USA > Iowa > Louisa County > History of Louisa County, Iowa, from its earliest settlement to 1912, Volume I > Part 45
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side attendance was concerned, dropped, and finally went where the woodbine twineth. In the same paper we read an item relative to Christopher Shuck and Major Jacob Rinearson. Mr. Rinearson was one of the pioneer settlers here, while Christopher Shuck and wife bore the honorable distinction of being the first permanent white settlers of Louisa county, casting their lot over in Jefferson township, near Toolesboro, perhaps as early as 1830, if not before. Things became 'too tame' here for Mr. Shuck and he emigrated to Oregon in 1851. Mr. Rinearson also went to Oregon. Another interesting item in the old paper was to the effect that B. H. Druse had begun to make oat- meal at the old water wheel mill in the north part of town.
"I remember the night well when the first passenger train passed through Wapello over the then 'brand new' B. C. R. & M. railway. I remember that John Bird's big brick house, which used to stand on the ground west of P. Rich- ard's dwelling, was illuminated from cellar to garret in honor of the event. I, . myself, was looking out of the haymow window of our barn, now used by Frank Gore as a carpenter shop, for the reason that the grass between town and the track was too tall for one to get a good view of the train while standing on the ground, and especially me, for I was scarcely nine years old. In those days the road was called the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota, substituting after- ward the word Northern for Minnesota. And the fact of that simple change in names made void and uncollectible, quite a lot of railroad bonds held by Wapello people, who did not protest at the time or present their bonds for payment. When it first begun operations through here, two of the passenger engines were named after John Bird and J. S. Hurley. Their names were stamped in bronzed letters on the name plate just below the cab windows. In those days and for years after, all engines in the west burned wood instead of coal. All stations along the line had a woodyard and the tenders were filled as the trains went through. Windmill watering tanks were not in use then and water was pumped by hand. A box car did service as a depot for quite a while. In fact, it was some time before everything was properly adjusted and the road running smoothly.
"It may be of interest to people here to know that the first frame house ever built in Wapello, 1835, was erected by Uncle Billy Milligan, as he was called, on the lot now owned by Mrs. Ben Weston. The old house was remodeled some years ago into a more modern design of architecture. This important fact is well worth remembering, also the fact that the first religious meeting ever held in Wapello was conducted in John Drake's barn. It was held by the Baptists in 1839.
"Wapello is virtually the home and starting point of two important pieces of farm machinery-the stalk cutter and corn planter. Years ago J. B. Ryder invented the corn planter here in town, and when J. S. Andrews came here, being interested in the McCormick mower, he tried to persuade Ryder to go with him to Chicago, where he would insure him at least $6,000 for his planter, also a royalty. But Ryder instead went prowling around Brown's implement works at Galesburg, Illinois, with his planter ideas, and not long after, the Brown corn planter appeared on the market. Ryder 'lost out' completely, as his planter was not patented and another took advantage of what Ryder had shown him. As to the cutter, Ryder bought the right from a traveler who chanced through here
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and was stopping at the old Ives Hotel. He induced L. P. Wells and J. D. Barr to join him in the enterprise, but being naturally of a stubborn nature and ad- dicted to some bad habits, a general fuss soon ensued between the three partners and the cutter, like the planter, remained in obscurity.
"Looking back in times past it must be acknowledged that Wapello has been the home of several fine industries. There was the pork-packing establishments of Isett Brothers and Mark Davison, the big distillery, the iron foundry and the four-story woolen mill factory of Johan & Winter. There undoubtedly is a greater volume of business done here now than in past years, but it is limited to a few concerns. The variety and the business of former times was not so limited, and being of a different nature, was naturally better for the town and those who depend on manual labor as a means of support.
