USA > Iowa > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Iowa; Volume I > Part 80
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The present Congregational church society, in Miles, was organized at an informal meeting held at Heynen's hall, August 15, 1879. There were present at that meeting, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. F. Green, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord, Mr. and Mrs. Emerson, and O. W. Heynen. Rey. Gaylord was chairman and A. C. Heynen, clerk of the meeting. The organiza- tion was perfected by the election of Geo. F. Green, J. S. Davis, O. W. Heynen, S. B. Wells, and F. M. Miles, as trustees; J. W. Miles was treasurer ; A. C. Heynen was clerk. It was decided to make arrangements with the Methodist brethren to hold services at alternate Sabbaths in the Methodist church, the Con- gregational church not being erected until some years later.
Centennial Lodge, No. 349, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organ- ized July 25, 1875, with the following charter members: J. N. Viall, W. R. Pitt- man, H. J. Davis, Henry Brasse, J. G. Canton, O. H. Legg and A. E. Allen. J. N. Viall was the first noble grand and A. E. Allen the first secretary. The noble grands from 1875 to 1879 were, J. N. Viall, H. J. Davis, W. R. Pittman, A. E. Allen, J. W. Waite, J. G. Canton, and W. S. Kellogg.
Miles Lodge, No. 45, Ancient Order United Workmen, was organized January 27, 1876, with the following members in various offices-W. R. Pitt- man, George Joannin, T. W. Darling, E. B. Brain, G. A. Gotshall, J. D. Over- holt, J. W. Milles, E. B. Legg, George Cawthorn.
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Miles, was at one time the home of the strongest temperance organization in Jackson county. In January, 1878, The Woman's Christian Temperance Union secured the services of Messrs. Hofstettler and Rowell to hold a series of tem- perance meetings for one week and the result was the organization of the Miles Temperance Reform Club, with a membership of ninety-nine signers the first evening. The officers elected were, H. J. Davis, president ; J. P. Truesdell, vice president ; F. A. Hanover, secretary ; Geo. F. Green, treasurer ; M. S. Allen, J. S. Davis and Geo. F. Green, executive committee. The pledge the member signed was as follows :
"We, the undersigned, do hereby pledge ourselves to forever abstain from all that will intoxicate, and to do all in our power to aid, encourage, and in- fluence others to reform, and to promote by all honorable means, the temper- ance cause, and to cheerfully conform to, in letter and spirit, the constitution of the club; that this pledge intends to and does prohibit the use of wine, cider, bitters, or any other mixture, whatever, that will intoxicate."
A total of six hundred and eighty-nine persons signed the pledge and the club was well sustained and active in its work. Union Hall was rented and used exclusively by the club, being fitted up with a stage and curtain for private theatricals and other entertainments, and kept open as a reading room at all times. The Juvenile Temperance Society was organized in 1878 and maintained its organization for a number of years-longer in fact than the first organization.
We believe the older residents of Miles will recognize in the foregoing article a fairly correct statement of the facts connected with the early settle- ment of the locality and organization of the town, up to 1880.
We are indebted to T. A. Pearson for the following information: The town of Miles, Iowa, was incorporated June, 1893. H. J. Davis was first mayor and the first council consisted of the following persons: Dr. Crawford, H. Dunn, Claus Schroeder, A. C. Heynen, R. C. Kellogg ,and T. A. Pearson. T. B. Emer- son was elected first treasurer. Since then the following persons have served as mayor : J. S. Davis, O. W. Heynen, Henry Dunn, H. J. Miles, and W. S. Kellogg, who is the present mayor. The present council consists of the follow- ing persons : F. P. Randolph, L. L. Bartlett, J. Anderson, R. B. Darling, Claus Schroeder, and T. A. Pearson. Councilmen Pearson and Schroeder have served continually since the town was incorporated. The town has never had any bonded indebtedness and never was in debt except for a small amount for a short time. It is at present free of debt and a cash balance on hand of three hundred dollars.
The Miles Independent School District was organized as an independent district, July 20, 1872, and at that meeting it was voted to name the district The Independent District of Shoofly and at a meeting held March 12, 1877, it was voted to change the name to Miles Independent School District.
The present high school building was erected in 1877, at a cost of three thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars, and has since been enlarged and improved. The teachers who have filled the position as principal are as follows : 1877, Mrs. A. R. Darling; 1878-79, W. M. Wright; 1880-81-82, W. S. Ellison ; 1883, J. C. Templeton ; 1884-85, E. C. McClellan; 1886-94, C. W. Shumway ; 1895-96-97, W. C. Wicks; 1898, A. L. Steide; 1899-1900, J. F. Ogden; 1901, R. C. Coulton ; 1902-3-4, W. J. Hunt; 1905-6, Frank Wells; 1907, H. H. Kent ; 1908-9, W. E. Huff.
