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 85
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TRIPLETS TWICE.
Mrs. David Clodfelter, living on section 11, Oxford township, has twice
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
given birth to triplets. The first time was January 25, 1857-three girls, one of whom, Mary, is still living (1882.) The second time was March 23, 1865-three boys, two of whom, George and Henry, are still living, well formed and healthy.
THE TOWN OF OXFORD.
The original town of Oxford was laid out and plat recorded in the year 1868, by its proprietor, Mr. P. C. Wilcox, whose son, Mr. C. S. Wilcox, has since made two additions to the original plat, the first in March, 1872, and the second, March, 1875. McDonough's addition was added in Oc- tober, 1870, and Waterman's addition in the year 1874. The town is situ- ated on the C. R. I. & P. Railroad, 69 miles west of Davenport, and 252 miles from Chicago.
"TANKTOWN."
Before the town of Oxford was laid out, there were a few shanties erected about the tank, and occupied by the section men, and the old Catholic Church was built a year or two before that event, which occurred in 1868, the original site being upon the southwest quarter of section 21, being sixty-nine miles from Davenport, 252 from Chicago, and 105 from Des Moines, by railroad. Oxford post-office was then kept by Mr. Vaugn, on the hill, and the place was known by some people as Oxford, but by far the greater part of the people called it "the tank", which name it was called by for three or four years after the town of Oxford really existed.
BUSINESS AT OXFORD STATION.
The Oxford fournal, of December 4, 1879, said:
The shipments from this point for the last five years are shown by the following table:
TABLE OF SHIPMENTS.
1875 1876 1877 1878 1879
TOTAL.
Cars wheat
137
84
109
65
42
437
Cars oats .
7
15
11
21
15
69
Cars corn
185
130
114
148
224
804
Cars rye . .
1
3
14
16
15
49
Cars barley
5
2
11
1
2
21
Cars hogs
82
95
76
148
131
532
Cars cattle
21
34
38
45
25
163
By a glance at the above table, it will be seen that wheat-raising is steadily on the decrease, and farmers are turning their attention more to the raising of corn, hay, and stock. By feeding their grain into stock, and shipping it in the shape of pork or beef, a vast saving is made in the cost of transportation; as, for example, take four car-loads of corn, and feed it into hogs, and the same product can be shipped in one car. Tak-
47
742
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
ing this as a basis for a practical illustration, we shall find that if the 801 car-loads of corn, representing about 330,000 bushels, had been fed to hogs it would have raised 11,000 head, averaging 300 pounds, which could have been shipped in 200 cars, and would have saved to the farmers of Oxford township about $35,000 on the cost of transportation. Not only that, but the 200 cars of hogs would have been worth about $50,000 more than the 801 cars of corn; so that if our farmers had converted all the corn they have shipped in the last five years into hogs, they would have been worth to-day about $85,000 more than they are.
Messrs Young, Linberger & Co., owners of the Oxford elevator made the following shipments in 1881:
Wheat 15 car-loads.
Corn 181 car-loads.
Oats. 86 car-loads.
Rye. 27 car-loads.
Timothy-seed. 1 car-load.
This was a poor year for farmers, and hence the shipments were com- paratively light. Some shipments of hogs and cattle were made by Messrs Wolfe & Young, but no figures furnished for this year.
MILLS.
The first mill in Oxford was built by Gallager & Agate, in 1871 or '72. It was a steam mill with two run of burrs. The boilers burst and blew it up the first year it was built.
The present Oxford steam flouring-mill was built in 1874, by James Stratton; had three run of burrs, and cost about $14,000. In May, 1881, it was bought by ). W. Wilson, the present proprietor, who has added $2,000 of improvements, giving it four run of burrs, and a grinding capacity of 175 bushels of wheat per day. The largest flouring-mill in the county outside of Iowa City or Coralville.
McCreary & O'Brien started a lumber and coal yard in 1881; have about $6,500 invested. The first year they handled about one million feet of lumber, and 37,500 bushels of coal. Sales in 1881 amounted to $35,000. Besides lumber and coal, they deal also in lime, drain-tile, etc.
OXFORD BUSINESS DIRECTORY .- 1882.
