USA > Iowa > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 11
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Aside from the granite boulders that are often found on the prairies, the only stone is a buff-colored sandstone and limestone that is found in abundance in the central and eastern parts, appear- ing mainly in low ledges along the streams and ravines. Quarries have been opened in West Fork township, from which a supply of building material has been utilized at many points. There was also a quarry at one time on section 23, Reeve township. On sec- tion 10, Geneva township, just east of the wagon bridge over Mayne
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creek is a quarry, opened by Oren Benson. There is also a quarry near the north boundary of section 14, on the H. H. Andrews prop- erty. Stone has long been quarried in the north part of Hampton on Squaw creek.
All the streams that issue from the moraine are bordered by more or less continuous layers of gravel. These are especially notice- able on Bailey, Otter and Buffalo creeks; also along Mayne creek in Reeve and Geneva townships. Where the west fork of the Cedar enters the county, it is skirted by a gravel bench, twelve to fifteen feet higher than the flood plain. The terrace in places ex- tends a mile back from the stream, the town of Sheffield being built on such a flat to the north of Bailey creek. The gravels in Sheffield are twenty-five to thirty feet thick.
Fruits of every variety indigenous to the Middle Western States thrive in Franklin county. Peaches do not do well, but bounteous crops of apples, pears, cherries and berries are garnered almost yearly. The cereals, such as corn, oats, rye, potatoes and others, yield large returns from the seed planted. The production of wheat has become a negligible quantity.
The various kinds of grasses thrive and the raising of alfalfa is becoming popular among the husbandmen of this community.
SOILS
Franklin is preeminently an agricultural county. Farming is the vocation of the rural population and there are no tracts of any size that have not been disturbed by the implements of the tiller of the soil. The marshy peat bogs as well as the glacial ponds are giving way to modern drainage methods, while productive soils are slowly replacing the peat, and growing crops the worthless waste of sedge, rush and water willow. The general fertility of the soils of the county is attested by the flourishing crops that are to be seen on every hand during the growing seasons.
The soils may be primarily classified as residual and transported soils. The latter is the prevailing type, and may be subdivided into the drift, loess, alluvium and terrace varieties.
The drift soils occupy areas corresponding to the two till sheets that superficially cover the county. The soils of the western portion of the county are relatively new as the time which has elapsed since the deposition of the Wisconsin drift has been short. Surface modi- fication by weathering has progressed to but slight depth and as a re-
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sult the soil has a yellow or light brown color and is still very limy. It is also less porous than the older soils, which lack of porosity pre- vents thorough aeration and the free circulation of the soil moisture. It is recognized that the typical Wisconsin boulder clay soil re- quires more thorough and deeper tillage to obtain the most favor- able results. As weathering progresses and plant growth loosens up and alters the surface layer, many of the finer particles are carried down the slopes and accumulate in and around the marshes and ponds which, until recently have been very common. In this way have been produced the sticky, clayey, muck and impure peat soils that are well known in low undrained places. The so-called "sour" or alkaline spots are due to the impervious nature and undrained condition of such soils and these can be corrected only by the re- moval of the surplus moisture. In view of their origin it is evi- dent that the marsh soils may vary from a fairly pure grade of peat to a mucky clay containing a greater or less amount of partially de- cayed organic matter. While not actually covered with water, such soils usually support a growth of uncultivated but nutritious grasses, but it often requires considerable patience, even after drainage is secured, to subdue them into perfect tractability. This once ac- complished, however, they become fertile and lasting because of the humus they contain.
