USA > Iowa > Des Moines County > History of Des Moines County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 60
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
Black Hawk in Louisa County. Few, if any, of the pioneers deserve greater praise for true moral worth, and the activities for the upbuilding of the community in every way, than Mr. Sherfey. The city of Burlington being sit- uated in this township, its history comprises, we might say; the history of the township. This is especially the case since the organization of the townships in 1838 and their reorganization in 1841. Before January 19, 1838, when Burling- ton received its charter from the Wisconsin Legislature, Burlington had no organized or political existence. It was an unincorporated town, and as such was recognized by Congress in receiving grants of certain rights. The people who lived within the surveyed limits, made by White and Doolittle and the Government, constituted the town, although they had no power to elect a mayor or board of aldermen, or the power to enact laws or ordinances. As the history of Burlington is practically the history of Burlington Township in all things except its schools, since Burlington became an independent school district, for the history of the township the reader's attention is called to the history of Burlington.
SCHOOLS OF BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP
The public schools in the city of Burlington prior to the adoption of the act of the board of education of December 24, 1858, was a part of the Burlington Township schools. When the city of Burlington became an independent school district there are not any records to show. Doubtless legal action was taken for this purpose; probably after December 24, 1858. We have no means of ascer- taining what school districts were set off by the school inspectors under the law of 1840. We know, however, that one public schoolhouse was in existence prior to 1858. It was made of stone and located in a hollow west of the Pierson homestead just west of the small creek which is crossed by Division Street. When the city limits were extended so as to include the ground on which it stood, its territory became incorporated into the Burlington Independent School District. The school inspectors had set off a district whose territorial limits were partly in Burlington and partly in Union Township. It was known as sub- district No. 3, Burlington Township. The first school building in this district was a log schoolhouse which stood on grounds west of John S. David's home- stead on West Avenue. Subsequently a frame school building was erected in this district on West Avenue. When the city limits were extended to the line separating Burlington and Union townships this school district by action of the board of directors of the Burlington Independent School District and of said subdistrict became incorporated with the Burlington Independent School Dis- trict. October 25, 1882, Independent School District No. I of Burlington Town- ship relinquished to the Independent School District of Burlington all of the territory of that district which was in the corporate limits of the city of Bur- lington. On April 9, 1878, the board of directors of Independent School Dis- trict No. 6, Burlington Township, by a vote of the electors of said district aban- doned their organization and became attached to the Independent School Dis- trict of Burlington. On the first day of May, 1878, the board of directors of the Burlington Independent School District took action incorporating said dis- trict into the Burlington Independent School District. Burlington Independent
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
School District No. 10 originally included northwest one-fourth section 2, sec- tions 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and northwest one-fourth of section 10, township 70, north range 2 west. On May 1, 1882, the west half of section 8 of said district became attached to the Independent School District of Burlington.
Sunnyside Independent School District became attached to the Independent School District of Burlington September 18, 1882. By virtue of the extension of the city limits, so as to include the territory on which the machine shops of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company are located and other territory in Fairview Independent School District, Franklin Township, a part of the same became incorporated in the limits of the Independent School Dis- trict of Burlington. Independent School District No. 5, Burlington Township, joins District No. 10 on the east, its northern boundary line being on the south line of Benton Township, its eastern boundary line the Mississippi River, and its southern boundary the north line of the Independent School District of Bur- lington. Up to 1873, what was called Burlington Independent School District No. I included all that territory in Burlington Township north of the east and west lines of the township lines, dividing Burlington and Union townships and coinciding with the south line of Crapo Park to the Mississippi River. School District No. 8 included the south one-half of sections 21 and 22, the north half of sections 27 and 28 and the west half of sections 20 and 29. Sunnyside Inde- pendent School District included the south one-half of section 19 and southwest one-fourth of section 20. School District No. 5 included the west one-half of section 17, the northeast one-fourth of section 20, the north half of section 21, section 16 and 15 and the northwest one-fourth of section 22, the south one-half of section 10, the northeast one-fourth of section 10, the south half of section II, the southwest one-fourth of section II, the south one-half of section 21, the northeast one-fourth of section 2 and all of section I in Burlington Township. Subdistrict No. 9 included sections 6, 7 and 18, west one-half of section 17, the west one-half of section 19 and northwest one-fourth of section 20, Burlington Township.
