USA > Iowa > Hardin County > History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 87
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"All moneys received for the sale of lots, after the purchase money is paid, shall be used to improve said ground and pay con- tingent expenses.
"You shall pay all expenses for survey- ing, platting, putting upon record and con- veyance of said lots.
[Signed.] J. L. ESTES, J. R. LARKIN,
HOSMER STEVENS.
"IOWA FALLS, July 17, 1860."
Again, we quote from one of the mem- bers of the association:
"The books show that we were worth $22.16 on the 25th day of September, 1860, and we had been extremely industrious to obtain this much above incidental expenses in ten months. The times were extremely
close, and there were but a handful of peo- ple in all. The feasibility of such an under- taking to-day, by the same persons, would appear like a modern craze, with the scarcity of employment and provisions, and uncom- fortably cold houses; and looking back upon it, it appears really to be the only enterprise that would be a sure success- starvation in front, Indians in the rear, although not one ever came to molest the settlers. Every dollar was used in pay- ment of the ground. With an occasional entertainment, we soon found ourselves out of debt.
"Our ground was rugged with brush and trees, but the latter we had cut and sold. On May 28, 1860, at a regular meeting at Mrs. Sayer's, the subject was brought up in reference to clearing the ground, and, out of several ways, it was decided that on the second Saturday following the ladies should repair to the ground, and, like the Spartan women, each should take a man along with them, not upon their backs, as did those ladies of ancient days, when only permitted to take out of the city such treasures as they could carry upon their backs, each took their husband, but in one of the several and more con- venient ways. We took the stars and stripes along and planted the banner at the head of our works. The gentlemen worked with scythes; the ladies piled brush until the ground was left in a very fine condi- tion, comparatively. At the close of the day all were invited to repair to the Sem- inary grounds, where generous hands had prepared a supper."
On the 6th day of August, 1861, the association was out of debt. It was now thought best to form it into an incorporated
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body, with a capital stock of $200, with 100 shares at $2 each. Those interested adopted the following:
"We, Sarah M. Estes, Sarah Bristow, Clara E. Johnson, Phæbe Wright, Matilda Watkins, Elizabeth Sayer, Maria Mead, Emily A. Foote, Lucy B. Longdell, Char- lotte Abel, being of full age, and citizens of the United States and State of Iowa, and such other persons as may associate with us for the purpose contemplated in the following articles, do hereby form our- selves into a body corporate, to be known in law by the name and style of the ‘La- dies' Social Gathering of Iowa Falls.'"
The articles of incorporation are after the usual order of incorporate bodies.
The ground purchased was platted in 200 blocks, with 8 lots in a block. Three additions have since been made, at a cost of $570. Improvements have been made from time to time, necessitating an outlay as follows: Vault, $600; board fence, $60; iron and stone fence, $1,240; wire fence, $60; evergreens and shrubbery, $200.
In the twenty-three years that the Asso- ciation has been in existence, it has done a good work, one for which it is entitled to great credit. At present the Association is composed of 60 members and 22 stock- holders. The lots unsold are valued at $1,500. It has notes and accounts of $300, and $200 in the treasury. The grounds are among the finest in Northern Iowa, and are kept in excellent repair. Some of the monuments erected in the cemetery are worthy of mention, among those being one erected to the memory of J. L. Estes, valued at $800; one by Hardin & Smith, valued at $800; and one by Mr.
Nutter, valued at $300. There are also a number of handsome ones costing from $100 to $300.
