USA > Iowa > Monona County > History of Monona County, Iowa; containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 24
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The surface is beautifully diversified, being in the southern part quite hilly, in the centre and northeastern portions rich rolling prairie, while the northwestern part lies in the beautiful Maple Val- ley, one of the most beautiful in the State. Ample drainage and an abundant supply of running water is afforded by the silvery Maple River and the Jordan Creek, which, with their tributaries and affluents, reach out throughout its entire length and breadth, and whose banks are lined with na- tive timber, to a large extent.
The soil, either the rich, dark, warm loam of the bottom land, or the mulatto brown of the loess of the bluff deposit is wonderfully fertile, and re- turns, under all circumstances, an abundant reward to the industrious husbandmau or enterprising fruit grower. To the stock grower it offers particu- lar inducements, the rich indigenous grasses of the bluffs, the abundance of water and the shady groves that fringe the streams, affording the finest
of grazing and pasture grounds. The Maple Val- ley branch of the Chicago & Northwestern Rail- road crosses the northwestern part of the township, the station of C'astana, a flourishing village, being just across the line, west, in the town of Kennebee.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
It is well known that the pioneer settler of this subdivision of the county was William Hamilton Wiley, who, with his wife and family, came here in the fall of 1855 and took up a claim on section 5, where he put up a log cabin, the first in what is now Center Township. He became one of the most promi- nent figures in the early history of the town and county,and filled several responsible offices. Upright, honest, and of modest demeanor, he could have had many more important places had he so desired. At the time of the Pike's Peak excitement he made a trip to that region, but was badly hurt in a mine cave, and returned to this, his home, a hopeless cripple. In 1875 he departed from this world to another world, where he, doubtless, has reaped his reward.
Jesse C. Melton, about the same time, came to this locality and settled upon the northwest quar- ter of seetion 4. He remained a resident here until 1875, when he removed to California, and is now living at Modesta, Stanislaus County, that State.
James Beatley and his son, Augustus, came here in the summer of 1855 and took up claims.
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James brought out his family here in 1857, and died here about 1873, upon section 8, where he first located. Angustus Beatley passed to "that land from whose bourne no traveler ever returns," in the spring of 1860.
Ferguson F. Roe came to the county in Sep- ember, 1855, and bought the east half of section 18, this township, where he resided until Decem- ber, 1856, when he went to Story County and taught school. This he did until 1859, when he moved his family here, working on the farm in summer and wielding the ferule in the various schools in the winter months. In the winter of 1861 he taught the first school in Center Town- ship. Mr. Roe has been closely identified with the interests of the county all these many years, and is the present representative of the district in the State Legislature.
With Mr. Roe came J. J. Woods, they driving their team through from Western Ohio, Mr. Woods located a claim on the northeast quar- ter of section 19. 81. 43. A short time after he went back for his family, but on the road hither halted in the neighborhood of Peoria. Ill., where he remained until the fall of 1864. when he re- sumed his journey, and on his arrival here settled on his land, where he lived until called bence by death, about the year 1880.
Samnel King came to Monona County in No- vember, 1855, from his former home in Indiana, and made a settlement in Center Township. He made his home here until called to "pass the dark river," Jan. 19, 1880, when he had attained his ninety-first year, llis wife, Louisa C. King, a native of Ohio, died in this county, March 2, 1888, at the age of sixty-nine years.
William Bayliss. Sr., came to this section of the county in the fall of 1856,and finally died here, many years ago, in the spring of 1860. Ifis son, William, is a present resident of llolt County, Neb.
In the fall of 1858 James Nutt came here from Polk County and made i settlement upon a part of section 18. In 1864 he removed to Boone County, this State, locating four miles east of Boonsboro, where he died. llis widow returned here, and is living in this town,
Joseph R. Bouslaugh, a native of the Keystone State, came to Monona County in the fall of 1858, with his family, and settled on section 9, Center Township. Ile was County Judge for one term, and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for ten years, and was identified with the development of the county in a large degree. Ile is still a resident of the township.
With him came Theodore T. Bouslaugh, his son, who is still living where he settled, on section 8. he having been here first in 1855, with Melton, to pick out find for the entire family. JJasper Bous- langh, another son, came at the same time, and is a resident of the town at the present time, settling on section 18, but now lives on section 17; Marion, another son, took up a claim on section 9, where he still makes his home. The Bouslaughs have al- ways occupied a very prominent position in the county, and are among its most properous and leading farmers.
