USA > Iowa > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, Iowa, including a condensed history of the state, the early settlement of the county together with sketches of its pioneers > Part 31
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394
HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
MAGNOLIA
Is Harrison county's first born, for being named by the assem- bled wisdom of this glorious State, before birth, gave to the place a vitality which, up to the present is marked and quite manifest. Magnolia antedated the railroads of the county thir- teen years, and had an acknowledged existence before there was a railroad within one thousand miles of the place. In the years of 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866 and 1867, this place experienced her high tides, and were I now to say that there never was so small a place with as large a trade as Magnolia, during the years last named, I would be stating a truth which few, except those actually conversant with the magnitude of such trade would believe, but such is the fact. Clark and Yiesly, during the year of 1866 and 1867, commencing at the beginning of the spring trade of the former, and ending at the same of the latter year, sold $90,000 worth of goods, while at the same time the firm of Wood, Rudasill & Low disposed of two-thirds of that amount. At this place, the first postoffice in the entire county was had, and herein was the first dry goods store, unless the little stock of goods kept by Mr. LaPonteur at Fontainebleau, was to assume such dignity. The first church building in the county was erected here in the year 1858, just thirty years last past. The Congregationalists erected the first Congregational church building north of Council Bluffs.
In 1868, the town was represented by the following business men, viz .:
Dry Goods, etc .- R. Yeisley, Wood, Rudasill & Low.
Druggists-J. Giddings and O'Linn & Brainard.
Hardware-J. A. Boies and W. H. H. Wright.
Harness, Saddlery, etc .- J. B. Akers.
Conveyancer -- H. C. Harshbarger.
Furniture-J. W. Stocker.
Land Agent, etc .- A. L. Harvey.
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
Attorneys at Law-M. Holbrook, Joe H. Smith, and Waterman & Dewell.
Physicians & Surgeons-Drs. H. O'Linn and J. H. Rice.
Editors and Proprietors of Western Star-Musgrave & Cook.
The first bank to be established in this county had a being at this place in 1871, under the management of Dr. W. F. Clark, who soon thereafter associated with him Mr. Marcellus Hol- brook, who remained a member of the firm until 1873, at which time Holbrook removed to Missouri Valley, and began banking business there on his own account.
The population of the village at present is 300, somewhat less than twenty years ago, but what has been lost in population has been more than balanced by school houses and church buildings. In fact, Magnolia is the banner town of the county for church buildings, having at the present, six first-class buildings, all well filled Sabbath by Sabbath. The following is the present status of the place, viz .:
Bank-Clark & Ford.
Notaries Public -C. H. Holmes and J. F. Minturn.
Justice of the Peace-G. R. Brainard.
Postoffice-J. F. Minturn, P. M .; A. M. Fyrando, assistant.
General Merchandise-J. Dewell and J. F. Minturn & Co.
Drugs-S. W. Clark.
Physician-C. E. Cutler.
Jewelry-D. F. Eaton.
Harness-I. W. Depue.
Hotel-Emerson House.
Carpenters-L. R. Hatch and Isaac Shuppe.
Masons-A. N. Oviatt and L. D. Morris.
Blacksmiths-C. Benson & Son and W. Tovey.
Painter-C. W. Smith.
Public Schools-W. O. Cummings, Principal.
Civic Societies-A. F. & A. M., No. 126; J. F. Bedsaul, W. M .; I. O. G. T., A. M. Fyrando, W. C. T .; K. of L. and A. O. U. W.
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
Churches-Methodist, Rev. W. A. Welker, P .; Congregation- alists, Rev. C. P. Boardman, P .; Catholic, Father Hayes, P .; Ger- man Lutherans, Rev. J. M. Zellhofer; German Evangelical, Rev. J. F. Moffer; Latter Day Saints, Elder Chas. Derry. Catholics have services each alternate Sunday; all others each Sunday.
MONDAMIN
Is situated on part of the southwest of southwest of north west quarter, and part of the northwest of the northwest of south- west quarter of section 30, township 80, range 44, and part of the southeast corner of the northeast, and part of the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 25, township 80, range 45, in Morgan township. This land was part and parcel of the Swamp Land grant, and was originally entered by John Noyes, and coming into the ownership of John J. Blair, was by him in 186- laid out into town lots as per the plat of the town now of record in the Recorder's office. As has heretofore been stated herein, this town was named by those persons in the employ of Blair Town Lot & Land Co., and called Mondamin, by reason of the fact that this immediate neighborhood was the greatest corn producing locality on the Western slope. Name taken from Hiawatha, and in the Indian tongue means Corn.