George Rentz, mayor,-dry goods and groceries.
L. Harrington, marshal.
Perry Levesick, dry goods and groceries.
Rohret & Bro., dry goods and groceries.
H. Kennedy, dry goods and groceries.
John Harman, dry goods and groceries.
Sies & Johnson, dry goods and groceries.
John Spillane, groceries.
Dora Spillane, groceries.
E. A. Doty & Co., druggists.
H. A. Robinson, druggist.
J. W. Wilson, miller. [See "Mills."]
McCreary & O'Brien, lumber, coal, etc.
-
743
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
A. J. Miller, hardware and implements.
Sies Brothers, hardware.
H. McCormick, agricultural implements.
W. H. Poole, jeweler.
C. F. Doty, proprietor Doty House.
Geo. Floerchinger, proprietor Oxford House.
J. M. Templeman, postmaster, editor of the Oxford Journal.
M. W. & G. Trumble, editors of the Oxford Democrat.
[For history of these newspapers see Chapter VI .--- "Newspapers and Libraries"].
W. H. Hilborn, books and stationery.
Saxton Bros., livery.
John J. Gamble, livery. Lee Schonborn, butcher.
C. Luther, blacksmith.
Robert Miller, blacksmith.
John H. Christie, blacksmith.
Young, Lineberger & Co., grain dealers.
T. R. Ward, physician.
J. G. Henderson, physician.
Wm. Vandenburg, barber.
James H. Windren, furniture.
L. Whitford, wagon and carriage maker.
L. H. Watson, wagon maker.
Mrs. V. Rawlins, milliner.
Mrs. Eva Hartwell, milliner.
Mrs. A. L. Davis, dressmaker.
J. Douglas & Son, carpenters and builders.
A. Harrington, carpenter.
W. J. Graham, carpenter.
John Fisher, harness maker.
J. Rapp, shoemaker.
C. F. Guenther, shoemaker.
John Oxen, brickmaker.
F. X. Melecher, saloon.
George Floerchinger, saloon.
John Horner, saloon.
Mr. Cooney, saloon.
MASONIC.
Canopy Lodge, No. 290, A. F. and A. M., was instituted by John Scott, G. M .; date of dispensation June 27, 1870; date of charter June 7, 1871. The charter members and first officers were, J. H. McFarland, W. M .; E. R. Wallace, S. W .; J. W. O'Brien, J. W .; D. G. Dunham, S. D .; J. W. Clark, J. D .; Thomas Heifner, trustee; James Remley, secretary; Cyrus Carson. The present officers are: E. A. Doty, W. M .; R. J. Miller, S. W .; F. W. Sies, J. W .; J. W. Wilson, S. D .; W. H. Pool, J. D .; A.J. Miller, trustee; A. F. Bosworth, secretary; James H. Nesmith, S. S .; A. W. Davis, J. S. Present number of members 34. They meet in a rented hall. The lodge is in a flourishing condition, out of debt and has money on interest.
1
744
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
ANCIENT ORDER OF UNITED WORKMEN.
Oxford Lodge No. 124, A. O. of O. F., was instituted June 11, 1877, Dist. Dept. Grand Master Workman, R. M. Bixby. The charter mem- bers were H. McClerny, L. F. Spangler, Wm. Summerhags, John Wagner, M. V. Staley, S. M. Slouffer, F. W. Sies, Henry Humphery, J. W. Wilson, C. T. Estabrook, Geo. Rentz, J. H. Wilbur, G. H. Klenk, T. R. Word, Henry Vanderlip, A. J. Miller, John Ditto. The first officers were: A. J. Miller, past master workman; C. T. Estabrook, master work- man; L. T. Spangler, general foreman; John Wagner, overseer; S. M. Stouffer, recorder; F. W. Sies, financier; John Ditto, receiver; J. W. Wilson, inside watchman; H. Humphrey, outside watchman. Board of Trustees: G. Rentz, H. McClerny and H. Vanderlip. Examining physi- cian, T. R. Word. The present officers are: E. D. Jones, past master workman; J. E. Douglass, master workman; J. W. O'Brien, foreman; J. H. Clark, overseer; E. A. Doty, recorder; F. W. Sies, financier; A. J. Miller, receiver; H. McClerny, inside watchman; A. B. Young, outside watchman. Board of Trustees: A. J. Miller, E. A. Doty and E. D. Jones. Examing physicians, T. R. Word and J. M. Glasgow. They meet in Masonic Hall. Number of present membership, 32.
