USA > Iowa > Page County > History of Page County, Iowa : also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county > Part 37
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In this connection Mr. Cox's army experience will be of interest. While camped near Tucson, Arizona, a herd of wild bulls suddenly charged the camp, emerging instantly and without warning from the tall grass. One of them caught Cox in the thigh and hurled him over, making a bad wound, from which he never entirely recovered. Others were slightly wounded and a mule was killed before the soldiers could seize their guns and shoot the infuriated beasts. Mr. Cox drew a pension because of this wound so strangely received.
Among the early settlers at Fisher's Grove from 1853 to 1856, were Alpheus Cutler, Sr., Thaddeus Cutler, Chauncey Almond, Amos Cox. Ed- mond Whiting, Caleb Baldwin, Nicholas Taylor, E. C. Whiting, Calvin and Edward Fletcher and their father, Luman H. Calkins, Squire Eggleston, William Steele, Clark Stillman and Frank Pratt. Alpheus Cutler was the presiding officer of the old church, which was not formally reorganized into the Church of Christ of the Latter Day Saints until 1862.
W. C. Matthews came to Fisher's Grove in 1857 and purchased a half- interest in the sawmill with Edmund Fisher. It prospered for a time but Matthews fell and hurt his shoulder, so that he could not use his right arm for several years. They sold the mill and soon after it ran down. Matthews also sold his farm of two hundred and forty acres and went into the hotel business, running a hotel at Manti for ten years. He also ran the mail line from Clarinda to Sidney for three years.
S. S. Wilcox came to Mills county in 1846, while the Indians were still there, but soon returned to Indiana. He came again to this vicinity in 1859, and moved his family here in July, 1861, settling on the Beardsley place, southwest of Shenandoah, where they resided until they removed to Shen- andoah a number of years ago.
H. G. Weech and W. D. Ledingham came to Fisher's Grove in the early '60s. Others who were here in the early days of Manti, but whose dates
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we cannot give, were Almund Sherman, Jackson Burdick, William Ander- son, a Mr. Murdock and Corydon Fuller.
An early settlement was made on Walnut creek, west of Shenandoah, about 1854. Among the carly settlers there were Ephraim High, W. N. Pease, Enoch Thompson, R. J. Ripley, Dr. Ripley, Ed Miller, Henry Single- ton and Harlow Chambers. Milton Young came in 1856, and about the same time or soon after Ezekiel Chambers, William Chambers, William Blue, Henry Clem and Ben Hall.
THE BEGINNING OF SHENANDOAH.
Shenandoah was originally called Fair Oaks, though for what reason cannot be imagined, as no oak trees or any other kind were found on the site of the town. This name did not cling to it long, however, as the town was christened Shenandoah, August 6, 1870, upon the completion of the first house, belonging to I. N. Holcomb. The name was given it because of a striking resemblance of the Nishna valley to the famous Shenandoah valley of Virginia, then fresh in the memories of the soldiers who fought with Sheridan in that historic locality.
No sooner was the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad completed in the summer of 1870 than citizens of Manti began to move here and es- tablisl: a town. The ties and rails were laid from both ends of the road and they met near Jeff Williams' place just south of the city. The first train passed over the road August 1. 1870.
Dan O'Day had put up a shanty near the site of Burkhard's ice house and boarded the railroad hands for weeks before any other structure was erected and Mrs. O'Day may therefore be regarded as the oldest continuous resident of the town proper.
The recorded plat of the town of Shenandoah dates from September 15, 1860, but a sale of lots had previously occurred during August. The town company that owned the land through the trustee, offered the lots for sale at fifty dollars each for every alternate lot, reserving the interven- ing lots at one hundred dollars each. It was really intended to make Thomas avenue, the street south of Sheridan avenue, the principal busi- ness street, and it was laid out one hundred feet wide, while Sheridan avenue is only eighty feet wide, but the first buyers seemed to prefer the north street.
Bryson Brothers opened a Inmberyard on the site now occupied by the Green Bay Lumber Company, almost immediately after the trains came through, and were followed quickly by J. J. Kaster & Company with another lumberyard. S. P. Carpenter moved a little building over from Manti and used it as a boarding house on the site of the Delmonico Hotel. It became a part of Mrs. Happy Morris' residence on Clarinda avenue. The garret of this house was then the only lodging place in town and it is said that C. S. Keenan and W. P. Ferguson met for the first time in that garret in October, 1870; but which one got the bed and which one slept on the floor the historian telleth not.
