USA > Iowa > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882 > Part 36
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Trading House No. 3 .- When Gilbert resigned his agency for the
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American Fur Company they immediately sent on another man, named Chase, to look after their business. And, as Gilbert had established him- self close up to Poweshiek's town, with Wapashashiek's town only about a mile further up the river, Chase thought he must get close enough to watch Gilbert and try to secure at least a part of the trade. So he selected a site less than half a mile south of Gilbert's, built a trading house there, and moved the Fur Company's business up to it. This was famil- iarly called "Chase's trading house," because Chase was the trader, although the Fur Company built, owned and operated it. It stood on the north- east quarter of the northwest quarter of section 2, township 78, range 6, which is in now Pleasant Valley township, while the Gilbert site is in Lucas township; and it also was composed of two twenty-foot cabins, with a twenty-foot interspace. This served as a tavern when Judge Williams held the first term of district court ever held in Johnson county-and it was here that the Judge played the fiddle for "the said prisoner" Gregg, to dance a jig, an incident which the Judge has been a little ashamed of ever since, while "the old boys" who were there have always thought it too good a joke not to tell.
Some writers of Johnson county history have talked about the " Phelps trading house," as if there had been another one by that name. But that happens in this way: A man named Sumner Phelps, brother-in-law to Wheten Chase, was a member of the " American Fur Company," so-called, and spent most of his time in going around from one trading post to another to see how the local agents were doing; what goods they were in need of, etc. Mr. Phelps came to Chase's at regular times on his round of posts, and so some folks called it " Phelps' trading house;" but Chase was there all the time; was the responsible agent in charge; he didn't own the house; neither did Phelps, except as one of a company. Chase did the trading there, and it was commonly called and known by the name of Chase's or the Chase trading house.
Their furs, peltries, etc., were mostly sent down the river in canoes, flat- boats, or keel-boats, to the great fur-trading house of Chouteau, Laclede & Co., at St.Louis. Goods suitable for the Indian and frontier trade were returned by keel-boats, which would be towed by some steamboat as far up the Mississippi as the mouth of the Iowa river, then be poled and tow-lined by men, up to the trading houses.
WHO CAME FIRST?
The first " settlers" in Johnson county came from Elkhart county, Indiana. In the fall of 1836 Philip Clark, Eli Myers and S. C. Trowbridge, all young men, started from Elkhart county on horseback, going "out west " to grow up with the country. At South Bend, Trowbridge fell sick and finally had to go back home for the winter. Clark and Myers pushed on. They traveled on horseback through Illinois to Rock Island (then Stephenson's landing), where they met with Mr. John Gilbert,
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who, learning that they sought a location, told them that he was an Indian trader from the Iowa river, and that if they would accom- pany him he would show them a country that had all the advantages they could desire. They accepted his invitation, and found Mr. Gilbert's trad- ing house located in what is now Pleasant Valley township. Mr. Myer's claim, made at that time, now constitutes the farm bearing his name, while that of Mr. Clark is now known as the Morford or Birge farm. The next step of these pioneers was to erect a "claim cabin." This means that they laid four sticks up cabinwise, making an enclosure large enough to sleep inside of; and drove a few sticks in the ground to swear by that they had " staked their claim." This, remember, was late in the year 1836 Mr. Gilbert promised to protect their claims until the next spring, so they . went back to Elkhart and reported progress. Their glowing accounts of the splendid new country started an "Iowa fever " in their locality, and it spread wide.
Myers and Clark both returned in the early spring of 1837, with their teams and plows, and accompanied by neighbors, did some breaking, and " chopped in " sod corn, potatoes, squashes and pumpkins, that is, chopped a gash through the sod with an ax and dropped the seed in there. That was the way mostly of planting the first crop-though of course some- times it would be dropped down between the sod; but here the birds and gophers were more apt to find it.
The order of earliest arrivals in 1837 was as follows:
Early in May-Eli Myers, Philip Clark, Samuel Waller, James Walker, Wm. Wilson and Eli Summy.
Later in same month came Henry Felkner, S. C. Trowbridge, Pleasant Harris and his nephew, Wm. Massey, the latter having his wife along, who was sister to the Judge's daughter-in-law, Mrs. Jonathan Harris, and likewise to the Hamilton brothers, all of whom came later.