UNITED ORDER OF HONOR.
Nemora Lodge No. 3, U. O. of H., was instituted by Capt. J. A. L. Tice, March 7, 1882; date of charter the same. The charter members and first officers were, Lewis Doty, P. P .; J. E. Douglass, P .; L. Har- rington, V. P .; C. W. Staley, Rec. Sec .; L. Schomborn, financial secre- tary; E. A. Doty, treasurer; A. W. Davis, conductor; C. H. Sies, Inst .; F. W. Sies, chaplain; H. A. Cook, I. G .; A. L. Johnson, O. G .; C. F. Doty, J. M. Glasgow, H. A. Rees, M. J. Klenk, John Klenk, John Floerchinger, L. H. Watson, F. Rapp and C. H. Sies, trustees. Present officers are, J. E. Douglass, P .; J. W. Wilson, V. P .; A. W. Davis, Rec. Sec'y .; F. W. Sies, Fin. Sec'y .; E. A. Doty, Treas .; F. Rapp, Cond .; C. H. Sies, Inst .; L. H. Watson, Chap .; C. F. Doty. I. G .; Lee Schomborn, O. G .; Lewis Doty, trustee. The present membership is 22. They hold their meetings in a rented hall.
METIIODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Mr. Lewis Doty furnishes the following facts of the first church organ- ization formed in the township: It was first organized in 1852, on sec- tion 5. The original or first members were, Benjamin Williams and wife, Charles Mason and wife, and others. They held meetings in a school house. The successive pastors of this first M. E. Church, were: Rev. Jamison, Rev. S. Brooks, Rev. Bamford, Rev. Hestwood, Rev. Woolsey, Rev. Hill, Rev. James Paston, Revs. James Coates and G. W. Rawlings. The early settlers took an active interest in church affairs. This church or "class" in its time belonged to a large circuit, extending from eight
745
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
miles beyond Marengo to North Bend, and the preachers passed on horseback from station to station in a regular round. That is why they were called "circuit riders." >
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Oxford, was reorganized in 1872. Their church building is a frame and was built in 1874, at a cost of $4,000. It was dedicated Oct. 11, 1874, by Bishop Gilbert Haven. Its pastors have been G. W. Rawlings, A. V. Francis, D. C. Bevan, D. A. Waters, A. McClintock, U. B. Smith, J. G. Barton. Besides the church building, the society owns a comfortable parsonage, worth about $1,000; these are both paid for, the society is out of debt, and in good condition financially. Present membership (1882) about 130.
St. Mary's Catholic Church, of Oxford, Iowa, was organized in 1860. The Floerchingers, Reynolds, McGillicuddys, Daltons, and other families, were its original members. The first church building was a frame, erected in 1862; the second, also a frame, was erected in 1878, at a cost of about $4,000. It was dedicated in 1882, by Rt. Rev. McMullen. Its pastors have been, Rev. W. Emmonds, Rev. F. Welch, Rev. Hardin, Rev. Rice, Rev. A. T. Maynihan, Rev. Sullivan, and Rev. James Davis, present pastor. Since the first small church was erected many members have been added to the congregation, which at present numbers about one hundred families. Through the generous co-operation of the faithful, the several pastors were enabled to make many improvements to the church and surroundings, and to-day a good church and parsonage stand forth as the testimony of the living faith. Rev. James Davis, the present pastor, is a native of Killarny, Ireland. He received his early education from the priests of the Order of Mount Carmel, in his native country. From this venerable order he went to Carlow College, where he was ordained priest for Dubuque diocese, and in 1881 received his appoint- ment at Oxford. Came to America in September, 1878.
