History of Lucas County, Iowa containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc, Part 56

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Des Moines, State Historical Company
Number of Pages: 761


USA > Iowa > Lucas County > History of Lucas County, Iowa containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc > Part 56


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).


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The following figures, as given by the census returns, show the number of cattle in the United States at different periods from 1850 to 1876. In 1850 there were of milk cows 6,385,094; of other cattle, 11,393,289. In 1860 there were of milk cows 8,585,735; of other cattle, 17,034,284. In 1870 there were of milk cows 8,935,332; of other cattle, 14,885,276. In 1876 there were of milk cows 11,260,800; of other cattle, 17,956,100. The total of cows and other cattle in 1850 was 17,778,383, and a like total in 1876 was 30,216,900, making an increase of 12,438,517 in twenty-six years. Of this vast number of cows in 1876, New York had the largest,


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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.


1,526,200; Pennsylvania next, with 845,300; Illinois next, with 724,900; Ohio, 700,000; and Iowa, 665,300. Of other cattle, Texas had the most, 3,390,500; Illinois next, with 1,287,000; California next, with 1,053,500; and next comes our own Iowa as fourth in rank, with 958,800, with Ohio, Missouri, Pennsylvania, New York and Indiana considerably below us. The value of the neat cattle in this country, as shown by the figures of the agricultural department at Washington, June 30, 1876, was $614,848,- 597. However, an intelligent estimate places the value in 1878, at a billion of dollars. The average value of cows in 1876, was $27.32 each, or a total value of $307,743,211; of other cattle an average value of $17.10 each, or a total value of $307,105,386. The recent experiment in the export of fresh beef, and of live cattle, has increased, and will continue to increase, this branch of American industry until it becomes, if not already, the first and most profitable branch of the agricultural interests of this country.


In this view, Iowa occupies a proud and prominent position, and at no distant day, will stand foremost in the production of corn, hay, neat cattle, and dairy products; and Lucas county, as now, will be a promi- nent factor in this relation. . Years heretofore, wheat was produced in this county beyond that required for home consumption; but subsequent tests proved that it is better adapted to grass and hay for stock-raising and dairy purposes; and therefore the attention of farmers has become more generally turned to this branch of husbandry. In 1875, when Lucas county was twenty-six years old, with a population of only 11,725, and contained, according to the census of that year, 108,952 acres of improved land, of a cash value of $3,550,464; the product of corn was 1,902,230 bushels, from 47,022 acres; of wheat, 153,916 bushels, from 13,985 acres, which was about eleven bushels per acre; of hay, from tame grass mainly, 18,636, tons. The. dairy products, in 1875, were: 397,847 pounds of butter, and 6,835 pounds of cheese, valued at $72,644; while the total value of farm products were, for that year, $1,030,554.


The following table, gleaned from the assessment records of the county, exhibit the number, and value, of live stock in the county, from 1863, to 1881; and the rate of increase, in this branch of industry, shows that of the three leading products of this state and county, corn, hay and wheat, have also increased in production, from 1875 to 1881, not less than thirty per cent.


Here are the figures, give them careful examination, as they cover a period of eighteen years, and show the development of stock-raising in the county to a profitable degree. The value named is that fixed by the assessor, which is probably a fourth below their real value:


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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.


CATTLE.


HORSES.


MULES.


CHEEP.


SWINE.


TOTAL


Number.


Value.


Number.


Value.


Number.


Value.


Number.


Value.


Number.


Value.


VALUN.


1863


5880 8 550631


21281


$ 807801


106| 8


6045


6178| $ 12954


1.091| $ 12402|| $ 167,244


186.


5823


85911


2363


126991


107


9840


19979


88259


4499


11611


272 602


1866


5656


98367


2726


168399


151


12520


14381


23752


5202


16870


824,908


1867


¥718


90460


2970


161433


228


15924


15974


23014


6939


11686


302.517


1868


6316


108209


3338


901585


959


205525


15461


23994


5983


11523


365,076


1869


7819


109461


3776


182911


815


17955


15027


12342


6151


17697


339,696


1870.


8122


121351


4347


190385


406


20910


15238


86 6


6921


23-34


884,4-6


1871.


9193


139124


4746


201686


420


94895


11120


6485


96.96


30638


402,830


1872 ..


9159


106019


5059


177789


445


20685


8199


7960


10836


24961


347,864


1878.


