USA > Iowa > Muscatine County > History of Muscatine County, Iowa, from the earliest settlements to the present time, Volume I > Part 4
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VIEW OF THE LUMBER DISTRICT FROM WEST HILL
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
south and it became manifest to many that in the event of the election of Lin- coln to the presidency war would follow between the states. The people of Iowa nursed no hatred toward any section of the country but were determined to hold such opinions upon questions of public interest and vote for such men as to them seemed for the general good, uninfluenced by any threat of violence or civil war. So it was that they anxiously awaited the expiring hours of the Buchanan administration and looked to the incoming president as to an expected deliverer that should rescue the nation from the hands of the traitors and the control of those whose resistance invited her destruction. The firing upon the flag of Fort Sumter aroused the burning indignation throughout the loyal states of the republic and nowhere was it more intense than in Iowa. And when the proclamation of the president was published April 15, 1861, calling for seventy- five thousand citizens soldiers to "maintain the honor, the integrity, and the ex- istence of our national Union, and the perpetuity of popular government," they were more than willing to respond to the call. Party line gave way and for a while, at least, party spirit was hushed and the cause of our common country was supreme in the affections of the people. Fortunate indeed was the state at this crisis in having a truly representative man as executive of the state. Thoroughly honest and as equally earnest, wholly imbued with the enthusiasm of the hour, and fully aroused to the importance of the crisis and the magnitude of the struggle upon which the people were entering, with an indomitable will under the control of a strong common sense, Samuel J. Kirkwood was indeed a worthy chief to organize and direct the energies of the people in what was before them. Within thirty days after the date of the president's call for troops, the first Iowa regiment was mustered into the service of the United States, a second regiment was in camp ready for service and the general assembly of the state was convened in special session and had by joint resolution solemnly pledged every resource of men and money to the national cause. So urgent were the offers of companies that the governor conditionally accepted enough addi- tional companies to compose two regiments more. These were soon accepted by the secretary of war. Near the close of May, the adjutant general of the state reported that one hundred and seventy companies had been tendered the governor to serve against the enemies of the Union. The question was eagerly asked : "Which of us will be allowed to go?" It seemed as if Iowa was monopolizing the honors of the period and would send the largest part of seventy-five thou- sand wanted from the whole north. There was much difficulty and considerable delay experienced in fitting the first three regiments for the field. For the first regiment a complete outfit of clothing was extemporized, partly by the volunteer labor of loyal women in the different towns, from material of various colors and qualities, obtained within the limits of the state. The same was done in part for the second infantry. Meantime, an extra session of the general as- sembly had been called by the governor to convene on the 15th of May. With but little delay that body authoried a loan of $800,000 to meet the extraordinary expenses incurred, and to be incurred, by the executive department in conse- quence of the emergency. A wealthy merchant of the state, ex-Governor Mer- rill, immediately took from the governor a contract to supply a complete outfit of clothing for three regiments organized, agreeing to receive, should the gover-
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
nor so elect, his pay therefor in the state bonds at par. This contract he exe- cuted to the letter and a portion of the clothing was delivered at Keokuk, the ยท place at which the troops had rendezvoused, in exactly one month from the day in which the contract had been entered into. The remainder arrived only a few days later. This clothing was delivered to the soldiers but was subsequently condemned by the government for the reason that its color was gray, and blue had been adopted as the color to be worn by the national troops. Other states had also clothed their troops, sent forward under the first call of President Lin- coln, with gray uniforms, but it was soon found that the Confederate forces were also clothed in gray and that color was at once abandoned for the Union soldier.
At the beginning of the war the population of Iowa included about 150,000 men, presumably liable to render military service. The state raised for general service thirty-nine regiments of infantry, nine regiments of cavalry and four companies of artillery, composed of three years' men, one regiment composed of three months' men, and four regiments and one battalion of infantry composed of one hundred days' men. The original enlistments in these various organiza- tions, including 1,727 men raised by draft, numbered about 69,000. The reenlist- ments, including upwards of 7,000 veterans, numbered nearly 8,000. The enlist- ments in the regular army and navy organizations of other states will, if added, raise the total to upwards of 80,000. The number of men who under special enlistments and as militia took part at different times in the operations on the exposed borders, was probably 5,000.
