USA > Iowa > Fremont County > History of Fremont County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory of many of its leading citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistic, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, history of Iowa and the Northwest, map of Fremont County, constitution of the state of Iowa, reminiscences, miscellaneous matters, etc > Part 60
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MONROE TOWNSHIP was organized in February, 1855, by order of Thomas Greenwood, county judge, with the following boundaries.
" Commencing at the northeast corner of said county, running west to the west fork of the Nishnabotany river, thence down the middle of the main channel of the said Nisnabotany to the forks of the same, thence up the middle of the channel of the east fork of said river, to the east line of said county, thence north the said county line to the place of commencing, said township to be called Monroe township. The eletions to be held at the school-house near John Farmer's in said township."
FISHER TOWNSHIP was organized February 25, 1856, and was to "com- prise all of range 40 that lies in said county south of the east Nishnabot- any river," and the order required that the first election should be holden on the first Monday in April, at the school-house near Edmond Fisher's in said township, from whom the name was derived.
It would almost appear from the records that when the county officials met and there was no other business to engage their attention, that they diverted themselves by changing the township boundaries and meddling with the swamp lands. Hardly a year passed but that some changes occurred. From 1851 to 1857 the changes were particularly numerous, a township being organized here, another one annexed to an older organi- zation yonder, and the boundaries of all in imminent peril. In the March term of 1857, the following change was made in Sidney township :
"Commencing at the Nishnabotany river where the line dividing sec- tions 19 and 30, in tp. 68 north, r. 41 west, crosses said river; thence west on said section line to the s. w. corner of sec. 22, in tp. 68 north, of r. 43 west; thence north six miles to the n. w. corner of section 22, in tp. 69 north, of r. 43 west; thence east to the range line dividing ranges 42 and 43 west; thence north to the s. w. corner of tp. 69, north of r. 42 west; thence east on said line to the n. e. corner of tp. 69, r. 42 west; thence north on said range line dividing ranges 41 and 42 north, to the north line of said county; thence east along said line to the Nishnabotany river; thence down said river to the point on said river where the section line dividing sections 17 and 20, in tp. 69 north of r. 41 west, crosses said river; thence east on said line to the range line dividing ranges 40 and 41; thence south to the east Nishnabotany river; thence down said river to the place of beginning."
In attempting to follow the directions of these various boundary lines one
538
HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.
could not be more bewilered by any methods of making boundaries for which the New Englanders are so famous. They can be equaled only by the famous direction of Lancelot Gobbo in "the Merchant of Venice," or by the following directions, said to have been given a pastor in an early day in this county while seek the place of his appointment.
"You mus take up about a quarter or half a mile uff dis roat and den you vill come by a leedle pridge, and tat pridge you must turn ofer, and when you haf turnt dat pridge ofer you vill come by a little roat on dat site (raising his left arm). Dat goes right ud de hill, and dat hill you must take up, and when you haf took dat hill up you vill come to a roat where dere is no roat, and dat you must take."
Ross TOWNSHIP was organized on the 10th day of March, 1858, with the following boundaries: "Commencing at the sw corner of township 70 north, range 42 west, running north to the n. w. corner of said township to the county line; thence east to the Nishnabotany river, and down said river to the line dividing townships 69 and 70; thence west to the place of beginning."
On December 5, 1870, a change was made in the boundaries of Scott and Benton townships by sections 15, 10, and 3 in township 69, R. 43, was detached from Scott and added to Benton township.
The TOWNSHIP OF MONROE was divided January 7, 1871, as follows: " Commencing at the county line on the east side and running west on congressional line between townships 69 and 70, range 40, and townships 69 and 70, range 41, to where it intersects the township lines between Sid- ney and Ross townships, and the township on the south of said line shall be known as WALNUT TOWNSHIP, and the one on the north of said line shall be known as MONROE 'TOWNSHIP."
On June 9, 1871, the desire for change again manifested itself in the formation of RIVERTON TOWNSHIP, when it was,
" Resolved by the Board, That the congressional township of 68, range 41, and all that portion of township 68, range 42, and township 69, range 40, lying on the south and east of the Nishnabotany river, be included in and the same is hereby made and declared a civil township, to be known as the township of Riverton, and the election to be held at Riverton school house."
PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP was organized June 6, 1872, in accordance with a petition presented to the board of supervisors at their April session. The township comprises congressional township number 69 north, range 41 west, "the township to be known as Prairie township," "and that the first election held therein shall be held at the May Flower school house, situated in section 16, township 69 north, range 41 west."
