USA > Iowa > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 23
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CHRISTMAS IN 1857
Emanuel Renner and Dave Hook used to catch wild turkeys by digging a pit about ten feet long and gradually deepening to about a foot and a half depth in the center, then over the deepest part of this ditch they would build a square rail pen and securely cover it. Corn would then be scattered along in this ditch and the unsuspecting fowl would walk along head down, eating the corn until it got into the pen, then its head went up and it became frightened and the more frightened it got, the higher it held its head, consequently. it could not get out.
Emanuel Renner lived where Tunnel mill now stands in a little log house. Ile used to say that his latch string always hung on the outside of his door and any man, woman or child was at liberty to pull it and welcome of some sort was always found on the inside.
In 1857, the young folks from Saratoga spent Christmas eve at what is now known as Rose Grove, but was then known as Skunk Grove. The party consisted of Louisa Doolan, Louisa Levanch, Adelaid Woodard, Ralph Osborn, Elisha Hill and myself. We went with a four horse team and left Saratoga about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. There was no laid out road across the wild prairie and we did not see a house, bush or briar from the time we left home until we arrived at our destination. But we did see something else. When we were about three miles east of where Kamrar now stands, the prairie wolves and coyotes commenced to howl and in less than half an hour, I believe as many as a hundred fell in behind us, and not as far behind as we could have wished either, for some came within five or ten feet of us and snarled and snapped at each other, and we hadn't even a club or a sled stake. It seemed for a while that they were about to take pos- session of us, and I got out my revolver but there were wiser heads in the party. and I was not permitted to use it, for if the wolves had once tasted of blood. it would have been good-bye to us. Our horses did noble work by landing us safely at the grove without a loss and in half an hour wolves and wild prairie were for- gotten and we were on the floor dancing. At twelve o'clock our landlord called us to supper. The meal consisted of deer, elk and buffalo meat, corn bread baked on an iron griddle, fried cakes and pumpkin pie. After doing it ample justice. we danced on till morning. Elisha Ilill lost his heart and one of old man Lakin's daughters got it, but she said even exchange was no robbery for he had her's too. and she gave him her hand. The wind did blow and the snow drifted and filled our tracks, and it was bitter cold the next day when we ate our breakfast and started for home. Our bill for the fun we had, was one dollar per couple.
When we "fitched up," at Uncle Jimmie Adams you'd better believe there never was a more thankful crowd. And the nice dinner they had! I believe it was about as nice a Christmas dinner as I ever ate in all my life. Then Uncle Jimmie got some dry wood and built a big fire, and fed our teams and made us all wonderfully comfortable. After dinner we once more started for Saratoga We arrived there in due time and after peddling our load, I learned there was a
"SHILOIT'S CABIN" ON BOONE RIVER, WEBSTER CITY
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dance at Mother Hill's, so lly Battles and I started, but we got lost in the woods and had to dance all night to keep warm. So ended my first Christmas in Hamil- ton county.
E. G. WHALEY.
A PIONEER CANDY PULL
In September, 1857, 1 landed in Webster City and started to go south down the river about nine miles. There I found Port and Ilan. Tucker. Han was grinding corn in a coffee mill and singing Home. Sweet Home, while Port was lying on the bed shaking with the agne. He said he forgot to shake when he saw me. That evening Charlie Tucker went to fetch a boat load of young ladies across Boone river, and he knew as much about rowing as the boat knew about hin. When they were about midway of the river, which was at that time rather high, the boat capsized and spilled them all out into the water. The names will be re- membered though some of them have long since gone home. They were Nan Kenner. Louisa Doolan, Belle Russell and Mary Maxwell. As good luck would have it, no lives were lost. The same evening John Whaley and wife arrived.
The first writing school was taught in Hamilton township by Columbus Wood- ard in an old log school house which stood on the northeast corner of what is now known as Saratoga cemetery. The same fall old Uncle Joe Adams made a cane mill by going into the woods and cutting two maple logs, two feet through, with which to make rollers. After he had got the mill finished and commenced making syrup, he thought to treat the young people by giving them a candy pull, and I don't think there was a young person within fifteen miles, myself included who was not there. There was no "hightoned" feeling in those days, and we were all "hail fellows well met." After we had become weary of playing games, they revived our drooping spirits by giving us a number one supper, consisting of corn bread baked in a dutch oven, corn coffee, boiled pork and turnips. All ate as though hungry, and went home well satisfied that they had had a jolly good time.