"The making of illicit whiskey, commonly known as 'moonshining' is ex- tensively carried on in Kentucky. North Carolina, West Virginia and other southern states, but that 'moonshine' whiskey was ever produced in Wapello would hardly seem probable, yet it has been and when Rollins was here in the distillery business, he once shipped a boat load of barrels filled with something marked 'vinegar.' consigned to parties in Chicago. The boat was loaded here in Wapello and started for Burlington. About this time William Henry Dunn happened to have a fine horse for sale and rode down to Burlington the same day the boat left the Wapello levee. He was about the streets of Burlington of- iering his horse for sale. Rollins saw him and suspecting that Dunn might be 'putting up a job' on his 'vinegar' kept an eye on him. Anyway, it so happened that just before the boat arrived, a dispatch was received by the chief of police describing a man who it was said had stolen a horse. Dunn's appearance, dress and horse perfectly answered the description and he was locked up in the Bur- lington jail over night. By that time Rollins' 'vinegar' was no longer in Bur- lington and it was ascertained that an innocent man had been 'jugged' and Dunn was turned loose. Later on Tom Pickering also shipped a load of 'vinegar' from Wapello and it happened to get caught in a railroad wreck in Illinois and was destroyed. Tom of course received pay for his 'vinegar' but his moon- shine' deal busted the Wapello distillery. There were some pretty smooth 'ducks' connected with the old distillery here but their own sharp practice finally sent them to the wall. While it was in operation. the old distillery furnished a splendid corn market for the town and did a good paying business.
"In speaking of negroes reminds me that Henry Polite was the first perma- nent negro resident of Wapello. Ile was captured by the Second Iowa Cavalry in Mississippi, and after the war located in this county and finally opened a barber shop in Wapello. Henry made a trip to his old southern home a few years later, and one night while down there was visited by the "Ku-Klux.' When he went south he was attired like a gentleman-Prince Albert coat, white vest. gray trousers and silk hat. The next seen of him, he was footing it up from Burlington and was a sorry sight to see. He had parted with his gentlemanly wearing apparel during the 'Ku-Klux mix-up' and came back here wearing an old blue army overcoat. an old white hat, no vest and one boot and one shoe. They got his money down there and he told me that they got three other 'nig- gers' that night. . .. Ile escaped, he said, by going through a window which he did not stop to raise.
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"I have been thinking of some of the old-timers, among whom was Mack Watson. Uncle Mack was a tailor by trade, an Irishman by birth, and a very nervy, practical joker. Once there was a steamboat landed here which had con- siderable trouble coming up the Iowa and the captain conchided to engage the services of a pilot for the return trip, so Mack offered his services to show the skipper all the sand bars between liere and the Mississippi river. Down the river a short distance the boat struck a bar and Mack sung out that this was such and such a bar. The process was repeated several times, each time Mack calling the name of the bar until finally the skipper told Watson he did not pay him $25 in advance to run them on every sand bar in the river. but wanted a man to keep them off the bars. Mack allowed that he had agreed to show them all the bars in the river and he guessed that he had fulfilled his contract. The captain thought so too, lowered a boat, put Mack ashore and he walked back to town. On another occasion when they 'got at cross questions' a bully proposed to fight Watson, and noting the difference in size between himself and his an- tagonist, he excused himself, saying he would be back shortiy. and disappeared. When he came back he had removed his upper garments and was covered with a thick coat of grease and soft soap. even to his hair, but the fellow backed down when he beheld Mack, saying that he had not agreed to fight a hog.
"Mrs. Jane C. Vanloon is the oldest citizen in Wapello, that is, she has re- sided here longer than any one else. She was a very little girl when her father crossed the Mississippi river and settled here sixty-nine years ago. Her father came here as an Indian trader, swopping blankets, ammunition and other neces- sary articles and trinkets to Chief Wapello's band. and in the course of time he accumulated considerable property in this vicinity. The country hereabouts was indeed wild when she first visited the land on which the old town was after- ward laid out. Three log cabins were then scattered at different places on the present town site, and greasy, Indian wigwams were numerous and became a common sight. Wild grass, ram-rod hay, rushes, swamp and water lilies cov- ered the ground and narrow Indian trails wound their way in and out through the vast prairies and heavy timber. Indian canoes played up and down the river as they came and went on their hunting and fishing expeditions. No wells were in use then and water was carried from the springs at the north part of town.
THE FIRST LOUISA COUNTY HOMICIDE ( Contributed )
The first homicide in Louisa county was the killing of George Stump, better known as Nevill, this being the name of his stepfather.
