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 39
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
March 20, this "elder " preached in Charles City, and on the 25th called on the editor of the Intelligencer and demanded expla- nation and satisfaction for publishing the foregoing facts. The " fighting editor " advised him to make himself scarce in this vicin- ity, as a coat of tar and feathers awaited him, being already nearly prepared. The "elder " and his disciples acted upon this advice instanter, and fled from town like a "buck." Actually, at this moment more than fifty men and boys had commenced col- lecting the feathers and warming the tar, besides gathering a number of rather ancient eggs. It was understood that at this time also a Charles City magistrate had a warrant out for the arrest of Buck as a polygamist. Soon afterward he married another woman in the northeastern part of the county, and found friends and supporters for some time, and finally disappeared altogether.
LAWRENCE GIBBONS,
Oct. 11, 1868, killed George Zweiner, a saloon-keeper in Charles City. At the May term of court following he was convicted of man- slaughter and sentenced to the penitentiary for eighteen months ..
JOHN CHAPMAN, 1869.
This was a Charles City lad sixteen or seventeen years of age, of rather a turbulent disposition and prodigal in his habits. Desir- ing one day to obtain some money of his father, who kept a meat market, and being refused, he drew a cleaver as if to strike his father with it. His father gave him some money and then had him arrested. He was tried at the April term this year, and sen tenced for two years in the penitentiary; but was pardoned by the Governor some time before his term expired.
MICHAEL CAIN, 1871.
Sunday, July 2, 1871, John Stentz and Michael Cain had a quarrel at Rockford, and, by-standers interfering, Cain received a thorough threshing. Shortly afterward Cain took his team, and Stentz rode to their boarding-place with another party. At this place Stentz threatened to whip Cain, who refused to fight; the former then approached him with uplifted hand; they were sepa- rated by other parties, but immediately Stentz again attempted to strike Cain, when the latter took up his neck-yoke and struck him. This weapon was snatched away by a by-stander. Stentz was not able to walk alone, but no fears were entertained that the last wound would prove fatal; but he died from it the third day after.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
THE ZEIBERTS, 1873.
In this year Mr. S. O. Page, City Marshal of Charles City, was murdered by Frederick and Julius Zeibert. The first named was tried in February, convicted of murder and sentenced to eighteen years in the State-prison. The jury in the case were L. A. Butler, W. B. Knapp, J. N. Waller, L. E. Powell, E. A. Teeling, F. F. Spauld- ing, Addis Schermerhorn, A. H. McKallor, John Gordon, A. D. Cheney, J. L. Wright and A. Powers. Julius Zeibert was in- dicted for manslaughter, tried at the November term, 1873, con- victed December 11, and sentenced to the penitentiary for four years. The case of Frederick was appealed to the Supreme Court, which reduced his sentence to nine years, and subsequently both the men were pardoned.
MURDER OF L. A. BILLINGS, 1875.
Frank E. Miller was indicted for killing Mr. Billings, his father- in-law, on the 26th of July, 1875. The jury in his case were Henry Pettit, George R. May, Egbert Sandford, Warren Harrison, J. W. Morrison, Moses J. Tatum, Joseph Ankeny, C. W. Swain, John Melugin, Lewis Forthun, Robert Beck and Daniel Brooks. It appears that quarrels between the parties had become chronic, disaffecting their families. Company strengthens prejudices and fires vengeance ; and, accordingly, one day the feud was brought to a focus by taking life. The principal prosecuting witness was a "New York boy," who had lived with the Billings family, quar- reled with them and went to live at Miller's. This "boy" gave strong testimony against Miller at the preliminary examination, but in jail afterward he contradicted his testimony, and at the regu- lar trial he substantially re-affirmed his first testimony. He was implicated in the shooting. The result of the trial, Jan. 6, 1876, was no conviction.
This is the case that created so much comment in regard to jurisdiction, as the dead body was found just over the line in Cerro Gordo County, but the accused brought to trial in Floyd County.
JABEZ HALL, 1877.
Aug. 4, this year, this wretch, a resident of Rockford, killed his wife. He was a drinking man, had become burdensome to his 26
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
wife, had left her, and had taken some of her clothing to another woman, to whom he had become attached. Returning one day, he said to his wife that if she would give him a hundred dollars, . he would go away. She gave it, and he went away; but after a time he returned again, proposing to live with her, which was re- fused. After his departure, she was afraid to remain in the honse over night and went to a neighbor's. On returning to her house the next morning and opening the door, Mr. Hall dodged ont from behind it and inflicted terrible wounds upon her with a butcher knife. Supposing she was dead, he took a dose of strychnine him- self, and started for the house of Zach. Mitchell, his wife's brother- in-law, but the poison took effect before he reached the place, and he died on the way. Mrs. Hall died the next morning.
