USA > Iowa > Linn County > History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 21
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
140
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
September 28, George Howard to Lovinia I. Grigg, by Joseph Leonard, J. P. September 28, James Pennington to Elizabeth Penee, by Rev. A. Manson. September 30, Isaac Kinley to Mary A. Houghton, by Rev. J. V. Dewitt. October 5, Ira Neal to Mary Fink, by Franeis MeShane, J. P. October 8. John T. Stewart to Charlotte L. Barter, by Rev. Rufus Rieker. October 8. Win. Reynolds to Lueretia Vannote, by Rev. Asher Cattrell. October 10, Lowell Daniels to Ilarriet S. Weare, by Rev. A. Manson. October 12, James W. MeAfee to Rachel Beerley, by Rev. A. Manson. October 12, Richard Seott to Priscilla Cox, by Rev. John P. Fay. October 13, Thos. W. Stephens to Sarah E. Fenlaw, by Rev. John Hindman. October 17, James Vanness to Naney A. Whipple, by Rev. J. V. Dewitt. October 22, John N. Smith to Charlotte Smith, by Rev. Rufus Rieker. October 23, Cyrus Ross to Mary A. Stoddard, by Rev. A. Manson. October 24, Charles Cameron to Mary Pardee, by James M. Berry, Co. Judge. November 2. Morgan L. Parsons to Sarah Beekner, by Rev. A. Manson. November 2. John Pugh to Charlotte Thurston, by Daniel Albaugh. J. P. November 2. Samuel M. W. Hindman to Jane MeAlester, by J. Shanklin, J. P. November 5, John B. Leigh to Elizabeth A. Leigh, by Rev. Alfred Peek. November 7. Killion Lichteberger to Martha Gidons, by Rev. Williston Jones. November 8, Elson Ford to Mary MeQueen. by John B. MeQueen, J. P. November 9. Harvey Cook to Sarah Carnaga, by Rev. J. V. Dewitt. November 9, Samnel 11. MeClure to Ellen Fay, by A. J. Ward, J. P. November 9. Charles Cary to Christina Whitmire, by John Weare, J. P. November 12, Charles Hahn to Almira Wolfe, by Rev. Asher Cattrell. November 19, Manley Morgan to Sarah Barber, by Wm. P. Gordon, J. P. November 20, John Holman to Rebecca Tarlow, by Rev. E. Skinner. November 21, Geo. K. Mifford to Eunice A. Austin, by J. M. Berry. co. judge. November 22. Peter Fritz to Barbary Kale, by James Coleman, J. P. November 23. Elijah W. Gregg to Polly A. Barkley, by A. P. Risley, J. P. November 23, Thomas W. Wells to Martha I. Combs, by Rev. N. A. MeConnell. November 28, John Morrison to Ellen Tedford. by Benj. Harris, .I. P. November 29, Orrin E. Thomas to Irene Nuekolls, by Rev. Rufus Ricker. December 7, Edw. Bedell to Mary Hampton, by Joseph Leonard. J. P. December 7. Robert Rogers to Mary Jane Thompson, by Rev. E. Skinner. December 12, Wm. 11. Coombs to Harriet A. Brown. by J. M. Berry, co. judge. December 19, Sidney Williams to Celia Oxley. by Rev. Rufus Rieker. December 25. Daniel Cavin to Mary H. Ellsworth, by Rev. Samnel Goodale. December 28. Geo. W. Garretson to Almira Corporan. by W. P. Gardner. J. P. Dec. 31, Wia. H. H. Flemming to Ann E. Eliza Eastman, by Thos. Taylor, .I.P. Jesse Beechley to Harriet Craig, by Rev. G. B. Bowman.
