USA > Iowa > Delaware County > History of Delaware County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 27
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North Fork Township is bounded on the east by Dubuque County, on the north by Bremen. west by Delhi and south by South Fork townships. This is a good farming community. The land is rolling. and it is well watered on the east by the north branch of the Maqnoketa and on the west by Plnm Creek. Grain and grasses find the soil congenial and generous and the German farmer. who predominates here, is prosperons. Modern residences, large barns, well- fenced fields dotted with live stock tell their own story of thrift and abundance.
Lucius Kibbee found Delaware County appealing to his desire for a new location and as early as 1837, he settled on seetion 24, on the north bank of the Maquoketa, where Rockwell was afterward located. Mr. Kibbee improved his claim and lived there several years, after which he removed to Dubuque.
Gilbert D. Dillon's name appears several times in this history, as he was active in bringing order out of chaos in the early stages of the county's exist- once. Mr. Dillon settled near Kibbee's in the spring of 1839 and. it is said, he built the first frame house in the county. The presumption favors the belief that he was the first justice of the peace in Delaware County and one of the first bankers in the state, having been cashier, in 1837, of the Miner's Bank, of Dubuque. which had been established that year.
Jacob Schwartz was a pioneer of the county, coming in the early spring of 1839. He settled on the banks of Plum Creek, on or near section 20, and was early identified as one of the leading men of his section of the community. The first election preeinet in the county was established at his house and named Schwartz precinct, and he was appointed by the commissioners of Dubuque County one of the judges of election.
Roland Aubrey, a Kentuckian by birth, came to Delaware County from Wisconsin in August, 1839, chose a traet of land near the center of the town- ship and built a cabin thereon. He also put up some hay and then returned to Wisconsin, from whence he brought his family in the fall and established a home in North Fork Township. Mr. Aubrey was a man of splendid physique, well fitted for the hardships ineident to pioneering. He also had a cheerful, jovial disposition, which gave him a warm place in the hearts of his neighbors and acquaintances.
Either in 1839 or 1840 Seth and Jefferson Lowe came to the township and located in the Kibbec neighborhood.
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About the year 1840, Drury R. Danee and Oliver Olmstead settled in the township. About 1842 Olmstead built a sawmill on the Maquoketa and in 1846 a grist mill, with one run of stones. In the meantime he kept a tavern in the old Kibbee cabin.
Drury R. Dance opened a farm near the Schwartz place and at once took a prominent part in organizing the county. He was elected to the office of county treasurer and was the incumbent of that office at the time of his death, which was one of the early tragedies of this community. In the month of Feb- ruary, 1845, Mr. Dance went into the woods to look after his hogs. He failed to return home that night and his wife the next morning, being distraught with anxiety, alarmed the neighbors who, in making a search, found Danee's body some distance from the house, guarded by his faithful dog. The man had been shot to his death and Jefferson Lowe, falling under suspicion, was arrested and charged with the crime. The accused was taken before Justice Leverett Rex- ford, at Bailey's Ford, who committed him to await the action of the grand jury. He was incarcerated in the Dubuque jail, Delaware County having none. At the trial Lowe was acquitted.
Oliver A. Olmstead located near Dillon's in the year 1840.
James Cavanaugh arrived in the neighborhood early in the '40s and located Dear Dillon's. He was a blacksmith-probably the first in the county. Be- coming offended at II. A. Carter, he "jumped" forty acres of timber land on Carter's claim. The matter was taken into the Clayton County courts by Cavanaugh, as Carter's neighbors, who had taken up his side of the controversy as to the matter of ownership, destroyed practically all of the timber. Cav- anaugh obtained judgment of $100 against Carter and others for damages he had sustained.
Elisha Bell settled on seetion 27, this township, in 1849 with his family. There were very few people in North Fork Township when he came here.
Harrison Ashburn was born in Tennessee in 1832. He immigrated from Illinois to lowa in 1850 and settled in North Fork Township. He began farm- ing on section 27 in 1865. His father, George W. Ashburn, was among the most prominent early settlers of the county. He was a hotel keeper at Delhi for a number of years. Harrison Ashburn was married to Frances J. Reeder in 1855. Twenty years before his death, which occurred in 1904, Mr. Ashburn retired from the farm and purchased a home in Earlville, where he lived the remainder of his days.