The school has always had a large attendance of foreign pupils and has maintained a high standard of excellence. The present officers are: W. S. Kellogg, president; Chas. Allen, director; R. B. Darling, director; Wm. Craw- ford, director; T. A. Pearson, director; C. J. Denick, secretary ; F. A. Minneke, treasurer.
First Congregational church of Miles, Iowa, was organized August 15, 1879. First pastor, Rev. Alex. Parker, and filled the pulpit until his death in 1885;
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second pastor, Rev. W. E. DeReimyer, from February 8, 1886, to February 8, 1889; third pastor, Rev. W. H. Bernard, from January, 1889, to October 9, 1892; fourth pastor, Rev. D. D. Tibbits, from December, 1892, to October I, 1897; fifth pastor, Rev. M. A. Frost, from December, 1897, to November I, 1900; sixth pastor, Rev. J. L. Blanchard, from February 1, 1901, to November I, 1902 ; seventh pastor, Rev. M. P. France, from January 25, 1903, to March 20, 1904; eighth pastor, Rev. B. F. Meyers, from November 26, 1904, to Feb- ruary 1, 1909; ninth pastor, Rev. A. W. Wiggins, from April 8, 1909, and is present pastor.
First Methodist Episcopal church, of Miles. The present Miles charge was formerly a part of the Sabula circuit. In 1870 the circuit was divided and the Miles end was known as the Vernon Prairie circuit. S. Y. Harmer was pastor.
The First Methodist Episcopal church, of Miles, was incorporated, Novem- ber 4, 1874. The incorporators were B. J. Walker, J. S. Davis, J. B. Smith, William Bryant and E. S. Hathaway. Pastors -- 1874-76, J. T. Spry ; 1876-78, W. N. Chaffee; 1878-80, R. N. Coates; 1880-82, W. S. R. Burnette; 1882, six months, W. F. Pitner ; 1882-84, W. E. McCormac; 1884-87, J. T. Spry ; 1887-88, U. Z. Gilmer ; 1888-92, E. G. Waite; 1892-93, J. F. Wilcox ; 1893-95, J. W. Mc- Cord ; 1895-97, Adam Holm; 1897-1901, W. H. Doner; 1901-2, H. S. Bargelt ; 1902-4, A. T. Bishop; 1904-5, H. J. Bowder; 1905-7, H. E. Wilcox; 1907- , J. P. Van Horn.
The church was built in 1875, at a cost of four thousand dollars. It was extensively repaired in 1895, at a cost of two thousand dollars. It has been improved from time to time and its present valuation is five thousand dollars. The parsonage is valued at two thousand, five hundred dollars.
Alf. Scofield Post, No. 164, Department of Iowa, Grand Army of the Re- public, was organized on April 28, 1883, by Colonel W. F. Wilkinson, of Des Moines. Charter members are the following names: F. M. Miles, Aden Rich- ardson, Wm. M. Amos, Chas. Blacksten, W. S. Kellogg, Henry Dunn, V. Denick, Fred Krumviede, Geo. Gotshall, J. B. Mathews, Justin Miles, Geo. Miller, Eli Claunch, A. Von Ovan, Geo. Sizen. The following comrades were elected as officers to serve for the term of one year: Post commander, Wm. M. Amos ; S. V. C., W. S. Kellogg; adjt., A. Von Ovan; Q. M., Geo. Gotshall; surg., F. M. Miles ; O. D., Justin Miles ; O. G., V. Denick ; S. M., Henry Dunn ; Q. M. S., Chas. Blacksten. The post, at one time, had a membership of fifty-one, but at present only twenty-two members belong to the post. Some moved away, others have answered the last roll call. The present officers and members are as follows : Officers-P. C., Henry Dunn; S. V. C., Dan Paup; J. V. C., Chas. Wager ; adjt., V. Denick ; Q. M., W. S. Kellogg ; surg., F. M. Miles ; chap., S. N. Howard ; O. D,. A. Van Ovan ; O. G., John Harding ; S. M., Henry Wilson ; Q. M. S., Eli Chaunce. Members-George Edleman, T. F. Elliott, John Storm, Chas. Berninger, James Swaney, A. W. Sanderson, Jerry Raum, M. Mclaughlin, P. F. Dolan, Ben Van- stenburg, Henry McNeil.
MAQUOKETA.