Trowbridge had started from Elkhart about the same time the rest did. He and three other young men, George Bumgardner, David Darr and Peter Corey, had rigged up a two-horse spring wagon with roll up curtains, to frisk around and see the country. They entered Iowa at Burlington, and then visited Mount Pleasant, which was a village, and also drove through Van Buren, Jefferson, Louisa and Washington coun- ties, before coming to Johnson. Three members of this company dropped out at different places, and Trowbridge only came to Johnson county; however, Bumgardner came later, and died here.
June-During this month the arrivals were: Wm. Sturgis, George W. Hawkins, whose wife borned the first white baby in the county-a girl; Jacob Earhart, whose wife borned the first white boy baby in the county-but it was the second birth; John and Henry Earhart; John A. Cain, brother-in-law to the Earharts, and whose wife, their sister, bore the fourth child born in the county-a daughter-(or possibly the third, as the
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exact day could not be ascertained, but it was near about the same time that Pleasant Harris' son Loren was born); and S. B. Mulholland.
Fuly-No new arrivals are reported in this month except Wm. Devall and Thomas Bradley. Devall staid several years, but Bradley left the same fall, going farther west.
August-Judge Harris had gone back east, but returned this month with his wife and family, and was also accompanied this time by his son Jonathan Harris, wife and child, and his son-in-law, Isaac N. Lesh and wife. Joseph Walker, brother to the two Walkers, who came in May, arrived during this month. Samuel Bumgardner, one of Trowbridge's traveling companions, also came; and likewise Andrew D. Stephen.
Later in the season there came John Trout, E. Hilton, and a man named Schrick, scattering along. The latter lived with the Walker brothers; he soon took sick and died-and is supposed to have been the first white man who died in Johnson county. The foregoing comprises all who came to the county in 1837. Samuel H. McCrory has been published as arriv- ing in August of this year, but he did not come until March, 1838.
· FIRST WHITE CHILD BORN IN THE COUNTY.
In nearly every county it happens that there are different claimants to this distinction, and differences of opinion about it among old settlers. This historian once had five different names presented to him as the first child born in a certain township, the reports being made by seven differ- ent persons; on two of the children two agreed, while on three of them no two agreed. This occurred in Montgomery county, Iowa. In the same county, nine different weddings were reported as the "first wedding" in Walnut township. We mention these facts to show how difficult it is to get accurate information as to names, dates, etc., merely from old peo- ple's recollection, and how much patient, persevering and candid inquiry must be made before it is safe to write down in history anything positive or definite upon these disputed matters.
We have found six children claimed by different old people to have been the first white child born in Johnson county. After five months of diligent inquiry, the following appear to be the most reliable facts that can be gathered on this subject:
" First Baby," No. I .- In 1836-37 an Indian chief named Totokonock, who was prophet to the great war chief Black Hawk, had a village of 500 or 600 Indians, near where Charles Fernstrom now lives, in Fremont township. Near this place George W. Hawkins had settled early in July, 1837; and in the latter part of August of that year Mrs. Hawkins gave birth to a daughter. This child was afterward known as Lucinda Hawkins. She always claimed to have been the first white child born in the county, and once tried to have the Old Settlers' Associa- tion formally endorse her claim to this distinction; but the old people were not agreed upon it, and so nothing was done.
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" First Baby," No. 2 .- At the same time that George Haw- kins came to the county, also came John A. Cain, the three Earhart brothers-John, Henry and Jacob-Wm. Sturgis, and S. B. Mulholland. They arrived at the trading-house on the 30th or 31st day of June, and from there went out to take their pick of land, stake off claims, build cab- ins, etc. Jacob Earhart, with Nancy, his wife, settled on what is now section 22 in Liberty township; and here, on Sept. 3, 1837, Mrs. Earhart gave birth to a son, who was afterward known as Lewis Earhart. Henry Earhart was then a young man, and remembers that he was sent to get Mrs. Judge Harris to come and be with his sister-in-law during her confine- ment, as there was no doctor in the county yet, but Mrs. Harris was so heavy with child herself that she could not go. He then went to Jona- than Harris' house, and found Mrs. Jonathan Harris [nee Sybil Hamilton] and Mrs. Wm. Massey [nee Betsy Ann Hamilton] there, who both went at once to Mrs. Earhart's; but the baby was born before they arrived. Jacob Earhart, the father of this child, went to California during the "gold fever " of 1849-50-51-52, and died at Sacramento in 1852 or '53.
Shortly after his father's death this boy, Lewis Earhart, went to Indi- ana to live with relatives there-and that is why so little has been known about him as the first white boy baby born in Johnson county.
