History of Jackson County, Iowa; Volume I, Part 30

Author: Ellis, James Whitcomb, 1848-; Clarke, S. J., publishing company
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 730

USA > Iowa > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Iowa; Volume I > Part 30

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

During June, 1903, an order was received by the company for strike duty at Dubuque. The first order came on the 17th, to assemble and be ready and then on the 20th the order came to proceed to Dubuque. The company re- ported forty-seven strong (the total number allowed) and proceeded to Du- buque. By reason of their larger numbers, and the fact that they had brought rations, plenty of ammunition, blankets and complete equipment, Company M was ordered into the hot bed of the trouble and no body of men ever per- formed the work allotted to them better or more effectively than did the mem- bers of Company M from Maquoketa. Many a compliment has been sent or left in Maquoketa by the good citizens of Dubuque for the company who gave them such loyal and good service in a time of disorder and danger.

219

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY

On November 26, 1902, the company was transferred to the Fifty-third Infantry, Iowa National Guard, as Company M and the old war number of forty-nine became a thing of the past.

This military company has lived in our city for over ten years and has brought thousands of dollars to us and yet the help that they have received as an organization to encourage them to stay with us and to encourage our young men to keep it up, could be counted as less than $100. During the year 1903 alone, there was paid to the members of this company, in pay, armory rent, etc., over $1,700, all of which has gone into circulation in Maquoketa. The company is handicapped by lack of armory room.

Other cities have built armories for their companies and Maquoketa can well afford to do likewise. We have a company that we can be proud of, and why not give them help and encouragement ?

Parents can find no better opportunity to give to their boy a good physique and proper carriage than by putting him into the military company. The train- ing develops the body and makes boys men. Every boy who is over eighteen years of age should be encouraged to join the company and get a military training. Fathers and mothers should not hesitate to give their consent to their sons enlisting in Company M. The state pays the men for their time both at drill and in camp, furnishes them with complete uniforms and equip- ment and gives to them a training that is worth hundreds of dollars to them in later years.

ROLL OF COMPANY.

Captain : E. C. Johnson, Maquoketa ; first lieutenant: George M. Johnson, Maquoketa ; second lieutenant : F. H. Nietzel, Maquoketa ; first sergeant: C. C. Woods, Maquoketa ; second sergeant: J. Ried Watson, Maquoketa ; quarter mas- ter sergeant: C. H. Holcomb, Maquoketa; sergeants: W. Suthers, Maquoketa ; Peter Prahm, Monticello ; Frank Wright, Monticello ; corporals: Ed Doran, Mon- ticello; John Sellers, Delmar Junction; Burton A. Pratt, 3000 Pleasant avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Eli Cole, Bellevue; E. B. Rogers, Bagley; Albert Gil- more, Collins, Storey county ; Arthur Monroe, Maquoketa; Ira Current, Maquo- keta ; Warren Liston, Maquoketa ; Ed Long, West Grand and Park avenues, Des Moines ; Jno. Dyre, Dewitt ; Frank Tripp, Miles ; Herman L. Broaderson, Marion ; cook: John L. Anderson, Durgan, Gallia county, Ohio; musician : Nerl L. Mer- shon. Liscom, lowa ; wagoner ; George Hofius, Maquoketa : Art .: Charles Noyes. 43 First avenue, West Haven, Connecticut ; John Nims, Maquoketa, Iowa ; pri- vate : George Bower, 2063 White street, Dubuque, Iowa; musician : Jack Welsh, Clinton, Iowa ; privates : Harry Bell, Gladbrook, Iowa ; Henry Beulow, 298 Broad- way Ext .. Dubuque, Iowa; C. E. Benadom, Maquoketa, Iowa; Oscar Bixby, Du- buque, Iowa ; Herman Booth, Maquoketa, Iowa; Earl F. Brace, Fredricksburgh, Iowa; Chas. Brandenbarger; 339 Elm street, Dubuque, Iowa ; Wm. Brody, Fred- ricksburgh, Iowa ; Wm. Buck; W. A. Burton, Delhi, Iowa : Chas. Carter, Miles, Iowa; Niels P. Clausen, New Hartford, Iowa; Arthur Cornelius, Maquoketa, Towa ; Judson S. Dales, Savannah, Illinois ; Edward Darling, Miles, Iowa ; Louis E. Dippert, 218 West Grand avenue, Des Moines, Iowa; Geo. Jacob Dubler, 1735 Clay street, Dubuque, Iowa; F. C. W. Fellbaum, 2653 Washington street, Du- buque, Jowa ; Moss K. Fletcher, 625 S. Delaware street, Indianapolis, Indiana ; Frank Foley, 1936 Washington street, Dubuque, Iowa ; Ed. Gweius, Maquoketa. Iowa : Felix P. Hammel, 65 Almond street, Dubuque, Iowa : Frank Hanna, Belle- vue, Iowa ; Aron H. Hardin, Maquoketa, Iowa : Elias B. Hess, Argos, Indiana : Jas. Hetherington ; Zeltus M. Holcomb, Maquoketa, Iowa ; Orville Holcomb, 610 North Center street, Marshalltown, Iowa; A. F. Hubbe, Maquoketa, Iowa ; Fred Hubbe, Maquoketa, Iowa; Thoe. Aug. Kofmehl, Farley, Iowa ; Albert Lafayette, Maquoketa, Iowa: G. A. R. Larkey, Maquoketa, Iowa: J. J. Lawler. Marshall- town, Iowa ; Wm. Loitz, Maquoketa, Iowa : Wm. Luthe, Sixteenth and Elm streets, Dubuque, Iowa : Ed Matthews, 33 Steward street, Dayton, Iowa; Harvey Mar-

