USA > Iowa > Madison County > History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 39
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* Mention must be made of the Hills and Thomsons, who were the main forces in founding the town. There were two brothers, Mark and Jesse Hill, and again two other brothers, John and Mark Thomson. The two sets of brothers did not always * work in concert but each set of brothers always worked together. * * There is but one of the Thomsons and one of the Hills remaining, Mark Thomson having removed to Kansas some years ago and Jesse Hill died this summer ( 1906). There were other Hills, some of whom have removed elsewhere. Of the younger generation of Thomsons, Hugh was for two terms county clerk and is now cash- ier of an Earlham bank."
William Fee is credited with having settled in this township in 1853 and a year or so later J. W. and White Burnett ; John Wilson, with his sons, Abihu. Christo- pher and IIenry. These all settled on the divide. Jacob Gabbert, Michael Gab- bert, William Coe and Benjamin Powell, with his sons, located on the divide in the eastern part of the township.
Jacob Bennett put up the first school building in the township in 1853 and Samuel Kirkland taught the first school held there. At the present time the com- munity is well supplied with schools and churches, for the history of which see another chapter. However, the township has a large number of citizens belonging to the Society of Friends, who have two large churches at Earlham. They are among the best citizens in the community and have some of the finest farms.
Fairview M. E. Church is on section 13; Worthington M. E. Church on section 32, and North River U. P. Church on section 36.
At a point on the southwest quarter of section 4, from the line of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, a spur runs south into section 16, where is one of the largest stone quarries in the State of Iowa, now being worked by the Iowa Portland Cement Company. This quarry is perhaps equalled only by the cement Vol. 1-21
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quarry at Mason City, in extent. The rock is the Earlham formation of the upper carboniferous limestone which underlies Madison County in four beds. It is rich in cement content and from this stratum the lime which the early settlers burned in the kilns, before the modern methods of making cement and plaster were intro- duced, was made.
"That was splendid lime that was burned in the old kilns along the creeks in the early day. The plaster made from it is on the walls of hundreds of Madi- son County homes. The foundations of nearly all the old houses and the walls of the old stone buiklings that stand without a crack attest its strength and quality. It was a crude method of making lime that was used in burning these old kilns. Old man Rogers, or Caleb Clark, or some other man, would build a kiln ( a cone- like structure) out of the rock, and then he and his boys would dump rock taken from this stratum-it underlies the whole county, except the northeast portion- and fill it full. The rock was fairly well broken. At the bottom of the kiln a fire- place that would hold more than a cord stick in length was built. After the kiln was full, the space left for fire was filled with wood and kept burning night and day for two or three days. When the burning was finished, the whole inte- rior displayed a mass of soft, pure, unslacked lime. The product was sold directly from the kiln, shoveled into wagon boxes of those coming for it. A kiln was usually ruined by one burning and another was built near it, if the season hap- pened to be good, while the contents of the first kiln were being sold. The ruins of these old kilns can be seen in all the ravines south of Winterset that had roads down them in the early days.
"There are four beds of limestone belonging to the upper carboniferous lime- stone in Madison County. The state geologist has given them the names of Fusil- ina. Winterset, Earlham and Fragmental. The formation entire is about two hundred feet deep and from tests which the cement company has made the Earlham formation proves the richest in lime and the best suited for making Port- land cement. In section 18 is a stone quarry opened in 1869 by J. E. Parkins, at one time a resident of Winterset. He bought the property of Milton Wilson and competent judges in Chicago and New York pronounced the stone inferior to none in the West for building purposes. When first taken from its bed it is extremely soft and almost as easily worked as chalk. Exposure to the air, how- ever, renders it as hard as granite. Parkins put a force of about thirty men to work quarrying the rock and dressing it on the ground ready for shipment. He also erected a patent lime kiln near the quarry which had a capacity of turning off a carload of lime daily. A spur of the Rock Island Railroad runs from Earlham to the quarry. It was in more recent years that the Portland Cement Company opened its quarry on section 16.
