USA > Iowa > Jones County > History of Jones County, Iowa, past and present, Volume I > Part 69
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"On July 27, 1839, there came into this township an emigrant band, composed of fourteen persons, counting men, women and children, and they came to stay. They came as pioneers, as an advance guard of what was to follow. They looked upon this valley covered with tall and luxuriant grass, they noted the crystal waters of these pebbled streams, correctly estimated the fertility of the soil, and anchored their prairie schooner beneath the shade of this adjacent grove, and became the sovereign lords of Wyoming township. They were sheltered in that primeval bower and charmed with birds' enchanting song. Mrs. Lillie's house now stands where was first pitched the tent that covered the first civilized man that made this valley his permanent home. That majestic tree standing in the street in front of Mrs. Lillie's (now Mrs. J. A. Griswold's) with its massive trunk, proudly waving its branches in the breeze, was not there then, but it made its appearance as a tiny sprout in 1842. From what it germinated no one knew, but there it stood a feeble plant. It was run over and neglected, but grow it would. Year after year, concentric circle after circle has been added to its growth, till now at thirty-six years of age (1878) its circumference, nine inches above the ground, is nearly seventeen feet, indicating a diameter of almost six feet. (In October, 1909, its circumference, nine inches above the ground, measured twenty-two feet.) Its branches cover an area of more than four times the size of this house (what is now the German church). Men cross a continent to view with wonder and admiration, the large trees found in the Yosemite Valley, the growth of unknown ages. Men will climb far famed Mount Lebanon and look with amazement and awe upon the large cedar thereof, the largest being sixty- ty-three feet in circumference, and is supposed to be two thousand years old. This tree in our streets is a greater wonder. It has grown about two inches in diameter annually, and if it should continue at the same rate, at the end of two thousand years, it would be nearly four hundred feet in diameter, would en- tirely obstruct the street, encroach upon Wherry's farm and overturn Mrs. Lillie's house. Charles Gilbert has wisely moved his cheese factory and barn (which stood on corner opposite and east of tree) to escape the impending ca- lamity, and in this has manifested wisdom beyond his years. In view of the dam- age this tree may do, and the encroachments it may make, it becomes a serious question whether the street commissioner better cut it down, or the new council give it license to spread itself.
"In that band of fourteen persons, there were four stalwart men, three fear- less women and seven helpless children. Around them on every hand were beasts of prey-bears, wolves, panthers and wild cats. Deer, elk. and buffalo
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hurried from their presence. There were also birds and prairie hens. The stealthy tread of the Indian was often heard, and his lurking presence more often suspected. The Indians were great beggars, but seldom stole anything till they were about to depart for some other quarter. When they were about to leave, and were packing up their traps and calamities, they would not institute very rigid inquiries in reference to the ownership of any article that came in their way. Things that were worthless, and those that were valuable, all shared the same fate. Thou shalt not covet, was a doctrine, of which they knew but little and cared less. Thou shalt not steal, was not a fundamental doctrine in their creed. But they practiced from the precept, He that provideth not for his own household is worse than an Indian. While they were staying around they would not even shoot a prairie hen from your corn crib without asking permission. They seemed to be far above stealing chickens, even if they were wild, and in this respect, were superior to some of their white successors.
