USA > Iowa > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, Iowa : its people, industries and institutions, with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 30
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HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
MILLS BUILT BY PIONEERS.
The pioneers ich the need of milling facilities, almost as soon as they had landed on Harrison county soil, and there are always brave, thoughtful hearts and enterprising minds among such men as "first settlers" are made of. Here it was in the persons of those honorable gentlemen, Judge Jonas Chatburn and Stephen Mahoney, who came in 1853, and the following year placed in operation the first mill for grinding grain ever constructed in the county. Originally, it had been a saw-mill, and was run by the then good stage of water found flowing in the Willow river. The mill stood in section 34. While Mr. Chatburn was of English birth. yet he possessed much of the ingenuity found in a Vermont Yankee, for with his own hands he prepared the burrs or mill-stones for this mill. which grinding attach- ment was fixed to the saw-mill. The belting was made of raw hide, from a cow-skin cut into strips after which the mill was set in motion. One grist was ground out and Mr. Mahoney and Mr. Chatburn went to supper (said Judge Chatburn in an interview many years since) and while at the table eating, told the family they had ground the first corn ever ground in this section of western lowa. They also related, in a visionary style, of how much they proposed to grind the following day. But as the sequel of the narrative proved, their hopes were thwarted and plans blasted, for when they returned to the mill. lo, and behold, the prairie wolves had been there and eaten up the raw-hide belting. leaving the corn-mill detached from the power. However, it was soon repaired, and this same mill ground the first meal, sawed the first board and rolled the first wool in Harrison county. Years later, this mill was abandoned and Judge Chatburn engaged in simi- lar business at Woodbine, later establishing a good flouring-mill at Harlan, Shelby county, at which place he died.
A story that has been told, and re-told times without number, should, however, be recorded in this, an up-to-date history of the county :
Pioneer D. E. Brainard was once at this Magnolia township mill, on the waters of the Willow river, while the proprietors were not in-they having left the "stones" grinding away on some corn. Judge Brainard said a large rooster stood on the edge of the hopper and so slow was the mill go- ing and so seldom did the corn drop from the hopper, that the rooster had but little trouble in cating the golden grains as fast as they dropped, so that no meal, to speak of, was being ground. Be this narrative as it may, the mill served well its day and provided many a family with meal upon which
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to subsist until better, brighter days dawned upon the little settlement in and around Magnolia.
THE CHEESE FACTORY.
A stock company was organized in 1877 in Magnolia township, for the object of manufacturing cheese. It consisted of thirty shareholders, who in the aggregate put up two thousand one hundred dollars. Sixteen wagons were run out over the surrounding country for the daily collection of milk. Capt. C. H. Hlohnes was the secretary of the company at that time. At the formal opening of the factory, the Harris Grove "Farmers Club" was present, with newspaper representatives from many side towns and cities.
This cheese factory was operated less than three years, then sold to private parties who at once converted it into a creamery, which in time proved a financial failure to its owners and was abandoned. The plant was housed in the old court-house building. The creamery burned in July, 1901, a great loss to the community. It had two hundred and fifty cus- tomers. who sold it fifteen thousand gallons of milk daily and it made six hundred pounds of butter. It was rebuilt, and is now leased to the Water- loo Creamery Company, which is a stock company. The present building is of brick.
The only village plattings of this township were those of the "paper town" of Eldorado, made by David D. Young, in 1857, in section 12, town- ยท ship 80, range 43, and Magnolia, an account of which here follows: El- dorado never got farther than to have the survey recorded in public records.
VILLAGE OF MAGNOLIA.
When the county government of Harrison county was perfected the provision organizing the same fixed the scat of justice at Magnolia, the locating commissioners staking off the northeast quarter of section 32, township 80, range 43, and designated it "Magnolia" as per legislative act. The first platting was by George H. White, surveyor, in 1853, and in De- cember of the same year lots were offered at public auction, and sixty-four were sold at prices ranging from five to sixty dollars. But through some minor error this original filing of the plat was discarded, and, July 5, 1854, another town plat was executed, the same being placed on record February 23, 1855. Johnson's addition was made and platted in May, 1855. by Had-
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ley T. Johnson, John T. Baldwin, Benjamin R. Pergram and C. C. Van. "Magnolia City" was platted for record January 10, 1861, by James Hardy and wife. This was to the west of the original platting of the town. The first platting was done under authority and by the commissioners and county judge.