Every loyal state of the Union had many women who devoted much time and great labor toward relieving the wants of our sick and wounded soldiery but for Iowa can be claimed the honor of inaugurating the great charitable move- ment, which was so successfully supported by the noble women of the north. Mrs. Harlan, wife of Hon. James Harlan, United States senator, was the first woman of the country among those moving in high circles of society who per- sonally visited the army and ministered to the wants of the defenders of her country. In many of her visits to the army, Mrs. Harlan was accompanied by Mrs. Joseph T. Fales, wife of the first state auditor of Iowa. No words can describe the good done, the lives saved and the deaths made easy by the host of noble women of Iowa, whose names it would take a volume to print. Every county, every town, every neighborhood had these true heroines, whose praise can never be known till the final rendering of all accounts of deeds done in the body. The contributions throughout the state to "sanitary fairs" during the war, were enormous, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Highly successful fairs were held in the principal cities and towns of the state, which all added to the work and praise of the "Florence Nightingales" of Iowa, whose heroic sacrifices have won for them the undying gratitude of the nation. It is said, to the honor and credit of Iowa, that while many of the loyal states, older and larger in population and wealth, incurred heavy state debts for the purpose of fulfilling their obligations to the general government, Iowa, while she was foremost in duty, while she promptly discharged all her obliga- tions to her sister states and the Union, found herself at the close of the war' without any material additions to her pecuniary liabilities incurred before the
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
war commenced. Upon final settlement after restoration of peace, her claims upon the federal government were found to be fully equal to the amount of her bonds issued and sold during the war, to provide the means for raising and equip- ping her troops sent into the field and to meet the inevitable demands upon her treasury in consequence of the war. It was in view of these facts that Iowa had done more than her duty during the war, and that without incurring any considerable indebtedness, and that her troops had fought most gallantly on nearly every battlefield of the war, that the Newark (New Jersey) Advertiser, and other prominent eastern journals, called Iowa the "Model State of the Republic."
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
School teachers here were among the first immigrants to Iowa. This gives point to the fact that the people of Iowa have ever taken a deep interest in education and in this direction no state in the Union has a better record. The system of free public schools was planted by the early settlers and it has ex- panded and improved until now it is one of the most complete, comprehensive and liberal in the country. The lead mining regions of the state were the first to be settled by the whites and the hardy pioneers provided the means for the education of their children even before they had comfortable dwellings for themselves. Wherever a little settlement was made, the schoolhouse was the first thing undertaken by the settlers in a body, and the rude, primitive structures of the early times only disappeared when the communities increased in population and wealth and were able to replace them with more commodious and com- fortable buildings. Perhaps in no single instance has the magnificent progress of the state of Iowa been more marked and rapid than in her common-school sys- tem and in her schoolhouses. Today the schoolhouses which everywhere dot the broad and fertile prairies of Iowa are unsurpassed by those of any other state in this great Union. More especially is this true in all her cities and vil- lages, where liberal and lavish appropriations have been voted by a generous people for the erection of large, commodious and elegant buildings, furnished with all the modern improvements, and costing from $10,000 to $60,000 each. The people of the state have expended more than $25,000,000 for the erection of public school buildings, which stand as monuments of magnificence.
THE FIRST SCHOOL BUILDING AT DUBUQUE.