1855
January 3. John O. White to Mary A. Metkeff, by Levi HI. Mason. J. P. January 3, Enoch Irish to Rhoda JJ. Dodd, by Rev. J. S. Fullerton. January 4. David Stambangh to Sophia Boyce. by Thomas G. Lockhart. J. P. Jan. 9. Ladurnia Larrabee to Amanda S. Renfrew, by Rev. Williston JJones. January 24. Greenberry Daniels to Susan Doty, by Rev. Elias Skinner. January 25. Jonathan Simpson to Isabella MeCaughey. by Rev. Daniel Runkle. January 27. Win. Croghan to Cornelia Ellis, by Win. P. Gardner. J. P. January 28. Thomas Skales to buey Serton, by Rev. Rufus Ricker. January 31, Henry Ogan to Charlotte Cress, by Thomas Taylor. J. P. February 19. JJas. Richardson to Elmira Blanchard, by .I. M. Berry. co. judge. March 1. Win. Wilson to Jane Thompson, by Rev. Daniel Runkle. March 9. Jacob Cross to Lney Ann Porter. by Thomas Taylor. J. P.
THE "OLD SEM", CORNELL COLLEGE
BOWMAN HALL, CORNELL COLLEGE
141
THE EARLY MARRIAGE RECORD
Wm. Winsor to Rachel Leatherman, by John Plummer, J. P George Justin to Sarah Chandler, by John Plummer, J. P.
A. I. Allen to Ann Eliza Kaufman, by Rev. J. T. Tate.
James Biggs to Margaret Mitchell, by Rev. Rufus Ricker.
Byron Rice to Hannah C. Colder, by Rev. C. C. Townsend.
CHAPTER XVIII
Historic Roads and Other Monuments
In the early days it was essential to establish means of communication between points. Where there were no navigable rivers the legislatures, and even congress, passed certain acts establishing roads. The Territorial legislature which met in Burlington in 1838 and 1839 among many other road laws approved the following passed Jannary 25, 1839 :
"That Isaac [ Israel] Mitchell, of Linn county, Iowa, John G. Fay, of Cedar county, and Jonathan Pettibone, of Museatine county, be and are hereby ap- pointed commissioners to lay out a road commencing at Bloomington. Muscatine county, thenee to Rochester and Cedar county and thence to the county seat of Linn county. That said commissioners, or a majority of them, shall meet at Burlington on the first Monday of May next to discharge their duties."-Section 3, p. 461, Laws of Iowa.
"It is further enacted that Alfred Carter, Warren Stiles and A. F. Russell, of Scott county, be and are hereby appointed commissioners to lay out a territorial road commencing at Davenport. Scott county, thence to Hickory Grove, thenee to Poston's Grove, thence to Red Oak Grove, thenee to Pioneer Grove, thence to Big Linn Grove, thenee to the seat of justice of Linn county, said commissioners to meet, or a majority of them, to discharge their duties at Davenport on the first Monday of May next."- Section 8, p. 462, Laws of Iowa.
A number of these laws were passed laying out what were known as "territorial and state roads." For example, there was the well known Dubuque-Iowa City road passing through Anamosa, Springville, and Mount Vernon. Then there were the two well known roads passing through Marion, one known as the Toledo road running nearly directly west of Cedar Rapids to Toledo, and a road mneh travelled in the early day ; the other road branched from the Toledo road about four miles west of the city and was an angling road known in this eounty as the Marengo road, the State road, as well as the Des Moines road, which also was laid out over high ground in nearly a straight angling line to Marengo, and then west through Brooklyn, Grinnell, and Newton to Des Moines. This road was used mueh by the forty-niners crossing the state for the gold fields of California, and now and then some farmer has picked ont of his field where the old road has been changed little horse shoes, shoes used for oxen, hammers and hatehets, and other utensils which had been left or lost by the early gold seekers.
There were two roads between Cedar Rapids and Marion well known in the early days, one called the old Marion road and the other running abont where the street railway now runs.
Another road which was much used in the early days was known as the Cedar Rapids and Center Point road. It was inch travelled by all people from the north part of the county.
