USA > Iowa > Jones County > History of Jones County, Iowa, past and present, Volume I > Part 28
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1875-Trustees: Lyman Osborn, William Eckler, William Donahue; clerk, J. D. Barnhill ; constables : Orrillo Green and William Johnson.
1876-Trustees : Lyman Osborn, W. N. Tippett and William Eckler; clerk, C. W. Hawleym; assessor, E. E. Brown; justice, J. D. Barnhill; constable, Joseph Hanna.
1877-Trustees : Lyman Osborn, W. N. Tippett, W. G. Donahue; clerk, J. F. Lee; assessor, E. E. Brown.
1878-Trustees : Lyman Osborn, William Eckler and James McDaniel; clerk, J. L. Hall; assessor, E. E. Brown ; justice, J. D. Barnhill.
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1879-Trustees : William Eckler, J. Z. Mackrill and James McDaniel; clerk, D. W. Russell; assessor, John Dennison; justices, Richard Hayner and John Dennison ; constables, P. F. Brown and W. B. Mackrill.
1880-Trustees : William Eckler, James McDaniel and G. A. Hanna; clerk, D. W. Russell.
1881-Trustees : William Eckler, E. E. Brown, J. F. Lee; clerk, D. W. Rus- sell ; justice, John Dennison ; constable, T. K. Paul.
1882-Trustees : J. F. Lee, William Eckler and E. E. Brown; clerk, D. W. Russell.
1883-Trustees : W. N. Tippett. William Eckler and E. E. Brown; clerk, D. W. Russell.
1884-Trustees : W. N. Tippett, William Eckler and E. E. Brown; clerk, D.
W. Russell.
1885-Trustees : C. W. McMaster, William Tippett and James Scroggie ; clerk, T. K. Paul.
1886-Trustees : C. W. McMaster, James Scroggie and W. N. Tippett ; clerk, T. K. Paul.
1887-Trustees : James Carpenter, William Tippett, C. W. McMaster; clerk, Robert Scroggie; assessor, James Scroggie.
1888-Trustees: C. W. McMaster, W. N. Tippett, J. L. Carpenter ; clerk, R. A. Scroggie.
1889-Trustees : C. W. McMaster, J. L. Carpenter and Allen Duke; clerk, J. F. Cohoon ; justices, John Herrington and I .. L. Gee; constables, J. B. Hutton and Charles Herrington.
1890-Trustees : Ahab DeWitt, C. W. McMaster and H. A. Duke; clerk, Lyman Osborn ; assessor, J. L. Carpenter; justice. L. L. Gee; constable, J. F. Cohoon.
1891-Trustees : I. N. French. Ahab DeWitt, H. A. Duke; clerk, Harbison Orr; assessor, John Dennison; justice. John Dennison.
1892-Trustees: I. N. French. Ahab DeWitt, D. H. Orr; clerk, H. Orr; assessor, John Dennison.
1893-Trustees : Ahab DeWitt, I. N. French, D. H. Orr; clerk, Harbison Orr; assessor, John Dennison.
1894-Trustees: I. N. French, Ahab DeWitt, D. H. Orr; clerk, H. Orr; as- sessor, John Dennison.
1895-Trustees : W. H. Orr, Ahab DeWitt, and I. N. French; clerk, H. Orr; assessor. John Dennison.
1896-Trustees: I. N. French, William Fletcher and W. H. Orr; clerk, Harbison Orr; assessor, John Dennison.
1897-Trustees : J. F. Russell. William Fletcher and W. H. Orr; clerk, H. Orr; assessor, Michael Lawless; constable, Nathan Watters.
1898-Trustees: James Hamilton, J. F. Russell and William Fletcher ; clerk, H. Orr.
1899-Trustees : James Hamilton, John F. Russell and William Orr; clerk, J. R. Kennedy.
1900-Trustees : J. A. Hamilton, W. H. Orr and E. A. Green; clerk, J. R. Kennedy ; assessor, Michael Lawless.