The place is situated on high rolling bench land, with a gradual slope in all directions, finally equalizing itself in the pretty valleys, presenting an ideal site for a town. It is encompassed on all sides by fine native groves. and supplied with good water. The men who decided on this ideal spot for a county seat town made no mistake, but times changed and the loca- tion of the seat of justice was changed in 1875 to Logan and the offices removed in 1876 to the new courthouse built in that town for their occu- pancy. Thus it was that what promised to pioneer spirits to become a lead- ing commercial and official center of the county, was destined to become a small inland town, but to which memory, dear old memory, ever and anon refers with pleasure, for it was here the foundation stones of a great county were laid: from out the excellent school and academy, have gone forth into the great busy world, men of national and world-wide fame.
No special efforts were made to advertise the place when first it was platted, yet within four years from the date of plaiting, or in 1859, stood quite a thriving village with probably about three hundred population. It had three good dry goods stores, two hotels, ten carpenters, four black- smith shops, one tailor, a shoe shop, two physicians, two ministers, six at- torneys, two jewelers, one artist, who took daguerreotypes (photography not having been discovered until about 1861), one copper shop and one plasterer. The immediate vicinity had two grist-mills and a number of saw- mills in operation. Nine mails arrived cach week by stage coach.
It should be remembered that Magnolia was in her palmiest days, from 1863 10 1866, and a part of 1867. The town had been platted before there had been a railroad constructed a hundred miles farther west than Chicago. It was the trade center for a large scope of country. The firm of Clark & Yeisley sold, from their general stock, in 1866, upward of ninety thousand dollars worth of goods, while Wood, Rudasill & Low sold about as much.
Magnolia had the first postoffice in Harrison county, as well as the first store. This store was built by James W. Bates, who designed and built it of hewed logs. Here he opened up the first of all stores in Harrison county. Many were the additions made to this structure, and finally it was converted into a hotel, known far and near as the Bates House. Later, it was called the "Raymond." Within the thick walls of this old pioneer
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building were sheltered from the roaring storms of long winters, hundreds, if not thousands, of different customers. Many a jolly dance and "big sup- per," as well as many a witty joke was there gotten off at the expense of some wag, home talent or stranger. But the old land-mark was doomed to succumb to the touch of time, and its history is almost gone forever.
Peter Barnett kept a boarding-house hotel, the very earliest in the vil- lage. It stood just to the north of the "Raymond," and was operated from 1854 to 1860. The few remaining ones, who remembered it so well (as related to the writer many years since), told of the kind old landlady and her excellent cooking. The late .\) Harvey never tired of telling of this fa- mous pioneer place and its right good cheer.
The second store in the place was that of Isaac Bedsaul, who opened up with a small stock in 1854. John W. Cooper was classed among the dealers in 1856. "Wet goods, chiefly whisky," was his specialty. Other early factors in Magnolia were D. E. Brainard, who erected a two-story frame structure, later owned by John Dewell. This was finished in the autumn of 1856.
The pioneer school was taught by T. B. Neeley, in 1854, in a log cabin. The earliest physician here was Dr. L. T. Coons, who prepared and sold an agne remedy known as "Bog Hay." of which many laughable stories have been told in days gone by, especially as to its specific and certain effect upon the invalid. The next, and really the first regular physician, was Dr. J. H. Rice, who later served as assistant surgeon in the Twenty-ninth lowa In- fantry Regiment, during the Civil War days.
Coming down to 1868, from a small booklet history of the county, it is gleaned that the following persons represented the various business lines in 1868, and some time later : Dry goods, Reuben Viesley; wood, Rndasill & Low: druggists. J. Giddings and O'Linn & Brainard; hardware, J. A. Boies and W. H. Wright: furniture, J. W. Stocker; land agent, A. L. Harvey: attorneys-at-law, Joe H. Smith. M. Holbrook and Waterman & Dewell: physicians, Dr. H. O'Linn and Dr. J. H. Rice: newspaper, West- ern Star, edited by Musgrave & Cook; conveyance, H. C. Harshbarger; Harness maker, J. B. AAkers.
PRESENT 1914 BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
Agricultural Implements-Seabury, Carson Co. and J. H. Hanneman. Bank-Magnolia Savings Bank.
Barbers-Robert Whitsitt, J. II. Leach.
(22)
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HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
Blacksmith-John Goetsche.
Creamery-The Waterloon Co.
Drugs-J. D. Stuart.
Dray Line -- Bro & Son, who run an auto-truck to Logan.
General Dealers-Frazier. Johnson & Harvey.
