History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882, Part 70

Author: Johnson Co., Ia. History. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Iowa City, Iowa.
Number of Pages: 980

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 70

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ELDERLY LADIES OF NOTE.

The oldest person in this township is Mrs. Mary McConnell, mother of Bryan and Isaac V. Dennis, and of Mrs. A. J. Bond; it is not from this fact alone, however, that she occupies so high a position in the respect and affection of this people, but from her forty-three years sojourn in Iowa, and nearly that in this township, where she has acted well her part as a pioneer wife, mother and friend. The following is a brief outline of the actual facts in her history: Miss Mary Ann Voris was born October 5, 1798, in Alleghany county, Pa .; was married to John Dennis, October 13, 1818. Three children of the family given them survive, and are now liv- ing in Johnson county, viz .: Bryan Dennis, born August 1, 1819; I. V. Dennis, November 13, 1821, and Adaline D. Bond, April 1, 1831, all three born in Batavia, Ohio. Her husband, John Dennis, died in 1837, and the widow and three children, the oldest eighteen, the youngest six, gathered up their household goods and started for the far west. Mrs. Dennis, with clear foresight, believing that the west was the place to develop and enrich her boys. She came to Iowa in 1839; lived a short time below the

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

city, but soon removed to what is now called the John Porter farm. There she met Mr. John McConnell, a widower with eight children, mostly grown, who lived near, and after a short courtship, married him in 1841. He lived but a few years, and when he died, Mrs. McConnell, whose son Bryan had, in 1844, married her step-daughter, Miss Agnes McConnell, made her home with her son and his wife, where she has ever since resided.

Mrs. Jane (Bell) Williams was born August 10, 1801, in Hunting- ton county, Pa .. was married in April, 1826, to Thos. J. Williams. Moved to Illinois in 1858; came to this township in 1861, where she has since resided, highly esteemed, and the virtual head of a large circle of relatives by the marriage of her children, nearly all of whom have lived in this township or county. But of late years several have moved away, and her son, Col. John Williams has died. Her husband, Thos. J. Williams, died September 13, 1873.

She has seven children now living. Col. John Williams, her oldest son was born March 27, 1827; he died from effect of disease contracted in the army, where he so distinguished himself for bravery on the field of battle, as to win promotion and highest honors. Col. Williams was emi- nently a Clear Creek man, having lived in this township for many years previous to his enlistment. His family lived in this township while he was in the army. On his return from the army he was elected County Judge, and removed to Iowa City: but when he died he was brought to Tiffin cemetery where his honored remains now lie, a man and a soldier of which this township are justly proud.

The remaining members of Mrs. Williams' family now living, are Geo. L. Williams, Shelby; Mrs. Rebecca Gregory, Mt. Vernon, Ohio; Miss Isabelle Williams, Shelby; T. Judson Williams, Nevada, Mo .; Sam'l. P. Williams, Shelby; Mrs. Sarah E. Nealy, Griswold, Pottawattamie county, and Miss Lizzie H. Williams, who has devoted her life to the care of her aged mother.

Mrs. Sarah L. Douglass is an esteemed member of the elderly ladies,

circle; particulars concerning her, will be found among the list of early

settlers.

Mrs. Mary W. Drake was born in Morris county, N. J., in the year 1801. (Her maiden name was Wolfe). She was married to Jeremiah Slaght in March, 1822. In June, 1845, they moved to Knox county, Ohio. And in June 1854 they moved to Johnson county, Iowa. In the spring of 1865 her husband died; in January 1868, she visited her relatives and friends in New Jersey and Ohio, and at the latter place was married to Samuel Drake, and remained there until his death, in 1875, after which she returned to Iowa again with her daughter and family, where she is still living. She has two children buried and four still living; Lucinda Drake, in Clear Creek township; B. E. Williams, in Iowa City; Nancy W. Doty, in Ohio; and C. P. Slaght, in Clear Creek township.

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

Mrs. Sarah [Lynn] Snyder, was born Sept. 23, 1806, in Franklin county, Pa. She is seventy-six years old the day this sketch is written. She was married Feb. 15, 1825, to John Snyder, who died Nov. 4, 1878, after they had lived together over half a century. Their family com- prised eleven children, five of whom are dead. Those living are Mrs. Susan Brown, of Tiffin; Mrs. Lucinda Cramer, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Rachel Brown, Shelby; Wesly Snyder, Shelby; J. K. Snyder, Tiffin; and Hugh Snyder, of Shelby.