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W. P. Ferguson is the oldest continuous male resident of the town. He is also the oldest continuous lawyer in the county and has never missed a term of court or been absent from Shenandoah ten days at a time since its organization. He traveled over the ground between Hamburg and Red Oak, helping to secure the railroad right of way. Then, as soon as the town was located, he secured a permit to erect a little office about ten by twelve feet, where William Reeves' store now is. There he hung out his sign as a lawyer and real-estate dealer and he has stuck to Shenan- doah ever since and has been prominently identified with the entire growth and public interests of the city. He was married two years after the town started, the ceremony being performed in the Masonic hall, now the upstairs part of Needham & Mell's store building.
The pioneer store was built by J. H. Shugart and used as a hard- ware store. It was blown down by a small cyclone, the only one Shenan- doah ever had, just before it was completed, but was rebuilt at once and has been used upon the same location ever since, the last purchaser, F. G. Dungee, having recently purchased it from I. W. Wolsey.
O. S. Rider & Company moved over from Manti with the frame work of a new building all prepared, and erected it on the corner of Sheridan avenue and Maple street, and there opened a general stock of merchandise. He also moved another building over from Manti and connected the two buildings by a shed, running an implement store in connection.
W. E. Webster & Company built a drug store opposite Rider's. Web- ster and family lived over the store. He afterward became president of a bank here and at Clarinda and died while serving a second term in the legislature.
John McComb moved over from Manti and built a little harness shop. The old building was moved to East Sheridan avenue in 1891 and was enlarged and improved.
Mettleman & Crose (R. B. Crose) erected the building later used by S. Toay for a butter and egg depot, upon the corner where Crose's large brick block now is, and opened up a large general stock of goods in Novem- ber of that year.
S. P. Carpenter also built what was proudly termed "the finest hotel in Page county." It stood upon the site of the Delmonico but was after- wards moved and part of it became the ill fated kitchen of the Lafayette House, burning in the winter of 1891-92.
Thus it will be seen that quite a flourishing town was established here almost immediately and in spite of the efforts of the railroad company to make Riverton the principal town along the line of the road. The best evidence of the rapid growth of Shenandoah will be shown by a reproduc- tion of the first printed matter got out for the town, a descriptive circular issued during the spring of 1871, when the town was about six months old. One side contained an advertisement of farm lands at eight to ten dollars per acre and three hundred lots in Shenandoah. The other side is as follows :
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"The child is born. Its name is Shenandoah. The story of this indi- genous offspring of the prairie forms an era in the future history and romance of one of the loveliest villages of the west. When, on the first day of August. 1870, the first whistle of the first through train of cars from Burlington to Nebraska City announced the event of modern civiliza- tion, it sounded at once the requiem to the repose of six thousand years of nature's wild, ungarnered waste and the reveille to the westward march of civilization and conquest. Responding at once to the call came hither a class of citizens representing the different callings and professions of men, whose industry and enterprise soon enabled them to be successful pioneers of a new colony and founders of a future city.
"Shenandoah was christened on the 6th day of August, 1870, when the first house was finished, since which time it has made rapid and steady progress, till it now contains a resident population of about two hundred inhabitants and some of the largest business houses in southwestern Iowa.
"The town is situated in the western part of Page county, at a point about equi-distant from Clarinda, Sidney, Red Oak and Hamburg, being about twenty miles from each.
"The town has a gentle western slope and occupies a site commanding a fine view of the Nishna valley, which, at this place, is one of rare beauty, as it is seen for miles, bisected by the railroad and winding river, skirted with trees.
"The country adjoining, of which Shenandoah is the commercial center, including the valleys of the Nishna, Tarkio and Walnut creeks, embraces a tract of country that for fertility of soil and agricultural purposes is un- excelled in Iowa.
"This land is fast passing from the hands of speculators, for whom it is worthless, to the more substantial class of farmers, who, tired of their unrequited toil among the swamps and hills of the east, are prepared to try their fortunes on the fertile valleys and undeveloped prairies of the west.