Port Tucker and Nels Olmstead ran a saw mill that winter, and about the slickest thing I ever saw done was the way John Whaley got ahead of a couple of men who stole about 25 cottonwood logs from a piece of land he had purchased of Nels Olmstead. John never said boo until the logs were hauled onto the logway of the saw mill and then he stepped up and very politely thanked the would-be thieves for hauling his timber for him. It is needless to say, said men went away looking rather blue.
We had more real enjoyment and fun that winter than ever since. A lyceum was started, and the first night the question "Resolved, that the negro has suffered more at the hands of the whites than the Indian," was debated. John Maxwell was for the negro, and I, for the Indian, but I came out behind as I always do ; but then I might have known that.
E. G. WHALEY.
A PIONEER LAW SUIT
Seeing that you desire reminiscences of the old settlers regarding the History of Hamilton county, here is one item of interest that happened in 1857 :
In February. "Yank" and "Dow" were arrested for stealing one of Silvers'
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steers. Old Uncle Jim Faught was justice of the peace for Webster and Ham- ilton townships and J. N. Maxwell and B. McPheeters acting as sheriff of the county, armed themselves with the documents for arrest and started out for fun. Old Uncle Billie Daniels and J. Skinner were attorneys and nearly every man in the country was either on the jury or acted as witness for one side or the other. As the trial progressed, it was learned that "Yank" had shot the steer but "Dow" had eaten his share of the meat. "Dow" turned state's evidence and "Yank" was fined $50 which he either had to pay or go to jail. He concluded to go to jail and J. N. and Mac had to take him to Webster City for safe keeping. Webster City did not boast of a jail among her many conveniences of those days and Maxwell proposed putting him in the garret of the Hamilton House. After this was done, the boys repaired to the bar room for a drink and some dinner. Just about the time they were raising the glasses to their lips, a cry was raised, "Prisoners loose ! Prisoners loose !" J. N. dropped his glass and Mac fell over a dog which caused a fight and a general tumult ensued. By the time all Webster City was aroused. the prisoner was found quietly sitting by the stove composedly smoking his pipe. So ended the first lawsuit in Webster and Hamilton townships.
E. G. WHALEY.
EARLY LIFE IN WEBSTER CITY
"Trading one of my five horses at Chicago for a second-hand buggy and harness, I proceeded northwest to Beloit, Wis., thence via Shulesberg and Mineral Point to Dubuque, Iowa. After a few days there I started for Fort Dodge, over- taking a company of emigrants from Massachusetts and Nathaniel Browning from Maine. The company consisted of Brad Mason and wife, Frank Mason, Lish Sackett and wife, P. C. Babcock, and several others, about twelve in all. Their teams were loaded with boxes and trunks and the women sitting on top of them. Brad Mason asked me to take his wife into my buggy, which I did, and she rode with me to Webster City, then Newcastle. After parting with them I never again met Mrs. Mason to know her until at the old settlers' reunion at Rosencrans' Park after her son Bridge was married, when I was introduced to her again by Frank Mason.
"The winter set in with a terrible blizzard about the 3d day of December and I could not travel on account of the deep snow. I put up at the best hotel in the city which was no more than a double hewn log house. My board was $7.00 per week and as the nearest mill was sixty miles away and the roads snow- blocked, no flour to be had for love or money. the landlord got some corn cracked at the Willson's cast iron mill and fed us for three days on mush and milk. Dur- ing the winter I hired out to Mir. Camp and helped him get out timber for a saw mill which was erected where the old mill, known as Atherton mill, now stands. I was at Fort Dodge when Levi Day, brother of Simon Day, perished in a terrible blizzard, helped search for him and was one of those who put his lifeless body in the wagon when found.
"I returned to Ohio the next spring, got married, and came out again the next fall."