Garages-Seabury, Carson Co.
Hardware-J. H. Hanneman.
Harness-Fred De Pue.
Hotels-Cottage and City Hotels.
Jeweler-John Benson.
Livery-Will Hardt. R. P. Mills.
Meat Market -- John C. Kilts.
Physicians-Drs. C. F. Cutler (Home). F. H. Hanson (reg.).
Restaurant ---- Nolan Musick.
Tailor-Mr. Jensen.
POSTOFFICE ITEMS.
Magnolia had the first postal service of any locality within this county. It was made a postoffice point in 1853. but, there being no mail route then, mail was carried from Council Bluffs by private subscription. This con- tinued for two years, when a route was established from Council Bluffs to Sioux City, running by Magnolia. The various postmasters, serving here, have been (according to recent advice from the department at Washington) as follows: P. G. Cooper, appointed August 23, 1853; Richard Humphries, June 2, 1855; D. E. Brainard, November 6, 1855: J. W. Cooper, December 13. 1856; Joseph Hardy, December 14, 1858; S. R. Hill, January 12. 1859; Jacob Mintun, July 7, 1859; George R. Brainard. April 11, 1861: George F. Waterman, July 7, 1863; O. H. Day, July 1, 1864; Samuel Dewell, April 24, 1865; H. W. Gleason, March 27. 1876; J. A. Hardy, April II, 1877; J. K. Murphy. August 5. 1878; George R. Brainard, January 3, 18Si; J. F. Mintun, January 21, 1886; George R. Brainard, June 5, 1890; Frank Hill, April 10, 1893; O. P. Murphy, April 21, 1897.
The office is now a fourth-class office, receiving mail via a star route from Logan once a day and by rural routes once a day, making two daily mails each way.
The churches, schools, lodges, banks and newspapers of Magnolia, past and present, are all represented under separate chapters on these topics. (See index. )
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HIARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
The population of Magnolia in 1910, as seen by the United States cen- sus reports, was three hundred and cleven.
At least once each year the town is alive with people from all parts of the county, when the Old Settlers Society meets in August or September each year. Here the pioneers and their sons and daughters delight in mect- ing one another, listen to roll call and speeches and are feasted on the best the land affords.
Before passing to other subjects it may be well to insert here extracts from an article written by A. M. Fyrando, for the Logan Observer in Sep- temper, 1905, in which he said :
"Yes, we fch sore over the county seat being removed, but we turned our attention to less contention, more of peace, less courts, more homes, less transients, more and better tax-payers; our tears (?) have given way to smiles, our sugar plums ( ?) to real nutrition, and here let us emphasize that we not only have built up in the last few years in public and private houses, more than an average of twelve thousand dollars annually, but are here to keep it up.
"Two business men asked me some months ago: 'What is causing your growth, you have no boom, you have no shops, no special school, no manufacturing industries?'
"Our reply was: 'It's strange, yet true. Water and air, beauty, cheap- ness, quietness, churches, schools privileges, with gaining business interests, a cosmopolitan neighborly element, are all conducive to our development.'"
CHAPTER XXIV.
HARRISON TOWNSHIP AND DUNLAP.
Ilarrison is the northeast subdivision in Harrison county, and com- prises all of township Si, range 41, being. therefore, six miles square and containing twenty-four thousand and forty acres of excellent prairie land. now all developed into valuable and high-priced farms. At its east is Shelby county, to its south. Douglas township, to its west, Lincoln township and on its north is Crawford county. It was organized in 1856. The principal water course is the Boyer river. flowing from northeast to southwest : Mill creek is in the central-cast portion, and the North Picayune creek runs through the southeast corner of the township. About all the native timber found within this township is that at Weimer's grove in the northwestern corner. Originally this grove comprised nearly three hundred acres. The Chicago & Northwestern and Illinois Central railroad lines follow cach other down the Boyer valley through this township, side by side. Dunlap is the only present town in Harrison township. See history at close of this chapter. In 1885 the township had a population of two thousand and eighty-seven, but by 1890 it had decreased, on account of the removal of the railway shops, to one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven. The last United States census gives it one thousand six hundred and forty-six, Dunlap having one thousand one hundred and fifty-five.
FIRST EVENTS.
Among the first events to take place in this township were these: The first settlers were James Welch, Ethel P. Brown and Henry Olmstead, all coming in 1856.
Lula Way was the first child born, the date being 1856.