Martin Van B. Nutt, who had been here, off and and on, for some four years, in 1861 settled down upon a farm and married. Ile is still a resident of the town, having his home on section 21 at the present.
D. T. Hawthorne, who had been one of the earli- est settlers of Woodbury County, and well known to the earlier pioneers of this, came here in the fall of 1861 and settled where he is at present living.
A man by the name of Powers settled on what is known as the Bayliss place in 1861. The fol- lowing year he enlisted in a cavalry regiment, and was with Gen. Sully in his Northwestern expedi- tion. He afterwards died in the mountains, where he removed.
In the year 1862 John Beatley, the bachelor brother of flames, came to this part of the county and settled on section 8, with his brother. Ile is now living upon section 2, 84, 44. Ile married the widow of Augustus Beatley for his first wife, who died some years ago.
Sammuel Connell King, the son of Samuel King, spoken of as one of the earliest pioneers, came here in 1863 and took up a claim ou sections 7 and 18, upon which he is still living.
Joli Burns, a brother. in-law of W. Hamilton Wiley, made a settlement npon the southeast quar-
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ter of seetion 5, on coming to the county, in 1863. Two or three years later he removed to Maple Township, and from there, in 1872, back to Polk County. this State.
Allan Keller took up his residence here in 1861, but only remained about a year, returning East at the expiration of that time.
Robert and John Carroll located on section 7, in 1865, and are still residents of the county.
About the same time that well-known prosperous farmer, Wintel F. Ertel, settled upon section 1, 84, 44, where he still resides.
Ilenry Dirst, the same year, took up a claim upon seetion 17, which proved to be railroad land, so he removed to seetion 9. where he lived nine or ten years, and then emigrated to Kansas.
Joseph Jackson located on what is known as the Bayliss place in the spring of 1865, and lived there until the following antumn. Ile lived with D. T. Hawthorne until spring and then removed to Mon- tana, where he now lives. Lewis Castle, one of the early settlers of Cooper, lived the next year on this same farm.
Chalmers A. Miller made a settlement in Cen- ter Township in October. 1869, coming here from Story County, locating on section 17. In 1873 he removed to his present residence on section 3.
Edward J. Norcross came to Monona County in April, 1872, from Roek County, Wis .. and settled on the southeast quarter of section 8, in this town- ship. Two years later he built a residence on the northeast quarter of the same section. and in the spring of 1883 erected the handsome villa on sec- tion 5, in which he now makes his home, which is one of the best in the county.
William T. Rawlings, a prominent citizen of this township, came here in 1872, from Kennebec, where he had settled four years before. ITis residence is on section 9.
In the early summer of 1874, Joseph Evans and his wife, then residents of Mills County, this State, came through this region on a pleasure trip, eamp- ing out in the tent they had brought with them. Ten days spent here decided them to make their future home here, and accordingly in the spring of 1875, they came to this township and made a set- tlement on section 29.
Alexander Newman came to this eounty in 1876. and settled in Center Township, where he has since resided.
The same year witnessed the settlement on sec- tion 17, of William D. Rounds, the owner of the Riverside Stock Farm.
Joseph D. Counts, also located here the same year, as did William Henry Wiley. Both are still residents of the township.
Franklin A. L. Day, an old settler of Kennebec Township, and one of the early merchants of the old town of Castana, located in this town in 1878, where he now lives, on section 5.
George W. Perrin came to this township in 1878. and located on the farm on section 9, where he now lives. IIe came to the county two years previous and made his home in Kennebec.
Alfred M. Morrison, also, dates his residence from the same year.
Samuel II. Mann, who had been keeping a hotel in the village of Mapleton, moved into this town- ship in the spring of 1880, and took up his resi- dence where he now lives on section 7.
The Day Mill, located on seetion 5, was ereeted by the present proprietor, F. A. L. Day. in the summer of 1874, with two run of buhrs, and was at that time some 30x40 feet in size. To this has been added an L, 20x24 feet in dimensions and two setts of buhrs, additional, put in.
FIRST THINGS.
