USA > Iowa > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, Iowa. Containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county. Together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of Iowa, and of the presidents of the United States > Part 26
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Allen Stoker, of section 27, came in February, 1869, with a brother-in-law. He had purchased ninety acres in this locality in 1864. See sketch.
William Rainer of section 17, came in June, 1870.
David Williams came to the township in March, 1871. After he became of age he rented land six years and finally bought land on section 34, and is now among the most thrifty stock farmers of the county. See.personal sketch.
Albert Gunnette came with his mother in the summer of 1874. He was a mere boy at the time. He now owns land on section 26. See biographical sketch.
Joseph H. Murphy of section 21, came in the spring of 1875. He first rented land in St. John's Township.
Lee Dakan, of section 17, came in 1876. He was a soldier from Ohio. See sketch.
The following will give the date of set- tlement of the prominent residents of Union Township.
Mary E. (Chatburn) Wood came to the county with her parents, Jonas and Mary Chatburn, in 1850.
Safety M. Henderson came to the county in company with his parents in 1853, settling in Jefferson Township.
In 1865 Benjamin Draper came to the county and is now a prosperous farmer or section 1. During that year John Chap- man, Sr., came and settled on the- Pigeon
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farm, renting of L. M. Evans, afterward moved to La Grange, back to Union and is now a resident of Persia. Benjamin Chapman also dates his settlement from the spring of 1835, coming with his par- ents. He is now a resident of section 2, a prosperous farmer.
James W. Diggle, of section 25, came in 1865 and has had his share of pioneer hard- ships.
Another to become a resident was Will- iam Dickinson, who was born in Ohio, but went to Michigan when eight years of age and helped clear up a farm for his father. He has never had much love for rattlesnakes since his residence there. See sketch.
James E. Kemmish accompanied his parents to Harrison County in 1865, com- ing from Pottawattamie County here. By referring to their sketch it will give some idea of their experience in Utah, where they went in 1854.
William Chiles came to the county in 1867; he died January 31, 1838. His widow, Mrs. Minnie (Peckenpaugh) Chiles is still a resident of sections 11 and 12.
Clark Swan, of section 31, became a set- tler in 1869, locating in La Grange, where he lived until 1881, when he moved to his present home. Peter Charles Kemmish came in the following year and located at Reeder's Mills. See personal history.
Lehigh Dakan of section 17, has been in the county since 1876. He was a mem- ber of the Thirty-eighth Ohio Infantry and was in the Army of the Cumberland.
Marion Ellis came to the county in 1875. He is now a resident of section 34, Union.
In February, 1879, Francis M. Howard became a resident of the county. His home is on section 34.
James H. Norman became a resident
March 18, 1871, and Samuel S. Beem in 1885, Clark Cooper in 1887.
Ira Carmon, of section 34, has been a resident since March, 1883. In 1882 John Lafferty, Sr., came to the county with family. See sketch of John Lafferty, Jr. George Miller came in 1883 and located on his present farm on section 21.
April 12, 1881, George F. Newland came to the county and located on section 35.
Elmer E. Shriver, of section 36, came to the county March 4, 1884. He was a young man and commenced working land for his father.
ORGANIZATION.
This township dates its organization from September 6, 1858, by Samuel Wood, under order of County Judge D. E. Brain- ard. The first election was held at Sam- uel Wood's house, the second Tuesday of October, 1858, when Mr. Wood was duly elected Clerk and Assessor of the newly constituted civil township.
EARLY EVENTS.
The first settler was Thomas Dobson, who came with his family about 1849, and settled on section 24. Later he · removed to Crawford County, Iowa, where he died.
The first marriage was that of Alonzo Hunt to Miss Margaret Dobson, early in the '50s.
The first school was taught in 1857, at Samuel Wood's cabin, by Mrs. Howard S. Smith.
Mrs. Thomas Sellers was the first adult to die within the township. She was bur- ied on section 14, a neighborhood ceme- tery.
POST-OFFICES.
