USA > Iowa > Des Moines County > History of Des Moines County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 63
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FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
This church was organized in the spring of 1855 by the Rev. Thomas Merrill. The Rev. Stephen Kane was its first minister who preached for this congrega- tion for about two years. He was succeeded by Reverend Gilmer and supplied the pulpit until Rev. W. G. Kephart commenced his labors in 1859. Reverend Kephart supplied the pulpit until December, 1862, when he was commissioned chaplain of the Tenth Iowa Infantry Volunteers. He was the last minister of this church. The following named persons were pastors of the Round Prairie church from its organization until the time of the union in 1869. Rev. L. G. Bell occasionally supplied the pulpit from the time of its organization until April 1, 1840. Rev. A. L. Leonard, pastor from April 1, 1840, to April 1, 1846; Rev. James Gallatin from April, 1846, to June, 1848. From June, 1848, to April, 1850, the church was without a regular pastor. Rev. Joseph Rogers from April, 1850, to October, Vol. I-34
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
1850. This church was without a regular pastor from October, 1850, until 1854. Rev. M. Thomas supplied the pulpit for two months from January, 1854. Rev. Joseph Kerr from April 2, 1854, to April 1, 1855. After Reverend Kerr the church was vacant except with an occasional supply. In the fall of 1855 Reverend Bloom- field Wall was called and filled the pulpit until October, 1864. From October, 1864, the church was vacant until December, 1865. Rev. A. H. Barclay from December, 1865, to May, 1868. The church was without a regular pastor from May, 1868, until November, 1869. In the meantime the Rev. M. Adams, Rev. J. Barclay, Rev. J. M. Stone and Rev. T. D. Campbell ministered to the church on communion occasions. The last communion service of the Round Prairie church was held on the 6th of November, 1869, by the Rev. T. D. Campbell of Morning Sun.
PASTORS YELLOW SPRINGS CIIURCH
(To the Time of the Union)
Rev. W. C. Rankin of Indiana, from June, 1841, to the fall of 1842; Rev. Samuel Paine, from December, 1842, for one and a half years ; Reverend Bennett, from the time of Reverend Paine until the fall of 1847; Rev. Martin Whitts- ley succeeded Reverend Roberts for six months; Reverend Mr. Eastman suc- ceeded Reverend Whittsley for six months. Rev. W. A. B. McCurstison suc- ceeded Reverend Eastman and was installed as pastor and filled the pulpit until March, 1851. He passed from his earthly labors May 8, 1851, when but twenty- seven years of age. Rev. G. W. Spaulding, from June, 1851, to March, 1852; Rev. James Phillips, from May, 1852, to November 11, 1854; Rev. William Ottinger, from November 11, 1854, to March, 1855; Rev. E. J. Gillett, from November, 1854, to the spring of 1860; Rev. T. H. Canfield, from October 24, 1860, until October, 1862. Rev. Henry Bell of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church supplied the pulpit for a time. Rev. H. H. Hayes supplied the pulpit until April 12, 1865; Rev. W. T. Kephart, from October 1, 1865, until Octo- ber, 1869.
PASTORS OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCII OF KOSSUTII
Rev. Alexander Scott, from October 1, 1870, to May 11, 1880. Rev. T. L. Sexton succeeded Reverend Scott, who was succeeded by Rev. C. H. Lumbard, who was followed by Rev. A. S. Leonard. Reverend Leonard was followed by Rev. E. G. Miner, who was pastor until September, 1887. Following Reverend Miner came Rev. G. W. McKinny, and after him Reverends McGaughy, Lepeltak and Sal- lerenshaw. Rev. Phillip Palmer came next; then came Rev. Frank Sonsdale, who came October 12, 1913; then came Rev. D. W. Cassitt, who is its pastor at this time.