The Sioux City & Pacific Railroad Company first began operat- ing their road through this place a little more than twenty years since, and for the purpose of a few remarks, this village will be briefly noticed by decades.
Captain John Noyes (now deceased) was the first to open a stock of dry goods and groceries at this place, which was done immediately on the starting of the cars, and soon the Shepard boys settled here, and became partners with him in the business. But little business in the way of shipping stock, corn, etc., was done at this place until ten years had elapsed.
Mr. Eli J. Haggeman followed in the matter of a stock of dry goods, and these two stores were about all that was done in
397
HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
that line until about 1872, at which time a new arrival located there in the person of Cheap John, or Henry Wiggs.
This, then, brings us up to 1878, when there were three gen- eral stores, viz .: Z. T. Noyes, Eli J. Haggerman, and Cheap John, and one furniture store owned and kept by Lyman Haggerman.
At the present there are four general dry goods stores, viz .: Z. T. Noyes with $15,000 capital; D. Gamet, & Co., $900; G. W. Noyes, $1,500; Thomas Regan, $1,500.
L. E. Ruffcorn, grocer, $500 capital; Thomas MacFarlane, drug store, $2,000 capital; William Stewart, drug store, $2,000 capital; E. J. Haggerman, owning and operating elevator, shel- ler, etc., $5,000 capital, with $5,000 more used in the purchase of corn, etc., etc. J. MacFarlane & Co., hardware, capital, $2,500.
The hotels and owners thereof are Bonney & Noyes, and another kept by Mrs. J. W. Jamison.
At the present time 150,000 bushels of corn in the ear is cribbed at this place, awaiting larger prices, and an outlet over the roads.
Mondamin was incorporated in 1882, and had a population at the time of incorporation of 158; which at the present time has not doubled.
MODALE
is a quiet, handsomely located country town located on the S. C. & P. R. R., in the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter and the east half of the southeast quarter of the south west quarter of section 30, township 79, range 44, and derives its name from an old postoffice, established nearly thirty years last past, at the former residence of Mr. Thomas A. Dennis, now deceased. At the time of the application for the establishment of the post- office as before stated, the Department wished to know what name should be given when the office was established to which Mr. Dennis replied by writing the following word: " Mo Dale," thereby intending that the "Mo" would abbreviate Missouri, and Dale meaning valley, which when put together would be
1
398
HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY
Missouri Valley, but the Department mangled the intent of Mr. Dennis, and in naming the office spelled the word "Modale," and when this office was transferred to the present village the name of the town was named after the postoffice which was transferred thereto.
The town was laid out and platted on the 26th day of March, 1874, and was incorporated in 1882, since which time a city gov- ernment has been maintained so wisely that Modale is one of the quietest, best governed towns in the county.
The town is supported by a large and prosperous, highly cul- tivated farming community, and as I am informed, the grain merchants of the place have purchased since the 1st day of last November, being a period of five months, 160,000 bushels of corn, raised in the immediate neighborhood during the last crop year.
The present business status of the place is measured by the following showing, viz .:
Dry Goods and Groceries-Frank Ludwig, money in business, $10,000; W. H. McQueen, $4,000; Deman Bros., $2,000.
Hardware-Chas. S. Brown, money in business, $3,500.
Drug Store-Dr. J. W. Huff, money in business $1,500.
Hotels-Commercial Hotel, J. W. Martin; Ogden House, Lucy Haskins.
Two Elevators-Ludwig; Boner & Sims.
Livery-O. D. Wilson; Geo. Boyd.
Wagon Makers-Joseph Haskins.
Blacksmith Shop-Samuel Harvey.
Butcher Shop-John Hodson.
Billiard Hall-A. J. Crouch.
Physician and Surgeon-J. W. Drew.
Justice of the Peace-W. W. Morton.
Post Master-William M. Sharpneck.
Catholic Church building, built in 1885; Methodist and Christian church building.
One school building, a little behind the times.
399
HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
CALIFORNIA JUNCTION
Is located on the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 15, township 78, range 45, and is the remains of the old towns of Cincinnati and Parrish City. These great empor- iums seemed to have been too previous, and like Jonah's gourd perished in about the same time they matured.