The materials of the Iowan drift have been longer subjected to the action of the atmospheric agents, and a more perfect soil is the result. The Iowan drift soil, while still quite calcareous, is of darker color and more open texture than that of the Wisconsin drift, and is therefore better suited to tillage and to plant growth. As has been noted earlier, however, the Iowan is directly responsible for the soils of but limited portions of the area outside of the Wiscon- sin drift. It is for the most part buried by the silty, in places sandy, loess covering whose alteration forms the basis for most of the soil over the eastern part of the county. The loess is a clayey deposit of yellow to light brown color and entirely free from the gravel pebbles and coarse sand which permeate the drift clays. Rounded or irregu- lar concretions of lime carbonate are abundant, but these are sec- ondary and have been formed by the leaching action of water. It effervesces freely with acid, and microscopic examination shows a large proportion of angular particles which should perhaps be called very fine sand. Physically, the soil which is formed on the loess is permeable both to water and to the roots of plants. On account of the clay constituent and the readiness with which water both enters
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and dries from it, the loess soils are very apt to bake hard after wet- ting. For the same reasons they wash readily, and from unprotected fields tons of the richest portions of the soil may be carried away dur- ing heavy rainfall or the melting of the winter's snows. Plowed fields exposed to the unhindered sweep of the winds are likewise de- nuded by the drifting of loose soil particles. The loess affords a fertile soil, and the cereal and legume crops grown upon it rival those produced on any other class of soil. It is usually found expedi- ent, however, to take some precautions in the rotation of crops in order to avoid the necessity of leaving the uncovered fields open to the at- tack of winds and rain.
It has already been stated that at a few points along the princi- pal streams of the county bodies of alluvium have been deposited. The materials have come from the upland soils, and this type is therefore one of great richness. Alluvial soils are usually sandy, of dark or black color, and where developed are the most productive of the region.
Covering the gravel terraces wherever they are developed in the county is a very productive soil. It is of the nature of alluvium, somewhat modified by later additions of rich loamy materials, and was undoubtedly spread over the surface of the gravel beds at a time following the close of the glacial period, while the streams were still of large volume, and in a manner similar to the deposition of alluvium over the flood plains of today. The permeable gravels below afford perfect underdrainage. The terrace soils require sea- sons of more than the common amount of precipitation to produce the very best results. They are sandy, open textured and warm soils and appear best suited to the raising of corn, but in ordinary years even this crop does better on the less porous, more clayey soils.
The residual soils are of minor importance although at some points the weathered limestones and shales have contributed largely to the elements necessary for plant growth. In the southeast corner of Mott and the southwest two sections of Ingham township the Kinderhook limestone is very thinly covered, and in many places along the angular terraces which border Squaw creek the soil layer appears to be due almost entirely to the decomposition of the lime- stone. To the south of Mayne creek in sections 10 and II of Geneva township a similar state of affairs obtains over small areas. In West Fork and Ross townships the Devonian shales have lent appreciably to soil formation in numerous localities. This is notably true along the west fork of the Cedar in section 7 of West Fork and
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section I of Ross township ; and at various other points in Ross town- ship south of Bailey creek. The presence near the surface of the shales is not so evident topographically as is the presence of the limestone. The characteristic yellow color and the marly nature of the shale soils are the distinguishing features. The limestone soils are highly impregnated with iron oxide and are therefore typically deep red to rust brown in color, and are found to grade downwards into the rotten and partially decayed limestone.
ECONOMIC PRODUCTS
From the foregoing discussion it may be construed that Franklin county's most important asset is its fertile soil. On the soil the majority of its inhabitants depend and the products of the many pros- perous farms are the chief articles of export. The county pos- sesses besides, ample supplies of building stone, abundant clay resources from which are wrought most durable building material and drain tile which are at present so much in demand, and finally, a moderate supply of timber for fuel. In a way, therefore, it may be said that Franklin county is sufficient unto itself, and yet it depends, as do all other communities, for certain of the necessities, on neigh- boring fields having more abundant supplies that they are willing to exchange for articles which Franklin county is able to spare. Thus, coal must be shipped in, and lumber for building, while in return are sent out the bountiful products of the farm, the orchard and the dairy.
CLAY
Franklin county is generously supplied with clay suitable for making all the common grades of stone ware. Those which are readily available are the loess and river clays and the clay shales of the Devonian. The loess which overlies the Iowa drift in the east- ern part of the county is not utilized at any point. This material is employed over the state more than any other class of clays for brick and tile manufacture, and good substantial products are made from it.