RIVERSIDE TOWNSHIP, the last of the present township organizations, ,
-
539
HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.
was formed January 2, 1877, by the following action of the board of supervisors:
" WHEREAS, On the 15th day of November, A. D., 1876, a petition, signed by 130 residents of Monroe and Ross townships, asking that a division be made and a new township formed containing six miles square within the congressional lines embracing township 70 north, range 41 west, of fifth principal meridian, and that the same be called RIVERSIDE TOWNSHIP. The board having the said petition under advisement and being fully advised in the premises; said petition being signed by a large majority of the residents of said townships; it is therefore resolved, by the board of supervisors, that the same be, and is hereby divided and set apart and located in accordance with the prayer of said petitioners."
LOCUST GROVE township was probably organized in the latter part of 1870 or the early part of 1871. There is no official record of its organi- zation whatever. The approximation is reached in the following manner: In the session of September, 1870, the apportionment for school taxes appears, but Locust Grove is not mentioned among the townships there listed. In the June session of 1871, a change is made in the per centum of taxation for each township in the county, among which appears the name of Locust Grove, with a deduction of 20 per cent from the original esti- mate on taxes. It is evident, therefore, that the township came into being at some time between those dates.
BENTON TOWNSHIP.
The surface of Benton presents one unbroken level, being similar to that of the Missouri bottom in which it is entirely situated. Its soil is therefore the richest in the county, and the most valuable. It is not, how- ever, all arable land, for the presence of innumerable sloughs render cul- tivation impossible in some sections. In those portions of the township bordering the river much damage is annually done by the spring over- flow. To protect their property the citizens have, aided by the county, built two dykes, which measurably protect the adjacent country. They are known locally, by the names of Upper and Lower Dyke, the first of which is the largest, being two and a half miles in length. It begins on section 20, and trends southeastward to section 9, where it ends. The Lower Dyke is about three-fourths of a mile in length, built in a semi- circular form, commencing above the great bend in the river. It has already been partially destroyed by the annual overflow, and its complete destruction is only a matter of time. The citizens of the township-forty-
540
HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.
nine of the entire number-contributed all the funds except that donated by the county, or $1,600. The county furnished $1,000 making the amount expended on the dykes $2,600.
This township has been one of the few in which most of the events of the early history of the county transpired. It was formerly known as Fulton township, a name lost to it by the carelessness of its early resi- dents and the prompt, decisive action of Judge Thomas Greenwood, else- where mentioned.
The first settlement was made in 1843 by William Lambert and family. These people came from Kentucky. Shortly after them came the Boul- ware family, the McNealys, the Withrows and the Clarks. During the days when these early settlers were building them homes, the Indians were exceedingly troublesome, made doubly so by one Hickson, who engaged in trafic with them, and supplied them with an abundance of whisky.
These Indians both stole and killed cattle, robbed houses, and made themselves obnoxious in other directions.
The first child born in the township was a son of Preston Burns; dying shortly after. The first child born which still survives was Greenville Lambert, a son of John Lambert.
The first farm cultivated was the one now owned by Mr. Ricketts. The next was the famous Platt place, on which Mr. Jenkins now resides. Following the early settlers there came, in 1847, L. W. Platt, and E. Gas- ton from Ohio, and P. Blair from Indiana. In 1848 came I. D. Blanch- ard. Some one, in writing of that time, says: "The family halted at what is now known as the Blanchard farm. We found a wild country, the tall prairie grass growing around where the house now stands. There was there a log hut covered with stakes and dirt. Not a rod had been turned and not a house in sight. A bevy of wild turkeys had been scratching around the deserted hut-it was a dreary outlook and the howling of the wolves made night hideous." It would be a most difficult, matter to find a counterpart now, except in the far west, to such a scene as this. Dr. Blanchard was the first to build a frame house in the limits of the township. He, in connection with his wife and Miss Abbie Wal -. ton, organized the first Sabbath School and temperance society in the, township-or, indeed, in the county. The first church organization was. that still maintained by the Methodist Episcopal society.