"First Baby" No. 3 .- In May, 1837, Pleasant Harris came and made a claim, which is still known as the Harris farm, in Liberty township. He went back east for his family, and returned in August, accompanied by his wife, Hannah, and younger children, and also by his son Jonathan Harris and Sybil Hamilton, his wife; and his son-in-law, Isaac N. Lesh and wife. Jonathan Harris took a claim adjoining his father's, but after- ward sold it; and it is now [1882] known as the Switzer farm, in Liberty township. Mrs. Jonathan Harris was a sister to James and Hezekiah Hamilton, now (1882) of Clear Creek township, The two Harris families and the Lesh family having arrived in August, lived awhile in their wagons, until cabins could be prepared for them. And on the 27th day of September, (a little over three weeks after Mrs. Earhart's baby was born,) Mrs. Judge Harris gave birth to a son. There happened to be a doctor named Purinton then at the trading house, so he was called to attend her, and was taken across the river in a canoe. The son born at this time to Judge Pleasant Harris and his wife, Hannah, has since been known as Loren W. Harris, and is supposed to reside near Frank Pierce post office, in Washington township.
"First Baby," No. 4 .- Early in 1837, John Gilbert, the old trader, employed Jonas M. Higley to survey and lay out a town site opposite the mouth of English river-just about where the town of River Junction now lies, in Fremont township. This was in fact the first town site laid out in Johnson county, and was called See-pee-nah-mo. John A. Cain settled here in July, 1837, his wife being a sister to the three Earhart boys;
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and in the latter part of September, Mrs. Cain gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth; but as the family had long since moved away, the exact date of this birth could not be ascertained; and whether it was a day or two before or after the birth of Mrs. Judge Harris' baby, remains unsettled.
The four foregoing "first babies" were all born within the space of about five weeks, and it was a great matter throughout the settlement that so many children were born among the newcomers in so short a time after their arrival. It shows that they were all good people, and obeyed the Scriptures, especially that part where it says, "Multiply and replenish the earth." These interesting events proved that they had good populating qualities. But the fact of main interest just now is, that each one of these four children (besides two others) has been claimed and reported as the first white child born in Johnson county. We therefore tabulate the mat- ter in accordance with the above narratives, thus:
No. 1 .- Lucinda Hawkins, born late in Agust, 1837, on section 12 in Fremont township, daughter of George W. Hawkins.
No. 2 .- Lewis Earhart, born September 3, 1837, on section 22 in Lib- erty township, son of Jacob and Nancy Earhart.
No. 3 .- Loren W. Harris, son of Judge Pleasant Harris and Hannah, his wife, born September 27, 1837, on section 22 in Liberty township.
No. 4 .- Elizabeth Cain, daughter of John A. Cain (whose wife was a sister to the Earhart brothers), born late in September, 1837, supposed on section 16 in Liberty township.
"First Baby" Number 5 .- It was reported, and believed by some old settlers, that Mrs. Jonathan Harris was mother of the first baby born in the county ; but she had a nursing babe eight months old when she arrived, and this "imported" little sucker evidently got mixed up with the "native stock" in the minds of some of the old folks. Some of them have all these years been mistakenly crediting Mrs. Judge Harris' baby to her daugh- ter-in-law.
"First Baby" Number 6 .- In addition to these children, born in 1837, we found one that was born in 1838, also being supposed by some to have been "the first;" hence we give particulars of the case as it really was.
Early in the summer of 1838, Patrick Smith moved into the claim cabin which stood on the bank of the Iowa river, in the town site of Napoleon, the first county seat. Mrs. Smith was sister to Philip Clark, and she gave birth to a daughter some time in August, 1838, in that cabin. It is remembered that her delivery was lingering and tedious; that she lay in great suffering about two days: Mr. Trowbridge had got onto his horse and started to Bloomington [Muscatine] for a doctor, but was called back by the news that the child was born. Some Indian women of Wapasha- sheik's village had heard of the " white squaw's" condition, and immedi- ately gathered wild herbs or roots from which they made a decoction and gave her to drink; and in a few minutes thereafter she was safely
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delivered. When Trowbridge was going to the stock range to catch his horse he met some of the Indian men and told them why he must hurry and get his horse and ride to Bloomington for a doctor; they told their midwife women about it-and the result was as above stated.
THE FIRST WEDDING.