"When the company located, it chose the North Branch exposure as best suited for its quarries and purchased a large body of land along the north side. Doubtless, railroad facilities and the shorter distance were large factors in deter- mining the location. The North Branch quarry in itself is an immense affair. It has been in operation but a few years. It lies on the north side of North Branch and follows the curvature of one of its numerous small tributaries. . \1- ready almost a mountain of dirt has been removed, to get to the stone, which the company loads on cars and ships to Des Moines. A branch line from the main line of the Rock Island at Earlham, runs down to the quarry and directly into it
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alongside the rock face. A large force of men are constantly employed in handling the rock alone. That is to say, the men who do nothing but drill, blast and load the rock. The job of stripping the rock is let by the cement company to contractors and excavation companies which employ at least forty or fifty more men in handling the dirt."
EARLILAM
Madison County's first town to secure a railroad was Earlham, a thriving and beautiful little trading point, which was laid out on the south fractional half of the northwest quarter of section 6, in Madison Township, by Benjamin F. Allen, May 4, 1869. The surveying of the land was the work of an engineer in the employ of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company. The land originally the site of Earlham was entered by Seth Wilson, Sr., and conveyed by him to David Hocket. In the fall of 1868 Benjamin F. Allen, of Des Moines, bought the property of Hocket, paying $20 an acre for it, and it was known at the time, by certain persons, that Allen intended laying out a town site on his purchase. Before the survey was made, two or three houses already stood on the town site and as soon as the lots were ready for sale several buyers were on hand, whose intentions were to commence at once to prepare for the erection of buildings, preliminary to engaging in mercantile pursuits in the new town. Mar- tin Cook had a building one-half mile west of the place, which he at once removed to Earlham, and Dr. M. R. Lyon erected a building for the installation of a stock of drugs and also for residential purposes. Both pioneer builders and merchants later were compelled to move their houses, as it developed that Martin's building had been placed on the line separating two lots and the Lyon drug store stood in the middle of the street.
Earlham now lies in two townships, Madison and Penn, but chiefly in the former. It is peculiarly fortunate in its location for the country surrounding it can well bear comparison with any other section of Iowa, or with any country in the universe, for richness and variety of soil and its adaptability to easy culti- vation ; for the purity of the water and invigorating, life-preserving qualities of the air ; for its beauties of landscape and the general prosperity and evidences of wealth, apparent to the naked eye on every hand.
The name assigned to Earlham was chosen by Milton Wilson. The idea of establishing a "Quaker" college here was early manifested by certain of the early settlers of that religious persuasion and there being a "Friends" college at Earlham, Indiana, Mr. Wilson suggested that the name be given to this place, at the same time expressing the ardent hope of himself and others that as a college town it one day would be heard from in no uncertain tones. The name Earlham was adopted and within a few months a stock company was organized for the purpose of establishing a college and $5,000 of the stock was subscribed by leading men of the county. An interesting account of the enterprise is given elsewhere in this work. As soon as the survey was completed, lots were offered at prices rang- ing from $25 to $125. Martin Cook bought the first one sold and, before the expiration of two weeks thereafter, at least more than half the lots were disposed of to purchasers, most of whom were men who had made up their minds to build and become residents of the place. In the autumn of 1869
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the railroad company had constructed a side track, a section house and water tank and before the close of the year the firm of Getchel & Tichenor, of Des Moines, established a lumberyard ; the lumber concern of Thompson & Mad- dern, of Davenport, soon followed, and both these yards furnished material for building. "Notwithstanding the season and weather were the worst possible for such operations, business houses and dwellings began to go up with a rapidity and steadiness that demonstrated at once the determination of the new settlers to build up a town. The result was that scarcely five months after the first stake was planted in the frozen earth, Earlham contained at least thirty-five buildings, many of which are first class for a country village."
Seth Wilson erected the first buikling in Earlham for entertainment of the traveling public, in 1869, and it long was known as the Earlham House.
Martin Cook was the first general merchant and Dr. M. R. Lyon had the first drug store. Mr. Cook was appointed and served as the first station agent in 1869.
The first business man of Earlham was a Quaker-Martin Cook of Quaker Divide, When grading began on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, he and John R. Cook, also a Quaker from the same locality, put up a building at the east end of the "dump." not far from where the tenement house at Clarence Wilson now stands. This small building, which they called the "shebang," was stocked with supplies, which they sold to the railroad grading gangs. When Earl- ham was located in the fall of 1868, Martin Cook moved the "shebang." with its stock into the new town, locating near where John Bechtel's restaurant now stands. Martin was appointed first postmaster, with the office in this building. He was also the first station agent. He soon sold his farm and built a house in Earlham. About 1871 or 1872 he became a homesteader in Lyon County, Iowa.