METHODISTS IN YELLOW SPRINGS TOWNSHIP
The Methodists were first on the ground in this township. Jacob Westfall and Allen Eliott, a brother of Mrs. Westfall, built their cabin in November, 1834, at Yellow Springs. Both were Methodists, and in that cabin, in the carly
ROUND PRAIRIE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, KOSSUTH Built in 1853
KOSSUTH MILLS
Erected in 1833
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
part of 1835, Rev. L. B. Staetler preached the first sermon delivered in Yellow Springs Township. Here he gathered together what Methodists he could find and organized a class. Rev. J. H. Ruble was on the Iowa circuit at this time and preached at Westfall's and organized the first Methodist Church in the town- ship. At Yellow Springs (Columbus) they erected a log church, in which serv- ices were held for a number of years. In 1846 it was taken away and rebuilt about two miles east of its first location and was known as Wesley Chapel. The following named persons occupied the pulpit at Wesley Chapel for two years: Rev. D. Crawford, 1846; James Jamison, 1847; J. B. Hardy and Father Cole- man in 1848; Thomas Kirkpatrick and N. King, 1849; Joseph McDowell and Joseph Cameron, 1850; H. N. Wilkin and D. Dickenson, 1851; E. Lathop, 1852; M. See and N. Wells, 1853; T. G. Thompson, 1854; J. Haynes, 1855. The place of preaching in 1855 was removed to Northfield, where had been built a more commodious church. At the time Rev. J. H. Ruble ministered at the Yel- low Springs church, Rev. Peter Cartwright was the presiding elder of the district, including Southern Illinois and Iowa. The Rev. Daniel G. Cartwright was appointed by the Rev. Peter Cartwright to succeed Reverend Ruble on the work and was the first pioneer Methodist minister in Iowa. When he came to Iowa in 1835 he settled on a farm in Union Township, which his wife and sons man- aged while he traveled the circuit. He afterwards moved to Yellow Springs Township, where he had purchased a farm. He had a family of eight children : W. H., James R., Clarissa, Hiram, Daniel, C. Nelson, R. Catherine and Jane. Rev. Asa West followed Reverend Cartwright in the work in 1837; Rev. Wilson Pitner in 1838; Rev. Asa McMerty in 1839. Iowa was made a district in 1839. Henry Summers was its presiding elder. Rev. Thomas Kirkpatrick came in 1840; Moses Shinn in 1841, and Joel Arington in 1842. Doubtless, during these times the above-named persons preached and held communion services at West- fall's log cabin church at Yellow Spring's. The Methodist Church, by reason of its superior organization, was enabled to carry on its work better than any of the Protestant churches in a new country. The church at large was an organized unit, and made it its business that preaching should be had and a church organ- ized where Methodists could be found.
SCHOOLS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
Where we find churches we find schools. Thomas Blair organized the first Sunday school, and his daughter, Mary A. Blair, taught the first day school in the township. Her father's house was her schoolhouse where she taught her father's family and the children of the neighborhood. This was in 1836. The principal visitors to her school were the Indians, who came from their nearby reservation and looked in and heard the children recite their lessons. Indian boys and girls engaged in the sports on the playground, such as running races and jumping. In these days the girls were as fleet of foot as boys. In the fall of 1836 a Methodist preacher taught school in a deserted claim cabin whose chinks were filled with clay. The ground was banked around the house. The seats were made of slabs with wooden pins driven in them for legs. The floor was the dry hard ground. Miss Blair followed the preacher-teacher in the sum- mer of 1837. The first schoolhouse built in the township was on land donated
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
by Job Carter. It stood near the north side of the lot on which the old academy stood. William B. Gilliland was its first teacher. After Mr. Gilliland Miss Blair taught this school in the summer time until the founding of Jefferson Academy. She was assistant teacher in the academy until her marriage with Doctor Fullenwider in 1846. It will not be out of place to say a word concerning Mary Ann Blair, the first school teacher in the township. She was born in Indiana and came with her parents to Wisconsin Territory in 1835. Commenced teaching school in her father's home as a schoolhouse. Taught as recited above until she became the wife of Dr. S. Fullenwider in 1846. Died at Kossuth in 1856. She had two sons, Dr. Austin Lyne Fullenwider of Spangle, Wash., and Samuel Blair Fullenwider. Mrs. Fullenwider in a sense was heroic, pos- sessed great natural strength of mind, which was improved by study. In char- acteristics she resembled her father. She was just such a woman whose children make for all that is good in a community. I'. Westfall commenced teaching in 1839 and taught for a short time. He was followed by a Mr. Case and George H. Housley. After Housley Yellow Springs Township was divided into school districts (1841), for which provision was made in the law of 1840, establishing the common school system. We have been unable to find into how many dis- tricts the township was divided. William Rankin, township clerk, gave notice to the electors of School District No. 2 to meet at the schoolhouse at Kossuth on June 19, 1841, to organize in the manner provided by law. The notice defined the boundaries of the districts as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of sections 21, 72 and 2 west, thence west five