The first schoolhouse in the town was erected in August, 1861. on the southwest quarter of section 4, 84. 43, and was a dwelling-house in the village of Belvidere. formerly. It was built of logs and being taken down, re-erected as above. It was used for some years, when it was removed about a quarter of a mile by its purchaser, John Burns, and was used as a dwelling by that gentleman. Later in its history it was again moved, this time to section 32, Maple Township, and the material used in the construction of stables. ete. In this historie building, F. F. Roe taught the first school in the winter of 1861-2.
The first frame schoolhouse was built in 1864. and stood about eighty rods west of and across the road from the log one above, or on the northeast corner of seetion 8. Two years later this was de-
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stroyed by fire, and a new building erected on the site of the log one, A. Davis and D. T. llaw- thorne doing the carpenter work. This was used for school purposes until 1884. when it was dedi cated as a clinrch, the first in the township, having been purchased by subscription, for some $50, and is used for union services.
Mrs. W. Ilamilton Wiley and her sister, Miss Sarah Beatley, were the first white women in the township.
The first birth in the town was a child of W. II, Wiley.
The first marriage ceremony was that uniting Sammel and Louisa King, which took place in the winter of 1855-'56, 'Squire Wiley officiating.
The first death was that of a child of Augustus and Elizabeth Beatley, who was taken by the Death Angel in 1859, and was buried in the Wiley Ceme- tery on section 5, which was the first burial place in the township.
The cemetery above was the property of Will- iam H. Wiley. In 1884 a new, public cemetery was dedicated on section 17, to which most of the bodies in the old one have been transferred.
GRANT TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XVIII.
6 HIE subdivision of the county that bears the name of the " Great Commander," embraces all of Congressional Township 85, range 44, and is bounded on the north by Woodbury County ; on the south by the town of Kennebec ; on the east by Maple Township, while West Fork forms its western boundary. Although rolling in character in some portions and rough in others, the surface is among the handsomest and best in the county. The soil, a rich, warm loam, has a wonderful fer- tility. The Little Sioux Valley traverses it from northeast to southwest, following the source of that stream, and this is known far and wide as one of the greatest stock-raising sections of Western Iowa. The river with its many smaller branches affords ample drainage and an abundant supply of running water. Timber in plenty lines the Little Sioux, and affords fuel for the neighborhood. Both the Chi- eago, Milwaukee & St. Paul and Illinois Central Railroads eross Grant Township and within its limits lie the little villages of Rodney, Grant Cen ter and Ticonie. Grant had a population of 140 in 1885 nearly all of whom were of American birtli, and there is no doubt but that the number has been considerably increased since then. It has excellent school facilities and three post-offices.
The honor of being the first settler in this town- ship is accorded to Seth Smith, who located on sec- tion 3. in the spring of 1853. He came to Council
Bluffs, or as it was then ealled, Kanesville, the year previous, and made a trip up here and pieked out his land. He built a house on this place in which he moved his family, and here made bis residence until September, 1855, when selling out to Corne- lius Van Dorn, he removed to Kennebec Township. where he remained until his death which took place in 1876. Cornelius and Washington Van Dorn, in the spring of 1856, bought trees of J. B. Gard, and set out the first orchard in the town and probably in the county.
A man, known throughout this region as Petty, made a elaim on land now owned by J. D. Wood- ward, on coming here in the summer of 1855. H. was more of a trapper and hunter than farmer and remained here until 1859 when he drifted to Pike's Peak.
Abont the same time Albert Lumm, after whom Lummes Hollow, in Woodbury County, is named. came here and hunted, fished and trapped through- out this region. After living here for some time he went to the above locality and made a claim.
The next to make a settlement within the limits of what is now Grant, was Cornelius Van Dorn, who came here in October, 1855, and located on section 3, purchasing the Seth Smith farm, and fin- ishing the house commenced by that gentleman. Ile resided here until h's death which occurred Oc-
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tober 13, 1876. With him came his sons Washing. ton, Luther, James and Livingston Van Dorn.
Next came J. D. Woodward and his family and made a settlement locating here in the summer of 1856. lle had been here in June, the previous year, but returned to his okl home in Ohio. from which he came a year from that date and made a permanent settlement on section 17, and is still a resident of the county.
