within the memory of all.
The democratic ticket in 1856 was constituted as follows: senator. John W. Warner; representative, Thomas M. Bowen: elerk. George T. Young. The republican candidates were: Mr. Dunean. senator:
186
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
George A. Hawley, representative; Samuel Forrey, clerk. Dr. Sam- uel Dunn was an independent candidate for clerk. A series of joint discussions were arranged between the opposing candidates and in pursuance of said arrangement meetings were held at Garden Grove, High Point, Funk's sawmill, Decatur City, Leon and Pleasanton. The meetings were well attended and all of the candidates partici- pated in the discussion except Doctor Dunn. At the Garden Grove joint debate R. D. Kellogg, afterwards a major in the Thirty-fourth Iowa Infantry, made an attack on Mr. Duncan and charged him with bringing slaves into the state. Samuel Forrey replied that Mr. Dun- can's course showed that he was a good anti-slavery man inasmuch as he had set his slaves free by bringing them into the State of Iowa. Mr. Bowen usually paid special attention to his dress, but during this campaign his attire was so seedy that it attracted attention. Before the Decatur joint debate occurred 1. N. Clark and other democrats went to Bowen and suggested that he improve his dress, as it hardly comported with the dignity of his position and to the one to which he aspired. Bowen replied that the clothes he wore were the best he had and intimated that if they were not satisfactory he was willing to accept a donation. So the democrats chipped in and bought a new coat for Bowen in order that he might present a creditable appear- ance for his joint debates.
The candidates traveled from one meeting to another on horse- back. The joint debate in Leon was held in a building on the lot on which is now located the Advent Church. The entire democratic ticket was elected that fall by a good majority. The campaign was an edu- cational one, free from personalities and charges of rings and bossism.
In the olden times the duties of the county treasurer and recorder were performed by the same person. The two offices, however, were separated in 1865 by provisions of law. The first treasurer and recorder was John Brown who served in 1852. Abner Harbour served in the same capacity in 1853 and his successors in office were John Jordan, Rev. Ira B. Ryan, Samuel C. Cummins, and J. C. Porter. John Jordan served from 1854 to and including the year 1857. He was the father of Charles Jordan later of Enid, Okla., who served as deputy treasurer under Doctor Thompson. John Jordan was a man of more than average ability and accomplished in business matters. He became a prominent member of the Meth- odist Church and was always a zealous democrat. He was a fair representative of a large class of democrats in the county who never ceased work for their party. Mr. Jordan was considered quite
187
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
wealthy at one time, but lost his wealth during the hard times of 1857. He owned the Reed farm north of Davis City.
The first recorder of Decatur County was Luman N. Judd who served in 1865 and was elected as a republican. He also served as county judge. He was a brother of Norman B. Judd, one of the founders of the republican party and who probably did as much as anyone to insure the nomination of Lincoln for the presidency. Lu- man N. Judd was a fine looking man whose abilities were marred by his eccentric conduct. He served in the Union army during the Civil war.
J. C. Porter served the county as treasurer during the years 1864 and 1865. He was succeeded by S. C. Thompson who served from 1866 to 1871. W. W. Ellis was recorder from 1866 to 1868 and W. J. Sullivan from 1869 to 1876. George T. Young was clerk of courts from 1856 to 1862; Nathan Perdew during the years 1863 and 1864; Francis Varga during 1865 and 1866; and Ed K. Pit- man from 1867 to 1870. George Woodbury was sheriff from 1860 to 1863; Ira B. Ryan in 1864 and 1865; and then Woodbury was re-elected and served from 1866 to 1869. Major Kellogg was rep- resentative in 1860, Capt. John Andrews in 1864, T. H. Brown in 1866 and Colonel Peek in 1868. C. G. Bridges of Decatur City served as state senator from 1864 to 1868. Bridges could make a fair speech and was recognized as a man of ability. He was ad- mitted to the bar and practiced law for a time at Decatur City. He was prominently identified with a railroad project which was to have been built from Duluth to Des Moines, then to Kansas City via Decatur and then on to Galveston. Considerable grading was done on the line between Decatur and Terre Haute. Bridges died several years ago in Kansas, having left the county shortly after his term of office expired.