Mrs. Snyder descends from the sturdy Pennsylvania stock, where large families were the rule and where they were something to be proud of- as they should be everywhere. Mrs. Snyder was one of eleven children who presented their parents with ninety-eight grand children, and she adds the beautiful reflection that never one of them made a misstep, or disgraced themselves or their parents.

Mrs. Lucy Higgins Colany was born in Washington county, Ohio, April 22, 1808. Married to John Colany, in Knox county, Ohio, Feb. 22, 1827; he died Oct. 12, 1835. Four children were given to them, all of whom now live in this township. It is something worthy of note that Mrs. Colany has reared a family -- her husband dying when her family was small-who have proven so exceptionally successful in all the pur- suits of life. Their names in order of age are, Mr. Philo Colany, Mrs. Hannah Wolfe. Mr. Charles E. Colany, and Lieut. John D. Colany. Each of these gentleman have held many township offices with credit to them- selves and usefulness to the township. Lieut. John D. Colany is the pre- sent efficient township clerk.

Mrs. Colany came to this township in 1853, with her children, and has made her home with her son-in-law, Mr. Wm. Wolfe, from that time to the present. Mrs. Colany is connected with many families in the neigh- borhood-Slaghts, Drakes, Williams, and others, besides the enlargement of the circle of relationship in the marriage of each of her four children.

FIRSTLINGS OF THE TOWNSHIP.

First religious regular services were held at Sprague's Grove, by Rev. Israel Clark, of the Christian connection; several were baptized in Clear Creek, near Douglass' mill.

First school house built in the township was on land donated by Isom Haller from his farm. The building was constructed of logs from a building on a claim vacated by J. J. Shephardson; the work being done by Bryan Dennis, S. Huston, C. Evans, Ebenezer Douglass, Virgil Lancas- ter, J. C. McConnell, J. J. Shephardson and others.

First flour ground by Coralville mills was used by Mrs. Wesley Rey- nolds.

First school house in the eastern part of the township was where Mr. A. Gilliland built a frame for a gran iry, (which is still used for this pur- pose on the farm of Mr. Ed. Craig,) and he and Mr. J. N. Headly hired a

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

young lady named Cynthia Wooster to teach a school in it, paying her $1.50 per week and board. Others sent children, paying their proportion, but the lady took sick and returned to Iowa City before her school was finished. First school house in west end of township was built on the hill opposite where J. C. Hamilton now lives. The school was taught by Samuel Dilley, at $12 per month.

First person buried in the cemetery on the farm now known as the Stage farm was Chas. Frost, a young man.

First male child born in the township was Perry Usher, son of the vil- lage blacksmith at Sprague's grove.

First persons married were Russell Spicer and Angelina Hartwell, of daughter of M. John Hartwell, Oxford. They had one child, a boy, who died at about a year old, and was the first male child buried in the Tiffin cemetery.

Among the very earliest marriages was that of Durham Sprague, aged about 23, to Jane Crawford, who was a mother before she was twelve years old.

First female child that was buried in the Tiffin cemetery was a child of Mr. Nelson Dowd; she was scalded to death with hot tea. The parents were from home, the oldest daughter preparing supper, spilled hot tea on the child's head. It was not thought to be a serious case, but the child soon went into convulsions and died.

Mrs. Sarah Douglass was the first weaver in the township, weaving blankets, flannels, jeans, etc. Every family kept sheep, carded, spun and colored the wool, and prepared it for the loom. Linsey dresses were not worn out by their first washing, and the rustic belle fortunate enough to have a fine piece of linsey considered herself highly favored and put on airs accordingly.

First physician who resided here was Dr. Crawford, of the botanic school. He lived in a little cabin on Clear creek, near where J. M. Doug- lass now lives.

First woman buried in Tiffin cemetery was Mrs. Elizabeth Moore.

Second woman buried in Tiffin cemetery was Mrs. A. J. Bond, who contracted small pox on her way to Iowa on a boat coming up the Missis- sippi river. She was taken ill immediately on her arrival, while boarding in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer Douglass; she was cared for with the unselfish kindness characteristic of " Aunt Sarah," but died. The Douglass family were vaccinated as soon as it was discovered to be small pox, and none contracted the fearful malady but the daughter, Mary, now Mrs. H. Hamilton.

