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 60
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 60
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568
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
WEST FORK TOWNSHIP.
This is the northeast township in Frank- lin county, comprising congressional town- ship 93, range 19, and therefore contains thirty-six square miles. The West Fork of the Cedar river traverses the township, entering on section 7, coursing diagonally across the township, leaves from section 35. This stream is skirted by a good sup- ply of timber which lends beauty to the appearance of the township. The soil is a dark, rich loam, inclined in places to be sandy. The township contains some very fine farms, which are adapted to stock, and which are supplied with many fine grades.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Henry Meyer was the first settler in the township. He came from Wisconsin in 1855. R. N. Lockwood came the follow- ing April, entering the northeast quarter of section 1. Solomon Robinson also located in 1856, on the southeast quarter of section 1, where he lived until 1880. He was formerly from Vermont ; his par- ents came in 1857 and kept house for him and Mr. Lockwood.
Frederick Meyer was one of the first settlers on the West Fork. He was born in Madison Co., Ill., Jan. 21, 1838. His parents, Henry and Sophia (Baumgard ner) Meyer, were natives of Switzer- land, and were among the early settlers of
Illinois. When Frederick was eleven years of age the family removed to Sauk Co., Wis., and in the fall of 1856, settled in Franklin county. In 1859 Frederick went by overland route to California, be- ing six months on the road. He engaged in mining until 1863, when he went by way of Panama to New York city and there enlisted as a private in company G, 20th New York Infantry. He served until February, 1866, the regiment being detailed for duty at City Point and Rich- mond, Va. After his discharge in New York city, he returned to Franklin county and has since resided here. He owned eighty acres of land on section 33, West Fork, which he sold in 1876 and removed to his present location on section 12, in Ross township. He has 240 acres of the finest land in the county, which he values at $30 per acre. In 1880 he built his fine residence and now has one of the most comfortable homes in the township. Mr. Meyer has been twice married, the first time to Martha Bushyager, May 10, 1867. She died in 1873, leaving two children- Frederick and Martha. On the 23d of Angust, 1874, Mr. Meyer married Eliza Chambers, daughter of B. S. Chambers, of Ingham township. Two children were born to them-Maud and Alta May. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer are members of the M.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
E. Church of West Fork. He has been school director and road supervisor, and is a democrat in politics.
Leonard N. Lockwood is one of the first settlers in the township of West Fork, and among the earliest residents in the county of Franklin. He comes of a pio- neer race, his parents having been among the first inhabitants of Saratoga Co., N. Y. His maternal grandmother was living in Pennsylvania at the period of the In- dian disturbances, and was driven from the State by the redskins, about the time · of the massacre at Wyoming. His father, James Lockwood, was from Duchess Co., N. Y., and his mother, Eunice (Carr) Lockwood, was born in Rhode Island, where her parents fled for refuge. Leonard N. was born at Wilton, Saratoga Co., N. Y, Nov. 29, 1830. He there attained to man's estate, obtaining such education as the common schools afforded. He spent some months in teaching, and in 1855 yielded to the reported promise of the great West. He accompanied an uncle to Wisconsin, made a brief stay at Geneva Lake, and from there in company with another uncle who resided at the Lake, made a prospecting tour across the State in a buggy. From La Crosse they passed into Minnesota, and thence by way of Osceola, Iowa, to McGregor, where he took river passage to Dubuque, his uncle returning home to Geneva. Mr. Lock- wood there engaged with a surveying corps and passed the summer in the St. Croix valley, Wis. He returned in De- cember by way of St. Paul and Dubuque, to Geneva, where he spent the winter. In March, 1856, he went to Dubuque to seek information respecting the feasibility of
settling in Iowa. Franklin county seemed to offer special advantages, and he pro- ceeded to make a tour of investigation. He made the acquaintance of Solomon Robinson at Iowa Falls, and they entered upon their search together. On their route to Franklin county, they fell in with John O. Crapser, and the three prosecuted their purpose in company. They viewed the territory now included in West Fork, and made their selections. Mr. Lockwood fixed upon the northeast quarter of sec- tion 1, township 93, range 19, and, in company with Crapser and Robinson, went to Fort Dodge and made entries of their claims in the land office. He bought fifteen acres of timbered land in partner- ship with Mr. Robinson, at Allen's Grove, and some cattle, and began breaking the prairie. They were obliged to