AUGUSTA TOWNSHIP
On the 3d of April, 1838, the board of commissioners of Des Moines County caused to be entered of record the following order: "Ordered that townships 69 and 70 north and range 4 west be and are hereby constituted election pre- cinct No. 2, or Augusta Precinct, and that the election for said precinct he held at Augusta, and that Levi Moffit, Isaac Bailey and Edward Pedigo be and are appointed judges of election for said precinct." On January 7, 1841, the board of county commissioners caused to be entered of record this order: "Ordered that the fractional parts of townships 69 north range 4 west and of 69 north range 5 west be constituted a township under the name of Augusta Township, and the election be held at the 'Iowa Inn' in Augusta on the first Monday of April, next." After these two attempts Augusta Township was born on April 4, 1838. The Patriot, printed at Fort Madison, contained the following: "Many of the immigrants are making a large settlement on Skunk River, a beautiful stream deserving a better name, a few miles from this place. A considerable town by the name of Augusta. containing quite a number of houses already
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
appears on its banks." The first settler in Augusta Township was John Whit- taker, born March 21, 1795, in Washington County, Virginia. When a boy, he moved with his parents to Tennessee. When but eighteen years old he enlisted in the army to fight the British in the War. of 1812. Soon after the termina- tion of the war he married. Moved to Indiana in 1827. In 1829 went to Illi- nois, from which state in 1832 he came to Michigan Territory, landing at Flint Hills. He was among the settlers whom Lieutenant Gardner drove away, and took refuge on Big Island. In the spring of 1833 he came back with those driven away and went to where the village of Augusta now stands and erected a log cabin. That which induced him to settle where he did was that Skunk River at this point was a good location for a mill site. Having set up his lares and pen- ates in his log cabin, the next thing he did was to go into the mercantile busi- ness. In 1833 he built a log storehouse about one mile west of his home, into which he placed a stock of dry goods and groceries, and commenced to barter with the Indians, exchanging his goods for pelts and furs. That mill site was an enticement to the settlement of this place. Levi Moffit, born in Oppenheim, Montgomery County, New York, May 10, 1800, when a young man possessed with the spirit of adventure, found his way to the place where Augusta now stands. Mr. Moffit was really the founder and builder of the town as well as one of the prominent men in the town and county. On his arrival west he worked in the construction of a dam near La Harpe, Ill. Then he went to Orangeville, Penn., expecting to return to Illinois, bringing with him a colony, there to locate and go into the milling business. He purchased a flatboat which was loaded with furniture, mill machinery, tools and provisions, and among these a consider- able quantity of wet goods, which had a ready sale at that time among the natives, among whoni he expected to live. Those who came with him and their families were George Colston, Mr. Drake, Z. Lotos Moffit, Jesse Willson, Lot Moffit, Peter Barb, Mr. Gideons and a Mr. Hosford. There were among this number Robert Chestnut, a carpenter, Fred Kessler, a wheelwright, and Doctor Farresworth. With all aboard a flatboat Mr. Moffit started down the Beaver River in the spring of 1835, their destination being near La Harpe, Ill. At the mouth of the Cumberland River in Kentucky, when attempting to land, the boat sprung a leak on account of which they had to unload almost the entire cargo. The goods and emigrants were transferred to a steamboat going to St. Louis. The carpenter and wheelwright remained with the flatboat to put it in repair, which they did, and brought it to the mouth of the Ohio River. At this place what goods there were on the old flatboat were transferred to a steani- boat, Chestnut and Kessler taking passage on it for St. Louis, leaving the flat- boat a prey to the winds and waves of the Ohio River. At St. Louis Mr. Moffit succeeded in getting his colony together once more, from which place they went by boat to Warsaw, Ill. Most of those composing his colony settled near La Harpe. For some reason, the dam he had built before he left Illinois to bring his colony and the place, was not to his notion, and he determined to look fur- ther. Reports came to him of Skunk River and with Kessler he started to Augusta. He found John Whittaker and his mill site claim. This he bought of Whittaker, including a fractional quarter section of land. This was in 1835. William Smith of La Harpe was his partner in the mill site. Within a few days after the purchase Mr. Moffit and Kessler brought their families from La Harpe
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
to their new location, William Smith going with them. On May 12, 1835, work was commenced to build a dam and sawmill which was soon in running order. In one corner of this mill a set of stone burrs was placed to grind corn and wheat. This was the first mill erected and operated in the state of Iowa. One of the burrs of this mill which ground the meat from which our grandmothers baked "johnny cake" on a planed oak board placed before a pile of coals of a mud-stick chimney fireplace, can be found in Crapo Park, just west of the Coliseum Build- ing, laying flat on the ground. It deserves a better place, and it is hoped some enterprising citizen will have it lifted up and placed on a substantial rock founda- tion, on which letters will be cut telling its history, making itself say, "I am the stone which ground the corn and wheat that made the bread which nourished the pioneers, their wives and children, think of them and let me alone." In 1837 Mr. Levi Moffit purchased from William Smith his interest in the mill and claim, for which he paid $4,000. In 1844 he and a Mr. Jones bought a small steam- boat with which to navigate Skunk River and thence to Burlington. Augusta was his home up to the time of his death, which occurred March 31, 1857. Among the early settlers of this township was Warren Dee, who came in 1838; Henry Nau, a German boy, came in 1853. A. P. Unterkircher, a German, came to the United States in 1850. His trade was that of a tanner. He came to Augusta in 1856 and started a tannery, which business he carried on for many years.
