USA > Iowa > Madison County > History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 19
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Peru .- This village is sometimes called "old Peru" to distinguish it from East Peru. Peru is not entirely lost nor forgotten, but with the building of the Great Western Railroad it dwindled from a hustling town to a place of only a few residences. Peru was laid out by Aaron and Sarah Hiatt, April 15, 1855, and the plat was recorded September 14. 1855, in Book "E," page ninety-five, Simmons Rutty, surveyor. It is located in the northwest part of the southeast quarter of section 3, Walnut Township, on the main road from Winterset to Osceola. Davies' History, published in 1869, states that this village had one store, one blacksmith shop, one cabinet and wagon shop, one shingle manufactory, one steam saw- mill, one church, fifteen or twenty private residences and about seventy in- habitants. A stone schoolhouse was in process of erection.
In the Madison County History, published in 1879, it states that Peru had about one hundred inhabitants, that there was one good flouring mill built in 1875-6 by Jesse Hiatt, at a cost of $11,500, and that the town had the following business houses : General stores, H. C. Wright and E. & J. D. Hilman ; blacksmith shops, William H. Barbary, S. N. Travis ; hotels, Illinois House, Peru House ; physicians, N. M. Smith, Z. F. Burt, P. R. Lilley ; wagon maker, T. T. Waechter ; mechanic, W. P. De Witt; carpenter, Owen Deleplain.
Two years before the town was laid out, a postoffice was established, April 18, 1853, with B. F. Brown postmaster, who was followed in succession by Peter R. Lilley, December 20, 1858; B. F. Brown, March 20, 1866; J. P. Boyd, August 14. 1866; H. C. Wright, May 25, 1868; William C. Smith, AAugust 4, 1884 ; C. D. Clark, December 15, 1884; J. W. Likens, January 28, 1885 ; B. R. Rankin, Novem- ber 3, 1885 ; M. C. Lorimor, May 10, 1889; Mary E. Travis, April 26, 1890; J. W. Keller, June 10, 1895; R. F. Bush, April 8, 1896; William L. Hiatt, April I, 1898; A. C. Turner, August 5, 1901. The office was discontinued with the estab- lishment of the rural free delivery, August 21, 1903. Today there is no business of any kind conducted in this village. Thus it has been demonstrated here, as in many other places, that the railways have been the making and unmaking of many a town.
CHAPTER XX SOME MADISON COUNTY MILLS By H. A. Mueller
When the first settlers arrived here in 1846 they were many miles from either a saw or grist mill and were compelled to go to Oskaloosa or l'armalee's Mill in Warren County for corn meal and flour, which at that time meant hard- ships and many risks. The mills were very primitive, being built of logs, covered with clapboards and floored with puncheons, but as the country began to settle there at once sprung up a demand for saw and grist mills. This article will only mention the mills run by water power, of which many were built in this county but have long since passed away.
The first mill erected in the county was what was known as a corn cracker. It was erected in 1848 by Hart & Hinkle on the present site of Buffalo Mill. It was a rude affair, constructed of logs, and the dam was equally primitive, being made of brush. The burrs were made from boulders. Although grinding was slow. the service of this old mill in a measure met the demands of the settlers, especially during the hard winter of 1848-9.
Some other mills were projected, as a clipping from the Iowa Star, published at Des Moines, shows. The correspondent probably was A. D. Jones, and his article reads as follows : "Winterset. April 30, 1850. There are already five mills in process of erection in Madison County, one of which has commenced grinding with one run of large burrs and is doing a good business. The proprietors are Messrs. Simmons & Casebier, and anticipate their sawmill will be in active operation some time during the summer. This mill is situated on Middle River about a half mile south of the county seat ( Buffalo Mill ).
"Mr. Jessup is building a grist, saw and carding mill on the stream about four miles below ( Weller Mill). Mr. Bertholf has his building and draw partly done and will be able to grind and saw after harvest. This mill is also situated on Middle River, about two and a half miles from town (Afton Bridge Mill). John Ilagy's sawmill would have been in full operation ere this had not sickness pre- vented (smallpox broke out among the workmen in this mill that boarded at Thornburgs ). This mill is also situated on Middle River, about four miles from Winterset ( at Drake's Ford. Lincoln Township), and yet another is building on North River, erected by William Combs, on section 12, Douglas Township. This county is certainly a very desirable place for a few skilful millwrights, who could undoubtedly obtain immediate employment."