In 1849 came a number of other settlers, among them J. W. Smith and Lucretia Smith, his wife; Rev. John Todd, and G. B. Gaston and wife, all from Ohio; and from Missouri came Henry Keyser and wife, and William Clark and wife, both families becoming permanent settlers. In the year following, 1850, Mr. Lambert and family, Deacon Hall and family, Doctor Botsford and wife. Lambert was on the first grand jury, which met at Argyle's ferry on the Nishnabotany river-and as the reader may else-
541
HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.
where learn, was discharged after performing no other duty than drawing their pay. About the same time occurred the first wedding in the town- ship, the marriage of O. Keyser and Olivia Lambert, at which nearly every resident of the Missouri bottom was present. It is said the wed- ding festivities cost some four hundred dollars, an enormous sum for those days. How much of this went to the officiating clergyman is a matter about which it might not be pleasant to conjecture.
About this time Civil bend was first settled, a saw-mill was brought up the Missouri river, and a number of frame buildings erected. A log school-school was built, school opened, divine service held on Sunday, and the settlement under full way. Soon divisions occurred, dissatisfaction arose, the school-house and mill were burned, the waters in the river rose, and many moved away- to form the settlement at Tabor. In 1857 the village of Eureka by M. F. Platt, and a Mr. Chapman. A saw-mill was erected by Jonah Parsons, a large hotel by Mr. Merwin, and the outlook began to brighten. Cottonwood lumber was almost the sole medium of exchange for a number of years along the Missouri bottom. The river now runs where the mill stood, and changes almost as complete have occurred throughout all its limits, due to cultivation and improvement. There are two towns within the limits of Benton township-Percival and Eastport-histories of which may be found under cities and towns.
The educational interests of Benton have been well cared for, and guarded with a jealous care. Following are its
EQUCATIONAL STATISTICS.
Contains four independent districts, viz : Eastport, Rickets, Prairie and Eureka.
No. of teachers employed in the districts 15
Salary paid males per month $383
Salary paid females $29%
No. of months school.
No. of children of school age
458
No. enrolled in the districts 358
Average attendance in the districts 174
No. of school-houses in the districts (frame) 6
Value of school property in the districts.
$3,200
Amount paid teachers the past year
$1,959
Amount paid for school houses.
Amount paid for contingent purposes.
542
HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.
PERCIVAL.
This village is an outgrowth of the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs R. R., on which it is situated in Benton township. It was originally named Gaston, after G. B. Gaston, an early settler and afterwards promi- nent man in the history of Tabor. After the war with the Confederacy had ended and the railroad was completed, the name of Percival was given the station and post-office in honor of Hon. Robert Percival, a prominent lawyer in the county. There are three church organizations in the village -the Methodist, Baptist, and Congregational ; with, however, but one church edifice, that owned by the Baptist society.
THE CHURCHES OF BENTON.
The Missionary Baptist Church of Percival was organized in September, 1863. The original members were Dr. I. D. Blanchard, Thomas Jenkens, J. A. Torbit, Lydia Lambert, Jane Burnett, Charles Dunlap, Gustavus Johnson, N. Hoyt, Mrs. Ollie Paddock, and Abbie Blanchard. The soci- ety owns an ediffce built in 1872, at a cost of $1,500. The first pastor was Rev. Thompson.
The First Congregational Church of Percival was organized March 10, 1861, with an original membership of eleven. The society owns no edi- fice devoted to church purposes.
EASTPORT.
A small town on the Missouri river in Benton township. The first ferry at this point was owned and operated by J. Boulware, the boat being - the ordinary large "flat." Mr. Bebout was the original owner of the town site, which was not surveyed into lots until 1870. He sold the first goods in the place.
FISHER TOWNSHIP.
The surface of Fisher is nearly all rolling prairie, and has no natural timber except a small skirt along Fisher creek, which was, at an early day, known as Fisher's grove. The first settlement was by Edward Fisher at the grove which bears his name, and from whom the township was called Fisher. Shortly after him came D. S. Brown, and in 1849 and 1852 a goodly number of Mormons came, from among those who had been driven from Illinois. A church was organized at Manti, among the members of which were Alpheus Catler and wife, Thaddeus Catler and
543
HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.
wife, Chauncy Almon and Sylvester Whiting, John Calvin, Edmund Fletcher, L. H. Calkins, William Steel, E. Fisher and Almar Sherman. The presiding elder was Alpheus Catler, and the membership about one hundred and seventy-five. Many of them subsequently removed to Min- nesota, but others remained, and they or their descendants are in the township still. These people built the first school-house at Manti, the old stage station, on the site of the present public school-house, in 185 -. The structure was a log one, and was used for educational and religious pur- poses alike, which fact is a common one in the history of new sections. Religion and education are commonly thought to be inseparable; the early settlers at least regarded them as such, and used the single school-house for the common good, in both an educational and moral sense. From this beginning a grand and noble work has been done in the township in the cause of popular education. In 1868 was built the first frame school- house, on the site formerly occupied by the old log building, to which allusion has just been made. The builder was W. H. Matthews, now of Prairie township. Through some unfortunate misunderstanding the building has been the cause of much undue expense, but happily this has not militated against the school. From this period the erection of school- houses became common, and the number now in the township. attest the intelligent interest of its citizens in education.
