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 26
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In 1881, a young man by the name of Dunton came to this town from the neighborhood of Whit- ing. and opened a store in the immediate vicinity of where the present village is laid out. After a short time he sold out to Dr. E. Il. Banks. It. passed, in turn. through the hands of J. G. Engle- horn, Charles Nourse, Dudley & French and I. C. McMaster. The latter, in 1885, sold it to Emmet Dorothy, who removed it to the new village on its establishment in 1887.
UTE.
The building of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad through this section of the county in 1887. and the location of a depot on section 35. was the cause of the birth of the village of I'te. Early in 1887, J. G. Smith sold a tract of land on the northwest quarter of that section to the Mil- waukee Land Company, and the latter, in the sum- mer of that year, laid out and platted a town site, |
which was filed for record June 6, 1887. and the lots placed on sale. Almost with the rapidity of magie, a thriving and prosperous village sprang up, which has taken a foremost place as a business point in the county, and is noted for shipping the largest amount of farm produce of any station on that branch of the Milwaukee Road.
The first building in the new village was located just north of the present town plat, and was moved here by Fred J. Roberts, who had been running a drug store at Soklier, in September, 1886. As the village was not yet surveyed, he located as above, and is credited with making the first sale in the place. In June, 1887, he removed the building and contents to the main street of the village, where he still carries on the business.
On the southeast corner of section 27. about the year 1880, a man by the name of Dunton started a small grocery store as already related. In a short time he sold out to Dr. E. 11. Banks, who, however, soon disposed of it to J. G. Engle- horn who carried it on a year and then it was purchased by C. T. Norris. The following fall it was bought by Dudley & French, who carried on the business about six months when they, in turn. sold out to I. C. McMaster. During the last three years, while these gentlemen were running the store, this point was called Ute, Mr. Cummins. the Postmaster, having his office in the store. About 1885 Emmet F. Dorothy bought the building and stock and was appointed Postmaster. In June, 1887, in company with his brother Edwin P., Mr. Dorothy erected a store building on the new town site into which they moved the above stock and the goods that Edwin had in his store at Mapleton. This latter was the first edifice erected on the town plat and was opened for business about .July 10, 1887. In October, 1889, the firm of Dorothy Bros, was succeeded by Emmet Dorothy.
On the establishment of a station at the newly laid out village, L. D. Erskine, one of the early settlers of Grant Township, put in stock yards here and elsewhere, and crected a grain warehouse, entering into the grain and live-stock business at at this place. This was in June, 1887. He also erected the barber shop building.
In the spring of 1887, before the village was
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started, Jacob Nodle, who had been engaged in the stock business in Sollier Township, came here and in company with Heury Lieneman put up a small building on section 26, just north of the present town site, where they opened a hardware store. In June, of the same year, the lots coming into market, they purchased the ground and com- menced the erection of a new building. Into this latter they removed the same fall and opened the pioneer hardware store of the " burgh," which they still carry on.
About the same time Ernest E. Richards came here and put up a small building on the northwest corner of section 35. On the town being laid out he. purchased a lot and moving this structure on it commenced the sale of agricultural implements. July 1, 1888. James R. Harker became associated with him in the business and the firm of Richards & Harker, building a larger store added hardware to their stock, opening up in the latter branch in July. They deal in hardware, fur- niture, farm machinery, wagons, barbed wire, etc., and carry on the undertaking business.
John F. and Stephen Jones came to Ute in the spring of 1887, and during that summer put up a livery stable and opened business. In November, 1888, the former bought out the interest of his brother and now is the sole proprietor.
The general merchandise store of Barrett & Sons was opened October 11, 1887. by Martin J. Barrett, the junior partner in the firmn, which is a well known one in Dunlap and is still carrying it on.
G. E. Spotswood. dealer in watches, jewelery, silverware, etc., established his business in Ute in 1887.
The First Ute bank was established here in Octo- ber, 1887, about the time the building which they occupy was completed. It is a branch of the Dunlap Bank, an institution of stability and known sound- ness, being backed by some $300,000 capital. It is owned and operated by G. P. Moorhead, Presi- dent; S. J. Patterson. Vice President; J. W. Bick- ford, Cashier; and Lorenzo Kellogg and Dr. D. Satterlee, most of whom are well known wealthy capitalists of Harrison County.