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PIONEER COURTSHIP-WANTED TO GET UNMARRIED
The first settlers lived in small houses hastily constructed out of round logs, covered with shakes or clapboards about three feet in length, six inches in breadth and nearly one-half inch in thickness. These were held on by heavy poles. The doors were usually made of two puncheons which were about two inches in thick- ness by eighteen to twenty inches in width, and about six feet long, dressed smooth with an adz. These were pinned to crossbars with one-half inch wooden pins, wooden blocks pinned to the logs with three-fourths holes through cach, also through crossbars so that a wooden rod reaching from top to bottom block held the door to its place and answered the purpose of hinges. A wooden latch which was lifted from the outside by means of a string that was fastened to the latch inside and passing up three or four inches passed out through a gimlet hole. The floors were made of puncheons, the same as the door. In many instances not a nail or spike was used in the construction of the whole house. Those who had means enough got lumber for a door and one or two windows, six light, 8x10. A large chimney was built outside at one end of the cabin with well tempered clay and split sticks. Those who had no chairs made stools and in some instances tables were also made with puncheons dressed down smooth with the adz. The first cabins were usually 16x18 feet in size, sometimes 16x20, all in one room. Holes were bored in one corner of the cabin near the fireplace and wooden pins driven in, while puncheons or boards, placed on these pins, held a few dishes. And this was the pantry and cupboard, called by some the "dresser." The cooking kettles stood in the corner. Bedsteads were con- structed after the same manner as the cupboard ; only two beds in each cabin and when company came, some had to lie on the floor. I am writing this for the young and should any think that my picture of the pioneer home is too much colored, I refer them to Uncle Peter Lyon, who is still here, to Uncle Jimmie Adams, Walter C. Willson and wife, or any old settler who lived here during the period of 1857.
And now I come to the most interesting part of my story, to the young ladies and gentlemen of today, who will wonder how the "boys and gals" sparked them days. That is just what I am about to tell you. There is one thing certain, that no young man came sneaking around as if he wanted to steal something, and hang on the front gate and chew gum and watch for fear the "old man" would come out, as they do now days; none of that then! The pioneer boy and girl had the same courage and pluck that their parents possessed. The young man of that day had to face the old man if he wished to talk to the girls, walk up to the door and boldly enter. If he was welcome he soon knew it by the way they shook hands and invited him to be seated. If he had good sense he neither talked too much or too little. No putting on airs before the old folks to get into their good graces. If he was agreeable, that was enough, and at the usual time for the family to retire, at a wink or knowing look from the girl's mother, they all skedaddled off to bed and the young couple had the fireplace all to themselves and there in the mellow twilight of the glowing coals, they talked their love talk as young people always have and always will. 'till courting and matchmaking are ended. Methinks when some of the girls read this, I can see them chewing gum and look up with an astonished exclamation : "Did you ever! The idea of hav-
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ing a young gentleman come and talk and entertain you right there in the same room, within ten feet of the whole family. No. I never!" 1 do not believe that happier couples ever married and set up housekeeping than these young people of the early days. They were strong, healthy and full of faith and hope, and above all, contented with such things as they had. If they wanted more, they knew they could work and get it. When a family got ahead so they could have a hewn log house with good door, windows, floor and shingle roof, a loft, or upstairs, iron latch and hinges, a new cook stove and bought bedsteads, tables and chairs, they were considered as getting up in the world. Indeed they seemed to realize it to be a fact themselves and began to put on airs accordingly.
Grandma Frakes, Mrs. O. U. Story, and Mrs. McFerren were the first, as far as our knowledge goes, to bring in the loom and the spinning wheel. Mr. Errickson, a local Methodist preacher, put up the first flouring mill on Boone river where Jas. Bell's mill now stands and Mr. Atherton, who was then a single man, was his miller. Jacob Payne burned the first lime kiln. Wm. Frakes burned the first brick kiln in Cass township near where Mr. Y. W. Short now lives. I think it was L. B. Hill who brought the first reaping machine in 1857. Benjamin Millard started the first nursery.
In the spring of 1857 was the great Indian scare. The writer and John Boring were the last to leave old Cass. As we passed the residence of the Rev. D. P. Day we went in to see if they had gone, and there in the middle of the table lay Grandma Day's silver spoons carefully wrapped up, but in their haste forgotten. but we took care of them. After their return, she found her best "go-to-meet- ing bonnet" in the pork barrel under the floor, where in the excitement and hasty retreat it had been placed for safe keeping. Had Indians come and fired the cabin, Grandma Day's best bonnet would have gone up in smoke.