The first to die was Frederick W. Warren, whose death occurred Au- gust 19. 1861. Henry Olmstead was the second person to die within the township. He died in December, 1866.
The earliest marriage was that of An. N. Warren to Anna Eliza Stowe, in 1858, the ceremony being performed Jannary 22nd.
The first house in the township was erected of logs, its size being six-
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HARRISON COUNTY, JOWA.
teen by twenty feet. It was erected by Ethel P. Brown, in section 13. in 1855. The first frame house was built in 1856 by Henry Ohinstead, in sec- tion 22.
Lorenzo Kellogg burned the first brick in the township in 1857, and from it constructed the first brick house in the township. It was built in section 27.
James Welch turned the first prairie sod in the township, in 1856, in section 33.
The first postoffice was established in 1858 at the house of Henry Olm- stead. T. P. Kellogg succeeded Olmstead as postmaster, serving until the establishment of the Dunlap office. when "Olmstead postoffice" was discon- tinued. The first office was on a mail route from Adel to Magnolia. mail being carried once a week, and later on twice each week.
The earliest grist-mill was built by .A. K. Grow. in section 31. It was ready for custom in 1868. It had two sets of burrs and was propelled by the waters of the Boyer river. It is stated that here "two kernels were ground into one!"
At the cali for sokliers to suppress the rebellion in 1861, over one-half of the alle-bodied men in Harrison township went to the front in the far- away Southland. Perhaps the reason that so great a number volunteered here was the fact that many were immigrants from New England, their patriotism having come down through the generations from Concord and Lexington.
PIONFER SETTLEMENT.
The first to effect settlement in this part of Harrison county were James Welch, Henry Olmstead and Ethel P. Brown, all coming from the East late in the autumn of 1856, or during the first weeks in 1857. Welch came from Indiana, locating in the northwest quarter of section 33. where he commenced improvements, but in the spring of 1857 he sold his claim to G. C. Roberts, and moved over into Crawford county. Ethel P. Brown located in the northeast of section 13. on a forty-acre tract. He remained until the Civil War, when he loyally donned the loyal blue and became a member of Company C. Twenty-ninth lowa Infantry. He finally sold his land and moved to Shelby county, lowa.
The same year. 1856, Henry Olmstead, J. L .. Roberts and C. S. Way came in from Connecticut. Olmstead located in the southwest of section 22. He was identified with Harrison township until the autumn of 1861. when he was killed by falling from a load of lumber. a heavy load passing
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HARRISON COUNTY, JOWA.
over his body. He left a wife and four children, who remained there until 1879. The mother died and the children left the county.
A Connecticut colony came from the "land of wooden nutmegs," in the spring of 1857, but they were not the little souls we read of, all being energetic, pushing-to-the-front kind of men, in the prime of their manhood and ready to do and to dare. These were Lorenzo Kellogg, B. F. Roberts. A. N. Warren. A. F. Roberts, Anson Smith, Charles Pitkin. George Hedge and Marvin Hayes. G. C. Roberts came in April from Texas. These were permanent settlers and were all formerly from and near Hartford. Connectient. L. D. Chandler. Charles Pitkin and Abijah Perkins came at the same time, but remained only a short time. This New England colony settled as follows: G. C. Roberts bought the Welch place in section 22; J. L. Roberts settled in section 23, as did also B. F. Roberts; A. N. Warren in section 15; II. B. Lyman in section 2, and he later moved to Tacoma, Washington, and died there; Ed. Brace settled in section 14: Anson Smith in section 27, where he opened a blacksmith shop. George Hedge, a car- penter, located in section 27. and Lorenzo Kellogg in section 28.
Lyman and Brace came in the fall of the year in 1856, wintered at North Grove in Crawford county, settling in Harrison county in the spring of 1857.
In 1859, William Benjamin and family settled in section 12, remained a few years and went on to Oregon.
T. P. Kellogg came from Connecticut in the spring of 1858 and lo- cated in section 11. Hle now resides in Douglas township. He died about 1908 at Woodbine.
William M. Roberts, father of B. F. Roberts, came from Connecticut in the spring of 1860, locating in section 23. Both he and his good wife died in Harrison township, and their children married and settled in this county.
W. H. H. Wright settled in section 29, in 1860.
During Civil War days there were several families who came in from Missouri. They were known as "border state ruffians," who refused to en- ter the army of the North or South. At the close of the war these ob- jectionable characters moved from the county-unwept, unhonored and unhung.
In 1864 came Gid Francis and. a little later, William Weed.