In the pioneer days the republican party had but a slender fol- lowing in the county and no conventions were held until the Civil war, when the party received many accessions. In the old days the republican party was controlled by Samuel Forrey, Dr. John P. Fin- ley and George W. Hale and year after year these three men met together and selected the candidates for the county ticket. Gener- ally the tickets were very shrewdly made up and the party grew stronger until victorious at the polls in 1864. In 1862 Mr. Hale caused to be selected as republican candidate for clerk of the courts I. P. Martin, who was at home fresh from the battlefield of Shiloh where he was severely wounded. Mr. Martin had always been a
188
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
democrat and went to the polls that fall and cast a straight democratic ticket. Not long afterwards, however, he experienced a change of heart and was always afterwards known as a staunch republican.
The political campaign of 1871, though not commencing until September, was one of the most acrimonious ever known in the his- tory of the county. For the first time the existence of a courthouse ring was claimed and that the democratic party was dominated by a machine used for the benefit of an office-holding faction of the party. The democrats held their county convention September 2d and nomi- nated the following ticket: Auditor, George Burton; representative, Dr. S. C. Thompson; treasurer, George Woodbury; sheriff, C. T. Frazee; county superintendent, E. S. Buffum; supervisor, Jacob Hiner; and Mr. Jennings for surveyor. John W. Warner and Doctor Thompson delivered addresses which elicited much enthusiasm among the faithful.
The republicans held their convention a week later and there was a good attendance, every township being represented in full except High Point. Candidates had previously announced them- selves in the columns of the Journal. The ticket selected was as follows: F. Teale, representative; Francis Varga, treasurer; R. E. Dye, auditor; E. J. Sankey, sheriff; J. L. Harvey, superintendent of schools; A. B. Stearns, supervisor; L. H. Northrup, surveyor; J. S. Horner, coroner. A County Central Committee was then selected as follows: P. O. James, Albert Hale, H. G. Stiles, A. M. Post and E. W. Curry.
In the campaign which followed both parties made desperate efforts to win the victory. "The democratic organ, called The Pioneer, was edited by the late Ed Pitman and he made a vigorous defense of his party. The democrats had control of the offices and their officials were charged with incompetence and boodling. Acting in the capac- ity of county attorney at this time was J. B. Morrison, a lawyer of more than ordinary ability and a lifelong democrat. He joined the republican party and threw the weight of his influence against the democratic ticket. The following is an extract from a letter written by Mr. Morrison shortly before the election: "I have no quarrel with Colonel Burton, but as the attorney of the county, I say to the people that I believe that there is some mismanagement. The taxes have been too heavy. I believe that illegal taxes have been placed on the books and collected off of a confiding public. The yoke has become so heavy that it cannot be borne longer. No official shall dodge responsibility and secure another election by calling 'mad
.
189
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
dog' and then distracting attention in another direction. Our county has lost a thousand dollars or more by his mismanagement of road matters. Any man that will deny that will make a certificate that is untrue or scratch a record. I do not oppose the auditor on personal grounds, but because in common with others I want an investiga- tion of the affairs of the county, as conducted in this office. He admits the accounts of the school funds were not correctly kept, because he could not deny it. The auditor of state sent a man here who straightened him and his books both out. Couldn't come that game with the Des Moines chaps. If the school fund has been wrongfully kept, may there not be something else wrong?"
The election occurred on the 10th of October and resulted in the success of the entire republican tieket.
It must be acknowledged in the light of subsequent events that the republican charges were entirely justifiable. There existed a political machine, with official incompetence and peeulation, and the public interests demanded an entire change of officers. For- tunately the people acted none too promptly. The logical outcome a continuously organized ring is invariably prejudicial to the inter- ests of the people. It means official incompetency and graft.
Rings have existed more or less ever since these days described above. Where there is polities there will be factions in either party. one undergoing the accusations and criticisms of the other. The solution and remedy is not yet in sight.
CHAPTER XVI THE MEDICAL PROFESSION
There is no profession, no trade, no enterprise, which did not have a beginning in darkness; there is no effort to which the forces and energies of mankind have been directed but that did not first combat the obscurity of ignorance, pardonable ignorance, it is true.
In this enlightened age of medical science one regards the early doctor as a person with little knowledge of the profession, one who applied the home remedies of calomel, castor oil and blue pill with the abandon of a solicitous grandmother and one who wielded the lancet with artistic indiscrimination. However one regards the early physician, there must be taken into account the times in which he worked, in other words the knowledge of medicine and surgery which then existed in the world. Secondly, there are the physical conditions under which the early doctor worked. Thirdly, there was distinct character of disease among the early settlers, and, lastly, the remedies with which the doctor had to work were scarce and many times not the best antidote for the ailment.
