History of Floyd County, Iowa : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 25

Author: Inter-state publishing co., Chicago
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : Inter-state publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1168

USA > Iowa > Floyd County > History of Floyd County, Iowa : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 25

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260

HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

LAND OFFICES AND SALES.

In 1850 the east half of Floyd County was thrown into market at the land office of the General Government, then located at Dubuque, and known as the Turkey River District. In 1854 the west half of the county was placed in market at the Govern- ment land office at Des Moines, afterward known as the Fort Dodge District. In December, 1855, all the unsold land in the county was transferred to a Government land office at Decorah. In 1856 the business of the Decorah office was transferred to a Government office at Osage, and in 1860 all the lands in the county belonging to the Government were offered in market at the Des Moines office, which was kept open until all the Government land in this county was disposed of. The land thus put in market in- cluded all descriptions except swamp lands, university lands and the common school land, the latter comprising the 16th section of each Congressional township. These excepted lands were selected by commissioners appointed for the purpose, and were donated by the Government to the county. Sept. 4, 1854, O. P. Harwood was appointed by Judge J. M. Hunt to select the swamp and over- flowed lands. He selected 10,199.71 acres. Mr. Harwood re- signed his commission, and July 3, 1855, George Wyatt was appointed in his place.

When, in the fall of 1854, the land sale began at Des Moines, the west half of Floyd County and the whole country interested flocked to it by thousands. Hundreds were there with their prairie schooners, camped within the present limits of that capital city; and the speculators, too, were there in force. It was announced to the speculators that they should have only 160 acres which they had pre-empted. So great was the confusion on the first day of the sale that nothing was accomplished, and the sale was adjourned until the next day. The next morning the sale commenced, when the speculators combined and ran the price up to $10 per acre; whereupon the Register announced that all lands bid off and not paid for on the same day would be re-offered the next day. Consequently but little land was sold and less paid for in the forenoon of that day. At the sale in the afternoon the result was nearly the same. At the end of three days the specula- tors gathered again in force, agreeing to draw for numbers repre- senting 320 acres, and each to enter in the numbers drawn in their order.

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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

Dec. 24, 1855, was a notable day at Decorah, that being the day when the land office should be opened. From this county were A. L. Collins, G. B. Eastman, R. M. Waller, of St. Charles, and George Wyatt, of Rockford. The three first of these started at midnight Sunday night, and reached Decorah by daylight, in orde to be first to present claims; but on arrival there they found six or eight hundred doing the same thing ! Every man had to take his place and await his turn. Many had to wait the most part of twenty-four hours, during the first half of the week, and one day the thermom- eter indicated thirty-two degrees below zero. The stairway, which was outside the building, was filled, and an immense crowd stood on the ground in the vicinity. Some would take poles to aid in pressing others away, and they swayed one another back and forth. Mr.Eastman got a position in the line at one o'clock in the after- noon, and had to keep it until nine o'clock the next morning before he could present his papers; but friend helped friend, and many had their position kept for them by their friends while they retired for refreshments.

At Osage, May 4, 1857, a similar scene transpired. The crowd pressed and swayed and maneuvered. Applications, with warrants, were sometimes presented on the points of split sticks and the ends of long poles, and reached over the crowd. But amid all this tur- moil good humor generally prevailed, and there was but little if any violence.

In 1858 all the Government land had been taken up, and much of it was in the hands of speculators. Laud partially improved was purchasable at $5 to $20 an acre; while unimproved was worth $3 to $6 and timber land from $10 to $25.

FIRST EVENTS.

1850.

In the spring of this year, Ambrose W. Story, definitely known to be an actual settler within the present limits of Floyd County, was the "first settler," locating on section 20, township 95, 15, and breaking the first ground and building the first house in the county.

November, first land in the county purchased from the Govern- ment, by Joseph Kelly.

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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

1851.

First white child born in the county,-either Edgar Humphrey, or a daughter of A. W. Story, who died in 1852. It is not deter- mined which of these was the first. John Green, grandson of John Blunt, was probably the second. See 1852 below.

1852.

May 8, first deed to land, by John and Maria Blunt, of the west half of section 6 and the east half of the southeast quarter of section 27, township 95, 15, to James B. Langdale, of Philadelphia for $200, and recorded in Chickasaw County.