10092


112399


5316


189861


372


17445


6909


6493


18418


34591


401.289


1874


127#2


185951


5364


204300


886


17036


6279


5684


13861


4093%


458,704


1875


14874


205526


570%


219771


416


20786


4941


5025


12709


34747


485,855


1876


16004


209105


6200


221439


498


23432


4969


3919


10619


35468


498,363


1877


1475%


189089|


6947


214390


509


21650


3577


3538


11229


31902


460,509


1878


18696


156243


6147


178585


504


19264


2477


2308


15278


36180


391.530


1879.


14227


1990 0


5824


172934


491


17593


3319


3475


17905


40874


483,876


1880


16166


254823


5857


204706


498


19687


5096


5126


900 0


57747


542,079


1881 ..


17667


292468


6192


218897


491


20158


5509


7895


17696


62278


601,796


·


The soil and climate of Lucas county are well adapted to stock-raising and dairy productions; because corn, west of the Mississippi river, is not a profitable product for shipment to market-it should be consumed at home, upon the soil that produced it, by cattle and hogs, for a foreign market. The same is true as to hay, the next staple product of import- ance. Then follows wheat, as a marketable product, beyond that con- sumed at home; but its production per acre in this county will not justify the farmer to give it much attention in the way of profit, when stock and dairy products will pay him a much larger profit. The value of dairy products for 1875, were $72,644, and have increased forty per cent since, to the present year, 1881, which has brought into existence two creameries in the county, which will soon become profitable industries. Among the largest stock-raisers in the county are Mallory & Howard, who have given considerable attention to fine cattle-Short-horns mainly-in White- breast township. Lewis Bonnett, of Warren, and D. G. Bonnett, of Whitebreast township, are largely engaged in sheep-raising and wool- growing; the former having a flock of 1,700 head, and the latter a flock of 450 head. Besides these there are several smaller flocks in the county, such as W. F. Carson, of Pleasant, 390; E. J. Hatcher, of Lincoln, 200; J. J. Werts, of Whitebreast, 260; and J. W. Dugal, of Lincoln, 200 head.


The future of Lucas county will give it prominence as one of the finest stock-growing and dairy counties in the state. While these will be its leading industries, crops-wheat, oats, flax and other min or productions- will occupy the attention of smaller farmers, who do not keep pace with the spirit of progress, or are not forehanded enough to grasp the oppor- tunities which the county offers for the successful results which the first named branches of their industry present.


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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.


In 1856, Lucas county organized her first


AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY,


and held its first annual fair in the autumn of that year upon the place now known as the Rogers farm, northeast of Chariton. The officers and proceedings of the society, and the annual festivals held by it, are traditional history only, as no records of them exist to-day. Those who were cognizant of the facts tell us that James Vandeveter was either president or treasurer, and A. C. Cameron secretary of this society. The first fair was respectably attended, and the exhibition creditable for that early day in the existence of the county-six years.


That which attracted most attention among the visitors, was a mam- moth squash, exhibited by Mr. Landis, the father of the present sheriff of the county, which weighed two hundred and twenty-five pounds. This was the sensation of the show. It is said that there were a thousand people present. It appears that this organization did not continue long, as a new organization was formed on a supposed permanent basis in 1866. The society secured ten acres of land half a mile west of Chariton, on the Osceola road, on which it erected buildings, made an exhibition tract, etc., and where it has held its annual exhibition of the various produc- tions of the county since that time, -including fourteen years; and from which the farmers and artizans of the county have doubtless been more or less benefitted by way of comparison of products, and the mode of their production, which should, and likely did, awaken incentives for greater efforts in future contests. However, of all these fourteen years, there is no record to be found earlier than March, 1871. Hence, the names of those who aided in the organization and management of the society down to the last named date, and to whom credit should be awarded, cannot be given here; nor of what the organization accomplished in the way of promoting the agricultural interests of the county. This is an inexcusa- ble dereliction. In March, 1871, a new constitution seems to have been adopted, of which the following are the two first articles:


"ARTICLE 1. This Association shall be known as the 'Lucas County Agricul- tural Society.' Its objects shall be the advancement and improvement of agri- culture, horticulture, mechanical arts, rural and domestic economy.


ARTICLE 2. The officers of this society shall consist of a president, vice-pres- ident, secretary, treasurer, and a director from each township in the county, and one from each ward in the town of Chariton; five of which [whom] shall consti- tute a quorum to transact business, and who shall be chosen annually, on the first Saturday of December, at the court house in Chariton.


ARTICLE 10. The payment of one dollar on or before the commencement of the county fair of each year, shall constitute a person a member of this society, and shall entitle him to all the rights and privileges of the same; and also to a


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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.


membership ticket, which shall admit man and wife, and all children under eight years of age.