HIGHWAY ROBBERY, 1878.
Nov. 7, 1878, Monday morning, before daylight, James Brad- ford, of Cedar, started from home to come to Charles City. When about five miles from town and jogging along, unsuspect- ing any trouble, suddenly two masked men jumped out of the bushes beside the road, and before he had time to make any resist- ance, fired two shots at him, one striking him on the forehead, just at the edge of the hair and stunning him, the other passing through his hat. They then set upon him and must have handled him pretty roughly, for there were a number of bruises on his neck showing that he had been severely choked, and also bruises on other parts of his body. There was also a cut in his hat as if made with a sharp knife. The robbers took from Mr. Bradford $29 and a revolver, and left him lying in the brush near the road insensible. He did not come to his senses until about midnight on Monday. He managed to crawl about until he found a pool of water, when he drank about a gallon, as he thinks. Tuesday morning his father, Thomas Bradford, while on his way to the city, found him in the road. The story above is as he told it, but of the time between the first attack and that when he woke up in the night, he has no recollection.
HIRAM S. HOLBROOK, 1880.
Dec. 13, 1880, at Dubuque, Hiram S. Holbrook killed his eldest child and then himself. As he was well known-in Floyd County, and particularly in Charles City, and beloved by all who knew him,
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
besides having been married here to Miss Nettie, adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kelly, Sr., who also has multitudes of friends, the affair created considerable comment and notice in this county. The following account appeared in the Dubuque Tele- graph of Dec. 13, 1880 :
"One of the saddest tragedies that has ever been enacted in this city occurred this morning. Hiram S. Holbrook, his wife and two children, occupied a suite of rooms in the Willging building at the southeast corner of Locust and Tenth streets. Mr. Holbrook, his wife and youngest child, the latter a babe but a few months old, occupied one bed, while the other child, named Edith, about three years old, slept in a crib on the side next to Mr. Holbrook. About seven o'clock this morning Mr. Holbrook awakened his wife and told her to get up, and when breakfast was ready, to call him. She got up, dressed herself and went into the dining-room to prepare the table for breakfast. She had been there but a few moments when she heard two loud reports in the direction of the bedroom. Suppos- ing the noise to have been caused by the fall of a stove lid, and little thinking that a terrible tragedy had been enacted, she kept on with her duties until they were completed. She then turned her atten- tion to her husband, and went to call him. What must her feelings have been when, on opening the door of the bedroom, she saw him lying back in the bed with a pistol clenched in his hand, and the life-blood ebbing away from a bullet hole in his head! After one glance at him, her thoughts turned instinctively to her child in the crib. She took her up, but when she discovered the blood oozing from her head, threw her down and ran screaming from the room. Kind friends and neighbors were on the scene in a few minutes. Drs. Staples and Boothsby were dispatched for and came with all possible speed. Although they did all that was in their power, the fatal bullets had done their work. An examination of the wounds showed their course. Mr. Holbrook had fired the first bullet at his daughter, the ball entering just back of her right ear and coming out over her left eye. He then placed the fatal weapon to his own head, and sent a bullet crashing through his brain, the ball entering just above his right ear. He lived until half past nine o'clock, but was unconscious all the time. The little child died in the afternoon. The weapon with which the deed was committed was a Forehand & Wadsworth pistol, carrying a 32-caliber ball. The bullet which penetrated the little girl's head is in the hands of the coroner.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
". What is the cause of this sad calamity ?' was asked by every one. That is past finding out. Mr. Holbrook was a young man in the prime of life. He was employed by the American Express Company as agent for this city, and had a lucrative situation, re- ceiving $1,800 a year. He was beloved by his family and a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Recently his friends noticed that he was given up almost entirely to melancholy, which they imputed to an attack of dumb ague with which he had been afflicted for several weeks, and also to the rush of business, which at this time is large. He complained the preceding week of a slight headache, and also of not feeling as well as he might. He would not take a rest from his labors, although importuned to do so by his wife and Superintendent Hancock. Yesterday he visited friends with his family, and last night attended to his duties in the ex- press company's office, checking the agents for the western train at eight o'clock and those for the eastern train at ten o'clock. Noth- ing different from his ordinary course of conduct was noticed by any of his officiel associates. He was about thirty-three years of age, and was raised at Dyersville, where his parents still reside. He had two younger brothers and a married sister. His marriage took place at Charles City about seven or eight years ago. He had been in the employ of the American Express Company in various capacities for a number of years and had always been a trust- worthy employe. He came to live in this city about 1876, having been promoted to the route agency of the company. About two years ago he succeeded Mr. Kime as agent for the company.
