USA > Iowa > Louisa County > History of Louisa County, Iowa, from its earliest settlement to 1912, Volume I > Part 41
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As stated elsewhere, a plat of "Wappelow" was recorded in this county on January 17. 1837, this being probably the first official act transacted here. We have no means of knowing whether this is the same plat referred to in Jeremiah Smith's deed, but we know it does not correspond to the plat of the original town of Wapello as afterward laid out. This plat does not give the location of the town nor the names of the proprietors, and hence it is only a matter of guess work as to whether or not it was the plat intended for Lower Wapello.
It seems that in the course of a couple of years Center Wapello became the town. The seat of justice was located at Wapello by a vote of the people, and the county commissioners, William Milligan, Israel L. Clark and Wright Williams, purchased of the government the greater part of the southeast quarter of section 27, town- ship 74 north, range 3 west, for a seat of justice of Louisa county, under the pro- visions of the act of congress, approved May 26, 1824. It has been the general impression that this land was given to the county for the purpose of locating a county seat upon it, but that is not correct, it cost the county one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre.
The town was laid out by John Gilliland, county surveyor, and the plat is cer- tified by him May 6, 1839. This is now called the original town of Wapello. The lots were 7414 feet in width by 1481/2 feet long, and as the town was located on the west bank of the river, the streets were made to run parallel with the course of the river as it ran then, and hence they are not north and south.
Some of the original town of Wapello and of England's Addition immediately to the north, has been taken away by the river.
The next part of the present town to be laid out was England's Addition. It appears from the record that this was formerly known as Upper Wapello and that it was re-surveyed by John Gilliland, April 13. 1840, and it is said to be located on
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the south end of the southeast fractional quarter of section 27, but this is a mis- take, as the addition is located in the northeast fractional quarter of 27. It was laid out by Thomas England, one of the early settlers of Wapello, who came here in 1835. Another of the early settlers in Wapello, in fact, probably the first man to build a dwelling house in the town, was William Milligan, and the next addi- tion we find to the town is called Bird's Addition, laid out by John Bird, as administrator of the estate of William Milligan. This was laid out in August, 1851.
Next we have Townsend's Addition, laid out by Samuel Townsend in January, 1856. The next is Charles' Addition, laid out by R. F. Charles, April 1, 1856; Keach Addition, laid out by Elias Keach and Edward B. Isett, March 19, 1856; Herrick's Adidtion, laid out by John M. Herrick in June, 1856, but which has since been vacated ; and Bells' Addition, laid out by John Bell, August 25, 1856. The next is Howey's Addition, laid out by Harris Ilowey and Elias Keach, in April, 1857; Miller & Erbes Addition, laid ont by Jonas Miller and George Erbes, June 3, 1890 ; Miller's Addition, laid out by Jonas Miller, September 13, 1892, Gar- den Park Addition, laid out by Jonas Miller, William G. Allen, F. M. Ong and George R. Keller, May 22, 1894; Bird's Park Addition, laid out by Rebecca Bird, widow of John Bird, and Lillian E. Richards, Talma L. McCosh and Curtis D. Bird, April 1, 1898; and last we have the second Bird's Park Addition, laid out by the same parties in February, 1901.
We find frequent reference in the records to sales of town lots in Wapello soon after the original town was laid out, but we have not been able to find the report of the first town lot sale, showing the names of the purchasers and the prices paid. James M. Clark was for some time the commissioner for the sale of these lots, and appears to have made frequent reports of his doings, but unfor- tunately, these reports were not copied on the records of the commissioners' court.
August 20, 1839. Mr. Clark submitted a report in regard to the sale of town lots in Wapello, the substance of which is given in the record as follows: "Amount of property bid off at the sale, $9,007.50, and of this amount $5.856.25 had been taken by the sheriff and one-eighth of this latter amount paid in hand. To this add $60.25, amount of lot purchased by H. Warnstaff, who has been exonerated from the payment of one-eighth by giving his note for the whole amount ; he had paid $4, which is credited on his note. Also add $136, amount of two lots sold said commissioner which sums added together make $6,052.52, being the total amount taken.