A. B. Wheeless settled on section 34 in 1851, with his family. Mr. Wheeless was a veteran of the Mexican war and served under Gen. Zachary Taylor, later president of the United States. During the past year Mr. Wheeless was killed in an automobile accident.
James HI. Evans, born in England, immigrated to the United States in 1848, and in 1851 settled in North Fork Township when there was not a dozen fam- ilies in the locality and not a house could be seen on the prairie. He entered land, built a log house and prepared to live in regular pioneer style. At the age of eighteen he enlisted in the Union army and rendered two years' splendid service to his adopted country.
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John Gibbs, Sr .. arrived in the United States from England in 1852 and that same year settled in North Fork Township. In 1875 he acquired land on section 12, established there a permanent home and became a large landowner.
Edwin Potham was reared on a farm in England, eame to the United States in 1850, and to North Fork Township in 1854.
E. Healey, born in Canada, settled in Massachusetts in 1846. In 1854 he purchased and located on a traet of land in seetions 4 and 6 and during a busy and prosperous life accumulated several hundred acres. For many years he was engaged in the implement business at Earlville.
Robert Nicholson settled early in this township. He left Ireland for this country in 1841 and for some years lived in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In the spring of 1855 he came to North Fork Township and settled on section 8, where he lived many years. He was respected by his neighbors and long served as justice of the peaee.
One of the early settlers here was Henry Arnold, who came from New York and settled on section 21 in 1857.
ROCKVILLE
The Town of Roekville, embracing 46 32/100 acres, situated on the west bank of the North Fork of the Maquoketa River. in the center of seetion 24, was laid out in the year 1845, by Oliver Olmstead, proprietor. The survey and plat, made by William Caldwell, was recorded February 14, 1846. Next to Delhi, this is the oldest town in Delaware County and for a while was one of its most important trading and mill points.
The first one to establish himself here was Ineius Kibhee, who came in the year 1837. The second settler in this loeality was Gilbert D. Dillon, who located in 1839.
About the year 1842, Oliver A. Olmstead built a sawmill on the Maqnoketa and three or four years later put up a grist mill with one run of stones, for the grinding of corn. Both mills were kept busy a number of years supplying the settlers with lumber and eorn meal, both being in great demand.
Philip Ilogan built an excellent flouring mill in this neighborhood in 1848 and with the Olmstead mills, purchased by him in 1847, had a lively trade and brought mueh general business to Rockville.
Along about 1843 James Cavanaugh, a blacksmith, located in Rockville, and set up the second smithy in the county. This was the same Cavanaugh who "jumped" part of H. A. Carter's claim in South Fork, already mentioned.
A log schoolhouse was built about a mile east of the Olmstead eabin and on the edge of Dubuque County in 1843, where the children of the Kibbee settlement attended. John Keeler taught here in the winter of 1843-44. The building was used for school purposes several years and then, in 1853, a briek school was erected.
The postoffice was established in 1846, with Oliver A. Olmstead as post- master. His successors were Philip B. Hogan and J. M. Custer. The office was discontinued in 1862 but reestablished in 1873, when George Ruddlesden was the appointee. Next came Frederick Mueller and he was followed by Charles P. Georgen.
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George Brown, brother of Daniel Brown, who carly settled at Eads' Grove, built a hotel about 1847. But prior to this period, Olmstead kept open house for the traveler, or stranger, in the old log house built by Kibbee. One Froom put up a tavern some years later opposite the Brown hostelry and the next building erected as a hotel was opened by George W. Ashburn. It is very probable, but not certain, that Oliver Olmstead was the first merchant, so-called, in Rockville. It is said he kept a small stock of staple articles for sale at his mill and, it is presumed. the postoffice was also at the mill.
About the year 1845 J. M. Custer "kept store" in a little log cabin erected by him. Soon thereafter Calvin Sawyer had a well stocked store and enjoyed a wide and lerative patronage several years.
Charles W. Hobbs, who built the first residence in sight of Delhi. removed from the county seat to Rockville in 1850 and opened up a general line of mer- chandise to the trade. He had the best store in the town, was widely and popu- larly known, whereby he built up a handsome business.