Abram Bullock who had settled in Kennebec in the summer of 1856, came to this town and settled on what is now known as the MeDonald farm just north of Grant Center. He removed at a later date to Smithland, where he died. His daughter Helen married W. W. McDonald, and his son, Milo S. was well known as a merchant at Smithland and later at Mapleton.
John and Edward Howe, two brothers, located where W. G. Kennedy now lives, about the year 1856. They did a little farming there, living most of the time in Smithland, until the Pike's Peak ex- citement, when they made the trip to that region and from there to California.
About 1860, an enterprising and valuable citizen was added to the people of this county, in the per- son of Edward Birge. Ile took up his residence here and resided in this town until the Indian scare of 1862, at the time of the Minnesota massaere, when he left here never to return.
Wentel F. Ertel made a settlement here Septem- ber 22, 1863, on a homestead on section 24. Three years later he sold this land to William Johnson and moved to Center Township, where he is now living.
G. M. Wells made his appearance in this township in June, 1865, and founded a home here and has here resided ever since.
David Greenstreet, still a citizen of this section of the county, located here in August, 1866, on sec- tion 24. The same year witnessed the settlement of another old resident of the town, Colby M. Bryant, and Capt. G. II. Bryant, two veterans of the late War. Capt. Bryant became quite a promi- nent man here, filling the position of County Treas- urer for many years, and died in the Black Hills, August 29, 1885 ; his brother, Colby, has made his
residence here nearly all the time since their first coming.
William G. Johnson came to Grant in 1866, from the Boyer Valley, with a lot of blooded stock of all kinds, belonging to a man by the name of Olinstead. Ile had come from Connecticut some years previous to the Boyer.and on locating here set- tled upon section 22. In about 1869 he removed to Burt County, Neb., where he died about 1878. A short time after his settlement in Boyer he entered the employ of the Northwestern Stage. Company, where he remained several years, during which time he had many experiences, which no one could tell about so well as Mr. Johnson, who be- eame famous as a story-teller of considerable mag- nitude. It is, also, noted of him that he was a most excellent hand to tend the baby, and his one endless song became as well known throughout the country as himself and his wonderful stories.
W. G. Kennedy, still a resident of the town liv- ing in Rodney, made his settlement here in Aug- ust. 1867, opening up a farm on section 11. In March. 1888, he removed to the rising village of Rodney where he now is living.
Charles Pinckney and family settled in this town in 1865, on section 16. where he opened up a farm. He has lived there, with his children ever since,and was quite extensively engaged in stock-raising. Ile was a noted trapper, and in one winter took as high as three thousand eight hundred muskrat skins.
In the spring of 1866, Edwin Prichard, who had been living in Shelby County for several years, came to Grant and settling upon section 22, has there made his home ever since. He came to this the western part of the State from Clayton County, and is among the leading citizens of this county.
An old bachelor, by the name of Mills, made his home upon the Bryant place in 1866 and 1867, and there died.
L. D.Erskine,came to Grant Township in 1866,and located on section 32. Ile opened up an extensive farm and engaged in stock-raising on a large scale, and has become one of the prominent citizens of the county. Ile is extensively engaged in the grain and stock business, and has a store in the village of Ute, which is carried on by his son Charles.
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MONONA COUNTY.
Martin Landen came in 1867, and remained a res- ident of this town for about ten years. He divided his time between hunting, trapping and preaching. Finally he removed to what was known as the lost lands, southwest of Onawa, where he is en- gaged in bee culture.
About the same time E. A. Miller came here,and for two years made his home on section 12. At the expiration of that time he removed to Woodbury County, where he now lives.
Charles Smith came to this township about 1867, and in November of that year settled down upon a rented farm. lle had but fair success in his agricultural labors, his crops being mostly eaten up by the grasshoppers, and in 1869 he removed to the town of Kennebec.
Ivory Leach, who was one of the prominent citi- zens of this town for many years, came here early in 1867, and located on section 23. Ile was a native of the State of Maine, a veteran of the Civil War, serving with the Army of the Potomac, and died here Oct. 5, 1889.
In September of the same year section 33 received a settler in the person of Edward Erskine. who opened up a farm there and made his home upon the old homestead until the fall of 1889, when he , He was a veteran of the late war and a member of died.
Calvin J. Barber and Jesse Edgar both located here the same year, the former on section 12, and the latter on section 24.
