USA > Iowa > Des Moines County > History of Des Moines County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 62
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65
522
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
Burlington to his claim near where his brother Joshua lived. He died in 1850, leaving a widow. He raised quite a large family of children. His two oldest sons, Orville and William F., volunteered to fight for the, preservation of the Union, and died while in the service of the country. The Blake family, Francis and Luther. Francis came from Vermont in 1836, and traded with the Indians, then having their village near the mouth of the Iowa River. In 1837 he moved down near where his brother Luther lived in what is now Huron Township. His family consisted of a wife, two sons and three daughters. His son, Charles S., volunteered as a soldier in the Civil war, and died while in the service. Luther Blake came from Vermont in 1837. He lived on land adjoining his brother Francis. William McClure came in 1839 and took possession of and afterwards entered the southwest quarter of section 8, township 72 north, range 2 west. William was soon followed by his father, John McClure, who entered a large tract of land near the now Town of Northfield. This land was at one time within the Indian Reservation and Mr. McClure was among the first to invade this territory. They were most worthy citizens. Were Presbyterians in religious belief and republicans in politics. Among the first settlers of the now Huron Township was Joash Hedges. He was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1808, and was raised on a farm. When twenty-two years of age he married Miss Eliza Staige and soon after his marriage came and settled on the southeast quarter of section 14 in now Huron Township. Perhaps no one in the township was better known than Mr. Hedges. His home was noted far and wide for its hospitality. It can be said of him, "he was a lover of his fellow inen." His church was the Church of Kindness and Goodness." It can be said of him, no one, worthy, ever knocked at his door and was denied an admittance. No one ever asked of him a drink of water, but it was furnished. No one was hungry, and asked for food, but it was supplied, and of the best the country offered. No one was ever tired and worn out and asked for a place in which to sleep but he gave him a good bed. He was good alike to the stranger as well as to those he knew. Was honest in his dealings with his fellow men. Was a just man, and loved mercy. His family consisted of his wife, sons, Richard, Joshua, Jerome and Benjamin F., who was a soldier, a member of Company C, Thirtieth Iowa Infantry and was killed at Arkansas Post, and a daughter, Sara E., who married Dr. B. Antrobus and now lives at Beloit, Kansas. Mr. Hedges died December 31, 1875. Ilis wife followed him soon afterwards. David Russell was among the pioneers of the now Huron Township. He came in 1836 and made his home on the land he had claimed and afterwards entered. W. W. King came to lowa in 1835. He did not stay long, because he wanted a wife. He returned to Indiana, whence he came, and in the fall of 1835 married Harriett Proctor. In 1837 he came back and located in now Huron Township. He had a large family of children, among them Charles P., who enlisted in the Union Army and was a lieutenant in Company K. Fourteenth lowa Infantry. His son, Webster, entered the army and died of wounds received in battle. Perhaps the widest known man throughout the county, who lived in the now Huron Township, was J. Wilson Williams, who was a native of Vermont and a civil engineer. He came west in 1836, first stopping in Chicago. The next year he had no permanent abode but traveled through Wisconsin and Illinois. About this time he received a commission as a deputy United States Surveyor, and at the same time was elected
523
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
county surveyor of Hancock County, Illinois. Here he made surveys for the Government, especially of the bottom lands along the Mississippi River. He came to Huron Township in 1838 and entered a large traet of land. He was employed to complete the boundary survey made by Sullivan in 1817 between Iowa and Missouri. Mr. Williams was a republican in politics. He represented Des Moines County in the House of the Fourth, Sixth, Ninth, Eleventh and Eighteenth, and in the Senate at the Fifteenth General Assemblies of Iowa. Ile died in the seventy-seventh year of his age.