The Junction is the legitimate offspring of the S. C. & P. railroad and while at the junction of the said road and the Fre- mont and Missouri Valley railroad it possesses no greater advan- tages by the reason thereof than the ordinary country stations, only as a place to ship the products of the country, and the close connection of travel.
While the S. C. & P. railroad was building their bridge across the Missouri river at a point directly west of the station, there was a little ripple on the surface of local prosperity, but when this was completed, the place lapsed back into the original con- dition, and at present is a little prosperous trading station.
At the present time there are the following dry good stores doing a good business, viz .: A. N. Fountain & Bros. and Walter A. Smith, which supply all demands of the immediate neighbor- hood.
In and around this little burg there is a most magnificent country which can not be excelled by any other in all the States and Territories of this Union.
California Junction and the surrounding neighborhood is per- haps the best improved part of any of the local stations in the . county. All the owners of the soil are men of wealth and are possessed of vast quantities of western push and energy so that the farms, farm-houses, in fact every thing pertaining to the home, is of the most superior make and kept in such good order as to arrest the eye of every observer.
At the present writing there is neither school house nor church in -the place and without these no place can prosper, much less become a Chicago.
400
HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
PERSIA
Is the last birth of county as respects towns. Twenty-one paper towns appear on the records of this county, nine of which were still-born and at the present could only be discovered by reference to the records in the Recorder's office.
In the summer of 1881 the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad was built through Washington township in nearly a direct line north and south, and in the early part of 1882 the village of Persia was laid out by this railroad company and is located on the right bank near the Mosquito.
The growth of the place has been healthy, not characterized by a mushroom development, but of such character that indi- cates permanency. At the present time there are two good church buildings, one Methodist, the other Latter Day Saints, each cost in the neighborhood of $2,000. The school house at this town is a neat, tasty and commodious structure, and speaks volumes in praise of the enterprise of the place.
The following list shows the present status of the business of the place, viz .:
Dry Goods, Groceries-J. A. Burton, Joe. Seddon, J. H. Puckett.
Hardware-Brayton Bros., M. Matson.
Drug Store-McColm Bros.
Hotel-C. H. Allee.
Bank-Bank of Persia, L. W. Peasley.
Agricultural Implements-D. Chambers, M. Matson.
Millinery-Mrs. C. B. McColm.
Dealers in Grain and Stock-Freeman Bros. & Walker; Rem- mington Bros., this firm owns an elevator; Dickman & Glass.
Restaurant and Meat Market-George Garner.
Livery & Feed Stables-Goff.
Physician & Surgeons-C. B. McColm, W. J. Brownrigg, F. M. Hill.
Ministers-Methodist, Rev. Helmich; Latter Day Saints, David Chambers.
CHAPTER VIII. ,
PIONEER SCHOOLS AND THOSE OF THE PRESENT.
The first school taught in the county was at Harris Grove, in the neighborhood of John A. and Michael Mckinney's, in an old log Mormon cabin, during the winter of .1851. Mr. James B. McCurley, now a resident of Logan, was the teacher. This building was so seated that the soft side of a puncheon was turned uppermost, backless, and rested upon five pins or legs (as then called), two at each end and one in the center. The large, open fireplace, in which was kept a huge fire, was the means of obtain- ing warmth, unless in the application of pig-nut hickory rods to the pupils. The desks for writing were not of the pattern of the present day, but basswood slabs affixed to the walls of the building, so that the pupils sat not facing the "master." In this primitive institution of learning Dr. E. T., Tom, Edward, Horace and Charley McKenney, and many others of this county, first acquired a taste for literature and began preparation to go out into the busy world as bread-winners and care for self. Mrs. B. F. La Parte, nee Miss Sylvia Harris, taught the first District School in the county in Elk Grove in the fall of 1853. The patrons of this school were Peter Brady, Samuel McGavren and David Young. It was at this school that Addison Young received his first lessons and spanking.
At that time the entire government of the pupils was not by "moral suasion," but by " hickory suasion," as still remembered by some of the pupils attending during that term, for Mr. Hor- ace McKenney still remembers that he received a first class 26 (401)
.
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
application of hickory rod suasion for the commission of an offense which he alleges there was no intent on his part to vio- late any law, human or divine. Horace claims that the "gist " of the crime is the "intent," and where there is no intent there can be no violation. In this rude building a school of three months was taught, and it is said with as good results as any since.