"The first fourteen settlers all came in one wagon, and were drawn by three yoke of oxen. They had a few cows, a few head of young cattle, and three dogs. They came from Indiana, and after crossing the Mississippi followed up the Maquoketa Valley and found a few settlers below Monmouth in Jackson county -where there were large tracts of land; but they had taken Greeley's advice in advance, and were going west. Leaving this settlement below Monmouth, they came up through the timber and out on the prairie near where Morse and son (now John Morse) reside. Here they fastened a log behind their wagon to make a mark by which they could retrace their steps, if they desired to do so. Then striking out boldly into the tall prairie grass, leaving all precious marks of civ- ilized man, without knowing what they might encounter, not expecting to see the face of white man till they should return, they started out on this unknown prairie sea in pursuit of a spot, which in after life they might call by that name always dear-home. By the aid of imagination, we can see them stand on the summit of yonder hill beneath a scorching July sun and look across this fertile valley, to the cool shade of the grove in the rear of our town, then with vision, leaving the grove, to the right they could lock up the valley of the Great Bear till the prairie was lost in the horizon of the west, where azure blue and prairie green were blended. What scene on nature's great panorama could be more lovely, what spot more inviting, where a place more beautiful? Sheltered from fierce westerly winds, and northern blasts, by a magnificent grove of sturdy oaks and tall hickories clothed in summer's grand drapery, where the sun's first morning ray warmed, and the shade intercepted the noontide heat ; the pure crys- tal waters of Little Bear creek flowing along its margin, an outlet for bub- bling springs from earth's internal streams, a soil of unsurpassed richness, a landscape beautiful to look upon; the monotony of the distant view broken by hill and dell, and running stream, and forest tree; the luxuriant grass bending, waving, surging before the prairie breeze like billows of the sea, whose crests were capped with indigenous flowers of rare fragrance and beauty, its virgin soil ready to laugh a harvest whenever tickled by the plow share and scratching harrow of the husbandman. Here were the elements of future wealth, and on the margin of this primeval forest was erected the first home in Wyoming town-
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ship. When we retrospect the past to that time, how forcibly do we realize the language of Whittier :
'I hear the tread of pioneers, Of nations yet to be, The first low wash of waves, Where soon shall roll a human sea.'
"These were times that tried men's souls some, and women's more. We can hardly imagine the deprivations these pioneers must have endured, their nearest neighbors ten miles away. No saloon to visit, no store in which to lounge, no dry goods boxes on which to sit and whittle, no school, no taxation-what a comfort-no milliner to charm and fascinate with bonnets in spring, summer, fall or winter's latest style, no dressmaker to fit the human form divine, and make it a little more divine, no tailor to make your suits in the latest fashion, no barber to shave the down from the anxious youth's lips or color the mustache of the veteran, who would disguise age with youth's beauty. They were a dis- tinct people, and except the Indian and wild beasts, there was 'none to molest or make afraid.' When the scanty supply of provisions they had brought with them, was exhausted, they were compelled to retrace their steps along the log beaten track they had made. to the settlement in Jackson county, purchase grain and go to Dubuque to have it ground. There was honey in the land, but no locust with heavenly manna scattered by the bountiful hand of Omnipotence. The staff of life must be brought from afar. Fourteen persons were thus to be fed, where no raven proclaimed the interposition of Providence, and no supernatural power produced food with which to maintain life. Energy, decision, and firmness, were necessary to provide sustenance, when situated so remote from the haunts of civilized life. This isolation could be endured in summer, but when winter came with its icy desolation, and the earth was covered with the white frost of crystallization, lonely indeed must have been this immigrant band. The log beaten track was obliterated by the falling snow, and communication with those distant neighbors was made exceedingly hazardous.
THE FIRST DEATH.
"Disease invaded the realm of this people the first year, and a little child a year old was taken from the parental embrace to fields of everlasting light. It was a pioneer from this section, to the unknown realms of immortal glory. It was the first link in an ever lengthening chain that binds Wyoming to Heaven. A little grave was dug near Mr. Hanna's residence (where John Reimers now lives back from the road west of town) and there silently was borne the mortal remains of David Pence's child. Few friends gathered around that silent grave and dropped the grief laden tear upon that rude coffin. No minister with un- covered head. in priestly garb or sacerdotal robes, stood there to pour the oil of consolation into those wounded hearts. No lesson was enforced on the brevity of life, or the evanescence of things sublunary, no finger pointed heavenward, no voice proclaimed 'Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not. for of such is the knigdom of heaven.' There on that ridge of land running out into the prairie like a promontory into the ocean, was this grave made. The mother
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followed a few years later, the father afterwards gave his life to his country, and no brother or sister is left to shed tears of sorrow over the unmarked grave of this first victim of the relentless destroyer. I will add that no doctor tried to as- sist nature's recuperative powers, and you may say, if you like, that the death was probably natural.