The first postal facilities had in this part of the county was in 1864, when Un-
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ionburgh post-office was established. H. S. Smith was made first postmaster, the office being kept on section 23-78-42. He was succeeded by William Smith; he by William Brown, and he by Samuel Wood. Mr. Brown, who operated a store at that point, was in debt to Mr. Wood, who acted as his assistant postmaster, and Mr. Wood had to take the stock of goods to secure himself, and he finally was re- leased from post-office duties in the fol- lowing summer: he took the office from Brown, but through some neglect on the latter's part, Wood was not recognized as assistant. At the time the Hon. D. M. Harris of Missouri Valley, who had con- trol of this class of post-offices, wrote Mr. Wood, as follows: "I am a Democrat and you are a Republican. I have been ac- quainted with you for thirty years, and if there is anything in it an old settler should have it." To this Mr. Wood made answer: "Regarding politics, my first wife's name was Mary, but for short we called her 'Polly,' consequently my polly- ticks are nine-seven girls and two boys." He never heard from Harris afterward, and in a short time was appointed, but got rid of the responsibility of his office in 1888.
The present postmaster is H. B. Peck- enpaugh. Mail is received three times per week, from a stage route running from Persia.
At this point, Unionburgh, a store was started in 1884, by William Brown, who built on Mr. Wood's land. Brown con- tinued about two years. Herman Mendal had furnished the money on which to operate the store, and he finally sold to Samuel Wood, Brown failing in his busi- ness undertakings. Wood ran the store and post-office about two years, and closed out his stock. He erected a dance hall a
year after the store was built, and the same is now used for public gatherings.
Valley View post-office was located in 1870, on section 2, with Manning Allee as postmaster. He handled a few goods for the "Grange" (a farmer's society which sought to do away with all middlemen or tradesmen.) He was succeeded, both in business and in the post-office, by William Chapman, whose wife attended to the du- ties of the post-office. Next came Charles Kemmish; then Claud Day, who gave way to Joseph Shields. Next came Mr. Griffin, from whose hands the office passed to James Jeffries. A man named Gross- gene held it awhile, and on account of Persia, therailroad town, springing up, the office was abolished.
Union Grove, in the eastern central part of the township, was named in the following manner: It was an old-time custom, both East and West, when a barn was to be "raised" for the boss carpenter to go to the ridge pole, and while on the highest point to give a name to the barn, after which he would throw a jug or bottle of whiskey down to the assembled workmen. When pioneer Thomas Dobson's log house was erected, in the fall of 1850, on the suggestion of Dobson, who said he had never lived in a community where such great unity prevailed as here, Samuel Wood mounted the top of the house and being minus the whiskey, he threw a gourd full of nails with all the strength he pos- sessed, at the same instant crying aloud Union Grove.
EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS.
The pioneer school of Union Township has usually been credited to La Grange Township, however, in the winter of 1851-52, James B. McCurley taught a term of school in an old Mormon cabin, located
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on section 6, of Union Township, at Har- ris Grove.
The next was the one held at Samuel Wood's residence, on section 23. It was a subscription school, taught by Mrs. Howard S. Smith, in 1857. As times changed and more settlers came in, good school buildings were finally provided. At present there are nine schoolhouses, the Iowa regulation number, one each two iniles. The present enrollment of pupils is about two hundred and thirty-five, while the estimated value of schoolhouse property is $5,245.
The early settlers who worshipped had to go to Harris Grove or Reeder's Mill, where the Methodist people had early ser- vices, the first in the county. In 1891 a neat frame edifice was erected on section 5, costing $1,480. It is 26x44 feet. Preach- ing is had every other Sabbath, by the Lo- gan pastor. This society is known as the "Bethel Methodist Church." Its present membership is fifty.
The Harris Grove Class built a good frame building in 1890, costing $1,200. Ed E. Erwin is the Leader of this class.
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HARRISON COUNTY.
ALLEN TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XXVII.
LLEN Township, constituted in 1872, comprises Congressional Township 81, range 43, and was named in honor of one of the early settlers.
Monona County is north of Allen; Lin- coln Township, east; Magnolia, south and Jackson, west.
Among the small spring creeks, which lend both value and beauty to the surface of the township, may be named Allen, Stowe and Elk creeks. There is but little native timber, except small groves located on the south line and Stowe's Grove in the northwestern part which extends over into Monona County. It is a very pro- ductive part of Harrison County. The soil is especially fertile and well suited for the production of grains, corn, vegetables and all the fruits common to this latitude. The population are chiefly American born. The State census gave Allen 300 in 1885, while the last federal census-1890, places it at 574.
There being no towns, villages or rail- roads within this portion of the county farmers of necessity draw their crop pro- duct some distance to market. Yet thrift and rural prosperity is found on every section of land within her borders.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first to effect settlement in this goodly section was David Imlay, wlio set- tled on section 34, about 1856. His son- in-law, Samuel Spinks, settled at the same time on the section. Mr. Imaly died dur- ing the Civil War and Mr. Spinks sur- vived until about 1885. The widow still remains in the township. Allen Town- ship did not settle up with much rapidity, nntil after 1870.