John Moore built the first saw-mill in township at the site of what was long known as the Douglass saw-mill. In 1844 E. Douglass bought the property and sawed logs into lumber for many years. In 1846 he bought a horse mill, on which to grind corn meal, and in the time of high water in 1851 was the sole resource for bread, as the township was

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

shut off from mill privileges by the high water on every side, and "wait- ing their turn at the mill," was the oft told tale to the busy housewife waiting the return of her liege lord with bread stuff.

First frame house was erected by Bryan Dennis on the location of what is known as the stage farm. The building still stands.

The first brick house was erected by the same enterprising individual. He made the brick and did most of the mason work himself.

Dr. Clark was the first physician who practiced here, but he and his family lived in Squash Bend.

C. Evans of the Christian Church was the first preacher who lived with his family in the community.

Furniture was rare, even of the most common sorts. A few settlers brought a little of the most necessary, but many coming a long way in ox teams, could not be cumbered with anything but the actual necessities of life, using the most primitive and rudest articles. Tables were made of boards attached to the cabins by leather hinges. They were fastened to the wall, and hung down when not in use so as to save room. Three legged stools, and rough benches made of slabs furnished seats, while wooden pins fastened in the wall of a corner and an outside piece from one pin to the other, the pins being wound with a cord, furnished couches for the hardy pioneers that afforded as peaceful slumber as the luxurious springs of the present time. After a few years Wm. Spicer and Howard Sprague bought a turning lathe, and then furniture began to take on a certain "tone" indicative of the latent pride in all civilized people.

First justice of the peace in the township was John Hartwell, who mar- ried Samuel Hueston to his second wife, Miss Frost-a sister of his first wife. He also married Orla Hull to Mary Clark. These were among the first marriages in the township.

First regular Methodist meeting was held at Keeler's stage farm, con- tinuing for some time there, Rev. Edward Twining preaching.

Just the very first of all the first Methodist meetings, says Geo. Den- nison, were held at the house of Thomas King and that Geo. S. Dennison knows right well for King was his cousin, and lived on the east of bridge by Wm. Wolfe's residence, south side of the road, and here the little van- guard of pioneer Methodists held their little prayer and class-meetings in a little log cabin in the wilderness of unsettled Iowa, calling in an occasional stray preacher or exhorter to keep them in good heart and hope.

The first quarterly meeting held in the township was held just west of what is known as the stage farm in a beautiful grove, since removed.

Robert Hutchison was the first mail carrier in this township, carrying the' mail in a hack or on horseback, as the roads would admit, between Iowa City and Marengo.

Many are the stories told of bad roads in early times, especially during the great emigration and stage periods, when all travel was on the road. It is said the stage" passengers generally traveled on foot in bad weather,

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

carrying on their shoulders the useful rail to pry out the mired-down vehicle when occasion required.

ROADS.

J. N. Headly was the first road supervisor for this precinct, which then comprised more than four townships, and he may be pardoned for not keeping roads in as good repair as his successors have been able to do. J. R. Willis was one of a party who went twelve miles to do the first work on the state road west of Iowa City; they broke the first road bed through Folsom's hill near the Centennial bridge. Streams had no bridges in early times and had to be forded, and when the water was high people had to stay at home. The first bridges were of the rudest description-quite a contrast to these structures of the present time.

J. R. Willis used to break prairie with five yoke of large oxen. It was of common occurrence for him to leave his work and take his team to pull emigrants out of mud holes-going as far east as the space of sand from where Abrams now lives to Watson's, where it was an almost daily occurrence to find teams sunk in the quick-sand.

John N. Headly was the first actual settler in the township, and the farm now owned by Wm. Wolfe. Some one had staked out the claim, broke 12 acres and built a cabin and left the place without an apparent master, when Headly jumped the claim and settled thereon.

Mr. E. Douglass went to Burlington for first flour; also to Spring Mills, some 60 miles, for corn meal; and the meal when he got it home cost just two dollars a bushel. First barrel of flour cost $14.00; first bar- rel of salt, $14.00. The second spring after he came here they were three weeks without bread in the house, during planting season, as it was so far to go to mill. They bought store goods and mailed their letters at Bloomington-now Muscatine-and every letter cost 25 cents in coin of the realm, and people only went to the post office once in three or four months, and sometimes not so often. On one occasion "Aunt Sarah," his wife sent to Bloomington for 25 cents worth of salaratus, and when brought home it was less than a tea cup-full in quantity.

First crop of buckwheat was raised by Ebenezer Douglass and was ground in a coffee mill.