Benjamin L. Thomas, a native of Jefferson County, N. Y., settled in this town in the spring of 1868, and lived here until his death, which oc- curred in the fall of 1889.
Charles Johnson made his first appearance in Grant Township in 1868. and here remained until his death, which occurred about 1872.
Miram Ilarding, and his son Frank, settled here about the same time. The former made his home here on section 14, until the fall of 1889, when he removed to the vicinity of llay Springs, Nch. Frank Harding, also, opened up a farm on section 14, where he is now living. He has been to Califor- nia since locating here, and, also, ran a hardware store in Ida Grove for a short time, but concluded that Monona County was his choice for a home.
The same year witnessed the settlement of Na.
thaniel Edgar, who came here from Maquoketa, Jackson County, and settled on section 12.
Benjamin L. Miller came here in the spring of 1869, and settling on section 26, opened up a farm and founded a home, where he is still living.
Walter R. Phillips came to Grant Township in 1869, and settled on section 30, where he still lives.
John MeGarr with his family settled in Grant about the year 1870, on section 19, where he is still living Ilis wife died here in 1887,and his son Frank and his family now reside on the old homestead with the old gentleman. 1lis son, William, also a a resident of the town, located on section 7.
Philip O'Neal came to this section of the county in the same year, from Auburn, N. Y., and super- intended a dairy farm for Judge Elijah Peake, now of Blencoe. About three years later he purchased a farm on section 7, where he remained until 1878, when he was called away much to the regret of bis numerous creditors.
Capt. C. L. Hewitt came to Grant Township in 1866-67, and opened up a farm on the southeast quarter of seetion 26. He came here from Wisconsin and was quite an active worker in church, Sunday-school and temperance matters.
the cavalry force that captured Jefferson Davis.
Samuel Alden McMaster came to the town of Grant in 1872 and founded a home, purchasing a half interest in some 800 or 900 acres of land on sections 10, 21 and 22, and engaged extensively in raising cattle and hogs. 1Ie became one of the most prosperous and wealthy farmers of the county, and died here Feb. 24, 1880.
William II. Otto, another of the " Boys in Blue" made his appearance in this part of the county in March, 1876, and settled on land npon which he still lives.
In 1873, William W. MeDonald, now one of the leading merchants of Rodney, came to the county and settled on section 20. He is a native of Scot- land but was reared in Woodbury County, where hi- father. James MeDonald settled in 1855.
llenry E. Bard, who had come to the county in : 1869 and engaged in farm work in Kennebec Township, came to Grant about 1873, and settled on section 20, where he now lives.
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MONONA COUNTY.
About 1875 Charles IT. Cook opened up one of the largest farms in the county and erected a large stone residence, probably the only one in the county. In a few years he disposed of his interests here and moved to California.
F. L. Smith, in 1876 came from Woodbury County, where he was an early settler, and took up his home in this town. Ile was a very talented and well educated man and he became quite prom- inent. About 1884 he removed to Amesworth. Neb.
Henry N. Newton, a native of London, Eng- land, made a settlement in Grant in the year 1876, and is residing there at the present, one of its most prosperous citizens.
M. F. Brink, now a resident of West Fork, came to Grant in March, 1880, and settled on what is now the Needles' farm, where he resided until March, 1884, when he removed to his present home.
TOM KING HOLLOW.
A deep gulch crossing sections 16, 17 and 18, running from the West Fork Valley to the Little Sioux, received its name from having been the locality where a well-known character of this part of the county was last seen. It seems that this Tom King, although of excellent connections, was filled with the spirit of deviltry, and was in the habit of appropriating the horses and cattle of his neighbors, and no road passing through the gulch. used it as a place in which to hide his stolen plun- der. In the course of events the crimes were traced to him and the officers of the law started on his trail. Abe Smith, then Deputy Sheriff of Woodbury County, and John Turman, of Smith- land, followed him up closely and finally succeeded in capturing bim. Placing him in their buggy. well handcuffed, they turned their faces toward Smithland. While listening to a history of some of his former exploits, which he was giving them, in illustration of his meaning, he raised his clasped hands in the air and throwing them down, suddenly, struck the Sheriff and succeeded in knocking him out of the wagon and fell on him. In the tussle which ensued, King managed to secure the revolver of the officer and by its means persuaded Mr.
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