"James Van Voltenbergh was the patriarch of these early settlers, and with his wife and nine children, one son-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and one grand- child, whose death we have mentioned, made up these fourteen persons. Of these there are five still living: Joseph in Decatur county, a voluntary exile from the land of his fathers, not sold into captivity by jealous and envious brothers ; while in an adjoining township, still lives Taylor and his wife, also Peter and Dan. They have long since dropped the patronymic name, in part, and are now known by the more euphonious and simple cognomen of Van. The old name took in numbers, one more than half the entire alphabet, and one less than half the whole number of letters.
THE FIRST PREACHING SERVICE.
"The first meeting these people had the privilege of attending was five miles beyond Canton, and thither the three women wended their way on foot. The men were too busy to leave, there was too much to do, and these three unpro- tected women started out to hear 'the glad tidings of great joy.' The first day they went as far as Mr. Beers, ten miles east of here, the next day went to the meeting and back to Mr. Beers, and the next day came home, having traveled on foot more than thirty miles to hear the gospel. The preacher was a Presbyterian.
"The first meeting held in this township was held at the Vans'. The preacher was a Presbyterian, and his text: 'Is there no balm in Gilead, is there no physi- cian here.' This was in 1842. The audience was not large, and probably not very fashionably attired ; but they could listen to the preacher, as he unfolded the great truths of the gospel. explained the grand plan of salvation, and told of the rich mercies of redeeming grace, a balm for every wounded soul, and pictured the everlasting beauties of a 'home over there.' This isolated condition was fa- vorable to the development of feelings of dependence. At that time the inhab- itants of the township were less than two score. They felt their dependence upon each other, were mutually interested in each other's welfare and posterity, and mutually expected to share hardships, and enjoy the happiness in store for them. The minister before alluded to was traveling through the country, perhaps a missionary looking up the sheep that had wandered far from the fold. Here he halted and broke the bread of life acceptably to those spirit- ually famishing people, continued his journey, sowing the seed, but not knowing what the harvest would be, his name forgotten, his theme cherished, his lesson re- membered. The next minister was Moses Garrison. He belonged to the United Brethren, and organized the first church in Wyoming township. The organiza- tion was effected at James Van's, and the meetings were held there about three years. After this time the Campbellites effected an organization, and the society of United Brethren was abandoned, some of its members going to the Methodist's,
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some to the Campbellite's, and some went-God only knows where. In 1844, the North Mineral Society was organized by Joel B. Taylor, then a missionary in the interests of the Methodist church. He was a young man, whom conference has since honored with prominent and responsible positions. He is still a watchman on Zion's tower and proclaims the gospel at Belle Plaine, in this state. I allude to this church as a part of the early history of this township, because this whole region was tributary to that organization, and there was built the first church edifice in all this vicinity. It was not remarkable for its architectural beauty; but it sheltered early Christians from pelting storms, was a place for them to assemble together to hear the preached word, where prayer was wont to be made. It was situated in Clay township (on the south side of the public road, east of the present residence of W. S. Orr in section 29) and was a kind of religious mecca where religious pilgrims wended their way from a large region of country round about. The north part of this township furnished several gospel guns who met there for target practice, the hardened sinners being the target .. Some of them fired solid shots of truth, while others hurled empty screeching, bursting shells, the fragments of which hit by accident, but sometimes did fearful execution. There was Thomas and Joel B. Taylor, the former gone home, J. D. Williams, now living at Ackley, James Johnson living at Camanche, John B. Nichols, and Otis Cutler, gone to their reward; besides many others from their places round about. I have been told that the wicked were sometimes very turbulent over there and it has even been said that the professedly pious sometimes wandered from the paths of moral rectitude. On one occasion it is said that an old preacher in re- buking those who were indecorous in their behavior, said, it seemed to him as though the worst 'helements' in society congregated there. The building has long since ceased to be a place where God is worshiped. The development of the country, has made new centers for business, and religious worship, and the church has been torn down, and moved into this township, near the residence of Mr. Conaly (the church stands on the northeast corner of section 5 of this town- ship). It has been rebuilt, much improved, and is a useful as well as an orna- mental structure in the neighborhood. In it are held many religious meetings by clergymen located in the vicinity, and from it the dead are buried in an ad- jacent cemetery.