Maquoketa, Iowa, is located on the line between South Fork and Maquoketa townships, on sections 19 Maquoketa township, 24-25 South Fork. Maquoketa is one hundred and seventy miles west of Chicago, two hundred miles from Des Moines, and about midway on a straight line north and south between Davenport and Dubuque, has a population of about four thousand, is one of the most pros- perous as well as beautiful little cities in the State of Iowa. It is surrounded by populous and agricultural country, soil being fertile and very productive. Both the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, and Chicago & Northwestern Railways reach Maquoketa. Fourteen trains arrive and depart daily, affording excellent ship- ping and traveling facilities.
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
Express offices of the Wells Fargo and American companies are located on Main street. The city contains about two hundred and fifty business places ; its total real and personal valuation exceeds two million, four hundred and thirty thousand dollars. It has nine blocks of paved streets, and several miles of good macadam street. There are many fine brick and stone business blocks, with handsome plate glass fronts, elegant residences, five large public halls, seven churches, four fine brick schoolhouses (three ward buildings which contain four rooms each), an imposing three-story high school building with twelve depart- ments, two large brick garages, new free city library with five thousand volumes, a fine new city hall, numerous civic societies, five newspapers, three banks, two lumber yards, eight hotels, several cigar factories, one flouring mill, planing mill, butter tub factory, packing house, creamery, a brick kiln, extensive lime indus- tries, grain elevator warehouses, etc.
The city is protected by an efficient volunteer fire department ; has a splendid system of waterworks and sewerage; is connected with the Maquoketa Independ- ent and Bell Telephone Companies, and the business houses, streets and many residences are illuminated at night by brilliant arc and incandescent electric lights. Maquoketa enjoys a large retail trade and is working into a good jobbing business, and is one of the best market towns in eastern Iowa.
A first class corps of teachers is employed, and a perfect graded system is maintained in the public schools, affording superior educational advantages. The society is refined, intelligent and congenial. No better or more promising town can be found in the great northwest for those seeking a good business location, or a pleasant home. Those desirous of entering into manufacturing enterprises, will also find Maquoketa an advantageous point.
The name of Maquoketa is derived from the river which flows just north of the city and means in the Indian language "Bear River," for such was this stream known by the Indians, and so applied on account of the great number of bears which inhabited its banks, and the streams which feed the river. The name is an uncommonly difficult one for the stranger, and seems easily forgotten, besides being rather hard to pronounce. The spelling is no less difficult a problem to the unitiated, as may be guessed from an examination of the following varieties of orthography or "misorthography" which have been taken from letters actually received at the postoffice: Makokety, Macoquety, Makokueta, Macoyta, Macoe- keta, Makoketa, McKokady. The original spelling is said to have been Maqua- weutaw, which became half Americanized.
In connection with this, it might be interesting to speak of the origin of the name "Timber City." In the earlier days of Maquoketa, Mr. H. W. McCarron wrote a series of articles for the "Excelsior" on educational matters, for up to 1870 the standard of our schools was rather low. After nearly completing the first article, he began racking his brains for an appropriate heading, one that would attract attention. Mrs. McCarron at once suggested "Timber City" and it was adopted. In this way originated the name "Timber City," which still clings to the beautiful town of Maquoketa. To the publication of the articles under that heading much of the excellency of its schools may be attributed.
The first building upon the present town plat was erected by John E. Goode- now upon his arrival here in 1838.
Previous to 1843, various settlers had arrived in this vicinity, among whom might be named John and Jonas Clark, Zalmon Livermore, John Shaw, William, Charles and Achilles Gordon, Alonzo Spaulding and Mr. Pangborn. Mr. Liver- more made a claim on the quarter section cornering at the present junction of Main and Platt streets and lying northeast of the same. Mr. Spaulding was on the northwest corner, and Mr. Shaw on the southwest, the southeast quarter section being occupied by Mr. Goodenow. Up to this time, there had been no talk of a town at this point, though there were prospective villages all around it. The first effort of this kind went by the name of New Rochester. It was planned in 1837, and located just north of the present city limits by two men named
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
Banner and Morse. Their quarrelsome disposition put an end to their attempts, and, under the circumstances was considered a good riddance by the peaceful set- tlers in the neighborhood. After this failure, another attempt was made by Colonel Cox to establish a town called Bridgeport on the Maquoketa about two and one half miles northeast of the present county seat. A postoffice was located there for a short time, but the project was short lived, because it was a difficult matter to make a town out of a wilderness when nobody wanted to settle there.
