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 98
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The Society at New Providence was organized in 1857. The heads of families comprising the membership were: Dr. Eli Jessup and Mary B., his wife; Joseph and Delilah Dillon; John and Edna Andrews; E., and C. B. Andrews; William F. and Mary D. Andrews; William E. and Mary E. Andrews; Samuel and Mary Dil- lon, Nathan and Margaret J. McConnell; Albert and Elizabeth McConnell, Stephen and Aseneth Wilson; David and Sarah Ann Hunt; Stephen and Rachel South- wick; Peter and Miriam.C. Bedell; Rachel Bedell, (widow), and Guyson C. Bedell. A meeting house was erected in 1858, at a cost of $350, and on the 3d day of June, 1860, about 4 o'clock P. M., while being occupied by the Episcopal Methodists, was moved from its foundation and otherwise damaged by the tornado of that date. The membership of the Society in this place has been on the increase since, till this date will number some 200. The first
John Tomlinson
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
minister visiting this Society was David Hunt; second, Dr. Eli Jessup; third, Mary E. Andrews; fourth, John S. Bond; fifth, Dr. Elias Jessup; sixth, and present min- ister, Seneca Wildman. Their present officers are as follows: J. K. Blair, Jane H. Blair, and Lindley Tessup. Overseers- Lindley Jessup, Aseneth Baldwin, Caleb Baldwin, and Theressa Wood. They hold their regular services twice each week -- Wednesday and on the Sabbath, beside, they have their young people's meeting on every Sabbath evening.
The Chester Preparative meeting was organized in 1869, with the following original members: J. S. Bond, Minister; J. S. Hadley, James Lundy, and others.
The church edifice is a frame building, on section 26, 22x34 feet.
The first religious services were held in a log cabin on the farm now owned by E. B. Mendenhall.
The pastors have been J. S. Bond and J. S. Hockett, who have looked after the wants of the congregation since its organi- zation.
The present officers of the church are: James Lundy, Wm. P. Hunnicutt, E. . B. Mendenhall, Annie Hadley and M. J. Men- denhall.“
The church is in a good prosperous con- dition, with a membership of 79, compris- ing the following named families: Joseph Spurgin and family, E. B. Mendenhall and family, James Lundy and family, William Bond and family, P. C. Hadley and family, Mahlon Hadley and family, J. S. Hockett and family, Joseph Hockett and family, Joseph Nicholson and family, J. S. Bond and family, H. M. Hadley and family, W. P. Hunnicutt and family, N. Gibbs and
family, Keziah Hadley, BubalJonis and Bissell.
Their Sabbath School is well attended; with the following officers: W. P. Hunni- cutt, E. B. Mendenhall and Miss Leona A. Mendenhall. The School has a general average of 40.
The Congregational Church, of New Providence, was organized September 12, 1865, by Rev. J. VanAntwerp, with the following named members: Orrin Humis- ton and Lucy, his wife; E. B. Humiston and Prudence, his wife; William H. Crook and Malinda, his wife; Enos H. Humiston and Maria, his wife; Mary A. Fleming and Louisa Scott. By a vote of the congrega- tion, E. B. Humiston was elected Deacon, and A. M. Mulford, Clerk. Out of the original ten members, but four are now liv- ing, two of whom are yet members of the church.
In 1870 a society was formed in connec- tion with the church, to erect a house of worship. The following named . trustees were then elected: E. B. Humiston, Wil- liam H. Crook and A. M. Mulford. A building committee was appointed, con- sisting of E. B. Humiston, William H. Crook, Israel Hall, William F. Andrews and A. M. Mulford. A frame building with a seating capacity of 150 was erected, and duly dedicated October 28, 1871, Rev. O. Clark, of Iowa Falls, officiating. Among those who have served the church, either as pastors or supplies, were-Rev. John Arnold, Rev. C. F. Boyington and Rev. A. D. Kinser. Rev. J. R. Knodell preaching occasionally.