W. II. Hauser was the pioneer wagon-maker
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and repairer as JJoseph Turpin was the first black- smith. Both of these gentlemen opened places of business here in the early days of the village in 1887.
The first hotel in the new town was put up and run by Henry Koonts, in 1887. and is still known as the Ute Hotel, and is carried on by the founder.
The Star Lumber Company started in business with the town, opening for trade in 1887. For about two years they carried on this line when they were succeeded by the present representatives of trade, Schriver & Co.
David F. Carmack, blacksmith and machinist settled in the village in 1887 and was the second in the place. as did Miss D. Rundell, milliner.
About the 1st of May, 1888, Cornelius and O. B. Severson erected & building and put in a stock of general merchandise and opened for the pur- pose of trade in the latter part of June, that year, April 3, '1889. O. B. Severson disposed of his interest to Torgus C. Torrison and the present firm of Severson & Torrison was formed.
Dr. Cyrus M. Smith, a promising young physic- ian came to this vicinity in 1883, and engaging in the practice of medicine, soon had a large and suc- cessful business. lle became a citizen of the little village when it started and remained a resident until his death which occurred January 12, 1889, when he had not yet attained his thirty-fifth birth- day.
Dr. W. T. Wright came to Ute, Jan. 18, 1889, and entered upon his professional duties.
The Ilome hotel was built by its present pro- prietor. Edward HI. Chapman, in the fall and winter of 1888, finishing it and opening it for business in February, 1889.
The drug firm of Kinney, Moad & Co. was formed in March, 1889, and established their present business. John W. Kinney came to the village in February, 1889. Charles Moad made his appear- ance at the same time. Dr. J. J. Gingles, the junior partner who had previously lived at Soldier. Mapleton and Imogene, in the practice of his pro- fession, came to the new village Feb. 15, 1889, and has been here since.
In March, 1889, L. D. Erskine purchased the building put up by H. C. Sawyer and in company
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with his son, Charles E., opened the meat market which they still carry on. Mr. Sawyer opened the ! pioneer meat market in 1887.
Oleson Bros. dealers in groceries, both fancy and staple established their business in September, 1889.
The post-oflice was removed here from the old locality on the establishment of the village in 1887, with Emmet Dorothy as Postmaster. That gentle- man retained possession of the office until October 1, 1889, when he was succeeded by A. J. Patrick, the present ineumbent.
Silver Lodge, No. 224, K. of P., was organ- ized March 6, 1889, with the following charter members: J. C. Johnson, E. E. Richards, G. E. Spotswood, H. A. Tinker, J. L. Agens, J. R. Har- ker, L. Baker, E. Brown, J. F. Jones, S. Jones, W. T. Wright, J. J. Gingles, J. W. Kinney, C.
L. Moad. S. Chedester, S. Depue, L. Hoadley. A. L. Evans, E. C. Hildreth and G. Olson.
The following were chosen the first officers of the lodge which started off with such bright prospects : E. E. Richards, C. C .: G. E. Spotswood, V. C .; W. T. Wright, P. C .; J. J. Gingles, P .; H. A. Tinker, K. of R. and S .; J. R. Harker. M. of E .; J. C. Johnson, M. of F .; and J. L. Agen. M. of A .; E. Brown, 1. G., and L. Baker, O. G.
The lodge has now some thirty-one members and is one of the most flourishing in the county.
Vandover Post, No. 119, G. A. R., was organized at the Brigham School house on section 34.
In June, 1888, they removed their quarters to Dorothy's Hall in the village where they now hold regular meetings.
SPRING VALLEY TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XX.
IIE civil subdivision of Monona County, which is known as Spring Valley, lies on the south line of the same, and is the second from its eastern border. It is bounded on the north by the town of Jordan; on the east by Wil- low, on the west by Sioux, and on the south by HIarrison County. and embraces all of Congress- ional Township 82, range 43. The surface is richily diversified, being part rolling prairie, part level bottom land and part quite hilly. Timber, savauna, valley, hill and lovely streams of water are spread out in beautiful diffusion and the landscape is one of the most entrancing of any in the county. The Soldier River which traverses it in a diagonal line from northeast to southwest. meanders with sil- very flood through one of the finest pieces of farm- ing land in Western Iowa. Jordan Creek, a considerable tributary entering the township from the north, on section 6, makes a confluence with the parent stream near the center of seetion 16. Elk. Ilull. and small creeks cross the territory in all directions. trending ever to the main river in the center, and all afford ample drainage, and an abundant supply of the life-giving water. There is no railroad within the limits of the town, but quite a little hamlet has sprang up at Moorhead, where there is a good store. post-office and blacksmith-shop. At Preparation there is, also, a store, post-office and smithy. According to the State census of 1885. the town at that time had a total population of 588, all of American birth with the exception of
i
some ninety-seven, who are nearly all Scandina- vians.