John W. Widoes, of section 12, came to the county in 1868, locating in Clay Township, where it is said he shook with the ague for seven long years and then re- moved to section 13, in Allen Township, where he now lives.
Asher Servis ("Uncle Bubby Servis," familiarly known throughout the entire county) was an old Mexican soldier, who came to Harrison County in the '50s and settled in the east part of tlie county, but subsequently moved to Allen Town- ship, locating on sections 17 and 20, where he lived in a rude "dug-out." From that point he removed to Raglan Township and died there on section 11. He was a great pioneer character; he was many years a prominent member of the Board of Supervisors and a man of much native
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.
ability, though odd in his own peculiar ways.
Fletcher Armstrong came to Allen Township in 1871, during the month of March and settled on section 33, where he remained five years and removed to Cass Township, where he still resides.
J. C. McCabe, present owner and editor of the Observer, the Republican paper at Logan, came from Raglan Township iu 1871 and settled on section 28, and there followed farm life and school teaching, until April 1, 1888, when he moved to Lo- gan. See personal sketch in biographical department of this book.
William Miller and family became set- tlers of Allen Township, on section 16, in 1872. About two years later he died when the family moved to Modale, where the wife died in 1889.
Merritt Barry came to section 36, in about 1876 and is still a resident.
John T. Burch came to section 24, in 1877 and is still there.
Simon V. Shearer, of section 11, came in 1879. See personal sketch.
John R. Clark effected settlement dur- ing 1880, on section 11.
Charles Lewis, of section 15, came in 1877. He at first rented land, but now is a prosperous farmer.
John F. Dick settled on section 18-his present home, in August, 1878.
William La Seur came to Dunlap in 1868, worked out and rented land until he settled on section 17 in 1880.
Early in the '80s came Carl F. Peterson to section 20.
Another settler of 1878 was Conrad Wakehouse, of section 29, where he still lives.
A. Massingill settled on the northwest of section 8, about 1878. He had been a
resident of Harrison County many years. In 1888, he removed to Missouri.
Peter Bolch settled on section 33, in the spring of 1874. He worked by the month for J. C. McCabe several months and in 1876, purchased land where he now lives.
A pioneer of 1872 was Erastus Chaffee (now dead) who came to section 34. He remained seven or eight years and traded for land in Boyer Township.
As early as 1862 William H. McHenry settled on a part of section 34. In 1871, he moved to Woodbine.
John Mann, Jr. settled on section 28, in 1876 on eighty acres of wild land.
John T. Boone came to Allen Township about 1880 and still lives on section 34.
H. P. Morrow came in 1882 and is now an extensive, well-to-do farmer of sec- tion 12.
Isaac Cox came in about 1880, from St. John's Township and located on section 34.
Oscar Lewis became a settler on section 4, in the fall of 1881. He first rented land on section 11, and later purchased land on section 15.
William Griffith came to the county in 1868 and to Allen Township in 1882, set- tling on section 8.
Benjamin Maynard, of section 16, lived there from 1874 to 1880, sold and removed to Kansas. He is now editing the Courier at Blair, Neb.
A little later-about 1876, came E. A. Atherton. He finally moved to Kansas.
James Beechem settled on section 6, in 1873 or 1874. He moved to Little Sionx after about five years.
Leander Lee settled on section 16, about 1880.
J. H. Crom settled on section 11, about 1878. His father was among the pioneers of Magnolia Township.
Taylor Atherton settled on section 27,
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about 1880. He came from New York. In 1891, he sold out.
William Glover came to section 34, in 1884.
Louis Kucks, of section 27, came to the county in the fall of 1884, rented near Mondamin and moved to Allen in 1885.
Francis M. Mills, of section 27, came to the county in August, 1868 and to Allen Township in 1886.
For details of many early settlers' career the reader is referred to the biographical department of this volume.
Following is a list of more of the pro- minent settlers and the years they came to the county.
Noble W. Young came to the county in 1881 and rented land for a time but soon purchased land in Allen Township.
Lewis J. Sherwood came to the county in 1880, renting land for about ten years, when he bought his present farm on sec- tion 7.
Charles W. Sherwood had come in the autumn of 1876, but bought his present farm in 1889.
- In 1882, Madison C. Stearns purchased the farm on which he now resides.
Nels Peterson, of section 20, first came to the county in 1870, locating in Raglan Township, but has been absent about six- teen years since that date. See personal history.