220

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY

shall, Des Moines, lowa ; Peter McKabe, Jr., Maquoketa, Iowa; Frank McGraw, Mendota, Illinois; Frank Messerknecht, 435 Liscom avenue, Dubuque, Iowa; Geo. D. Matheny, Iron Hill, Iowa; A. W. Patterson, Andrew, Iowa; Robt. G. Pier, West Hill, Dubuque. Iowa; Benj. Plenger, Dyersville, Iowa; Roscow D. Randal, Fredricksburgh, Iowa; Fred C. Repeach; Edwin C. Richards, 899 Delhi street, Dubuque, Iowa ; Ernest G. Ritzman, Washington, D. C .; Austin E. Ripper- ton, Emaline, Iowa; Fred C. Roach, Maquoketa, Iowa: Otto Scharping, 2063 Washington street, Dubuque, Iowa; Adolph Schneider, Monticello, Iowa; Louis Seyt, Dewitt, Iowa : Wm. Sinholdt, 114 Almond street. Dubuque, Iowa; Michael Souhrada, Oxford Junction, Iowa ; Aldis A. Spring, Sabula, Iowa; John Stone, Maquoketa, Iowa ; Wm. Strauscer. Bellevue, Iowa ; Herman J. Tapelt, 100 Mus- catine street, Dubuque, Iowa ; Jas. A. Trimble, Monmouth, Iowa ; F. G. Van Em- burgh, Maquoketa, Iowa ; Cl. Watson, 202 West Sixth street, Marshalltown, Iowa ; Wm. Watson, 202 West Sixth street, Marshalltown, Iowa ; Earl West, 508 West Church street, Marshalltown, Iowa; Jas. Wanda, Oxford Junction, Iowa; Frank Wlack, Salon, Iowa; Art. G. Elithorpe, Maquoketa, Iowa; Clarence Wilson, 1235 University Place, Des Moines, Iowa ; Chas. Turner, Maquoketa, Iowa.

THE UNION VETERANS' UNION. WRITTEN BY J. W. ELLIS, 1904.