This tragedy occurred in the spring of 1850. The Nevill family, which in- cluded several sons, half brothers of George, who were grown to manhood, and Wm. Franklin, his slayer lived in the town of Toolesboro. There was enmity between the two families. How it originated was never clearly shown. One day in the spring of 1850, Stump and Franklin came together on the street and Stump, who was a big, strong man, attacked Franklin, who was much inferior to him both in size and strength, and gave him a cruel beating, kicking and battering him in a shameful manner. Stump and his brother, Mike Nevill. at once decampedi across the river into Illinois.
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Several weeks elapsed, during which time Franklin was nursing his wounds and his wrath. After a short absence the Nevills returned, calling at the house of a man by the name of Philips, said to be a relative of the Nevills. The house occupied by Philips stood where Mrs. G. H. Mosier now lives. Most of the people then living on the hill in Toolesboro obtained their water from a well located at the rear of a brick building belonging to Wm. L. Toole. The lower story was at this time used as a store room in which John Bradley was clerking, the upper rooms being occupied by Hooker Trask and family. On coming into the house of Philips, Stump complained of hunger and Mrs. Philips told him to bring some water and she would prepare him some dinner. Taking the bucket he went to the well before mentioned and was in the act of drawing the water from the well with a windiass when Franklin, who had warning of his coming and was concealed behind an ont building near the well, with an Allen revolver, came around the corner of the house and opened fire on him from a distance of about ten feet, the first shot taking effect in Stump's face. Franklin advanced, firing one shot after another as fast as his weapon would revolve. Stump dropped his bucket and fled in terror, first running towards Susan Trask, who was hanging out clothes in the yard. Terrified, she fled to the house and Stump then made for the board fence that surrounded the grounds. Against this he fell, knocking off the top board, followed by the enraged Franklin, who, having emptied his revolver, grasped him by the hair and began pounding him on the head with the empty weapon. Tearing himself loose, Stump staggered bleeding up the street, and was met by his brother Mike, who assisted him to the Nevill home, where after lingering a couple of weeks he died.
The writer of this sketch, at that time a hoy of ten years, was a witness both of the attack on Franklin and the killing of Stump.
Immediately after the shooting and prior to the death of Stump, a warrant was issued by Isaac Parsons, justice of the peace, on an affidavit of James Keever, charging Franklin with "assault with intent to kill." This warrant was placed in the hands of Justice Warn of Wapello on whose docket is found the follow- ing entry : "April 2nd, 1850. A warrant being brot to me, Samuel Warn, a justice of the peace of the township of Wapello, in Louisa county, by John H. Haskinson, constable of said township, which warrant was issued by Isaac Parsons, of Jef- ferson township, in said Louisa county, which warrant was issed on the affidavit of James Keever as follows:" Ilere follows the wording of the warrant. The judgment of Justice Warn reads as follows: "April 2nd, 1850. Said Franklin was brot before me by the Officer Haskinson, constable of Wapello township, in said county, for examination, and Springer and Bird Attys for defendant, moved to quash the warrant for these defects I for the reason of their being no such class of acts in the state of Iowa, and 2 other defects. It is therefore considired that the prisoner be discharged and the county pay the costs of the suit taxed at $4.33 cts."
Being acquitted on a technicality it seems Franklin now demanded a trial on the charge of assault, so on the following page of the docket we find the following entry: "Now on this 2nd day of April, A. D. 1850, came the Deft and gave himself up to the custody of the law for an assault on George Stump, and asked that the cause might be investigated. Francis Springer and John Bird recognized themselves for his appearance on Saturday, the 6th inst."
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The result of this trial is given in the judgment of the court as follows : "April 6th, 1850, the day and hour for the above examination having arrived and one hour having relapsed after the return hour the parties being called, the criminal appeared by his Attys, Bird and Springer, and went into the examination, and after hearing the testimony in behalf of the State of Iowa, said witnesses being 24 in number, and it not appearing to be testimony enough to bind said William Franklin over to court, It is therefore considered that the said Franklin be discharged and that the county of Louisa pay the costs of this investigation taxed at $35.023/4. This April 6th, 1850.