A class of members of the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in Provi- dence township in February, 1856. Spencer
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
Hadley and wife, Alfred Moore and wife, Edward Wooten and wife, composed this class, which was organized by Rev. B. Holcomb. Spencer Hadley was class leader. The first services of the Church were held in a log cabin on land now be- longing to the estate of Spencer Hadley, near the southeast corner of section 10. Rev. J. W. Stewart conducted the exer- cises and delivered the discourse. The following named have served as pastors of the Church since its organization: Revs. B. Holcomb, E. C. Crippin, Asa Critch- field, J. F. Hestwood, E. Kendall, C. F. McLain, D. M. Mallory, E. Kendall second time, J. M. Hudson, Jacob Haymond, J. Montgomery, W. A. P. Eberhart, L. S. Cooley, M. A. Goodell, F. M. Coleman, E. Hoskyn. The first revival was held by Rev. E. C. Crippin, in the winter of 1857-8. In the winter of 1864-5, an extensive re- vival was held, commenced by the Method- ists, and continued by them jointly with the Friends, in which a large. number of converts were made. Another quite ex- tensive revival was in the winter of 1870-1, led by Rev. Jacob Haymond. Other revival meetings have been held by the Church, but not so extensive as those named. The society, in 1871, erected a house of worship, at a cost of $1,000. Previous to that time, it worshipped in school houses. The class in Providence township has never been a separate charge, but has at times been connected with Eldora, Steamboat Rock and Xenia, and for several years past with Union, under the name of Union Circuit. It has now a membership of 47, with T. N. Harper, Steward and Class Leader; S. S. Hadley, Steward; E. Hoskyn, Pastor.
EDUCATIONAL.
The people that settled in Providence township believe in education, and, from the beginning, have looked well to those institutions calculated to make men wiser, and therefore better.
The first public school held in the town- ship was in the winter of 1854-5, in the double log house already spoken of as erected for church purposes, near or on the site of the present Honey Creek meeting house. Mr. James Tulburt was the first teacher. There are now in the township 10 school houses, valued at $800 each.
In addition to the public schools, there is a fine academy in the village of New Providence, which is doing a good work, an account of which is given elsewhere in this work.
TOPOGRAPHICAL.
Providence township is a rich rolling prairie, all of which is under a high state of cultivation. It is well watered by Honey creek and its tributaries.
FIRST EVENTS.
The first settlement in the township was made in 1851.
The first birth in the township was Sarah B., daughter of John J. and Julia Thornton, born in the fall of 1851.
The first death was that of William Dobbins, who died September 6, 1852.
James Dillon and Sarah Fitzgerald, the widow of Patrick Fitzgerald, were the first couple united in marriage.
The first church was erected by the Society of Friends, in 1854.
The first school was built the same year, and taught by James Tulburt.
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
The first steam mill, built in Providence township was in 1854, by Reuben Bond.
The first water mill was built by L. Law- rence. Mr. J. S. Hadley · afterwards pur- chased it, and it was known as the Hadley mill. There is nothing left at this writing but a portion of the dam and flume to mark its existence.
THE FIRST FERRY.
The first ferry on Honey creek was at Hadley's mill; it was built for the construc- tion of a dam. In the spring of 1858 the water on Honey creek was very high, and people would come for miles to cross the creek, there being no bridges at that time. The Hadley boys tell of a little circumstance of a party crossing while on their way to attend court at Eldora. One of the party was the Judge of the Court, Hon. C. F McFarland, who, not wishing to swim his horse, pursuaded the boys to take him over on their boat, which they did, the Judge taking passage also; when in about the center of the stream, the old horse got uneasy and commenced to back up, step- ping on one side, capsized the boat, throw- ing the Judge, horse and the two Hadley boys into the stream. The boys soon swam out, and secured the horse while the Judge stood in the water up to his arms, having taken out his gold watch and hung it upon a limb. The boys brought the old horse around, loaded on the Judge, and finally landed him on terra firma. The two lawyers concluded to swim their horse and get across without accident.
THE CYCLONE.
On the 3d day of June, 1860, a tornado passed over Providence township. The
following graphic description of the storm was written by A. M. Mulford, a few days after the occurence, to his sister:
NEW PROVIDENCE.
DEAR SISTER-Agreeable to promise, I now attempt to write you a description of a tornado. The weather here had been dry and warm all the spring, and unusually warm for a few days pre- vious to the storm. The morning was clear, there being some appearance of rain, with a slight sulky south wind, until about 10 o'clock, when light scattering cloulds came up, but did not indicate a storm. The general appearance was that we might have a thunderstorm, until about 1 o'clock, when a cloud appeared in the northwest that looked like the forerunner of a shower. The air was very sultry and hot. This cloud continued to approach and others gather to it until it began to thunder. Other clouds came up, and about 3 o'clock Harriet and Miller went to meeting, leaving the children with me at home. It was at my request that Harriet went. The sun was then shining brightly. Soon after they left the clouds gathered together very fast, and appeared to be low and very dark and straggling, with very heavy thunder. About this time a cloud dark and heavy, but not very large, as I could see all of it, gathered up to the south of us very fast. Clouds seemed to come to it from all directions, as I stood watch- ing it. There soon appeared a bulge on the lower side of it, shaped like a corn basket, only larger, which continued to increase and go down till it reached the ground. I could not see the ground, from where I was, but as soon as it reached the ground I saw straw, boards and the roof of a house carried up the pipe, which looked about three feet across, to me. Things would go up the center and be thrown out on the out- side, and fall down again. This cloud passed about five miles south of us, and was about six miles long from where it started, until the pipe was drawn up and it ceased its destruction. It destroyed three vacant houses and some fence. Most of its course was across open prairie.