The First Presbyterian Church was organized October 8, 1870, in the old Masonic Hall, Oxford, (town). The original members were, Joel Linkhart and wife, Jonathan H. Ryder and wife, Wm. W. Howard and wife, Miss Caroline H. Howard, Wm. H. Harrison and wife, Mrs. Lucretia A. Scott, John Hutchinson, Stanley W. Smith and wife, Mrs. Clara D. Estabrook. The first church building (which is also the pres- ent one) is a frame, and was built in 1872, at a cost of about $2,700. It was dedicated in October, 1870, by Rev. S. M. Osmond, D. D. The successive pastors of this church have been Rev. A. M. Heizer, to July, 1873; Rev. David Brown, since December, 1873. The present member- ship numbers 104. The building committee were, Thomas Combe, Joel Linkhart and Charles T. Estabrook. The first year's services were held in the C., R., I. & P. R. R. depot; and then until the church building was completed, in the school house. The church maintains a flourishing Sunday school with an average attendance of about 80, and the usual
746
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
prayer meetings, &c. William H. Harrison was the first elder. He was elected and ordained, Oct. S, 1870. After him were elected and ordained, in 1871, Wm. M. Dennis and Joel Linkhart; in 1874, I. V. Waterman; in 1875, Carson A. Foster; in January, 1880, Charles H. Sies and H. A. Robinson. The present session (or official board) is Joel Linkhart, I. V. Waterman, Chas. H. Sies and H. A. Robinson.
Lutheran Church .- Rev. A. Leupp, pastor. No report received.
PENN TOWNSHIP.
February 10, 1846:
"Ordered that all that part of Johnson county contained in the following bounds, to-wit: Commencing in the middle of the main channel of the Iowa river where the north line of township 79 N., R. 6, crosses the same, thence west along said township line to the N. W. corner of said town- ship, thence north on the range line two miles, thence west one mile, thence north one mile, thence west to the west line of township No. 80, range 7 west, thence north on the range line to the Iowa river, thence with the river to the place of beginning, be and the same is hereby set apart as a civil township, to be known as "Penn township," and that the first election shall be held at the school house near Chapman's."
The above boundary included also what is now Madison township. Madison was separated and made a civil township by itself some time in 1860-but the county records of that year are entirely lost. See Chap- III, Part 3, of county history, for an account of the "Lost Record."
Mr. R. J. Geddes, clerk of Penn township, furnishes the following sta- tistics:
The township was organized in 1846. The first board of trustees were: Stephen Maynard, Jacob H. Alt and Alonzo C. Dennison. The first clerk was John W. Alt; the first treasurer was John Wilson.
The first assessor was elected in 1854. Prior to this the assessing was done by the clerk or justice of the peace. The first official meetings of the board were held in a public school house in North Liberty.
The first school house was built of logs. The neighbors got together and built it, and in 1843 it was torn down. The first frame school house was built in 1860. The entire township constitutes one school district with seven sub-districts.
The equalized value of real estate in the township last year (1881), was $174,601. The value of personal property was $31,266. The township is divided into three road districts. The levied rate of road tax in 1881 was 3} mills; in 1882 it was four mills. The total amount of road tax was $930.85.
The present officers of the township are: Isaac Myers, Peter Long, J W. Bane, trustees; R. G. Geddes, clerk; A. F. Runyan, assessor; Nathan
747
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
Owens, treasurer; Isaac Meyers, secretary of school board; W. S. Ben- nett, constable; Jacob Zeller, Nathan Owens, justices of the peace.
[Some of the tax levy items were not reported.]
The first cemetery was on G. Wein's place [no date given], and is still in use.
EARLY EVENTS.
The following sketch of early settlement incidents in Penn township was written by Mr. A. G. Ruyan, from recollections of J. B. Dennison, J. H. Alt, and others of the first families on the ground.
This township was first settled by John Gaylor and others. Mr. Gay- lor came from Illinois in the summer of 1838, and made the first claim in section 7; he afterward sold it to John Wilson and returned to Illinois, where it is supposed he died. Next came A. C. Dennison, J. B. Denni- son, George S. Dennison and John M. Headly, in 1839; A. C. and G. S. Dennison and J. Headly from Illinois and J. B. Dennison from Ohio; the other three were also formerly from Ohio. They left Illinois with wag- ons drawn by cattle [oxen]. On their arrival at this place they put up at Gaylor's, but only for a short time, for in about one week they got together enough logs to erect two cabins, which they, with the assistance of neighbors below Iowa City-namely: I. P. Hamilton and two Mr. Millers-erected in one day. A few days later they were put under roof. G. S. and A. C. Dennison occupied the cabins, J. B. living with them. Headly went to Clear Creek township and made his claim. J. B. Denni- son lives now on the claim he first made, in section 1; G. S. Dennison lives on a farm in Clear Creek township; A. C. Dennison is somewhere in Kansas.