"SAMUEL WARN, "Justice of the Peace."
So ended this celebrated case, the list of witnesses was nearly a poll of the male population of Jefferson township with quite a number from Wapello. Stump's reputation as an outlaw and bully largely influenced the result, the gen- eral opinion being that he got only what was coming to him. This proves that in those early days as today, the mills of justice grind coarse or fine according as the gauge is set by public opinion.
One impressive fact in this connection is the cheapness of judicial pro- cedure in those days. Fifty years later a man was stabbed to death on the streets of Wapello in the presence of half a dozen witnesses, dying almost im- mediately. The murderer did not deny, but boasted of the deed, and expressed regret that he was unable to add others to the list. And yet a coroner's jury was empaneled to ascertain how and why the man died, a lawyer was appointed to defend him, and all to prove a fact that everybody knew and nobody denied. This travesty on justice cost the county some six or eight hundred dollars to convict (?) a man who denied nothing and plead guilty to every charge.
EARLY DAYS IN IOWA
In the winter of 1847, the writer, then a boy of seven, first made his advent to Louisa county. My father and mother and six children immigrating from Kentucky by steam boat, landed at Burlington, Iowa. In a log cabin about three miles north of this city, belonging to a relative of ours, we prepared to spend our first winter in Iowa. Early in December the snow had reached the depth of two feet, and being on the public road leading north from Burlington, which was the principal source of supplies for all of the country within a radius of 75 to 100 miles, we were frequently called upon to shelter belated settlers on their way to and from market. To have refused an application for shelter would, according to the laws of hospitality in our native state, and even here in those pioneer days, have been considered an unpardonable sin. On one of these occa- sions we entertained some settlers from Louisa county, among whom was Ezra Denison, who, upon learning that my father was a house carpenter, at once began negotiating with him to come to this county and finish a brick house which he had erected across the river from Black Hawk, as it was then called, in Eliot township, on what was then known as Tater Island. The result was that Denison sent down sleds, and our worldly effects were transferred to a log cabin on the bank of the Iowa river, where we spent the balance of that winter and the next
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eventful summer. The melting snows of spring brought the annual freshet and the river soon overflowed its banks, and spread over the prairies. Higher and higher came the water, until not to exceed one acre of ground where our cabin stood, was uncovered, occasionally a settler came over in a skiff to see how we fared and to assure us that this particular spot of ground had never been under water; several years later we saw this tradition shattered, but at this time we were not inundated. No one but a pioneer in a rude cabin, open to every breeze of heaven, warmed only by an open fire place, and a roof of clap- boards that let in the drifting snow, a family of eight persons in one such room, can imagine the intense relief of coming spring. And such a spring in beautiful virgin łowa! Prairie chickens strutted and bellowed on the emerald prairies, water fowl in countless myriads covered the lakes, darkened the air with their wings, and day and night the clamor of their voices could be heard as they rested on the water or winged their way to their nesting places further north. This spring, the writer, a lad of eight years, did his first farming, by dropping corn after an ox team, to illustrate the primitive methods of those early days. The ground was broken or stirred with an ox team and every third furrow the corn was dropped, two or three grains about three feet apart, the next furrow was turned on the corn. This was all, except one straggling cultivation with a shovel plow. But such was the fertility of this soil that 50 or 60 bushels of ex- cellent corn per acre was produced by these rude methods.
The advent of summer brought with it the twin curses of the Iowa pioneer, viz : mosquitoes and the ague, but this is a subject too unpleasant to contemplate. We fought mosquitoes and shook with the ague. Fortunately the chills generally came on alternate days, so that part of the family could assist the others while their teeth were chattering with the chill, or burning with the fever that fol- lowed. Blessings on the man who invented wire screens ; he deserves a memor- ial as enduring as Bunker Hill monument! The following fall we moved across the river in a skiff, to Black Hawk. Here on higher ground and with the coming of cooler weather our health improved. My father and mother were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, my father being a licensed preacher. There being no organization of that body within reach my parents united with the Methodists. My father being the only resident minister in the neighborhood, he was called upon to officiate at almost all the funerals and weddings that occurred in that vicinity. I recall one irate father who called upon my father several years after he had married his daughter-who was then the mother of several children-and upbraided him for his dereliction in not having his license renewed in Iowa. "You were not a licensed preacher," said he, "and my daughter is not married, and her children are -," but I will not mention the word he used. But the matter blew over and the children grew up honored members of society without a thought as to their narrow escape from disgrace.
