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 57
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 57
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Solomon Brazzelton kept the next store, which was opened in 1855. He sold to Sparling & Brown. Sparling afterward entered the army and was killed. Brown moved to Independence in 1858. William Boyles ran the store for awhile and then suspended. E. L. Clock was the next to engage in trade.
In 1883, there were two stores in the township-one kept by 'Squire Dunn and the other by Charles Kreisler.
The first blacksmith shop was run by L. Jones, on section 23, in 1856. This shop was afterward removed to Maysville.
The second blacksmith shop was started, in the spring of 1856, by Levi Jones and Richard Horner, who built a shop 20x20 feet, and continued for two years. In
1883, there was only one shop in the township, owned by T. H. Baker and op- erated by E. Caldwell, at Maysville.
KILLING A BUFFALO.
In 1864, a buffalo was seen near John J. Mitchell's farm, whereupon a party of seven men, consisting of Solomon Staley, Humphrey Talhelm, H. J. Mitchell, James Springer, W. J. Shroyer, L. Shroyer and Dr. Addis, gave chase, following him into Hardin county and killing him at a point between Iowa Falls and Ackley. The party had a very interesting as well as exciting time in the final capture of the wild ani- mal, which had got "too far from home," as one of the party expressed it in relating the circumstances. After he was first seen, the party saddled their horses and pro- vided themselves with such weapons as they could obtain, and started in quick pursuit. They chased the animal until they lost sight of it; but being over- heated, it sought a prairie pond and when found was asleep in the mud. The ani- mal at once showed fight, and Mr. Spring- er followed him for over a mile in a circle, when the buffalo crossed the track of an ox team with a boy in charge. The lad becoming frightened climbed into a tree. The enraged buffalo made a dive at the oxen, when a volley of rifle balls and shot were fired from a distance of sixty yards, which killed it. The party dressed the animal and Mitchell and Staley took the carcass to Iowa Fails and sold it to the hotels, the proprietors being eager to ob- tain it, although the meat was not good as the animal had been heated. This was the last buffalo seen in this section of Iowa.
534
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
SCHOOLS.
The first school was taught by the pres- ent wife of H. J. Mitchell in 1855. This was also the first school in Franklin county. The second school was taught by William Boyles. During the spring of 1855, a log school house was built by subscription on section 21, the neighbor- hood turning out to put it up. This house was used for school purposes for about three years. It was afterwards torn down and moved to Maysville for a blacksmith shop. In 1883, there were nine school houses and 288 scholars in Reeve town- ship, showing the people here to be fully up to the times in educational matters.
RELIGIOUS.
The first religious services were held at the house of Mr. Fairchild, where Mr. Shephard afterward lived, by Job B. Garner, who had just come to the town- ship and was anxious to get a claim but was short of means to purchase. Mr. Reeve had an interest in a claim, and although not a church member, upon find- ing out that Garner was a minister, he arranged it so that he had the claim, with the understanding that he was to pay for it in preaching. A meeting was held in the summer of 1853, which nearly every one in the township attended.
The Protestant Methodists held their first meetings, in 1855, at private houses; but later, in the same year, used the log school house for a meeting place. Rev. Crill organized a class about this date. The Springer and Arledge families com- prised the greater part of this class, which was in operation about one year.
The Methodist Episcopal denomination held their first meeting, in the spring of
1855, by Rev. Stewart, in a log school house on section 23. The following were among the first members: Levi and Jane Jones, the Fanlker family, Isaac Mulkins and wife, Henry Shroyer and wife, Wil- liam Johnson and wife. The first class chose for their leader Levi Jones, who has held the position to the present time, 1883. At one time this society numbered sixty-five. The following named are the different pastors who have preached on this charge, in about the order in which they served: Rev. Stewart, one year; Rev. J. H. Burley, two years; Rev. Free- man, one year; Rev. Hesstwood, two years; Rev. Glassner, Rev. Connell, Rev. James Hankins, Rev. Niskerbarker, Rev. Cooley, Rev. Charles Jones, Rev. Miller, J. J. Sit- tler, Rev. Bargett, Rev. Crinklow, Rev. Cooley, Jacob Haymond and Rev. Sproul.