miles, thence south three miles, thence east five miles, thence north to place of beginning. This district embraced fifteen sections and extended west of where Mediapolis is located and south to the township line. The following are the names of the school teachers in Yel- low Springs and Huron townships: Miss Becky McGintry, on the bottom at a schoolhouse near the swamps. A school was taught in a deserted cabin near Rocky Point by one Clinton C. Smith. James Bell succeeded Smith. A. N. Bancroft taught at Hawk Eye. Afterwards Catherine Blair, daughter of Thomas Blair, taught there. She married A. N. Bancroft and became the mother of E. A. Bancroft, attorney for the Santa Fe Railroad, and of Frederick Bancroft, LL. D., Washington, D. C. Mr. Stone, John Latta, Miss Margaret Gibson and James P. Chapman also taught this school in the early times. In what was known as the Limestone District a log schoolhouse was built near Mr. Coonrod's residence. Lizzie Ripley taught there in the first years between 1840 and 1850. M. W. Blair taught this school in 1852. The following persons taught at North Prairie Dis- trict, McKinny, William Ilarper, Joseph Ryker, William Shephard. North Prairie District was divided into two districts about the year 1850. The southern district was known as "Bunkum." There was a schoolhouse known as the old "Border Ruffian" school situated east of Northfield. The following are the names of some of the carlier school teachers at the "Border Ruffian": Miss Lydia Gray taught in 1853 and 1854; Worthington Blake followed Miss Gray; then came D. II. Shepard, Bryington Kerr, L. B. Pierce and Robert Downer. In 1862 the house was moved to Northfield, where in 1863-64 M. J. Seeds taught the school. Among the first school teachers of the then Yellow Springs Township were Mrs. Atwood, Laurissa Hill, William Hill, John Mathews, Miss Ludnell, Miss Southworth, J. C. Ray and Mr. Taylor.
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
JEFFERSON ACADEMY
Mr. Fales, chief clerk of the House of Representatives of Iowa Territory, at 2 o'clock P. M., February 2, 1844, reported to the president of the Council that the House had passed No. 120 HI. R. File, a bill to incorporate the "Jeffer- son Academy."
The question will be asked at this time, why establish an institution of learn- ing in a thinly populated section of the county at an out-of-way place like Kos- snth ? Were not the chances it would not last any length of time? In answer to the first question, doubtless the men who organized Jefferson Academy, were they alive, would say, we had to do it for the development of the best within our children. It was a necessity. We had land, but were without money. The country was new and rapidly filling up with young men and women, families were large, the cost of living cheap, and by the establishment of such an institution at Kossuth, where prevailed the highest and best type of morality, the young men and women would be under Christian influence, where there were no dens of vice or places where intoxicating liquors were sold. These things would induce parents to send their children to such a place to receive a higher and better edu- cation than that offered by the common schools of the day. In answer to the second question they would say, we did not expect it would last long, but that it would subserve the purpose for which it was organized. After seventy years have passed away can it be said the organization of Jefferson Academy in 1844 has proven a failure? A force once exerted never ceases. Even a pebble thrown in the ocean affects the whole of the "mighty deep." The thought of the establishment of this school originated with Rev. Samuel Paine, then pastor of Yellow Springs church. An academy, or any institution of learning, does not consist of brick and mortar, but of teachers and pupils. John Hopkins said, "A boy sitting on one end of a log and a teacher with brains on the other, who was imparting instruction to the boy, would constitute a college?" The upper room of a brick building, 18 by 30 feet, completed in 1845, with Rev. Barrett Roberts' as principal and his daughter, Miss Louise, as his assistant, the room crowded with pupils anxious to learn, first constituted Jefferson Academy. Milton L. Comstock, son of Joab Comstock, who came to Des Moines County in 1839 and settled in Union Township, with Mary A. Blair as his assistant, had charge of the school in 1846. Milton Comstock and Mary A. Blair were school teachers without any modern frills and nonsense. Under their super- vision the pupil was taught to reason and think, to know the why of things. J. H. Blair had charge in 1847, then A. B. McChristey took charge, and later R. J. Harper. Simeon P. Smith followed Harper. Smith had been a steam- boat deckhand, but he had in him the power to do better things than to roll pork barrels and carry sacks of corn and made a successful teacher. He had the ability to create an enthusiasm for the better in education. Under his super- vision the school so increased in numbers that larger accommodations became necessary. He had charge up to 1852. Up to 1852 the academy was run to a certain extent in connection with the common school of the district. The dis- trict assisted in furnishing the building and occupied it part of the time, and it is presumed Smith had charge of both schools. A reorganization of Jefferson Academy took place in 1852. William Harper was made president of its board
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