WILLIAM PHINNEY
Mr. Phinney was a native of Connecticut. Was born May 12, 1796. Came to Iowa in 1835 and in 1837 brought his family to then Yellow Springs Township. James M. Kerr moved from Ohio in 1838 and settled near Northfield. Angello Driskell came to now Huron Township in 1835 and settled in Round Prairie. Silas G. Belknap, a native of New York, came in 1839. IIe entered the south- west quarter of section 6 and southwest quarter of section 5, which is known as the Belknap farm. Eber Bradly was among the first settlers of Huron Town- ship. He had nine sons of whom four served their enlistment in the Union Army. Cornelius A. Haight came with his family in 1837. He bought a part of the claim from John Carter, being the east half of southwest quarter of section 30. Thomas Sheridan came at an early date and entered 320 acres in sections 2 and 3. Among the list of names of those who entered lands in Des Moines County, no name is found more frequently than the name "Godfrey Scarborough." I am, indebted to Mr. J. W. Merrill, late of Mediapolis, for all the knowledge I have of this man. Mr. Merrill in his history of Yellow Springs and Huron townships thus speaks of him: "In the northeast part of the Kossuth Cemetery is a marble slab on which is carved the name of Godfrey Scarborough. Only a few people living understand the relation of this man to the early settle- ment of these townships. He was not a claim maker, but his life among the pioneers was such as to place his name among those who gave material assist- ance in the early development of the county. He was a grave, quiet gentleman, well along in the middle years of life. He had a finished education, and had been a teacher in Kentucky, from whence he came to Iowa. He arrived here in the year 1838, and having considerable money, he soon found use for it in assisting settlers to enter their claims at the sales in November of that year. He purchased parts of several claims and made some improvements. Among these were the Stephens and Roger farms. He built a mill on the creek near Hawkeye school- house which he afterwards sold to James Latta. In this way, and many others, he assisted the settlers to bridge the way over their hard times. It was known he was a native of Connecticut, but never talked of his parents or relatives, and was supposed to be a bachelor. After his death, it was ascertained that he had left a wife and two daughters in Connecticut. He had been well off, but lost on investments, and had but a few hundred dollars left after his estate was settled. This was paid by William Garrett of Burlington to his two daughters. They were old maids, and had not seen their father since he left them fifty years before. The cause of this domestic tragedy no one knew. He was a proud man, and possessed of that dignified bearing which no one could approach beyond
524
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
the limit of invitation. He died away from his kindred, but the kindly hands of those who had known him long, laid him where repose so many of those with whom he had associated during the later years of his life." It will be seen that the name of Godfrey Scarborough frequently appears among those purchasing land at the land sales.
The persons named are those who came to Huron and Yellow Springs town- ships prior to 1840. About 1840 settlers came in swarms as it were. We can give the names of only a few of them, A. C. Wycoff, Ben Lukenbill, Dr. R. W. Hall, the lleizer family, Frederick, Nathaniel and Joshua. The Harpers, consisting of William, Joab, John and Robert J. The Wares came in 1843. Frederick Ware came in 1843, when he was eighty years old. He had two sons, John and Mathias. John came one year before his father, Mathias with his father. All the old settlers remember the tavern kept by "Matty Ware" on the WaDello Road. Foster Carmeau came from Ohio in 1842. Charles Q. Stathem in 1844. Andrew Hemphill came in 1843. Henry Coonrod came in 1841 and settled on the bottom next to the bluff. The Dolbees, John S. and Peter, came in the early '50s and settled near the creek which is known as Dolbee Creek. John R. Jones came in 1841. Was a Welshman, and built the first stone house erected in the township. Robert and Samuel McElhinney, Scotch Covenanters, came in 1841. Joseph Chapman came in 1849. Mr. Chapman was a man of intelligence and possessed a firmness of purpose. Was a Presbyterian and practiced in his daily life the high ideals of Christian precepts. Served his township for many years as justice of the peace. His family consisted of five sons and two daughters. Thomas P., who was a captain in the First California Infantry during the War of the Rebellion. James P., who was treasurer of Des Moines County; William P. and John W., John W. held the office of United States marshal for four years. His son Joseph was a member of Company G, Forty-fifth Iowa Volunteers. Samuel K. was a member of Company K, Fourteenth Iowa Volunteers. He moved to Nebraska after the war. Was admitted to the practice of the law, was elected to the State Senate of Nebraska, then was elected judge of the Dis- trict Court of Nebraska. He made his home at Plattsmouth. Mr. Chapman's eldest daughter, Jennie, married Rev. Hugh A. Barclay. Mary H., Daniel Matson. It would be a great pleasure to continue the list of names given, but I cannot. I am largely indebted to the history of Yellow Springs and Huron townships by Mr. Merrill for those given. Mr. Merrill in his history gives a short sketch of the settlers of these townships, from the first settlement up to 1860 and all I can do it to refer the readers to this well written book.