Rockville was located on the main road from Dubuque westward and en- joyed the privilege of being a station of the Western Stage Company. With this facility the town had many visitors from various parts of Delaware and Dubuque counties, who added largely to the volume of trade and the various amusements of the day. But when the Town of Dyersville was started, a few miles north, in 1851, and Delhi showed evidence of growth and prosperity, Rockville began to show signs of a deeline, which condition was accentuated and confirmed when the Dubuque & Pacific ( Illinois Central) was finished to Dyersville and in operation. This was the straw that broke the back of Roek- ville and from that time on the village grew less and less in population, until now it is but a negligible quantity.
CHAPTER XIX
COLONY TOWNSHIP
This township was early settled. It was organized March 24, 1847, being township 90, range 3. Its name originated in the colony of settlers attracted to its fertile fields and beautiful surroundings.
Colony Township lies in the extreme northeast corner of the county, with Clayton County on the north and Dubuque County on the east. Elk Township is to the west of it and Bremen on the south.
The German element largely predominates here. Being adepts in hus- bandry, their holdings cannot be surpassed anywhere in the state. Large, modern homes, huge barns, neatly-kept and highly cultivated fields all attest the industry, thrift and progress of this people. The production of corn, oats, wheat .- rattle and dairy products add yearly to the ever increasing wealth of the people. In the central and southern parts of the township there is an area more than usually level and the soil is very fertile. It is adapted to a great range of crops, and ranks with the best known anywhere in the great fertile Northwest. Bear Creek has its origin in a number of small branches, draining the central part of the township and flowing southward. The northeastern part of Colony is drained by branches of Turkey River. Rich pastures with abun- dance of water make stock-raising profitable in this locality.
The first person known to have built a cabin in this township was Henry Teegardner, a trapper and Indian trader, who was here about 1838. It is not known to a certainty that he ever brought his family to this western home but he did reside for several years just over the line in Dubuque County.
The first actual settler in this township was Silas Gilmore, who located in the north part of the township early in the spring of 1839. In May, 1839, David Moreland, William McMillen, William MeQuilkin, Benjamin Reekner, with their families, and P. C. Bolsinger arrived in this township from Penn- sylvana and located in its northern part near Gilmore's claim and where Coles- burg was afterward laid out. Bolsinger shortly after went back to Pennsyl- vania but returned and permanently settled, becoming one of the pioneer merchants. The settlement was named the "Colony" and this is probably the origin of the name given the township.
Missouri Dickson and family came in July, 1839, and settled at White Oak Grove about four miles southeast of the Morelands' claim. Samuel Dickson came about the same time. The Dieksons had many adventures as hunters and trappers, one of which is illustrative, as told by a neighbor: "A short distance from the mouth of the Volga, there is a tributary known as Bear Creek, which receives its name from the following hunting incident. Missouri Dickson and his brother, Samuel, having started a large bear in the timber of Turkey River, late in the fall of 1839, followed its footprints in the snow until they reached
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IHISTORY OFDELAWARE COUNTY
the vicinity of this stream, when they separated, Missouri following the trail, and his brother making a circuit, in the hope of heading off the retreat of the animal. Soon after they had parted, Missouri came up with the bear, which had curled down to sleep beneath an overhanging rock. He fired his rifle and wounded the bear, when it immediately turned upon him and he fled in the direction of the creek. Dickson was wont to tell his adventure thus: 'Fur half a mile or so, there wuz suthin' more'n daylight atween us, an' if Sam hadn't afired just as 1 wuz hoovin' it across the erik, there'd abeen one old bear hunter a considerably spiled.'"
History has it that the first religious services in Delaware County were held in 1839 by Simeon Clark, a Methodist preacher from Dubuque County. IIe was called Preacher Clark by the settlers and held forth at their homes. He was an earnest exhorter and the first sermons he preached were in a little cabin, probably occupied by Silas Gilmore, Albert Baker and Thomas Cole, who were keeping "batch." This cabin was the first that was built in the township.
The Moreland colony started to increase in the year 1840. Among others who came that year were Leonard Wiltse and family, John Melugin and family, Drake Nelson, Matthew Springer, Amasa Wiltse and William and James Mont- gomery.
During the year 1841 there came in Jared and Ezra Hubbard. Horace Pierce, Allen Fargo, Robert Torrence, William and John Burnham, Amos Williams, Patrick Hogan and others, who settled near the Moreland colony.