of trustees, Hiram Leonard, secretary and S. S. McBride, treasurer. Rev. James M. Phillips at this time had charge as principal with Mrs. M. E. Phillips, his assistant. N. R. Leonard was employed as teacher of mathematics. Smith had charge of the common school and was assisted by Mr. Leonard. James W. McDill in 1853 was employed as a teacher at a salary of $350 per annum. The institution had grown to such an extent that the 18 by 30 room would not accom- modate its pupils, when it was determined to erect a large building. The new building was commenced in 1854 and completed and ready for occupancy in 1855. It was a two-story brick, 54 by 30 feet. The faculty consisted of Dr. E. J. Gillet, president; Rev. William Ottinger, professor of languages, and N. R. Leonard, professor of mathematics. The name was changed to "Yellow Springs College" in 1855. The faculty consisted of the following persons in 1856: Dr. E. J. Gillet, president ; Edwin Pierce, professor of languages; M. L. Comstock, professor of mathematics. Martin E. Gillet had charge of the preparatory depart- ment ; Miss Emma Atwood was assistant in 1857. N. R. Leonard, M. E.Gillet graduated in 1857; Hiram Hill, J. Thompson Ware and William Campbell in 1858; Archibald Crawford in 1859. Miss Mary Ritchie taught as the assistant in 1859. The institution continued under Doctor Gillet, with Rev. G. P. Kimball and Mrs. Van Stavern assisting, until 1861. At the breaking out of the Civil war almost all the students capable of carrying arms enlisted. Thirteen of the older students, who would soon have completed the course of study, enlisted in the First lowa Infantry. They were followed by twenty who enlisted in the Fourteenth Infantry. The graduates of 1861 were William P. Leonard, Alex- ander Heizer and Isaac Reed. Doctor Gillet resigned in 1863 and was followed by Professor Pierce. The institution then ceased to be a college. From 1863 it continued its existence for many years under different managements as a graded school in which were taught the branches necessary to fit one for entrance to college. Yellow Springs College performed its part in the progress of human events at a time when there was a necessity for its existence. The community surrounding it and the world was far better off by reason of its establishment. Dr. Samuel Fullenwider, one of its founders, in the last years of his life says, in writing to Daniel Matson: "But before I close I ought to say something about the college. Doubtless it is a great marvel to many that a few individuals away on the verge of civilization should undertake to found and run a college. It must suffice / > say, in the beginning it was only intended to be an academy. Some of us had children growing up and wanted to give them a little better education than they could get at the district school. We thought it cheaper to found an academy than send them abroad and to pay board."
MEDIAPOLIS SCHOOL
The district in which Mediapolis is situated became an independent school district about 1872. The town was rapidly growing in population and with its growth came the necessity for larger and better school facilities. The first school taught in the infant town was by Miss Etta Barr in a small frame build- ing which stood on the corner of Main and Harrison streets. The Masons erected a hall in 1873, the first floor of which was devoted to school purposes. The district erected its first schoolhouse in 1877, which soon became too small
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
to accommodate the children of this young and prosperous town, and purchased the United Presbyterian Church, which was used for the primary department of which Mrs. Ella Walker had charge. Fires are very often bad things, but sometimes they are beneficial. The Mediapolis schoolhouse was consumed by fire in 1884 and the district was compelled to build one more suitable for its wants. It built a commodious one on the old site and sold the church building. It seems the only way for Mediapolis to get a new school building was to have the old one burn. The building erected in 1884 took fire one morning in later years and was entirely consumed. But Mediapolis district was not discouraged. It started at once to make preparations to build one better than the one destroyed, one which was fireproof. To this end a meeting of the electors was called who voted to bond the district to furnish the means with which to build. Every- thing was ready to go ahead with the building, the contract let, when a squabble arose as to its location. Some wanted it located west of the railroad track on what was called the "Kelly Site," others on the "Old Site." Appeals were taken from the action of the school board in reference to its location to the county super- intendent, and from the county superintendent to the state superintendent. The matter got into the District Court of this county by proceedings in equity, and from there to the Supreme Court. Lawyers who never before knew anything of the school laws of the state became profoundly versed in them. They could show where a comma placed where it was rendered the meaning of the law so and so. When the board placed it on the Kelly site, that its decision was final, unimpeachable and irrevocable, and all the Westenders had to do was to "stand pat," and if it undertook to place it on the "Old Site" to get out an injunction claiming not only had the board located it on the "Kelly Site," which action was irrevocable, but had in fact directed the contractor to build on this site, and he had staked off the place on which it was to be erected and had "broke ground." After about two years or more of litigation the "Old Site" people won, and the commodious building, the cut of which is in these pages, was erected at a cost of seventeen thousand dollars or more, not counting lawyers' fees, court costs, etc.