"Shenandoah is represented in the different branches of business by a class of enterprising men, who would be a credit to any place and deserve a passing notice here, as forming one of its most attractive features. One of the most important branches of business in which Shenandoah has the exclusive control of Page county, is the lumber trade. This is conducted by the two firms of Brison & Brother and J. J. Kaster & Company. These yards were established in the carly part of August, 1870, both of which are well stocked and doing an extensive business. The hardware establishment of J. H. Shugart & Company was opened on the 10th day of October, 1870, and is the pioneer store of the place. They have a fine two-story ware- house, which is filled with agricultural implements.
"Next we would notice the drug store of W. E. Webster & Company, established on the 16th of October, following. This establishment is well stocked, well conducted and doing a lively business. Associated in this firm are B. M. Webster, who represents the medical profession, with credit to the place and profit to himself. Of the firm of Rider & Company we
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need scarcely speak. Suffice it to say that, including their store and agri- cultural depot, they have altogether the largest stock and most com- plete assortment of dry goods and farming implements offered for sale in Page county. This firm is backed with plenty of capital and accommodating salesmen and is in every way worthy of its extensive patronage.
"In the harness and hide business we have J. H. McComb, established October 24. This establishment is wholly conducted by Benjamin F. Lake, one of nature's noblemen, who has earned for his business a well deserved and extensive trade.
"Mettleman & Crose occupied their fine new store on the 28th of No- vember, which is a perfect model in its way, and conducted by men who will wear, and for fair dealing and sterling merit, cannot be excelled.
"The furniture is represented by Messrs. Cass & Johnson, who are also loing a thriving business. Several years ago they sold their old store in order to build larger.
"S. P. Carpenter built the Shenandoah House.
"The profession of law is honorably represented by W. P. Ferguson, whose successful practice has won public confidence and an extensive pat- ronage. Connected with this is his extensive real estate agency of thousands of acres of the best lands in Page and Fremont counties, also the local agency for the sale of Shenandoah town lots. He is kept constantly engaged in exhibiting these lands to all who are wishing to buy. There are also here doing a good business, a wagon shop by Collins & Son, a blacksmith shop by Monzingo & Gillespie, and shoe shop by J. D. Sprigg.
"While the citizens are rather of a business and enterprising character, still educational and religious institutions are not forgotten. The Masonic fraternity have a prosperous lodge, with a good hall.
"The past success of Shenandoah has been more than its most ardent friends dared to expect, while the future grows bright with promise. To all who are seeking homes for themselves and families, where they can find the best soil in the west and enjoy the blessing of modern civilization, we invite you to stop at Shenandoah and satisfy yourself."
In this connection an extract from a letter to the Shenandoah Reporter, dlated January 3, 1876, will give an idea of the changes made in five years. The clipping was furnished by Mrs. O'Day. It says: "As I take up your well-filled sheet, with its neat, clean type, with its columns of business cards and emblazoned advertisements of thrifty business men, displayed upon paper like some of those glorious farms by which you are surrounded, I could hardly realize that all this had transpired in five years. When Mr. O'Day was boarding railroad hands who laid the track and made the way, and interfered with Deacon Ayers' mowing ground, he was the true prophet to remain and see who else would come to that beautiful spot and settle. When Wat. Webster sold that team of his and put the proceeds into a build- ing in the new settlement of Fair Oaks, he knew he would get his money back before long. And Rider, sick as he was, beguiled his treacherous con- sumption by erecting the finest building in the town. If I mistake not six buildings were started before anybody ventured to live in Fair Oaks but
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Dan O'Day. Then the trains day by day deposited materials for a town, and jolly station agent Miller settled all bills due the company in his mova- ble office. No chimneys, only two stove pipes, for a time. The Red Oak temperance man came down and set up the first hardware store. The law- yer came as an index of advanced civilization and erected his seven by nine office and covered it all over with insurance signs. Dan O'Day's well caved in and somebody built a regular well with appropriate curbing. Manti was put upon wheels and carted off over the prairies three miles to swell its habitations. The merchant and his clerk, the shoemaker, the doctor, the justice, in fact everybody left Manti, excepting Mr. Rich, and contributed his quota to the business and population of the new town. Now what a magnificent town you have, with its churches, banks, schoolhouse, stores and offices, money order and postoffice, and last, though very far from being least in importance, your creditable sheet, the Shenandoah Reporter."