PREPARATION.
It was at the village of Preparation that the first settlements in this township were made and a sketch of its history is in its proper place at this point.
After the assassination of Joseph Smith, the prophet and leader of the Mormons, July 27, 1841, and the subsequent dispersion of his people, while the main body, who accepted the leadership of Brigham Young and his new doctrine of polygamy turned their steps toward the West, to the founda- tion of Deseret or Salt Lake City, many of their co religionists, who dissented from them on that one point of faith, scattered to different parts of the country, some going to Texas, some to the Indian Territory, others to Kentucky, Missouri, lowa and Beaver Island, Lake Michigan.
Among a band of those who had congregated at St. Louis, was Charles B. Thompson, an elder of the church, who was strongly tinctured with the doctrines of Fourier and Owen. Under his lead- ership a society of some fifty or sixty families was formed in 1852. This was regulated to a certain extent by the rules of modern commun- ism, everything being held in common, but Thomp- son, by the assumption of a special commission from the Lord, and the ministrations of a familiar spirit, the intermediary, whom he called Baneemy, became the spiritual head of the new church, and
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perforce of their temporal matters. All the mem- bers deeded whatsoever property they had to him to hold for the good of the community. at the in- vestigation of this leader, prompted by the spirit. He pretended to be the re-inearnation of the Ephraim of Scriptures and was called by his flock. Father Ephraim. Under the teaching of this man a committee was appointed to look up and choose a location for the colony, and Amos S. Chase, Orrin Butts and Guy C. Barnum were chosen to make the selection of lands, as they needed considerable territory. Chase and Barnum had been through this country, while living in Pottawattamie County. in 1851, and when they started had three lo- ealities in their mind, Smithland, the vicinity of Yankton, Dak., and this eounty. On their arrival here they decided to locate on the Soldier River, in what is now Spring Valley, and returned to their associates and so reported. In the spring of 1853, Samuel Scott and Edwin Mitchell came to what was afterward Preparation and put up two log cabins and a frame house two-stories high, and in Septem- ber. of the same year, Charles B. Thompson. Orrin Butts, Guy C. Barnum, D. W. Butts. and Job Bar- num came to the place and settled. The same fall witnessed the arrival of many others, for the infant settlement throve finely for a time, among whom were the following: Johnson F. Lane, who was, afterward, the first sheriff of Monona County; John Outhouse and his son, George, the former of whom died in Belvidere Township, this eounty, Sept. 15, 1864, the latter still a resident of the county ; Thomas Lewis, a prominent elder in the church, Dorman Lewis, then a boy, William Me- Ilenry now of Harrison County ; Charles C. Perrin. a soldier of the Mexican War, who died here March 25. 1889; Stephen Blackman, who died in the little village. Frederick D. Winegar and his sons, who became quite prominent in the county, the father died in Kennebec, in 1881. Milton Stow. L. C. Cottingham, Hugh Lytle, afterward prominently identified with the official life of the county; Ed- ward Johnson, Jolm Il. Thomas, now in Tennessee; Jacob Peyton, at present living in Idaho; Homer C. Hoyt, living in Mills or Fremont County; Silas Wilcox, who died near Moorhead; Andrew Hall, now one of the bishops of the church, residing in
Council Bluffs; George Rearick, who moved away from the county and died; Nelson Messenger, who returned to Ilinois ; James Williams, who left here a long time ago and has since died; John S. Can- field, who died at Preparation; George Warner, who removed from the county ; JJchial Savage, who moved into Cooper Township and there died; and Daniel Savage, who is, also, numbered with "the great majority." Edward Johnson and his son. Orson ; Rowland Cobb, at one time a member of the county board, but now removed from the county ; John Durfee, a ward of Guy Barnum's; William C. Wilcox, Dennis Butts and others.