Dubuque saw within its limits the first school building erected in the state of Iowa, which was built by J. J. Langworthy and a few other miners in the fall of 1833. When it was completed, George Cabbage was employed as teacher during the winter of 1833-4 and thirty-five pupils answered to his roll call. Barrett Whittemore taught the school term and had twenty-five pupils in attendance. Mrs. Caroline Dexter commenced teaching in Dubuque in March, 1836. She was the first female teacher there, and probably the first in Iowa. In 1839 Thomas H. Benton, Jr., afterwards for ten years superintendent of pub- lic instruction, opened an English and classical school in Dubuque. The first tax for the support of schools at Dubuque was levied in 1840. A commodious
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
log schoolhouse was built at Burlington in 1834, and was one of the first build- ings erected in that settlement. A Mr. Johnson taught the first school in the win- ter of 1834-5. In Scott county, in the winter of 1835-6, Simon Crazen taught a fourteen months' term of school in the house of J. B. Chamberlin. In Musca- tine county, the first term of school was taught by George Baumgardner in the spring of 1837. In 1839 a log schoolhouse was erected in Muscatine, which served for a long time as schoolhouse, meeting house and public hall. The first school in Davenport was taught in 1838. In Fairfield Miss Clarissa Sawyer, James F. Chambers and Mrs. Reed taught school in 1839.
Johnson county was an entire wilderness when Iowa City was located as the capital of the territory of Iowa in May, 1839. The first sale of lots took place August 18, 1839, and before January 1, 1840, about twenty families had settled in the town. During the same year Jesse Berry opened a school in a small frame building he had erected on what is now known as College street.
In Monroe county the first settlement was made in 1843 by John R. Gray, about two miles from the present site of Eddyville, and in the summer of 1844 a log schoolhouse was built by Gray and others, and the first school was opened by Miss Uriana Adams. About a year after the first cabin was built in Oska- loosa, a log schoolhouse was built, in which school was opened by Samuel W. Caldwell, in 1844.
At Fort Des Moines, now the capital of the state, the first school was taught by Lewis Whitten, clerk of the district court, in the winter of 1846-7, in one of the rooms on "Coon Row," built for barracks.
The first school in Pottawattamie county was opened by George Green, a Mormon, at Council Point, prior to 1849, and until about 1854 nearly all the teachers in that vicinity were Mormons.
The first school in Decorah was taught in 1855 by Cyrus C. Carpenter, since governor of the state. During the first twenty years of the history of Iowa the log schoolhouse prevailed, and in 1861 there were eight hundred and ninety- three of these primitive structures in use for school purposes in the state. Since that time they have been gradually disappearing. In 1865 there were 796; in 1870, 336; in 1875, 121; and today there is probably not a vestige of one remaining.
In 1846, the year of Iowa's admission as a state, there were 20,000 pupils in schools, out of 100,000 inhabitants. About 400 school districts had been organ- ized. In 1850 there were 1,200 and in 1857 the number had increased to 3,265. The system of graded schools was inaugurated in 1849 and now schools in which more than one teacher is employed, are universally graded. Teachers' institutes were organized early in the history of the state. The first official mention of them occurrs in the annual report of Hon. Thomas H. Benton, Jr., made De- cember 2, 1850, who said: "An institution of this character was organized a few years ago, composed of the teachers of the mineral regions of Illinois, Wis- consin and Iowa. An association of teachers has also been formed in the county of Henry, and an effort was made October last to organize a regular institute in the county of Jones."