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1901-Trustees : J. A. Hamilton, E. A. Green and W. H. Orr; clerk, J. R. Kennedy ; assessor, Samuel Orr.
1902-Trustees: J. R. Reid, J. A. Hamilton, E. A. Green; clerk, J. R. Kennedy.
1903-Trustees : E. A. Green, J. R. Reid and J. A. Hamilton; clerk, J. R. Kennedy ; assessor, Sam Orr.
1904-Trustees : B. W. Streeper, J. R. Reid and E. A. Green; clerk, J. R. Kennedy; assessor, Sam Orr.
1905-Trustees : B. W. Streeper, L. E. Mead and E. A. Green; clerk. J. D. Neelans; assessor, Joe Orr.
1906-Trustees : B. W. Streeper, L. E. Mead and E. A. Green; clerk, J. D. Neelans; assessor, Joseph Orr.
1907-Trustees : John A. Orr, James R. Kennedy, B. W. Streeper ; clerk, J. D. Neelans; assessor, Joseph Orr.
1908-Trustees : B. W. Streeper, J. A. Orr, J. R. Kennedy ; clerk, J. D. Nee- lans ; assessor, Joseph Orr.
1909-Trustees, James Lowham, J. A. Orr, J. R. Kennedy; clerk, John English ; assessor, Joseph Orr.
FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP.
(The following excellent history of Fairview township, and of its towns and institutions, was written and prepared by Mr. J. E. Remley of Anamosa. The people of this township, and readers of this history, now, and in future years, will gratefully acknowledge their gratitude to Mr. Remley for the splendid service he has rendered to the present generation and to posterity. The history is well written, shows the untiring labor of careful research, and will be found valuable both as a record and as a reference. For this kind service in behalf of the history of the Jones county by Mr. Remley, the editor adds his appreciation.
-THE EDITOR.)
Fairview township is situated in the western tier of townships in Jones county, Iowa, with Cass township on the north, Jackson township on the east, Greenfield township on the south and Linn county on the west.
In early days about two-thirds of the area was in timber, mainly oak of the best quality. Along the rivers were heavy forests containing thousands of cords of wood. Now most all the timber has been cut and the land placed under cul- tivation. What once was a forest is now a fine well improved farm, worth from one hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars per acre. A few years ago the farmers used wood for fuel but now since. wood has become so scarce a large number use coal, which is transported from the towns. Cord wood is worth in the market from five to six dollars and fifty cents per cord.
The soil consists of a rich black loam with a clay soil and is especially adapted for raising corn and all small grain. The north half of the township is rolling
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with few clay hills, while the south half is much more level. There is but little non-tillable land in the township.
The Wapsipinicon River enters at the northwest corner of the township and runs in a southeasterly direction, and enters Jackson township near the center of the township line. Buffalo creek enters a little west of the center of the north line of the township, running in a south and southeasterly direction, uniting with the Wapsipinicon just west of the city of Anamosa. The township is well drained and has very little low wet land which is not subject to be cultivated.
There is one city, one town and one village in this township. Anamosa is a city of the second class, the county seat of Jones county and an active, progres- sive business center. Stone City is a small unincorporated town without officials. The large quarry interests are its chief importance. The village of Fairview is one of the oldest settlements in the county, situated four miles from Anamosa on the old military road to Martelle. This old village and land mark is gradually declining as no improvements are being made and in time no doubt the hamlet will be eliminated.
1909 ASSESSMENT.
There are twenty thousand, six hundred and ninety-six taxable acres of land outside of Anamosa, with a net actual valuation of nine hundred and forty-seven thousand, two hundred and forty-four dollars accruing to the assessed valuation for the year 1909.
The total moneys and credits given to the assessor for the year 1909 in Fair- view outside of Anamosa was one hundred and six thousand, four hundred and thirty-two dollars.
The following is a list of the number and actual assessed value of the cattle and hogs in Fairview township as reported by the assessor for the year 1909:
No. Actual Value.