Archibald Montgomery came in May, 1842. with his family. At the time of his death in 1875 he owned 1,200 acres of land. John D. Klaus immigrated from Germany in 1837 and came to this county in August, 1842, at which time he entered 120 acres of land in Colony Township, to which he added several hundred acres as time went on.
Lawrence MeNamee was early a member of the colony in this township, coming from the State of New York in September, 1842, when he located on seetion 4, which was his home the greater part of his life. Mr. McNamee was among the first county commissioners, was elected to local offices of responsi- bility and was always looked upon as a man of the highest integrity and in- fluence.
Liberty Cole settled in Colony Township in 1842.
In the spring of 1843 John Platt and family came from Pennsylvania. also William Smith from the same state. They settled in the east part of the township.
In 1844 William Gillam and family immigrated from "Hard Scrabble," Wisconsin, and settled in the Landis and Dickson settlement. Jacob Smith, a single man, came with them.
Joseph Grimes was an early settler of Colony Township, locating near the present Town of Colesburg in 1844. The following spring he removed across the line into Clayton County, where he built a sawmill on Elk Creek and oper- ated it three years. He returned to his farm adjoining Colesburg and became a prominent eitizen of the county. 1Ie was a representative in the Lower House in 1858 and 1859 and a member of the Senate from 1868 to 1872. IIe also held local offices.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
George Griffith, unmarried, located here in 1845. That same year a man by the name of Gamble, with two children, also located in the neighborhood. In 1846 and 1847 there was a large inerease in the population of the township.
Herman H. Klaus was a settler in this township as early as 1845. In May of that year he settled on a farm, a part of which he entered at Government price. Eventually he became the possessor of abont seven hundred acres, most of which was improved. Mr. Klaus was a leader in the Methodist church, a steward for twenty-eight years and local preacher twenty-six years.
Hezekiah Hubbard was born in Connecticut in 1813. He married Sarah Clark, of Bennington, Vermont, in 1835. With his family he immigrated to Iowa in 1846 and entered 120 acres of land in this township. HIe was a good farmer and citizen. Leaving Middlesex County, in Connectient, with his brother in 1841. Jared Hubbard traveled by water and rail to York, Pennsylvania, and from thence by stage to Pittsburg. The Ohio and Mississippi rivers were his means of transportation to St. Charles, Missouri. From there he proceeded to Galena and from Galena on foot to the colony, arriving in May of the year mentioned. He first stopped with David Moreland and while there built a barn for the pioneer. the first one erected in the county. Eventually Jared Hubbard became a jeweler of Colesburg.
One of the earliest and most prominent settlers of Colony Township was Thomas Cole. He was a native of England, immigrated to this country in 1832 and settled in New York. He arrived in Delaware County in 1847 and entered land in Colony Township. In 1849 Mr. Cole returned to New York, where he married Ilannah Wilson, who was also a native of England. When he first came to Colony there was only a log cabin in Colesburg. The following year two more were built. He engaged in the mercantile business here in 1849.
Wellington Wiltse, James Cole, Albert Baker, A. J. Blackman and James Rutherford settled in the township soon after the colony had been set up.
William II. Graves was born in New Hampshire and became a Delaware County settler in 1848, locating in Colony Township.
George W. Ray came to the township in 1848. Ile at once built a home and before many years had a farm of 160 acres under a high state of cultivation.
John C. Wood was born in England in 1845. His father came to this country in 1848 and entered a tract of land in section 16, Colony Township, where he built a cabin, to which he welcomed his wife and son, John C. Wood, and other relatives, on the 7th day of June, 1849. John C. Wood became quite prominent in the county. He died at Earlville in September, 1914.
Charles Simons was a native of the State of New York, settled in Delaware County in 1849 and in 1857 married Jane Dickson, daughter of Missouri Dick- son, the first ehild born in Colony Township, the date of her birth being Decem- ber 14, 1839. In 1868 Mr. Simons moved on section 24, which was a part of his wife's heritage from her father.
Henry Bush and his wife Elizabeth came here from Pennsylvania in 1851, and finally located on section 6, this township. John B. Bush, a son, came with the family. In 1869 he went to Colesburg, where he operated a steam sawmill until 1875. The following year he commenced the drug business at Colesburg.
Jacob Landis, Sr .. came to Delaware County from Pennsylvania in the fall of 1840 with Jacob Moreland, who was his neighbor in the Keystone State.