go to Cedar Falls for a plow and wait until one could be manufactured. They broke, that season, about thirty acres of land. Meanwhile they lived in a tent eight feet square, which sheltered them until fall. During the following winter they got out logs and in the spring of 1857 built a house. The site of this was on Robinson's claim, with whom Mr. Lockwood lived until his marriage. He taught school in Walworth Co., Wis., in the winter of 1857-8, returning to his farm in the spring. He planted his crops and secured a school, which he taught two terms. He also taught singing school at the lower grove on Coldwater creek, near the present site of Greene, and at Marble Rock. The crops were an utter failure that year from the wet season, and Mr. Lockwood har- vested four bushels of wheat from fifty bushels of seed. The stringency of the
5 70
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
times involved much suffering, and he di- vided his earnings as teacher with his friend Robinson, as a contribution to the support of the family. Mr. Lockwood pushed the improvements on his place, and now claims the best stock farm in West Fork township. He has 360 acres all inclosed and under the best improve- ments. The farm is stocked with sixty head · of cattle, twenty-six milch cows, 100 sheep and thirty hogs. His home, built originally in 1865, has been enlarged and modernized, and in 1871 he erected a barn which with the additions made in 1852 make 50x64 feet on the ground. Mr. Lockwood values his farm at thirty dollars per acre. He was married Nov. 13, 1865, to Serena E. Landes, of Butler county. Her parents came from Indiana, and were pioneers of the last named county. William E., Martha J., Clarence H. and Elsie L. are the children of the household. The fam- ily attend the Baptist Church at Cold- water. Their parents were members of the first Baptist organization in the town. Mr. Lockwood has always been a repub- lican, and has officiated in all the local positions of trust of any importance. He is a fine type of the solid element that has given Iowa her prominence, and is reap- ing the reward of energy and well di- rected effort.
J. O. Crapser came with Lockwood and Robinson, the three being the only set- tlers north of the West Fork of the Cedar river in the township. He broke forty acres and put up a log house, 18x24 feet, which cost him $300 in gold. The house was used for nine years as his residence, and in 1883 was being used as a postoffice by John H. Lockwood, just over the But-
ler county line. Mr. Crapser was born Aug. 18, 1830, in Duchess Co., N. Y. His parents, William and Catherine (Ostrom) Crapser, were natives of the same county, and there reared their children. John attended the common schools in his youth and finished his education at the academy in the village of Westchester, which he attended three years. He went to Can- ada at the age of eighteen, going thence to the city of New York, where he was occupied in draying two years. In 1851 he went to California, making the route by way of Panama. In the Golden State he engaged in mining and teaming. Re- turning in 1854 to the Empire State, he passed the next two years in Greene county. He came to Iowa in April, 1856, and, after prospecting in various direc- tions, fixed on Franklin county as his point of destination. He first entered the county in company with Solomon Robinson and L. N. Lockwood, and with them went on foot to Ft. Dodge and entered his claim at the land office. Mr. Crapser opened and improved the farm lying north of his original claim, where he resided ten years. He now occupies his first estate, comprising 204 acres on the northwest quarter of section 2. He has always been distinguished by his in- terest in the advancement and prosperity of his town and county. He caused the division into school districts and built the first school house in the township. He was first road supervisor and laid out the first highways. He has been a member of the county board of supervisors, and held various town offices. He was married May 3, 1854, to Christiana L. Lee, of Brazier, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. Follow-
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Lo2 Raymond).
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Astor, Lenox and Tilder Foundations.
573
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
ing is the record of their children-Vic- tor E., born Feb. 2, 1855, in Greene Co., N. Y .; Julian H., Sept. 19, 1856, was the first child born.in West Fork township; Clarence E., June 28, 1863, and Myron L., Aug 31, 1866. Mr. Crapser is one of the most prosperous farmers in West Fork. For the past fifteen years he has made a specialty of raising sheep, and his flock contains 500 at the present time.
L. T. Little came in 1856 and located in the southeast part of the township, but in 1883 was living near ( hapin.
Richard Belt, the first blacksmith in the township, came that year and opened a shop on section 35.
The next settlers arrived two or three years later. Among the number were Lyman Hunt, who remained until his death in 1875 ; William Hartwell, James E. Bailey, T. E. B. Hudson, Volney Kellogg and William Squires.