ARTICLE 11. It shall be the duty of the board of directors to meet on the last Saturday in February, in each year, to prepare a list of premiums for the next annual fair, * * * to appoint awarding committees, consisting of three members of the society, in each class on exhibition.


ARTICLE 12. All competitors for premiums must be members of the society, and all articles entered, must be entered in the bona fide owner's name. In the department of mechanics, the exhibitor must be the maker, inventor, improver, or agent.


This constitution is signed C. W. Christian, secretary, but the record does not show who were chosen the other officers. The next meeting appears to have been held February 24, 1872, but the officers present of record were, S. L. Bestow, president; T. W. Fawcett, vice-president, and G. B. Routt, secretary, and John Remy, E. S. Thompson, C. W. Chris- tian, O. F. Brownlee, John Schelley, S. D. Wheeler, L. Curtis, Dr. Pen- dleton, as directors. The meeting made preparations for the forthcoming year. Another meeting held March 9, following. The committee on finance made a report showing the receipts of the society from all sources, up to February 3, 1869, were $2,031.15; and amount thereof paid out to same date $2,036.36, leaving a balance of $5.21 in the treasurer's hands on that date. Receipts for the year 1870, were $732, 40, of which $735 .- 39 were paid out for same year, leaving $2.99 as a balance due the treas- urer. It is rare that a balance is in favor of officials. This committee, consisting of L. Curtis, G. W. Mitchell, and I. H. Waynick, whose prov- ince seemed to be to overhaul the dead past of the financial affairs of the old society, further found that orders for premiums had been issued for the years of 1868, 1869, 1870, and 1871, to the amount of $1,452, of which $655.05 had been paid; leaving on hand, according to the treasur- er's report for 1871, $95.24. The committee conclude their report thus: "Balance of outstanding claims against the society, as per papers and reports in our possession, $702.29." The report was accepted, and ordered spread upon the record.


The record gives nothing concerning the results of the fair of 1872. However, if any were held, at the next meeting of the directors, held October 4, 1872, the adoption of the following resolution, offered by L. S. Wheeler, included all of its proceedings:


Resolved, That the treasurer be, and is, hereby instructed to pay in full, all orders drawn on the Society, for incidental expenses for the current year; and to pay fifty cents on the dollar, on all orders drawn for premiums, including those of the present and former years.


The next annual meeting of the society was held December 7, 1872. After the appointment of a committee-I. N. Elliott, J. C. Berry and E


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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.


S. Thompson - to examine annual reports of the secretary and the treas- urer, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, T. W. Fawcett; vice-president, E. S. Thompson; secretary, D. Gow; treasurer, D. M. Thompson; directors, G. W. Hopkins, S. Julian, R. Coles, E. S. Thompson, James Faulks, John Schnebley, Phillip Cumpston, James Arnold, W. C. Garrett, Alonzo William, L. S. Huntley, B. F. Comstock and Geo. Mitchell. Mr. Gow not qualifying as secretary, the society continued Mr. Routt.


The annual meeting of the directors, February 22, 1873, fixed Septem- ber 16, 17 and 18, for the fair of that year, and arranged for the premium list. The secretary's report for 1872, showed the receipts from all sources for that year to be $607.30; received from state, $200; received from former treasurer, $57.38, making $864.63. The treasurer's report showed $805.46 to have been paid out, leaving $59.17 on hand. At the meeting of the directors, September 27, 1873, a proposition to raise fund by sub- scription to relieve the society from its indebtedness, but without result.


At the annual meeting of the society, December 6, 1873, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Smith H. Mallory; vice-president, J. M. Wheeler; secretary, R. B. Fry; treasurer, S. L. Bestow; directors, A. S. Beals, J. Sanborn, T. W. Fawcett, R. Reid, J. M. Mitchell, J. P. Turner, H. W. Lane, Wm. Russell, W. C. Garrett, Alonzo Williams, Samuel Merris, T. O. Mckinley, S. D. Wheeler. A resolution was adopted directing that fifty cents on the dollar of the funds of the society pro rata, and the balance of indebtedness be donated to the society. At the February, 1874, meeting of the board, premium lists deter- mined, and September 16, 17, 18, fixed for holding the fair.