-
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
During the time this was passing, the clouds at. the west continued to come up with very heavy thunder, which appeared very close to the ground. About a mile west of where our house stood the ground is considerable higher than where the house stood. On this high ground stood the village of New Providence, so I could not see the cloud lower down. As it came up it appeared to bulge out on the lower side, but I could not sec that it come very low. The bulg- ing part looked to me to be about one hundred feet across during all this time. The clouds were of a dark greenish-purple color, looking fearful enough to cause fear in the strongest heart. As it approached nearer it changed to a white, misty color, as though there was much rain falling, and coming so slow that I thought there was not much wind with it. What I took for the front edge of the approaching rain reached New Providence. It was hid completely from view; the rain, or rather mist, for it was very fine, came on as slow as usual. I have often watched an approaching shower from our house. When it was within about one hundred yards of the house I noticed that there was a part of the rain in advance of the rest, as I could see back a mile of the south side, and the front part looked like a shower of thick snow, with a moderate wind. I also noticed that it advanced along the south side and turned short north, making an advancing cyclone of frightful ap- pearance. Where the mist struck the house it was very fine, and not any wind, and so thick I could not see the fence thirty feet from the house. Immediately the wind began to blow with a fearful, hollow, roaring sound, which continued until the house was gone from over me; myself and children having gone to the cellar for safety. The storm continued so severe that I could not stand on my feet, I should think, for two minutes, when it gradually decreased, and in abont twenty minutes was entirely passed . While it was raging it was so thick and dark that I could see the top of the bank eight feet away. As soon as the noise of the storm was passed, I again heard the thunder as loud as be-
fore, but during the storm I could not see any lightning. Hail fell in considerable quantity, doing some damage outside of the track of the cyclone, which was one-half mile wide, though the whole storm was some ten miles wide from_ one edge of the rain to the other, the whirl being on the south edge of the storm.
A. M. MULFORD.
TEMPERANCE.
Providence township is noted for its good morals. Among its thrifty people intemperance is unknown, and every effort in behalf of the cause of temperance en- lists the active co-operation of nearly every citizen. This being the case, it is not strange that when the constitutional amend- ment prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors was to be submitted to a vote of the people, the citizens of this township were among its strongest advo- cates. They worked for it "in season and out of season." They prayed for it and argued in its favor, the result being that, when the vote was counted on the evening of the 27th of June, it was found that 250 votes were cast in the township in favor of the amendment and only 2 against.
There never has been a saloon in the township.
INSURANCE.
The first organization of the Providence Township Mutual Insurance Company was effected November 11, 1870, by selecting Cyrus Lundy, William P. Hunnicutt, Caleb Baldwin, William Wildman, William F. Andrews, E. Andrews, L. G. Hunt and C. A. Lundy, a Board of Directors, who completed the organization by electing William Wildman, President; William F. Andrews, Vice-President; Cyrus Lundy,
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
Secretary and Treasurer. The President and Secretary, together with Eleazer An- drews, were constituted an Executive Com- mittee. Those officers and their successors, who are annually elected, have conducted the business of the association to the pres- ent time without any loss, carrying insu- rance to the amount of $100,000, on an average. The total expense to the mem- bers of the association has not exceeded $5 on the thousand dollars insured for each five years.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
In addition to those already mentioned, is here given sketches of some who have come into the township since 1859:
George E. Hunnicutt was born in Prince George county, Virginia, April 1, 1808. He is the son of Ephraim and Margaret (Peebles) Hunnicutt, father of Welsh and mother of Scotch descent, but natives of Virginia. They were married in Prince George county, Virginia, where seven children were born-five sons and two daughters. Mrs. Hunnicutt died in -1817, and he afterward married Rachel Hunni- cutt, by whom there was one child born. He died in 1831. George E. was reared on a farm and received his education in the pioneer school house of that day. When seventeen years of age his health failed, and he taught school for a number of years. He afterwards embarked in the mercantile business, which did not prove a success. In 1827 his brother, William P., left Virginia and went to Belmont, Ohio, and soon after the family followed. Mr. Hunnicutt settled in Clinton county, Ohio, where he remained about five years, then to Rush county, Indiana, where his
principal occupation was farming. He was married in Rush county, Indiana, to Martha Pusey, a daughter of Joel and Hannah Pusey. By this 'union there were five children born, four of whom are living -William P., Hannah P., Margaret and Mary Ann. Mrs. H. died in 1856, and he afterwards married Mrs. Mary A. Wins- low, nee Barker, the widow of Edward Winslow, of Cayuga county, New York. There were three children by this union- Mary B., now the wife of John Nicholson, Richard and Robert B. In 1860 Mr. Hun- nicutt left, and came to Hardin county, and settled on section 6, Providence town- ship, where he remained until 1869, when he removed to New Providence, where he is living a retired life. He has 500 acres of land valued at $35 per acre. The family are members of the Society of Friends.