James Ray arrived March 27, 1859. He bought eighty acres of land of Richard Belt in what is known as Allen's Grove. His nearest market was Independence. In 1860 he took his produce to Cedar Falls, camping while on the journey, which con- sumed abont nine days in the round trip. Ilis landed possessions now include 480 acres, all under cultivation except eighty acres which are timber. His stock includes sixty cattle, seventy hogs and sixteen horses. Mr. Ray was born in Sterlingshire, Scotland, Aug. 15, 1823. When seventeen years of age he was apprenticed to learn the trade of engineer, but, not liking the business, he ran away at the end of six months. He sailed from Glasgow for the United States when twenty-five years of age, and proceeded from New York to
Cleveland, Ohio, going a few weeks later to Detroit and Chicago. He went from the latter place to La Porte Co., Ind., and engaged with a farmer, in whose em- ploy he remained eight years and sixteen days. His Scotch thrift and frugality had made his savings aggregate $2,200, and he bought his employer's farm. In 1859 he sold out and came to Iowa. He was married Christmas, 1852, to Margaret Meehan, of La Porte Co., Ind. Six of their nine children are living- John, James B., Joseph, Margaret, Mary Ann and Dora L. Mr. Ray has been an active and efficient township officer, having served nine years on the board of trustees, asso- ciated during the entire time with Henry Bushyager. He has also held other offi- cial positions. He is a Presbyterian in religious belief, and Mrs. Ray is a Roman Catholic. Mr. Ray is a republican, and is known for his public spirit and interest in the welfare of the community where he lives.
T. E. B. Hudson, stock farmer and agriculturist of West Fork, was born near Rockford, Winnebago Co., Ill., Sept. 19, 1842. His parents settled there the year of his birth and were pioneers. They were from Erie Co., N. Y. His father was a fariner and bred his son to the same calling. At twenty he made practical response to his country's call for help in her hour of peril, by enrolling in com- pany C, 74th Illinois Infantry, and he passed through three years of the severest service in the war. He was in the battles of Stone River, Murfreesboro, Winches- ter, Tullahoma, Mission Ridge and the engagements of the Atlanta campaign. At Adairsville he received a gun shot
46
574
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
wound in the left arm, which permanently disabled his arm and placed him on the pension list. He was absent from his regiment four months, transferred mean- while to the command of General Thomas. After rejoining his company, he partici- pated in the battles of Nashville and Franklin, Tenn., and received honor- able discharge in June, 1865. He re- turned to Illinois and engaged in farming until he removed to Franklin Co., Iowa. His prospecting journey was made in 1865, and two years later he settled permanent- ly at West Fork. He first purchased 160 acres of prairie land and ten acres of timber. His farm comprises at present 250 acres, which he holds at $30 per acre. He built one of the best barns in the township in 1879. It is 40x50 feet and cost $1,200. He is quite largely engaged in raising stock, and holds a herd of forty to sixty head of cattle and fifty hogs. His land is all under cultivation and very productive. Mr. Hudson was married Jan. 1, 1868, to Abigail Kellogg, whose parents became residents of Franklin county about the time Mr. Hudson settled here. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hudson-Edwin, Jessie, Carl and Ruth, are aged respectively fourteeen, thirteen, eleven and two years of age. Mr. Hud- son has always taken the interest of a good citizen in his town's welfare. He is a republican in his political views and has held the position of town clerk several terms, also justice, assessor, school direc- tor and treasurer. He is at present secre- tary of the school board. Mrs. Hudson is a member of the M. E. Church.
During 1860 among others who came were : Thomas Hall, Hiram Morehouse,
George Howard, James Burch, Loomis Benjamin, James Chambers and Mr. Kel- logg.
George Howard removed to New York, and James Burch remained five years and then went to Clarksville and from there to Kansas.
Thomas Hall, a pioneer farmer of Franklin county, came to West Fork, then Ingham township, in 1860. He located on section 3, where he still lives. A part of his residence was the first school house built in the township. Mr. Hall is a Canadian by birth and was born May 30, 1806, at Caledonia, Ottawa. He was the first white child born at Caledonia Springs. Ilis father, Joshua Hall, was born in Ver- mont, and his mother, Clarissa (Mitchell) Hall, was a native of Massachusetts. The family removed about 1816, near Niagara Falls, and two years later the mother died, when the senior Hall returned to the Dominion with his household, settling at London, province of Ontario, where they lived thirteen years. They next went to St. Clair Co., Mich., where Thomas Hall lived nine years, going thence to Winne- bago Co., Ill. He was a farmer there un il 1860. He was married, Aug. 29, 1829, to Charlotte Morehouse, at London, Canada. She was born in Vermont. Her parents settled in Iowa about 1860. Her mother, Clarissa Morehouse, died in 1866, and her death was the first in the town- ship of West Fork. Mr. and Mrs. Hall have had ten children, five of whom are living-Philo, Alonzo J., John W., Clar- rissa, ( Mrs. William Hartwell ), and Mary M., wife of Lon Sumner. Mr. Hall has held the offices of trustee, road supervi- sor and school director. He was a demo
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
crat previous to the war, but is now iden- tified with the republican party.