First deed recorded in Floyd County. See 1854, further on.

October, second white child born in the county,-John, son of David Green, and grandson of John Blunt. About the same time a child was born to John Clark in Floyd, and Mrs. A. W. Story (who has since married again and resided in Charles City), acted in the capacity of doctress in both cases. In December of the same year (1852), a child was born in the family of Charles Haight, a neighbor of C. P. Burroughs.

Autumn, first death among white settlers,-infant daughter of A. W. Story. She was buried in the immediate vicinity of the present court-house site.

First justice of the peace, A. W. Story.

First preacher in the county, Rev. Henry Summers, Methodist Episcopal. Was living but a few years ago in Farmington, Fulton County, Ill. His first sermon in the county was preached at the house of John Blunt.

1853.

In the spring, first saw-mill commenced to be built, by Joseph Kelly.

September, first saw-mill in the county to commence operation, by Leonard and D. E. Cutler, at Watertown. Dr. D. E. Cutler has since lived at Osage.

1854.

April, first school-house erected in the county, on the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 17, township 96, 18,

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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

and near the present residence of Edson Gaylord, a half mile east of Nora Springs. This house was built of logs and was burned down by accident in the winter of 1856.

May 31, first sermon in Charles City, by Rev. John Ball, Methodist, who is now living in Ulster Township, on Flood Creek.

Aug. 9, the second deed to land executed in this county, and the first recorded in Floyd County, by John and Maria Blunt, to Jacob Martin, of, the west half of the northeast quarter and the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 18, township 95, 15, for $525.

August, first postoffice, established in the county; Robert L. Freeman, Postmaster. The office was in Freeman, now Charles City, west of the river.

Sept 4, first County Court held in Floyd County, at the store and postoffice of Robert L. Freeman; John M. Hunt, Judge. Ad- journed to October, for want of business.

Sept. 22, first mortgage upon real estate recorded in Floyd County; executed by Oscar F. Wood to Joseph Beckwith, to the southwest quarter of section 23, township 96, 16, for $50.

Oct. 24, first bill of sale, by William Birdsdell to Joel Fee, in St. Charles Township, for $300.

November, first public road established; R. C. Horr, Commis- sioner. The road was known as the Independence and State Line Road, and ran from near the court-house in Freeman (now the west- ern portion of Charles City) through Floyd Center to Minnesota.

Dec. 4, first county warrant issued, to Sanford Harwood, for $50, refunding him what he had advanced for the field notes of the county.

First attorney, O. P. Harwood; commenced practice in Floyd County this year.

In 1854 was held the first County Court in this county, at E. A. Haskell's store, on the west side, or in Freeman; in 1855 it was held in A. L. Collins' store, the building now occupied by the same man as a residence, on the east side of Main street, east of the river; next in Col. Root's building, on Main street, opposite the public square, on the site of the present savings bank; in 1856, at the school-house; next, in 1857-8, in Cheney & Brackett's Hall; and then in the court-house. In 1854 the first District Court in this county was held in what was then known as the Benjamin Build- ing, on lots 1 and 2, block 14, corner of Kelly and Milwaukee

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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

streets, which are now occupied by the residence of Judge R. G. Reiniger. Judge Samuel Murdock presided.

During this year the first store of general merchandise was opened in the county, on lot 1, block G, in Freeman, now Charles City, west side, across the street in front of the present stone school-house.

Aug. 4, first county officers elected. (See Chapter IV for the list.)

First school in the county, winter of 1854-5; taught by Sarah Griffith, in a log school-house, on section 7, Rock Grove Township, near where Nora Springs is now located.

1855.

Jan. 30, first chattel mortgage recorded in the county, made by Abraham Brandt to Sanford Harwood, for $50, to be paid i n rails.

Feb. 5, first guardian, David Ripley, appointed over the person and property of Candace Norton.

Feb. 6, first marriage license, granted by Judge John M. Hunt to Wesley S. Ames and Delilah Casselman.

June 4, first map of Floyd County, two and a half inches to the mile, drawn by Joel G. Shoemaker.

