USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Containing a history from the earliest settlement to the present time biographical sketches; portraits of some of the early settlers, prominent men, etc. > Part 35
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After the first struggle to provide comfort- able homes for their families, and a portion of their prairie farms were broken and under cultivation, the important question of schools, churches, roads, bridges and other public improvements were common topics of conver- sation and movements which claimed their attention.
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NEOLA TOWNSHIP.
The first roads in the township were mere cominunity roads. No survey had yet been made of the lands, and the first settlers staked off a claim, to which they were enti- tled at Government prices after the survey. The settlers located on these claims in differ- ent parts of the country, chose the most con- venient routes of driving across the prairie from one house to another, or to such places as their business might call them. After the survey of lands by the Government and the country became more thickly settled, the lines of roads were in many instances so changed that the old trails or community roads were entirely abandoned. Since the survey, the public roads have been opened usually upon section lines, by petition presented to the Board of Supervisors of the county, and which were signed by those citizens mostly inter- ested. The first public road opened in the township was through the influence of Messrs. G. W. Henderson and Z. Remington. This road led from Section 5, Range 41, to the Ballard State road, which ran to Council Bluffs. The length of the new road opened by these gentlemen was about twenty-five miles. The roads now in the township run- ning east and west are very few and not car ried out by sections. The two principal roads of the township run north and south, and are known as the Henderson and Daven- port roads. The former is about twelve miles in length, and its termini are Sections 1, of Neola Township, and Eight Mile Grove, of Norwalk Township.
Mosquito and Pigeon Creeks remained for a number of years unbridged, save by such rude structures as they were able to build. There are now three bridges across these streams in Neola Township, one of which crosses Pigeon Creek on the line between Sections 8 and 17, where the road crosses which runs from Neola to Missouri Valley.
Cole Fisher's residence is near this bridge. The other two cross Mosquito Creek; one of them is located near the residence of Mr. Aultman, one-half mile south of Neola, and the other is located one and one-half miles from Neola, and near the residence of J. J. Leonard. Both are on the road running from Neola to Eight Mile Grove, and are constructed of wood and iron, as is also the one crossing Pigeon Creek.
Neola Township had no special attractions until 1869, when the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad was built, and the town of Neola laid out on lands owned by Messrs. Withrow, Wright & Allen. The first house where the city stands was built by D. Little. about 1868, who kept store in the building. It is now owned by D. J. Farrell and occu- pied by F. D. Butler. The second building was put up by Mr. Kuhl, who was a harness- maker. This building is now owned by D. Tostevin, the real estate agent. Mr. J. W. Norris then put up a small building, which is now owned by W. Graybill. Mr. Norris was the first blacksmith to open a shop in Neola, and it was in the loft of his shop that a Mrs. Doane taught the second term of school in the town. The first school taught in Neola was in the winter of 1869-70. Miss M. Webster was the teacher, and the school was held in the building now owned by D. Tostevin. The Neola House was among the first buildings in the town, and was erected by Charles Hamilton. It was built for hotel purposes, and has since been used for such. Mckinney is the present proprietor.
A post office building was erected in 1870 by Mr. Duncan, who was also first Postmas- ter. Daniel Flynn erected a building the same year and opened a saloon.
The large amount of grain raised annually in Neola Township justified Mr. C. D. Dillen in engaging in the grain trade in the little
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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY
village as early as 1873. He also began the sale of coal and lumber at the same time, and has established an extensive trade in each of these commodities. In 1878, Mr. Dillen built a grain elevator, the capacity of which is about 10,000 bushels per day. Mr. Dil- len was the first permanently located dealer in grain in Neola, though the writer was in. formed that Mr. G. Duncan, the first Post- master, was the first to buy any grain mar- keted at Neola. The first grain elevator was built by Mr. C. Hamilton. Both elevators, however, were built in 1878. and their ca- pacity was about the same. Mr. Dillen opened and began operating his elevator on October 1. while Mr. Hamilton had begun business in his some months earlier. Both these gentlemen are successful business men, and have taken an active part in the growth and prosperity of the little city.
In 1880, the rapid growth of the town led Mr. L. P. Judson to survey and increase the city property by an addition. In 1882. the town received its charter as a city, and elect- ed the following officers, who are still serv- ing: John P. Organ, Mayor; C. M. Crippen, Recorder, and O. L. Davis, Marshal. The City Council is composed of T. Rishton, W. Downs, E. Reichart, C. D. Dillen, J. W. Butler and R. F. Lovell.