Joseph Cook erected a building in 1809 and installed a stock of farm imple- ments and similar articles. Hle also engaged in the commission business. Before the close of the year he had a competitor, in the firm of Cammack & Ilill.
In the fall of 1869 the firm of Barnett & Hawkins was "already occupying their large storeroom ( sixty feet deep ) and have filled it with a splendid assort- ment of general merchandise."
"A. & T. E. Barnett have a number one grocery establishment. They are live, energetic young men and they are doing a good business. But we cannot specify even a tenth of the different firms and enterprises in this flourishing young city. The depot will be commenced immediately and rapidly pushed to a comple- tion. According to the most reliable authority Earlham is to be the permanent division station of the railroad, an honor that De Soto now enjoys temporarily." All this happened to Earlham in the year of its founding. The quotations are from J. J. Davies' excellent little history of the county, published in 1869.
EARLILAM INCORPORATED
On the 30th day of March, 1870, hardly a year after the town was laid out, a petition was filed in the District Court, asking for the incorporation of Earlham as a town. The petition, the prayer of which was granted, was signed by the following citizens : Ezra Cook, Andrew Noble, W. F. Dillon, John Hinshaw, E. N. Becher, Mason R. Lyon, C. 1. Swartfager, J. S. Rodecker, Daniel Madden, John R. Thomson, F. S. Cottle, Martin Cook, David Stanton, William R. Hill, John
CORNER OF MAIN AND CHESTNUT STREETS, EARLHAM
CITY PARK, EARLHAM
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
R. Cook, William Stevens, J. P. Asborn, George L. Wheeler, Jno. W. Reagan, Abijah Johnson, John Hawkins, M. D. Hill, Alfred Mckinney, Henderson McKin- ney, Eli H. Mckinney, J. Hinshaw, Thomas Phewton, A. H. Gibson, Henry Cam- mack, Israel Compton, J. W. Kenworthy, Joseph Cook, Aaron Mckinney. T. E. Barnett, V. Hawkins, Dayton Barnett, Asa Barnett, J. O. Griffith, Seth Wilson, J. Bullock and G. W. Hackthorn.
On the 26th day of April, 1870, an election was held at the office of David Stanton, on the question of incorporation, which resulted favorably. The judges were: David Stanton, Thomas P. Newton, and J. Hinshaw ; clerks, Abijah John- son and William R. Hill. At this time Earlham had 210 inhabitants and was stead- ily growing, both in population and business enterprises. Probably no inland town in the state, depending for support on the farming communities surrounding it, improved so rapidly, as to seek incorporation within a year after its birth. Churches, a schoolhouse, depot building, elevator, hotel and many business enter- prises were in operation. For some years thereafter Earlham handled more stock than any other town in the county. The Presbyterian Church was built in 1870, also that of the Conservative Friends. The Methodist Church soon fol- lowed. A bank was established and with its main line of the Rock Island Rail- road, Earlham had many advantages over other towns in the county ; not only from the fact that its railroad was a trunk line, but also owing to its being the only railroad having a station in the county.
The postoffice was established in January (see chapter on postoffices), 1869, and Martin Cook. the pioneer settler and merchant of the town, was commissioned postmaster. In a short time a volunteer fire company was organized and a small frame building for the apparatus erected, which also has been the town hall.
WATER WORKS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT SYSTEMS
A special election was held at Earlham on the 29th of June, 1908, at which the question of issuing bonds, not to exceed $10,000 in amount, for the building of a water works and electric light system was voted upon. This election did not meet the requirements of the law, as the amount of bonds in question exceeded the prescribed limit of one and one-fourth per cent of the actual value of taxable property within the corporate limits of the town. Citizens-to the number of III -then petitioned council to call an election to test the views of the electorate on the question of issuing in excess of the legal limit, not to exceed 5 per cent. Thereupon, a special election was held on the 10th day of February, 1909, for the issuance of bonds not to exceed the sum of $10,000 ; and a further sum of $7,000 in bonds, for the erection and maintenance of a water works and electric light system. Both males and females voted, the total number of ballots on the water works proposition being 136. Of this number 102 males and 8 females voted yes ; 25 males and i female voted no. For electric lights there were 118 votes cast for the improvement and 20 votes against it.