Aug. 8, first license to sell intoxicating liquors, issued to John Howard, in Freeman, near the school-house, just north of the stone school-house. He also made chairs for the market. May 4, 1856, he reported that he had purchased 130 gallons, had sold 82 15-16ths gallons, and had received therefor $160.77. He was then re-licensed for another year.

October, first Methodist society organized, in St. Charles City, by Rev. W. P. Holbrook. The society consisted of five persons.

First estate administered upon,-that of Sally Taylor, near the Baptist church in Charles City, by Henry M. Woodford and Ly- man Southard, executors by her will.

First grist-mill erected, at the west end of Mill (now Main) street, Charles City, by Joseph Kelly. A fuller account of this is given elsewhere.

First frame building, by Sanford Harwood, at St. Charles. This was afterward called the Benjamin Building, and was built where Judge Reiniger's dwelling now is. In it were held the first court, political meeting, public school (next to the one in Rock Grove), Sunday-school, funeral, etc. The frame has since been

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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

recovered, and belongs to W. M. Dennis, in another part of the city.

First school-house in St. Charles City erected.

First religious and political meetings, held in Mr. Harwood's ame building just mentioned.

First death of an adult,-that of William Grow, who was ac- cidentally drowned in the Cedar below the dam at St. Charles. He was fishing with a seine at the old ford, and was thrown out of his boat, and his body was recovered near the bend a half mile below. The funeral services were held in Mr. Harwood's building, and the remains were buried in the first burying ground, in the northwestern suburbs of Charles City.

1856.

January, first application for naturalization papers.

In the spring, first bank of exchange and deposit, established by Ferguson & Eastman. It closed in the fall of 1857, on the eve of that great financial panic.

Feb. 4, John Howard made the first office table and secretary for the county, at a cost of $50.

March 25, first license to peddle dry goods, granted to Tilly Gil- bert, who paid $8.34 for one wagon and two animals, for sixty days.

April 2, first foreigner, Daniel Whitesell, of Rock Grove, naturalized.

1857.

September, first load of wheat taken to the market from this county, by James O'Hair, of St. Charles City, to McGregor, and sold for fifty-two cents a bushel.

Oct. 1, first ballot-boxes made, by Maurice S. Cole.

In the fall, first assignment, by Cheney & Brackett, to A. L. Collins.

1858.

January, first church in the county erected, Baptist, on lots 5 and 6, block 13, St. Charles City. This church was first built by general contribution, but afterward became the property of the Baptist denomination.

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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

August, first sugar mill, built at St. Charles City, by Sanford Harwood.

Aug. 6, first county fair, held at St. Charles City, on the public square.

In 1860, first teachers' institute, held at Floyd.

May, 1863, first and only carding machine, put in operation at Charles City.

1871, first national bank, organized at Charles City.

PIONEER LIFE.

One of the most interesting phases of national or local history is that of a settlement of a new country. What was the original state in which the pioneer found the country, and how was it made to blossom as the rose ?

Pioneer life in Floyd County finds its parallel in almost every county in the State, and throughout the entire West. The beautiful prairies were to be robbed of their natural ornaments and the hand of art was to assist in their decoration. Who was to undertake this work Were they qualified for the task? What will be the effect of their labors upon future generations ? .

The young men and women of to-day have little conception of the mode of life among theearly settlers of the country. One c an hardly conceive how great a change has taken place in so short a . time. In but few respects are the manners of the pioneers s m- ilar to those sixty years ago. The clothing, the dwellings, the diet, the social customs, have undergone a total revolution, as though a new race had taken possession of the land.

In a new country, far removed from the conveniences of civili- zation, where all are compelled to build their own houses, make their own clothing and procure for themselves the means of sub- sistence, it is to be expected that their dwellings and garments will be rude. These were matters controlled by surrounding circum- stances and the means at their disposal. The earliest settlers con- structed what were termed, "three-faced camps," or, in other words, three walls, leaving one side open. They are described as follows: The walls were built about seven feet high, when poles were laid across at a distance of about three feet apart, and on these a roof of clapboards was laid, which were kept in place by weight poles placed on them. The clapboards were about four feet in length

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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

and from eight inches to twelve inches in width, split out of white oak timber. No floor was laid in the "camp. " The structure re- quired neither door, window, nor chimney. The one side left out of the cabin answered for all these purposes. In front of the open side was built a large log heap, which served for warmth in cold weather and for cooking purposes in all seasons. Of course there was an abundance of light, and, on either side of the fire, space to enter in and out. These " three-faced camps " were probably more easily constructed than the ordinary cabin, and was not the usual style of dwelling-house.