The principal business of Neola is done by the following gentlemen:
Grain Dealers-C. D. Dillen and J. A. Hamilton.
Dealers in General Merchandise-H. Men- del. B. Riston, J. W. Butler, F. Riston, Eggleston Bros. and Bradley & Burton.
Druggists-Mr. Vanness, C. F. Robbins, B. A. McKay.
Hardware Firms-Reichart Bros., C. M. Witt and C. B. Stone.
Clothing Stores -- Remington Bros. and C. M. Crippen.
Stock Buyer-G. W. Rogers.
Newspapers-Neola Tribune, E. P. Ivins, editor (see biography), founded by Z. Brown in 1880.
Real Estate Agents-H. L. McWilliams and D. Tostevin.
Hotels-Commercial, S. Burgess, proprie- tor; Neola House, Mckinney, proprietor.
Bank-Neola Bank, Mr. Henry, President : Mr. Lodge, Cashier.
Livery Stables-A. King and Downs & Mott.
Meat Markets-Hagerty & Reichart and Handbury & Sills.
Insurance Agents -- H. L. Mc Williams and Riley Clark.
Millinery Store-Mrs. F. M. Gallup.
Carpenters-Purcell & Rogers, Eli Vick- ery. William Schierbrook and Mr. Fulli- gen.
The physicians of the town have been Dr. Barton, Dr. Vanness, Dr. Harvey, Dr. Todd and Dr. Lawrence.
Attorneys-H. L. McWilliams and John P. Orgen.
Present Postmaster-G. W. Remington.
Neola has one graded school. The build- ing was erected in 1881, at a cost of $3,000, and is a frame structure, 32x36 feet, and two and one-half stories in height. About eighty- five pupils attend this school.
The school statistics of the township, inde- pendent of the Neola school, show the follow- ing for the year 1881:
Number of subdistricts, 6: number un- graded schools in each district, 6; average number of months taught. 9. -
Teachers-Number employed, males, 8; females, 4; total, 12. Average compensation per month-males, $34.16; females, $33.75.
Pupils-Number of persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years, males, 135: females, 116; number enrolled in whole dis-
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trict, 319; total average attendance in whole district, 79; average cost of tuition per month for each pupil. $4.72.
Schoolhouses -- Frame, 6, value, $4,475; value of apparatus, $1.85.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was the first secret society to organized lodge in Neola. Neola Lodge, No. 410, was or- ganized on May 27, 1880. The charter members were J. A. Hamilton. E. E. Harris, Jacob Brown, Arthur Pitkin, F. T. C. John- son. J. C. Chapman and C. K. Lynch. The first officers were: J. A. Hamilton, Noble Grand; E. E. Harris, Vice Grand; J. C. Chapman, Secretary, and Jacob Brown, Treasurer. The present officers are: E. P. Brown, Noble Grand; Jacob Brown. Vice Grand; R. T. Lovell. Secretary, and C. M. Crippen, Treasurer. The lodge at present numbers forty-four members.
Irwin Lodge, No. 118, Iowa Legion of Honor, was the next secret society to effect an organization in Neola. This lodge was or- ganized August 15, ISS1. The following were the charter members: S. N. Harvey, L. W. Todd, E. Reichart, John Watson, M. Stew- art. Ed L. Eggleston, O. O. Densmore, H. J. Schierbrook. W. McDonald, R. Messing- ham, H. Brengenhempkia, H. Vieth, C. M. Witt, E. Eichenberger, M. Lanning, R. Whitney, H. B. Lane, C. B. Stone, John Bu- chanan. A. W. Loomis, L. Goerow, W. Fnl- lagar. H. Mendel, J. W. Telford, A. E. Stone, F. O. Lewis and F. D. Tanner. The first officers were: E. Reichart, W. P. ; John Watson, V. P .; E. L. Eggleston, R. S .; C. M. Witt, F. S .; J. Buchanan. C .; C. B. Stone, T .; A. W. Loomis, D. K .; M. Lan- ning, S .; S. N. Harvey, M. E. ; L. W. Todd. M. E. The present officers are: E. Riechart, M. P .: John Watson, V. P .; F. D. Tanner, R. S .; H. Mendel, F. S .; A. W. Loomis, C .; C. B. Stone, T .; H. Vieth, D. K .; W. Mc-
Donald, S .; S. M. Harvey, M. E .; L. W. Todd. M. E.