" At the coroner's inquest, held the afternoon of the shooting, the verdict was in substance that Mr. Holbrook came to his death from a pistol-shot wound, inflicted by his own hand while, as the jury believe, laboring under a temporary fit of insanity, super- induced by ill-health and overwork. Mrs. Holbrook came with the remains to Charles City the next day, and husband and daughter were buried in one grave, with Masonic honors."
CHAPTER VII.
MILITARY.
The people of Floyd County, in common with the rest of the civilized world, believe that military organization, defense and action are sometimes necessary to patriotism, as is evinced by their works before, during and after the great Rebellion of 1861. While the older States of this Union have been concerned in the French and Indian war, King Philip's war, the Revolutionary war, the war of 1812, the Black Hawk war, the Mexican war, the Mormon skirmish and the war of the great Rebellion, the young State of Iowa has been concerned almost exclusively in the latter, and Floyd County only in the great Rebellion, with the collateral frights from the Indians. Following the chronological order, how- ever, compels us first to notice
THE MILITARY COMPANY OF 1859.
Agreeably to previous notice, the able bodied men of St. Charles held a meeting at Cheney & Brackett's Hall, July 18, 1859, for the purpose of organizing a military company. The meeting was called to order by G. B. Eastman, and A. B. F. Hildreth was elected Chairman and W. B. Fairfield, Secretary. Voted that the secretary draft articles of agreement for the purpose of enrolling members of the proposed company, which he did, and the same were accepted and signed as follows :
"We, the undersigned, hereby form ourselves into a military company, for the purpose of exercising in the manual drill, as prescribed by the United States regular service, and for such other purposes and acts as may be proper for a military organization, under such style and name as shall hereafter be determined.
G. B. Eastman, Z. E. Jackson, C. H. Ha kell,
E. B. C. Wright,
M. S. Cole,
C. E. Bigelow,
E. A. Teeling,
David Nelson.
Arthur King,
John Heath,
Rober G. Reiniger,
G. H. Whitehead,
Amos Pettit,
D. Gilbert,
Sylvester Ireland,
E. P. Harrington,
Henry Pettit,
Harvey Kellogg,
E. Reiniger,
J. G. Patterson,
E. W. Raymond,
D. D. W. Carver.
S. Stanley,
Fayette Richmond,
Horace Green,
B. F. Wright,
D. Kellogg,
Wm. Burnett,
Lyman Kellogg,
Levi Schermerhorn,
Wm. Kellogg,
George Craig,
Orrin Allbee.
Wm. Flint,
D. W. Poindexter,
Orlando Barley,
Charles Kelly,
B. Hazleton,
Fred. L. Howlaud,
Edgar N. Carver,
Pierpont C. Turner,
Albert Green,
T. A. Hand "
(419)
Wm. B. Fairfield, Wm. Love,
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Voted that those enrolled proceed to elect a Captain pro tempore, and that the election be made by ballot. The result was the unan- imous election of G. B. Eastman for Captain, who thanked the soldiers for the honor.
Voted that the company be named the "City Light Guards."
A committee was appointed to draft and report constitution and by-laws.
Thanks were tendered Mr. Hildreth for his efforts at Des Moines, as well as at home, in behalf of this organization.
The meeting was attended with martial music.
The next week the company completed its organization by electing G. B. Eastman, Captain ; Wm. B. Fairfield, First Lieu- tenant; C. H. Haskell, Second Lieutenant ; E. B. C. Wright, Third Lieutenant ; D. D. W. Carver, First Sergeant ; E. P. Harrington, Second Sergeant ; Henry Pettit, Third Sergeant ; P. C. Turner, Fourth Sergeant; G. H. Whitehead, First Corporal; E. W. Raymond, Second Corporal ; David Nelson, Third Corporal, and Wm. Burnett, Fourth Corporal.
THE WAR FOR THE UNION.