The following named comprise the stockholders of the Union Cemetery Ladies' Social Gathering: Mrs. M. Mc- Chesney, Mrs. C. Abel, Mrs. S. M. Rich- ardson, Mrs. A. C. Jones, Mrs. S. M. Estes, Mrs. C. E. Johnson, Mrs. C. Hyer, Mrs. R. Bliss, Mrs. M. Wilde, Mrs. S. J. Arnold, Mrs. A. Wells, Mrs. J. A. Wisner, Mrs. E. Sawyer, Mrs. Whitney, Mrs. J. Wells, Mrs. E. Sayer, Mrs. A. J. Foster, Mrs. M. Wright, Mrs. C. Foot, Mrs. E. Cobb, Mrs. E. Pyle and Mrs. E. Foot. The Present officers are: Mrs. S. M. Estes, President; Mrs. R. Bliss, Secretary; Mrs. C. M. Hyer, Vice-President; Mrs. A. J. Foster, Treasurer.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Iowa Falls became an independent school district at an election held March 28, 1865, The following are the first officers: Presi- dent of Board, T. B. Knapp; Vice Presi- dent, A. Woods; Secretary, J. W. Hiatt; . Treasurer, J. Sayer; Directors, J. L. Estes, S. P. Smith, J. R. Haworth, Joel Hiatt. The present school building, which is a fine brick structure, was built by Johnson Bros., on the plan of the Chicago school buildings, which was given on application by Mr. Pickard, the Superintendent of the public schools of that city. The cost of the building was about $12,000, and was erected in 1868.
The following are the names of the prin- cipals since the organization: Miss S L. Hillock was the first principal, who re- mained but a short time, and was suc- ceeded by Mr. J. S. Howard, who was fol-
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
lowed by Miss Mary Higbee, who had charge of the school during the summer of 1869; Mr. B. K. Seaman becoming princi- ral in September of that year. Mrs. H. H. Bacon succeeded Mr. Seaman in 1871. The next principal was Mr. D. W. Henley, who in 1874 took charge of the school and remained several terms, and was followed by Mr. R. H. Schofield, who was succeeded by W. H. Sisson, and he by the present principal, A. A. Weaver, who became prin- cipal in the fall of 1877.
The officers of 1832 are-President, S. M. Weaver; Secretary, R. A. Carleton; Treasurer, J. H. Carleton; Directors, L. O. Bliss, J. L. Farrington, Z. K. Hoag, Wm. Welden, Edward Dowdell.
A. A. Weaver, Principal of the Public School of Iowa Falls, is a native of Chau- tauqua county, N. Y., where he was born in 1849. He was for some time a student of Forestville Academy, in his native county; was afterward a student at Whites- town Seminary, for two and one-half years. He began teaching in Chautauqua county in 1868. In 1869 he entered the Michigan State University, at Ann Arbor, where he remained two years and a half. He then returned to the State of New York, and resumed teaching. He went to Minnesota in 1875, and took charge of the school at Wabasha for one year; thence to Steam- boat Rock, in this county, where he re- mained one year, and came to Iowa Falls and assumed the principalship of the school in 1877. Prof. Weaver is an excellent scholar, and a practical and thorough teacher. Under his management the schools of Iowa Falls have taken rank second to none in Hardin county, and com- pare favorably with the best schools in the
State. Mrs. Weaver was formerly Miss Florence E. Clark, of Erie county, N. Y.
RELIGIOUS.
Rev Ethan C. Crippin, of whom men- tion is often made in these pages, held the first religious services at the present site of Iowa Falls, in 1854. As a sketch of Mr. Crippin appears in connection with the history of Jackson township, it is need- less to say more of him in this connection, than that he was a pioneer preacher that feared God and loved his fellowman. He was ever ready to go where duty called.
The pioneer preacher of Hardin county was Rev. Ethan C. Crippin, a local preacher of the M. E. Church, residing at Berlin. He preached the first sermon delivered in the township at the house of Jacob George, in the summer of 1856, and soon after preached the first sermon in Iowa Falls, at the house of Joseph Wells, a log house standing on the site now occupied by the residence of Mrs. Rollo. The first Metho- dist Society organized in Iowa Falls, con- sisted of Jacob George, Leader; Martha George, Martha W. George, William George, Thomas C. George, Sarah J. George and Carolina Burley.