· At the anuual meeting of the society, December 5, 1874, the following officers were elected: President, S. H. Mallory; vice-president, Robert Ramsey; secretary, T. W. Fawcett; treasurer, S. L. Bestow; directors, J. N. Morrison, J. Sanborn, R. Coles, J. N. Elliott, F. C. Fleming, J. P. Turner, H. W. Lane, Wm. Miller, W. C. Garrett, Alonzo Williams, Lot Curtis, Mr. Hoops, S. D. Wheeler. The reports of the treasurer for the past year, show $123.30 received from previous treasurer; receipts of fair $641.41, from other sources, including state appropriation $314.50, mak- ing a total of $1,074.20. Of this total, $873.67 were disbursed for premi- ums and expenses, leaving a balance of $215.53 in the treasury. At the following meeting of directors, February 27, 1875, it was resolved, "that in the future there shall not be allowed any horse racing, games of chance, or gambling of any kind on the fair grounds." At the following annual meeting of the society, December 4, 1875, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Robert Ramsey; vice-president, D. M. Thompson; secretary, T. W. Fawcett, treasurer, S. L. Bestow;


13


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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY ..


directors, J. N. Morrison, Joseph Sanborn, S. H. Mallory, E. J. Hatcher, O. F. Brownlee, John Schoebley, Philip Compston, James Russell, James Leach, W. C. Garrett, Lot Curtis, T. O. Mckinley, S. S. Wheeler. The annual meeting of the board of directors was held March 8, 1876, and prepared a premium list for the fair, which was held September 19, 20 and 21, of that year.


Nothing further appears of record until February 7, 1880, though it is likely that this society kept up its meetings and fairs, or some of them at least, and through neglect no record was made. The meeting of Feb- ruary 7, 1880, was that of the society at which new men appeared at the front. The vice-president of 1876, was D. M. Thompson, but Captain L. S. Huntley appears as vice-president at this meeting of the society. The following officers were chosen: president, Capt. L. S. Huntley; vice- president, Robert Barnett; secretary, S. L. Bestow; treasurer, H. L. Mauk; directors, H. H. Day, George J. Stewart, Smith H. Mallory, William Braden, Joseph Sanborn, John Ewing, S. W. Pinner, W. N. Lane, H. L. Dukes, Wm. Miller, E. Foster, Joseph Sprott, Geo. Boggs, Lot Curtis, D. F. White. . At this meeting a committee-H. H. Day, Robert Coles, S. H. Mallory and S. L. Bestow-was appointed on con- stitution, to report at an adjourned meeting, February 21, 1880. At this adjourned meeting the following resolutions were adopted:


Resolved, That the Lucas County Agricultural Society renew the incorpora- tion thereof, by the adoption of the constitution under which it has operated the past twenty years.


Resolved, That we favor the formation of a joint stock agricultural associa - tion, and that it be so formed as to absolutely protect the present property of the Lucas County Agricultural Society. which may be merged therein, and do hereby authorize the officers of this society to act for the society.


A committee-S. L. Bestow, D. M. Thompson and Jesse Coles-was appointed to work up the joint to stock association. The time for holding the annual fair was fixed for September 14, 15 and 16, 1880, and premium list revised and adopted. At a subsequent meeting of the society, April 3, 1880, the subscription committee reported $925 subscribed. A committee was appointed to look up new grounds for the society to corporate it, and determine what can be done: The shares of the stock were fixed at ten dollars. This meeting and this society were then merged into a new society, called the "Lucas County Agricultural Joint Stock Association," of which Captain L. S. Huntley was chosen president, and W. W. Wil- son, secretary, and a new board of directors were chosen, consisting of H. H. Day, R. J. Coles, L. S. Huntley, G. W. Hopkins, William Braden, G. J. Stewart and S. L. Bestow. The annual meeting of the new association was held February 5, 1881, which was a change from December. The following officers were elected: president, G. B. Boggs;


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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.


vice-president, E. Gregg; secretary, A. W. McCormick; treasurer, H. L. Mauk; directors, David Beam, A. S. Glenn, D. M. Thompson, Wil- liam Braden, James Sanborn, J. F. Spiker, John Schnebley, H. W. Lane, H. L. Dukes, William Miller, William Carson, J. W. Sprott, G. W. Riker, L. S. Huntley and D. F. White.


The association has purchased a larger tract of land for their fair pur- poses, which is well arranged with ample buildings and modern appoint- ments.


SWAMP AND SALINE LANDS.