The Union Veterans' Union is one of the great military organizations growing out. of the Civil war. The order was founded in Washington, D. C., about twenty years ago. Its objects are: To preserve and perpetuate the prin- ciples of the war for the preservation of the Union. To exact from the gov- ernment proper appreciation of the services of the union soldier, practically as well as theoretically to secure recognition of the rights of the union soldier, to pref- erence for positions of public trust, and employment by the government. To support the election to positions of public trust the friend of the union soldier, irrespective of politics or creed. To care for the members of the order and the widows and orphans of those deceased. The motto of the order is: "We stand by those who stand by us." President McKinley, who was an honored member of the order, said it was the most cohesive order growing out of the Civil war.

The order is composed of military divisions or state departments, of which there are thirty-three such divisions. The division officers are: A division com- mander, with the rank of major general, a first and second deputy commander, with the rank of brigadier general. The other officers are appointed by the com- mander. and correspond with the staff officers of a division commander in the army. The division is composed of regiments or commands, whose elective of- ficers are: A colonel, lieutenant colonel, and major. The other officers are ap- pointed by the colonel.

The national headquarters are at Washington, D. C., and the elective officers are: A commanded in chief, first and second deputy commander in chief, and a staff corresponding to that of a corps commander, appointed by the commander in chief. The national officers elected at the last encampment at Louisville, Kentucky, last October, are: Commander in chief, A. M. Legg, of Washington, D. C .; first deputy commander in chief, John W. Hammond, of Louisville ; second deputy commander in chief, J. W. Ellis, of Maquoketa, Iowa.

The local command known as R. M. Anderson (fifth regiment) Division of Iowa Union Veterans' Union, was organized in Maquoketa June 8, 1897, by an application for charter signed by the following comrades: A. M. Phillips, Wm. Haney, Henry Smith, J. Y. Buchanan, A. W. Flathers, Wm. Reel, George Ma- cumber, C. L. Ripple, R. M. Jamison, N. V. Foley, A. B. Bowen, A. P. Simpson, C. F. Miller, Daniel Sackrider, J. S. Billups, J. Glaser, Jasper Green ; present of-

221

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY

ficers, 1910, are: Colonel, A. M. Phillips ; lieutenant colonel, T. J. Houston ; major, Frank Keeley ; quartermaster, Lee Lovelee ; chaplain, A. J. York ; surgeon, E. F. Weeman ; O. D., Asa Strubble ; S. M., C. L. Ripple ; quartermaster sergeant, John VanDoren ; C. B., M. E. Finton ; O. G., James McDonald; adjutant, J. W. Ellis.

SOME OF THE CRIMINAL HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY:

I have previously stated in my early history writings, that the first settlers of the county were largely made up of rough, if not lawless, people, and I think that a perusal of the old territorial dockets will convince the most skeptical that my statement was justified ; homicides were frequent in the early days, and have con- tinued up to within a few years. I would almost hazard the assertion that there have been more murders committed in Jackson county, since the county was or- ganized in 1838, than there were of Jackson county soldiers killed in the war of the Rebellion. At the first term of court held in Jackson county, William Sublett was indicted for murder, and at the April term, 1839, Samuel Groff was indicted for the deliberate murder of his neighbor, Thomas S. Davis, and at the same term Conrad Hite was indicted for an attempt to kill, and Robert Carey was indicted for assault with intent to kill.

In the same year Zopher Perkins and Calvin Perkins were charged with as- sault with intent to kill, and were put under bonds to keep the peace with J. S. Mallard. On the 8th day of January, 1840, James C. Mitchell shot and instantly killed James Thompson, and on the first day of April, 1840, there was a factional fight in the village of Bellevue, in which seven men were shot to death and seven more sorely wounded. In 1854 William P. Barger shot his wife to death in Belle- vue, and three years later was hanged by a mob in Andrew. In 1842, Joseph Jackson killed Xenaphon Perkins on the Maquoketa River at a point about six miles above the town of Maquoketa. In 1852 Ab Montgomery killed Andrew M. Brown, a few rods west of the West street line of the town of Maquoketa. In 1856 Mrs. Conklin and sons killed the husband and father, Wm. Conklin, in the north part of Farmers Creek township, and in the spring of 1857, Alex Grif- ford shot and killed John Ingles, near Iron Hills. In August, 1856, one Michael Carroll stabbed and instantly killed a young German by the name of Heitman, near Lamotte.