The Society received its first regular appointment from its conference in 1857, It was then a part of Alden Mission, with C. J. Burley as pastor. The following year it appears on the rolls of its conference as Iowa Falls charge, though still includ- ing Alden, Oakland, Burr Oak, South Fork and Georgetown. This year Rev. Smith Knickerbocker was appointed pastor. The first quarterly conference of which there is any record, was held at Iowa Falls, October 23, 1858. There were present
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
D. N. Holmes, Presiding Elder; Smith Knickerbocker Preacher in charge; C. J. Burley, Local Elder; Chas. McQuesten, Recording Steward; A. Baccus, Steward; E. Odell, J. M. B. Oviatt and Thos. Gale, Laymen. Rev. Knickerbocker was succeded by Rev. Asa Critchfield, under whose labors the church in Iowa Falls was greatly blessed, and received large accessions of members. In 1860 and 1861 the charge received no regular member of the con- ference as pastor, but the work was sup- plied by the Elder, with Solomon Dunton in 1860, and B. W. Cole in 1861. The following is the list of pastors since that time, 1862-65: J. H. Carleton, 1865-7; Charles Jones, 1868-70; D. N. Holmes, 1870-72; E. L. Sherman, 1872-3; F. M. Robertson, 1873-5; Uriah Eberliart,1875-7; James A. Kerr, 1877-80; Robert W. Milner, 1880-81; M. T. Smedley, 1881; to the present time, J. H. Rigby. The church has but been under the direction of the following Presiding Elders: D. N. Holmes, Ft. Dodge District, 1858-62; J. B. Taylor, 1862-64; D. Lamont, 1864-68; S. H. Lee, 1868-71; J. Bowman, 1871-73; Wm. Lease, 1873-75; Emory Miller, 1875- 76; Wm. Lease, 1876-77; F. C. Wolf, 1877-81; E. L, Miller, 1881 to present time.
The present membership of the church, not including absentees, is 133. The official directory is as follows: Class Leaders, C. S. Comes, P. D. Vandeberg; Stewards, S. P. Smith, A. L. Ettinger, S. M. Weaver, J. H. Carleton, Wm. Elliott, Eliza Elliott, Clark Bean, A. M. Caldwell, H. V. Moore; Trustees, S. P. Smith, J. H. Carleton, Wm. Elliott, Wm. Nichols, S. M. Weaver, J. R. Haworth, Geo. Bean; S. S. Superin- tendent, A. A. Weaver.
The first Sunday School was organized in the spring of 1863, with Elijah Odell as Superintendent, and Wm. Jones assistant. Soon after, Bro. Odell moved to George- ton, and the work of the superintendent devolved on Bro. Jones, who held the position for twelve years. This respons- ible place has been held in succession by J. Bunce, Rev. E. L. Sherman, J. H. Carleton, S. M. Weaver and A. A. Weaver.
The experience of the society in the work of church building has been some- what remarkable. For a time, in common with other organizations, religious and otherwise, they used the old stone hall just north of the river bridge. With a view to securing a more suitable place of worship, Rev. A. Critchfield organized a. board of trustees on March 2, 1860, con- sisting of S. P. Smith, E. Odell, Jacob George, J. F. Simonds, Wm. Jones, O. E. Abel and Chas. Mead. No further steps were taken till the summer of 1861, when a small stone chapel, in the north part of town, now a part of the house of Mrs. Whittaker, was erected. In 1869, during the pastorate of D. N. Holmes, a large and commodious church, containing rooms in the basement for Sunday School and Class Meeting, was erected on the site of the present church. This was dedicated about Christmas, and was used about two and a half months, when it was destroyed by fire. Though the Church lost a large part of what had taxed its best resources, the building was replaced the same year by the present building. In a few years this was badly damaged by a severe windstorm, one of its towers being blown entirely down, and the whole building very much shattered. It was used in this condition
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
for several years, till in 1880, by the energy of R. W. Milner, means were secured for repairing and refitting it. At the same time a fine bell was procured by the young ladies of its Church and congregation. Since that time the society have been in grateful possession of the largest and most commodious house of worship in the town.