In 1884, Samuel Nuzum made settle- ment and William Neal, in 1885.
Thomas Magnet came to the county at the breaking out of the Civil War.
Joseph S. Miles accompanied his par- ents to Harrison County in 1868, first lo- cating in Lincoln Township.
O. L. Michel came in 1878, Oscar Lewis, in 1881 and W. G. Holman, in 1871.
Another resident, of Allen Township, is Solomon J. Cox, who was born in Harri- son County.
Madison H. Chaffee is numbered among Harrison County's farmers. He came to
the county in 1868, locating in Bigler's Grove in Boyer Township; he came with his parents.
OLYMPUS POST OFFICE.
A post-office was established in Lincoln Township, known as "Olympus," in 1882, with L. B. Prose as postmaster. He re- tained the office at his farm house, on section 5, until his removal from the township in July, 1890, when H. P. Mor- row was appointed postmaster, and the office removed to his home on section 12, of Allen Township. This office provides the farming community between the west side of Harrison and the east side of Jack- son Township with mail facilities. A car- rier takes the mail from Woodbine twice each week.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.
The first school in what is now Allen Township was taught on section 34, in the winter of 1871-72, by J. C. McCabe. The schoolhouse, which was completed in the fall of 1871, was moved a decade later to section 27. Mr. McCabe relates how, at this first term of school, he had only five pupils. He taught fiveterms in succession at this point.
The second schoolhouse erected in the township was built on Stowe Creek, on section 8, in 1874. It was a frame struct- ure, and is still in use.
As the township has settled up it has kept pace with its neighbors in the mat - ter of public schools, and .to-day it is pro- vided with seven schoolhouses. Its total enrollment of pupils is one hundred and ninety-eight.
There are no church buildings within Allen Township, but a Methodist Epis- copal Class has been formed, which holds regular services at the Allen Creek school house, on section 13. This class belongs to the "Woodbine charge."
A Free Methodist society also holds meetings at the same school house.
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HARRISON COUNTY.
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
C IVIL Township 81, range 42, bears the above name, having been organ - ized in 1868. It was so named in honor of President Lincoln. It is bounded on the north by Monona County, on the east by Harrison Township, on the south by Boyer, and on the west by Allen Town- ship. Willow Creek enters. on section 3, and leaves from section 31. There are smaller streams which drain and water the township as finely as any of Harrison County's twenty sub-divisions. The pop- lation in 1885 was two hundred and forty- eight, and according to the 1890 United States census returns it has five hundred and fifty-four.
There are no towns or villages within this township. The populace do their marketing and purchase the bulk of their goods at either Woodbine or Dunlap.
For mail facilities the people are accon- modated by Olympus post-office, established in 1882. It was located on the southeast of section 7. The first postmaster was L. B. Prose, who held the same until July, 1890, and was succeeded by H. P. Morrow, the present postmaster, who keeps the office at his residenee on section 12, of Allen Township.
It is a rolling, prairie land, with no tim- ber aside from about two hundred acres of native timber, "Four Mile Grove," and the many artificial groves planted by the hand of the early settlers. The chief busi- ness of the people here is general farming and stock raising.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
To have been a pioneer in this portion of the county was to undergo no little hardship, and to be the possessor of one of the many valuable farm homes, now found within this territory, is indeed to be counted among the independent men of the "Kingdom of Harrison."
It was during the year of 1853 that men first looked out over the fair, fertile do- main, with the view of making for them- selves homes.
The first settler was Henry Hushaw, who now resides at the village of Wood- bine. He came in the fall of 1855, and lo- cated on section 36. He is now totally blind. See sketch elsewhere.
Nathan Johnson became a settler on section 36, in 1856. He came from In- diana. He died on the same place he set-
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tled in about 1879. He was a member of the Board of Supervisors several terms.
John Johnson, of Indiana (son of Na- than), came with Henry Hushaw in 1855. He settled on section 36, but subsequently removed to Nebraska.
John Sellick came to this township in 1857, locating on section 32. About the same time came Hiram Moore, settling on the southeast quarter of section 36. Upon this land was fought the last battle with the Indians.
Sisston Snyder, now of Missouri Valley, settled on the Cherry farm in 1859. This was on section 33.
In 1856 Isaac Palmer entered a quarter of section 31, remained ten years and sold to Elisha Mahoney, who sold, and the place is now owned by Nephi Purcell.