Colts, I year old
104
$ 3,332
Colts, 2 years old
85
4,424
Horses, 3 years old and over
490
26,326
Stallions
5
2,600
Mules and asses
9
504
Cattle in feeding
20
404
Heifers, I year old
314
3,876
Heifers, 2 years old
208
3,546
Cows
1054
25,972
Steers, I year old
204
3,304
Steers, 2 years old
79
1,896
Bulls
45
1,722
Swine, over 6 months old.
2440
13,049
Sheep, over 6 months old
283
975
COMPARATIVE MARKET PRICES.
The following prices were paid at Anamosa, Iowa for ear corn, oats, barley and wheat during the month of June, 1907, 1908 and 1909:
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BIRD'SEYE VIEW OF ANAMOSA TAKEN TWENTY YEARS AGO FROM IOWA STATE REFORMATORY LOOKING SOUTHWEST (Copyrighted 1906 by M. M. Mott)
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JUNE 1909.
Ear Corn
$0.75
Oats
.55
Barley
.65
Wheat
1.15
JUNE, 1908.
Ear Corn
$ .75
Oats
.46
Barley
.40
Wheat
1.00
JUNE, 1907.
Ear Corn
$ .50
Oats
.41
Barley
.50
Wheat
.75
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF ANAMOSA AND FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP.
From a letter to Mr. Edmund Booth from Gideon H. Ford of Webster City, Hamilton county, this state, under date of October 4, 1872, we quote the following in regard to the early settlement of Anamosa and Fairview township: "The first settlement of Buffalo Forks was commenced in April, 1838, by George Russ and Sherebiah Dakin, from the state of Maine. They laid claim to sections 2, 3, 4, one-quarter of 9 and one-quarter of 10. There were with them John H. Bart- lett, wife and child, also a man named Smith, another named Carpenter and David G. Dumars. These came in the spring of 1838. Three of the above died that season, viz., Russ, Smith and Carpenter. Dakin was a millwright; worked in Dubuque. Then came George H. Russ, son of George Russ.
"I arrived at Dubuque on the 22d day of October, and fell in with S. Dakin. He was going to Buffalo Forks next day, and asked me to go with him. He wished to sell his interest in the claim. So, in company with Timothy Davis, we started for the Forks, arriving next day in a snow-storm, the snow three inches deep. I bought Dakin's interest in the claim for one thousand dollars. Young Russ held his father's share. Young Russ soon got homesick and I bought his share for five hundred dollars. I then sold two-thirds of the claim to Davis and Walworth for two thousand dollars. This was in January, 1839. We com- menced building the mills next spring. John H. Bartlett, I am told, is now living in Dubuque."
Mr. Edmund Booth writes: "I arrived at 'the Forks,' as they were familiarly termed-meaning Buffalo Forks of the Wapsipinicon, often abbreviated to Wap- sie-in August, 1839. If I remember aright, it was on the 18th day of August. I had reached Dubuque from the East some days previously, and made inquiry for George H. Walworth. I was referred to Timothy Davis; sought and found him in his little lawyer's office on Main street. He informed me he was a part- ner of Walworth, and that the latter was at the 'Buffalo Forks of the Wapsi- pinicon.' He proposed to let me have a horse which he wished to send to the Forks, and suggested the next day for starting; distance, forty miles. He in-
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formed me that a new road, known as the United States Military Road, was being laid out to the Forks, and seemed to apprehend no difficulty about the way. This Timothy Davis was, some years later, member of the Lower House of Con- gress for Iowa. He died about a year ago, of paralysis (1872). He was a lawyer from Missouri, a man of good intellect, clear head, and at the time, 1839, the best lawyer in Northern Iowa. His nature was ever kindly.