River or alluvial clay is made use of in a large tile manufactur- ing plant at Dows. The clay is taken from the river bottom below the plant. It is black soil at the surface, grading downward into gray and yellowish plastic clay. Gravel underlies the clay, so the
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depth of the pit is limited to about four feet. The clay is spaded from the bank and hauled to the works in two-wheeled carts. The product is of a high class and the local demand large. A consider- able portion of the output is shipped into Mason county.
Splendid varieties of blue and yellow clay are found near Shef- field, from which all sizes of tile are made.
CHAPTER VI
FRANKLIN COUNTY ERECTED AND ORGANIZED-SELECTION OF THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT-EFFORT TO MAKE MAYSVILLE THE COUNTY SEAT-EARLY PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNTY COURT.
Up to the convening of the Third General Assembly at Iowa City, December 2, 1850, the greater part of Iowa was unorganized territory, and as far as the records go it appears that no white man had entered the confines of Franklin county until August, 1849, when James M. Marsh came here to run township lines. He was assisted by William M. Dean and N. P. Cook, chainmen; B. H. Springer, flagman; James Casteel, axman. The work was finished in about one month. Certain of the townships were subdivided into sections in October, 1849, by John G. McDonald, deputy surveyor, pre- sumably of Hardin county. His work consisted of sectionizing town- ship 90, ranges 19, 20, 21 and 22, which now comprise the civil town- ships of Osceola, Grant, Lee and Oakland. There was then a hiatus of several months. During June, July, August and September, 1851, Alonzo Shaw marked out the section lines of Reeve, Geneva and Ingham townships. In 1852, John T. Everett surveyed into sec- tions Hamilton, Marion, Richland, Ross, Clinton, Scott and Wisner townships. In the same year Charles Gilliam subdivided into sec- tions townships Morgan and West Fork.
FRANKLIN COUNTY CREATED
At the adjourned session of the Third General Assembly, in the winter of 1851, fifty counties were created out of a vast territory belonging to the state, and among them was Franklin. The act was approved by Stephen Hempstead, Governor of the state, January 15, 1851, and on that day this county was born.
The boundary lines of the several counties erected by the act of 1851 were set forth in distinct terms in the legislative measure. That part of the act relating to Franklin reads as follows :
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"Section 12-That the following shall be the boundaries of a new county, which shall be called Franklin, to wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of township 93 north, range 18 west, thence west on the line between 93 and 94 to the northwest corner of township 93 north, range 22 west, thence south on the line between ranges 22 and 23, to the southwest corner of township 90 north, range 22 west; thence east on the line dividing townships 89 and 90 to the southwest corner of township 90, range 18 west, thence north to the place of beginning."
Franklin county stands fifth from the Mississippi and seventh from the Missouri river in the third tier of counties from the Minne- sota line. The county lies between Cerro Gordo and Hardin counties to the north and south respectively; while Butler and Wright coun- ties form the east and west boundaries. In outline it is square and contains sixteen standard sized townships. It has an area therefore of 576 square miles, or 368,640 acres.
THE COUNTY IS ORGANIZED
When the county of Franklin was created there were not enough inhabitants within her borders to warrant the formalities of organization for civil or judicial purposes. Hence, Franklin was attached to Hardin county and later to Chickasaw county. In July, 1855, the county judge of Chickasaw issued an order for the hold- ing of an election in Franklin county and on the 5th day of August, 1855, forty-eight male residents of the county, of legal age, met at the house of James B. Reeve, in what is now Reeve township, and cast their ballots for the first officials of the county, and by that act completed the organization of the new civil entity. The result of the election showed that James B. Reeve was the choice for county judge; Isaac Miller, treasurer and recorder; Dr. S. R. Mitchell, clerk of courts; Solomon Staley, sheriff; Henry Shroyer, school fund commissioner; John I. Popejoy, assessor; H. P. Allen, sur- veyor; Q. A. Jordan, prosecuting attorney; C. M. Leggett and J. Jones, justices of the peace.