The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Mayne's Grove was organized through the labors of J. A. Crill, who held a tabernacle meeting in the grove, and on the 11th of September, 1876, a class was organized consisting of the following members: Josiah H. Bond, Mary E. Bond, Jane Van kirk, Jennie Bond, Caroline Collins, J. R. Miller, Henry House and I. T. Way. The first officers of the society were: Mary E. Bond, class leader; I. T. Way, steward; C. M. Leggett, clerk; Rev. John Calderwood, pastor, who served for two years. The next pastor was Rev. Grennell, who served two years and was followed by David Menka. The pastor in 1883 was B. F. Roe. From the time of its organization, 1876, until 1883, the society steadily in- creased to a membership of fifty-six. A union Sabbath school was maintained during warm weather. The church offi-
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
cers in 1883 were: W. B. Timerman, class leader; W. H. Chamberlain and J. H. Bond, stewards; I. T. Way, clerk.
MAYSVILLE POSTOFFICE.
Maysville was the first town platted in the county. A postoffice was established
here in 1857, with Edward Sparling as the first postmaster, who held the office in his store. The next postmaster was E. L. Clock, who held the office for many years, and was finally succeeded by Mr. Kreisler. In 1883, the office was held by 'Squire Dunn.
CHAPTER XXXI.
ROSS TOWNSHIP.
Ross township was a part of Clinton until 1879, when a petition was presented to the supervisor for a division, which resulted in creating a new township, com- prising all of township 93, range 20, except sections 3, 4, 9, 10 and a portion of 5 and 8, which included the town of Sheffield. The boundary, after this division, was Clinton township and Cerro Gordo county on the north, West Fork on the east, Ingham on the south and Richland on the west. It was named in honor of A. S. Ross, the oldest living settler. This township con- tains some of the best cultivated farms in the county. The land is a beautiful roll- ing prairie, watered by the West Fork of the Cedar river, which passes through the northeastern part of its territory, making its exit from section 12, by Bailey's creek, which courses through the township from the northwest corner to section 13, where it enters West Fork township, and by Buf- falo creekwhich passes through sections 19, 30 and 31, and touches the extreme south- west corner of section 32, at a point where
it enters Mott township. The monotony of the prairie landscape is broken some- what by occasional natural groves on either side of the three principal streams mentioned. The soil is of a rich loam of the most productive quality, which insures the best of crops The Central Railway of Iowa runs through the township, from north to south, with a station at the town of Chapin, on sections 28 and 29.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Abner S. Ross came to Franklin county in the spring of 1857, and settled on sec- tion 31 of what was afterward Ross town- ship. The only house in the township was the one he built in which about twenty men and women lived during the winter of 1857-8. The Spirit Lake massacre was in the spring of 1857, and all the settlers left this vicinity except a family named Tharp, who afterward removed to Kansas. Messrs. Mann, Goheen, E D. Wright and Lyman Bailey came about the same date with Ross.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Abner S. Ross was born in Butler Co., Ohio, May 24, 1815. His father, Elijah Ross, was a native of New Jersey, and his mother, Phæbe (Miller) Ross, of Connect- icut. This couple, after their marriage, removed to Ohio, when Cincinnati was an unpretentious village, and purchased a farm, where now the most populous por- tion of that city stands. But Mr. Ross was taken sick, and removed into Butler county, twenty-six miles from Cincinnati. The family consisted of twelve children, who all reached maturity. The father was a carpenter and farmer, and died at the age of seventy-two. Abner S. Ross, the subject of this sketch, remained in Butler county till he was twenty years of age, at which time he removed to Spring- ville, Ind., and being a blacksmith by trade, he followed that business in Springville and vicinity for sixteen years, then sold out and removed to Poweshiek Co., Iowa, where he ran a blacksmith shop and farm for four years. In the spring of 1857, he removed to Franklin county and started the town of Chapin. Mr. Ross was elected the third sheriff of Franklin county, when the salary was only fifteen dollars a year. He was the first school director of Chapin, and was treasurer for several years. In 1863 he was appointed deputy United States marshal, and assisted in raising recruits for the army. He served in this capacity for one year, having under his supervision the counties of Franklin, Wright and Humboldt. When he came to this county, he opened the first black- smith shop in the township, and assisted in building the saw mill at Old Chapin, and acted as head sawyer for four years. He opened a farm in Marion township,
and in 1875 removed to section 28, where he was living in 1883. In September, 1835, Mr. Ross was married to Esther A. Rose, who died Feb. 8, 1853, leaving four children-Milton H., Fletcher R., James M. and Sarah E. His second wife was Ruth ' Clement, whom he married in July, 1853. She died in 1871 at Old Chapin, and in the spring of 1872, he married Miss F. M. Hathaway, of Adams, Mass. By this union there were two sons-Charles A. and John Henry. Mr. Ross has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for about forty-five years.
