USA > Iowa > Madison County > History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 38
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The first white settlers in Walnut Township were John Mars and Tom Carr, who, it is said, furnished to settlers who came later on, meat from hogs running wild here at the time. It was claimed the hogs got away from the Mormon emi- grants passing through Union County on their way to Salt Lake and strayed to this locality. Among the next, and we might say permanent settlers, were Aaron and Jesse Hiatt, Ben and Jacob Brown, who built the first water mill across Clanton ; James Emerson, the Marshalls, Rhynos, John Guiberson, Mc- Clures, Drakes. Burdicks, the five brothers, Elijah, Job, Thomas, John and William Smith, and their venerable parents.
Grandfather and Grandmother Walker, as they were familiarly called, with their three sons, S. M., William and J. V. Walker, Ben Roberts, Alex Lorimor, who built the first steam sawmill in the township; the Eliltons, Fivecoats, Flani- gans, McGuires, Paul Jones, Levi Mease, Tiltons, Fowlers, Isaac Reager, Dan Baker, were also among the early settlers.
The first county bridge in Walnut Township, across Clanton, was built in 1863 or 1864, near where Austin Reed now lives. There had been a number of so-called bridges of logs constructed across this stream. They were covered with poles and had puncheon floors. When the freshets came they were certain
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
to be washed away. But at that time the streams were much narrower than now and we had no difficulty in securing trees along the banks to reach across them. And that calls to mind the majestic trees which at that time graced each side or bank of our water courses, black and white walnut, three kinds of elms, hard and soft maple, hackberry, hickory, ash and the stately white and yellow cottonwood ; linn, commonly called basswood, and also the buckeyes, which caused the early settler any amount of grief, both in early spring and fall, as the cattle while brows- ing in the fall would eat the buckeyes and founder on them, and not infrequently the result would prove fatal.
BARNEY
Barney is a hamlet and station on the Great Western Railroad. It was laid out in May, 1887, by R. A. Patterson, county surveyor, for Alexander Macumber. and is located on section 31. The place has a store, shops and a church-the Christian. Close by is a school. It has a postoffice, with one rural route. (See chapter on postoffices.)
CHAPTER XXXVIII
WEBSTER TOWNSHIP
A recent writer described Webster Township as "having a schoolhouse on every hillside, four churches and no railroads or saloons in the valley. It is a delightful country to travel over when the clay hills are macadamized by the sun and a good community to visit in when the people are not too busy." This division of the county is bounded on the west by Adair County, on the east by Lincoln Township, on the north by Jackson and on the south by Grand River. The surface is rough and broken but fine stone for building purposes and the manufacture of lime is found here in abundance. Originally it had a very fine grove of timber and the stone along Middle River is ahnost inexhaustible. The stream just mentioned crosses the township almost diagonally from the northwest corner.
As far as is now known, the first person to settle here was John H. Baugh. He was born in Madison County, Kentucky, and immigrated with his parents to Hendricks County, Indiana, in 1830, where he remained until 1849. Upon coming here, he entered land on section 12, and remained there a great many years, where he raised a family of five children and became prosperous.
Other arrivals in the township soon thereafter were Thomas Wright, L. D. Skidmore, Dexter Howard, James Harmon, Patrick Lorge, John Vancil, Otho Davis, J. R. Drake and A. M. Hart.
Another contingent made up the early settlers' roll as follows: O. H. Smith, Cass Shaw, F. M. Walker, Adam Krell, H. G. Milligan, John Schnellbacher, Henry Wissler, J. H. Krell, Joshua Aikins, Joseph Steele, E. M. Richmond, Charles Gaynor and the Orrises. Most of these persons mentioned have either passed to the beyond or have moved away.
Otho Davis, a native of Pennsylvania, immigrated to Jefferson County, this state, in 1839, and to Madison County in 1850. He laid out the Town of Webster and settled in the township in 1856. He was for many years postmaster at Webster. He was elected treasurer and recorder in October, 1850.
Dexter Howard was a native of New York. He immigrated to Illinois and from there to Madison County in 1853, becoming a citizen of Webster Township.
Andrew Johnson was born in Indiana in 1811 and came to Madison County in 1857, settling in Webster Township, where he raised a large family.
F. M. McAfferty was a settler of 1855. He enlisted in the Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry in 1862 and served until the close of the Civil war.