TOWNS AND POSTOFFFICES
The order of the board of commissioners organizing the township named Yellow Springs, "provided that the election be held at the house of L. C. Hutch- inson in the Village of Yellow Springs." Jacob Westfall, who came to Yellow Springs Township in 1834, was the first cabin builder as well as the first town platter in the township. The Yellow Springs, from which the township took its name was within his claim. Before he acquired title to the land, like White and Doolittle, he determined to take time by the forelock, lay out a town and sell lots to any one whom he could persuade to purchase. He platted and
----
YELLOW SPRINGS COLLEGE Erected at Kossuth in 1852
525
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
staked out a town which he named Columbus, the surname of the great Christo- pher. How many lots he sold, we have no means of knowing, but that he sold 9 in block 11 to David E. Blair for $40 on the 3Ist of December, 1836, and agreed to give him a warranty deed for the same when he recorded a patent for the land on which the town was located is a historical fact. Columbus had but a temporary existence. All that is now known about Columbus is that Doctor Fullenwider located there at an early date, kept a store and practiced medicine. That one Elijah Wood kept a hotel and attended the store in the absence of the doctor and was the postmaster. The Town of Kossuth took the place of Columbus because it had the better location. The records show that in April, 1856, A. McMicheal surveyed and platted for Jacob Bridges certain town lots. They also show that in 1858 J. K. Scott, county surveyor, surveyed and platted certain lots. Prior to the above named times a town existed at this place which had not been platted. In 1855 Olive and Yost built a flour mill at Kossuth, which they operated for a short time when they sold to Sweeney and Harper. Mr. Frederick Heizer succeeded Harper and Sweeney. Finally it passed into the hands of Hutchcroft and Geldard, who operated it for some time when it was abandoned. The neighborhood surrounding Kossuth was largely Presby- terians which led to the establishment of an academy, first known as Jefferson Academy, afterwards as Yellow Springs College. The mill, the college and the building of churches of the different religious sects gave Kossuth for a time practically all the life it had.
NORTHFIELD
This town is situate in the northeast part of the township in sections 5 and 6. It was first known as Hickory Point. Nothing in particular gave existence to this town except the excellent surrounding country, and the Methodists who lived thereabouts, who built a church, and the woolen mill which had its begin- ning in a carding establishment built and first operated by William McMillan in 1851. Soon after he had commenced his enterprise, he sold out to W. F. Robinson and Thomas Davis, both experienced men in the manufacture of woolen goods. They started in good earnest to do an extensive business, built quite a large factory building, in which they placed imported machinery. In 1855 they commenced the manufacture of cloths and woolen blankets. This mill was known throughout the southeast section of the state as the "Robinson Woolen Mills." In those days farmers' wives did the spinning with the old spinning wheel and weaving on the old fashioned hand loom. When the Robin- sons started their mill, the direction of labor in that regard began to change to a certain extent when they could barter the wool for cloth. Wool had a mar- ket value, so had blankets, thus a "swap" could be made of wool for blankets and cloth. Then the old spinning wheel ceased to hum. Mr. R. T. Robin- son afterwards came in possession of the mill and continued to operate the same. W. F. Robinson was the first postmaster of Northfield. David Austin was the first shoemaker in the town, Colby and Hiatt the first merchants. This was in 1853. In 1855 Joshua Donner kept a store and was succeeded by Charles Robinson.
526
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
HURON
In 1847 some adventurous and speculative settlers took the notion in their heads that a town on the Mississippi River was needed in Huron Township and there was money to be made out of the enterprise. At that time Huron Chute was navigable for steamboats, and the island between it and the river was called Huron Island. The land on this island was higher than that of the sur- sounding country. It was a kind of Manhattan enterprise, to start with, but doomed to failure. One James Hemphill, an old settler, came here in 1847 and opened a store. John Hector started a blacksmith shop and in conjunction with his shop had a store. In 1850, a man by the name of Alexander Adams brought from Keithsburg a stock of goods and opened a store. A man by the name of Joseph Gray started a steam mill for grinding wheat and corn; Obed Eames built a sawmill. Another store was opened by a man named J. A. Swezey. A frame schoolhouse was erected. A man by the name of Alexander Hamilton was engaged in the mercantile business from the foundation of the town. To supply the needs of the surrounding country a warehouse was built, and steam- boats going up and down the river made Huron a regular stopping place to take on and unload merchandise, wheat and corn. Everything went well until the high water in 1851, which washed the Town of Huron from the earth. In the past sixty-three years the river has not been so high as in 1851.