E. D. Wright, an early settler of the township, was born in Erie Co., N. Y., Feb. 28, 1818. His parents were from Vermont and settled in New York soon after the war of 1812. They moved to Ontario Co., N. Y., and from there to Me- dina Co., Ohio, in 1835. E D. Wright came to«Iowa, and located first in Jones county. He went from Ohio in 1850 by the over- land route to California, and engaged there in mining for one year, coming back by way of Panama, but in 1852 he re- turned to California, and remained there four years. In 1857, he came to Franklin county, and located south of Tharp's Grove, in what is now Marion township, and has ever since been a resident of this county. Mr. Wright married Mary 'Davis, in Ohio, Sept. 23, 1845. She bore him five children-Clarissa, Amos, Mitchell, Estella and Mary. Mrs. Wright taught the first school at Chapin, in what is now the town of Ross. She died June 14, 1882, at the village of Chapin where Mr. Wright now lives. He has been school director and road supervisor, and when
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THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations.
Simon Johnson.
Was Simon Johnson.
.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Astor, Lenox and ! den Found:" is
541
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
the war broke out he enlisted in company H, 32d Iowa, but was rejected.
S. E. Baker came with his parents to Iowa in 1856, and located in 1858 on section 9, where he lived until 1872, and then sold out and moved to Jasper Co., Iowa, but returned to Franklin county, in 1880, when he purchased his present home on section 25. He was born in Chautau- qua Co., N. Y., in 1834. When five years old, his parents moved to Michigan, stay- ing one year, then to Indiana, remaining seven years, then to Illinois, where they lived nine years, and from there to Iowa, which is now their home. He is the son of Almon and Julia A. Baker, both preach- ing in the United Brethren Church over thirty years. He has been favored with a good education, completing at Pendle- ton Seminary, Ill. He enlisted in the 32d Iowa Volunteer Infantry, company II, in 1864, remaining until mustered out, and was in several engagements, but came out unhurt. He was married, Jan. 1, 1866, to Miss C. A. Miller, a native of Ohio They have four children-Eldora Ann, wife of Calvin West of Wisconsin, Samuel Almon, Saloma T. and William Edson.
W. H. MeMillen is one of the most prominent and wealthy farmers and stock raisers in Franklin county. He is now a member of the board of county super- visors, and was one of the first settlers in what is now Ross township, having moved here with his step-father, John Ashman, in 1858, coming here from Saratoga Springs, Saratoga Co., N. Y., where he was born in the fall of 1851. He is about thirty-two years of age. His father, Wil- liam McMillen, was of Scotch descent, and
died when his son, W. H., was a small boy. His mother soon after became the wife of Johu Ashman, a prominent and highly cultured gentleman of Saratoga Springs. The family came to Iowa in 1858 and set- tled at Old Chapin. The subject of the present sketch was reared on the farm, attending the common schools of the town, but received his principal instructions from his cultured step-father, and being an apt scholar he made rapid advance- ment, so that at the age of thirteen, the county superintendent having examined him with other members of the school, pro- nouneed him one of the best scholars in the school, and offered to give him a cer- tificate to teach in any of the common schools of the county. This was quite a compliment to a boy of thirteen, coming as it did from a thorough ·scholar and edu- cator. He, however, continued his studies under the direction of his step-father until two years later, when his step-father died, leaving the subject of this sketch, at the age of fifteen years, and a brother two years older, to look after the property left their mother by Mr. Ashman; and from that time on he did the work of a man, looking after his mother's property with as much interest as he now does his own. Having reached his majority he com- menced the battle of life for himself. For three years he rented and worked his mother's farm on shares, and in 1875 he bought his present farm of 320 acres, just south of the thriving village of Chapin, in Ross township. His land, which he bought at thirteen dollars per acre, is now valued at fifty dollars an acre. His farm is a high state of cultivation, well fenced, with the finest farm buildings in the town-
43
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
ship, if not in the county, and decorated with all kinds of evergreens, having something over 3000 in all. He has in all 720 acres of land, part of it located in Richland township. He is also very ex- tensively engaged in stock raising, having at this time about 200 head of horned stock, about fifty fine horses (four of them imported), 200 hogs, and does an extensive business in fattening, and shipping stock to the eastern market. Mr. McMillen is a self-made man, having begun life with no other capital than good health, a good deal of common sense and a determina- tion to succeed, and he has not been disappointed. He has been success- ful in all his pecuniary affairs and is to day not only the richest but one of the most influential citizens of this locality. He is a strong republican in politics and although he has never sought office, yet he has had many of the local offices forced upon him and is at present one of the supervisors of the county. He is a mem- of the I. O. O. F. at Hampton. His grandfather was a captain in the war of 1812, and died seven years ago at a very advanced age. His mother is of French descent and is related closely to the noted Grinnell family. Mr. McMillen was married in 1874, to Lila W. Black- stone, of Wisconsin, a native of Canada. They are the parents of four children -Harry, Frank, Willie Carroll, and Chauncey.