STATISTICS.
No. of sub-districts.
7
No. of teachers employed the past year
25
Salary per month, male.
$ 34.50
Salary per month, female. 31.50
No. months school.
9
No. of children of school age in township
278
No. of children enrolled in the schools 251
Daily average attendance
185
No. of frame buildings.
7
Value of school property . $ 5500.00
Value of school apparatus. 127.00
Amount paid teachers the past year . 2460.50
Amount paid for school-houses .. 980.00
Amount paid for contingent purposes
131.50
FARRAGUT.
This town was laid out on the branch of the Burlington & Missouri river railroad, which entered from Red Oak to Nebraska City, in 1870. William Hall came with the railroad and built the first house and moved
544
HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.
his family into it August 16, 1870. He was section foreman on the road, a position which he still retains. In the following winter the depot was built. Mr. L. Baird was the first agent and telegraph operator, and used an old freight car as a depot for some time. The second house was built by Mr. Shorb, and the third house-a dwelling and store combined-was erected by Dr. George Munson, who opened the first stock of merchan- dise ever brought to the place. Mr. Egbert White was the first postmas- ter and carried the office about in his pocket for a time. In June of 1871, Wykoff and Chandler opened a lumber yard. The first school-house was built in 1873, on the site of the present brick structure. From this time the improvements were both numerous and permanent.
Other measures of public importance were then undertaken, among them, in 1877, the preliminary steps for incorporation. The court, in granting the petition, appointed Samuel Chandler, S. G. Butler, W. Robbins, W. E. Adams, and John Stetter as commissioners. An election was held, at which were cast 45 votes for incorporation, and 28 against incorporation. The first election of officers took place May 22, 1878, which resulted as follows: Samuel Chandler, mayor; Geo. C. Fleming, recorder; and councilmen, John Stetter, E. C. Wilcox, L. H. Gammon, L. Crosser and John A. Randall. In July of that year the mayor, Mr. Chandler, resigned, and on the 19th of the same month, at a special election held to fill the vacancy, John C. Jones was selected. The officers for 1880 are C. H. Coppellar, mayor; George C. Fleming, recorder; and John Stetter, A. R. Stickler, and W. E. Adams, councilmen.
FARRAGUT INDEPENDENT DISTRICT.
Through the untiring exertion of Geo. C. Fleming, Esq., the voters of Fisher township were called to decide the long talked of independent school district for the town of Farragut.
At an election called by the school board for this purpose it was found that only one vote was cast against the proposition.
The boundary lines established, an election for directors resulted in the selection of Geo. C. Fleming, John A. Coleman and C. F. Craig as direc- tors. With characteristie promptness and due regard for the urgent necessities of the pupils, the board employed a competent architect to prepare plans and specifications for the present fine school building, which being at once submitted to contractors for bids, which when opened were such as to warrant the award to John Hammer of Council Bluffs.' The contract for the immediate construction of a two story brick building, main building 30 by 50 feet, entrance and stairway 10 by 40 feet. The building is divided into four rooms with necessary halls and stairways, making it a desirable and very comfortable school building.
The building was erected under the immediate supervision of George
545
HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.
C. Fleming, secretary of the board, and may be classed as among the very best school buildings in the county.
Prof. E. H. Hamiltonwas selected as principal with Miss Nora Latti- mer assistant, under whose supervision the school opened in two rooms in October, 1880.
There are still two rooms in reserve to meet the demands of the future. It is believed that the present building will be ample to meet the necessi- ties of the district for several years.
SCHOOL STATISTICS.
No. of teachers employed the past year. 2
Salary per month paid males. $ 50.00
Salary per month paid females 35.00
No. of months school. 9
No. of children of school age.
113
No. of children enrolled in the schools
49
Average attendance in the district.
No. of school houses, (brick). 47
1
Value of school property . $4,700.00
Amount paid teachers the past year
Amount paid for school house. 2,400.00
Amount paid for contingent purposes 60
CIVIC SOCIETIES.
