USA > Iowa > Cerro Gordo County > History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo counties, Iowa and biographies of representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races > Part 34
USA > Iowa > Franklin County > History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo counties, Iowa and biographies of representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races > Part 34
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105
Captain James B. Reeve, died of conges- tive fever, at Fort Pillow, Tenn., Jan. 24, 1863.
Sergeant Russell T. Knight, died Dec. 22, 1862, at Yackona creek, Miss., of inflam- ation of the bowels.
Corporal Daniel J. Boyles, died Oct. 9, 1863, at Memphis Tenn., of wounds.
John W. Brown, died at Griswoldville, Ga., Nov., 22, 1864, of wounds.
William W. Scott, died of phthisis pul-
monalis, at Tipton Mo., Feb. 8, 1862.
George F. Scott was killed in action, May 27, 1864, at Resaca, Ga.
Sergeant Edwin H. Sporling, died of fever, at Bathville, Ark., June 2, 1862.
Corporal John G. Mitchell, died April 2, 1863, at St. Louis, Mo., of diarrhea.
Fernando T. Reeve, died at Anderson- ville, Ga., Sept., 21, 1864, of debilitas.
James H. Riddle, died of wounds, at Vicksburg, Miss , June 3, 1863.
Corporal James M. Paige, died May 17, 1863, at Champion Hills, Miss., of wounds.
Elias Moon, died June 14, 1862, at At- lanta, Ga., of starvation, while a prisoner of war.
Sergeant Benjamin H. Pound, died at Fish River, Ala., March 23, 1865, of dropsy of the heart.
John B. Woodward, died of wounds, April 12, 1864, at Pleasant Hill, La.
Joseph Ward was killed in action at Pleasant Hill, La., April 9, 1864.
George W. Ross was killed in the bat- tle at Pleasant Hill, La., April 9, 1864.
John D. Baker was killed by guerrillas at Island No. 10, Oct. 22, 1863.
Hiram Brotherton died at Dubuque, Nov. 4, 1862, of pneumonia.
William Ball, died of disease, at Colum- bus, Ky., Feb. 2, 1863
Cyrus Boyler, died April 1, 1863, at Fort Pillow, Tenn., of typhoid fever.
305
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Hiram A. Brotherton, died of disease Nov. 4, 1862, at Dubnque, Iowa.
Seth K. Capron, died March 4, 1865, at Memphis, Tenn., of disease,
Daniel W. Cole was killed in battle April 9, 1864, at Pleasant Hill, La.
Oliver Clinesmith, died of disease, at Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 29, 1863.
Loren Collins, died May 4, 1864, at Mound City, Ill., of disease.
Henry Creighton, died at Memphis, Tenn., May 17, 1864.
Elemuel W. Crosby was killed in battle at Pleasant Hill, La., on April 9. 1874.
Geore W. Fry, killed in battle at Pleas- ant Hill. La., April 9, 1864.
Jesse Horner killed April. 9, 1864, in the battle of Pleasant IIill, La.
David L. Hartgrave, died of disease, July 29, 1864, at Jefferson Barracks, Mo.
Thomas I. Herman, died May 28, 1864, in Franklin Co., Iowa.
Warren Kittel, died of disease July 17, 1864, at Memphis, Tenn.
Ralph A. Lord, died Feb. 15, 1865, at Memphis, Tenn.
Ira MeCord, killed in action at Pleasant Hill, La., April 9, 1864
William C. Manifold, died of measles, March 13, 1863, at Memphis, Tenn.
Willard Mulkins, died of disease, at Memphis, Tenn., July 24, 1864.
Isaac C. Mulkins, died April 9, 1864, at Ft. De Russey, La., of typhoid fever.
Arba A. Merris, killed in battle at Lake Chicot, Ark., June 6, 1864.
W. R. C. Mitchell, died April 30, 1865, at. Ft. Gaines, Ala., of wounds.
David Perry, died of disease, July 26, 1864, at Memphis, Tenn.
Richard Penney, died at Memphis, Tenn., March 16, 1864, of disease.
Henry W. Smith, died at Pleasant Hill La., April 23, 1864, of wounds.
Charles Gillett, died at Clear Creek, Miss., June 21, 1863, of congestive chills.
Martin, V. Johnson died Sept. 12, 1864, at De Vall's Bluff, Ark., of chronic diar- rhœa.
William Murphy, died of disease, Ang. 14, 1863, at Memphis, Tenn.
-
306
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
CHAPTER XVI.
RAILROADS.