The Iowa Falls Congregational Church was organized October 2, 1856, with Fa- bian Beard, Alice Beard, David Beard, Theron Kellogg, Lucinda Kellogg, Marcia Kellogg and Elizabeth Kellogg, as the first members of this new church, and the Rev. O. Emerson officiating in its organ- ization. Sunday, October 10, the Lord's Supper was celebrated, the Rev. O. Emer- son, agent of the American Home Mis- sionary Society, officiating. Deacon F. Beard, Theron Kellogg, Robert Wright, Alfred Woods and Joshua Richardson, were its first officers. This Church held its first meetings in a small wooden build- ing used as a school house (since burned), occupying a spot of ground in the rear of Wilde & Bliss' store, and the Rev. John Wilcox was its first settled pastor, and re- mained with the Church one year, com- mencing his labors here in December, 1856; and at the close of Mr. Wilcox's labors, in December, 1857, there was no regular pastor until in May, 1860, when this Church united in a call to Rev. Wil- liam Kent, who remained as the pastor of the Church for two years. At the close of his labors, the Church united in a call to the Rev. A. Graves, who officiated until August, 1868. Rev. W. W. Torrey, the successor of Mr. Graves, remained as pas- tor for six months, when he resigned on account of ill-health, and was soon after
followed to his grave by a devoted chris- tian wife and friends. In 1870 this Church gave a call to Rev. John L. Atkinson, who remained with the Church as pastor the space of two years. At the close of his labors, the Church voted a call to the Rev. Orlando Clark, who remained with the Church two years as their pastor, and at the close of his labors with the Church, the Rev. J. D. Baldwin was invited by a call from the Church to become its pastor, and which he accepted, and remained with the Church and people the space of three years, and at the close of his labors with this Church, the members voted a call to Rev. Asa Countryman, of Dubuque, as their pastor, and who remained as such for a term of three years. At the close of Rev. A. Countryman's labors, the Church voted a call to Rev. T. J. Reid, of Lon- don, Canada, who is the present pastor of the Church. Rev. H. M. Parmalee, a re- tired and aged minister of the gospel, who united with this Church December 15, 1869, up to the time of his death, which occurred June 30, 1880, was ever a faithful worker for Christ and His cause; and as a minister of the gospel or Sabbath school Superintendent, he was ever found at bis post of duty, ever ready to fill all vacancies in pulpit or school.
The Congregational house of worship is built of stone, 35x60 feet; steeple 75 feet high, with a bell in the tower, of one thous- and pounds. The house complete cost $5,000. The house has a seating capacity of from two hundred and fifty to three hundred. This church has a beautiful parsonage, costing about $3,000, including lots, house and barn. The present Trus- tees of the Church are-Deacon Robert
Lindley, M. Hough
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
Wright, John Swartz, Joel Hiatt, Isaac Tucker and Wm. Ivins.
Since the organization of the Church, 234 have united with it. The present membership is 80. The Church is in a prosperous condition, spiritually and finan- cially.
The Congregational Sunday School was organized February 4, 1865, Wm. Thaxter being the first Superintendent; B. O. Wil- liams, Assistant Superintendent; Herbert Graves, Secretary; Deacon Robert Wright, Treasurer; Lewis W. Richardson, Libra- rian; Wm. Thaxter, Clerk. The present officers of the Congregational Sabbath School are as follows: Isaac Tucker, Superintendent; B. O. Williams, Treas- urer; Miss Hattie Dowdell, Secretary; Silas Armstrong, Librarian. The school numbers 110 scholars, and the average at- tendance is 80. The school is in a pros- perous condition, and well officered with a good corps of teachers.