Thompson and Butts, on their arrival September, 11, took up their residence in the frame house. the frame of which was gotten out at Honey Creek Pottawattamie County.and brought up and erected with great labor and expense. The second-story of this was devoted to the printing outfit they had brought with them. This paper. a religious monthly, the first paper issued in the county. was known as Zion's Harbinger and Buneeny's Organ. The journal had been previously pub- lished in St. Louis, and the paper which should! have been issued in August, of that year, came out on the 15th of September, 1853, the first paper printed in Monona County. This was principally theological in its matter and was the particular instrument for the dissemination of the doctrine of the order of which Elder Thompson elaimed to be the head. The latter was the sole editor, and D. W. Butts, the printer. the latter being hired by the society. This paper was known as the Prepara- tion News and Ephraim's Messenger. The first weekly paper was issued March 24, 1854 under the name of the Western Nucleus and Democratic Echo, and was edited and published by Thompson and Butts. It would seem from a glance at its columns that the entire business of the community was lodged in the hands of Thompson, which was about the plain faet. In it were found advertise- ments of Charles B. Thompson, Justice of the Peace and land agent; House of Ephriam, a hotel kept by Charles B. Thompson ; pork. beef and cows for sale by Charles B. Thompson; cheese in large quantities for sale by Charles B. Thompson, and so on. The only advertisement to which that name
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is not appended is that of the cooper shop of L. "the village in the summer of 1854, in a dwelling- C. Cottingham. In this historie sheet also appears house, and was taught by Thomas J. Lewis. This was a subscription school and commenced with evening sessions only. It had between thirty and forty scholars, and was conducted for some two years. an announcement that on and after April 15, 1851. the paper would be combined with the Prepara- tion News and Ephrain's Messenger, and the jour- nal issued under the name of Preparation Nucleus and Zion's Echo, and was to be partly theological The first death in the little settlement was that of the county's first sheriff. Johnston F. Lane, who 1 died in April, 1855. The second was that of John S. Canfield, who passed away the following winter. and partly political. In 1856. this was succeeded by a larger sheet, a six-column folio, which bore the name of The Weekly News and Messenger, partly religious, a department presided over by The first burial in the cemetery was that of a daughter of Mr. Messenger, brought from Honey Creek, Pottawattamie County, and was buried in 1854. Mr. Thompson, the news and political branch being under the control of D. W. Butts. The county filling up now with people, and the Demo- cratie principles being a losing card the name was changed after the fall election and the word "demo- cratie" dropped out. At the time of the county- seat contest between Ashton and Onawa, the paper took two sides, it being the only journal in the county, and it is somewhat laughable to see Thompson supporting the claims of Ashton on one page and the junior editor, Mr. Butts, as strongly championing the cause of Onawa, on the other.
This paper continued in existence until 1858, when the Monona Land Company made a contract with Thompson & Butts to bring over the outfit to the new county-seat and publish a paper, to be en- tirely devoid of religious matters and to be edited solely by Mr. Butts. This was entitled the Onawa Adventure. It died out after about six weeks. Thompson, who could not resist the opportunity for proselyting, violated the contract, and on his being notified to quit; Butts left and the outfit was brought to Preparation and the paper run a short time, but at the time of the trouble that overtook the leader, the material was taken to Magnolia by Guy C. Barnum and traded for a stock of goods.
In 1855 a sawmill was brought from Shabbona Grove, Ill, by the society, and put up and operated by them, Amos S. Chase, acting as Superintendent and foreman. This was run by horse power and was operated for some three years.
The hotel, or place of entertainment was known as th . Honse of Ephraim, and was presided over by Charles B. Thompson, who conducted this as he dil everything else in the settlement.
The first school in the township was opened in
Thompson carried on the business as the "Stew- ard of the Lord," and with the assistance of Guy (. Barnum, whom Ir designated as the assistant steward, acted for the community for several years, and had a large number of followers, who firmly believed in his God-given mission, for he was a man that could carry out his plans admirably, and impose on the credulous. All went swimmingly until the people lost faith in him. On coming here he had entered for the society some five or six thousand acres of land, and on this he founded the village of Preparation, so called because here they were to be "prepared" for the "Hereafter." One of the essential points of his creed and teaching was kindred to that of the Jesuits. total self-abne- gation and the divesting themselves entirely of all worldly goods and cares. He brought them to the point recommended by Jesus when he replied to the rich man who inquired what he might do to be saved: "Sell (or give away) thy earthly goods and follow me," conveying the idea that only by divest. ing themselves of everything could they achieve the Kingdom of Heaven. Under the influence of this teaching, his followers conveyed to him all their property, real and personal, even their wear- ing apparel.