After the election John Mitchell, who was one of the election judges, took the returns to Bradford, the county seat of Chickasaw county, and the newly elected judge and treasurer went all the way to Davenport, there to secure books and blanks to be used in the business of the county.
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The formality of inducting the various officials into office de- volved on the sheriff, Solomon Staley. That officer having been sworn to do his duty by the presiding judge at Bradford, received the official oaths of his confreres and thus qualified them for their new and somewhat difficult positions. The sheriff also copied and cer- tified to the new treasurer the assessment levied against Franklin county by Judge Ellis Parker of Hardin, and thus the new bailiwick began its career.
For business purposes the county was practically in embryo. The officials had no one near to instruct them in their duties. Each one had been supplied with a record book and a few blanks. There was not, as a matter of course, a building for county purposes, so that the public business was transacted at the homes of the officials, but mainly at the house of the pioneer settler and judge, James B. Reeve. The Reeve home became the court house and at times the family had little space left in which to turn around, as the settlers gathered there in numbers and filled every inch of the log cabin.
SELECTION OF THE COUNTY SEAT
It does not appear that the appointment of commissioners to se- lect a seat of government for Franklin county was made by the Legis- lature. This duty therefore devolved upon Judge Cave J. Mc- Farland, who chose Dr. Adam T. Ault, M. M. Trumbull, of Butler county, and J. D. Thompson, of Hardin, to perform that office ; not, however, without some show of dissatisfaction on the part of those most interested in having the matter properly and impartially ar- ranged. It appeared to the settlers, by the arbitrary manner in which the commissioners were appointed and the appearance of what was then known as "land sharks," that they were to be made the victims of a county seat ring and that if possible the county's capital city would be located without consulting their wishes or best interests. This was made all the more certain when it be- came known that Thomas B. Abel, of Marshall county, a man of consummate business acumen and shrewdness, had entered into an agreement with William Loughridge, of Oskaloosa, and a man named Farner, whereby they planned to control the situation. Abel owned a tract of land near the present site of Hampton and with the persons just mentioned, acquired several hundred acres in other parts of Reeve township. It later developed that Judge McFarland
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was identified with Abel and his partners, as was also Dr. Adam T. Ault.
The commissioners met at the house of Judge Reeve, but twice adjourned without accomplishing their purpose. Many liberal of- fers were made by interested persons, in the effort to secure the county seat. S. M. Preston, proprietor of a town; W. G. Lough- ridge, who had some land; and Thomas B. Abel all were willing to make great sacrifices to obtain the much desired plum. The commissioners examined various sites and Commissioner Trumbull was emphatically in favor of Job Garner's tract of land in Mott township. But Abel had done his work well. Trumbull was out- voted and the other commissioners carried the day. The county seat was located on the Abel place and was called Jefferson.
It is needless to say that the selection of Jefferson as the county seat was far from satisfactory, and steps were immediately taken to change it by placing the matter before the voters of the county for their decision. But little time for action was left, however. Com- missioner Trumbull, who favored the Garner site, took the initiative and before going to his home, after Jefferson had been chosen, he himself prepared the requisite legal notices of a petition to the county court, praying that tribunal to order a vote on the question at the next April election, and saw that they were properly posted that day. He then drafted a petition, which was generously signed. This was filed in Judge Reeve's court and the prayer of the petition was granted in the following words, to wit:
"Be it remembered that at a regular term of the county court in and for the county of Franklin, State of Iowa, held on Monday, the 3d of March, A. D., 1856, a petition was filed, signed by S. C. Braz- zelton and ninety others, praying that the court order a vote to be taken, at the next April election, on the question of removing the county seat of said county from the present location to the proposed town site situated on the south half of the northeast quarter, and the north half of the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of sec- tion 33, township 92, range 20 west, and it appeared by the affidavit of Job Garner, a creditable witness, that the petitioners are legal voters of said county, and it appeared to the satisfaction of the court that the notices required by law have been duly posted up, and that the petitioners constitute a lawful majority of the legal voters of said county, and all other things required by law in relation to such pub- lications having been done, it is therefore ordered by the court that the
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prayer of said petitioners be heard, and that a vote be taken at the next April election between said proposed site and the present county seat, in accordance with the prayer of petitioners.