"The cash account appears to be one-eighth of $5,856.25. being $732.25 less $200 already paid to Esq. Milligan to purchase the county quarter section, and $15 paid to Thomas for crying the sale, and $1.50 for paper, leaving $515.75, and some other small cash items or receipts make the balance $524.25. But it appears of the $732.25 paid in advance. $389.68 was paid in county orders, $342.57 was paid in cash, and that there was only left in the hands of the treasurer in cash, $126.07. Mr. Clark received for his services $45."
Among the old papers there is a list of notes given for county property sold on the 17th and 18th of June, 1839. in the handwriting of James M. Clark. These notes were due in December, 1839, and it is possible that it is a complete list of the purchasers at the first lot sale. although the paper does not so state. From
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this list we take the names of the following purchasers: J. Bevins bought six lots, prices running from $10 to $59.79, his total bill being $188.70. Daniel Brewer bought five lots, the highest priced being $26.54. The note of Fullenwider & Wood was for $518.25, but the number of lots is not stated. Other purchasers were W. M. Clark, J. H. Clark, M. Harless, William Harrison, J. Lewis, C. Mor- gan. Mintun & Thomas, R. B. Packard, Levi Steven, Hiram Smith, W. H. Thomas, doubtless intended for William H. R. Thomas, Z. Williams, Nelson Allo- way. John Bragg and V. P. Bunnell.
Many of the notes taken by Mr. Clark were afterwards collected and other lots were sold later, and it is evident that the sale of these lots furnished the young county with considerable revenue.
Of course there has been a great diversity of opinion as to who were the first tavern keepers and store keepers in Wapello. The best we can do in a matter of this kind at this late date, is to set forth what the records show, because in those days store keepers, tavern keepers, etc. had permits and paid license fees.
It is said by some who ought to know. that Milligan did not keep a regular Tavern, but simply entertained folks occasionally. We do not know at this late date what the fact is, but the records show that he procured a license for one year commencing April ist, 1837.
In Angust. 1837 S. S. Gourley was granted a tavern license for the term of six months, and his place is supposed by many to have been the first regular tavern in Wapello. It was about where Mrs. Weston now lives.
Mr. Gourley was elected county assessor in 1838, but died in the winter fol- lowing.
In 1838 John Drake built the Drake House on the property so long occupied by the late Mrs. Hicklin. The earliest mention we find of Mr. Drake's tavern is in 1839. Three or four years later he moved into a more pretentious hotel on Front street ; this faced the river and was almost directly back of the W. C. Wil- liamson present home.
In those days the official name for the saloon was the "grocery," and the first license of the kind in Wapello was issued to Nelson Derthick in August, 1837. At that time Derthick or Dethrick as he was sometimes called, had a ferry license for Central Wapello, and his grocery was likely in the same part of town.
In November. 1837. C. M. McDaniel procured a grocery license, which was also for Central Wapello. Shortly after that, James McDaniel had a grocer's license, and in 1840 we find that a similar license was issued to John Drake. A little later George Helbig had a grocer's license in Wapello.
These grocer's licenses were issued of course, long before the days of prohi- bition and at a time when the sale of liquor was not merely lawful but when the habit of drinking was quite general in the community ; with the advent of prohi- bition, this is all supposed to have changed, but it is probable that from the day when Nelson Derthick first got his grocer's license, down to the present. there has never been a time when "Central Wapello" did not afford at least one place where "wet groceries" could be obtained by all who knew the ropes and had the price. In April 1838, John Bevins was granted a license to vend merchandise at Upper Wapello, and in May following. S. M. Kirkpatrick was granted a similar license, as were also "James M. Clark and Sanders," so it is reasonable to assume that these were the first store keepers in Wapello. Almon Moore sold goods
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here as early as 1839, and George W. McCleary was also an early merchant and "grocer."
On January 18th, 1838, the Wisconsin legislature established the county seat at Lower Wapello, and in January, 1839, the territorial legislature of Iowa di- rected that an election be held to name a county seat. This matter of county seat was the cause of much contention between the different parts of Wapello, or the different towns, as they were then called. On this subject, William L. Toole, speaking of Wapello, says: "It had its troubles, trials and difficulties in its early days, having then three divisions claiming the ascendency, viz : Upper, Lower and Middle Wapello, the proprietors of each division striving for the county build- ings ; Mr. Rinearson, Mr. Gilliland, Mr. Isett, Mr. Mintun and Mr. Ives among the contending parties.