The first school house erected in the county was one mile south of Magnolia, near the residence of Collins I. Cutler, and known as the Cutler School House, and was built by John Thompson in 1853. This was a hewed log house, and in its day was considered a model of neatness, comfort and convenience. This District at that time actually .put on airs, for instead of a dirt or puncheon floor, then common in many dwellings and fur- nished in all the school houses, the contractor brought all the lumber for the floor from Reel's saw mill on the Pigeon river in Pottawattamie county by ox teams, and was compelled to raft the same across the Boyer and swim the cattle both going and returning. This was not completed until the spring of 1854.
During the winter months of 1853-54, Mr. Thomas B. Neely taught in Magnolia, in a little log cabin some ten or twenty rods west of the place where the old Bates House now stands. It is said that Mr. Neely's methods were quite practical, but lacked somewhat in force, yet when he got his "threshing machine " well at work, none of the scholars claimed but that there was, in the make-up of the teacher, sufficient force for that part of the profession. Then in 1856, at what is now known as Wood- bine, as well as at Bigler's Grove, hewed log school houses were built, and during the winter of that year, school was taught therein.
In 1857 a school house was erected in the town of Little Sioux, by private subscription, the greater portion of the amounts sub- scribed by the different persons being by them worked out in the way of labor in the construction of the building, or in furnish-
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
ing material therefor. This was a hewed log house having a sawed floor; was at that time considered a very superior building, though the seats were made of cottonwood slabs or planks, and the desks of the same material. The first school taught therein was by a Miss Gleason, since intermarried with B. F. Bonney, and a resident of Little Sioux. In the same year a school house was built at Calhoun and a school taught therein during the winter following. This was a frame building, and though not of the dimensions of the present buildings used for that purpose, in some degree provided for the then wants of the persons of school-going age. " This locality has never gotten to the front, either in the way of good school houses or churches. Since the organization of the county in 1853, but two school houses have been erected in the place, and at all times seem to have the glass broken from the windows thereof which at least indicates that the good people of that community have never set any sub- stantial store by their temple of learning; neither guarding the same as a thing of usefulness or as an ornament. And while this vicinity is the oldest settled place in the county, unless part of Cass township, there has never been a church built in the place. A moral might be learned as to this location, that a place where there are neither churches nor church buildings, scarcely ever, or I might say, never rises to a greater dignity than a country cross roads.
St. Johns, as soon as the village was laid out, went to work immediately to build a school house, and, as I am informed, the foundation for a school house was the third foundation that kissed the soil of this handsomely located village. This town had her school building completed by the early part of April, 1858, and school was immediately in being, having a real good teacher. It would not be presumed that a detailed state- ment would here be given of the different dates at which the several school houses in the county were built, and I have only mentioned the above as a sort of reminder as to the time when
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
schools were first introduced in the county. As to the fact as to who were the early teachers in the county, I should have mentioned the name of Hon. S. King, who, without question, is the veteran school teacher in the county, and has wielded the moral suasion part and " hickory smarting part " perhaps more successfully than any teacher to-day in the county. I could name many schools that have raided the teacher and sent the same away in disgrace, satisfied, beyond peradventure of reason- able doubt, in the doctrine of " total depravity of the trundle- bed population of such vicinity," where Mr. King has moved upon the works of these incorrigible ones, and in less time than the reader is occupied in reading this, reduced them to proper proportions.
Mrs. B. C. Adams, Mrs. George Musgrave, Mrs. Richard Vin- ing, Mrs. Daniel Clark, Mrs. David Dungan (wife of David R. Dungan, D. D., of Des Moines,) Mrs. B. F. Dilley, Mrs. John W. Dally and James H. Warrick (now of Beaver Co., Penn.), Mr. A. G. Hard, John G. Downs and Mrs. John Downs, were all knights of the spelling book and hickory-rod just thirty years ago. Under the law existing up to twenty days after the first Monday of April, 1858, the Board of Directors of each town- ship was intrusted with the examination of each teacher who might make application for the school, or this matter might be by them delegated to any person whom they might select for this special purpose. Up to the time of the taking effect of the act creating a County Superintendent of Schools, which was imme- diately after the first Monday of April, 1858, and even after this period, there was a great scarcity of teachers. Notwithstanding this, the schools taught by the before-named persons, gave as good satisfaction as those of this present period. True, there was not the fuss and feathers and dress parade of the present day, nor was one-fourth of the time of the school taken up in examinations or preparations for worthless comic shows on the ending of each quarter, but the pupils then were taught to read,
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
spell, grammar, and such thoughts in arithmetic as were of prac- tical benefit to the pupil when passing out of the school room into the jostle and hurry of life.