G. H. Milligan came here from Indiana in 1856 and found here E. A. Pindell. who had preceded him from Brown County, Ohio, in 1854.
One of the frugal and industrious farmers of this township was S. Pope, who immigrated to Iowa and settled here in 1857.
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P. M. Rhoads became a settler in Madison County in 1855. He enlisted in the Thirty-ninth lowa Infantry and during the Civil war served three years. John Schnellbacher was a good farmer and an equally good preacher. IIe immigrated from Germany to this country in 1841, first stopping in Ohio, where he married Fredericka Meyer in 1845. There he was licensed as a local preacher by the Evangelical Association and in 1850 was taken into the conference and assigned to the traveling ministers in mission work. This brought him to Madison County in 1855, when he located on a Webster Township farm of 240 acres. Mr. Schnellbacher was wont to say that while a resident of Madison County he had seen corn sell for $3 a bushel and food so scarce that at one time he took his watch, a pair of buggy springs and a Bible to mill to put up as collateral for flour, but was unable to get any. It was only out of sympathy on the part of the miller when he saw despair depicted on the suppliant counte- nance that he agreed to let him have some rejected flour on time, which Mlr. Schnellbacher was soon able to pay for, much to the surprise of the miller. This old pioneer and his wife have both long since passed away.
F. M. Walker was born in Indiana in 1828, and there learned the trade of gunsmith. Ile came to this county in 1855 and for many years was one of Webster Township's prominent farmers and citizens. He was postmaster at Pleasant View until the office was abandoned. Mr. Walker settled on section 23 and lived there for forty-nine years, or in other words, up until the time of his death, which occurred in 1904.
On section 24 is located Pleasant View Methodist Episcopal Church, which was organized in 1856, at the house of J. Richmond, with the following members : Jarub and Susan Richmond, W. S. Milligan and wife, W. S. and George R. Richmond, Ann, Nathaniel, Sarah A., Mary, Charles, Lydia and Orrin Rich- mond. Anna Jolinson, John Johnson and wife, John and Sarah Warnick and Oliver Haven. The members first met in a schoolhouse on section 23. On the latter section is a Christian Church.
The Fair View Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized May 22, 1869, by John B. and Martha Knowles, William, Margaret, Joseph and Sarah Steele, Jane Stone, S. S. and Sarah Probst, M. I. and E. J. Wood and Nancy Henderson. A house of worship was erected on section 26. There are also churches on sections 2, 31. 32 and 14, and at Webster, on section 6.
WEBSTER
This town was laid out on section 6, in Webster Township, by Otho Davis, in 1855. Davis then opened a general store and on December 12, 1855. Middle River postoffice was located at Webster and Mr. Davis was commissioned the first postmaster. His successors have been M. M. MeAfferty, J. V. Nelson. J. E. Shidler, Luther Fox, F. B. Mc. Afferty, F. M. Tidrick, Rufus Ulery, Edward Loucks, L. J. Cook and John Cravens. On April 27, 1900, Harrison postoffice was established and located near the center of Webster Township, with J. B. Williamson as postmaster. With the coming of rural free delivery the office was discontinued in 1905.
Soon after Davis opened his store. F. O. Burke engaged in general mer- chandising, and F. M. Mc. Afferty opened a blacksmith shop. Soon after, Charles
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Dinsmore had a shop for repairing wagons in operation. About 1856 Charles Friend commenced the building of a mill for grinding corn. It was finished in the latter part of 1856 by Benjamin McAfferty and F. G. Mason. The mill afterwards fell into the hands of Otho Davis, and finally G. M. McVey became the owner.
In June, 1875, Winona Lodge, No. 339, A. F. & A. M., was chartered and had the following officers: F. M. MCAfferty, W. M .; Irvin Wilcox, S. W .; Otho Davis, J. W .; W. McAfferty. S .; S. Garrett, C .; Charles Dinsmore, S. D .; H. F. Devault, J. D .: D. L. Busby. T. The lodge moved to Pitzer but is now no more. At the present time Webster has shown no evidences of having grown within the last several years. As a matter of fact, it has become smaller as time goes by.