J. B. and A. C. Dennison broke the first furrow on the farm now owned by Isaac Myers, in section 12, in 1839.
J. B. Dennison says the first death was a child of Martin Harless, and was buried on its father's claim, in section 20, the farm now owned by Alex. Koser.
The first birth of a female child was that of John Gaylor's-name of child not known. The first male child brought to the settlement was Girdon Dennison, who was three months old, son of A. C. Dennison.
The first marriage was that of Nathaniel Scales to Miss Nancy Cro- zier, on the 30th day of August, 1842. The ceremony was performed by Judge F. H. Lee, of Iowa City.
The first physician was Dr. William Crawford. It is not known for certain what became of him.
The first school was taught by Benjamin Horner, in a log cabin erected by David Crozier, in section 17. Mr. Horner now lives in Iowa City.
The first sermon was preached in Wilson's Grove, where Samuel Green now lives, in section 7, by Rev. Lineback, a Methodist preacher.
In 1840 came George Wein, John W. Alt, Jacob H. Alt, Joseph A. Alt,
748
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
Jackson Purdoo, Evan Dollerhide, Adam Alt, Ira Purdoo, Rev. Israel Clark, Martin Harless, Robert Waterson, John Aslin, Hugh Napier, David Crozier and others. Of the above named only two are yet resi- dents of this township, namely: Jacob H. and Joseph A. Alt (see biogra- phies). Carson B. and David Wray and James Chamberlin came the same year; they are now residents of Madison township. Of the others, some have died, some went farther west, and others back east.
J. B. Dennison relates that in 1842 there were some Indians making sugar from trees on the river bottom. John Aslin and Napier went down and chased them away. They afterward traded them trees on the oppo- site side of the river for a buffalo robe. Of course they went over.
The first grinding for the settlement was done at Davenport. J. B. and Geo. S. Dennison brought with them a load of wheat from Illinois and stopped there to get it ground. They were told by the miller that he could not grind it for a month. They then purchased one hundred pounds of flour, left the wheat, and George went with an ox-team in a month and got the grist. Soon after this a mill run by horse-power was erected at Wapsienonok (now West Liberty). At that time George S. Dennison was keeping as boarders James Hartman and others; they got out of bread-stuff, and 'sent J. B. Dennison to this place to mill. He bought of Mr. Clark four bushels of corn; this was put into the hopper and J. B.'s ox-team hitched to the lever and the corn ground.
In 1843, a pretty good log school house was erected in section seven. Miss Frost taught the first school in this house, at a salary of eight dollars per month, boarding among the scholars, and receiving her pay in wheat, etc. This house was used for all religious and business meetings for a number of years. In 1860 the first frame school house was erected, in North Liberty. The first school taught in this house was by either Amanda Crozier or Lemuel Wilson. Since that time others have been built. There are now seven school houses and four good church buildings in the township. The first Sunday school was organized by Jacob Alt, John Wilson, James Miller, Francis Bowman, A. C. Denison and others. A. C. Denison was the first superintendent.
In early days the settlers were of a literary turn of mind, but they had no public house to hold their debating clubs in, so they met in each other's houses. They would be largely attended, considering the few that were here at the time. It made an occasion for the neighbors to come together, shake hands, tell the news, show their ideas and capabili- ties, and get acquainted.
[See something about this in Mrs. Hamilton's " Chronicles of Clear Creek," Chapter X, Part 3 .- EDR.]
ACCIDENTS.
On the 27th day of January, 1877, S. B. Myers, while carrying away lumber from the saw mill of Chamberlin, Myers & Moreland, was drawn
749
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
into the saw by a slab, and his lower limb so mangled that amputation was necessary. Doctors Young and Stewart preformed the operation, taking the leg off three inches below the knee. Mr. Myers by the use of an artificial'limb, is able to do considerable labor.