In January, 1867, Samuel S. Cronk was murdered near Cottonville for the money he was supposed to have with him. In 1881 Charles Towne shot Thomas Keithly to death in the streets of Bellevue, and in 1885, David Seeley shot William Horan to death with a pistol on the street of the same city. Same term Herman Ellinghouse was indicted for kicking the life out of Patsy Cook, in Bellevue, and, still later, Henry Weston shot and killed High Hoover, at Harmony Park, just outside of Bellevue, and on the 4th day of July, 1896, Christian Eckerliebe shot and beat to death his neighbor's daughter, Minnie Keil, some six miles from Bellevue. In April, 1897, Deb Roland was clubbed to death in front of his home, six miles west of Maquoketa, by George Morehead. The above is a partial list of the hom- icides that are known to have been committed in this county, while there has been quite a number of cases where persons have disappeared from the places that had known them, forever, and were believed to have been made away with.

GROFF-DAVIS TRAGEDY.

In 1838-39, there was living near the North Fork of the Maquoketa, on what later became section 1, South Fork township, a man by the name of Samuel Groff. His cabin stood about forty rods from where Mrs. Fitch now resides. In the same neighborhood, about one mile north, lived one Thomas Davis. Both men had families and were very good friends until some time in the spring of 1839. In those days there were no bridges and the fords at crossing places of the streams

222

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY

were named for the nearest resident to the said fords. Davis lived about half a mile from the ford used by people going from the Forks to Fulton, and the cross- ing was known for many years as the Davis Ford. Davis was an energetic kind of man and stood well among the people of his acquaintance. Groff was also an active, prominent man, and especially prominent in the Methodist church, and being an exhorter in that persuasion had an extensive acquaintance throughout the country.

Davis, at one time, had a fine yoke of cattle which he was fattening for market, driven off in the night. The oxen were tracked to the vicinity of Bellevue, and with the assistance of the sheriff and other parties, were finally located in a ravine in that vicinity. Davis at first could not believe that his neighbor Groff and an- other party by the name of Troft had driven his cattle off. But on his return home he called upon Groff and informed him that he had recovered his cattle, and from Groff's actions he became convinced that Groff was guilty, and at once charged him with the crime. Groff denied any knowledge of the matter and the neighbors had hot words, and parted bitter enemies. Some time after a party came from Illinois, looking for stolen horses, and Davis sent them to search Groff's premises, sending his son with them. The horse was not found there, but this incident helped widen the breech between the neighbors. Davis took every opportunity to denounce Groff as a thief, and the fact that Davis held possession of a piece of land which Groff claimed and that the settlement of the claim was pending in April, 1839, and was to be tried in "Squire Forbes" justice court in- creased the enmity. The same day that the term of the District court was to be- gin in Bellevue, April 9, Squire Forbes, who was personally acquainted with both men, was doing all in his power to get the men to settle their difficulty. Finally Davis said if it was not settled it would not be his fault.

The Squire went home to make some change in his attire before the time to call the case. In the meantime Groff had borrowed a gun and loaded it and was heard to say that the bullet he loaded it with would be the death of Davis. Davis was told of these threats, but said Groff was too big a coward to shoot unless he could shoot a man in the back. But Groff made his word good. He watched for an opportunity and it came. Davis was seen walking along the street, and Groff rested a rifle on a picket fence and shot Davis in the back, the ball passing near the heart, and killing him in a few minutes.

Groff walked coolly down to where his victim lay, and was arrested by Shade Burleson and turned over to the sheriff. He expressed no regret, but claimed that Davis tormented him so, and made his life a burden, and he had to kill him.