On the South Fork of the Maquoketa, about one mile north of the present corner of Main and Platt streets, a town was platted by Messrs. Sears and Doolittle, from Covington, Kentucky. It was called Lowell. A brick dwelling was erected, also a brick flouring mill, called the "Lowell Merchant Mills." Thomas Wright moved his woolen mill to this point, and, between the two mills, the town prospered for some time. A few years later, however, the treacherous Maquoketa cut a new channel and left them high and dry, which was a death blow to the city of Lowell.
Another brief existence was breathed by a town called North Maquoketa, located on the North Fork of the river by Thomas Wright and Zalmon Liver- more, who had erected a saw mill there.
In 1842 the postoffice was removed from Bridgeport and located at the point where Maquoketa now stands, then called Springfield. John E. Goodenow was appointed the first postmaster and the name of the office and place changed to Maquoketa.
The early days of the Maquoketa settlers were trying ones, although improve- ments continued to be made, until all rival towns were thrown in the background. The houses were of rude construction, especially those on the surrounding farms. Some were built in this way: A crib of rough logs was laid up, poles placed across the top and covered with prairie grass. A hole was then cut through each of the four sides of the cabin for the stove pipe, and the latter as well as the stove was changed about when the wind changed. The buildings in the city were more substantial and the fine brick building two and one half stories high, erected by John E. Goodenow and used as a hotel, presented a much finer appearance than any house for miles around. This did much for the town, for the prospective settler would often decide that the town which could afford such a hotel was the one for him to live in. It might be interesting to note here that the first frame house on the present city plat was built by Zalmon Livermore and the first brick dwelling by Daniel Rhodes.
Before the railroads were built into the town, the farm products, the princi- pal one being wheat, were hauled to Davenport, Lyons, Bellevue or Dubuque and sold, wheat averaging about fifty cents a bushel. Attempts were made repeatedly to navigate the Maquoketa River, and a steamboat was built expressly for that purpose. These attempts, however, were never successful. When in September, 1870, the Davenport and St. Paul Railroad completed from Davenport to this place, Maquoketa citizens rejoiced for it was a day for which they had long looked forward to, and now they were to see their hopes realized. On this same day, the 3d of September, the Iowa Midland, which extended from Clinton to Delmar, ran a train to Maquoketa on the Davenport tracks. From this time the town steadily prospered.
Another important event in Maquoketa's history occurred in 1873, when the county seat was removed from Andrew to Maquoketa. At the fall election in October, a spirited contest ensued. In August, 1873, a petition, signed by four hundred and thirty-nine citizens, was presented to the Maquoketa city council, stating that they would request the honorable body to lease to Jackson county, State of Iowa, such portion of the new city hall, when completed, as may be needed by said county for county court, and other public purposes of the like character ; said lease to be conditioned upon the removal of the county seat to Maquoketa in 1873, and to continue ninety-nine years or as long as Maquoketa
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shall remain such county seat. On motion, this prayer was granted unanimously. The result of the election was a majority in favor of Maquoketa of one hundred and seventy-nine.
In the meantime, work on the new courthouse had been pushed forward with great rapidity. In just ninety days from the day of breaking ground, the roof and cornice were on this substantial building. The basement had been fitted up as a temporary county jail. The first floor is set apart for county offices, and on the second floor is an excellent courtroom. The cost to the city was about fourteen thousand dollars. This was tendered to Jackson county so long as it be used for its county offices and county courthouse. The friends of Andrew, however, were not at all satisfied to have the county seat located at Maquoketa and in 1876 circulated a petition for its removal to Andrew again. This caused great agitation, and petitions, remonstrances and remonstrances were circulated and a total of four thousand, six hundred names were secured. Finally, after a careful canvass by the board of supervisors, the petition was denied, since there were two names more on the remonstrance than on the petition, and the county seat continued to remain here. The first school in the village of Maquoketa was taught in 1841 by Eunice Dennison in a small log building which had formerly been used as a root house, hog pen and blacksmith shop. This building gave place several years later to a brick building erected at a cost of one thousand dollars, and called the Maquoketa Academy. This was conducted as a private school for a number of years and Dr. Preston L. Lake, a gentleman from the east, most successfully taught the students, who came from various surrounding towns, such as Bellevue, Dubuque and Sabula. The stock- holders who owned the building finally surrendered their interests to the school board of Maquoketa and it was opened to the public.
The five acres upon which our present school building stands was generously donated by Mr. John E. Goodenow, and in 1854 a larger schoolhouse was built which should meet the needs of the growing town. This was the second academy, but it proved inadequate and insufficient. It was three stories high, the second and third stories being partitioned off into rooms for boarding pupils who came from a distance, but this did not prove a success. Finally, the third story was removed and the first and second floors made into two rooms each. But, as has been said before, this was not sufficient, and it was decided to tear the old building down and erect a new one. This building was completed in 1876 and is one of the finest structures for school purposes to be found in this part of the state. Professor C. C. Dudley was then principal of the schools.