Agate Lodge, No. 423, A., F. & A. M., was organized in March, 1882, and was the last of the secret societies to organize a lodge in Neola. The charter members were Will- iam Harper, H. Mendel, J. D. Garrison, S. N. Harvey, A. S. Avery, W. Phillips, L. W. Barnum, J. W. Butler, J. M. Butler and N. W. Matson. The first officers, who are still serving, are: A. S. Avery, W. M .; S. L. Har- vey, S. W .; W. Harper, J. W .; H. Men- del, S .: J. W. Butler, T .; J. D. Garrison, S. D .; W. Phillips, J. D .; N. W. Matson, Tiler.
Neola has two churches, one Catholic and one Presbyterian. The former is a frame structure, about 2Sx40 feet, and was built by Philip Mooman. It cost about $800, and was completed in 1874. The first priest was Rev. B. P. MeMenony, now of Council Bluffs. The membership consisted of twenty families when the church was organized: they now have a membership of one hundred families, and have recently laid the foundation of a fine new church building, which will be con- structed of brick. Father Kempler is expect- ed to take charge of this people during the early fall of 1882.
The following historical statement by the Rev. G. M. Lodge, in regard to the Presby- terian Church of Neola, will show the energy and determination of that society to establish an organization and build a church:
" February 20, 1880, Rev. G. M. Lodge and Elder J. S. Love visited Neola to look after the interests of Presbyterianism in that vi- cinity. On the day following, which was Saturday, these gentlemen made several calls, and without previous appointment, Rev. G. M. Lodge preached in the schoolhouse from the text found in I Timothy, 2d chapter and 5th verse. In the evening, he preached in
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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
the same building, his text being Matthew, 6th chapter and 33d verse.
Finding four families, parts of which were members of the Presbyterian Church, and en- couraged by the attendance and apparent in- terest of other citizens, these gentlemen ad- vised that a church be organized as soon as practicable. About this time, Neola was visited by Rev. A. K. Baird, Synodical mis- sionary of Iowa, north, and acting mission- ary of Presbytery of Council Bluffs, who also advised the organization of a church in Ne- ola. During this visit, Rev. Baird preached a sermon, on March 1, 1880.
March 14 of the same month, Rev. G. W. Lodge preached again in Neola, and with the consent of those who expected to become members of the church, he appointed Mon- day, March 22, as the day on which to or- ganize. On the 22d day of March, 1880, by the authority of the Presbytery of Coun- cil Bluffs, a committee, consisting of Revs. G. M. Lodge, F. H. Cleland and Elder J. S. Love, met in Neola at 2 o'clock P. M. to or- ganize a Presbyterian Church.
A sermon suitable to the occasion was then preached by Rev. F. H. Cleland. A brief statement was made of the steps already ta- ken, and the register of the names of those persons to be organized into a church was read, which were as follows: John Buchanan and Jessie, his wife, and their children- Katie, Jennie, Kennedy and David; Lawrence Hunter and wife, Mrs. Anna Remington and Dr. Harvey and wife. All the members pres- ent then arose to their feet and made a con- fession of their faith in all the doctrines of the Word of God, and covenanted with God and each other to walk in all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blameless. The church was then pronounced fully and prop- erly organized. John Buchanan was elected a Ruling Elder, and Lawrence Hunter a Deacon. The Elder and Deacon elect were then ordained and installed, after which a solemn exhortation and charge were given to the church and the officers, and the newly organized church, with all its interests, was commended to God in prayer."
A short time subsequent to the organiza- tion of the Presbyterian Church, a society was formed in Neola, the object of which was to raise money to be given to any denomina- tion of Christians that would contribute the largest sum to this fund, the whole of which was to be used in the erection of a new church building, the same to be the property of the denomination that secured the fund. The Presbyterians succeeded in getting this appropriation through the Presbyterian Board of Missions, contributing $500. This sum, with the donation from the town, and the sums subscribed by members of the church, was used in erecting a frame building, 42x38 feet. It was completed in March, 1882, at a cost of $1,500.
Neola has two railroads-the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul. The former was com- pleted in 1869, and the latter in 1882. Both are trunk lines, and offer to the little city such advantages as are not surpassed by any city in Pottawattamie County, except at Coun- cil Bluffs. Surrounded by a populous and highly productive country, and possessed of an enterprising and liberal community, the future of Neola is an unusually bright one.
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4
BOOMER TOWNSHIP.
273
CHAPTER XXXVII .*
BOOMER TOWNSHIP-ORGANIZATION-ORIGIN OF NAME-EARLY SETTLERS-ADAM HEAGENY'S " DUG-OUT"-AN EARLY TRIAL, ETC.