"James B. Reeve, County Judge."
At the April election the settlers took the matter out of the hands of the commissioners and speculators and by their votes declared al- most unanimously for the Garner site. It is said Jefferson, in this contest, received but two votes. This consummation of the pioneers' wishes was brought about primarily through the honesty and rectitude of purpose of Judge Reeve, who desired to see fair play, and the untiring energy and aptitude of M. M. Trumbull. Judge Reeve entered the following order in accordance with the vote :
"April 15, 1856. At an election held in Franklin County, Iowa, on the 7th day of April, 1856, in pursuance of an order made by the county judge that a vote be taken on the question of removing the county seat from its present location to the proposed town of Benjamin, and it appearing from the whole number of votes cast, that the proposed town of Benjamin had a majority of all the votes cast, it is therefore declared the county seat of said county.
"James B. Reeve, "County Judge."
The proprietor of the county seat site, Job Garner, first had named the town Benjamin, assuming it would be appropriate, as the noted statesman's and philosopher's family name had been given the county; but he was afterwards induced to change the name to Hampton. At the time he made his proposition to the county, his plat embraced the eighty acres bounded on the north by First street, on the east by Main street in front of Harriman's Opera Hall; on the south by Fifth street, and on the west by the division line between the orig- inal plat and Kingman's addition. George Ryan, who was some- thing of a speculator, owned a quarter section of land adjoining the proposed town plat. The arrangement prior to the location of the county seat here, was that Ryan deed over to the county one-half of the land; but when the time for platting came, he deeded the county an undivided half of the eighty acres platted, that is, every other lot. Ryan's and Garner's lands were platted the same day.
The election above referred to did put to rest the ambitions of certain persons to further their own interest. It was considered Vol. T -- Q
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that the question was not permanently settled and to the end that the county seat might again be changed a petition was presented to the county court, at its February term in 1857, signed by J. G. Curry and one hundred and ten voters, praying that at the April election the question of removing the county seat be submitted to the voters of the county. Against this proposition a strong remonstrance was filed, which coincided with the views of the court and the prayer of the petitioners was therefor refused.
Still another effort was made to wrest the prize from Hampton. A petition was presented to Judge Reeve at the January term of court in 1858, signed by S. C. Brazzelton and others. To counter- balance this petition a remonstrance was submitted, signed by James McManes and others and again the decision was in favor of Hamp- ton. Another attempt was made at the March term of court in 1860 to remove the county seat from Hampton. A. T. Reeve and others were this time the petitioners. They asked Judge Henry Shroyer, who had succeeded Judge Reeve, that the question of removing the county seat from Hampton to Maysville be submitted to the citizens of the county at the April election. The petition was confronted by a strong and vigorous remonstrance, presented to the court by George Ryan and others, and the issue having been made several days' time was consumed in strenuous argument of counsel. The friends of Hampton again were triumphant. But the question, like Banquo's ghost, would not down. For almost immediately, or to be more exact, at the following June term of the court. E. H. Sparling's petition, with one hundred and sixty-two names thereon, was up for consideration. The prayer of this petition was that the county seat be changed from Hampton to Maysville. C. Gillett and others were on hand with a remonstrance. In this instance Judge Henry Shroyer directed that an order be issued for the submission of the question at the election to be held in April, 1862; but the vote was never taken, as an injunction was obtained restraining the authorities from any such procedure. Baffled and discouraged, the anti-Hamptonites gave up the struggle and no further efforts to change the location of the county seat have come to the surface.
EARLY PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNTY COURT
Franklin county's organization was perfected in August, 1855, by the election of officials whose several duties were to attend to the affairs coming under their jurisdiction. Judge Reeve convened his
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