"Old Mrs. Van Voltenbergh died in 1846, aged sixty-five years. Her's was the first funeral sermon preached in the township. Rev. John Sterling, was the minister, a Wesleyan Methodist, who lived in the big woods, beyond Rome, or Olin as it is now called. Old Mr. Van Voltenbergh died in 1853, aged eighty-five years. Wm. Knight moved into the township in 1840, about a year after the first settlement was made. I have not been able to learn much of his antecedents. The whole family left this part of the country many years since, and located in California where Mr. Knight died. He first located on the farm owned by S. G. Franks, then where Henry Aldrich resides (recently sold by W. G. Wherry to Frank Fritz), then on the farm owned by J. B. Wherry (now Fred Koch), and from here moved to California. I said he came in 1840. There may be some mistake about this, for there are some reasons for believing that he was here at the time of Noah's flood, and he might have been Noah himself. He would tell with great candor of seeing this valley deeply submerged with water and tradition
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says he boasted of having swam from the present residence of Henry Aldrich (Frank Fritz) to this hill with a log cabin around his neck. For aught I know this valley might have been the theatre of Jonah's wonderful exploits, and Mr. Knight might have been Jonah himself, or if the doctrine taught by some is true, he might have been the whale that swallowed Jonah, at any rate he had a very large mouth. In conversation he was vehement and boisterous, but is said to have been a kind hearted man. His wife was entitled to the lasting gratitude of many of the earlier settlers. On many, and oft repeated, occasions she visited the sick and afflicted, ministering to their necessities and alleviating their sufferings. She was a useful woman, and this simple sentence tells more than would a whole volume written in the interests of fashion.
THE FIRST MARRIAGE.
"Johnson Knight and Anna Simpson were the first persons married in the township (January 3, 1846). Who performed the ceremony, whether it was a wedding in high life or not, what the bridal presents were, or how many cigars it took to prevent the boys from 'serenading' them, I have been unable to ascertain. The bride probably thought that Knight was not always darkness. The Knight boys were very useful in breaking up and subduing these primitive prairies. Ten yoke of oxen hitched to a plow that turned a furrow three feet wide, was a terror to the indolent rattlesnake, and a caution to the Indian to 'stand from under.' Indeed it looked a good deal like business to a white man to see ten yoke of oxen drawing a plow that was turning a furrow a yard wide, not guided by human hands, the oxen being driven by a man on horseback, with a whip that looked like a long fishing pole, with a lash for a line, big enough to hold Jonah's whale. To those of us, who in early life were accustomed to plow in the stony, and stumpy grounds of the east, with fields so small that our heads became dizzy with fre- quent looking. it looked strange to see a furrow as straight as an arrow. a mile in length, turning over the rich, black prairie soil that had been enriched from year to year, by deposits from the decay of its own productions adding the fertilizing wealth of unknown ages to its latent productive resources. On every acre of this prairie land were tons of roots, of various grasses, woven and interwoven so as to form a fibrous mass, which when exposed to the air, and warmed by summer heat, and moistened by summer showers, decayed, adding their fertiliz- ing influence to the great future's useful vegetation. In those primitive days, the ox did the greater part of the work connected with farming. The almost uni- versal use of the horse for domestic purposes is a modern innovation in this region. Twenty or twenty-five years ago it was a very common thing to see six or eight yoke of oxen with an empty wagon attached, coming to town. It looked a little extravagant, and a waste of power ; but remember when men were break- ing prairie then, there were no pastures to put cattle into, and if the plow needed repairs, the whole force had to go with it.
THE FIRST SOD PLOWED.
"The first sod that yielded to the plow share in this township was about where Green street is located, and commenced at the creek, and ran east to where
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stand those cotton-wood trees in the road, north of S. G. Franks, a distance of three-fourths of a mile. There were no cotton-wood trees there then, those trees are of later growth. The Indian must have thought that the world was being turned upside down, as he witnessed the rolling over of the prairie sod. Little did his untutored mind contemplate the great process of civilization that was being begun. Little did he dream that that was the beginning of a process that in a short time would change the productions of the soil of this valley, from grass that was used only to kndle the prairie fire, to fields of golden grain for the use of man and beast, and help develop this western country, and give it that great name-The Granary of the world.