From the very organization of the town until the present, Shenandoah has made steady progress in population and wealth except for a short period in 1885, when trade was paralyzed and population turned away by the scourge of smallpox. The details of the development will appear in the historical sketches of the various institutions and business firms to appear farther on.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
The town of Shenandoah had not reached one year or age before an application was made for incorporation, and under the incorporation the first municipal election was held August 22, 1871. The entire number of votes cast was sixty-one. J. H. Shugart, now a resident of Omaha, Ne- braska, was elected mayor. The other officers were: Recorder, W. E. Webster ; treasurer, B. M. Webster; marshal, T. J. Warren ; councilmen, Benjamin Lake, A. J. West, R. B. Crose, J. S. Johnson and S. P. Carpenter.
The mayors elected for each succeeding year are as follows: 1872, J. H. Shugart : 1873, G. W. Gunnison : 1874, A. S. Lake; 1875, E. L. Arthur ; 1876, W. C. Martin ; 1877, J. C. Cheshire : 1878, J. H. Shugart : 1879, W. C. Matthews; 1880, S. S. Wilcox ; 1881, Robert Inghram. During the year he resigned and W. P. Ferguson was elected to fill the vacancy. 1882, H. S. Holcomb; 1883, J. W. Ladd ; 1884-1890, J. B. Carter ; 1891-93, H. S. Nichols. May 3d Nichols resigned and the vacancy was filled by the election of C. M. Conway for the unexpired term. From this time on until the spring of 1903 Mr. Conway held the office and was then succeeded by George F. Cotrill. Mr. Cotrill held the office for two years, when C. M. Conway was again elected and remained the incumbent until the spring of 1909, when he failed of reclection and was succeeded by O. H. Frink.
THE CLERK'S RECORDS.
In the early days of Shenandoah the town council had little business to transact aside from ordering down sidewalks. The records of the
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early meetings of the august "city fathers" are highly amusing and we trust that the members who still reside here will pardon us for a few ex- tracts and explanations. As the years passed by and the town increased in population, moral, legal, economic questions began to assume a greater importance and the records became more voluminous and of more his- torica! value. During one dark period in 1885 the council was confronted with questions of almost vital importance, but they rose to the occasion, and carried the little city through the terrible smallpox scourge with honor. As a rule the city has been well and economically governed and it has suf- fered less from bad government and wasteful expenditures than fall to the lot of most young and ambitious cities. Mistakes have occurred, it is true, but they have mostly been upon the side of conservatism and economy, mistakes that can be rectified more easily than the mistakes of radicalism. J. B. Carter's seven years of continuous service as mayor and John Ment- zer's long service as recorder and clerk are the most noteworthy features regarding the officials. The actual work of the council will best appear in the following synopsis of the work each year as shown by the records, with a few ludicrous events thrown in.
The first meeting was held in the office of J. H. Shugart, September 15, 1871, all being present except Johnson. The first business was the adoption of the rules of order of the town council of Clarinda. They then proceeded to adopt a series of eight ordinances, including one on hogs, one on dogs and one on stove pipes. Numerous meetings were held during that fall but the clerk generally recorded "There being no quorum pres- ent the council adjourned." At a meeting December 11th the council ordered that twenty-five dollars be remitted to J. Connor, "to keep pigeon-hole table, under billiard license, for the ensuing year." At the same meeting W. P. Ferguson was appointed city attorney and a sidewalk was ordered along the south side of Sheridan avenne, from Crose's store to the depot. The next meeting with quorum was February 7, 1872. The only business done was to read a bill from Nicholson & Gaff for printing, but as it wasn't sworn to, they refused to pay it and adjourned, and thus began the struggles of the poor printers in Shenandoah. At the next meeting they fared better, the bill was paid and the council adjourned. The clerk failed to state the amount of the bill. From that time on the council business was mainly concerning sidewalks until December 4th, when a saloon license was fixed at five hundred dollars. February 5, 1873, the town paid J. P. Cleaver for breaking a plow. The next item of interest in the records appears June 9, 1873, when J. Swain, then a member of the council, moved that a boy be hired at twenty dollars per month to keep live-stock beyond the limits of the corporation. A barrel of salt was also purchased and a salt lick established for the stock thus excluded. The next meeting is recorded by the mayor, none present but J. Swain and Mayor G. W. Gun- nison. The next record reads as follows:
"June 23, 1873. Council met. Roll call. All absent but mayor. Adjourned to June 30th. G. W. Gunnison, mayor."