"In the course of one evening, after seeing Mr. Davis as above described, he called on me at Tim Fanning's log tavern, the only hotel in Dubuque, and informed me that two men would start next morning for Iowa City, then just laid out as the capital of the Territory of Iowa. They were going to attend the first sale of lots. Next morning we started accordingly. The name of one of the men was Bartlett-whether the Bartlett mentioned by Ford or not, I do not know; but judge not, as he did not appear to have any knowledge of the road, nor did he mention aught to lead one to suppose he had acquaintance with the locality of the 'Forks.' The name of the other man I have forgotten; but he was a blacksmith of Dubuque. For the journey, I had a large, strong horse, not spirited, but good. The two men were mounted on ponies. They rode at a continual slow trot, the natural pace of a pony. My horse taking longer strides, I allowed them to proceed some distance, and then a trot brought me up to them. And so it was all the way.
"As before said, the military road was being laid out, Congress having ap- propriated twenty thousand dollars. We found a newly broken furrow along one side of the road, which, by the way, was merely a track through the grass of the prairies, and a mound of turf raised three to four feet high at intervals of a half mile, more or less. At about noon he reached the house of Mr. Hamilton, two miles or so before reaching Cascade. Here we took dinner and fed the horses. There was only a woman-probably Mrs. Hamilton-in the house, and they had a small field in cultivation, no larger than a garden to appearance. The man was away. Continuing on, we soon reached Cascade. South of the river (North Fork of the Maquoketa) was a log cabin belonging to Mr. Dulong, an urbane Kentuckian. North of the river was the unfinished frame hotel of Mr. Thomas, and these were all the buildings of the place. Mr. Dulong was an elderly man, apparently forty to fifty years of age. He died some years since. Continuing on, it began to grow dark before we reached the timber of the South Fork of the Maquoketa.
"Passing through the timber, the new road being pretty good, the light from the chinks of a log cabin at last gave us assurance of human habitation, and a chance for a night's lodging. It proved to be the dwelling of Daniel Varvel, situ- ated on the South Fork of the Maquoketa, and where is now a portion of the town of Monticello. On the maps of the place, it is designated as Monticello. Reaching Varvel's, he put the horses in a stable, near by-a log stable, by the way, with a loft above for hay. In the house were some dozen or fifteen men, in the employ of the U. S. government contractor, and engaged in laying out the Military Road. They had come thus far with the work. Varvel prepared supper. He was at that time wifeless, and no woman in the house. Supper of ham and eggs, corn dodgers and coffee. Breakfast, ditto, the next morning, eaten with a hearty relish after such a long ride. No beds for us with this
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crowd. After an hour's talk, Varvel took the lantern and led the way to the stable. We mounted the ladder outside, and with our saddle-blankets for cov- ering, slept on the hay (we three) till morning, the horses feeding and resting beneath us. And this was my first night in Iowa after leaving Dubuque. A word here about Varvel. He was from Kentucky; married some years after this, our first meeting; with George H. Walworth he laid out the town of Monticello, south of the river.
"His children grew up and removed further West. He followed them a few years since, and I do not know whether he is living or dead. After breakfast, we left Varvel's, as the place was called until Monticello was laid out and named. The road was tolerably well marked by wagons. About noon that day we found the only plowed land we had seen after leaving Dubuque. This second piece of plowed land, then just broken, consisted of five acres, the claim belonging to David G. Dumars, and the identical ground on which the county fair has been held for some years. Passing by this, and when about the intersection of what is now Main and High streets, Anamosa, a large-sized man came lazily along the road toward us. We stopped and made inquiry. He told me to take a road to the right a few rods further on. That man was David G. Dumars. He went on toward his breaking; and, bidding good-bye to my two companions, who were bound for the new capital of the Territory and prospective wealth through the purchase of town lots, I turned into the road to the right. A mile and a half brought me to the log cabin referred to in G. H. Ford's letter, the body which had been built by Russ & Dakin. Here I found G. H. Walworth, who was an old acquaintance and about fifteen to twenty other persons engaged in building a dam and saw-mill. The day was Sunday, and the people scattered, some read- ยท ing, some lounging about, some gone to 'the Prairie,' as the settlement south of the timber was called. That settlement then consisted of eighteen log dwellings. and extended along the south border of the timber from Highland Grove to Viola ; of course, these two latter names not being given till years afterward. I have related my journey as above merely to convey some idea of the aspect of the country, buildings, etc., and have named every dwelling we saw after leav- ing the little hamlet of Dubuque.