Early settlers, although deprived of many supplies from mill and store, generally were well supplied with chickens and cows, and had plenty of milk, cream, butter, eggs, poultry, venison, wild fruit, wild game, fish, honey, &c .; and with all their hardships none have complained of suf- fering from a scarcity of provisions sufficient for all necessities.

THE FIRST GRIST MILL.

Bryan Dennis relates that the first grist mill in Johnson county was built by David Switzer, in the spring and summer of 1839, and the first grist was ground some time in October. Like the mill of the gods, it " ground slowly;" and, using a very small run of burrs, not " exceeding

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

fine." It was some time before bolting reeds were attached; the process of making bread was of most primitive style; sifting the cracked corn and wheat by hand in a sieve, merely getting out the coarsest hulls; but it made good wholesome bread.

The mill was constantly crowded with grists waiting their turn. Those living nearest the mill were furnished with a peck or half bushel-some- times a bushel --- at a time, and you may be sure there was any amount of growling; but Mr. Switzer made it a rule to grind for the needy first, and supply others as fast as possible. One or two persons brought a large grist to be ground which they expected to sell at high figures to the set- tlers in time of scarcity; they were exceeding wroth under this rule, and brought suit against Mr. Switzer for not grinding, as they claimed, by turns-assuming it was a public mill, but they were defeated. The grind- ing capacity was increased; and other mills being built, the people's wants were soon better supplied. Only those who have lived for weeks and even months without breadstuff other than that pounded in a mortar by a pestle, can appreciate the luxury of the first flour and meal from the old, old mill. Like the old oaken bucket, its praises we sing, “ what pleas- ure, what comfort old memories bring."

After a time Switzer sold his burrs, bolts, etc., to the Milling Company who were building their mill at Coralville, and turned his grist mill into a saw mill. Before these mills went into operation, and during the time they remained unbuilt after having been burned down-these were the times of hardship of getting flour and going a great distance to mill spoken of in these papers. Many went to English river mills, provided to stand a seige "waiting for grist;" Many took quilts and robes for bed- ding, feed for team, and provisions for driver, and were gone three or four days at a time.

Archibald Gilliland sent to Cedar Rapids for flour; crossed Iowa river at a point near where Roberts' ferry is now located, when the river was frozen in the winter, or lo :. enough to ford in summer. All other times went by way of Iowa City, a distance of nearly forty miles.

The first milling done in Iowa by Geo. S. Dennison and wife had pecul- iar circumstances and peculiar results. George and Joseph Dennison- brothers, then living in Penn township-had broken prairie together dur- ing the summer, doubling on teams so to do. Joseph had still a farm in Illinois where he had raised wheat that summer, 1843. In the fall George took his own teams-five yoke of oxen-and went to mill, going first to his brother's farm in Illinois to get the wheat; returned to Iowa at Rock- ingham, a small place three miles below Davenport, now deserted and for- gotten, but then of some account from its mill. Near the place one of the wagons loaded with loose wheat in wagonbox was upset in the dry sandbed of a creek, and a vexatious delay for reloading was had. When he got to the mill he found it full of grists, for three weeks ahead, so he

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

left the wheat and came home. Mrs. George Dennison had been pros- trated with the malignant type of ague common to early settlements; and hoping that a change would break it up, took his wife in an ox wagon to Bloomington [Muscatine]; left her there; went to Rockingham, got his grist, returned for his wife who was still no better, and set out for home. A severe cold rain set in, completely drenching them in an open wagon. Mr. D. cut grass with his pocket knife to shelter the flour; for in those days of scarcity and with all the trouble they had to get it, they preferred to suffer themselves rather than let the flour get wet. They camped in the open prairie with no shelter from the bleak skies but a quilt or two brought with them. It turned severely cold in the night. In the morning their quilts and even their clothing was frozen hard and they barely escaped freezing themselves. Mrs. D. was in the last stages of despond- ency, and begged her husband to leave her on the prairie to the mercy of the wolves, as she was growing weary of life and suffering. George dryly remarkes-" couldn't afford to do it, you see; women were too scarce in those days-particularly women like mine." Strange to say, Mrs. Dennison's ague left her from that hour, and she has never had it since. She does not recommend her " ague cure " for general use, how- ever, as the remedy was worse than the disease. It would have killed any woman who had not a strong will power and iron constitution. Yale Hamilton, who when he first came to the county, lived three miles below Iowa City on the west side of the Iowa river, used to take his wheat to Wapsenonock to a horse mill, a distance of twenty miles. There are told by those of his family still living many incidents of hardship and privation. No necessity of civliized life was so dear and hard to get as salt, and settlers always boiled down the brine on shipped pickled pork-often rusty-and dried the salt for cooking purposes. Yale Hamilton once went fifteen miles for a pint of salt.