Through an act of congress, passed in 1850, the United States gave to Iowa, as to other states, such of her public lands which were found to be swampy and not especially valuable for agricultural purposes. In pur- suance of the act of congress making this donation, the legislature of this state passed an act accepting it, and providing for reducing these lands to the possession and ownership of the various counties in which they were found to exist. This act was passed and approved February 2, 1853, and authorized the county court to cause such lands to be selected and surveyed, and a return thereof made to the general land office at Washington City for approval and confirmation.


March 7, 1853, the county court appointed Waitman Trippet as sur- veyor and agent, to select the swamp lands which might be found within this county. He performed this task, and at the following September term of the county court he made a report of his doings in the premises, accompanied with the plats of the lands thus selected, all of which were placed upon file and record.


Mr. Trippet selected and returned some 12,000 acres which he called swamp land. Out of this, about 8,000 acres were confirmed in the county by the general land office of the United States.


In 1862, Mr. Robert Coles, of Chariton, who, from 1854 to 1856, was the register of the United States land office at that place, submitted a proposition to purchase the interest of Lucas county in her swamp lands, which proposition the county, through the board of supervisors, at its. meeting of September 2, 1862, accepted, on condition that such proposi- tion of purchase should be ratified by a vote of the people, as follows:


Resolved, By the board of supervisors of Lucas county, that we accept the proposition of Robert Coles, in regard to the swamp land interest of this county, and that the same be submitted to the legal voters of said county at the October election in 1862; and in the event said vote should be in favor of said proposi- tion, then the clerk of the board be authorized to execute all necessary papers to convey the interest of the county in said lands to R. Coles, and to give him


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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.


all the necessary authority of law to settle with the department at Washington, on behalf of this county, for the same; the sand R. Coles to secure to the county the lands offered in lieu of the interest conveyed to him, and if necessary, issue to him a commission as special agent to settle with the department at Washing- ton, according to. the provisions of the act of the session of the legislature of Iowa.


This contract of sale was submitted to the people at the October elec- tion, 1862, and by them ratified by a vote of 337 for, to 301 against the proposition. Following this action of the people, the board of supervisors at its session in January, 1868, adopted the following resolution:


WHEREAS, The board of supervisors for Lucas county did, by their resolution, dated September 2, 1862, accept the proposition of R. Coles to purchase all and singular the rights, title and interest to the swamp lands in said county, and did submit the acception or rejection of said proposition to the qualified voters of said county, and the voters of said county, at an election held on the 14th day of October, 1862, did, by a majority of votes then cast, decide that the sale of the interest of the county to the swamp lands therein, should be ratified and con- firmed, and


WHEREAS, The commissioner of the general land office did issue special indemnity script, No. 3, for twenty-two hundred acres, to indemnify said county of Lucas for the swamp lands sold by the United States after the passage of the act of September 28, 1850, and,


WHEREAS, It appearing from the certificate of the register and receiver of the land office at Sioux City, Iowa, that said indemnity script, No. 3, has been loca- ted upon the following described tract of land, to-wit: The north fr. + of sec- tion 4, the south { of section 4, and the west { of the northwest } of section 8, township 89, range 40; also the northeast { of section 30, the northeast { of sec- tion 32, the south + of section 28, and all of section 34, in township 90, range 40; also the north fr. + of the northwest } of section 2, township 89, range 44; also the northeast fr. { of the northeast } of section 6, township 89, range 41; also the west fr. ¿ of the northwest of section 30, township 90, range 44. Total number of acres, 2,199.71. Therefore,


Resolved, That in compliance with the agreement entered into by the board of supervisors of Lucas county, Iowa, on the 23d day of October, 1862, in which all the interest in said county to the swamp lands therein, was conveyed to the said R. Coles for the sum of six thousand five hundred dollars. The title and interest of the said county in and to the aforesaid tracts of lands, is hereby vested in the said R. Coles, and to his heirs and assigns forever.


Thus Mr. Coles secured something over eight thousand acres of land in Lucas county which Mr. Trippet called swamp land, for the sum of $6,500, together with United States indemnity land script, covering 2,199 acres of so-called swamp land which the United States had sold in this county prior to the swamp land enactment by congress in 1850, which Mr. Coles located in the Sioux City land district, and afterward sold at Sioux City at speculative rates.


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HISTORY OF LUCAS COUNTY.


For these eight thousand acres of pretended swamp lands lying in Lucas county Mr. Coles gave to the county in payment one thousand acres of land lying within four or five miles of Chariton, for which the county realized less than $1.25 per acre. Mr. Coles also received from the general government indemnity land script, which served as his title, for the balance of the eight thousand acres above the 2,199 acres sold by the United States, and for which he received the first installment of script.




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