"Middle Wapello was finally successful, and the county commissioners de- cided upon having the court house there. The three towns finally united into one. It had its troubles also regarding the ferry, which was first at Lower, and then at Upper, but finally permanently established at Middle Wapello."
The county commissioners ordered an election on the county seat question for the first Monday in March, 1839. Under the law these returns were to be can- vassed by the sheriff. The opposing candidates were Wapello, Harrison and Fre- donia, but Wapello seems to have received a majority of all the votes as shown by the canvass of election made by Sheriff McDaniel, which is copied in the com- missioners' court record as follows: "In pursuance of an act of the legislative assembly of the territory of Iowa, providing for electing a seat of justice for the above named county on the 4th of March, 1839. The complete returns of said election having been made to the undersigned, the acting sheriff of the aforesaid county as provided by law, I did on the 14th day of March, in the presence of William Milligan and Hiram Smith, two acting justices of the peace in and for said county, open and canvass the aforesaid returns and it appearing that Wa- pello had a majority over all the other candidates (viz. Harrison and Fredonia) of fifty-six votes therefore I, C. M. McDaniel, Sheriff as aforesaid, do certify that Wapello was duly elected county seat for said county, etc."
As stated elsewhere, the first court house was built of cottonwood logs or poles. This was situated in Lower Wapello, but was doubtless owned by private individuals, as we find no record tending to show that the county owned it, or owned the lots upon which it was situated. A little incident recorded in the com- missioners' court records will give some idea of the bitter feeling that existed at that time in regard to the location of the county seat. On the 4th of April, after the returns of the election for the county seat had been made by the sheriff, the board of commissioners decided to take steps to procure from the government the southeast fractional quarter of section 27, which, as we have already seen, was Middle or Center Wapello, and they declared that that particular piece of land was selected by them for a seat of justice. When on April 24, 1839, the board of commissioners desired to hold an extra session, it appears that they met at the court house at Lower Wapello, "and no access being had to either room, it adjourned to the house of the clerk of the board."
In 1839 Samuel M. Kirkpatrick & Company were granted license to sell goods in Wapello for twelve months, for $14. James Wilson Isett was granted license to sell goods at his residence for the same period for $15. At the same time the
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board had fixed the first Monday in May to receive proposals for building a court house and jail. The proposals were to be in writing and under seal and the con- tractors were required to give a bond. The court house was to be of brick, 40x22 fcet, and one story high. The plans of the court house did not provide for a chimney, but the commissioners rectified this when their attention was called to it by a petition of the lawyers and county officers.
The jail was to be eighteen feet square on the outside, with double walls of hewn timber a foot square. The lower floor also to be double and the timber the same length as the walls of the building. "The outside of the inner tier of the wall logs to be drove full of iron spikes, not more than two inches apart, and the under side of the upper tier of floor logs to be spiked in like manner. The floor logs to be laid on two large sills, and the ends of the floor legs to be notched so as to prevent them sliding. The criminals' room to have one grate window, with strong iron bars."
On May 20th the commissioners met at the house of John Gilliland and ac- cepted the bid of S. M. Kirkpatrick & Company, and on the next day contracts were executed, from which it appears that the court house was to be built for $1.300 and the jail for $1,000.
The June term of court that year was held in John Bevins' house, probably because the old court house in Lower Wapello could not be procured. During this same year grocer's license was granted Charles C. Morgan and William Mur- ray, and a merchant's license to Cicero M. Ives.
Kirkpatrick & Company, the company being Nathaniel J. and Cicero M. Ives, completed the building of the brick courthouse, June 1, 1840, at which time it was accepted by the commissioners and the contractors were released from all ob- ligations in regard to its construction. It seems that the county did not have the money to pay for the building, and gave an obligation to N. J. and C. M. Ives to pay twenty per cent interest on the amount due for erecting the court house, be- ing $1,300.
At the same time, and probably for lack of funds, the county and the con- tractors agreed to cancel their contract in regard to building a jail. The ol l court- house building, a picture of which we present herewith, is now owned by Mrs. Blanchard, widow of James Blanchard, one of the early settlers of the county.
It may also be of interest to know that the plans for this building were made by another early settler, John Rinearson, and cost the county the sum of $5.