M. D. Gibbs, a settler of 1862, was born in Chemung Co., N. Y., May 25, 1851. His parents, Benoni and Sarah (Kimball) Gibbs, were natives of New York, where his father was a farmer. When only eight years of age, M. D. Gibbs, like the
lamented Garfield, drove two seasons on the Erie canal. In 1862, the family re- moved to Franklin Co., Iowa, and M. D. has since been a resident of Ross town- ship. Mr. Gibbs still enjoys single bless- edness, and his mother and sister are living with him on section 6. He has a farm of 160 acres in the town of Genesee, Cerro Gordo county. He has twenty-five head of cattle, eight horses and seventy- five hogs. His land is valued at $25 per acre. Mr. Gibbs has held the offices of school director, constable, justice of the peace and road supervisor. Politically he fraternizes with the republican party.
W. D. F. Randolph, one of the early settlers of Ross township, is a carriage painter by trade, and also gives a good deal of attention to practical farming. He was born Nov. 25, 1837, at Piscataque, N. J. His father's name was Furman F. Randolph, the mother's maiden name, Mary Drake, both natives of New Jersey, the Randolphs settling in Middlesex county as early as 1680. The grandfather on his mother's side was a captain in the war of the Revolution. W. D. F. Ran- dolph came west at the age of nineteen, but after spending some time in Chicago and southern Illinois, he returned home where he then learned his trade of car- riage painting. In 1862, he came to Franklin county, and has since resided in the town of Ross, and carries on his trade and runs his farm. On the 10th of No- vember, 1855, he married Maria Colyer, of New Jersey. They have one son, W. H. F. Randolph, who is now in Fargo, Dakota. Mr. Randolph has held the offices of secretary of the school board, director, township trustee, and for ten years has
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
been clerk of elections. He was also as- sessor one term. He is a straight republi- can, and votes that ticket every time he gets a chance.
Simon Johnson settled on his present farm in 1862. For thirty-three years of his life he has been a blacksmith, but at present is engaged in farming. He has a fine farm of 307 acres of valuable land, and a commodious house, built in 1882. He has held the offices of trustee, road supervisor and school director. In politics he is a republican, and has been a member of the Masonic lodge at Hampton thirteen years. He was born in Norway, in 1822; emigrated to Wisconsin in 1853, where he spent one year, then went to Cedar Falls, Iowa, and from thence to Butler county, where he remained until he came to Frank- lin county. He was married, in 1850, to Genie Berson, also a native of Norway. They have three children-Julia S., the wife of P. J. Olson, of Moline, Ill .; Marti- mus B. and Hibert A.
William Ellis, one of the early settlers of Ross township, was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1822, and came to America in 1831 with his parents. They settled in Detroit, Mich., where William grew to manhood on his father's farm. His par- ents being poor, he was compelled to neg- lect his education and give his attention and time to clearing off the heavy timber and securing a home for the family, and when this laudable purpose was achieved, it was too late to make up in educa- tion the years lost in youth. His parents died on the old homestead in Michigan, after toiling there for more than thirty years. The son, of whom we now write, continued to live on the old farm until
1854, when he came to Iowa, settling first in Clayton county, but, in 1863, he came to Franklin county and settled on the farm in Ross township, where he still resides. He has a good farm of 160 acres, with 100 head of cattle, sixty hogs and ten horses, and his farm is one among the very best ones in Ross township. He was married in 1848 to Mary Dinnin, who was born in Ireland. By this union they have four children-William Jr., Elizabeth, Francis and Jessie.