This interesting and historic event occurred Aug. 17, 1838. Johnson county was still attached to Cedar for civil purposes, and "the boys " went over to Rochester, then the county seat of Cedar county, and procured George McCoy, a justice of the peace, to come and tie the double knot- for there were two weddings at once. He came to the house of Mr. Joseph Stover, in what is now Pleasant Valley township, and there at one job he married Benjamin Ritter to Miss Mary Stover, and Martin Smith to Miss Martha McLucas. Wilson Smith, a son of this last couple, now lives in Pleasant Valley township, on the very farm where his father and mother were married. So, although he was not the first boy born in the county, he was a son of the first wedding in the county.
Benjamin Ritter is still living, and resides in Iowa City.
FIRST DEATHS.
The first death and burial in Iowa City, was that of a little girl, and her grave-stone may still be read in the old or south part of Oakland ceme- tery. The inscription is: "Dedicated to the memory of Cordelia Swan, daughter of Chauncey and Dolly Swan, who died September 19, 1839, aged five years, four months, and 26 days." Mrs. Swan, the mother of this little girl, died February 11, 1847, and lies buried beside her child.
The first adult burial here was that of Samuel Bumgardner, who died of typhoid fever, November 5, 1839, and was buried at the same place, where his monument can still be seen. He was from Rockbridge county, Virginia.
The first death of an adult was that of Benjamin Miller, the man who started the first ferry in Johnson county. He took the claim where Jacob Stover now lives, near the county fair ground, and died there, October 26, 1839, aged 46 years, eight months, one day. He was buried on land where H. W. Lathrop now lives, but the body was afterward removed to Oakland cemetery, in the city.
FIRST CORONER CASES.
The first cases on record in which a coroner's jury was empaneled, are mentioned Oct. 5, 1841. I. P. Hamilton filed a claim for services of him- self and others in holding an inquest on the body of Louis E. Hartz; but the board decided that Hartz had property enough to pay all his debts and funeral expenses, and hence the county would not pay any coroner fees.
The next case was on the body of John Cain, deceased. The board decided that the cause and manner of Mr. Cain's death was well known, ៛
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and there was no need of a coroner's inquest. So they refused to pay this bill also. But the next day October 6, it is recorded that the coroner was allowed $10 for his services in the case of John Cain, deceased.
FIRST DOCTORS.
The first doctor in the county was old Dr. Teeples, who lived on Eng- lish river, in that part of the original Johnson county which was after- ward given to Washington county. Dr. Isaac N. Lesh ought to have been the first, but he wasn't a doctor at all, although the title is repeatedly given him on the county records. He had "read medicine" awhile with some physician east, but didn't like the business and never considered himself a doctor. A Dr. Morrow came next, and bought the Bumgard- ner claim, next to Capt. Irish's; he batched with S. H. McCrory awhile, but soon went down to Muscatine county, was elected clerk of the court, and ultimately died there. Dr. Henry Murray was really the first regu- lar practicing physician who came and made a permanent settlement in the county. And Isaiah P. Hamilton, who was the first county recorder, and made the first record of a deed that was ever made in the county, afterward studied medicine with Dr. Murray, and finally removed to Wis- consin.
THE FIRST 4TH OF JULY.
The "glorious 4th" was first celebrated at Gilbert's trading-house on July 4, 1837, consisting of free liquor and a "glorious drunk " all around. The new trading house (Gilbert's) had just opened for business. „Henry Felkner had brought three barrels of whisky up from Muscatine for Gil- bert, and it was his treat for all hands. The order of exercises was that every man should take his turn between drinks and make a speech, tell a story or sing a song; and as there were thirteen or fourteen men present they got a good deal [of Bacchanalian fun out of the "celebration." But the three barrels of whisky didn't all go that way. Gilbert had built his trading-house just over the then existing treaty line, on the Indians' land; and to compensate and satisfy them for this he gave them two barrels of whisky, which kept up "4th of July" in the two Indian villages for sev- eral weeks. Old Poweshiek loved whisky and was as bad as a white man for drunkenness; but Wapashashiek kept sober, and discountenanced the use of liquor as much as possible among the men of his village.