After the Rebellion came the following : H. M. Wheeler came from Council Bluffs, and began the improvement of the south half of section 20, claiming to have alı interest in the property. He was a fop- pish young fellow and "cut a great swell." He at first was engaged at illegally mak- ing whiskey at Woodbine. He professed to own much land, but finally it turned out that he had no title to the land, and only farmed it for what he could make from the crops grown thereon. He left about 1880.
' Just after the war came "Square" J. S. McLain, who took land on the north half of section 16. He moved to Nebraska in 1885.
In 1881 Mike Hopkins settled on a part of section 25. He died in 1880.
Nephi Purcell became a resident of the township in 1868. He bought land on sec- tion 31. He still lives in the township. His settlement in the county dates from 1856.
Charles Mills came in 1868, settling on section 32, where he now resides.
William Buzzell settled along the Wil- low at quite an early date, but only re- mained three years.
Prior to the Civil War Hugo Holdoelgle, German, settled on section 33. He a served in the Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry in the time of the war. He finally sold his farm, and now lives near Dunlap and fol- lows gardening.
Benjamin P. Marks came to the county in 1865, and to Lincoln Township in 1868, and settled on section 13. See sketch.
Homer D. Hulburd, of section 15, came to the county in 1868. His father was Daniel Hulburd.
In 1873 came Abel Powley, who located on section 36, where he still resides, a well-to-do farmer.
James A. Roberts settled on section 32 in 1872. He is still a resident and a single man. See sketch.
In 1877 John S. Edwards settled on sections 2 and 3, and still remains there.
In 1880 came W. A. Stewart, who lo- cated on section 17. He now lives in Allen Township.
J. C. Evans came the same year to sec- tion 9.
Thomas Mann settled on section 29, in 1880, on what was known as the Wheeler farm.
"Gus" Turno settled on section 40, the same year, or perhaps a little later on.
During 1881 came L. B. Prose to the south half of section 7. He remained until February, 1891, and moved to Logan, where he had traded for the "Lusk Ho- tel," which he operated for a time. Mr. Prose speaks of A. Ballard, of section 3; William Evans, of section 3; D. G. Smith, of section 9; Wheeler Mendenhall, of sec- tion 33, all having been in the township
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HARRISON COUNTY.
prior to his advent in 1881. They are nearly all resident farmers there still.
From 1881 to 1884 this township grew rapidly in settlement. In 1893 ninety votes were polled. By reference to the biographical department of this volume the personal sketches of many of the set- tlers of later date will appear, giving much concerning their first settlement in Lin- coln Township.
William S. Burch dates his settlement in the county from January, 1878, rented land in Allen Township for three years, purchased his present farm in 1880, mov- ing on in 1881.
W. H. Barsby purchased two hundred and eighty acres upon section 6, where he now lives, in the autumn of 1884.
James C. Evans is a pioneer. coming to the county in 1856.
Thomas Mann came to the county with his parents, when sixteen years old, twen- ty-one years ago. He is now located on section 29, Lincoln Township.
Oscar L. Smith, of section 31, is a black- smith by trade. He came to this county in 1881, and for a time worked at his trade in Woodbine, after which he came to Lin- coln Township.
· Edgar Taylor, of section 20, has been a resident of the county since the autumn of 1873.
Abel Powley also came January 1, 1873, and purchased the farm he now occupies.
Marion Purcell became a pioneer in 1856, coming at that time from Indiana to Pottawattamie County, and a year later to Harrison.
In 1882 James R. Hawk came to Har- rison County, first locating near Dunlap, but one year later located in Lincoln Township.
John Emge, of section 4, Lincoln, is another man who has experienced the hardships subject to pioncer life.
William Elliott has been a resident of the county since 1871.
Charles Cleveland came in 1885, and lo- cated on his present farm on section 15.
James H. Crim came to the county in 1853, with his parents; he was at the time eight years of age.
John Bloch, who came to the county in the spring of 187-, is now a prosperous farmer on section 16.
EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS.
The first public school building in Lin- coln Township was built in 1859 on Mud Creek. The first teacher employed was "Doc" Nathaniel Mefferd. Just at the close of the Civil War the township was provided with two schoolhouses, one in the southwest part of the township at James Roberts' place and one on Mud Creek.
As the township has settled up it has kept pace with the sister subdivisions of Harrison County. At present it is pro- vided with seven good frame school houses valued at $2,700. The total en- rollment is placed at 134 pupils.
During the early '70s a Sabbath-school was formed by Dr. Gilkey, a Presbyterian. It was held at the school house on section 16. This building was removed to section 7 in 1882.
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