The first crop of buckwheat-thirty-seven bushels-was ground in a coffee mill. The buckwheat was kept on large slabs of bark, peeled from trees and dried to use as boards, they were placed over the rafters of the log cabin home near the fire place where it would keep dry; and the boys had to keep the mill going by turns nearly all the time.

The first dry goods ever brought to Johnson county, Charles Berryhill brought in a trunk," which for lack of room in the days of large families and small houses, was kept under the bed; and when people came to trade at the new store the trunk was hauled out and merchant and patron knelt beside it and displayed and examined goods with possibly as much satisfaction and sharp bargaining as is involved in such transactions now-a-days. Ber- ryhill afterwards built a log house near by where he had his store; traded much with the Indians [See under head of "First District Court in Iowa

*This must be a mistake, for John Gilbert and Wheton Chase both kept trading houses in Pleasant Valley township long before Berryhill came to the count v. It is a great pity that no define tdate is given to any of these supposed "first things."-EDITOR.

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

City], and made money, as did all store keepers in those days. This building being burned down, he went to Iowa City into the same business, and prospered exceedingly; but finally became insane and died.

People who groan over hard times and low prices for products should remember the experience of early settlers, who sold wheat at twenty-five cents per hundred pounds, and sold dressed pork for $1.50 per hundred pounds.

The Clear Creek Woolen Mills were built in 18-, by E. Stickler on the site of the saw mill built by David Switzer. There almost every variety of flannels and woolen cloth was manufactured, which soon acquired a rep- utation that commanded better prices than similar goods of eastern man- ufacture, and the merchants who controlled the sale of this cloth did a flourishing business. In 18-, Mr. Stickler had an offer from Kansas of a partnership and enlargement of business, that was very profitable, which he accepted, and removed the machinery of the woolen mills to that place, whither he removed with his family, and where he is still living.

The only stone quarries in the township belong to Hon. Geo. Paul, and are of limestone similar to those in Penn township. At a depth of thirty- five feet from the surface the layers are found, by drilling, to be three feet thick.

The cheese factory of Mr. E. Abrams is located on the farm formerly known as the Seymour farm. In 1866 he commenced operations in part- nership with Mr. E. T. Seymour. The following year he bought Sey- mour's share and has continued in the business ever since, milking forty to fifty cows. His cheese finds ready sale at prices ranging from fifteen to twenty cents per pound. The lowest price was in 1877, when it was sold at from six to eight cents per pound.

NOTABLE EVENTS.

Among the notable events of later years was the silver wedding of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Bond, April 4, 1876, on which occasion there were 300 invited guests.

March 17, 1878, Mrs. Booher, a widow lady living near Tiffin, died very suddenly. She had been very ill of typhoid fever, but had recovered so as to be able to be about. On the day of her death, her daughter was married. Soon after the ceremony Mrs. B. complained of being weary · and in a few moments she was dead. It was a great shock to the wed- ding guests as well as to the entire community.

In June, 1877, there was organized a temperance society known as the "Blue Ribbon Brigade." Its first officers were: Mr. E. Abrams, presi_ dent; Rolla Johnson, vice-president; J. K. Snyder, secretary; Mrs. A. J. Bond, treasurer ; Mrs. Mary A. Hamilton, Dr. Brown and Henry Abrams, executive committee. This society has continued in active organization up to the present time, September, 1882.

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

Much Mormon emigration passed through this township on its way to Salt Lake in 1848-9. Procuring their outfit of hand carts, etc., in Iowa City, they generally made their first camp nine miles from that place, on Buffalo Creek near the county bridge. Their camp was a place of resort for people here, to note the singular habits and outfit of this deluded peo- ple. On one occasion three young girls were discovered to be dissatisfied and parties assisted them to escape from the Mormon company. One of the girls returned to England, the other two married and settled in Iowa.

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History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882, Part 70

Author: Johnson Co., Ia. History. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Iowa City, Iowa. Number of Pages: 980

Author: Johnson Co., Ia. History. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Iowa City, Iowa.
Number of Pages: 980