But dissensions began to break out in the little community, and dissatisfaction with the course of their leader, and in the fall of 1855 a number of the members called on Elder Thompson for an accounting and a division of the property in sev- eralty. At a meeting held for the purpose of dis- cussing the subject, after a powerful appeal from
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the leader, he called for a division. requesting "the ; conscience exaggerated, they turned their team. sheep." those who still wanted to abide by the original agreement, to draw to the right, and was astonished to find that the dissentients, "the goats," numbered some sixty-three out of about one hun- dred and sixteen present. Nothing was done, how- ever, in regard to a division of the property, and about the same time some twenty families with- drew, under the leadership of Hugh Lytle, also an elder in the church, and settled elsewhere in the county. They instituted a suit for the recovery of their property, but after considerable litigation were finally worsted, and it is reported on good authority that they never did secure redress, even being unrecognized in the final distribution as the result of the big law suit that wound up the existence of the colony.
During the fall of 1858 when most of the male adults of the colony were absent preaching the doc- trine of Baneemyism, Thompson, taking advantage of their being away, conveyed all the property to his wife, Catherine Thompson, and Guy C. Bar- num, only reserving a forty aere tract for himself. This opened the eyes of his deluded victims, on hearing of which they returned to their homes. Demanding an explanation, they received nothing satisfactory in the shape of an adjustment.
A meeting was held at the village during the ab- sence of the elder and Barnum, who had gone to Onawa on business, in which the people of the community had the assistance of some of the seceders and several of the outside farmers of the township, and it, was decided to force Elder Thomp- son, on his return, to re-deed to the people their share of the property, with the exception of a rea- sonable amount, which he should retain as his share. Guards were posted at the entrance of the village to keep any of Thompson's friends from warning him of the movement, the intention being to surprise him into acceding to their wishes. By some means, a woman, whose faith, like the gener- ality of her sex, had not weakened in the time of their fall, eluded the vigilance of the sentry, and passing round the point of the bluff, met the elder and Barnum on their return, and informed them of the state of affairs in the village. Perceiving their peril, which their unjustifiable course and a guilty |
drove some three miles on the Belvidere road. then they leaped from the wagon and hastily unhar- nessed the horses, and as horsemen appeared, lled across the bottom to Onawa, pursued by several of the people, but on reaching the county seat were protected by the citizens. About December 1 they were smuggled out of the county. Thompson went to St. Louis, and from there, three or four years later, to the vicinity of Philadelphia, where his wife's people live, and is there engaged in running a society, having a few followers yet. He is a tailor by trade, and is credited with having been in his younger days a powerful speaker, and one well cal- enlated to mislead the people. He left here with the intention of settling among the Indians but, thought better of it. He left here with but little property, most of his personal effects falling into the hands of his victims, who divided them up among themselves, everyone claiming as much of his own as he could ind. An action in chancery was com- menced in the courts to set aside the conveyance of the real estate, and after dragging a weary length for eight years through the various courts, the matter was straightened up, the Supreme Court holding that Thompson only held the property in trust, and the real estate was sold under an order of the court, and the proceeds divided among the par- ties who had remained faithful to the end.
Guy C. Barnum lingered here a short time, and seizing without much opposition whatever he could Jay his hands on legally, went across the river, and breame quite a prosperous and prominent citizen of Nebraska,now living near Columbus, Platte County.
The postoffice at Preparation was established in 1854, and George M. Scott commissioned Post- master. He remained in that capacity until the dissolution of the colony, and many of its members moving away, the office was discontinued. In 1875 the office was restored, and G. P. Benjamin made custodian of the mails. He was succeeded by D. Englehorn, and he, a few years later, by G. M. Scott, the old postmaster. Henry M. Johnson was the next to occupy the office, and was followed by James Graham. Six months later J. T. Rawlings was appointed Postmaster, and is the present in- cumbent.
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