"I give here a list of the early settlers of the township; most of the list was obtained from John G. Joslin, ten years ago: Clement Russell and family ar- rived in July, 1837 ; John G. Joslin and family, in August, 1837; Ambrose Parsons and family, in May, 1838; Benonia Brown and family, in October, 1838: I.a- throp Olmstead and family, in April, 1838; James Parsons, with his son Silas, in April, 1838; John Leonard and wife arrived in the autumn of 1838; Calvin C. Reed, in 1838; Gideon H. Peet, in the spring of 1839; Henry Van Buskirk, in the spring 1839; Samuel Kelly. in 1838; Edmund Booth, in August, 1839; Henry Booth, in May, 1840; Col. David Wood, in June, 1840."
MRS. PEET'S LETTER, 1842.
Copy of Mrs. Abigail Peet's letter to Mrs. Philip Burlingham of Cortland, N. Y., from where the Peets had emigrated to Jones county. Iowa, in 1839.
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PAMEHO (FAIRVIEW), March 19, 1842.
DEAR DAUGHTER: I improve this opportunity to write and inform you that we are all enjoying very good health at present and hope to hear the same from you. We have had a light winter in comparison to what we used to have there. We have not had snow to hinder anyone's going into the woods to draw rails or timber anywhere they please. It has been all gone as much as four or five weeks, and is now very warm.
Our folks tapped our sugar trees last Monday so we could make our own sugar. We have made eighty-five pounds and they think they shall have syrup enough by night to make up the one hundred. I think it is as nice as we ever made. Gideon and Julius are both making for themselves.
The tops of the wheat is killed considerable but your father was over to it this morning and he says it is sprouting up thick and the ground is dry enough to go to plowing. Tell Philip if he was only here to begin his Spring work he could not help being highly delighted. I little thought when I left you that it would be so long before I saw you again, but I begin to fear that you will wait so long to get a great price there, that you will lose more here by having the best chances taken up that are convenient to timber and water, etc. It is a great chance for making a little money go a great ways in buying good land.
There is an abundance of excellent prairie and considerable timber land not taken up yet that can be got at the land office for one dollar and twenty cents per acre. Anyone would be very foolish to chop and clear land here when there are thousands and thousands of acres already cleared; and no stump roots or stones to molest you, but there is plenty of excellent stone in the timber and in ledges along the water courses. Your father often used to say he would like to have the stone by itself and the land by itself ; he now has his wish.
They say there is a ledge about two or three miles from here on the bank of the river that rises twenty or thirty feet high and appears to be in regular layers. Some of the men have dug out some to use about buildings which they say is very beautiful stone, others say that it is a quarry of Turkish marble but how it will turn out I cannot say.
Julius is pleasantly situated and has a nice little black-eyed wife, she is young -will be eighteen next August, but she seems to understand business very well and keeps things snug. Martin went to board with them soon after they com- menced housekeeping and is there now. Your father often says that he would rather have Julius' place than his old farm and I do not think Julius would trade if he could, to go back there to live; he has one hundred and sixty acres which cost two hundred and forty-five dollars.
I have made fifty-five cheeses this last season, and the boys took thirty of them to Dubuque and sold them for a shilling per pound, then bought three kettles to make sugar in, also one dish kettle for six pence per pound, four pairs of men's high shoes for twelve shillings per pair. Your father says they are the best shoes he ever had.
Pork and grain are very cheap here now.