CHAPTER XXXIX
PENN TOWNSHIP
Penn Township was created by the County Court on the ist day of March, 1858, and the first election was held in the okl log house in which Daniel Francis took up his residence in 1855. It is bounded on the north by Dallas County, on the south by Jackson and east by Madison townships, and on the west by Adair County. In other words, it is the northwest corner township of Madison. Penn is an unusually level tract of land, very fertile and wholly prairie. In the early days no timber was to be found except at Pilot Grove, locally made famous as the place for holding the Penn Center annual picnics. This grove extends from a small stream back upon the prairie and in early days could be seen at a distance of many miles, serving as a pilot for the travelers. The township is wholly agricultural, there being no town within its borders, so to speak, as only the edge of Earlham infringes on its northeastern boundary line.
Dexter, about the size of Earlham, is just across the line in Dallas County and these two trading points compete for the business favors of Penn and share them about equally.
The history of Penn Township covers a period of about sixty-five years, dat- ing back to 1849, or 1850. The wooded country to the north of Penn was settled some years before, as it is well known the pioneers kept close to the timber. Penn being a level stretch of country, was on that account avoided by the early pioneers of this part of the state. The first settlers, it is said, were the brothers, William and Joseph Jeffries, who came here from Missouri about 1850 and selected a rich. level tract of land at the center of the township and built the first house, a log cabin, within its borders. Being of pro-slavery proclivities and the people who followed them into this garden spot coming from Ohio and Indiana and of ardent abolition tendencies, discouraged them in remaining in an atmosphere not con- genial, so they left the field to others. First among these was John Wilson and family, among whom were two sons, Christopher and Abihu Wilson, who came in 1853 from Marion County, Indiana. Christopher was born in 1827. He located on section i and became one of the landed proprietors of the township. When he put up his first buildings, he hauled the timbers from Des Moines. In 1864 he married Rachel Smith, of Penn Township, who died in 1867. For his second wife he married Martha Newby. Abihu was born in 1830. He settled on section 12 and was the first person to enter land in the township. It is also said that he raised the first crop and ran the first harvester and threshing machine in the com- munity. William, a son, was the first child born in Penn Township.
John E. Darby left his Ohio home for the newer lowa country in 1855. com- ing to Winterset in that year. He taught school the two following years and in 1857 settled on a farm in this township, where he died a few years ago. He Helped organize the republican party at Winterset in 1850.
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Daniel Francis was born in Drake County, Ohio, in 1826, and in 1850 married Emily Edington, a native of the same county. He arrived in this township May 22, 1855. He for many years served as justice of the peace, served as county supervisor five years, assessed the township fifteen times and represented his county in the State Legislature. When he and his young wife arrived here they had but little of this world's goods. The winters were extremely cold and wood being scarce it had to be hauled a long way. Their neighbors accumulated very slowly until the locating of the railroad in 1867, when the country settled rapidly. He afterward moved to Des Moines, where he passed away. He gave his prop- erty for a home for aged Methodist preachers.
David Stanton and family came from Ohio in June 1856, and settled at Penn Grove, where he improved a farm. His father was a first cousin of Edwin M. Stanton, Lincoln's famous secretary of war. Mr. Stanton built the first house at Pilot Grove and was the envy of his neighbors, as he had a team of horses, while they had risen no higher in the way of a team than a yoke of oxen. David Stanton was a leader in his day, lived many years in Penn, then moved to Quaker Ridge and finally passed to his reward.
William M. Fleming left the Buckeye State in 1857 and traveling by rail as far as Iowa City, he then reached Des Moines by stage coach. From the future capital city he walked the rest of the way through a late November blizzard and found an abiding place in this township, where he took up a claim and that same fall broke up forty acres of sod. The next year he went back to Ohio and returned with his bride to his prairie home.
Washington Francis, a brother of Daniel Francis, was one of the pioneers and put in his leisure time in the '6os freighting between Iowa and Pike's Peak. He sold the old homestead in this township in 1904.
About the year 1860 the Schlarbs, with Nicholas at the head, and the Holder- baums, led by Michael, and afterwards the Lenockers, all from Holmes County, Ohio, settled on the west side of the township and within a short time that local- ity was mainly made up of people from Ohio.
There were other old settlers, some coming before and others after those named. Among them were Josiah Scott, Hamlin Murphy, Addison Armstrong and I. D. Neff, who saw the prairie before the buffalo trails had been wholly obliterated by the plow. There was also Charles Crane, another school teacher, With the rapid immigration came the railroad and the pioneer days of Penn were practically at an end. The rich prairie farms which could be had almost for the asking became more fertile, now that the railroad was in sight, and suddenly mounted up in value. Sixty years ago farms in this locality were almost given away; now they sell for $100 to $150 and even as high as $200 an acre.