The Rocksylvania Meeting of the Society of Friends was organized by authority of Honey Creek Monthly Meeting, in the winter of 1856. The first members com- posing the Church were: Lindley M. Hoag, wife and family; Benj. I. Talbott, wife and family; Peter Collins, wife and family; Nathan Townsend, wife and family; James Adamson, wife and family; Nathan Adamson, wife and family; Samuel Adamson, wife and family; Henry H. Macy, wife and family; Daniel P. Griffith, wife and family; Edwin Terrell, Sarah Haines and family, Luke Enlows, wife and family; David W. Lupton, wife and fam- ily; John T. Miller, wife and family; Clayton Tompkins, Marion Tompkins,
John H. Foster, M.D .; T. E. Collins, wife and family; Calvin Moon, wife and family; John Airy, wife and family; Moses Roberts, wife and family. The first officers of the Church were John Airy, James Adamson, Ann M. Lupton and Mary Ann Roberts. The first religious service was held in a log house on the farm of Edwin Terrell, adjoining the vil- lage of Rocksylvania. The following named have served as pastors: Lindley Murray Hoag, John Airy, David Hunt and Isaiah G. Worth. Most of the revival services have been union services. Lind- ley M. Hoag, Isom G. Wooton, Barclay Jones, Melinda Baldwin and others have been successfully engaged, at times, in revival work. The first house of worship was erected in the summer of 1856; size, 24x36; cost, $800. It was built of stone, and located in Rocksylvania. In the year 1857 a new and larger house of worship was built in Iowa Falls. The officers, at present, are: Robert S. Titus, Silas W. Bond, Perrina Macy, Rebecca Bond, Louisa Hunt, Elders; Daniel P. Griffith, S. L. Griffith, H. C. Titus, George Pyle, Overseers. The number of members of the Church since its organization is 300. The present membership is 170. Though the members are few, the Church is in a united, healthy condition. Its Sabbath School was first organized in 1858. Lind- ley Murray Hoag was its first Superin- tendent. Its present officers are: Thomas J. Ashley, Superintendent; D. P. Griffith, Z. K. Hoag, A. C. Hoag, Ann E. White, Teachers; Rachel Mellen, Secretary and Treasurer; O. F. Mellen, Librarian. It has an enrollment of 55, and an average attendance of 40.
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
Lindley Murray Hoag was the son of Joseph and Huldah Hoag. He was born in Charlotte, Va., the 29thi of September, 1808. His parents were early settlers in that part of the State, and had to endure many of the privations and hardships incident to pioneer life; consequently they could not give to their children-eight in number- all the educational advantages that they desired. They were both ministers of the gospel. His father traveled extensively, and was absent from his home more than half the time for twenty years. His early training devolved, principally, upon his mother, and he bore witness to her faith- fulness to this trust. He learned to read at a very early age, and, other books being scarce, he became a great Bible student; so that it could be said of him, as of Tim- othy, "He knew the scriptures from a child." He was recorded a minister of the gospel, of the "Society of Friends," in his twenty-first year. His preaching was re- markably in accordance with the injunction of the apostle, "If any man speak, let him "speak as the oracles of God." So copious were his quotations from the Bible and from doctrinal authors, and so just and illustrative his application, that some who heard him, queried, "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" In his twenty-first and twenty-second years he traveled, as an Evangelist, in the State of New York, in the New England States, Lower Canada, and some of the adjacent Atlantic islands. In 1831 he located on a farm at Wolfboro, N. H. Soon after he married Huldah B. Varney, of that place. She possessed a capacious and lucid mind, a vivacious and amiable disposition, com- bined with engaging manners. Their