The cabin was considered a material advance for comfort and home life. This was, in almost every case, built of logs, the space between the logs being filled in with split sticks of wood, called " chinks," and then daubed over, both inside and outside, with mortar made of clay. The floor, sometimes, was nothing mor than earth tramped hard and smooth, but commonly made of " pun- cheons," or split logs, with the split side turned upward. The roof was made by gradually drawing in the top to the ridge-pole, and, on cross pieces, laying the "clapboards," which, being several feet in length, instead of being nailed, were held in place by poles laid on them, called "weight poles," reaching the length of the cabin. · For a fire-place, a space was cut out of the logs on one side of the room, usually about six feet in length, and three sides were built up of logs, making an offset in the wall. This was lined with stone, if convenient; if not, then earth. The flue, or upper part of the chimney, was built of small split sticks, two and a half or three feet in length, carried a little space above the roof, and plastered over with clay, and when finished was called a " cat-and-clay " chim- ney. The door space was also made by cutting an aperture in one side of the room of the required size, the door itself being made of clapboards secured by wooden pins to two cross-pieces. The hinges were also of wood, while the fastening consisted of a wooden latch catching on a hook of the same material. To open the door from the outside, a strip of buckskin was tied to the latch and drawn through a hole a few inches above the latch-bar, so that on pulling the string the latch was lifted from the catch or hook, and the door was opened without further trouble. To lock the door, it was only necessary to pull the string through the hole to the inside. Here the family lived, and here the guest and wayfarer were made wel- come. The living-room was of good size, but to a large extent it was all-kitchen, bed-room, parlor and arsenal, with flitches of ba-

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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

con and rings of dried pumpkin suspended from the rafters. In one corner were the loom and other implements used in the manu- facture of clothing, and around the ample fire-place was collected the kitchen furniture. The clothing lined one side of the sleeping apartment, suspended from pegs driven in the logs. Hemp and flax were generally raised, and a few sheep kept. Out of these the clothing for the family and the sheets and coverlets were made by the females of the house. Over the door was placed the trusty rifle, and just back of it hung the powder-horn and hunting-pouch. In the well-to-do families, or when crowded on the ground floor, a loft was sometimes made to the cabin for a sleeping place and the storage of "traps " and articles not in common use. The loft was reached by a ladder secured to the wall. Generally the bed-rooms were separated from the living-room by sheets and coverlets sus- pended from the rafters, but until the means of making these parti - tion walls were ample, they lived and slept in the same room.

Familiarity with this mode of living did away with much of the discomfort, but as soon as the improvement could be made, there was added to the cabin an additional room, or a " double log cabin," being substantially a " three-faced camp," with a log room on each end and containing a loft. The furniture in the cabin corresponded with the house itself. The articles used in the kitchen were as few and simple as can be imagined. A "Dutch oven," or skillet, a long-handled frying pan, an iron pot or kettle, and sometimes a coffee-pot, constituted the utensils of the best furnished kitchen. A little later, when a stone wall formed the base of the chimney a long iron "crane " swung in the chimney-place, which on its " pot_ hook " carried the boiling kettle or heavy iron pot. The cooking was all done on the fire-place and at the fire, and the style of cook- ing was as simple as the utensils. Indian, or corn meal, was the common flour, which was made into "pone " or " corn dodger," or "hoe-cake," as the occasion or variety demanded. The "pone " and the "dodger " were baked in the Dutch oven, which was first set on a bed of glowing coals. When the oven was filled with the dough, the lid, already heated on the fire, was placed on the oven and covered with hot embers and ashes. When the bread was done it was taken from the oven and placed near the fire to keep warm while some other food was being prepared in the same oven for the forthcoming meal. The " hoe cake " was prepared the same way as the dodger-thatis, a stiff dough was made of the meal and water, and, taking as much as could conveniently be held in

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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

both hands, it was molded into the desired shape by being tossed from hand to hand, then laid on a board or flat stone placed at an angle before the fire and patted down to the required thickness. In the fall and early winter cooked pumpkin was added to the meal dough, giving a flavor and richness to the bread not attained by the modern methods. In the oven from which the bread was taken, the venison or ham was then fried, and, in winter, lye hom- iny, made from the unbroken grains of corn, added to the frugal meal. The woods abounded in honey, and of this the early settlers had an abundance the year round. For some years after settle- ments were made, the corn meal formed the staple commodity for bread.