The recreations of those days consisted of horse races. shooting matches, (lancing and going to "meetin' ." Most every one went to "meetin' " and nearly every one danced, and shot, and attended horse races. Every winter we had a protracted "meetin' " and the young folks divided their time between this and the dance, often going from church to some nearby house to finish the night with a dance. On one occasion Bro. Wilbur was holding a protracted meeting and was making considerable inroad on the dancing fraternity by converting them. A
LOUISA COUNTY POOR FARM
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reckless fellow by the name of Neal Ruffner started a counter attraction which he called a "protracted dance." This was kept up for some considerable time to the intense disgust of the religious clement, Bro. Wilbur declaring that it "was instigated by the Devil for the purpose of holding his own." Our house was always open to the preacher, no matter what his creed. Most of them were good fellows, and their salaries were not large enough to make them proud or stuck-up.
Bro. Wilbur was a good friend to the boys. His form was rotund and his appetite for fried chicken was slightly discouraging to a half dozen hungry children waiting for the second table. Another Methodist minister of whom we have a vivid recollection was Bro. Woodford. He was a Connecticut Yankee, a splendid shot with the rifle, and an enthusiastic fisherman. He taught us how to troll for pickerel, and his method of hunting deer was both new and successful. After the corn began to ripen in the fall, the deer soon began to visit the fields, always at night or early in the evening. It was their habit to enter the field at one particular place, generally where the rail fence was low, and where it was not obstructed by weeds or vines. Bro. Woodford would find this place of ingress, and climbing into a low tree would sit for hours quietly braiding whip lashes- being an expert at this, as he also was in tanning the skins from which they were inade-until it became too dark to see the outline of the deer ; or if it was moon- light well into the night he waited, and many a fine buck fell before his unerring rifle.
Returning from one of his appointments where he had preached one Sab- bath evening, Bro. Woodford and my father, on reaching our barn yard found the sheep in great excitement, lambs bleating, and all the flock in a panic. Think- ing some "varmint" was attacking the sheep, my father called the dog, a faith- ful old hound, while Bro. Woodford ran to the house and secured his rifle. The hound took the track which led into a woodland nearby, and soon his baying showed the marauder was treed. Reaching the tree they peered into the branches and there was the dark object. One shot from the rifle brought him to the ground, and being unable to tell in the darkness the kind of animal they had bagged, they lugged him to the house and the rays of the tallow dip revealed- a large, black cat, belonging to a neighbor! Suddenly a thought occurred to Bro. Woodford. "Why Bro. Smith," said he, "do you know that this is Sunday night ?" "Well," said he, philosophically, "we better say nothing about this." Now, after half century, both of these good men have gone to their reward, their harmless escapade serves only to awaken the kindly tie that makes the "whole world akin."
In the early days pretty much all the heavy teaming, such as logging, break- ing prairie sod, etc., was done by ox teams, the horses being of a small breed, seldom exceeding 1,200 lbs. in weight. In the spring of '49 was the great hegira across the plains to California. Several teams were fitted out in the vil- lage of Toolesboro; in one of these outfits was a yoke of oxen purchased from Freeman Shaw ; they were driven across the state to Council Bluffs, which was then considered the western boundary of civilization; there the immigrants formed their trains for mutual help and defense against the Indians. From the Missouri river to the Rocky mountains-according to the accepted tradition of those days-lay the Great American Desert. While camping at Council Bluffs the yoke of cattle bought of Shaw, escaped from their owner, who, after
Vol. 1-25
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spending several days searching for them in that vicinity, proceeded on his way without them ; the following fall, these steers quietly marched up to the feed rack on the Shaw farm, having during the summer traveled entirely across the state of lowa, guided by their wonderful instinct and love for home.
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