MEDIAPOLIS
The construction of the Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railroad gave rise to the Town of Mediapolis. What caused it to be given this name I do not know. The railroad was built through this part of the county in 1869. When the road was projected it was thought it would go near to Kossuth, but to pass Kossuth at its western limits, would be to deflect it further east than a direct line to Wapello and Cedar Rapids would justify. The building of the road caused the permanent decay of Kossuth. As the mountain would not go to Mohammed, Mohammed went to the mountain. So it was with Kossuth and the railroad, it would not go to Kossuth, so Kossuth went to the railroad. W. H. Cartwright, one of the leading men of Kossuth, then engaged in the mercantile business, saw his opportunity, and purchased the farm of Isaac N. Ware and at once commenced to lay out a town east of the railroad track. W. W. King bought the land west of the track and proceeded at once to do what Cartwright had done. The two in laying off the land into lots, streets and alleys made them correspond and in this way was platted the original Town of Mediapolis. Subsequently additions were laid out and platted. Soon all the storekeepers, blacksmiths, shoemakers, candlemakers, wagonmakers, and doctors of Kossuth picked up all their movables and commenced to go a mile west to Cartwright and King's staked-out town. The owners of the old flour mill removed its ma- chinery to the new town. Cartwright and King and the lot owners of the new town were "Boosters" for those times. The result was, soon nothing was left in Kossuth but its churches and the Yellow Springs College. It takes time to build churches and colleges, and for a time, the denizens of the new town went on Sundays to Kossuth to pray and carried on business in Mediapolis on
RESIDENCE VIEW, MEDIAPOLIS
..
.
--
-
MAIN STREET, MEDIAPOLIS
527
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
week days. As soon as the people of the new town got a fair start, they com- menced to build churches and schoolhouses. Mediapolis is the best and most thriving town in the county outside of Burlington. Ilas a number of banking institutions. Has a good flour mill, elevators, hotels, boarding houses, a large number of stores, a large tile factory and other industries which support a large population. One thing it does not have and will not have and that is saloons.
CHURCHIES
August 24, 1914, was the seventy-fifth anniversary of the organization of Kossuth Presbyterian Church, which was celebrated with appropriate ceremonies. It is difficult to write the history of this church, because of the many changes which have taken place within the last three-quarters of a century. We could not do it, but for what has been left on record by Morris W. Blair, son of David E. Blair and Elder William Harper. No apter words can describe the beginning of this church than those of Mr. Morris W. Blair at the semi- centennial anniversary of the founding of this church, because, it had its begin- ning in the heart and soul of Thomas Blair, who settled in the township in 1835. Mr. Blair says : "It may not be my place to tell of Thomas Blair and of all his worth and all his work, as the father, humanely speaking, of the Presby- terianism we celebrate today, but our talk would be incomplete without men- tion of his life and labors, for the history of his life is the story of the begin- ning of the church. Because he was here Judge Rankin came and settled in 1836. Then there followed the Waddles, the Woods and Houstons, the Mc- Clures, the Nichols, the Bandys, the Vanices, and later the Harpers, the Bradens, the Heizers and the Wares. His influence was great in the early history of Presbyterianism and was felt among the Methodists, for, with his family, he was a constant and helpful attendant, encouraging and assisting at their Thurs- day 10 o'clock service at Westfalls and Blanchards. In his home was the "church in the household" and he its priest, who never failed or faltered in offering the morning and evening sacrifices, however pressed by business or worry, whether alone with his family, or had as guests the dusky aborigines, or the lawyers and judges of the territory, on their way to the courts. As early as 1836 he gathered together the children of the neighborhood for religious instruction, and in April, 1837, a Sunday school, which has continued without any vacation till this day." There was built, when the Town of Kossuth located in the year 1838, a house which was used for school and religious purposes. It was made of logs ; had a clapboard roof and puncheon floor; had four windows, two on the west side and two on the north, each with a single sash with 8 by 10- inch lights. Was 18 by 16 feet. This was the first home of the Blair's Sunday school, which before this time was held in the cabins of the neighbors or in a "deserted hut which had been previously used for a schoolhouse." Rev. L. G. Bell, a Presbyterian minister of whom we will later write, came to Round Prairie. In this schoolhouse he preached the first sermon by any Presbyterian minister in Yellow Springs Township. On the request of some of the scattered members of the church in this region he was asked to take measures looking to the organ- ization of the Presbyterian Church. He was directed by the Presbytery of
528
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