SCHOOLS
The Council and House of Representatives of Iowa Territory on the 29th of January, 1839, passed an act, section 5: "Be it further enacted that there shall be established in the town of Augusta, in Des Moines County, Iowa, a seminary of learning, for the youths of both sexes, and John Whittaker, Levi Moffit, Wil- liam Smith, Benjamin G. Wells, Joseph Edwards, George Hepner, G. L. Hughes, Frances Redding, Joshua Hanond, Isaac Basey, Daniel Harty, William Buch- annon, John O. Smith and their associates, etc., are hereby declared to be a body corporate and politic in law and fact, by the name and style of the 'Augusta Academy.'" At this time no law had been passed establishing public schools. The above named persons established the first school in Augusta. The work thus commenced was sufficient till the establishment of the common school sys- tem. The first school taught in the township was by Alexander Hilleary in a log schoolhouse built on section 13 in 1836. Augusta Academy was the suc- cessor of this school. There are four public schools in the township, when in fact they should be consolidated.
CHURCHIES
The first church was built by the people of the Methodist faith at the north- west corner of the northwest quarter of section No. 4. The first sermon preached in Augusta Township was in the house of Levi Moffit in Augusta. The first death of a white person, that of Mrs. Randall Smith. The first marriage was that of May Whittaker, a daughter of the first settler, to William Sawtelle, who came to Danville Township in 1834.
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
Assessed value of real and personal property of Augusta Township for the year 1914:
Real estate
$659,372
Personal property
68,528
Moneys and credits
10,496
Total
$738,396
UNION TOWNSHIP
On the 7th of January, 1841, the board of county commissioners of Des Moines County caused to be entered of record: "Ordered that township 69 north, range 3 west, and fractional parts of township 68 north, range 3 west, be constituted and organized a township under the name of 'Union Township,' and an election be held on the first Monday of April, next, at the Union schoolhouse in said township." This township contained as much, if not more, timber land than any other township in the county. Skunk River constitutes its southern boundary into which empties Long Creek, which extends in a northwestern direction in the western portion of the township. Brush Creek extends from the southwestern corner of the township and runs in a northwestern direction through the township almost to its northwest corner. Spring Creek runs through section 25 and extends in a northeastern direction, having its source in section 4. These three creeks with their tributaries afford drainage for the surrounding lands. On cach side of them in the early days were growths of large timber consisting of oak, maple, walnut and all the hardwood species of this latitude. Between the timber lands were the richest and best of prairie lands. In the settlement of a new country, and of Iowa especially, the pioneers wanted to be near the timber. They came from Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and other eastern and southern parts of the United States where there were no prairie's, and were not inclined to venture out on the flat prairies. They did not like to be too far away from the timber, and were afraid of being drowned out on the flat land. It is a fact that the first settlers of Iowa, wherever found, had settled on the poorest land, and the vast expanse of prairie land between the rivers and creeks were the last to be settled and placed in cultivation. The first person who settled in Union Township was Isaac Canterbury, who came in 1833. Mr. Wil- liam Walters, John Moore and James Hilleary came in the same year, Samuel Hunt, Sr., came in 1833, Jesse Hunt in December, 1834, Alexander Hilleary in October, 1833, James L. Hilleary in 1838, B. F. Murphy in 1837, Joab Comstock in 1839. James Q. Walker in 1839, H. W. Cartwright in 1839, William Lamme in 1835. Benjamin Van Dyke in 1839, Stephen Gearhart in July, 1836, Seibert Magel in October, 1835. I cannot pass by the name of Hon. George Chandler, a long resident of Union Township. I knew him personally and admired him greatly for his qualities of heart and mind. His honesty, integrity, good sense, and good heart caused him to be loved and respected by all who knew him, and they were many. He was born February 1, 1810, in Freyburg, Maine. Was a student in Phillips Exeter Academy in 1827 and 1828 and a pupil of Daniel Webster, who was a teacher in the academy at that time. Came to Des Moines
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