Another road was the Marion-Mt. Vernon road, as well as the Western road, and the Mt. Vernon-Ivanhoe Bridge road leading to Jowa City.
The Code of 1851, referring to the State roads, directs that these roads shall be maintained by the respective counties but that sneh State roads shall not be diseontinned or diminished in size .- Seetions 557, 558, Code of Town, 1851.
At this time roads were under the supervision of the county court. Later they came under the supervision of the county supervisors.
143
HISTORIC ROADS AND OTHER MONUMENTS
For many years it was believed that a certain hill overgrown by trees near the Milwaukee traeks in the edge of Kenwood had been a fortification erected by the United States government in the early days for defending the settlers from Indian attaeks.
A school house was later erected on or near this locality and was known as "Ft. George School House." Many of the old settlers remembered this loeality and called it the old fort. An investigation was made and the following letter written by Samuel W. Durham explains itself :
"The house was built by a man by the name of George, of German deseent, and afterwards bought and oeenpied by Ambrose Harland who gave the little irregular tract and house the name of Ft. George in honor of its first owner and its having the appearance of being constructed to resist, not Indians, but cold winds as they swept up Indian ereek. Harland was a character, born in Ken- tueky, removed to Crawfordsville, Indiana, and was the sheriff of that county. This was the home of Lew Wallace, the author of Ben Hur, and also the home of Henry S. Lane who first named Abraham Lincoln as president in a convention in Chicago in 1860. Harland moved to Linn county succeeding HIosea W. Gray as sheriff, and was succeeded by me in that office. He was a six-footer and large and would fight, but once fell heavily before Perry Oxley's huge fist."
The person who ereeted the house which appeared like a fort was no other than George Hesing. who owned the land and was a peculiar character in his day. He did plant cottonwood trees around the house and also seraped up dirt so as to keep out the wind and snows as much as possible from his yard. In a few years the trees grew up and the rubbish accumulated, and they gave the place the appear- anee and made it look like an old abandoned fortification. It is said that a certain Mr. Willard having charge of the erection of a school house near this location named it the "Ft. George School Honse," which name it bore as long as it stood there.
A number of plats have been filed in the recorder's office at Marion, and these have again been transcripted for public nse, but before towns could be platted a number of towns were staked out before the land was laid out and surveyed by the government ; of these plats we have no record. The first plat was, no doubt, that of Westport, located on the banks of the Cedar river and near Bertram. This was staked out by Israel Mitehell July 4, 1838. Ivanhoe was laid out some distance below at the present Ivanhoe bridge in the same year. Another town was staked out by J. Wilbert Stone along the Cedar river at the lower rapids within the corporate limits of the present Cedar Rapids. There is no record of any plat of this town. In 1844 Westport was again platted as Newark by James M. Doty. This is the first recorded plat and seems to have been filed November 21, 1844, by John Zinbar, recorder. (See Vol. A. p. 301, Lands.) This is now a corn field and has long since been vacated.
New Linden was another town platted in the early days ; this plat was filed by P. S. Embree, surveyor, April 15, 1853, being property owned by A. E. Simpson and A. P. Risley and located on sections 27 and 28, township 84. range 5, Brown township. Thus, also, now is nothing but a corn field.
Another was the plat of New Buffalo in the town of New Buffalo which is filed in Vol. 4. p. 217. of the Land Records of Linn county; this has also been vacated.
The plat of the town of Mayfield was made by J. M. May and filed for record in Vol. 143, p. 624. It bordered on the Cedar river and embraced lot 4 and part of section 34, township 83, range 7. It also has been abandoned. although May's twenty-five additions, re-plats, ete .. made by Major May, are still parts of addi- tions to Cedar Rapids. Major May was a man of enthusiasm, and speenlated,
144
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
believing, with Colonel Sellers, that in every enterprise he undertook there would he millions, but he died a poor. unknown and disappointed man.