The school taught by James B. McCurley, in the winter of 1851 and 1852, as also the school taught by Hon. T. B. Neely, at Magnolia, were paid for by subscription, in fact were not pub- lic schools. In 1867 and 1868, a school was taught by Miss Hester Hillis, in the village of Magnolia, which was by sub- scription, in which none but the advanced ones were instructed, having for its object the preparation of persons for the vocation of teaching.
Other than those last named, the schools were supported by taxation pro rated by the value of the property of the persons and property in the county. By the incoming of the year of 1860, every township in the county was well supplied with good, neat inviting school houses, and in the construction of the same the different Boards of Directors seemed to take especial pride.
At this time, the greater portion of the land in the county was owned by non-residents, and the home people seemed to be very willing to be taxed themselves in order to make the non- resident land holder whack up his share for the development of the country, and as a result there sprang into existence a class of school houses in the country, which for appearance, general utility and comfort could scarcely be surpassed.
The country, after having prepared or rather furnished, good tasty and inviting school rooms, soon possessed applicants for the schools, so that there were opportunities to select from these the best teachers, and as a result, the county has never suffered by reason of the absence of talent.
By the provisions of the act of 1858, it was compulsory on the different Boards of Directors of the several district town- ships to have taught, in each sub-district, sixteen weeks of school during the year, and in case the said number of weeks were not taught, then the sub-district forfeited the share of the appor-
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
tionment fund that would have come to them, unless the fail- ure grew out of such conditions, as, when reported to the County Superintendent, would be by him deemed a sufficient ex- cuse for such a non-compliance with the requirements of the statute. This in part made it compulsory on the Board to fur- nish schools, but lacked the remaining provision of compelling the pupils of the sub-district to attend school. The teacher's presence complied with the law if there was not a pupil in at- tendance, but what consideration had the tax-payers for such a school ?
I have ever thought that if the law compelled the payment. of taxes for the betterment of society there should be means provided by which the party who parts with his money could com- pel the attendance at schools of those who were the most promis- ing candidates for the penitentiary.
In the winter of 1869 and 1870 a high school building was erected at Magnolia, costing $8,000, which, when seated, etc .; added somewhat more to this cost, and in the fall of 1870 one Mr. Carr taught therein until in the spring of 1871, at which time S. I. King, now an attorney at law in Logan, taught until in the fall of 1872, when Prof. J. D. Hornby assumed the charge thereof and maintained this position until the spring of 1878. These men last spoken of received salaries for teaching, sums ranging from $800 to $1,000, for a term of ten months.
This building was sought to be donated to the county without expense as a High School in 1873, but the measure was defeated by those who were jealous of the locality and sought to, and did, defeat the measure, from the fact that they supposed that any or all advancements made by Magnolia would make the matter of the removal of the county seat from that place the harder.
Local and personal jealousy has ever been a curse and has very often been the cause of defeating measures which, if suffered to be passed into being, mankind would have been greatly benefited.
Notwithstanding the county high school question suffered
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY.
defeat, there came out of the maintenance of this Academy at Magnolia a good which at the present is scarcely susceptible of adequate measurement. The author hereof may not be as well informed as to other schools of the county, but this I do say, and challenge successful contradiction, that there are few schools in the county or elsewhere that have given the product for good that the Magnolia school has. A brief review, and the matter will be left with the reader, and 'tis this: of those who attended this school the following are lawyers, viz .: Thomas Arthur, Charles Bolter, John Engleman, Willie Hayward, John Kime, Law. P. Smith and Charles Wood. The following are doctors, viz .: Frank Brainard, W. J. Brownrigg, Edgar Giddings, Thomas Hill, John Huff, Newton Rice, Fred. Robbins, Frank Stevens and Newton Silsby. Ministers and missionaries, viz .: Newill Hills, George Main, Walter Mills, John Newlan, Frank Min- turn; as missionaries Mrs. Myra Case nee Rice, Miss Nellie Pres- cott and Miss Laura Harding. This latter is in a work in China, two in Mexico, County Officers: Thos. Arthur, Willis Stern and Wm. Wood.
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