married life was a very happy one. They had four children, three of whom are liv- ing. The oldest, Hannah H. Leggett, lives in New York. She is a minister, and earnestly engaged in Evangelistic work. Joseph L. Hoag is a druggist, in Iowa Falls. Zeno K. Hoag, a dealer in lumber, coal, salt, etc., in the same place. Both of them are known as honorable business men. After his marriage he was, as the apostle exhorts, "Diligent in business and fervent in spirit;" working on his farm to provide things comfortable for his family, and still faithful to the calls of his Master. He visited the churches of his own de- nomination, and held public meetings in the towns and many of the cities of New England, New York, some of the Middle, Western and Southern States. His wife died in 1843. She was, also, a minister, highly esteemed in the church and society for both her christian and native graces. Soon after this bereavement he visited Europe, preaching in England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany and Switzer- land. Upon his return, he produced to the church abundant testimonials to the ap- preciation of the value of his labors from those amongst whom he traveled. He was absent about three years, and, as Paul re- sumed his occupation of "tent maker," so did L. M. Hoag again grasp the handles of his plow, on the banks of Lake Winnipis- siogee, and he could say, like the apostle, "Mine own hands have ministered to my necessities," and to the wants of those de- pendent upon me. In 1853 he re-visited Great Britain. He also visited Norway and Denmark, where he found many seek- ing to know the "Truth." He was absent about one year. Soon after his return he
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
757
sold his property in New Hampshire. He came to Iowa in the summer of 1854; bought land in Marshall and Hardin coun- ties, and returned to New Hampshire. In the spring of 1855 he came again to Iowa; was married to Anna C. Darlington, of Muscatine, Iowa, and with her he came to Hardin county, in November of that year. They had one child, Ella Hoag, who re- sides with her mother, and has a position as teacher in the public school at Iowa Falls. He was one of the proprietors of the village of Rocksylvania, living on a farm adjoining. During the remaining twenty-five years of his active and useful life he was often engaged, with others, in organizing churches of his own denomina- tion in different parts of the State. He spent much of the time from home in mis- sionary work, in the States of Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, and some parts of New England, Canada, New York, Kansas and Missouri. He was a life-long friend of the slave and the Indian. In politics he was a sterling Republican, of the Whig school. As a citizen he was ever ready to do his part to promote the inter- ests of the community. As a neighbor, he was kind and obliging. In his family he was genial, affectionate and sympathetic. "Having fought the good fight, and kept the faith, he finished his course (on the 27th of November, 1880, in the seventy- third year of his age), to receive a crown of righteousness from Christ, the righteous Judge." Mr. Hoag was gifted with a won- derful memory, and his sermons contained copious illustrations and quotations from the Bible and New Testament; so much so as to cause a wonder on the part of his hearers as to the profound insight he
seemed to possess of the Word of God. He had a style of delivery peculiarly his own, and often would thrill his hearers with the most beautiful imagery and word painting. His personal magnetism was wonderful. It is the opinion of many per- sons who have listened to our great pulpit orators-Beecher, Talmage, Chapin, and others-that Mr. Hoag had the natural ability, if placed where circumstances would draw it out, to equal any of them. Remarkable as this may seem, yet it is true; and this gifted man gave his time and great talents to the Society of Friends, among whom he stood as one of the chief pillars, not only in this country, but across the ocean in foreign lands. In the sketch of the life of Lindley M. Hoag, there is a lady, Mrs. Anna Hoag, his widow, who survives him, who is entitled to more than a passing mention. It is half of success for a man to have such a wife. Gifted herself with more than ordinary talent, she served to increase and widen her husband's influence. During her entire life she has been known as a lovely Christian charac- ter, exerting herself in all the avenues of Christian influence, and being a power for good in her society. As an educator, she has few equals, and she has filled several stations as' a teacher with great success. She remains to continue the good work which her lamented husband laid down; and a crown awaits her as a faithful, effi- cient, self-sacrificing servant of the Master.
Rev. David Hunt, pastor of the Friends' Church at Iowa Falls, is a native of Ohio, having been born in Highland county, in that State, in 1806. He comes from a family of Friends. His father, Phineas Hunt, was born in Guilford county, N. C.,
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