There is no internal improvement that has done so much to develop the country as its railroads. The printing press, the railroad and the telegraph wire com- bined, certainly move the world as Archi- medes little dreamed it could be moved. Up to within a few years, new countries were required to be opened up by the hardy pioneers, and their agricultural and mineral resources well developed before the capitalists would invest their money in building of railroads. Now railroads are first built and the people follow. Franklin county was not so fortunate as to have her railroads first built, but her vast agricultural and mineral resources were first made known to the world and then the railroads sought entrance that it might transport the surplus product of the county.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL.
One of the first railroads projected in Iowa was the Dubuque & Pacific, after- wards known as the Dubuque & Sioux City railroad, running from Dubuque across the northern part of the State to Sioux City. In 1856, there was a large corps of men at work upon the eastern line of the road, and it was hoped by its project- ors to soon finish it to its western ter- minus It was completed to Cedar Falls, when the panic of 1857 forced the com- |
pany to cease operations. At this time the survey h d been made through this county, and the town of Ackley laid out, ready to catch the boom which would surely strike it on the advent of the rail- road.
The hard times, following the panie of 1857, continued until the third year of the war. Even had better times commenced on the inauguration of Lincoln, the war that followed filled the public mind to such an extent that little else could be thought of The close of the war in the spring of 1865, and the abundance of "greenbacks" in the country, necessitated some publie measures in which the capi- tal of the country and the people could be employed.
The officers of the Dubuque & Sioux City railroad now determined to push it through to completion. Accordingly, a large force of men was put to work upon the road during the summer of 1865, and it was rapidly pushed forward, the road be ing completed and cars running to Aekley in the middle of October, and early in tlie year 1866, to Iowa Falls. Here opera- tions again ceased, the company being unable to raise the money for its com- pletion
Two years passed, when another com pany, known as the Iowa Falls & Sioux
.
307
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
City Railroad Company, took hold of the work and in due time completed it to its western terminus The two roads were leased to the Illinois Central Railroad Company, and the line is now known as the Iowa Division of the Illinois Central railroad.
This road crosses the extreme southeast- ern corner of Franklin county. The town of Ackley, on the county line between Franklin and Hardin, furnishes a desira- ble market point for the settlers in the southern part of the county.
CENTRAL IOWA RAILWAY.
The formation of the Eldora & Steam- boat Rock Coal Company, together with the extensive preparations made by the company for mining coal upon the lands purchased and leased, led to the organiza- tion of the Eldora Railroad & Coal Com- pany, having for its object the building of a road from Eldora to Ackley, connect- ing at the latter place with the Dubuque & Sioux City, now the Illinois Central Railroad.
Hon. Platt Smith, of Dubuque, Iowa, manifested great interest in the formation of this company and in the building of the road. It was upon his invitation that the executive committee of the Eldora & Steamboat Roek Coal Company proceeded to Dubuque, in January, 1866, for the pur- pose of consulting some of the capitalists of that place. After several meetings with Mr. Smith and others a new company was formed, to be known as the Eldora Railroad & Coal Company, having ob- jects as already stated, together with the mining of coal upon the lands purchased and leased by the old company.
After filing the articles of incorporation of the new company in the recorder's of- fice at Dubuque, a meeting was held by the stock-holders and five directors were chosen-C. C. Gilman, H. G. Hethering- ton, S. F. Lathrop, II. L. Inff and W. J. Moir. The directors then met and elected C. C. Gilman president, and James Mc- . Kinley secretary pro tem.
The executive officers of the Eldora and Steamboat Rock Coal Company, as soon as the organization of the Eldora Railroad & Coal Company was completed, entered into a contract with the latter by which all its rights, title and interest in the lands owned or leased by the company should be transferred to it,on condition that a rail- road should be built from Ackley to Eldora on or before the 1st day of July, 1868, and providing for a re conveyance to the former should the contract not be complied with by the time specified. The Eldora & Steamboat Rock Coal Company fur- ther agreed to guarantee the right of way to the railroad company. The consider- tion of this transfer was that the railroad company should allow to the stockholders of the coal company the sum of $30 per acre, payable in equal amounts of money, stock and construction bonds of the com- pany.
The Eldora Railroad & Coal Company subsequently found itself unable to comply with the contract as made, and so notified the Eldora & Steamboat Rock Coal Com- pany, but expressed itself as abundantly able and willing to build and operate the railroad, provided the coal lands should be donated, instead of its having to pay for them the sum of $30 per aere. This propo-
308
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
sition was accepted by the coal company, and the work was commenced.