According to Mr. Toole, Wapello also had its troubles regarding the location of the ferry. He says: "It was first located at Lower Wapello, then at Upper Wapello, but finally permanently established at Middle Wapello." Quite a mim- ber of ferry licenses were granted by the district court at its first term of court in Wapello, in April, 1837. The authority for the district court to grant these ferry licenses was based upon the act of the territorial legislature of Wisconsin, approved December 8, 1836, providing that the existing laws of Michigan, which were declared in force by the organic act of Wisconsin, shall be construed lib- crally for the purpose of giving such laws full force and effect, and that when- ever powers are conferred upon the supreme court or its judges, or upon county courts or their judges. the same shall be executed and performed by the district courts and the judges thereof.
PUBLIC SCHOOL GROUNDS, WAPELLO
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Under an act by the governor and judges of Michigan Territory, passed Sep- tember 10, 1819, it was provided that the county court should grant licenses for keeping ferries, and that these licenses should continue in force for one year. The first ferry license granted for Wapello by the district court was to William Milligan, and this was undoubtedly at Upper Wapello. This was on April 20, 1837.
On the next day Nelson Derthick procured a license from the court to keep a ferry across the Iowa river "at the Central Wapello town."
The next ferry license of which we have any record is the one granted to William Milligan by the county commissioners on April 3, 1838. On April 16th this license was withdrawn and a license was granted to Daniel Brewer and Wil- liam Milligan together, and on the same day license was granted to Nelson Der- thick for a ferry at Center Wapello.
In a biographical and historical work published by the Acme Publishing Com- pany in 1889, we find the following: "The postoffice at Wapello was established in the winter of 1838-9. John Bevins, the first hotel keeper in the town, was postmaster. Bevins' 'tavern' was situated on the north side of Mechanic street near the river. He sold his place to Jacob Mintun a year later, and Mr. Mintun succeeded to the postoffice. In the fall of 1844 George W. McCleary, a pioneer merchant, who was afterward secretary of state and member of congress, suc- ceeded to the office. Following him was L. P. Wells, who was then publishing the Wapello Intelligencer; William Keach, the first republican postmaster, suc- ceeded Mr. Wells in 1861, but on his enlistment in the late war, he left the office in care of his deputy, Mr. Wells."
It would be difficult, indeed, to get more misinformation in the same space than is contained in the foregoing paragraph. In the first place, the Wapello postoffice was established August 15, 1837. John Bevins was not only not the first postmaster, but he was never postmaster at all. We have already seen that William Milligan got the first tavern license in 1837 and that the first license is- sued to John Bevins was in April, 1838, to sell merchandise. A little later in the history of Wapello, Jackson Bevins kept a tavern and at that time we think no license was required and it may be that he sold his place to Jacob Mintun. We have procured from the postmaster general's office a list of the postmasters of Wapello with the dates of their appointment up to and including the time of the appointment of George F. Thomas, and this is as follows: Christopher A. Bal- lard, appointed August 15, 1837; Tadoka (Zadok) C. Inghiram. October 26, 1838; George WV. McCleary. December 29, 1840; John C. McCleary, November 29, 1843; George W. McCleary, January 20, 1845; John Bird, May 16, 1845; Jacob Min- tun, February 10, 1846; John A. Pilger, February 7, 1848; Samuel M. Kirk- patrick, April 9, 1849; Samuel Townsend, April 10, 1850; Mark Davison, Feb- ruary 4. 1852; James Noffinger (Noffsinger), January 7, 1853; Lauren Wells, August 27, 1855; William Keach, April 3, 1861; George F. Thomas, July 16, 1863. The postmasters since that time in order of their service have been M. L. Jamison, John M. Herrick, James S. Hurley, Mattie G. Hurley, Rodney G. Haw- kins, Ed. Hicklin and J. D. Hicklin.
It is said that the early history of the schools in Wapello begins in the sum- mer of 1840 and that John Gilliland, then county surveyor, held a private school in his log house on Main street, in the north part of town.