Maquoketa is a beautiful place when the trees are leaved out, giving cool and refreshing shade in the hot summer days, and making driving and walking very pleasant. Nestling among the green and thickly planted shade trees, are well kept lawns, flower beds and many pleasant homes. It shows the taste and culture of its inhabitants, and it would be hard to find a town of its size excelling in beauty our fair little city.
WHAT MADE MAQUOKETA.
In the history of every community, it will be found that certain natural con- ditions have operated largely in making it what it is. Settlers in New England found rocky, unproductive soil, hard to till; but, on the other hand, swift rushing streams, ready to furnish abundant water power for mills. Manufacturing communities sprang up. In the southern states, the reverse conditions were true, the climate was warm, making white men disinclined to persistent effort, and a plantation owning, slave holding population was the result.
The middle west, Mississippi Valley region. in which Maquoketa is situated, is a broad, fertile prairie, probably the best farming country in the world. To this region came farmers, from the north, south and east. They were looking
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for a place to settle where conditions should be sufficiently like those with which they were familiar so that they would not be puzzled and baffled, and yet, which should be enough better to justify their change of residence. These they found in the valley of the Maquoketa River. The Virginians found large "claims," like the "plantations" of their own country ; the New Englanders-New Englanders still, though some of them had sojourned in New York before moving further westward-found rich, level ground, in place of their own stony hills, and abundant water power where they might establish their mills; the Canadians found, in addition to all this, liberty to pursue their trades unmolested, and a freedom from political anxiety, such as in the land from which they came they had never known.
It is also a very interesting and possibly significant fact that the principal colonies which settled here came from regions which, like this, are underlain by Silurian limestone. The Canadians were from Niagara and adjoining districts, whose formations, being identical with those which prevail here, give their name to our strata. Along the border of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in eastern Pennsylvania and the Shenandoah Valley, stretches a narrow area of Silurian limestone, and from just this narrow area, came the colonies which form our eastern Pennsylvania and Virginia contingents. On the eastern and southern flanks of the Adirondacks, is another restricted Silurian area which broadens west of these mountains in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties, New York ; and both of these regions, east and west, have furnished colonies for us. In the Maquoketa Valley, then, these bands of homeseekers found soil, and water, the chemical constitutions of which were just what they were accustomed to. Like all western communities, ours had a composite origin. A few early explorers from various regions, near and far attracted by the virgin region of cheap lands opened up for settlement by the extinguishment of Indian titles through the recent "Black Hawk Purchase," crossed the Mississippi and staked their claims near the "forks of the Macoquetais." Each then drew from the old home rela- tives and neighbors. They, in their turn, other relatives and neighbors, until several distinct colonies were formed, which, as generation succeeded genera- tion, blended and mingled into one homogeneous American community. Our task will be to endeavor to group present families into those old pioneer colonies and trace, as far as possible, the origin of each, and what led its founder to choose this locality for his new western home.
The treaty between the United States authorities and the tribe of Sac and Fox Indians, which opened for settlement a strip of land on the west side of the Mississippi, in what is now the State of Iowa-then a part of Wisconsin Terri- tory-and which became known as the "Black Hawk Purchase," was signed in 1832, and provided that settlement by the whites might begin June 1, 1833. An attempted settlement and occupation of the Dubuque lead mines was made by the Langworthys and others from Galena in 1832, but they were driven out by Major Zachary Taylor and soldiers from Fort Crawford (now Prairie du Chien) and Dubuque did not have legal settlement nor name until 1833. Davenport was laid out in 1836, Burlington in 1834, Fort Madison in 1835, Bellevue and Carroll- port (Sabula) in 1836. It was natural that the first emigrants to cross the river should be from Illinois, the adjacent state, where the fact of new territories being available would be first known and they were. Jerry Jonas and Alexander Reed came to Bellevue in 1834 from Galena, where the lead mines had attracted what was then the largest nucleus of population north of St. Louis. But central Illinois was then almost as thinly peopled as Iowa itself. That was a prairie region, and therefore was regarded as a wilderness. The nomads of the thirties could not exist far from timber. No settlers halted south of the Maquoketa until 1836. The first were from eastern Illinois, Edgar county, on the Indiana border -Allen W. and Soloman Pence, David Scott, Joshua Beer, Joseph Skinner, and two or three more who are not now represented-and they took claims in Mon- mouth township. They were Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio people who had not
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