The institution of slavery was always a source of trouble between the free and slave-holding States. The latter were always troubled with the thought that the former would encroach upon their rights, and nothing could be done to shake this belief. Compromise measures were adopted from time to time to settle the vexed ques- tion of slavery, but the fears of the slaveholders were only allayed for a short time. Threats of secession were often made by the slave-holding States, but as some measures of a conciliatory char- acter were passed, no attempt was made to carry their threats into execution. Finally came the repeal of the Missouri Com- promise and the adoption of a measure known as the Kansas- Nebraska Bill. This bill opened certain territory to slavery which under the former act was forever to be free. About the time of the passage of this act, the Whig party was in a state of dissolu- tion, and the great body of that party, together with certain Demo- crats who were opposed to the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, united, thus forming a new party, to which was given the name of Republican, having for its object the prevention of the further extension of slavery. The people of the South imagined they saw in this new party not only an organized effort to prevent the extension of
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
slavery, but one that would eventually be used to destroy slavery in those States in which it already existed.
In 1860 four presidential tickets were in the field. Abraham Lincoln was the candidate of the Republicans, Stephen A. Douglas of the National Democrat, John C. Breckenridge of the Pro- Slavery interests, and John Bell of the Union. The Union party was composed principally of those who had previously affiliated with the American or Know-Nothing party. Early in the cam- paign there were threats of secession and disunion in case of the election of Abraham Lincoln, but the people were so accustomed to Southern bravado that little heed was given to the bluster.
On the 20th of December, 1860, South Carolina, by a conven- tion of delegates, declared "That the Union now existing between South Carolina and the other States of North America is dissolved, and that the State of South Carolina has resumed her position among the nations of the earth as a free, sovereign and independ- ent State, with full power to levy war and conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and do all other acts and things which independent States may of right do."
On the 24th, Governor Pickens issued a proclamation declaring that "South Carolina is, and has a right to be, a free and indepen- dent State, and as such has a right to levy war, conclude peace, negotiate treaties, leagues and covenants, and do all acts whatever that rightfully appertain to a free and independent State."
On the 26th, Major Anderson evacuated Fort Moultrie and occupied Fort Sumter. Two days previously he wrote President Buchanan's Secretary of War, John B. Floyd, as follows: "When I inform you that my garrison consists of only sixty effective men, and that we are in very indifferent works, the walls of which are only fourteen feet high, and that we have within 160 yards of our walls sand hills which command our works, and which afford ad- mirable sites for batteries and the finest coverts for sharpshooters, and that besides this there are numerous houses, some of them within pistol shot, you will at once see that, if attacked in force, headed by any one but a simpleton, there is scarcely a possibility of our being able to hold out long enough for our friends to come to our succor." His appeals for reinforcement were seconded by Gen. Scott, but unheeded by President Buchanan, and entirely ignored by John B. Floyd, Secretary of War.
On the 28th, South Carolina troops occupied Fort Moultrie and Castle Pinckney, and hoisted the palmetto flag on the ramparts.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
On the 29th John B. Floyd resigned his place in Buchanan's Cabinet, charging that the President, in refusing to remove Major Anderson from Charleston Harbor, designed to plunge the coun- try into civil war, and added: "I cannot consent to be the agent of such a calamity." On the same day the South Carolina Com- missioners presented their official credentials at Washington, which on the next day, were declined.