Many of the old town sites have been vacated, and many of the old post- offices and country stores which one found throughout the county in the early fifties can no longer be found on the map. From Iowa as It Is. published in 1855, at page 153 we find the following notices concerning Linn county towns and postoffices: Spring Grove, Bonlder. Central Point, Cedar Oak. Newark, St. Julien. Ivanhoe, and Hoosier Grove, besides such towns as Cedar Rapids. Palo, Marion, and Mount Vernon. The book also mentions Iowa Conference Seminary, with a three story building, and with Rev. S. N. Fellows as superin- tendent.
N. H. Parker in his Handbook of Iowa, issued in 1856, mentions a few more new towns not mentioned in the previous list, as follows: Fairfax, Lisbon. La- fayette. Mon Din, Necot. Oak Grove, Prospect Hill. St. Mary. Springville, and Valley Farm. This author also speaks of the newspapers published in the county, the Register at Marion, and the Times, the Farmer, and the Democrat at Cedar Rapids.
Another handbook of the state, published by J. G. Mills, of New York, in 1857, mentions the towns set out in the handbook of a year previons and adds the new town of much promise by the high-toned name of Paris, located in Jackson township, near the present town of Coggon.
Few, if any, today ean locate those villages and towns which sprang up from time to time over the county, and which long since have passed out of history and memory.
Of the newspapers published at that time only the Marion Register has con- tinved to be issued. The others have passed away and one does not now know who were the editors and publishers of these early attempts at journalism in the pioneer days. These newspapers, no doubt, did much in keeping open the spirit of the people and in advertising the state.
١
BUTLER PARK AT SPRINGVILLE
T
BUSINESS DISTRICT OF SPRINGVILLE
CHAPTER XIX
Some of the Old Settlers
It is, perhaps, impossible to say even now with any degree of certainty, who was the first actual settler in Linn county. However, it is not very difficult to men- tion at least some of the early settlers. It is said that Dyer Usher and James Ames came up the Cedar river as far as the rapids on a hunting expedition as early as the spring of 1836; how long these men remained in what later became Lin county is not known, but it is not likely that they stayed very long. We have pretty good evidence that later during the summer came Daniel C. Doty, his two sons, James, and Elias, and nephew. Jacob Crane, as far as Bertram and viewed the country, expecting to locate when land was thrown open for settlement. Mr. Doty was born in Essex county, New Jersey, in 1764, had early drifted west to Cincinnati, and by boat had come down the Ohio and up the Mississippi, landing at what is now Muscatine. His children were born in Ohio. They followed the Cedar river until they struek what became later Linn county to locate claims, There were no settlers here, and they found no people with whom to converse. but figured that here would be a good location to get cheap land when this land was opened for settlement. They returned to Ohio for their families, expecting to return the following spring, but they did not, in fact, return for three years on aeeount of the financial depression. Israel Mitehell staked out the town first called Westport in July, 1838. which town was later called Newark, named in honor of Newark, New Jersey, where the family originally came from. Ilere Elias Doty, Jr., was born in October, 1841. Elias Doty, Sr., erected the first sawmill on Big creek in 1841. in the ereetion of which mill he was killed in the raising of the timbers. Daniel Doty, Sr., had the following sons, to-wit: James, Elias. John, and Daniel, all young men who early drifted west. Daniel C. Doty, the father of these sons, was never a resident of this county, but simply came here to find homes for his children. He died in Ohio in 1849; the widow died in Ohio in 1863 at the advanced age of ninety-eight.
James Doty, born in 1809, was the first real pottery maker in lowa. He had learned the trade in Ohio. This crude pottery building was standing on the old homestead up to within a few years ago. At the time of his death, January 17, 1847, he had over three hundred jars, jugs, crocks, etc., ready for delivery. In this early day there was great demand for such merchandise as it was something every farmer had to have, and it could only be obtained in a few places and at high prices on account of the transportation.