County in 1840, where for a time he followed his trade, that of a carpenter, which he abandoned and went to farming. His home was on the land he owned, the west half of southeast quarter section 25 and the east half of section 36, Union Township. Here was his home till the time of his death, May 6, 1895. Here he was buried by the side of his wife on his Spring Creek farm. I cannot recall the names of all the old settlers of this township. Among the carly settlers of the township was Franklin Wilcox. Mr. Wilcox was a native of Vermont, but came west at an early day, first coming to Warsaw, Ill. At this place he kept a store. Was well acquainted with Joseph and Hiram Smith, the Mormon proph- ets. Had frequently visited Black Hawk at his lodge; sat at Black Hawk's table and partook of meals prepared by "Mrs. Black Hawk." One of the most prom- inent and public-spirited men of the township was Henry Avery. Mr. Avery was of English descent, and came with his father and settled in Union Town- ship in 1836. He was born in Green County, Illinois, in November, 1821. Mr. Avery was a horticulturist, and took great pride in growing the best of fruits. His father, Robert Avery, was born in Massachusetts February 20, 1796, his parents coming from Bristol, England, prior to the Revolution. Both father and son were ardently anti-slavery in sentiments. Both were members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Henry was an abolitionist until the organization of the republican party, when he became one of its active members.
Joab Comstock settled in Union Township in 1839. He was a man of sterling character, had the courage of his convictions and dared at all times to do what he thought was right. Was a strong anti-slavery man and fearlessly spoke his sentiments on that question and at times when it was most unpopular. His son J. C. was of the same stuff as his father. Was a member of Company G, Forty-fifth Fowa Volunteer Infantry. One of the remarkable men of the township was Mr. E. N. Delashmutt, a native of Virginia, where he was born in 1800. He came to Des Moines County and Union Township in 1834. Was a very successful farmer as well as an intense patriot. When over sixty years of age he enlisted in Company G, Thirty-seventh lowa Infantry, volun- teers in the Civil war. While in the army he lost his eyesight. Was strongly opposed to slavery, and an anti-slavery man before the organization of the republican party. John G. Davidson came with his parents to the township in 1840. Was a member of Company E, Twenty-fifth lowa Infantry Volunteers, and was a staunch republican.
SCHOOLS
The first schoolhouse in Union Township was built of logs on section 27 in 1837. A. M. Quarles was its first teacher. On July 23, 1839, the Council and House of Representatives among other things passed the following, Sec- tion 4 "Be it further enacted, that there shall be established in township 69, range 3 west, in Des Moines County, a seminary of learning for youths of both sexes, and that William Morgan, Stephen Gearhart, Solomon Perkins, Isaac Robinson, Henry Walker, John Baney, David R. Chance and their asso- ciates are hereby declared a body politie and corporate in law, by the name and style of 'The Union Academy of Des Moines County.'" We do not know, but
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
it is probable that the builders of the log schoolhouse on section 27 by this act became incorporated. That by being incorporated they would be enabled to build a larger and better building so as to supply the needs of the settlers who were at this time coming into the township. Those settlers realized the necessity of giving their children an education, which prompted them to act at the very beginning of settlement, and the Territorial Legislature which met in 1840 saw the necessity of helping the people in the matter and to this end passed the law of 1840 estab- lishing common schools. This law was the best that could be done at the time, taking into consideration conditions then existing.
Prior to 1882 Union Township was divided into nine school districts. In 1882 the electors of the township voted to abandon the sub-district system and to organize as separate independent school districts, each sub-district to become an independent school district. Under this organization Sub-District No. I became Buena Vista Independent District No. I. Sub-District No. 7 became Union Independent District No. 7. Sub-District No. 2 became Winnebago Independent District No. 2. Sub-District No. 8 became Spring Creek Independent District No. 8. Sub-District No. 4 became Independent District No. 4. Sub-Dis- trict No. 3 became Hawkeye Independent District No. 3. Sub-District No. 6, Eureka Independent District No. 6. Sub-District No. 5 became Sandridge Inde- pendent District No. 5.