THE FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE.
"The first schoolhouse in the township was built half a mile east of S. G. Frank's residence in 1844. The size was twelve by fourteen feet and was made of logs. Silas Garrison was the teacher, the number of scholars, seven, the price was eight dollars a month, the teacher boarding himself. The Indians were much delighted with the school and would often go in to visit it, and I suppose note its progress. They seemed to be superintendents of the institutions generally, and after becoming satisfied with its workings, would give the Indian grunt and leave.
THE FIRST STORE.
"The first store opened in the township was where Daniel Cooley (now Roy Cooley, his son,) lives or in a frame building standing in front of his present fine residence. The merchant was M. Q. Simpson, and I think he was once sheriff of the county. There was talk at first of laying out a town at that place; but like many such projects in the west, ended in talk.
THE TOWNSHIP ORGANIZED.
"That part of Jones county now embraced in the townships of Washington, Clay, Scotch Grove, Madison and Wyoming, was first organized under the name of Clay precinct. and the first election held at Abraham Hostetter's, on Farm Creek, north of Walter's Mills. I have been informed that at the third election, there were twenty-four votes polled from the territory now constituting the five townships before mentioned.
"Pierce township was organized April 3, 1854, at the house of William Stuart, now the residence of John Lamey, on the northwest quarter of section 23, owned by Nolan Brothers. I judge from the town records that the organi- zation of a township was a very simple affair. The electors of what is now Wyoming township assembled at the house of Mr. Stuart, according to a previ- ous notice. From what authority it emanated I know not; but it was called for the purpose of organizing a township, and holding one of the semi-annual elections. The meeting was called to order, and the venerable Nathan Potter, now eighty-five years old, but hale and hearty, was called to the chair. He
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was and is a man of sterling integrity and genuine worth. He has recently gone west to grow up with the country. He moved into this township from Jackson county in 1853, was formerly from Ohio. He leaves within our bord- ers one son, James Potter, and one daughter, the wife of E. M. Franks. The electors then proceeded to the election of judges of the election which resulted in the choice of Thomas Green, William Stuart and George Vaughn. Thomas Green, a native of New York, moved from Indiana into Jones county, and settled in the big woods beyond Olin, in 1840. He attended the first land sale held in the territory, at Dubuque. In 1852, Mr. Green moved into this township and bought William Knight's claim for the sum of one thousand, three hundred and forty dollars. This claim consisted of a log house, and the frame of a new house standing on the flat north of J. B. Wherry's (Fred Koch's) barn, with eighty acres of land fenced and twenty-five broken, and all the land that joined him. Mr. Green moved the frame of that house onto the side hill, completed it and lived in it nearly twenty years. In it he probably entertained as many persons with prodigal hospitality as any man in the township. That house is still doing service as the residence of H. H. Peck (now W. N. French), in Madison township. Mr. Green entered the land on which is located the town of Wyoming, in 1852. He soon became the most extensive farmer in Wyoming and brought into the township the first reaper. It was one of McCormick's best, a huge thing, painted blue. Its reels rolled around and looked like an ancient ponderous overshot wheel. It was vastly superior to the Armstrong reaper in use so long before. It took four horses to draw that machine; but in its track there was left the smooth stubble, and the well arranged gavel. Mr. Green is the only survivor of those three judges of that first election. He has recently gone west.
"George Vaughn, the father of Philander Vaughn, died the same year on the farm now owned by Elizabeth Aldrich (recently by W. G. Wherry). He came to this town in 1853, from Ohio. William Stuart, went to California several years since where he died. He came into this town from Ohio, in 1853. The clerks of that election were Hezekiah Moore and L. W. Stuart. The former was at one time engaged in the mercantile business in this town, and now lives in Canton. The latter is the proprietor of Keystone Mills, and has been honored by the people in Jackson county with a seat in both branches of the state legis- lature. After the election and qualification of these officers, the election was held for state superintendent of public instruction, county school fund commis- sioner, and township officers.
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