The work of grading, tieing and bridg- ing was put under contract to Dows & Co., of Cedar Rapids, to be completed by Nov. 15, 1867. Contracts were also let to private parties for the mining of 20,000 tons of coal, to be ready for use when the road was finished. Enough stock of the road was sold prior to begin- ning the work to pay the contractors for grading and tieing. It then became neces- sary to raise the means for obtaining the iron and rolling stock for operating the road. Bonds were issued to the amount of $400,000, secured by a first mortgage lien on the road-bed, rolling stock, lands and mineral rights, and all other property or privileges which the company then pos- sessed or might acquire. A sufficient number and amount of bonds were sold for the purpose named, and in due time the road was completed. In July, 1868, the last spike was driven, and Eldora was in railroad communication with the world. At the same moment the last spike was being driven, news came that the Supreme Court had decided that Eldora was the permanent county seat of Hardin county. A double celebration was therefore held, and joy reigned supreme in the heart of every citizen of the place.
The Iowa River Railroad Company was organized July 8, 1868, under the general incorporation laws of the State of Fowa, for the avowed purpose of constructing and maintaining a north and south line of railway through the central portion of Iowa, from the southern boundary line of Minnesota to the northern boundary line of Missouri, a distance of 250 miles. The
sixteenth degree of longitude, or as near thereto as practicable, being selected as a route which would traverse the richest and best settled agricultural and mineral dis- tricts of Iowa, giving access to St. Panl on the north, by a connection at Mankato with the Minnesota Valley railroad, and to St. Louis on the sou h, by a junction with the North Missouri Railroad at the Mis- souri State line.
As a preliminary to this great work, the company, after perfecting its organization, purchased the seventeen miles of road completed by the Eldora Railroad & Coal Company, from Ackley to Eldora, and the centre of the Iowa Valley coal basin.
Articles of incorporation were filed for record in the office of the Secretary of State, July 8, 1867. They were signed by C. C. Gilman, E. W. Eastman, W. J. Moir, Henry L. Huff, R. H. McBride, D. D. Chase, Joseph Edgington, Gardner Spen- cer, J. Q. Patterson, S. K. Edgington and J. M. Scott, all of Eldora, excepting D. D. Chase and Gardner Spencer.
The following named were the first offi- cers and directors: President, C. C. Gil- man; vice-president, Thomas Kensett; treasurer, R. A. Babbadge; secretary, Charles Collins; directors, C. C. Gilman, H. L. Huff, Wells S. Rice, F. W. H. Sheffield, H. L. Stout, Horace Abbott, Thomas Kensett, John S. Gilman and Isaac Hyde, Jr.
The seventeen miles of road purchased of the Eldora Railroad Company was fully equipped and put in operation the first season. Twenty-seven miles, from Eldora to Marshalltown, was put under contract in October, 1868, and the grading was
309
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
about half finished before severe cold weather put a stop to operations.
As soon as the weather would permit, work was resumed upon the road, and rap- idly pushed forward to Marshalltown, be- ing completed to that point according to contract. For the purpose of accomplish- ing this work, bonds were issued by the company, and placed in the hands of A. L. Hatch, of New York, for disposal. In his circular offering the bonds for sale, Mr. Hatch said:
"The history of the west during the past ten years clearly demonstrates the value of sound railway bonds as an invest- ment. Steadily increasing in population and wealth, it not only gives sure promise from the commencement of a business to railroads, sufficiently remunerative to insure the prompt payment of interest and prin- cipal of a moderate amount of indebted- ness, incurred in the cost of construction, but, as shown by the enormous increase of earnings of western roads of ten years' growth and upwards, warrants a specula- tive investment in the stock upon which the indebtedness is based. Planned as a legitimate business operation, by careful, calculating men, with direct regards for the wants of the county, and built for cash on as low estimates as any road in Iowa, the Iowa river railway occupies a position before the public to-day as a me- dium for safe investment and speculative promise seldom reached by project of like character. The earning of the first seven- teen miles, in operation for only four months, give a foundation on which an estimate can be made. These bonds, though not bearing a very high rate of interest, are paying as much as any legiti-
mate operation can afford to-a point to be considered in the minds of those who seek a secure and safe investment."