Vol. 1-23
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In the commissioners' court record for June 22, 1840, is an order authorizing Sheriff McDaniel to rent the court house to the citizens of Wapello and vicinity to be used as a schoolhouse for a term of three months for the sum of Șio for said term, to be paid by the subscribers to the school, the board reserving the use of the house when necessary for county purposes. We find nothing to show certainly whether the court house was used for school purposes during 1840, but it was so used a few years afterward by Lewis Kinsey. The first schoolhouse in Wapello was built about 1844 and was used for school until about 1853. In 1853 a brick building was constructed and this building is now a part of the Com- mercial Hotel. In 1878 the present school building was erected, but it is doubt- ful if any one knows how much it cost. The school board liad more confidence in the contractor than he deserved, and it is understood that he got considerable money to which he was not entitled, and that the board had to pay out a few thou- sand dollars to get work done, for which they had already paid the contractor. At this writing a new school building is planned, which will cost when completed and equipped, about $19,000. This building is to be erected on the property pur- chased a few years ago from Hon. D. N. Sprague. Provision has also been made for the building of an outside heating plant that will heat both the old building and the new one, and when these improvements are completed Wapello will have excellent school facilities.
In the summer of 1853 and in the winter of 1853 and 1854. Wapello had two excellent school teachers in Rev. Wilson R. Woodruff and Professor A. M. East- man. Professor Eastman conducted what was called the Wapello Academy, and Rev. Woodruff was in charge of the District school. The Wapello Intelligencer of Feb. 13, 1854, commends these as being two of as good schools as could be found. Sometime before this, T. P. Brown, we think of Morning Sun, had charge of the Wapello academy. This was probably as early as 1851.
J. B. Brigham, who was also a lawyer and newspaper man, had charge of the Wapello schools in 1859. The same year Mrs. L. P. Wells had a private school at home.
Shortly before he became County Superintendent, Hon. L. A. Reiley taught school in Wapello.
In 1871, Charles Horace Greeley Frye was principal of the Wapello schools. MIr. Frye was afterwards County Superintendent, and afterwards obtained con- siderable notoriety in one of the Dakotas. Miss Addie Bell, afterward married to John Jenkins, taught in the Wapello schools for many years, and was both popular and competent.
About 1846 many of the citizens of the county were of the opinion that it needed a better court house, and also a jail. Accordingly, petitions were cir- culated and numerously signed, asking the commissioners to take measures to sell the large number of town lots in Wapello still belonging to the county, and use the proceeds for the erection of a good court house. Soon after this petition began to be circulated a remonstrance was gotten up and numerously signed. informing the county commissioners that an expenditure for a court house would receive the "decided disapprobation" of the majority of the citizens of the county. This remonstrance seems to have had some effect, for it was not until January, 1850, that the commissioners ordered the question of court house or 10 court
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house, to be submitted to the people at the April election of that year : by that time the disapprobationists were in the minority.
On May 12. 1851, a number of bids were filed for building the new court house according to the specifications which had been prepared by B. H. Druse and John Mann, George Jennison, and D. W. Herrick made a bid on the stone work; their bid was $700. B. H. Druse put in a bid of $6,000 "for material, carpenter and joiner work, painting and finishing in accordance with draft and specifications." P. G. Woodworth put in a bid for the entire brick work and plastering for $2,900, which he agreed to "complete in good workmanlike style."
The bid of E. B. Isett does not seem to be among the papers but he got the contract at $8,000. The building was to be enclosed and covered by December 1, 1851, and completed suitable to hold court in by September, 1852.
It was also agreed that the court house should be erected on the public square "so that a line running to the north and south through the center of said square shall pass through the center of said court house, which shall front on the south, and the rear of which court house shall be bounded by a line running east and west through the center of the public square."
On July 6. 1852, after Wright Williams became county judge, a petition was presented to him, praying that the court house should front on Main street in- stead of Washington street, and he agreed to have it so done provided the con- tractor would not demand extra pay for it. There was considerable delay on the part of Mr. Isett in finishing the building but it was completed about 1854. Mr. Isett made claims for extra work done, not included in the contract and for interest paid by him on sums which he should have received from the county. His bill for these extras was not presented until after Francis Springer became county judge. It seems that the county judge objected to some things about the work and insisted on certain reductions on those parts not completed according to contract, and the matter was submitted by agreement to Samuel Townsend and B. F. Druse and they made reductions on some twelve different items, amounting to $733.17. Mr. Isett's bill before these reductions were made, was $10,025.84. The matter was finally settled after allowing Mr. Isett $210 for interest, and providing for the completion of several parts of the work which had been left unfinished, and the total cost to the county of the court house as finished, was $9,577.69.
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