In the winter of 1855-6, a young couple came from Illinois and settled near where Mrs. J. W. Lee now lives, in Cass township. A dispute arose between them as to the best way to make mush. She didn't make mush to suit him and as she was the queen of the home, she had ideas of her own and was bound to live by them. He, on the other hand, gave her to understand that he was the man of the house and if she could not cook to suit him she must leave. So they agreed to get "unmarried" and he yoked up the oxen and came down to Squire Camp, who was building a sawmill where the Atherton mill now stands. They came in and wanted to know of the squire "what he would ax 'em to unmarry them." He informed them that he could not do such a thing. The woman asked him if he could marry a couple. "Certainly," he replied. "Well," said she, "that is curious. I always thought that anybody who knew how to tie a knot, knew how to untie it." They asked him what they must do to get unmarried and Squire Camp told them how to proceed in legal course to procure a divorce. "That's too much trouble and costs too much, and I ain't going to wait any longer," the woman said, and turning to her husband. she said: "You take me with the oxen to the Mississippi river and put me across and I'll get back to mother the rest of the way myself." He agreed to that, and back home they went. In a day or two they started. He was gone nearly three weeks when he returned without her, feeling he was a free man again and single once more.
June 25, 1880
.A. IŁAASWELL.
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FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE-PIONEER CHARIVARI, ETC.
The building of the first schoolhouse in Webster City was let to Nathaniel Browning, who came from the state of Maine in 1855. The job was let and the schoolhouse built in 1856 for $800. It was a one-story building, about the size of one of our country schoolhouses and was erected on a lot near where Addison Arthur's residence now stands. The material of course was all native. "Nate" (as he was familiarly dubbed), was an enterprising young man and determined to do all he undertook in a systematic way, regardless of what others might think or say ; in other words, he had a mind of his own and must be convinced before yielding to others' opinions ; for all this he was not arbitrary. "Nate" rented the Willson sawmill then on the river, where the D. D. Chase flouring mill now stands, for the purpose of sawing the lumber to build the schoolhouse. He hired men to go into the timber north of town to cut saw logs, and with oxen draw them to the river bank near the old Skinner Ford, intending to float them down the river to save hauling so far. At that time there were some pretty large trees standing, many large red oaks. The largest were hauled first and put nearest the river bank. Some were three feet or more in diameter. "Nate" was told that green red oak would not float, but he could not be made to believe that timber grew that would not swim. When the time came to launch the logs "Nate" ordered one of the largest red oaks to be rolled down the bank. As the huge log struck the water the waves rolled up ahead of it until it stopped; then the wave came back, completely hiding it from sight, where, for aught I know, it lies to this day. "Nate" stood gazing into the water for two minutes, looking as though he'd lost something ; then, turning to the men, he said: "That beats h-1! If I were to write back to Maine and tell them that there was timber in Iowa that would not float, more than a rock, they'd think I was lying."
In 1857 Michael Foster and John Eckstein, brothers-in-law, came with their wives from Rome, N. Y. Mr. Foster still lives on his old farm two miles north of Webster City. John and Albert Hoffman followed the trade of stone mason. John Eckstein afterwards went into the army and was made captain of a colored regiment. After the war he was elected treasurer of Hamilton county and held that office for ten years. Dr. Burgess and many others came in this year, the exact dates we cannot give of all, but the incidents are what are the most interest- ing at present. The first wedding and charivari that took place in Webster was that of Wesley Camp and Miss Moore. They were married and put up at the hotel, a double hewn log house. Mr. Springer, who still lives in Webster City, was the landlord and proprietor at this time. Late in the evening, a company of men, both single and married (mostly single), organized, armed with tin pans, bells, horns and everything that would rattle and bang, started for the hotel to give the new married couple a "shaking up" (names we omit as several are still living in Hamilton and Wright counties). Arriving at the hotel the captain gave his orders to his company in low tones and then the noise commenced, with yelling that would have frightened a band of Sioux, had they been near. The landlord came to the door and ordered them to stop, but he might as well have ordered the Boone river to dry up. After several rounds failed to bring out the groom, in they all went to where the bride and groom were in bed. After several words passed between the parties, and several threats were made, one Vol. 1-13
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of the young men lifted a pail which he supposed contained a little water from the spring, but which actually contained greasy slops from the kitchen, telling another comrade to lift the covering, which was no sooner said than done, he dashed the greasy contents of that pail into the bed, on the occupants, and the band suddenly disappeared. And so ended the closing scene of the first charivari in Webster City. The boys all paid for their bit of fun and swore off. The captain, who lives in Eagle Grove, told me not long ago that that night was his last, that he often wished he could forget it forever.