On the 23d day of June, 1869, articles of incorporation were signed at Marshall- town for the formation of a new company, to be known as the Central Railroad Company of Iowa. This company was the legitimate successor of the Iowa River Railroad Company, and having the same object in view-the construction, maintenance and operation of a railroad from the south to the north line of the State of Iowa. The principal office of the new company was to be in Marshalltown, but providi g for meetings of the board of directors in New York. The capital stock of the company was limited to $12, 000,000, divided into shares of $100 each, its issue for the purposes of construction being restricted to $30,000 per mile. Jay Cooke & Co., and E. W. Clark & Co., bankers in Philadelphia, were made agents for the sale of the bonds. It was provided by special contract with the Farmers' Loan and Trust Company, New York, that the bonds, or the moneys received from their sale, should remain in possession of that company as trustee, to be delivered or paid out to the railroad company or their order, only upon the engineer's estimates, as the work progressed. Under these wise pre- cautions the capitalists of the East ad- vanced money, from time to time, for the completion of the road.
C. C. Gilman, of Eldora, was elected president of the new company, and great credit is due him for the work accom- plished. By his energy and taet, com- bined with indomitable perseverance, ob -- staeles were overcome that would have
-
9
310
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
appalled men of less nerve. Under his administration the road was constructed north, through Hampton, to Northwood, within six miles of the Minnesota line, and south to Albia, in Monroe county, thirty-six miles from the Missouri line.
The road not proving as profitable as anticipated, whether from want of good management or other causes is left for others to determine, it was placed in the hands of a receiver in 1874. D. N. Pick- ering was appointed to the position, which he satisfactorily filled for some time. Subsequently resigning, Hon. J. B. Grinnell was appointed, and continued in the discharge of the duties of the office until the formation of a new company, which succeeded to all the rights and priv- ileges of the old.
On the 20th of May, 1879, articles of incorporation were filed in the office of the Secretary of State by Russell Sage and Charles Alexander, of the Central Iowa Railway Company, successors to the Cen- tral Railroad Company of Iowa. The ob- jects of the new company, as set forth in article 2, were to "acquire, construct, equip, maintain and operate a railway from the north to the south line of the State of Iowa, embracing the present road and property, both real and personal of the Central Railroad Company of Iowa, subject to the first mortgage, and to $3,700,000 of the first mortgage bonds ex- isting and now outstanding on that prop- erty, which first mortgage bonds this com- pany assumes to pay, both principal and interest, in the manner hereinafter provi- ded, together with the legal debts of the «receiver." Isaac M. Cate was elected presi- dent of the new company; D. N. Pickering,
superintendent; C. A. Jewett, general pas- senger and ticket agent.
The Central Iowa railway enters Frank- lin county, on the south, on section 35, Osceola township, and passes in a north- erly direction through the townships of Osceola, Geneva, Reeve, Mott, Ross, Clin- ton, leaving the county from section 4, in the latter township. There are five sta- tions on the line in Franklin county- Faulkner, Geneva, Hampton, Chapin and Sheffield. This road also controls and operates the branch from Hampton west to Belmond, twenty-two miles.
BURLINGTON, CEDAR RAPIDS & NORTIIERN.
The Pacific Division of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern railroad was built through the southwestern part of Franklin county in 1881. It enters the county on section 34, of Lee township, and bearing northwesterly passes through Oak- land, and leaves to enter Wright county, by way of section 31, Morgan township. The road operates two stations in the county-Dows and Carlton.
DUBUQUE AND DAKOTA.
This line of railway enters Franklin coun- ty from the east through section 24, Ing- ham township, and bears almost due east un il it passes Hampton, and reaches the center of Marion township, when it makes a north ward curve and finally leaves to enter Wright county through section 6, Scott township. This road was graded in 1875-6 by the Iowa & Pacific Railroad Company, but this company failed, and it was com- pleted and put into operation in 1879 and 1880, by the Dubuque & Dakota Railroad Company, composed of capitalists in Dubuque. East of Hampton the line is controlled by the illinois Central Railroad
311
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Company as a feeder for their line at Waverly. West of Hampton the line is operated to Belmond, Wright county, by the Central of Iowa Railroad Company. The road is not yet completed, extending only from Sumner, in Bremer county, to Belmond, Wright county.
PROJECTED RAILROADS.
On the 12th of May, 1866, a mass meet- ing was held at the court house, in Hamp- ton, to discuss the prospective benefits of the completion of the Iowa & Minnesota railroad through Franklin county. The meeting was called to order by N. B. Chapman, upon whose nomination Austin North was chosen president and W. N. Davidson, secretary. Resolutions were passed, requesting the board of supervi- sors to appropriate money to aid in the construction of the road, and recommend- ing that the interest of Franklin county in the swamp lands be devoted to the same purpose. After some further discus-
sion the meeting adjourned until May 29, 1866, at which time the resolutions passed at the former meeting were re-affirmed.