Funds for the support of public schools are derived in various ways. The sixteenth section of every congressional township was set apart by the general
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
government for school purposes, being one-thirty-sixth part of all the lands in the state. The minimum price of all these lands was fixed at $1.25 per acre. Congress also made an additional donation to the state of 500,000 acres and an appropriation of five per cent on all the sales of public lands to the school fund. The state gives to this fund the proceeds of the sales of all lands which escheat to it, the proceeds of all fines, for the violation of liquor and criminal laws. The money derived from these sources constitutes the permanent school fund of the state, which cannot be diverted to any other purpose. The penalties collected by the courts in fines and for forfeitures go to the school fund in the counties according to their request, and the counties loan the money to individuals for long terms at eight per cent interest, on security of lands valued at three times the value of the loan, exclusive of all buildings and improvements thereon. The interest on these loans is paid into the state treasury and becomes the available school fund of the state. The counties are responsible to the state for all money so loaned and the state is likewise responsible to the school fund for all money transferred to the counties. The interest on these loans is apportioned by the state auditor semiannually to the several counties of the state, in proportion to the number of persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years. The counties also levy a tax for school purposes, which is apportioned to the several district townships in the same way. A district tax is also levied for the same purpose. The money arising from these several sources constitutes the support of the public schools and is sufficient to enable every sub-district in the state to afford from six to nine months school each year. The burden of district taxation is thus lightened and the efficiency of the schools is increased. The taxes levied for the support of the schools are self imposed. Under the admirable school laws of the state no taxes can be legally assessed or collected for the erection of schoolhouses until they have been ordered by the election of a school district at a school meeting legally called. The teachers' and contingent funds are determined by the board of directors under certain legal instructions. These boards are elected annually. The only exception to this method of levying taxes for school pur- poses is the county tax, which is determined by the county board of supervisors. In each county a teachers' institute is held annually under the direction of the county superintendent, the state distributing annually a sum of money to each of these institutes.
STATE UNIVERSITY.
By act of congress, approved July 20, 1840, the secretary of the treasury was authorized to "set apart and reserve from sale, out of any public lands within the territory of Iowa not otherwise claimed or appropriated, a quantity of land not exceeding two entire townships, for the use and support of a university within said territory when it becomes a state." The first general assembly, therefore, by act approved February 25, 1847, established the "State University of Iowa" at Iowa City, then the capital of the state. The public buildings and other property at Iowa City were appropriated to the university but the legisla- tive sessions and state offices were to be held in them until a permanent location for a capital was made. The control and management of the university were committed to a board of fifteen trustees and five were to be chosen every two
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
years. The superintendent of public instruction was made president of this board. The organic act provided that the university should never be under the control of any religious organization whatever, and that as soon as the revenue from the grant and donations should amount to two thousand dollars a year, the university should commence and continue the instruction free of charge, of fifty students annually. Of course the organization of the university was im- practicable so long as the seat of government was retained at Iowa City.
In January, 1849, two branches of the university and three normal schools were established. The branches were located at Fairfield and Dubuque and were placed upon an equal footing, in respect to funds and all other matters, with the university at Iowa City. At Fairfield the board of directors organized and erected a building at a cost of $2,500. This was nearly destroyed by a hurricane the following year but was rebuilt more substantially by the citizens of Fairfield. This branch never received any aid from the state and, January 24, 1853, at the request of the board, the general assembly terminated its rela- tions to the state. The branch at Dubuque had only a nominal existence. The normal schools were located at Andrew, Oskaloosa and Mt. Pleasant. Each was to be governed by a board of seven trustees to be appointed by the trustees of the university. Each was to receive $500 annually from the income of the university fund, upon condition that they should educate eight common school teachers, free of charge for tuition, and that the citizens should contribute an equal sum for the erection of the requisite buildings. The school at Andrew was organized November 21, 1849, with Samuel Ray as principal. A building was commenced and over one thousand dollars expended on it but it was never completed. The school at Oskaloosa was started in the courthouse, September 13, 1852, under charge of Professor G. M. Drake and wife. A two-story brick building was erected in 1853 costing $2,473. The school at Mt. Pleasant was never organized. Neither of these schools received any aid from the university fund but in 1857 the legislature appropriated one thousand dollars for each of the two schools and repealed the laws authorizing the payment to them of money from the university fund. From that time they made no further effort to con- tinue in operation.