As in all new organized countries, Methodist ministers came with the people. Father Daniel Abbott, a local preacher in Hardin county, was appointed to fill a vacancy on Boone river circuit until the next annual conference sent the Rev. David P. Day, father of Simon Day, who still lives in Cass township. Boone river circuit covered both Hamilton and Wright counties and the first appoint- ments on the circuit were Homer, Border Plains ( Uncle Jimmy Adams ) White Fox and Goldfield. Reverend Day organized the first class in Webster City in 1857. He died the following year, but his widow is still "waiting and watch- ing." expecting soon to hear the grim messenger say "come." Mr. Day's salary was only a little over $200. The first presiding elder of the district was Elder Rankin, who now lives at Jewell. and one of his daughters is teaching school in this county. He is still strong for a man of his age, but partially losing control of his voice and being partially deaf he was compelled on account of these infirmities to retire, after preaching some forty years.
The Perry brothers, Lyman and Gilbert, came in 1857 from Illinois and made their home in Cass township with William Frakes. They took a claim on Eagle creek in Wright county at Head Grove. "Gill" went back soon after and married "the girl he left behind." As no railroad was in this part of the state. "Gill" took an ox team and went to Dubuque, a distance of about one hundred and eighty miles, to get his cook stove, furniture, groceries, etc., neces- sary to go to housekeeping. As the weather was cold and roads bad. this trip took him about three weeks. He rented a log cabin on the now Burgess farm. near White Fox schoolhouse. This cabin was one story, 16x18 feet, all in one room ; parlor, bedroom, kitchen and pantry consolidated; this was the common style of that day and as the writer was one of his earliest neighbors, he knows that a happier couple never started out on the voyage of life, on the ocean of time, in their log cabin than did "Gill" Perry and his wife. They are still living at Tunnel on the Boone river and their heads have "silver threads among the gold." They are parents of a family that they have reason to be proud of.
In those early days everything was brought into the county by teams ; mostly from Iowa City then the capital of Iowa. Everything was high, and we had to pay or do without. Corn usually sold $1.00 to $1.25 per bushel. Potatoes brought several times as much-$2.00 per bushel in the spring of 1857. Seed corn was scarce at $3.00 per bushel, and emigrants moving were glad to get hay for their horses at $1.00 per cwt. ; flour was $9.00 per cwt. for awhile, and salt was $7.00 per barrel, till the little steamer spoken of in a previous chapter, brought a load up the Des Moines river to Fort Dodge, which knocked salt down to $4.00 per barrel. We had to be very saving of salt and stock got but a small ration on Sunday.
In the spring of 1857-8, the mill dam washed out and for weeks we could
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get no grain ground; some families lived weeks on wheat or buckwheat ground in their coffee mills, and corn made into hominy. When potatoes were so high, the eyes were cut out to plant while the potato was saved to be eaten. Cass township was six miles wide north and south, and extended from Webster and Hardin county. Boone was about the same as now. Some of our schools were taught on the subscription plan. Those who had children paid in proportion to the number of pupils sent, the teacher boarding among the scholars. As most people had but one room to live and sleep in, the ladies "slipped off to bed" while the men's backs were turned. without fainting.
A. HASWELL.
HOW JOHN KEARNS IIAULED FLOUR FROM VINTON TO WEBSTER CITY
In 1858 I resided with my father's family near Vinton, Benton county, Iowa. It was a comparatively old settlement and farmers were well supplied with all kinds of grain and produce, but there was absolutely no market anywhere near and as it was the wet season and the roads so bad, it was thought impossible to get to better but more distant markets. My father had thousands of bushels penned up at different places on his farm, but he could not sell it at even ten cents a bushel, and money was so scarce and hard to get that, notwithstanding the abun- dance of grain and other products of a large and productive farm, he was utterly unable to get money to pay his taxes. Of course every other farmer was in the same fix and it looked as though the farmers would all lose their farms through their inability to pay their taxes, though surrounded with plenty to sell if only a market could be found.
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