Levi Hampton, farmer, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1825. He is the son of James and Emily (Walton) Hampton. Mr. Hampton died when Levi was four years old, and his mother afterward married a brother of her first husband, James Hamp- ton, by whom there were three children born. About 1825 the family left Penn- sylvania and removed to Ohio. Levi, in 1850, married Miss Hannah M. Patterson. She died in 1851, and in the same year he removed to Henry county, Iowa, where he married Mary Hockett, a daughter of Isaac Hockett, of North Carolina. In 1860 he came to Hardin county, where he purchased a farm of 177 acres, which is valued at $35 per acre. Mr. and Wrs. Hampton are mem- bers of the Society of Friends.
E. B. Mendenhall was born in Guilford county, North Carolina, March 15, 1824.
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
He is a son of Miles and Margaret (Bundy) Mendenhall, natives of North Carolina. In 1832 his parents emigrated to Wayne county, Indiana, and, in 1836, located per- manently in Hendricks county of that State, where they remained until 1866, when they sold out, and moved to Jasper county, Iowa, where the father died in 1867. His mother is still living in Jasper county. Mr. Men- denhall was reared on a farm, receiving his early education in the log cabins, of the rudest kind. In 1852 he married Miss Mary Jane Pearson, a daughter of Isaac Pearson. She was born in Miami county, Ohio, May 11, 1831. Ten children were the fruits of this union, nine of whom are living- Albanus H., Marcellus W., Estella M., Larissa E., Ledru R., Leona A., Luella F., Arrietta M., and Hubert P. Mr. Men- denhall emigrated to Goodhue county, Minnesota, where he located on a quarter section of raw prairie land. He remained there twelve years, and then sold out and came to Hardin county, where he purchased his present home. He has 103 acres of land, valued at $45 per acre. Mr Menden- hall has one of the finest orchards in the township, of very choice fruit. The family are members of the Society of Friends.
Jesse C. Davis was born in Wayne county, Indiana, on the 11th day of May, 1834. When twenty-one years of age he came to Marshall county, and the following winter taught school; being one of the first teachers in the county. In 1857 he went to Humboldt county, Iowa, and opened a farm, where he remained three years. In 1858 he married Miss Rebecca Wing. By this union there were ten children; nine are living-Cynthia E., Henry E., William B., Mary A., Alvin C., Alonzo J., Joseph A.,
Dora and Ethel. Renting his farm for one year, he returned to his native State, where he remained four years, and then returned to Iowa and located at Iowa Falls, and em- barked in the mercantile business, which he followed for three years, when he pur- chased his present place of 178 acres, which is valued at $35 per acre. The family are members of the Society of Friends.
Henry Dudley was born in Upper Can- ada, in 1827. He was reared on a farm, and received a limited education. In the fall of 1849 he married Miss Lorina Slack, a daughter of Philip Slack. She was born in Canada, September 16, 1829. By this union there were eight children; five are living-Minerva, Mary, Philip, Susannah May and Phœbe. In the spring of 1850 he came to lowa, locating in Lee county, where he remained until 1864, when he re- moved to Hardin county, locating in Provi- dence township, where he took up land where he now lives. Mr. Dudley has 137 acres of land, valued at $30 per acre. Mr. and Mrs. Dudley are members of the So- ciety of Friends. In politics he is a Re- publican.