Thus it is seen by the above that within four years from the first settlement five mills were in process of building and about 1860 many more were erected along the streams, which today are all gone and there is scarcely a mark left to show where once there was such busy life as usually existed in and about these industrial concerns.
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REIGLE MILL
Briefly, the location of these mills, who built them and when they ceased to be operated, will be mentioned. On North Branch of North River there was one mill-a sash, or what is known as an "up and down" sawmill, built by Jacob Riegle, about 1854-5. It was located on the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 35, Jefferson Township, and cost a considerable sum of money. It did quite a bit of sawing but never proved a profitable investment. The mill was last run by John Wiggins, about 1872. He also had attached a burr and ground corn meal and feed. The structure was washed away about 1874.
DAVID BARROW MILL
On North River, the first one on the east was David Barrow's corn mill, sit- uated on the north half of the northeast quarter of section 2, Union Township. There is no longer a stream here but a bayou just below a small bridge. In 1854 Mr. Barrows constructed a dam, put up a small shack and installed a run of burrs. The power was obtained from water. This continued to furnish meal for the neighborhood until about 1870.
SETII BARROW MILL
In 1877 Seth Barrow, son of David Barrow, built a water mill above the Eli Cox bridge, on section 5, Union Township. He sold out to Alfred Brittain in 1879, who operated the mill until ISSI, at which time the high water cut around the dam, when the mill was abandoned.
COMBS MILL
The Combs mill, mentioned in the communication of Jones, was built by William Combs in 1849-50, near the west line of section 13. Douglas Township. This was an "up and down" sawmill and also corn cracker. It was operated until 1857. when the dam was washed out by the flood of that year. Jonathan Myers, son of Alexander Myers, was drowned below the old dam in 1853, while getting a grist ground : he had gone in bathing. Parts of the mill stood until 1858, and even later ; some of the logs are to be seen today. The two burrs are in possession of O. L. Evans.
SULGROVE MILL
The Sulgrove mill-a sash sawmill-was built in 1856, by the Sulgroves, on the south side of the stream on the north half of the southeast quarter of section 9. Douglas Township, above the present Sulgrove bridge. The mill was operated until 1868, when the dam was washed away. The frame of the mill was torn away in 1876 by the high waters.
WOOD'S MILL
An "up and down" sawmill was built in the fall of 1851 by Gilbert D. Wood, on North River, just below the mouth of the Howerton; that is to say, on section 17, Douglas Township. George B. Chase helped build this mill and operated it.
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Wood & Chase made the wheel and Mr. Harlan built the frame work. The mill was operated until 1854, when it was destroyed by fire.
lluglin's grist and sawmill stood on the south bank of the Middle River, about the center of the southeast quarter of section 35, in Crawford Township. It was built in 1851 by John M. Johns and H. A. Bell. In 1852 John J. Bell and Abner Bell, Jr., brothers, ran it two years. It was later owned by Abner Bell, Jr., and George Jordan. Joachim Huglin bought it in 1866 and built the flouring mill, which continued to run until torn down and moved away in 1879.
WELLER MILL
The Weller mill was a saw and grist mill, which was built by Solomon Jessup in 1850, on section 35, Union Township. It was owned and operated in turn by Elisha Weller, Samuel Coltrane, Van Wiggins, A. F. Burger, James Cummins and John Wiggins, until finally purchased by White & Munger. John B. Lamb operated it until 1881, when the dam was washed away.
CAMPBELL MILL
Campbell mill, just above Holliwell bridge, was built in 1851 by Dan Camp- bell and John Daugherty. Abner Bell and Aaron MeKinzie helped on its con- struction. This was a sash sawmill and was purchased of the original owners in 1855 by Alexander Atkinson, who sold it to Messrs. Moore & Young in 1857. The purchasers were, respectively, uncle and father of ex-Recorder John T. Young.
BUFFALO MILL
The "Buffalo" mill was closely connected with the early history of Madison County. It was built by Hart & Hinkle as a corn cracker. Later Simmons, Casebier & Thornbrugh built a sawmill on the west side of the stream in 1851; this was washed away. In 1851 William Compton bought the mill and to it added a grist mill with two run of burrs. He also ran a sawmill, in which he installed a carding machine. It finally became known as the Compton, or Buffalo mills, receiving the latter name, so it is said, by reason of Mr. Compton always appearing at his work enveloped in a buffalo overcoat.