Assessed value of real and personal property in Union Township for 1914:
Real property .
$1,904.736.00
Personal property
129,200.00
Moneys and credits
86,579.00
Total
$2,120,515.00
BENTON TOWNSHIP
The Board of County Commissioners on the 3d day of April, 1838, caused to be entered on record "Ordered townships 71 and 72 north, range 2 west including fractional parts of townships 71 and 72 north, range I west, be and are constituted Round Prairie Precinct, and the election be held for said precinct at the house of David E. Blair, and that David E. Blair, John Salladay and Ezekiel Blanchard are appointed judges of election for said precinct." From the above order it will be seen that the present Benton Township, Jackson and Huron townships composed Round Prairie Township. On the 7th day of January, 1841, the Board of County Commissioners caused to be made of record an order which reads: "Also ordered township 71 north, range 2 west, including frac- tional township 71 north, range I west, be established under the name of Tama Township, and that the election be held therein on the first Monday of April next at the house of Mathew Latty. According to this order the pres- ent Benton and Jackson townships constituted one township. The records in the recorder's office of the county show, that on the 10th day of July, 1855, John Penny, Alvin Todd, M. H. Jackson, John T. Rodgers, John Busch, J. Scremore, Eben Hill and Robert Turner became incorporators of a church which they gave the name of Pisgah Baptist Church of Benton Township, Des
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
Moines County, Iowa. The Pisgah Church as a society existed long prior to this time, but not as a legal body within the meaning of the law. Benton Township consisted largely of timber lands in the early days. In the southern part of the township was Tama Town Prairie, so called because the Indian Chief Tama, "the man who makes the rocks tremble," had a village of wigwams on the margin of this prairie. Round Prairie extended in a southeasterly direc- tion into the northern portion of the township. The eastern border of the township extends to the bluff in many places which marks the dividing line between the high and low lands which border on the Mississippi River. Along the bluffs are immense beds of good limestone. One peculiarity connected with this township is that in the past centuries there flowed from the northwest through it, near Latty's Station, a stream which emptied into the Mississippi River. The bed of this stream has been definitely located by borings and be- cause such stream once existed artesian wells can be had at comparatively shal- low depths. The first settler in Benton Township was Mathew Latty. Mr. Latty came from, Kentucky to Old Des Moines County, April 17, 1834, which was six months after the extinguishment of the Indian title to the lands in- cluded in the Black Hawk Purchase. Mr. Latty was born in the State of Mary- land in 1794, only five years after the adoption of the Federal Constitution. He died in the year 1877. He lived under the administration of many Presidents of the United States, including the second term of that of George Washington, to and including that of General Grant. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. Mr. Latty took up his claim and entered the northwest quarter of section 29, and in addition to this acquired other lands. He was the father of five children born in Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa territories. ( His son, John A. was born June 11, 1835, and was the first white child born in the now Benton Township.) The first grand jury that was ever convened in Old Des Moines County was called in session on the 13th day of April, 1835. There were present William Morgan and George L. Hughes, justices. Mathew W. Latty was a member of the jury, and it was during the time of its being empaneled that a Mr. Toopes and a man by the name of Waters engaged in a fight in the court room. Toopes seems to have been the aggressor, and was fined $3.00 by the court, but not having the cash with which to pay it, gave the clerk his note for the amount. Mr. Latty was the father of three sons, John, James and Warren, of two daughters, May and Sarah. His son James was a soldier in the Civil war and died in 1872. Mr. Warren Latty lived on the farm on which he was born until the month of March, 1915, when he departed this life. The elder Mathew Latty and sons were republicans. One of the promi- nent men of Benton Township was Myron Il. Jackson. Mr. Jackson was born in Vermont in 1828. When a boy his father moved from Vermont to Western New York and undertook to make a farm in a wilderness. He did not make New York his home many years, but came west, and settled in Illinois near Quincy, from which place he came to Old Des Moines County in 1835 and took up a claim afterwards surveyed as the northwest quarter of section 19. Here young Jackson was brought up according to the notions of his father, who was a Baptist, and of the strictest kind. Mr. Jackson married Sarah Penny in 1855. Ile was the father of seven children. He was a man who devoted his energies to the advancement of all those things which make for the public
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