Philip, I will write a little to you. If you cannot sell to get all of your money down, leave it in good hands where you can depend upon it when promised, get what you can, and sell off your stock, they will bring cash at some price. If you
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should leave any in that way, get the man to deposit the money in some good permanent bank and get a certificate of deposit and have him send it to you. There is a farm that lies between Martins and ours with some people living on it who have paid for two eighties and have a claim on a considerable more. I hear they have borrowed the most of the money to pay for it, so we think it might be sold pretty reasonable. There is another one of the same family that lives the other way between Gideon and us which if you could get would suit you, but I do not know as he would sell, there is no danger however, but what you could suit yourself. I would not advise you to buy land of any man there that owns land here, for the chance is as good for you as it is for others. We have not the money now but we calculate to help you all as fast as we can. There are sev- eral men owing, of whom we can get nothing but work, so we thought it best to have a little more house room; they got out and hewed the timber for it week before last. We calculate to build a room on the east end of this eighteen by twenty, then a back room the whole length of the house for bed rooms and other conveniences. Gideon got out the timber the same week for his house, twenty by thirty-two, I believe.
If you come you had better get a good strong wagon and team that is stout and true, and if you could, get another good horse, and strong light wagon for your family if Harvey should come with you. It is best to have two in company, if anything should happen you could assist each other or if any of your friends wish to come tell them they had better start, for if they once get here they cannot help being suited. You will have to travel through a great many places that you will not like and many more that you will like but if you can get here and buy land as good as the best at ten shillings per acre it will pay all.
I think there is as little complaining of sickness here as I ever knew in any place, but I think it would be a good plan to make a jug of syrup such as I made when I was at your home, and get some boxes of Persian pills, a box or two of Davids plasters, they are very valuable.
I wish you could get me a patent wheel head. I cannot hear of any here, but they say they make wheels of both sorts a few miles from here.
I want you to write immediately and let us know your calculations.
I remain your ever affectionate mother, ABIGAIL PEET.
WILD GAME IN FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP.
At the present time there is but very little wild game in Fairview township and the hunter and sportsman has very little game to hunt. What game there is consists of a small variety, such as rabbits, squirrels, a few prairie-chickens and wild ducks. On account of the stringent laws protecting the quail quite a num- ber have accumulated until it is a common occurrence to see a small bevy along the road-side.
The Anamosa Eureka under date of October 28, 1909, published an article entitled "A Realm of Paradise" which vividly sets out the conditions of the early game of Fairview township, which is as follows:
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
A REALM OF PARADISE.
A Few Experiences in Hunting and Fishing in the Early Times.
"In a recent interview with Mr. Hiram Joslin, who landed in Jones county. Aug. 27, 1837, he narrated some of the experiences of himself and other members of the family. In those days deer, elk, wild turkeys, etc., were very plentiful everywhere, particularly in the 'Big woods.' as the Wapsie timber belt was called. Mr. John G. Joslin, the father of Hiram, Clark, Harrison, Daniel. Thurston and their sisters, we remember well as a great hunter, and many a deer, elk and wild turkey fell before his unerring rifle. All the boys, and, in fact, most of the old settlers were more or less given to exploits of this character. Mr. Hiram Joslin claims the honor of having shot the biggest dear ever killed in the county. Mr. Miles Russell, another old hunter remembered by a few, was with Mr. Joslin at the time. They were one and a half miles northwest of Fairview when Hiram finally brought down the big buck. The buck's mate was with him and was fol- lowed a short distance and shot. the ball cutting a big artery. Hiram then went home, southeast of Fairview, hitched a yoke of oxen to a sled and, with his father accompanying him, drove two or three miles, loaded up the game and hauled it in. The buck weighed over four hundred pounds, and in all probability, as Mr. Joslin says, was the largest ever captured in this locality. Hiram gave the skins to his father, who had learned from the Indians the art of dressing and tanning them for clothing, which we remember to have seen worn frequently. Mr. Joslin said the buckskin suit was 'a little sticky when wet but lasted long- too long, sometimes, to suit him.'
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