THE order to constitute Boomer Township was made by the County Court on the 8th day of June, 1858. It is that a new town- ship be organized to be called Boomer, and bounded and described as follows: By a line commencing at the southeast corner of Sec- tion 33, in Congressional Township 77 north, of Range 43 west; running thence on the section line to the line separating the counties of Harrison and Pottawattamie; thence east along said county line to the northeast corner of Congressional Township 77, Range 42 west: thence south six miles to the southeast corner of said Congressional Township 77, Range 42 west; thence on said Congressional township line to the place of beginning. This was a subdivision of the territory which, in part, constituted Rocky Ford Township, as originally organized. The first election under the new organization was held on the 12th day of October of the same year, and the township officers were then ehosen. The election was held in 1859, at the house of Samuel Bateman, at which nineteen votes were polled, out of which one was east for Republican candidates and eighteen for Dem- ocratic candidates. The present number of legal voters is now about one hundred and sixty-five, and the township, during the past ten years, has given about ninety Democratic majority at general elections. The first township officers chosen were Samuel Diggle, William Fonts and Joseph Mohat as Trust- ees; Henry Gittings as Township Clerk; and Samuel Bateman, Sr., and Joseph Bardsley. ^ By Col. John 11. Keatley.
Justices of the Peace. It seems that no Con- stables were chosen at that time. At least, there is no record of it.
The earliest note there exists of settlement in the township is that of Lee Bybee, who came in 1847, and the spot where he made his home was known far and wide as " By- bee's Camp," in Section 31, and, during the winter following his arrival, about fifteen houses were erected in the same vicinity, on the north of Pigeon Creek. In two or three years, all of these settlers sold out their claims and went onto Utah Territory with the general Mormon emigration, and finally remained there. Their improvements here were made during a pause, while fleeing with the general mass of those sectarians across the State of Iowa from Nauvoo, Ill. What was once known as " Bybee's Camp " is now in- cluded in the farms owned and occupied by William McKeown, L. S. Axtell and George Drake. William McKeown is the only resi- dent of Boomer Township who came there and settled in the original Bybee's Camp, when it was simply a camp, and is doubtless the oldest settler in the township for that reason. He is a native of Canada. and came to Iowa in 1846. The first birth, death and marriage in the township occurred in this camp. It is impossible now to give the names of the par- ties in the first birth and the first death, but the first marriage was a double one, and took place in the spring of 1848. The parties in the one instance were William MeKeown and Miss Eliza Jane Hall; in the other, Ezekiel Cheeny and Miss Lucy Hardy. The latter
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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
subsequently went to Salt Lake City, and ' for the use of it he charged a toll of every were lost sight of. The first school opened fourth bushel of wheat. was in Bybee's Camp, in the winter of 1847
-48, and the teacher, J. L. Deforest, who "persons in the township, and who have been afterward died in Harrison County.
Those principally interested in securing the organization of the township were Judge Hall and I. M. Sigler, the latter still a resi- dent. Judge Sherman was the County Judge who made the order constituting the town- ship. Inasmuch as it would, when constitut- ed, be an overwhelmingly Democratic town. ship, it was proposed to flavor it with an equally strong Republican designation, and to call it after the Hon. D. J. Bloomer, of Council Bluffs. In finally deciding this mat- ter. Judge Sherman concluded to strike out the " 1," and thus called it Boomer, a title the organzation has ever since held. The first highway laid out was what is known as the Harris Grove & Council Bluffs road. laid out by Edward Latham, as Commissioner, in 1853. The first bridge was a wooden one, across the North Pigeon, near William MIc- Keown's. Nearly all the first settlers were English people, farmers, used only to the reaping sickle. Isaac M. Sigler had the only grain cradle at that time in the settlement, and, when his neighbors obtained the use of it to cut their grain, their want of skill in handling this Yankee implement, now also out of date, created no little amusement. Samuel Bateman, Sr., brought the first reap- ing machine into the settlement, a second- hand McCormick reaper. Only small areas of wheat were raised while the mode of har- vesting was still of a primitive character, but, when improved machinery was once intro. duced, wheat-growing expanded in the ex- ceedingly rich and virgin soil of the " Missouri Slope."