'Others, who might be classed as early or pioncer settlers in Harrison township, were Henry Canfield, 1860; William Johnson, section 22, in 1858; Sanford Hayes, 1858. in the northeast of section 1. He remained three
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HARRISON COUNTY, IOW.1.
years and then settled in Nebraska. John T. Davie, section 1, 1860, bought the Hayes place, where he died several years later. In 1866 came Theodore Graves, as did C. O. Hatch. Both of these men later moved away from the township.
In 1868 came that well-known man and wife, Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Preston, from New England. They settled near Dunlap, and Mr. Preston became an extensive farmer and especially a stock-raiser. He accumulated wealth, and finally went to the western coast for his health. He dicd not many years ago. Ilis widow resides in Des Moines at present.
A settler of section 2, in 1860, was George F. Riggs. His brother, William, came in at the same date. A few years later George sold his claim and located in Boyer township, but subsequently located in section 31, Harrison.
Elisha Mahoney came with his parents in 1867. He was a cooper by trade. At first they lived in Lincoln township, but later moved to section 29 of Harrison.
David C. Miers came to this part of the country in 1871, locating in section 10, near the town of Dunlap. Twelve years later he moved to Dun- lap, where he retired from active labors.
John Weed, a Union soldier from Illinois, came here in 1867. Ile followed carpentering until 1874, when he bought land in section II, re- mained there four years, and then settled in Dunlap.
Another pioneer, who should not be overlooked in the annals of the township, was A. B. Vining, who located early in the fifties. The Vinings nearly all settled near Woodbine and many still reside in, or near, that town.
Harry HI. Prior located in lowa in 1867 and in Harrison township in 1869.
Jacob Probosco came in 1878; Edward B. Mead in 1880; he came from La Salle county, Illinois. William Moore became a permanent set- tler in 1884. Barney MeElroy, a man of varied and large experience, set- tled in this township in 1869; Mathew L. Jennings, son of Levi. came in 1881. His brother, Henry, served in the Civil War, in the fifty-third Ili- nois infantry, and arrived here in 1881. Sylvester L. Hickox, who came in 1868, was born in Connecticut. B. S. Greene also came from that state, coming to Harrison county, lowa, with his family in 1870. Elida Barrett located here in July, 1883. Marion Arnold dated his residence here from 1868. Thomas A. Burling, who ran the first locomotive over the Chicago & Northwestern, into Council Bluffs, located here in 1868. Giles L. Chap-
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HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
man effected a permanent settlement here in 1868. Archille Chavalier, a native of Switzerland, came to Harrison county in 1878.
The reader is respectfully referred to other special chapters for the history of the banks, lodges, churches and schools of this township and the town of Dunlap.
ACCIDENTS AND CATASTROPHES.
Just after the Civil War closed, H. C. Moore was instantly killed while standing in an unfinished building.
In 1867 a cyclone passed through Harrison township, from southeast to northwest. It was only three rods wide, but very violent and destroyed all fences and light buildings in its pathway.
In 1875 a violent wind storm wrecked the unfinished Catholic church at Dunlap, and a big barn belonging to W. T. Preston. Aside from these storms there has never been much damage in Harrison township by storms.
There was a village platted in this township December 3, 1857, on sec- tion 27 by Henry Olmstead, an account of which is found in the miscel- laneous chapter under the head of "village plats."
THE FARMERS' WIVES SOCIETY.
Away back in 1872, forty-three years ago, there was formed in this township an unique society of women, which proved to be a wonderful suc- cess in eastern Harrison county. A few ladies met in Mill Creek and or- ganized a society to create a friendly feeling between the families of this part of the county and to discuss, informally, those things that come within the province of farmers' wives, in order to break the endless monotony of such a life. At first it was confined to Mill Creek, but soon branched out and extended over the Boyer and across the Picayune creek. In 1890 over one hundred ladies' names had been enrolled. August 12, 1891, their nine- teenth annual pienie was held. It was held in the beautiful grove at the home of B. F. Roberts. Two hundred attended this gathering. Such a dinner as was feasted upon could only have been prepared by the intelligent ladies of this section of Iowa.
Meetings were held at first cach two weeks, but soon dropped down to once a month. The charter members of this society were Mrs. William Roberts, Mrs. James Roberts, Mrs. Frank Roberts, Mrs. Althea Brown, Mrs. Charles Hatch, Mrs. Lorenzo Kellogg, Mrs. Theodore Graves and Mrs. B. S. Greene. The society was guided by the following eight rules :
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