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June 30, 1873. The period of saloon and billiard licenses was fixed at not less than one year.
August 6, J. Mc (supposed to be McCabe) was allowed five dollars for legal services. Mentzer Brothers also allowed three dollars and sixty- five cents for the salt lick. The following was also unanimously passed:
"Whereas for some time past a wild, untamed and vicious Texas, In- dian or Southern steer has been roaming our streets, attacking men. women and children whenever met and wherever, the marshal, Major Morris, has assumed the responsibility at request of several citizens and of mem- bers of the council, of empounding said steer, resolved that the council of Shenandoah do officially endorse the action of the marshal in this mat- ter and instruct him to sell this steer for the highest possible price, pay expenses, and place balance of money in hands of treasurer subject to order of the unknown owner of said steer. Resolved the council of Shen- andoah stand between the marshal and all damages that may occur to him for his action in this matter."
August 19. Hay limits for stacking were established and dog tax re- pealed. James McCabe appointed city attorney.
October 1. Billiard table and bowling alley license raised from fifty to five hundred dollars.
January 28, 1874. Wells twenty-five feet deep and ten feet across ordered dug at intersections of Wheat and Corn streets with Sheridan avenue. Reduced to six feet in diameter at next meeting.
February 18. "Moved by G. W. Covertson that A. B. West be allowed twenty-five dollars for services as recorder. Carried amid thunders of applause."
February 20. The following resolution was unanimously adopted: "Whereas a certain article appeared in the Shenandoah Reporter of February 20, concerning this body in appointing town officers; said article claiming that this body selects dead beats and rioters to fill places of trust and insulting and shamefully abusing this body and other officers, there- fore be it resolved that we as a body disapprove the sentiment of the article referred to and further, we as a body believe all good citizens heartily unite with us in denouncing this article of the Reporter and earn- estly advise the editor to 'go west, young man, go west.'"
April 6, 1874. Two assistant marshals were elected, M. A. Palmer be- ing marshal and J. C. Brown and A. C. Russell assistants.
May 5. Dog tax restored and everybody ordered to provide his dog with a collar upon which the initials of the owner were inscribed. Cala- boose ordered built, eight by sixteen feet and eight feet high, and A. J. Welty appointed to superintend the same.
July 17. Nine special Fourth of July policemen paid.
October 12. Saloon license raised to one thousand dollars per annum
March 2, 1875. New officers recorded. Average majority for high license ticket sixty-nine.
April 23. Shooting gallery license adopted. Boys excluded.
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June 3. Councilmen Hutton, Pace and Crose appointed a committee on "cost of hook and ladder, force pump and other fire apparatus."
June 9. Petition of boys for a territory "convenient to the center of trade in which to explode firecrackers" was rejected.
January 28, 1876. Special meeting to "take steps" to secure fire ap- paratus.
March 13. A long list of bills cut down.
March 14. Moved to invite a reporter of the Shenandoah Reporter to attend the meetings of the council and report the same. It is presumed that he did sc, not having complied with the previous request to "go west young man."
April 5. Mayor instructed to call a mass meeting and organize a hook and ladder company.
January 5, 1877. Stove ordered in the calaboose. Fire company limited to twenty-five members.
July 11. Recorder ordered to correspond with a view to purchasing four Babcock fire extinguishers.
September 1. City purchased one-half interest in a Wauchope grader, for three hundred and fifty dollars, Grant township taking the other half.
December 5. Cattle and horses prohibited from running at large in the city.
January 7, 1878. C. S. Keenan employed to prosecute John Hanlon for "selling intoxicating liquors contrary to law."
February 6. Petition to let stock run at large, tabled.
March 25. Application of James Countryman for a saloon license granted by full vote of the council.
April 3. Billiard table license granted to James Countryman.
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