The grand jury indicted Groff on the same day of the murder, and a special term of court was set for the first Monday in May. In the meantime Groff was heavily ironed and guarded by volunteers until the time for trial came. J. V. Berry was United States district attorney and R. D. Parker was Groff's attorney. The case came on for hearing the 6th of May, and a jury was empaneled on the 7th. The evidence on the part of the United States was overwhelming, but Groff's attorney took the ground that his client was insane, and proved up several of Groff's acts that indicated that he was insane. The jury was charged on the 9th day of May, 1839, and were out but a short time before they agreed on a verdict. The court room was crowded when the jury returned, and it is safe to say that nine out of ten expected a verdict of murder, and it was like throwing a wet blan- ket on the audience when the foreman announced that the jury had found the de- fendant not guilty. The district attorney had the clerk call the' names of the jurors and each one answered thereto that it was his verdict. He then denounced them as a set of perjured villains, and wanted the verdict set aside, but the prisoner was ordered discharged.

That night the people of Bellevue hung the jurors in effigy. The county was. too hot for Groff to stay in, and according to W. A. Warren he went to Minnesota and was soon after killed by the Indians. Absalom Montgomery, one of the ju- rors, afterward killed Brown near Maquoketa. A friend of the writer, who him-

223

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY

self was an old pioneer, said that he saw Groff in California since the war, and that he was then, or had been, a Mormon bishop. So that would, or should show conclusively, that he was not killed by the Indians. The Davis family had left the Forks prior to 1850.

THE ONLY LEGAL EXECUTION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN JACKSON COUNTY.

Although there has been several sentences passed by the courts of Jackson county, there has never been but one carried out up to this time, and that was in the case of Joseph T. Jackson, for the killing of Xenophon Perkins, in the winter or spring of 1842. Xenophon Perkins and Zopher Perkins were living, as far back as 1839, on the south fork of the Maquoketa in section 13, Monmouth township, and Joseph T. Jackson was living in a cabin that belonged to the Perkins on the opposite side of the river. Jackson and Zopher Perkins were great friends at one time, working together and hunting together. On one occasion they went to Dubuque with a team and wagon or sled, and on their homeward journey they passed a place where a quantity of pig lead had been hauled to the top of a hill from the smelter for shipment. There was no one near to watch the property and Perkins proposed to Jackson that they take a pig of lead home with them for bullets. The proposition meeting with Jackson's approval, they took the lead.

Some time after March, Jackson and Zopher fell out over some trivial matters, and in order to even things up with Jackson, Perkins filed an information accus- ing Jackson of the crime larceny in stealing the lead from the Dubuque parties and notifying the Dubuque people. At the trial of the case before a justice of the peace, Thomas Coffee, Zopher testified that Jackson stole the lead and Xeno- phon Perkins swore that Jackson told him that he (Jackson) had stolen the lead, and that Zopher had nothing to do with the stealing of it. Jackson was terribly incensed at the treachery and false swearing of his former friends, and especially at Xenophon to whom he said: "Xen. Perkins, you have sworn to a lie, and you know it; now mark my words, I'll kill you for it."

The next morning. after the trial the Perkins brothers had occasion to pass the cabin of Jackson as part of their feed was stored on that side of the river, and they kept some stock over there. The river was frozen, and they crossed on the ice. As they passed Jackson's cabin they taunted him being a thief, and dared him out of the house. Jackson was in bed and did not get up at first, but when they came back from feeding, and repeated their insults, he hurried into his clothes, and seizing a small pistol from over the door rushed out. When the Perkins saw the pistol they ran for some time, pursued by Jackson. Just as they reached the opposite bank of the river, Zoph Perkins, who was behind, turned on Jackson and struck him on the head with a club making an ugly wound which partially stunned him. Jackson pointed the gun at Xenophon, who was twelve or fifteen steps distant and fired inflicting a wound which caused his death in a few days. Jackson went back to his cabin and Zoph went up to Shade Burleson's on horse- back and called for a gun, telling Burleson that Jackson had shot his brother and that he wanted a gun to defend himself with. The gun was loaned him and Bur- leson and his son went across through the woods to Perkins' cabin. Zopher's wife had helped Xen into the house and a doctor was sent for.