On the second day of January, 1861, Georgia declared for secession, and Georgia troops took possession of the United States arsenal in Augusta and Forts Pulaski and Jackson. Governor Ellis, of North Carolina, seized the forts at Beaufort and Wilming- ton, and the arsenal at Fayetteville. On the evening of the 4th the Alabama and Mississippi delegations in Congress tele- graphed the conventions of their respective States to secede, telling them there was no prospect of a satisfactory adjustment. On the 7th the conventions of Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee, met in secession conclave. On the 9th Secretary Thompson resigned his seat in the Cabinet on the ground that, contrary to promises, troops had been sent to Major Anderson. On the 9th the "Star of the West," carrying supplies and reinforcements to Major Anderson, was fired into from Morris Island, and turned homeward, leaving Fort Sumter and its gallant little band to the mercy of the rebels. On the same day, the ordinance of seces- sion passed the Mississippi Convention. Florida adopted an ordi- nance of secession on the 10th and Alabama on the 11th. The same day (the 11th) Thomas, Secretary of the Treasury, resigned, and the rebels seized the arsenal at Baton Rouge, and Forts Jack- son and Philip, at the mouth of the Mississippi River, and Fort Pike at the Lake Pontchartrain entrance. Pensacola navy yard and Fort Barrancas were surrendered to rebel troops by Colonel Armstrong on the 13th. Lieutenant Slemmer, who had with- drawn his command from Fort McRae to Fort Pickens defied Arm- strong's orders, and announced his intention to "hold the fort " at all hazards. The Georgia Convention adopted an ordinance of secession on the 19th. On the 20th, Lieutenant Slemmer was besieged by a thousand "allied troops" at Fort Pickens. Louisi- ana adopted an ordinance of secession on the 25th. On the 1st of February the rebels seized the United States mint and custon- house at New Orleans. The Peace Convention assembled at Washington on the 4th, but adjourned without doing anything to quiet the disturbed elements. On the 9th a provisional consti-
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
tution was adopted at Montgomery, Ala., it being the Constitution of the United States "reconstructed " to suit their purpose. Jeff- erson Davis, of Mississippi, was chosen President, and Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, Vice-President of the Confederate States of North America." Jeff Davis was inaugurated on the 18th, and on the 25th it was learned that General Twiggs, commanding the Department of Texas, had basely betrayed his trust, and that he had surrendered all the military posts, munitions and arms to the authorities of Texas.
Mr. Lincoln was inaugurated March 4, 1861, in front of the capi- tol, the inauguration ceremonies being witnessed by a vast con- course of people. Before taking the oath, Mr. Lincoln pronounced
a clear, ringing voice, his inaugural address, to hear which there was an almost painful solicitude, to read which the whole Ameri- can people, and the civilized world, awaited with irrepressible anxi- ety. With that address and the administration of the oath of office, the people were assured. All doubt, if any had previously existed, was removed. In the hands of Abraham Lincoln, the people's President, and himself of the people, the Government wa ssafe.
Traitors were still busy plotting and planning. Troops were mustering in all the seceded States. On Friday, April 12, the surrender of Fort Sumter, with its garrison of sixty effective men was demanded and bravely refused by the gallant Major Anderson. Fire was at once opened upon the helpless garrison by the rebel forces, numbered by thousands. Resistance was useless, and at- last the national colors were hauled down, and by traitor hands were trailed in the dust. On Sunday morning, the 14th, the news of the surrender was received by all the principal cities of the Union. That was all, but that was enough. A day later, when the news was confirmed and spread through the country, the pat- riotic people of the North were startled from their dreams of the future-from undertakings half completed-and made to realize that behind that mob there was a dark, deep, and well-organized pur- pose to destroy the Government, rend the Union in twain, and out of its ruins erect a slave oligarchy, wherein no one would dare question their right to hold in bondage the sons and daughters of men whose skins were black. Their dreams of the future-their plans for the establishment of an independent confederacy-were doomed from their inception to sad and bitter disappointment.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
The citizens of Floyd County were not indifferent spectators to the scenes transpiring in the South. They were loyal people, and a love for the Union beat in every heart, and they would not see it dismembered without at least a vigorous protest. As soon as the first wave of the cannon's roar at Charleston, S. C., struck St. Charles City, the village bristled with military insignia. The blood-stirring music of fife and drum was daily heard in the streets, and each evening men were drilled in war's tactics. Before the close of the month, twenty men of the village, besides others from the vicinity, had enlisted. The officers of the township militia, were: G. O. Page, Captain; O. Allbee, First Lieutenant; E. A. Teeling, St nd Lieutenant, and R. G. Reiniger, Orderly Ser- geant. Arra ements were made for a large mass-meeting at St. Charles from t .. e whole senatorial district, when opportunity would be given for volunteers to come forward. Senator Powers, under authority from Adjutant-General Bowen, visited this place, April 30th, to raise men for a company.
April 27, the Democrats of St. Charles Township met at Gil- bert's Hall, and adopted, with only one dissenting voice, resolu- tions heartily responding to the Government's call for men and means to suppress the great insurrection. The meeting closed with three cheers for the Constitution and the Union. The dis- was that of D. D. W. Carver, previously one of the publishers of the Intelligencer. He proposed a long "minority report"econ me nding a conference between the Government and the Southern Confederacy in lieu of a resort to arms, to settle the difficulty-a consummation most devoutly to be wished, if only practicable. There was no "cond to his motion to adopt his report.
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