Another Linn county pioneer well known in the early days was Israel Mitchell. who staked out the town of Westport in 1838. Mr. Mitchell was born in Kentucky, January 15, 1796, the son of Moses Mitchell, of Scotch descent, and on the mother's side, Elizabeth Grant, of Welsh descent, and a near relative of Daniel Boone, the Indian fighter. As a young man Israel Mitchell attended a Kentucky college and graduated therefrom. He studied for the ministry, but gave that up on account of his voice, and later took a course in medicine, but gave up the practice. as his step-daughter. Mrs. Slavin, writes, "because he was too tender hearted." He had studied law as well as surveying. After his marriage he removed to Ohio in the early '20s with his wife and two children. viz: Angeline and John Mitchell. He soon drifted into Indiana, and from there he removed to Wisconsin. working in the lead mines near Apple river in the southwest part of the state
146
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
as surveyor. From Wisconsin he came by way of Dubuque to Linn county in the spring of 1838 in company with John, James. and Chamber Hunter, and Jacob Leaho. They all settled on the banks of the Cedar river in seetions 32 and 33, township 83, range 6. Mr. Mitchell was a widower at this time and he and his children stayed with the Leabo family. At Marion he married Mrs. Mary Ross, nee Mary Arnold, a native of Princeton, New Jersey, on November 7, 1845, Esquire Goudy, one of the first justices of the peace, performing the mar- riage ceremony according to the territorial laws of Iowa. Of this marriage were born five children: Luther H., Caroline, Israel, Boone, and Maris Morton. By her first marriage Mrs. Ross had four children. She died in Oregon in 1858.
Mr. Mitcheli sat on the first grand jury summoned in the county, was one of the first justices of the peace in the county, and was also the first probate judge. Hle acted as a frontier lawyer, did more or less surveying, at which he was an expert, and in many ways was a most useful man to the community. Mr. Mitehell was a true southerner, his home was always open, and he did mueh enter- taining. He spent much of his time interesting his friends and acquaintances in new enterprises, and in various ways tried to build up a great town on the banks of the Cedar river. Whether it was due to the failure of his new town to materialize or the western fever that got hold of him, we do not know, but just at a time when he should have remained he saw fit to emigrate, going with oxen overland with his family in 1847, loeating about eight miles southwest of Portland, Oregon. Ilere he tilled the soil and became a noted surveyor. In 1873 he re- turned to Linn county to visit his old friends, giving glowing descriptions of the far west and especially of the Spokane country. On his return by way of San Francisco to Portland he fell in one of the gangways on the steamer, and received injuries from which he died a few days later after reaching home. Mr. Mitchell was a member of the Presbyterian church and affiliated with the democratie party. J. J. Daniels, his old friend, described Judge Mitchell as follows: "He was truly an educated man, and in early life had learned the seience of surveying. and this was the work he was particularly ealled for; when not engaged in this occupation he farmed and kept a ferry. When the writer became acquainted with him on the Cedar river he was an active man on foot and could swim almost equal to a duek; bathing in the Cedar in warm weather was his usual custom. He was a medium sized man and stood very straight and ereet, having black hair a little tinged with grey. large blue eyes, a high, round forehead, and in appearance resembled Edgar A. Poe, and was equally as brilliant a poet as Poe, having enough manuscript to make a book of poems. He was truly a Christian man in many aets of kindness, and verified his profession of faith in a true Christian religion."
Robert Ellis, Linn county's oldest living settler, was born in Westmorland county, Pennsylvania, January 20, 1817. emigrated to Ohio in 1837, later to Michigan, and started on foot to lowa Territory in the winter of 1838. He remained for a few weeks in Cedar county and started again on foot looking for a claim in the timber near some river. Coming to the present site of Cedar Rapids the first man he found was a man by the name of Hull, who held down a elaim where the T. M. Sinelair Company packing house is now located ; coming further up along the river he found the tavern of Osgood Shepherd. Mr. Ellis liked the place and staked out his claim on his present location near what is known as Ellis Park. He was at work there entting wood one day when Shep- herd came along with another man, and insisted that this claim belonged to him. Ellis was not easily frightened, and as Shepherd was going to attack him. Ellis raised his ax and threatened to chop his head in two if he took another step. This threatening attitude on the part of Ellis frightened Shepherd and he and his com- panion retreated. Ellis never being disturbed afterwards. Shepherd never re- ferred to the matter. The next summer when Shepherd's father died Ellis and Lichtebarger made the coffin and assisted at the burial, when Shepherd seemed to
147
SOME OF THE OLD SETTLERS
be very much touched by the kindness of these two men and thanked them profusely.