I. O. O. F.
The Odd Fellow's lodge was organized July 6, 1877, under a dispensa- tion granted by the grand lodge of the state. The first election of officers resulted as follows: David Hall, N. G .; J. S. Tam, Vice G .; W. A. Bates, secretary; Hugh Mohin, treasurer. From a small beginning in 1877 the membership has increased to thirty-five. The lodge is officered as fol- follows: H. Rogers, N. G .; E. C. Bates, V. G .; A. J. Vaughn, secretary, and A. D. Gray, treasurer ; A. J. Vaughn, D). D. G. M. for year ending January 1, 1881; C. C. Statmaker for year ending January 1, 1882.
FARRAGUT LODGE, A. F. & A. M.
This lodge was organized February 21, 1877, under a dispensation granted by M. W. G. M., H. W. Rothert, bearing the date of January 19, 1877, and was officered by J. A. Randall, W. M .; P. V. Hawley. S. W .; W. Robbins, J. W .; S. Crosser, treasurer; D. P. Wilson, secretary; C. F. Craig, S. D .; James M. McCloy, J. D .; David Althouse, tyler. The membership is now thirty-seven. The lodge is prosperous and in a good
15
546
HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.
financial position, active in the diffusion of the principles of Free Masonry. The officers are W. Robbins, W. M .; C. F. Craig, S. W .; D. Althouse, J. W .; S. Crosser, treasurer; E. C. Wilcox, secretary; W. E. Adams, S. D .; A. L. Hopkins, J. D .; Samuel Cox, S. S .; L. Hinkle, J. S .; Philip Althouse, tyler. The lodge occupies the Butler and Jones hall, which is neatly furnished at a cost of four hundred dollars.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
Along with the settlement of towns and villages comes the establish- ment of religious organizations, either in some common trysting place or in houses of their own. As was the case with other towns in the county, the first religious gatherings in Farragut were held either in the school house or private residences, until such time as the organization became strong enough to build a place of worship for itself, and maintain an inde- pendent existence. Once the beginning is made and soon other denom- inations present their claims to the attention of an intelligent community, and other church edifices arise.
The first church to be built in Farragut was the
CHRISTIAN CHURCH,
which was organized in 187 -. The original members were A. Rhoades and wife, Isaac Trallinger and wife, D. D. Miller and wife, George Greedy and wife, and Franklin Miller and wife. In 1879, the society built a church edifice, but in conjunction with the German Baptist church. It has but one pastor, the Rev. Mr. Williams, who ministers to a membership of forty-five.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
This society was organized October 3, 1875, with G. W. Perkins, Ellen E. Perkins, Zerah Chapin, Lucy Chapin, Mary A. White, Abigail Hub- bard, R. Martin, Barbara Martin, Ann Burnside, Charles Burnside, Louisa M. Burnside, Lizzie Chapin, Carrie Wilson, and Alice Wilson as original members. In 1880, a frame structure was built as a place of worship at a cost of three thousand two hundred dollars. A sabbath school of unus- ual promise is conducted by the society. The pastors have been the Revs. C. H. Eaton and S. J. Beach.
THE GERMAN BAPTIST.
The date of organization for this society is the spring of 1877. The membership was nine, J.M. Replogle, Elizabeth Replogle, C. H. Sharp and wife, Esther Stickler, S. H. Brown and wife, Kate Replogle and U. P. Replogle. In 1880 was finished a frame building in which to worship.
547
HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.
costing $735.40. The structure was dedicated the first Sabbath in Octo- ber, by B. F. Flory and John Friend. The membership is thirty-two.
Thus has been traced the history of Farragut, which, though brief, is not without interest and value. There may be none of that tragic interest which centres in cities that have witnessed the fall of dynasties and the institution of republics, or which have themselves helped to shape the destinies of a world-but is a phenomenal one in that it marks the pecu- liar and distinctive features of western progress. Its rise is not of that character which bears on its surface none of the marks of permanancy, but has taken place in obedience to those laws which iusure permanency. and are of themselves a sufficient guarantee of future growth and pros- perity. When business interests and a fealty to town prosperity once become factors in the popular opinion, then there is the promise and potency of substantial development. Such has characterized the brief history of Farragut. Where ten years ago were unbroken prairie and the stillness that broad acres only may know, stands a town of seven hundred people, busied each with the cares of an active life, and moving amidst the hum of numerous industries. In no land except the great west could such a wonder be.
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