DES MOINES, HAMPTON & WISCONSIN NAR- ROW GAUGE RAILROAD
About 1876 the scheme was started for the construction of a narrow gauge rail- road from Des Moines to Milwaukee. The matter was dropped after a little fruitless agitation. In April, 1878, the subject was revived and a meeting of the stockholders of the prospective road was held. Officers were elected as follows: Directors, James Thompson, J. H. King, A. T. Reeve, A. G. Kellam, J. T. Stearns, Robert Jeffers, J. W. Mckenzie, D. W. Dow, George Beed, L. B. Raymond, J. I. Popejoy and J. J. Smart. These gentle- men proceeded to elect as officers : James Thompson, president; A. T. Reeve, vice- president; J. F. Latimer, treasurer; T. C. Mckenzie, secretary. This scheme soon fell through.
CHAPTER XVII.
EVENTS OF INTEREST.
The winter of 1856-7 is remembered by all of the old settlers as very severe. Those who were here affirm that the valley of Squaw creek, just north of Hampton, was blown so full of snow by the frequent and prolonged "blizzards" that it was level full from bluff to bluff. During that winter many persons froze to death in Iowa, and in January, 1857,
a woman named Ryan was frozen to death near the Hacker place, in Mott township One of the Garner's lived on the place now owned by Mr. Silvas, and the Ryan family on the Hacker place. Ryan and his wife were at Garner's for an evening visit, and when they started home the wind was blowing a gale, and the air being filled with snow, they lost
-
20
312
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
the path. After wandering around for some time the ,woman became exhausted and could go no. further, and her hus- band managed to find his way back to Garner's, and routed them out. They got up, but it was nearly daylight and search was useless. In the morning, the storm having abated, there sat the poor woman upon a little hillock in full sight of the house, frozen to death. She was taken to the house, and then buried on the hill northwest of Hampton, near John C. Jones' present residence, where a cem- etery was started and afterward abandoned
In August, 1866, a sad accident occurred in Osceola township, which resulted in the death of Ezra Huff, a young man twenty years of age. He was engaged mowing on the prairie with a machine. Some of the family noticed that the team was standing still for an unusual length of time, and upon going out to discover the cause of the delay, found the young man lying across the tongue of the mower, dead. It was supposed that he went be- tween the horses to adjust some portion of the harness, and that they crowded togeth- er against him with a force sufficient to cause his death, his breast being crushed in
In the summer of 1866, John R. Hart- graves, of Ingham township, had a horse stolen while it was grazing on the prairie lle afterwards learned t at a horse an- swering to the description of the one he had lost had been seen in Polk county and upon going there found that it was his. From information gathered while there he became satisfied that the horse was stolen by a young man who had been stop- ping at Mayne's Grove for a few months,
and, upon his return, Mr. Hartgraves caused his arrest. Sheriff Pickering took him in o custody, when he was brought before Judge North, of Hampton, but on account of the absence of important wit- nesses the case was continued until they could be obtained. When the trial finally came up he was bound over to the district court, where he plead guilty and was sen- tenced by Judge Chase to one year in the penitentiary.
On New Year's day, 1872, a collision occurred on the Iowa Central railroad be- tween Hampton and Chapin. No one was seriously injured.
In April, 1872, two men, Pat Cassady and Peter Burns, were killed by lightning in the southeastern part of the county.
During the same month a little son of Mr. Shoemaker, who lived three or four miles north of Hampton, accidentally shot himself in the knee.
On Friday, June 1, 1872, a little two- year old son of T. J. Armstrong was left playing in the yard while the mother went on an errand to a neighbor's. She was absent but a few moments, and while returning heard the cries of the little one, and on entering the house she found the child with his clothing on fire and badly burned. It appeared that the little fellow had climbed up to the stove by the aid of a chair and stepped upon the hearth to reach some berries stewing upon the stove, when his dress catching fire enveloped him in flames. Drs. Galer and Harriman were ·immediately summoned, but to no avail, as the child died within two or three hours. The following morning the sor-
313
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
rowing parents left for Mt. Vernon, Linn county, where the remains were buried.
During the night of June 1, 1872, light- ning struck the house of D. M. Spears, who lived in Morgan township, and in- stantly killed a young man named Seward Rickey. Young Rickey had been at work for W. H. Weaver and went to Mr. Spears, a brother-in-law, to spend the night. He slept upon the floor and the electric fluid came down the stove pipe, crossed the floor to where the young man was sleep- ing, entered his feet and passed out of his head, and from thence through the side of the house. The deceased was about nine- teen years of age and came to this county from Moscow, Iowa Co., Wis., in October, 1871. A new lightning rod had been put on the house on Monday previous to the the night in question.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.