In the matter of world knowledge of medicine at that time it can safely be said that little or nothing was known in comparison with the present status of the science. In fact, medicine has made more rapid strides in the past decade than in the past century. In the early days of this state and county the doctors had strong faith in the use of the lancet, believing that by letting a copious amount of blood from the patient, the object of which was to destroy the tene- inent of the disease, a cure could be effected. Then there was the Spanish Fly blister which was applied for all sorts of ills; there were calomel and blue pills as the universal internal remedies. Dur- ing the convalescent period of the patient, if such a period were ever reached. gamboge, castor oil and senna were administered in generous portions to work out of the system the effects of the first course of treatment.
It would be difficult to describe in limited space just how far the step has been taken from those early theories to the present day
190
191
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
theories. A glance at the daily newspapers and magazines will in- variably prove by concrete instance the wonderful cures being effected today, both in medicine and surgery. Operations upon the heart, upon the brain, upon the other delicate and vital organs of the body are becoming of daily occurrence, whereas a quarter century ago they would have been ridiculed. The day of serums has arrived and the disease is thus throttled in its inception. The present day doctor assists nature to repair the break and is a man of thought and in- itiative.
The physical conditions under which the early doctor worked is another point in his favor. There were no roads, bridges and in many places there was not even a marked place of travel. His trips were made on horseback through intense blizzards, soaking rains, bitter cold and in the face of the high winds which swept across the prairie. Ofttimes his sleep was snatched while in the saddle. In reward for this torturous service he received a very meagre fee and the fact is known today that in the majority of cases he received nothing. for the settlers as a class were too poor to pay for his aid. Then again, he would receive his fee in potatoes, apples, flour or whatever com- modity the settler could best give him. These facts have placed the doctor of the early times on the pedestal of fame, for it is upon his sturdiness and vitality that the whole medical profession is built.
The diseases common to the early settlers were distinctive. The rough life they led and the exposures they endured did not permit entrance to the many ills and pains attendant upon civilization and large city communities. Fevers and ague, with an occasional stomach ache, were nearly all the ills they bore. Accidents there were which required the use of splints of wood and bandages and also the early doctor needed a good knowledge of obstetrics, although the latter wisdom was not always called into use. The hardy pioneer mother many times endured the birth of her child without assistance. When sickness broke in the family the doctor was called if within distance, but if not, the stock of simple remedies in every cabin was put into use. If it were nothing more than a cold among the children the application of hot lard and bacon rind and the internal use of quinine and onion juice completed the treatment.
DOCTORS IN DECATUR COUNTY
One of the first physicians in the county and one of the most respected was Samuel C. Thompson. He was a very prominent
192
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
figure in the early development of the county. The year 1851 brought him here from Davis County, Ia., although he was a native of Ohio. For twenty years he resided in this county, prac- ticing his profession, and at different times serving as county judge and also county treasurer. Doctor Thompson was not a graduate of a medical college, but he possessed enough native ability to offset this disadvantage. He is now deceased.
In 1853 J. R. McClelland located at Leon and practiced con- tinuously until his death.
W. J. Laney, a very intelligent physician, came to Leon in the early days and practiced here for two years, then moved to Decatur City. He served one term in the legislature as representative of Decatur County. He has been dead several years.
L. H. Sales, one of the best known of Decatur County pioneers, practiced to some extent in the early days, but gave the majority of his attention to other lines of business. For about twenty-five years he was the proprietor of the Sales House and also traded to some extent. At one time he filled the position of county judge. He has long since passed to his death.
John P. Finley was a native of the State of Ohio, but came to Leon from Galena, Ill., in the spring of 1854. He was an able physician and won considerable reputation during his long sojourn in Decatur County. He served as examining surgeon at Des Moines during the war. His death occurred in March, 1883.
C. P. Mullinnix practiced for over thirty years in the county.
Robert D. Gardner, known as a botanic physician and now de- ceased, practiced for several decades in or near Leon.
G. W. Baker located at Decatur City about the year 1858, but later moved to a place a mile north of Leon. Here he largely gave up the practice of medicine and devoted himself to agricultural pur- suits. He is now dead.
B. F. Raiff, an eclectic, came to Leon before the beginning of the Civil war. During the latter struggle he served in the Union ranks as assistant surgeon. About 1869 he moved his business to Osceola, where he practiced until his death.
Harry R. Layton, a native of Lee County, Ia., came here in 1874 and entered the practice of his profession, which he still continues in Leon with a high mark of success. He is well known not only as a doctor, but as a surgeon of ability and courage.
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.