From 1847 to 1855 the board of trustees of the university was kept full by regular elections by the legislature and the trustees held frequent meetings but there was no actual organization of the university. In March, 1855, it was partially opened for a term of sixteen weeks. July 16, 1855, Amos Dean, of Albany, New York, was elected president but he never fully entered into its duties. The university was again opened in September, 1855, and continued in operation until June, 1856, under Professors Johnson, Van Valkenburg and Griffin. The faculty was then reorganized with some changes and the univer- sity was again opened on the third Wednesday of September, 1856. There were one hundred and twenty-four students (eighty-three males and forty-one fe- males) in attendance during the year 1856-7, and the first regular catalogue was published. At a special meeting of the board, September 22, 1857, the honorary degree of Bachelor of Arts was conferred on D. Franklin Wells. This was the first degree conferred by the university.
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
By the constitution of 1857 it was provided that there be no branches of the state university. In December of that year the old capitol building was turned over to the trustees of the university. In 1858 $10,000 was appropriated for the erection of a students' boarding hall. The board closed the university April 27, 1858, on account of insufficient funds, and dismissed all the faculty with the exception of Chancellor Dean. At the same time a resolution was passed excluding females. This was soon after reversed by the general assembly. The university was reopened September 19, 1860, and from this time the real existence of the university dates. Chancellor Dean had resigned before this, and Silas Totten, D. D., LL. D., was elected president, at a salary of $2,000. August 19, 1862, he resigned and was succeeded by Oliver M. Spencer. Presi- dent Spencer was granted leave of absence for fifteen months to visit Europe. Professor Nathan R. Leonard was elected president pro tem. President Spen- cer resigning, James Black, D. D., vice president of Washington and Jefferson College, of Pennsylvania, was elected president. He entered upon his duties in September, 1868.
The law department was established in June, 1868, and soon after the Iowa Law School at Des Moines, which had been in successful operation for three years, was transferred to Iowa City and merged in the department. The medi- cal department was established in 1869, and since April 11, 1870, the government of the university had been in the hands of a board of regents. The university has gained a reputation as one of the leading educational institutions of the west and this position it is determined to maintain.
STATE NORMAL COLLEGE.
Cedar Falls, the chief city of Black Hawk county, holds the State Normal School, which is an institution for the training of teachers and is doing most excellent work.
STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
By act of the legislature, approved March 23, 1858, the State Agricultural College and Farm was established at Ames, in Story county. In 1862 congress granted to Iowa 240,000 acres of land for the endowment of schools of agricul- ture and the mechanical arts. In 1864 the general assembly voted $20,000 for the erection of the college buildings. In 1866 $91,000 more was appropriated for the same purpose. The building was completed in 1868 and the institution was opened the following year. The institution is modeled to some extent after the Michigan Agricultural College. In this school of learning admission is free to all students of the state over sixteen years of age. Students are required to work on the farm two and a half hours each day. The faculty is of a very high character and the college one of the best of its kind. The sale of spirits, wine or beer is prohibited within three miles of the farm. The current expenses of this institution are paid by the income from the permanent endowment. Be- sides the institution here mentioned are many others throughout the state.
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
Amity College is located at College Springs, in Page county, Burlington Uni- versity at Burlington, Drake University at Des Moines, Iowa College at Grin- nell, etc.
STATE INSTITUTIONS.
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.
The legislature established the institution for the deaf and dumb, January 24, 1855, and located it at Iowa City. A great effort was made for its removal to Des Moines but it was finally located at Council Bluffs. In 1868 an appropria- tion was made by the legislature of $125,000 for the erection of new buildings, and ninety acres of land were selected south of the city. October, 1870, the main building and one wing were completed and occupied. In February, 1877, fire destroyed the main building and east wing. About one hundred and fifty students were in attendance at the time. There is a regular appropriation for this institution of twenty-two dollars per capita per month for nine months of each year, for the payment of officers and teachers' salaries and for a support fund. The institution is free to all of school age, too deaf to be educated in the common schools, sound in mind and free from immoral habits and from con- tagious and offensive diseases. No charge is made for board or tuition. The session of the school begins the first day of October and ends the last day of June of each year.
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