W. . 1. Ross was for many years prominent among the citizens of P'enn Town- ship. He left several years ago for Lee County. J. M. Hochstetler and the Koehlers came somewhat later. C. F. Koehler was county treasurer two terms. Hle now resides in California.
G. F. Lenocker developed a magnificent farm and served a term as member of the board of supervisors. He moved to Dexter in 1899 and died a few years ago.
James Breckenridge, for some time a member of the board of supervisors, resided for some years on the farm owned and operated for many years by his father, but now lives in Jackson Township. Then there were the Marstons and
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
the Murphys, also 11. 1. Kale, who removed from the farm to Earlham and became mayor of that bustling little city.
Quite a number of the sturdy, frugal and industrious people of Germany settled in Penn Township in the latter '60s and early '70s. Among them may be mentioned, together with the Koehlers, Hochstetlers, Schlarbs, Hoklerbaums and Lenockers, Fred Imboden and Hezekiah Leeper and family.
Penn Township has the distinction of being at one time the home of Edwin 11. Conger, whose name became quite prominent among the leading men of this country. He settled on a farm on section 5. about 1868, after having served his country in the Civil war and risen to the rank of major. He served this county on the board of supervisors and was one of the first three members chosen for that body when it was cut down to its present size. . At the age of thirty-seven he was state treasurer and when forty-one became a United States congressman. lle represented his Government at Brazil when forty-seven and at the age of fifty- seven was sent to China by President MeKinley as United States minister, where he performed the duties of his office in a highly satisfactory manner and especially during the great Boxer uprising. Of his residence in Madison County, he speaks interestingly in a letter written to Herman Mueller, from Pasadena, California, April 18, 1906, in the following words :
"Yours oth received. I am not much at write-ups for myself, and really don't know what you want. But I cannot refrain from expressing to you something of my gratitude for a true friendship, which was first given me by the good people of Madison County nearly forty years ago, and has continued true, generous and steadfast ever since. I have never for a moment forgotten it, nor ever for a moment ceased to be grateful for it.
"I came to Madison County in 1868, a young man of twenty-five, with no idea of politics in my head, and no desire for official place or distinction. I simply went to work. But in the autumn of 1869, while I was in the field plowing. J. I. Hutchings and Bill Newlon drove into my field and told me it was my duty to be a candidate for county supervisor from Penn Township. I said I hadn't time, didn't want the place, etc .; besides, I did not know a half dozen men in the township. But I finally consented and was elected, beating one of the very best men who ever lived in the county-Daniel Francis. I don't know how or why. The board then consisted of seventeen men, one from each township. 1 remem- ber them all as splendid, substantial men. And it was thus that my acquaintance extended all over the county. A few years thereafter, two I think, the board was reduced to three members. Its first membership was Captain Anderson from the southeast township-Ohio: Judge Lewis from Winterset, and myself from the northwest township-Penn. I think we drew lots for the length of our terms. I drew one year, Captain Anderson two and Judge Lewis three. I was therefore made the first chairman. My associates were excellent men and my service with them was most agreeable.
"This was my first start in politics. 1 soon moved just across the line into Dallas County and in a few years entered politics again. My career since has been an open book. But in every contest. I have had the active, loyal and earnest support of all my old and many new Madison County friends. If I haven't done well, I'm going to lay the blame on them for first enlisting me. If I have done measurably well, I am glad to give them the credit, for the same reason [
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shall love Madison County and her good people as long as I live, and hope I may never prove unworthy of their confidence and affection. Please say so to any and all of them you meet and believe me, Yours Sincerely,
"E. H. CONGER."
PENN CENTER PICNIC
The Penn Center picnic, which has been an annual event for over forty years, got its inception from A. C. Holderbaum, who taught the Penn Center school in 1873. Holderbaum was a young man, who received his education at the Illi- nois State Normal. He conceived the idea of having the school picnic more than a small district affair, and to this end invited all the other schools in the township to take part. All responded and the result was the first general picnic of the Penn Township schools. When the appointed day arrived for the initial picnic in 1873, every school, headed by its teacher, took place in line and marched down to Pilot Grove. The program that day was the model and forerunner of the many that have followed. The forenoon was occupied by the school children in their various exer- cises and the afternoon by the older people, in speech making, singing, story telling and the like. In the meantime, the children enjoyed themselves in numerous forms of amusement. The teacher, A. C. Holderbaum, who afterwards was founder of the Dexter Normal School, was the real manager, but David Stanton was president of the day. N. Angle had charge of the music. Editor Davis, of the old Dexter Herald, "made a part of a speech to be concluded in the next week's Herald." As a matter of course, others displayed their oratorical abilities on the glad occasion. Since that time, in each succeeding year, without a break, the Penn Center picnic has been held at Pilot Grove, not only for the schools of Penn Township, but for men, women and children living many miles around. It is a notable event in the locality and is looked forward to each year by those living in various parts of the county. The Penn Center picnic has long been celebrated in this section of the state, and is widely noticed by the press.