Bids were immediately advertised for the modern municipal improvements of water works and electric lights and Joseph C. Bortenlanger, of Omaha, was awarded the contract, his bid being $16.694. The bonds were sold to Wells, Dickey & Company, of Minneapolis, at 5 per cent. A one-story brick building was erected for the power house for both plants, in which were installed boilers, pumps,
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dynamos and all necessary modern equipment for the improvement. A splendid supply of water was obtained from deep wells and on April 12, 1910, the plant was tested and accepted. Today Earlham is well lighted, having recently set up a number of five-globe electroliers in the business center, and the people enjoy an abundance of pure, limpid water, both for domestic and public use.
THE PARK
One of Earlham's beauty spots is a tract of land, consisting of one whole block, practically in the heart of the corporation. This is the city park, which has a velvety carpet of grass and is shaded by a variety of ornamental trees. The land was bought for park purposes some twenty years ago and the people have but recently awakened to the realization that this piece of land is one of the town's richest and choicest assets; it is a breathing spot and pleasure ground, that will grow in value and become more and more appreciated as the years go by and Earl- ham develops into a city of greater proportions.
THE SCHOOLS
E. R. Zeller, a competent and masterful educator for many years, served effi- ciently and very satisfactorily as county superintendent of schools and became thoroughly conversant with all that pertained to the educational institutions of the county. In the chapter devoted to the schools, in this volume, speaking of the Earlham schools he says: "Earlham district has been in existence all of forty years, and the Earlham schools, after coming under the supervision of W. 11. Monroe and combined with the academy, have had a reputation that has extended over all the state."
The Earlham schools are enjoying, along with the town, an unusual measure of success. From 1900 to 1903 the enrollment very nearly doubled in numbers. It has grown to a twelve grade institution, with a splendidly equipped corps of teachers and two substantial brick and stone buildings.
In 1901, the school having outgrown its one building, the district purchased the Earlham Academy and thus made it practically the high school for the town The academy was erected in 1891, at a cost of nearly twelve thousand dollars, and is a fine modern structure in every respect, heated by steam and nicely finished inside. The founders of the academy established it as a private or church school and maintained it as such until the rapidly expanding public school demanded more room, when it was thought best by all parties to combine the two schools and thus unite the school interests of the town. It now appears that it was a very wise move, as the schools have experienced an unprecedented growth. When the academy was united with the public school system it was arranged to retain as far as possible the identity of the academy and it is so maintained. In addition to the regular courses, there are maintained special courses in business and music. special teachers being provided for the same. Also attention is given to the preparation of teachers for the country schools, the work, with this object in view. being confined largely to the teachers' special and review classes.
The principal of the school is a believer in the potency of music and claims that music may be used as a successful leaven to the school work. Hence, gen-
OLD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, EARLHAM
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NEW METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, EARLHAM
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erous attention is given to music and a very large music department is maintained in the academy. Two teachers have charge of such work and lessons on piano, organ, violin and orchestra instruments are given all who apply at a very reason- able tuition.
The academy is supplied with musical instruments and the music department is maintained without expense to the district. The music department is of addi- tional advantage to the academy inasmuch as it attracts to the school many young people who like music.
A commercial department is maintained and an able instructor employed to conduct the work. A course requiring at least nine months' work is offered. Practical studies are given, such as bookkeeping, commercial law, commercial arith - metic, correspondence, etc.
While the academy, or high school, by virtue of its position claims a large part of the attention, yet the grade work is not to be overlooked. The grades are in charge of competent teachers and are doing good work. They occupy a substan- tial brick and stone building near the center of the town. When pupils complete the work of the grades they are given a certificate of promotion to the academy or high school and are transferred to that building.
The credit for the successful outcome of the Earlham schools is due also very largely to those people who established the Earlham Academy for had there been no private academy in past years there would be no public academy today. Hence no man or set of men can justly claim all the credit for the present condition of the schools.