In 1844 a man by the name of Williams, from Pennsylvania, a Welch- man, settled in the timber, (the land now owned by Cyrus Abbott, on the river) living alone in a cabin. He was not seen for about two weeks; two young men out hunting, passed by, and looking in at the window dis- covered him lying on the floor dead. They went to Iowa City and told what they had seen. Then the coroner, Mr. Ricord of the city, Jacob H Alt, Joseph Alt, and perhaps others, went to the cabin, found him as above stated, and buried him. They thought he died from sickness, as no marks of violence could be found on his person. In a barrel of cloth- ing was found sixty-seven dollars.
In 1845, near the same place, an Irishman by the name of Dean was cutting a tree to make rails; another tree had lodged against the one he was cutting, and when they fell Mr. Dean ran, but as they fell in opposite directions he failed to get far enough away, one struck him and killed him-they supposed instantly.
STONE QUARRIES.
This township has an abundance of stone, and it is noted for its non-freez- ing qualities; hence they are called the North Bend frost-proof stone. Of these quarries N. Zeller, Sen., owns the principal part of them, though the first one opened was owned by Mr. Wein, and William P. Doty of Iowa City did the work; he also was the first to open up Mr. Zeller's quarry, in 1849. Since that time an immense amount of stone has been taken from these quarries. B. Eastland is now engaged in getting out stone in one of these quarries, and George Madden in another, each of them employing a set of hands.
There are two burying grounds in this township -- one is section 17 called the Wein burying ground. The first person buried there was a child of C. B. Wray. There is another in section 1, about one and a half miles northwest of the town of North Liberty. It was established in the year 1849 or 1850, through the efforts of James Chamberlin, J. B. Deni- son, Elder Snavely, Elder Jacob Lininger and others. The first person buried there was Mary Lininger, daughter of Elder Jacob Lininger, in 1850. This ground is used by Penn and Madison townships-hence is called the Penn and Madison burying ground.
TOWN OF NORTH LIBERTY.
The town of North Liberty is situated eight miles northwest of Iowa City, and was laid off by Francis Bowman, in - -. Dr. Orrin built the first house and kept the first post-office. At this time (1882) there is one grocery store, and boot and shoe shop kept by H. A. White, present postmaster; one saddle and harness shop by John Andrle; one blacksmith
750
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
shop by John Northup; one wagon shop by A. H. Staller. There is also a steam engine of twenty-four horse power, that runs a saw mill, sorghum mill, and feed grinder, the property of George and John Andrle. Also, two churches and two school houses.
CHURCHES.
Methodist Church .- In the fall of 1841, the North Bend class (Metho- dist) was organized in a cabin on section 8, town 80, range 6. The original members were: George Wein, Mary Wein, Jacob H. Alt, Mary Alt, Maria Wray, Wm. Alt, Jane Alt. Their first church building was a frame, erected in 1853, at a cost of about $700. The lumber for it was hauled up from Muscatine with ox teams. It was dedicated in 1855 by Rev. George B. Bowman. The present membership is eighteen. The follow- ing have been their successive pastors:
Rey. C. Woolsey, '55-56; Revs. Hestwood and Banford, '56-57; Rev. Wm. Postan, '57 -- 59; Rev. J. B. Hill, '59 -- 61; Rev. J. Carey, '61 -- 62; Rev. J. A. Wilson, '62 -- 63; Rev. S. H. Thomas, '63 -- 65; Rev. J. M. Coates, '65 -- 67; Rev. J. Wild, '67 -- 68; Rev. F. C. Garretson, '68 -- 69; Rev. J. Hillhouse, '69 -- 70; Rev. D. Murphy, '70 -- 71; Rev. G. W. Rawlings, '71 -- 72; Rev. A. V. Francis, '72 -- 74; Rev. D. C. Bevan, '74 -- 75; Rev. R. A. Cornine, '75 -- 76; Rev. E. Sampson, '76 -- 78; Rev. J. Kenyon, '78 -- 80; Rev. George Story, '80 -- 81; Rev. H. F. Pugh, '81 -- 83.
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