The next and more historic 4th of July celebration occurred on the ground where the State University now stands, on July 4, 1839. The new capitol commissioners, who met at Napoleon in May and decided on the location for the capital city, had appointed one of their number, Chaun- cey Swan, Esq., to go on and lay out the town. He employed Col. Thomas Cox and Gen. John Frierson as surveyors, and L. Judson as draftsman, besides a corps of assistants and laborers to prosecute the work. By the 4th of July they had made a clearing of hazel brush and small trees, and set their corner stakes as far as the spot where the capitol building was
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to be located. And here was the time and the occasion for a grand pioneer 4th of July jubilee. The officers of the day were:
President-Col. Thomas Cox.
Marshal-Sheriff S. C. Trowbridge.
Secretary-Postmaster S. H. McCrory.
Orator-Gen. John Frierson.
Reader of Declaration-(not ascertained).
By direction of Commissioner Swan a tall straight oak tree was trimmed of its branches and made to do duty as a flag pole; and here was proba- bly the first time the stars and stripes were ever unfurled to the air of Johnson county.
Jonathan Harris was then keeping tavern in the old Gilbert trading house, about four miles down the river, and the fresh cooked part of the dinner was prepared there and hauled up, although the neighbors for fif- teen or twenty miles around brought baskets of provisions with them. Wagon boxes were lifted off their wheels and turned bottom upward to serve as pic-nic tables. After dinner regular and volunteer toasts were offered and responded to in the most approved "down east" 4th of July fashion.
At proper time Col. Trowbridge and two lads, named Sihon and James Hill, pulled a wagon into a good shade for the orator to stand in, and laid a board across the wagon box for him to lay his manuscript on-a sort of improvised pulpit arrangement. The story heretofore published that the orator of this occasion stood on a whisky barrel may be very funny, but it isn't true. Mrs. TenEyck of Iowa City, and Mrs. Jonathan Harris, now residing at Montour, Tama County, Iowa, are supposed to be the. only women still living (1882) who were present at that celebration.
This was really the first general gathering of the settlers of the county in a social way, with their families, and they had great times trying to tell each other where they lived. It must be remembered there were no survey lines and no public roads by which to mark localities at this time; hence the descriptions were-"on such a stream," "beyond such a marsh," "in such a grove," "near such a sand ridge," "around such a bend," "across such a bottom," and so on till the category of native land- marks was exhausted.
FIRST SALE OF LOTS.
The survey of the new capital city had so far progressed by July +, 1839, that at the celebration on that day it was announced that the first sale of lots would take place August 18, 1839. This notice being pub- lished in eastern papers, attracted the attention and presence of many capitalists, who began arriving upon the ground some days previous to the sale. Three days were consumed by it, and the proceeds amounted to $75,000, property going off briskly and at high prices. Early in October, 1839, the second sale of lots took place, the proceeds of which amounted
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to $30,000. Immigrants now began to pour in daily, many of them living in tents until cabins could be built. The fame of the new capital of the new territory had spread through the east, and many came expecting to see a city that would rival the metropolitan centers of the older States. The territoral Legislature convened at Iowa City for the first time, Dec. 6, 1841.
The first hotel in Iowa City was a double log-cabin structure, which stood on what is now the corner of Gilbert and Brown streets. A claim cabin had been built there in February, 1839; and in June of the same year another cabin was built twenty feet from the first one. The area between them was roofed over, and used for a bar-room, and these together constituted a first-class hotel, or " tavern," as it was called in those days. Asaph Allen and G. T. Andrews were the proprietors. Andrews died, but Allen returned to Ohio, and is still living (1882).
Many scenes and incidents of pioneer life transpired at this old log tav- ern-some of them very sad, indeed, for here pioneer whisky was dealt out without any thought, or fear, or care of law to the contrary, either in the Book of God, or the statutes or constitutions of man. And whisky wrought wretchedness and mortal woe to man the same in those days as now, when indulged in as a beverage. But over such scenes as this fact calls up let us draw the veil of willing forgetfulness, hoping that they are to be re-enacted in Iowa no more forever. This old tavern site was also on the line, at the very track's edge, of the projected Lyons and Western railroad, one of those egregious frauds and swindles which were perpe- trated on the early settlers of Iowa, and in fact in every one of our western states. For particulars of this matter see our chapter on railroads of the county. Remnants of the old grade can be traced for a mile or two, even to the last dump of earth made on the river bluff, where was to commence the wonderful bridge, seventeen hundred feet long, and one hundred and fifty feet above the surface of the water. Any person who will go there now, and view the site, will see at once what crazy schemes were devised and talked up, to delude the people into voting taxes for a purely imagin- ary and utterly preposterous and impracticable promise of benefit.
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