FINANCIAL
One of the strong and substantial financial institutions of the county is the Citizens Bank, organized in 1878, as the Citizens State Bank, by Mark D. Hill and Charles Thomas, as a private concern. The bank commenced business in a one-story frame building that stood on the site of the present postoffice. On July 1, 1901, the Citizens Bank was organized under the laws of the State of Iowa, by Mark D. Hill, C. B. Johnson, Luther Hill, J. A. Mckinney and A. M. Williams. It was capitalized at $25,000. The officers elected were : Mark D. Hill, president; J. A. Mckinney, vice president; C. B. Johnson, cashier. In 1905 Harry W. Hill succeeded C. B. Johnson in the office of cashier and in 1908 J. R. Mendenhall became vice president. The place of business has been for the past several years in the Fred Bilderback brick building, on the corner of Main and Chestnut streets. Capital, $25,000 ; surplus and undivided profits, $12,000; de- posits, $284,000.
The Bank of Earlham was organized in 1901, by H. E. Teachout, A Nelson, A. C. Miller, F. A. Baylies, H. M. Whinery, H. S. Thomson. The officials were : H. E. Teachout, president ; A. C. Miller, vice president ; H. M. Whinery, cashier ; H. S. Thomson, assistant cashier. January 1, 1909, the bank was reorganized by H. S. Thomson, and its present officials are : President, Thomas Early ; vice presi- dent, F. Bilderback; cashier, H. S. Thomson. Responsibilities, $500,000.
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RELIGIOUS BODIES
Elsewhere in this volume is given a chapter on the church societies of the county, the subject there being treated in a general way. The great desire of the
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editor of this work has been to gather and publish all the essential details of each and every church in the county, but in this design he has been handicapped and prevented through several causes, among them being the loss of records and failure on the part of pastors and others to furnish material as promised. So that, when a certain church is not specially mentioned, the readers can attribute the omission to some cause difficult to overcome. The old established churches of Earlham already have been alluded to, but recently, a new religions body has come into existence, the details of which follow. The Church of Christ was organized in the early part of 1912 and on the 4th day of June in that year was incorporated, the articles being signed by the charter members, namely : 1. D. Neff, C. C. Couch, Viola M. Schlarb, Lester Neff, Sarah Nunnamacker, John Drake, Frank J. Pro- haska, John E. Bechtel, E. H. Payne, Mrs. E. II. Payne, Mrs. S. C. Moreland, Roxie Wicks, Mrs. Erl Hays, Erl Hays, Mrs. John Neff. Mrs. John E. Bechtel, Mrs. W. H. Dudley, Charles W. Henry, Frank Mleynek, Mary Mleynek, Mrs. John Drake, John G. Neff, Lois Neff, S. I. Nunnamacker, Mrs. George Francis, N. I. Neff, Vada C. Rhode, Mrs. M. A. England, Mrs. Hannah Wagner, Paul N. Payne, Sarah Hillan, Ida E. Wagner, Blanch Mleynek, Inez Payne, S. M. Drake, H. R. Neff, Mabel Mleynek, Mrs. L. J. Rhode, Mrs. M. C. Ilillan, Mrs. Laura E. Williams, Minnie Wagner, Dolores Dudley, Velma Dudley. J. E. England, Byron Payne, Truman Payne, Leah Stanley. Emma Wagner, Mrs. W. A. Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. O. W. Chester, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Price, Hallie Rhode, Mrs. Fannie Anderson.
On July 21. the matter of a permanent home was discussed. E. H. Payne, S. C. Moreland and C. C. Couch were appointed a building committee and later lots were purchased of R. Hayden on the east side of North Chestnut Street, upon which a handsome church edifice was erected, at a cost of $8,000. The house of worship was dedicated September 27, 1914, by Rev. A. M. Haggard, of Des Moines. Prior to this meetings were held in the academy. The first pastor to preach to this congregation was Rev. J. A. Ilutchings and the present membership totals seventy. A Ladies' Aid Society and Christian Endeavor are strong auxil- iary formations of the new church.
FRATERNAL ORDERS
Madison Lodge, No. 568. A. F. & A. M., was organized April 10, 1900, as a re- organization of St. Albans Lodge, No. 363, the charter of which had been per- mitted to lapse. The charter officials were: John R. Thomson, W. M. : Ed A. Packard, S. W. : C. A. Hudson, J. W. Other first members were : William Dun- lap, J. F. Fritz, J. R. Mendenhall, Peter MeQuie, J. P. Osborne, N. A. Packard, Fred Wilke, A. B. Johnson.
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