Compton continued to run the Buffalo mill until 1874 and to him it was a very profitable enterprise. People came for miles around to get their flour. Sheds were built to accommodate the customers and their teams, for it was necessary in those days for each settler to wait his turn to have his corn ground. The mill was sold to Vermillion & Kleatsch and in the storm of 1880 was almost totally wrecked. C. D. Bevington bought Vermillion's interest and it was rebuilt. Mr. Kleatsch then sold his interest to W. Il. Lewis. Many improvements were made to keep up with the times, but the investment proved a financial failure. The mill was sold to Moorehead and J. S. W. Cole and was operated by Thomas Pace. In 1886 the floods washed the dam away and the mill never again was rebuilt. A part of the structure is still standing.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
AFTON BRIDGE MILL
What is known as the Afton Bridge mill was built in 1850 by J. T. Bertholf. It was a grist mill. Bertholf sold to Joseph Wright, who added to the industry a sawmill. This property was located on the section line between sections 13 and 14, Lincoln Township, and just north of the present Afton bridge. The sawmill was further down the river along a bayou, through which the mill race ran. Mr. Tomlinson bought it later of Mr. Wright and operated it for some time.
DRAKE FORD MILL
The Brinson mill at Drake Ford was a water power mill, built in 1849, by David Hagge. He boarded with Absalom Thornburg and took down with the smallpox while building it, giving the disease to all the family except one son, George. This was the first circular sawmill in the county and stood east of Drake Ford bridge on section 15 east of the house now owned by J. E. Addy in Lincoln Township. Mr. Hagge sold to Craig Gaines and Mike Danner in 1851. Later Joseph Brinson, father of William Brinson, of Winterset, purchased it and operated the mill until the dam washed out. Brinson then sold the property to John Reed, who rebuilt the mill a short distance above and across Middle River, put in burrs and ground both wheat and corn, besides sawing lumber. The dam washed out in 1864, which induced Reed to sell the machinery; the building was torn down and moved away.
BACKBONE MILL
About the year 1859 John Harmon built what has since been known as the Backbone mill. It was an "up and down" affair, and got its power from the river by tunnelling a passage for the stream through the rock of the "backbone" to the wheel. Harmon sold to W. L. Wilkin and R. D. Vermillion in 1867, who put in a grist mill; G. F. Kleatsch worked for them. This mill was run for several years by various owners until 1882, when Henry Evans bought it and operated it some time. The old mill has been lying idle the last fifteen years or more. In the meantime part of the structure was torn down but some of it is still standing.
JAMES BERTHOLF MILL
There was an "up and down" sawmill built in 1866 by James Bertholf. It stood on the west side of Middle River, on the section line of sections 16 and 21, Lincoln Township. The machinery was brought from Andrew Bertholf's mill further up the river. Joseph Brinson bought the property in 1869, operated it a few years and then sold out to Linsey Macumber, who ran it three years and sold to Alex Macumber in 1872, who continued to operate it one year. The build- ing was washed away in the floods of 1876 while owned by D. Philbrick.
ANDREW BERTIIOLF MILL
Andrew H. Bertholf in 1854 built a sash sawmill, operated by water power, just below the present Linsey Bertholf bridge and near the center of section
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17, Lincoln Township. This was run a few years ; then the machinery was re- moved in 1866 and installed in the James Bertholf mill further down the river.
HOCKENBERRY MILL
The Hockenberry mill was an "up and down" waterpower sawmill and was built in 1855. in section 14, Webster Township, by M. C. Hockenberry and Paul Denning, but was not completed until 1856. The buiklers operated it up to the beginning of the Civil war, when Hockenberry sold his interest to Paul Denning, who continued therein until he sold to William and Mart Shoefflen, in 1868, who in turn sold to E. M. Roseman in 1870. Mr. Roseman operated the mill a few years and then lost it by floods.
WEBSTER MH.I.
Charles Friend began the construction of a sawmill in 1854, M. C. Ilocken- berry doing the construction work. It was completed by B. F. McAfferty and Fred Mason, who had it in operation in 1856. They ran the mill about three years, when Otho Davis got possession, and added a set of burrs and ground corn. Then in turn, as millers, came a Mr. Hoadley, Asbury Evans, Carl Sampson, George MeVey, Rufus Ullery, Mr. Hohn, and finally Mr. Rogers. No sawing had been done for thirty years, and probably no grinding for fifteen years. About 1903, or 1904, the building was still standing on the bank of Middle River. south of Webster, and about a quarter of a mile west of the public road running south of town. It was at that time decaying rapidly and the river had washed around the south end of the dam, leaving the mill on dry land. The machinery, however, was still in the building and all it needed, so it seemed, was repairing. This was the beginning of the last chapter in the history of the okl Webster mill.