Huron Island lies between Huron Slough and the Mississippi River. In the earlier days Huron Slough was navigable for steamboats and on this account the ancient Town of Huron was built on its eastern bank. It composes parts of several sections of land. Miss Agnes Fox, a young girl a little rer fifteen years of age, whose parents lived on the island, was the founder an first teacher of a school on this island. Her father located on the island in the fall of 1889. At this time there were many settlers here with families of children. They were growing up wild, it may be said, in a certain sense. No one seemed to care for their educational wants. The good in the heart of this young girl prompted her to do something for them in the matter of schooling. She had no schoolhouse or the means with which to build one. A big elm tree grew near her home and under the shade of its leaves in the summer of 1890, having gathered together all the young children of the island capable of receiving instruction, she opened her school. She furnished all of them with the neces- sary books and, without compensation, taught them during the summer. . The seeds thus sown commenced to yield its fruit. The next year a schoolhouse was furnished and the school founded by Miss Fox continues to exist. It is a
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
part of the district west of the slough, and receives its proportion of the school funds of the district. In the early settlement of the country, families were much larger than at present and the attendance in the country districts much larger. In 1859 David Darlington took the school census of Yellow Springs Township, showing the number of children in each district of school age.
District No. 1, McElhinney. 60
District No. 2, Big Slough 37
District No. 3, Lind Grove. 64
District No. 4, Clarks. 81
District No. 5, Excelsior 52
District No. 6, Center 46
District No. 7, Hazel Grove. 65
District No. 8, Northfield. 5I
District No. 9, Bunkum 43
District No. 10, Kossuth 152
Total .651
Assessed value of real and personal property of Yellow Springs Township for 1914:
Real property .. .$2,329.570
Personal property 331.792
Money and credits 68.434
Total $2,729,796
Huron Township :
Real property
$1,346,084
Personal property
180,968
Money and credits 24,900
Total
$1,550,952
CHAPTER XXXIX
DANVILLE, PLEASANT GROVE, FRANKLIN AND WASHINGTON TOWNSHIPS
On the 7th of January, 1841, the county board of commissioners caused to be entered of record the following: "Ordered that Township Seventy north, Range Four west, be constituted and organized a township under the name of Danville Township, and that an election be held at the house of Hiram Mes- senger on the first Monday of April, next, to elect township officers." Danville Township contains but a small portion of what is called rough land. Cedar Creek extends north through the western portion of the township. A small creek extends north almost through the center of the township, having its source in section 15. Taken as a whole, no township in the county for agricultural and horticultural purposes excels Danville Township. The first settlers of the town- ship came from different sections of the country. There were more settlers from the New England states and the Western Reserve than in any other town- ship in the county. The first settlers came in 1834. Among them are Noble Hlously, Enoch Cyras and Elihu Chandler. During the first fall Mr. Cyras built a double-rail house in which he lived with his family during the winter of 1834 and 1835. In November, 1834, Azariah Gregg and William Sawtelle came and purchased the claims of Hously and Cyras.
William Sawtelle married Mary Whittaker, daughter of the first settler in Augusta Township. Among the early settlers of this township was Edwin Cady, who was born in Windham, Conn., April 18, 1799. He started west in June, 1837, his family at the time consisting of four sons, George, Charles, Ebenezer and Edwin C. He and family secured deck passage at Norwich, Conn., for New York. From New York he secured second-class passage to Philadelphia. From Philadelphia second-class to Pittsburg. From Pittsburg he came by way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to Quincy, Ill. From Quincy he went to Payson, Ill., where he stopped for a while to make inquiries and determine where he could settle and make a home. Came to Burlington on horseback, and then rode to the home of Mr. Samuel Jaggar, who lived two miles west of Danville Center. While at Mr. Jaggar's he bought a claim from a preacher by the name of Tally. Samuel B. Jaggar, F. B. Jaggar and H. B. Jaggar settled in the township in 1837 about two miles west of Danville Center. Mathew W. Neally came in 1833. Wolcott Seymour settled near the center of the township in July, 1838. Mr. Seymour was one of the most enterprising men of the township. Was respected and honored by the people of the county, so much so that he was elected to represent the county in the Fourth and Seven- teenth General Assemblies of the state. He held the office of justice of the
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