Ellis beeame a friend of the Liehtebarger boys and also of O. S. Bolling. Bolling and Ellis assisted Tom Lewis, the old pioneer, to get his wagon and eattle across the river when he came west to locate, on what became later known as "Lewis Bottoms." Ellis worked for awhile at the Winnebago Mission at Ft. Atkinson, Iowa, where he met a number of military men who later became known in the Mexican war, as well as in the Civil war.
As he was frequently in company with men who took newspapers and who had travelled about the country, he heard of the gold excitement in California and at onee crossed the country to Marion wanting to go west. At Marion he met Dan Mentzer, a man by the name of Harvey, and another person by the name of Green. They purchased an outfit and started for California in April, 1849, arriving at the diggings in that state the same summer after many hard exper- ienees. He remained for several years digging gold as a placer miner and keeping a grocery store, and for a time he ran a stage between Georgetown and Coloma, carrying express, passengers, and the mail. Here he met and associated with Sutter, the old German who discovered the first gold diggings, as well as his partner, saw Fair, Huntington, Mackey, and the boisterous Stewart, some of them "running saloons today and owning mines tomorrow." After remaining in Cali- fornia for seven years he returned home by way of the Nicaragua route and there met and talked with General Walker, the famous filibusterer.
Philip Hull, according to Robert Ellis, had arrived in what beeame Cedar Rapids just a very few weeks before he eame. He says: "Hull was of my age and I took a liking to him. He weighed about 170 pounds, was about five feet eight inches tall, had dark hair and was stoop shouldered. He was a native of Ohio, and returned to Illinois or Ohio in 1840 to get married, as he was very lonesome ont here on the prairies of Iowa. Hull never returned to Cedar Rapids. Mr. Hull and I walked to William Abbe's and bought four yoke of oxen, a wagon, and a breaking plow. We had but little money so we agreed that in payment for this property we should break 75 aeres of land and ent and split 10,000 rails, which we did. It took two men to break, one to handle the cattle and one to hold the plow. It was no easy job on a hot day when the oxen would pull for a pond with all their might if not closely watched, and many were the times they would give us the slip and would lie down in the pond and we could do nothing but wait till the air cooled and night eame on. Neither one of ns made anything, and I saw nothing of Mr. Hull till I met him at Sacramento, California, where he had preceeded me by several months. We often talked over our lives in Linn county. neither one at the time even believing that Cedar Rapids had any future. Hull was an agreeable companion, a splendid fellow and square in all his dealings. He preferred frontier life and would be content in no other locality except on the frontier."
Ellis says further of Wm. Abbe :
"Abbe and I were in partnership in dealing with the government. Abbe made the deals with the government and I made most of the purchases from the settlers. At one time Abbe and I had just completed a contraet with the govern- ment for provisions, and then Indian Agent Harvey in St. Louis insisted that we must also furnish 100 cattle within six days at Ft. Atkinson. This was rather a difficult task but. Abbe said we had to do it and we rode away in a hurry baek home to buy up cattle and drive them baek to be there in time. We worked day and night and had the eattle at Ft. Atkinson on time. As Abbe liad to go to Prairie du Chien I was ordered to return home with $1,000.00 in gold which had been paid for the cattle. I did not like to go alone over the open prairie with the money but there was no way out of it and so I started bright and early. That
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.