BARKER MILL
About 1853. or 1855, Samuel Barker built a sawmill on Grand River, on sec- tion 17, Grand River Township, which afterwards became known as Barker's mill. It was operated about ten years, part of this time by Dr. J. H. Mack. It then stood idle until about 1860, when it became practically a ruin. About 1875 George Everett put up a small buikling, constructed a wooden wheel and in this primitive mill ground corn and chop feed. In 1877, Evan Doty and Captain Barker. son of Samuel Barker, bought the property, put in a thirty-six-inch Leffler turbine wheel and erected a new building. Here quite a milling business was conducted by the persons just named until 1889, when Alvin Griswold purchased the mill and in 1892 attached a circular saw and manufactured lumber. This mill was torn down a few years ago, and was the last water power mill run in Madison County.
HINTT & BROWN MILL
The liatt & Brown mill, in Walnut Township, was constructed in the fall of 1852 by Aaron Iliatt and B. F. Brown. It was a sawmill, operated by water
BACKBONE MILL, LINCOLN TOWNSHIP
Devil's Back Bone in rear, with tunnel underneath, which was dug by John Harmon and his three sons. It was completed in 1859. The mill was first used to saw lumber and later as a gristmill, which was operated until 1904 when it was abandoned, and a few years ago was torn down. Henry Evans was the last owner and operator.
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power, and stood on Clanton Creek, in section 11, about a half mile southeast of East Peru. The mill was completed in the summer of 1853 and was put together by F. S. J. Garroutte, of Winterset, later of Adel. All was in running order by the spring of 1854, when the wheel was found deficient, so a Johnston wheel was put in. This mill was owned and operated by Hiatt & Brown until about 1856, when Aaron Hiatt sold his interest to Elijah Hiatt, late of Truro, and father of Surveyor E. E. Hiatt. About 1860 Hiatt sold his interest to John Steel and later bought B. F. Brown's interest, which he sold to Benjamin Reed about the close of the war. About the year 1868 the mill was washed away by high waters.
HARTMAN MILL
Hartman & Downs' mill, west of Hanley, was begun in the year 1851 as an "up and down" affair, completed in 1853 and operated until some time during the sixties, when Dr. William Anderson, father of H. P. and E. K. Anderson, and an old practicing physician, bought, controlled and operated it until about 1869, at which time Elijah Collins bought a half interest in the enterprise. During the summer of 1871 the firm of Anderson & Collins rebuilt and improved the mill and was ready for operations in 1872, when M. I. Bean and E. Collins managed the business. In 1873 M. I. Bean purchased Collins' interest and continued to run the mill until 1876, when high water took out the dam. The property was then sold to R. A. Howard and his father, who built a new dam, but the floods again came and washed out the improvements, so the mill was abandoned in 1877. The site of Hartman & Downs' mill is a short distance west from Clanton Creek, and east of Bridgeport school house.
PHIPPS MILL
What was known as the Phipps mill was built in 1866 by James Phipps, further up Clanton Creek, on section 27, on land now owned by S. T. Johnston. The mill was completed in 1867 and subsequently Phipps sold half of his interest to Isaac Allen, and the balance to William Allcock later. About 1873 the new firm sold to R. M. J. Collins, who was proprietor of the mill until 1876, when the high waters destroyed it.
CHAPTER XXI
THE SIMPLE LIFE By .A. J. Hoisington
LOG HOUSES
The natural resources of new countries provide liberally all the necessities for human existence, until such time as the pioneer may acquire, if diligent, a more reliable and convenient supply, better adapted to his previous habits and customs. The Indian was not destructive during his occupancy of the country and left for the white man's use all the wealth of game and forest and soil, just as he had received it from Nature's bountiful hand. Thus, the pioneer settlers found in great affluence wild game and fish, the sweets of the bee and maple, and material for the building of the home.