G. W. Crawford come to Iowa in 1862. He was born in Fulton Co., Penn., Feb. 17, 1838. His parents, J. V. and Melin- da ( McGee ) Crawford, were natives of Pennsylvania. The father was a black- smith. The son, G. W. Crawford, learned the milling trade and worked at this busi- ness in Pennsylvania until 1859, then moved to Illinois and for one year lived near Mt. Carroll. In 1860 he went to Pike's Peak in search of gold, spending one short summer, then returned to Illi- nois, and after a year's sojourn there he removed to Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he worked at the cooper's trade until 1865, at which date he came to Franklin county. He had made a tour of prospect here in 1864 and purchased 160 acres of land on section 20, Ross township, which he still owns. The farm is well improved with a fine dwelling house and other buildings. Mr. Crawford values his land at fifty dollars per acre. He keeps from twenty to thirty head of cattle, ten horses and about 120 hogs, and believes stock to be a better investment than gold hunting at Pike's Peak. Mr. Crawford formed a partnership for the pur- pose of dealing in merchandise and grain with W. W. Richards, at Chapin, and the
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
firm continued up to the death of Mr. Richards, since which time Mr. Crawford has conducted the lumber and coal trade, having closed out the grain and merchan- dise business. In 1862 he married Celia E. Willis, of Kankakee Co., Ill., whose native State is New York. They have had nine children, eight of whom are liv- ing-Charles A., Edward V., George W, Sidney H., Garfield, Annie M., Gertrude and Florence. Mr. Crawford has held the office of trustee for three years, and school director five years. In politics, he is an old line republican, and is a good farmer.
J. G. Zimmerman, one of the leading farmers or Ross township, is a native of Pennsylvania, and was born in Union Co., Aug. 23, 1817. His parents, Chris- tian and Sarah (Graybill) Zimmerman, were both born in Union Co., Penn. The father was a carpenter and farmer. At the age of seventeen J. G. learned the trade of shoemaker, at Richfield, Juniata Co., Penn., and worked at that vocation for ten years. His health began to fail, and he then embarked in the general mer- chandise business at Richfield. In 1852 he removed to Iowa, and bought land in Clayton county. Mr. Zimmerman erected the first building in the town of Luana. After remaining there two years he sold his property and returned to Pennsylva- nia, where he resided one year. He then returned to Iowa, and located at Spring- field, Clayton county, and engaged in mercantile business, until 1865, from which date he has been a resident of Franklin county. Ile located on section 16, Ross township, and first bought eighty aeres, which he began to improve, and now has one of the best farms in the township,
comprising 365 acres, 320 of which are under cultivation. He has fifty head of cattle, eleven horses and mules, and raises about fifty hogs annually. In 1878 Mr. Zimmerman erected his present house, which is large and commodious. He has also a fine orchard containing about 250 trees in bearing condition. He values his land at $30 per acre. The subject of this sketch has been married twice. His first wife was Catherine Schafer, whom he married Nov. 2, 1840. She bore him five children, only one of whom survives- Sarah A. Mrs. Zimmerman died and Mr. Zimmerman subsequently married Maria E. Rigel, who was born in Union Co., Penn., in 1830. They have had ten ehil- dren-Orrin C., Adoniram J., David A., Ja e E., deceased), Mary C., Cynthia D., Leila M., Jacob F., George G. and Char- lotte L. Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Zimmerman has held the offices of trustee, school director and road supervisor. He has been a member of the Masonic fra- ternity for twenty-eight years, and assisted in the organization of the first Masonie lodge in Clayton county. He is also an Odd Fellow.
There was but little settlement made in the territory now comprising Ross town- ship until about 1869, when the township settled very rapidly, the greater part of those coming since that time being resi dents in 1883, and owning choice, well cul- tivated farms Among those who made set- tlement between 1869 and 1880 were: George Goppinger, J. C. Witthoft, A. T. Little, E. K. Frost, S. A. Gibbs, William Eddy, S. P. Weaver, E. M. Knight, J. E. Crawford, M. Bird, Abner S. Ross, Henry
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
545
Gerfen, George Schollein, W. R. Yelland, Jacob Heuberger, E. F. Morris and W. F. Marke.
George Goppinger is a farmer and one who has made farming a success in Ross township. He was born in Bavaria, Dec. 31, 1855. He is the son of Joseph and Frances (Keiber) Goppinger. In 1868 he came to the United States and settled in Manitowoc Co., Wis , and in 1869 came to Franklin county. He labored on the rail- road in Iowa and Minnesota two seasons, and then began to improve his farm. He now has 200 acres of choice land which is valued at $30 per acre. He has thirty- seven head of cattle, fifty hogs and nine horses, and is now laying a good basis for future profits in stock Mr. Goppinger married Ellen M. Ormrod, of Rush, Ill. They were married at Warren, Ill, and have one child-Lizzie. In politics Mr. Goppinger is a republican.
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