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IHISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
bandis entered 120 acres of land 216 miles southeast of Colesburg and two eighty-acre tracts in the same neighborhood. He put up a log house covered with "shakes" and in the following spring went back to Pennsylvania, from whence he brought his family, consisting of Rachel, his wife, two girls, Margaret and Eliza, and three boys, Joshua, who died at the age of six years: Jacob, living in Colesburg, in his eighty-sixth year; and Abram, also a resident of Colesburg, now seventy-seven years of age. Israel lhubbard and family, Jordan Hubbard, a brother, and John Melugin were here at that time and settled southeast of Colesburg. Robert Torrence also located sontheast of town about this time.
James Dickson, a native of Scotland, immigrated to the United States in 1849 and first settled in Indiana. He immigrated from that state to lowa in 1851 and settled on section 1. in this township, near Colesburg. Robert Dick- son also came from Scotland and in 1851 arrived in Delaware County and set- fled near Colesburg. His parents followed him in 1853 and remained members of his household until their deaths.
Thomas J. Comer settled near Colesburg in 1852.
Daniel Partridge was an active and industrious farmer, who arrived in this county from the State of Michigan in 1853 and settled on section 5
Chester Coonrod came to Delaware County from MeHenry County, Illinois, in 1856, and settled at Colesburg, in Colony Township, where he resided some time. Ile moved from there to Coffin's Grove Township. He remained one of the industrious and influential farmers of the county for many years.
David Roberts was born in Utica, New York, and found his way to Delaware County in the '50s, locating in Colony Township, where his son, George E. Roberts, was born on the 19th day of August, 1857. The elder Roberts estab- lished the pottery at Colesburg. This son is now director of the United States Mint, with headquarters at Washington, and is an authority on financial ques- tions. He spent some years in Iowa as a journalist, wrote articles dealing with the money question that gained national recognition, and while secretary of the treasury, Lyman 3. Gage appointed him director of the mint. He was reappointed in 1903 by Theodore Roosevelt and resigned the position in 1907. to arcept the presidency of the Commercial National Bank, of Chicago. Three years later President Taft offered him the directorship of the mint and for the third time he is now ocenpying that responsible office.
The first Methodist camp meeting in the county was held at the "Colony" in the summer of 1844.
The first school was taught in the summer of 1840, in a log cabin built for the purpose on a spot three-quarters of a mile north of David Moreland's house. Before this eabin was "chinked." Preacher Clark held services within its primitive walls ( ?). As soon as completed the first school in Delaware County was held in this crude structure, having been opened in the fall of 1840 by Mrs. MeCleland. Two months afterward the building burned to the ground and teacher and pupils removed to the home of James Cole. where the term was completed. The building was replaced by another, which stood on the edge of Colesburg. The Moreland, Mallory, McNamee, Wiltse and Landis chil- dren were enrolled here in 1842, and Maria Phillips was the teacher. The
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
young lady became the wife of Silas Gilmore, who kept "batch" in a log rabin, 111 miles from Colesburg.
The first school established in the Dickson settlement was taught by Abbie Hall in 1844. in a small log building designed for a smoke house, which stood on the farm of her brother. Thomas Hall. In the year just mentioned the set- tlers built a hewed log schoolhouse on the farm'of John Platt, Sr., and in 1845 a select school was taught there (subscription) by John Humphrey.
In the year 1847 there were two schools in full running order. District No. 1 had thirty-six pupils and No. 2, forty-one. In 1848 there were three schools. all supported by subscription, and the teachers "boarded round."
Lawrence McNamee and John Platt, Sr. were the first persons elected jus- tires of the peace in Colony Township.
Jacob Landis built and operated a sawmill, on a branch of the Little Turkey, about two and one-half miles southeast of Moreland's in 1843.
COLESBURG
The Town of "Coles Burgh." now Colesburg, was laid out by Hiram Cole and Lawrence McNamee, August 10. 1848, and is one of the oldest trading points in the county. It is situate on the northeast quarter and part of the northwest quarter of section 4.
Lawrence McNamee, who located here in 1842, purchased the forty-aere claim of Wellington Wiltse, on section 4, for which he gave $1,000. Joining with Hiram Cole, whose land adjoined his, these two men became the founders of this old town. South of Colesburg the Town of Colony was laid out in 1851. by David Moreland, but the two places were so close together they are now considered as one and that is Colesburg.
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