Schuyler (Old School) to organize a church at this place. On the 24th day of August, 1839, the Reverend Bell and Rev. A. Ewing from Illinois organized the Round Prairie church in the log schoolhouse where Thomas Blair held his Sun- day school. Here and at this time became associated together for worship, in accordance with the rules and doctrines of the Presbyterian Church (Old School), David Rankin and daughters Elizabeth and Martha Sweeny, John Waddle, his mother Mary and daughter Isabella, his son William and wife Sarah, William McClure and wife Cynthia A., and Sarah Blair, and James H. Kerr and wife Elizabeth. In speaking of this church, Mr. Morris W. Blair says, "The school- house soon became too strait for the older organization. Their few dead had consecrated a spot two miles northeast of this, and there, in the spring of 1841, a meeting house was built-the first in this part of the county devoted to the worship of the Most High. It was built of logs, 25 feet by 25 feet, its roof of lap-shingle. Nicholas' sawmill furnished the plank for the rough floor. Later it was plastered overhead. There were two windows on each side and a door in each end. An aisle ran down from door to door and a cross one from the scaf- fold between the south windows, by courtesy called a pulpit, to the west one. On the north side facing the minister sat the women, the men in the blocks on cach side the stand; the elders and deacons on the front seats on the cross aisle. At first the seats were made of slabs with legs driven in, but later each man was expected to furnish his own seat. So each man made his seat according to his own fancy, etc. As soon as the floor was laid the church took possession, etc. In going to church, two horses comfortably accommodated seven. The mother in the saddle carried the infant ; the oldest son rode behind her, holding the next to the youngest ; behind them the father managed to take care of the other two, one in front, the other behind the saddle. The young men carried their 'best girls' behind them to church on Sabbath evenings; and the belle of our neigh- borhood rode this way to meeting one Sunday morning to be married. Oxen sometimes hauled families to church, but they were slower and would not 'stand hitched.'" The first meeting of the Presbytery of lowa with the Round Prairie - church was held November 12, 1841. At this meeting Rev. A. L. Leonard was ordained and installed. This was the first beginning of the first Presbyterian pastorate in Iowa. This presbytery consisted of the following members: Rev. Soloman Cowles, John Mark Fulton and Lancelot Graham Bell, ministers; elders, Doctor Robertson of Burlington and John Waddle. Church services were held in this log church until February 11, 1853, when at a church meeting it was deter- mined to build a house of worship at Kossuth. In less than a year the new church building was completed at a cost of $1,300. Henry Clay Dean once said : "The rebellion of 1860 was brought about by the split in the Methodist Church on account of the slavery question." How much truth there was in this declara- tion we do not know, but the question was one which stirred the hearts of many in all Christian denominations. The Presbyterian Church split in 1839 because of this question. The Bandys, the Vanices, Thomas Blair and Doctor Fullen- weider, and others of Round Prairie church felt deeply about this matter. They would not belong to any church which permitted any of its members to be the owners of slaves. With them it was a matter of conscience, and no arguments could convince them that under the circumstances it was their duty to retain connection with the "old church," the church of their fathers.
Baptist Church
Swedish Lutheran Church
Free Mission Church
Public School Presbyterian Church
SCHOOL AND CHURCHES OF MEDIAPOLIS
529
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
YELLOW SPRINGS CHURCH
This church was organized by Rev. James A. Carnahan of Logansport Pres- bytery, Indiana, September 12, 1840. The members composing this church when organized were John Bandy and wife, Mary and his daughter Rachel, Cornelius and Susan Vanice, Mrs. Juliana Wood, Mrs. Clarissa Brown, Thomas and Mar- garet Blair, his wife, and Dr. Samuel Fullenwider and wife Jane. Bandy, Blair and Fullenwider were chosen elders. E. Wood, S. D. Houston and Catherine Blair were admitted to membership. This church grew rapidly from the time of its organization. They were of the same faith as those of the Round Prairie church, sang the same hymns, had the same form of church government, and were in all respects Presbyterians; but the time came when many members of the churches in the free states deemed it necessary to have no connection with any church that did not openly condemn the institution of slavery. The Meth- odists north were almost solid against it. The halls of the Congress of the United States rang with protests against it. On account of it the Union was threatened to be dissolved. The blaze which had been kindled by it was not made by that of things which for a moment flared up, then died down, but a steady blaze that mounted higher and higher with each coming year. It was under such conditions the Yellow Springs church came into existence. When the war closed a thousand battlefields had drunk the blood of their slain. The prophecy had been fulfilled, "that every drop of blood drawn by the lash should be repaid by one drawn by the sword," and we had learned "that the judgments of the Lord are sure and righteous altogether ;" then it was the hearts of the people composing the different denominations of the Presbyterian Church united and became a band of Christian brotherhood. The General Assemblies of the old school and new school Pres- byterian churches convened at Pittsburg, Pa., on the 10th of November, 1869, and adopted a basis by which these two branches of Presbyterianism might be reunited. In the manner provided for by these assemblies the Round Prairie church and Yellow Springs church became united and known as "the First Presbyterian Church of Kossuth." The first minister to preach to the church so united was Rev. W. F. Baird of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Bur- lington.
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.