If the settler came during the spring or planting season of the year, usually his first employment was in planting such crops for which he was able to prepare the ground and then came the building of a log house ; meanwhile, "camping out" in the wagon or in a tent, for all were prepared for outdoor living. If he arrived at other than the spring time, house buikling was first in order of importance. The pioneer always settled either in a forest, or on the prairie border of one, but in the latter case a little way in the timber. And, if he was early enough to have choice of location, he selected a site facing the prairie to the south or east. In nearly every case the settler had been born, raised and always lived in a heavily timbered country. But he found here far more prairie than timber and. instinctively, he seemed to know that, soon or late. he must use the prairie largely for farming operations. Thus, most of the early settlers sought to include in their "claims" a piece of adjacent prairie land.
The settlers of 1846-7-8-9 and 1850, without an exception, save that of Judge l'itzer, who built and lived in the first frame house in the county ( in Winterset ), built and dwelled in log houses. These structures were of three general styles- of round or unhewn logs, hewn logs or built of "poles." Where the settler had time and help sufficient, he hewed the logs in the timber, where the trees were felled, and hauled or dragged them to the site of the house. Enough men were then notified on a certain day he would have a "house raising." It was considered that twenty men were necessary to quickly and safely "raise" a house. It was universally the rule that a notification of a "raising" was a "draft" on the services of the man notified for that whole day. He was not invited. requested, or even asked to attend; he was simply notified. Of course, there might be some prior engagement that would prevent the "notified" person from being present and, for this reason, upon notification he was asked but one question : "Can you go?" During the first year or two so thin were the settlements that sometimes "drafted"
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neighbors would have to go from eight to fifteen miles. The earliest settlers, along Jones Creek and Upper Clanton, came northward to Middle River for help and the pioneers of Webster and Jackson depended on the Winterset neigh- borhood.
As the "raisings" began early in the morning, so as to be sure of a finish by night, those from a distance must start before breakfast time at home. But as no breakfast was served at the "raising" they must hustle out early. Some sort of a dinner, served in some sort of a manner-the best the newcomers could possibly do under the circumstances-came at noon. As a rule no supper was served and none expected. Of course no pay for the day's work was given or would have been accepted if offered. It was a duty each settler owed the new- comer in return for like service rendered him when he came to the country.
The early settlers of this county were largely teetotalers, or very moderate users of intoxicants, and, therefore. it was the exception when whisky was fur- nished at these "raisings." When offered at all to those who chose to drink, moderation was the rule, since to take too much was dangerous to the others.
The "raising" of a log house included the carrying up of the four sides, the gable end logs ; proper placing of the cross poles, or logs which held the gable end logs in place, and to which the clapboards would be nailed or weighted down by poles, and such sills for the floor to rest upon as the owner chose. The door and window places and fire place were left for the owner to cut or saw out as he chose and the roof and floor he could add at his convenience.
The "raising" of an unhewn log house was in the same manner. Generally, the owner would later employ an expert to hew the logs in the wall. Good hewers were rather scarce and if the owner could not hew, he had to build his house with the crude logs and hire a hewer when he couldt. Good hewers commanded higher wages than common woodsmen, and for hewing logs in the wall a still higher price was demanded, it being more difficult and slower work ; besides, the logs when left for some time became more or less seasoned and consequently tougher.
A "pole" house was built of very large and straight poles, or small logs, never hewn, and otherwise built as regular log houses. Comparatively few were erected and they were far from desirable. They were intended but for temporary use as a habitation and eventually were turned into use as stables.
Log houses cost little except in labor and often were completed without the expenditure of a cent. Nothing was bought-not even a nail, a window glass or a door hinge. In such case the roof was of clapboards, weighted down by large poles, laid from end to end of the roof across the lower end of each tier of boards : the windows were of light colored paper, well oiled or greased ; the doors were "batten" ones, made of puncheon or clapboards, fastened together by wooden pins, and hung by wooden hinges. The fastening consisted of a wooden latch.
The old southern style of buikling two separate log houses, each complete and independent of the other, end towards end, and located from ten to sixteen feet apart, was sometimes adopted here. This design came in about 1850-1 and was followed until about 1854. It was the period between the old style single log cabin, and the frame building era, that began in great earnest in 1855, when saw- mills became numerous. Upon the twin log houses, a chimney was built at the extreme ends of each compartment, the space between being boarded and a passage
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way from house to house made by cutting a door through the middle of the adja- cent ends of the two log houses or compartments. This made lots of room. Some- times, from end to end on the front side of the building a covered porch was extended. usually with a small summer kitchen or a "spare" bedroom at one end.
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