Levi Rubottom was. born in Morgan county, Indiana, October 2, 1826; is a son of George and Elizabeth (Doan) Rubottom; the father a native of North Carolina, and mother of Tennessee. There was a family of eight children, six sons and two daugh- ters. The subject of this sketch was early educated in the Pioneer School house of Indiana. In the fall of 1853 he left Indi- ava for Iowa with teams, driving his stock. He located in Warren county, pur- chased wild land and opened up a farm. In the spring of 1865 he sold out and came to Hardin county. In the winter of 1852
.
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
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he married Miss Louisa Thompson, a daugh- ter of Thomas A. and Elizabeth Thompson of North Carolina, where she was born in 1833. By this union there were ten chil- dren, eight of whom are living, viz .-- Rodolpho, Ludoric, Thompson, Alwilda, Charlie, Misses Florence and Vinton. Mr. Rubottom came to the State poor, has now fine property and a home. He has 148 acres of land, valued at $40 per acre.
Henry C. Smith, farmer, was born in Steuben county, New York, February 1, 1845; a son of Thos. J. and Margaret (Gilchrist) Smith. In 1862, Henry C. enlisted in the 34th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Company A, and participated in the battles of Triune, Stone River, Liberty Gap, Tullahoma, Mission Ridge and Chat- tanooga, Buzzard Roost, Ressacca, Kenesaw Mountain, where he was struck in the left, eye with a minnie ball, coming out near the right ear. He was under fire from the 8th day of May until the 27th day of July; was taken prisoner at Stone River, and spent five months in Libby Prison. In 1865 he came to Hardin county. In 1876 he married Miss Hannah Eve Bushman. She was born in Carroll county, Illinois, May 18, 1850. They have three children, viz. Herschel, Julia Eve and Edith. Mr. Smith has 80 acres of land, valued at $45 per acre.
Ernest Bossemeyer, an energetic farmer of Providence township, was born in Westphalia, Prussia, on the 18th day of June, 1838. In the fall of 1854 he came to America, landing at Baltimore, Maryland. He then went to Lee county, Illinois, where he was employed on a farm for Frederick Bossemeyer five years, to pay his passage. He then went to White-
side county, Illinois. In 1863 he married Anna Ackermann. She was born in Hesse Castle, Germany. A family of seven chil- dren were born unto them, five of whom are living-Libbie, Henry, Frank, Ernest, and Harrison. In the fall of 1867 he came to Hardin county, Iowa, where he pur- chased his present home. Mr. Bossemeyer has 100 acres of land under cultivation, valued at $35 per acre. In politics he is a Greenbacker.
E. R. Wright was born near Richmond, in Wayne county, Indiana, February 5, 1828, and is a son of Cyrus and Mariam (Cosand) Wright, natives of North Caro- lina. His parents emigrated to Indiana in 1807, when his father saw the first lot sold in Richmond, a fact in itself which indi- cates what marvelous changes have taken place. His father was an honest, upright man-was a friend to the down-trodden, and especially of the colored race. Among those who mourned his loss, none, perhaps, were more deeply moved than the colored people of his neighborhood. He was be- nevolent to a fault. He died at his home- stead, in Indiana, in 1877. His mother is still living, in Richmond, Indiana. The subject of this memoir is a self-made man. Wben fifteen years of age, he was em- ployed in a store as clerk for a time, when his health failed him and he went on a farm for a couple of years, afterwards being engaged in various occupations until 1860, when he again engaged in the mer- cantile business as one of the firm of Wood & Wright. In 1861 he sold out and was employed as a conductor on the L. & I. R. R. for six years. In February, 1869, he came to Hardin county and located on the prairie, where he now lives, having a
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
beautiful home and all the comforts of life. He has 200 acres of land, valued at $40 per acre. In 1867 he married Miss Flor- ence Kirby.
NEW PROVIDENCE,
The town of New Providence was laid out, in 1855, by E. Andrews, Dr. Eli Jes- sup and Daniel Dillon, the plat being filed for record February 8, 1856. A. F. Wil- loughby was the surveyor. The descrip- tion accompanying the plat describes it as located "on the south one-half of the southwest quarter of section 3, and the north half of the northwest quarter of section 10, township 86, range 20."
The first goods sold in the town were sold by Calvin McCracken, in 1856. Mr. McCracken continued the business but a short time, when Beach & Ketch took the business. This firm remained a few years, when Calvin McCracken again embarked in trade; again continuing but a short time. Robert King was the next to engage in trade, which, proving successful, he continued in business until his death in 1864. Joseph White purchased the stock on Mr. King's death, and continued the business for two
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