The first fanning-mill on North Pigeon Creek was owned by Robert Kent and
Among the most prominent and best-known residents a great many years-in fact, about ever since the organization-besides Mr. Mc- Keown and those already named, are Isaac MI. Sigler, George Drake, Henry Gittings. Mrs. Elizabeth Mackland, Thomas French, L. S. Axtell, Peter Peterson and B. Smith. Mr. Sigler is a native of the State of Indiana, and, during the Mexican war, in 1846-4S. served as a soldier, and was severely wound- ed in battle, and is now a pensioner on the pension rolls of the United States by reason of such injuries. After the organization of the Board of County Supervisors, and when each township had at least one representative on that board, Mr Sigler was for a number of years the member from Boomer, and ren- dered very valuable services. L. S. Axtell is also a representative man, and has had the confidence of his neighbors and fellow-citi- zens. He is a Republican in politics. When Pottawattamie County had a single Represen- tative in the General Assembly of the State, in 1873, Mr. Axtell was chosen as that Rep- resentative, and served one term, declining a renomination and a re-election.
Mrs. Mackland is one of the best-known and most highly respected ladies of the town- ship. She was born in Cheshire, England, and emigrated to America in 1850. She came by the way of New Orleans, in a sailing vessel, across the ocean, the trip in that way consuming eight weeks and four days. From New Orleans she came up the Missis- sippi to St. Louis, and thence by the Missouri to Council Bluffs, making Keg Creek her abode for several years, going to Boomer to live in 1855. Her experience was that of most persons settling in a new country and having only moderate means. Privations
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they were compelled to endure, as neighbors and comforts, under the circumstances, were fow and far between. Even the commonest necessaries of life, such as the frontier ordi- narily afforded, wore not of the most abund- ant. It often fell out that corn-meal could only be had by grating the corn, instead of grinding it. Their home was a log cabin, and this was the only style of dwelling in the settlement, where handsome and comfortable houses, fine barns and cultivated fields have replaced the rude culture of the frontier. With all their discomforts, the social life of the pioneers was of the most pleasant char- aeter. There was no meanness nor stinginess in their intercourse. Each shared with the other the little they had. The long winter nights were frequently whiled away in log cabin dances, when the buildings would fairly shake in the liveliness and zest of those who thus enjoyed themselves. There was little of what was called " style " in those days. Putting on airs was entirely out of place, and the little community was thoroughly demo- eratie in its social aspects. Game was still abundant on the prairies and in the timber. The streams abounded in fish; and at night, the howl of the wolf, as he prowled around, was a species of musie not of the most assur- ing, but still not indicative of any danger. Mrs. Mackland's husband died in 1876, in the home made by him and her in toil and privation.
Another character existed in those days, and long after, in that township, in the per- son of Adam Heageny, one of the earliest settlers. The reverse side of the bluffs that divide Boomer from Rockford made, in those times. excellent opportunities for the con. struction of what, on the frontier, are known as "dugouts." Heageny came from Erie County, Penn .. and took a small claim in the western part of the township, and. being of
slender means, made a " dugout " for a hab- itation. This was a large, roomy cave in the hillside. It was warmly banked up, and in- closed in front, and was as comfortable as the most costly palace when the wild winter winds whistled across the prairie. Here he lived for many years, and reared a large fam- ily, and it was not until these had reached manhood and womanhood that he bethought himself of any other abode. He was a Jus- tice of the Peace for quite a number of years. The writer of this distinctly remembers an in- stance of the manner.of dispensing justice under his administration. It was an ex- tremely eold day in November, 1870. A man by the name of Henderson, a farmer, had been sued at Neola by a Swede neighbor for inju- ries done to the Swede's cow by Henderson's dog. The damages, at all events, could not amount to more than $4 or $5. Neola was then on one side of Boomer Township. A change of venue was taken from the Neola Justice to the next nearest one, Heageny,
at the far side of the township. The
party, witnesses and all, started for the court, across the country, in one of the bleakest winds that ever blew, in an open farm wagon. Heageny was off at Loveland when the litigants got to his house. A mes- senger, a boy, was sent after him, and in two hours after. he was seen coming up the ra- vine, where the road led, at a gallop, his hat gone and his hair streaming in the air. He soon took in the situation. He had just in - closed a new dwelling house, but it was un- finished on the inside. Loose boards lay along the joists. It was Saturday, and the day was already nearly gone. The group were shivering around the stove, and the wind whistling through crack and cranny of the badly built house. Heageny soon compre- hended what was wanted in the way of his services as a Justice of the Peace, and, tak-
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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
ing his half-grown boy, hoisted him high enough to reach the joists and loose boards, and the docket and the Code of Iowa were brought down, and the solemnity of the trial began. At nightfall the trial was over, and judgment was entered against the owner of the dog. Heageny eventually became cramped for elbow room in the encroachments of set- tlements around him, and moved with his
family to California. Joseph Mohat, one of the earliest and most staid of his neighbors, is a Frenchman, still living, respected for his excellent qualities as a citizen.
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