The township did not settle rapidly until after 1860, when the Germans com- menced settling.
Among others who came in during 1860 were Ransom Knapp, who after- ward removed to Hampton, Joseph G. Bushyager and William Jenkins.
Joseph G. Bushyager is a son of Henry Bushyager, a pioneer settler of Iowa. The latter was a native of Pennsylvania, and worked as a carpenter at Pittsburg. He removed to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1856, and there pursued his trade two years then went to Bremer Co., Iowa, and worked two years at his trade. He came to Franklin county and bought eighty acres of land on section 18, West Fork township. He resided here until his death, Dec. 22, 1881. He was one of the first trustees of Ingham township, then including West Fork, and afterward was a member of the board of supervisors. Joseph and his father performed the domestic duties of their household dur- ing the first two years of their residence in Franklin county, after which Joseph's sister assumed charge. In December, 1863, Mr. Joseph Bushyager enlisted in company H, 32d Iowa Infantry, and was in the service eighteen months, participa- ting in all the battles in which his regi- ment was engaged. He became ill and received honorable discharge from the service in the spring of 1865, and re- turned to West Fork. He is now a pros- perous farmer, owns 345 acres of land in Franklin county, his homestead including 105 acres, valued at $35 per acre. The farm is all under the plow and shows an
advanced state of improvement. Ile owns thirty head of cattle and ten horses. In April, 1867, Mr. Bushyager was mar- ried to Mary E. Leidig, whose parents came from Pennsylvania in 1855, and located in Jackson Co., Iowa, thence to Clinton township, Franklin county, in 1863 Mr. and Mrs. Bushyager have had nine children, eight of whom are living- Genettie Belle, George and Henry (twins), Mary Elizabeth, Lucia Lorena, Matilda Jane, Joseph Alvin and Zillah Jane. The parents are members of the West Fork Class of the M. E. Church. Mr. Bushya- ger is a democrat in politics and has acted as school director. He was born at Pitts- burg, Penn., Ang. 30, 1842. Mr. Bush- yager's mother died at Pittsburg, Penn., in 1850.
William Jenkins came with his father's family to Frankin Co., Iowa, in 1860. He now lives on section 7, West Fork town- ship, where he owns eighty acres of land, valued at $25 per acre. He was a resident of section 18 until 1870, when he came 10 Lis present home. He was one of the pioneers of West Fork. He was born in Linn Co, Iowa, in 1849, and was among the first white children born in that county. His father, James Jenkins, was one of the first settlers in West Fork, and is now living with one of his sons. The father is now eighty years of age, and still enjoys excellent health. William resided in Linn county until 1860, when he came to Franklin county. Mr. Jenkins married Mary C. Knesel, of Ross township. They have four children-Elmer W., Effie, Albert and Blanche. Mrs. Jenkins is a member of the M. E. Church. Mr. Jen-
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY:
kins has held the offices of school director, constable and road supervisor.
Levi Culver came from Missouri to Franklin Co., Iowa, in 1860. He was born in Guernsey Co., Ohio, Sept. 3, 1828. His parents, Philip and Elizabeth (Drake) Culver, were from western Virginia, and settled in Ohio, in 1803. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812. In 1833 the family removed from Ohio to Illinois, and the father was the first man to strike a blow with hammer on the site of Rockford. After remaining there five years, the father, with his family, moved to Missouri, from there to Illinois, then to Wisconsin, thence to Winneshiek and Linn counties, Iowa. From there he moved to Hancock Co., Mo., and finally to Illinois, where he died in 1863. Levi Culver came into Jones Co., Iowa, in 1852, from Dodge Co., Wis. After remaining there five years he returned to Wisconsin, then came to Linn Co., Iowa. He remained in Linn county one year, and then moved to Grundy Co., Mo,, where he lived until 1860, when he came to Franklin county. In July, 1862, he enlisted in company H, 32d Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and was in many of the severest battles of the re- bellion. At Island No 10, while on picket duty, he was taken prisoner by the rebels, and was held as a prisoner one year and ten months. For one year of this time he suffered the horrors of Ander- sonville prison. He was finally exchanged and joined his regiment at Franklin, and was in the battle there and also at Nash- ville, Tenn. He was with his regiment in all its campaigns and skirmishes, and was honorably discharged in 1865. Since the war he has made his home on section 8,
where he owns eighty acres of land which he bought in 1872. He is now a member of Mulligan Post of the G. A. R. at Shef- field. Mr. Culver was married in August 1855 to Elizabeth Mann, of Winnebago, Ill. They have had eleven children, nine of whom are living-Bethany, Lucinda A., Mary E., Clara L., John W., Arthur O., Carrie E. and Waford Garfield.