Zopher Perkins reached the cabin just ahead of the Burlesons and leaned the gun against the fence. Burlesons arrived a few moments later and could hear the groans of the wounded man in the cabin and heard Zopher say "I can't stand this I must have revenge." Shade Burleson picked up the gun and fired it off, the re- port bringing Zopher to the door and he demanded why Burleson had fired off the gun? Burleson said to him, "You stay here and take care of your brother, if you attempt to cross the river Jackson is armed and will kill you."

The Burlesons started across the river to Jackson's cabin, but were challenged by Jackson, who demanded to know whether they came as friends or enemies. Shade responded that they were friends, and Jackson admitted them. Burleson

224

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY

asked Jackson why he didn't get on a horse and fly from the country ; told him that the fact of his killing Perkins after making a threat he had the day before would be against him, and advised him to fly while there was time. But Jackson insisted that he had only acted in self-defense and would not run away.

Jackson was arrested and kept in custody of the sheriff, there being no county jail, until the June term of court, when he was indicted by the grand jury on the 7th day of the month. A special term of court for the trial was convened on the 13th day of June, and a jury was empaneled on that day, and the trial of the case begun. The jury was charged on the 16th, and brought in a verdict of guilty of murder. A motion was made to set aside the verdict and grant a new trial. Judge Wilson set the 18th for arguments on the motion for a new trial. After hearing the arguments on that day he overruled the motion and passed judg- ment as follows: "That the defendant Joseph T. Jackson, be taken hence, and remain in the close custody of the sheriff of the county until the 15th day of July next, on which day it is further ordered by the court that the said Joseph T. Jackson shall be taken from the place of confinement by the said sheriff, between the hours of 10 of the clock a. m. and 2 of the clock p. m. to some place within the town of Andrew, Jackson county, Iowa Territory, and hanged by the neck until he shall be dead."

There was a general feeling of sympathy for Jackson, and some went as far as so say that he had done a good deed in ridding the country of Perkins, as the Per- kins were a bad lot, but there had been a perfect holocaust of murders committed in the county, and no atonement, and it was felt that someone must be made an example of. Samuel Groff had shot his neighbor Thomas Davis to death, on the streets of Bellevue, and was cleared by a jury. James Mitchell had killed James Thompson on the streets of the same town, and was found not guilty at the same term of court at which Jackson was convicted. The fight between the factions in which a dozen men were killed or seriously wounded, and those of the vic- torious faction not only exonerated for their part in the strife, but were made heroes by the pen of the wily sheriff, W. A. Warren.

On the 15th day of July, 1842, the little town of Andrew was thronged with men and women from far and near to witness a public execution. Captain Mal- lard's company of the United States Volunteers were present to preserve order. The prisoner was confined in the upper story of the Butterworth's log hotel from which he was taken after dinner, and escorted by the volunteers to the place of execution. There was no provision made by the county commissioners for the expense of a scaffold, and the sheriff had to utilize a tree from which a rope was suspended with a noose. Jackson was placed in a wagon on a box under the tree, the rope was adjusted around his neck, and the wagon pulled from under him. Jackson had been told that if his neck was not broken the doctor would resuscitate him; that he would be cut down in thirty minutes and the doctor would take charge of him and bring him back to life. With this idea in his mind Jackson laid his head back in the rope in a way to prevent there being any slack, and of course his neck was not broken but the sheriff let him hang more than thirty minutes and until such time as he was dead, in accordance with the sentence of the court.

The execution of Jackson took place nearly sixty-four years ago, but there are some people living in Maquoketa now who witnessed it. Calvin Teeple was first lieutenant and commanded the company of soldiers who participated in this hang- ing. Mrs. Joel Higgins, of Dubuque county, was also an eye witness and has a vivid recollection of the tragic scene as did E. D. Shinkle, and there are doubtless many more in the county.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Jackson County, Iowa; Volume I, Part 30

Author: Ellis, James Whitcomb, 1848-; Clarke, S. J., publishing company Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 730

Author: Ellis, James Whitcomb, 1848-; Clarke, S. J., publishing company
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 730