CHAPTER XL
MADISON TOWNSHIP
Madison Township was formed out of the west part of Union in 1851, and as originally made up was very nearly the northwest quarter of the county and included the future townships of Penn, Jackson, and Douglas. It is bounded on the north by Dallas County, on the south by Douglas, on the east by Jefferson and on the west by Penn townships. It has many of the features of Penn Township, especially in the northern portion. It is comprised of high, rolling prairie land and is on the divide between North Branch and Raccoon River. The southern part of the township is crossed by North Branch, along which there was originally a heavy grove of timber.
James Brewer was probably the first settler in Madison Township, as it is said he located here in 1849. Then came Henry Grosclose, Henry Rice and a man named Hannahs, who took claims on the south side of North Branch. John Todd settled at a point afterwards known as Worthington in the same year and shortly thereafter they were followed by George T. Nichols and Leroy Anderson.
The time established for the coming of Derrick Bennett was early in 1852. Ile himself is authority for the statement that his entry was the second in the township and that he was the first person to cultivate a patch of ground in the neighborhood.
Jacob Bennett immigrated to lowa in 1852 and located in this township on section 35. where he lived for many years and became one of the most pros- perous farmers in the county, owning at one time over one thousand acres of land. Hle was the father of a large family. When he arrived in Madison Township Mr. Bennett's nearest neighbor lived eight miles distant. He built the first school- house in the township and gave it to the district.
Another one of the earliest citizens here was James Allen, who arrived from Indiana in 1853. For a great many years he lived on section 20 and was the possessor of several hundred acres of land.
Michael Gabbert was a native of Tennessee. He immigrated to lowa in 1836 and to this county in 1854. In the year last mentioned he settled on the place later known as the Kendig farm and then removed to section 15. Mr. Gabbert was one of the pioneer men of lowa and was personally acquainted with the Indian chiefs. Keokuk and Black Hawk.
G. W. Lemar settled in the county in 1857. He married Mary Spray in 1860. He was successful in his undertakings, built a beautiful home and had one of the largest orchards in the county. He was for several years justice of the peace in this township.
William Mckibben came from Delaware County, Indiana, in 1855, and for three years lived in Dallas County. In 1858 he located on section 5. Madison
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OAK GROVE CHURCH, WEBSTER TOWNSHIP
MAPLE GROVE CHURCH, WEBSTER TOWNSHIP
WORTHINGTON CHURCH AND CEMETERY, MADISON TOWNSHIP
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
Township. He was a veteran of the Civil war, enlisting in Company A, Thirty- ninth Iowa Infantry.
Andrew Oldham settled on section 35, in 1857. He was a prosperous farmer and was always looked upon as one of the leading citizens of the community.
R. B. Powell was a settler here in 1854. He raised a large family and was a man of more than ordinary importance to the township.
Eli Woolery entered land on section 32, in 1852, upon which he built a home and at once began cultivating the soil.
E. R. Zeller, in writing of this township in 1906, had in part the following to say: "Jacob Trester will never be forgotten by those who for so many years traveled the Desoto Road. George, William and Eber Duff helped develop the same neighborhood. The two latter still have their farms, while the former was last heard of in British Columbia. G. T. Nichols improved a farm and was chiefly instrumental in building a church in a cemetery adjoining which his re- mains have long since reposed. Len Williams was for many years one of the most prominent citizens of Madison Township but recently sold the fine farm which he improved and now lives in Winterset. George Storck, his neighbor, has made the wilderness blossom as the rose. Merrill Knight, who lived across the line in Jefferson Township, was for three terms county treasurer. Madison Town- ship is deservedly renowned because of Earlham, the main part of which lies within its borders. This thriving town has all been built during the period under consideration. No town had been thought of there in 1856. 0 *
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