John Hartman located on his present farm, which he purchased from his father, . in 1869. He began life without means, but by hard work and strict economy he has accumula ed a fine property. His farm contains 177 acres, with fine improve- ments and one of the best barns in the township He is the son of Jacob and Catherine (Heindle) Hartman, who were natives of York Co., Penn., which was also his birth place. He was born May 20, 1843. He lived with his parents until he was seventeen, when he went to Ogle Co., Ill., and worked on a farm until 1861, when he came to Franklin Co., Iowa, whither his parents had preceded him. He returned ;to Illinois, remaining until 1863, when he came and purchased his present home. Jan. 1, 1867, he was mar- ried to May M. Raeder, a native of Indi- ana, but then a resident of Floyd county. They have no children of their own but have adopted two boys, the sons of a widow. He is a democrat in politics, and has been road supervisor one year.
Among the settlers of a later date were the following named : William Garber, John Knesel, William Thornbery, Gar- ritt Van Riper, Joseph Slade, Samuel Esslinger, Emanuel Esslinger, Edward Esslinger, Henry Nolte, Frank Avery, William Krukrow, William Il. Kiefer, A.
577
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
W. Ufford, Ernst Marks, C. D. John, E. J. John and L. Horstman.
William Garber has been a resident of Franklin county since 1865. He was born in Madison, Perry Co., Penn., Nov. 22, 1823. His parents, George A. and Sabina (Stambaugh) Garber, were natives of the same State. Mr. Garber removed to Ogle Co , Ill., when thirty years old, and bought eighty acres of land in the town of Mon- roe and engaged in farming until the re- bellion of the southern States. He en- listed in August, 1862, in company F, 74th Illinois Infantry, and served three years. He was in action at Perryville and Stone River, and was taken prisoner. He was "in durance vile" at Richmond twenty-nine days, when he was paroled and sent to Annapolis, Md. He was ex- changed the next spring and rejoined his regiment in Tennessee. He was ordered on detailed duty with the garrison at Fort Rosecrans until the spring of 1864, when he went to his regiment at Atlanta, Ga. He was under fire at Nashville and Franklin, General Thomas commanding. He received his discharge in June, 1865, and joined his family in Franklin county, where they had removed in the fall of 1863. Mr. Garber's farm contains ninety- five acres of land under advanced im- provement, and his place shows every evi- dence of industrious thrift. He was mar- ried Feb. 26, 1846, to Sarah A. Baltocer, of Perry Co., Penn. Four only of seven children are living-John W., William B., Sarah J. (wife of William Kiefer) and Julia. Mr. Garber has acted in the po- sitions of township clerk, school director and road supervisor. Mrs. Garber is a member of the M. E. Church.
John Knesel, one of the enterprising farmers of Ross township, came to Frank- lin Co., Iowa, in 1866, and for one year lived on the Horton place and then came to his present farm. He first bought eighty acres of land, to which he added as occasion offered, and he is now the owner of 220 acres, of which 160 acres are under the plow. Hle values his land at $40 per acre. Mr. Knesel is a self- made man in every sense of the word, having started in life with no capital but good health, brains, musele and a deter- mination to succeed, and by strict econo- my he has become the owner of a fine property, and is now in a position to en- joy the fruits of his labor. John Knesel is the son of John George and Mary Maria Lorena (Meyer) Knesel, and was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., Nov. 19, 1822. His parents were born in Germany; were mar- ried in Philadelphia and settled in Penn- sylvania in 1816. His father was a shoe- maker, and at the time of his marriage his worldly possessions could have been tied up in a small handkerchief. About 1832 the family moved to Columbiana, Co., Ohio, and John lived on a farm there until 1849, then went to Logan Co., Ill., where he remained four years, when he removed to Clinton Co., Iowa, and engaged in farming until his removal to Franklin county. When he arrived here he had only $50 which he invested in a cow, and she died in a short time. The erops that year were an entire failure in Iowa, and for six weeks Mr. Knesel and family sub- sisted on nothing but boiled turnips. Mr. Knesel bought his land on credit, and nearly paid for the first eighty acres with the erop of one season. He has been one
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