These simple cabins were inhabited by a kind domes industry and happiness rarely elsewhere to be found.

It is well for " Young America " to look back on those early days. It involved a life of toil, hardship, and the lack of many comforts, but it was the life that made men of character. Floyd County to-day has no better men than the immediate descendants of those who built their cabins in the forest, and by patient endur- ance wrought out of the wilderness the landmarks for a prosper- ous commonwealth. One of these writes that "the boys were required to do their share of the hard labor of clearing up the farm, for much of the country now under the plow was at one time heavily timbered, or was covered with a dense thicket of hazel and young timber. Our visits were made with ox teams, and w walked, or rode on horse-back, or in wagons to 'meeting.' The boys ' pulled,' ' broke' and ' hackled ' flax, wore tow shirts, and indulged in aristo- cratic feelings in fringed 'hunting shirts,' 'coon-skin caps,' 'picked ' and ' carded ' wool by hand, and ' spooled ' and ' quilled' yarn for the weaving till the back ached."

Industry such as this, supported by an economy and frugality from which there was then no escape, necessarily brought its own reward. The hard toil made men old before their time, but be- neath their sturdy blows they saw not only the forest pass away, but the fields white with grain. Change and alterations were to be expected, but the reality has distanced the wildest conjecture; and, stranger still, multitudes are still living who witnessed not only the face of nature undergoing a change about them, but the manners, customs and industries of a whole people almost wholly changed. Many an old pioneer sits by his fireside in his easy chair, with closed eyes, and dreams of the scenes of the long ago.

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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.

WEDDINGS.

The wedding was an attractive feature of pioneer life. There Was no distinction of life and very little of fortune. On these ac- counts the first impressions of love generally resulted in marriage. The family establishment cost but little labor-nothing more. The marriage was always celebrated at the house of the bride, and she was generally left to choose the officiating clergyman. A wedding, however, engaged the attention of the whole neighborhood. It was anticipated by both old and young with eager expectation. In the morning of the wedding day, the groom and his intimate friends assembled at the house of his father and, after due prepara- tion, departed, en masse, for the "mansion " of his bride. The journey was sometimes made on horseback, sometimes on foot, and sometimes in farm wagons and carts. It was always a merry journey ; and to insure merriment the bottle was always taken along. On reaching the house of the bride the marriage cere- mony took place, and then dinner or supper was served. After the meal the dancing commenced, and generally lasted until the following morning. The figures of the dances were three and four handed reels, or square sets and jigs. The commencement was always a square four, which was followed by what pioneers called "jigging ;" that is, two of the four would single out for a jig, and were followed by the remaining couple. The jigs were often ac - companied by what was called "cutting out ;" that is, when either of the parties became tired of the dance, on intimation, the place was supplied by some one of the company without interruption of the dance. In this way the reel was often continued until the musician was exhausted. About nine or ten o'clock in the even- ing, a deputation of young ladies stole off the bride and put her to bed. In doing this they had to ascend a ladder from the kitchen, which was composed of loose boards. Here, in the pioneer bridal chamber, the young, simple-hearted girl was put to bed by her en- thusiastic friends. This done, a deputation of young men escorted the groom to the same department, and placed him snugly by the side of his bride. The dance still continued, and if he seats were scarce, which was generally the case, says a local witness, every young man, when not engaged in the dance, was obliged to offer his lap as a seat for one of the girls, and this offer was sure to be accepted. During the night's festivities spirits were freely used, but seldom to excess. The infare was held on the following even - ing, where the same order of exercises was observed.

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History of Floyd County, Iowa : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 25

Author: Inter-state publishing co., Chicago Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : Inter-state publishing co. Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Inter-state publishing co., Chicago
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : Inter-state publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1168