USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > History of Poweshiek County, Iowa: a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume 1 > Part 31
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Skunk river, though but a small stream, was an important factor in the development of the south part of the county. Gradually the early settlers advanced up the river. In 1846 James McDowell began the erection of a sawmill, which was followed by a gristmill, and this mill was the farthest one up the river by many miles at that date. The McDowell mill was the center from which the settlements radiated at that time.
The stream originally abounded with several varieties of fish, but these have almost entirely disappeared. When settlements were first made here a heavy growth of timber lined the river on both sides. This timber was very valuable to the early settlers. The greater part of it has been cleared and much of the original brush and timber land placed under cultivatoin.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
John Cox was doubtless the first man to locate in what is now Sugar Creek township. He came here in 1844, or 1845, having a wife and several children. The land was not open for entry at this time so that he did not become a land- owner. Mrs. Cox died in 1846, and four years later the family removed from the township.
James McDowell was the first man in Poweshiek county to begin the con- struction of a gristmill. He came to the state, from Ohio, in 1845, and spent the first winter in Mahaska county. The next spring he began his explorations up the Skunk river as early as February. At his final stopping place he con- structed a habitation something like an Indian wick-i-up. In this he lived until he erected a log house. When the house was completed he moved his family up the river and occupied the same. The family consisted of a wife and seven children, Erasmus, Samuel, John, Lovina, Charity, Joanna, and Jasper.
Mr. McDowell was a miller and turned his attention at once to the erection of a mill. During the summer of 1847 the dam was completed, and the next year the sawmill was in operation. When lumber was once on hand a mill house was built and in due time a flourmill was in operation.
Mr. McDowell dwelt alone here with his family but a short time. His brother-in-law. William English, came the same year, and others soon followed. The afflictions which befell the McDowell family are sad to relate. The daughter, Joanna, died in 1847. Samuel, the second son, died in 1848, and his brother, Erasmus, in 1851. Mrs. McDowell died in 1852, and another son, Jasper, died ten years later. The burial lot of this family was on a knoll close by the river, and while the ground has never been broken by the later settlers, the location of each grave has been lost. The remainder of the family continued to reside here until 1864, when they emigrated to Oregon. One son had settled on the Pacific coast about 1853.
Mr. McDowell was one of those hardy pioneer adventurers who sought the frontier life of a new country. He made his way into the unknown wilderness along the Skunk river in this county in 1846, and the work which he did in erecting the first sawmill in the county was an important factor in our early
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development. According to the best evidence he was the second settler in the southwest part of the county, and as the improvements made by the Cox family prior to him were not permanent, Mr. McDowell may properly be termed the first permanent settler in Sugar Creek township. During the years of his resi- dence here he was prominent in public affairs, taking an active part in township and county matters.
William English was one of the men who came to the county in 1846, and is remembered with honor and distinction. The date of his arrival in Sugar Creek township was the month of June, 1846. He brought to the county with him two wagons and four horses, household goods and personal effects. On arriving the family lived a few days with the James McDowell household. In two weeks a hastily constructed log house was ready for occupancy and Mc- Dowell began the cultivation of the soil. As soon as the land was in the market he entered, on July 6, 1848, on sections 22 and 26. Having invested in much land to start with, with the means which he brought to the county, he soon became its leading financial citizen.
April 3. 1848, the English home was totally destroyed by fire, and the family lost most of their household goods. Preparations were at once made to rebuild. When the work was once begun the neighbors all joined hands and the house went up in a day. The second house had a plank floor in it, an improvement on its predecessor.
Mr. English was one of the most prominent men in bringing about the organization of the new county, and at the first election took an active part. He was elected the first sheriff of the county, and upon the organization of this township in June, 1848, was chosen a justice of the peace. While sheriff he was ex officio assessor, and he also taught the first two weeks of school that was held in the township.
William English was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, in 1805. His wife was Anna Vincent, who was born in New York in 1807. They were married in 1836 and their family consisted of five children, Jerome, Nancy, John, Freelove, and Jane, the two latter being twins. Mr. English continued to reside in the township from the time he came here in 1846, until his death in 1879. His wife died about ten years later.
Conrad Swaney was one of the first county officers. He was a native of Pennsylvania, and after living for a short time in Ohio, came to Poweshiek county in 1846. He settled in Sugar Creek township, and after the government land survey was completed, on July 5, 1848, entered forty acres of land in section 21. His wife and one child were with him when he came, and other children were born here. He was a music teacher and one of the most striking characters of the county. We find the name of Conrad Swaney as the first prosecuting attorney. He died here in 1875.
The following quotation concerning the first prosecuting attorney is added :
"Those who remember Conrad Swaney will not need to be told with what little meekness the pioneer minion of the law wore his badge of distinction. Conrad was a worthy citizen of Poweshiek county in pioneer times, and, although he was the possessor of but a modicum of that subtle substance known as cerebrum, was not deficient in the amount of cerebellum, which goes to make up the component part of an average healthy brain. Though not the most
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sagacious of fowls, cerebellum predominates in the brain of the peacock, and this vain fowl doubtless paraded its gay plumage among the denizens of the barnyard with more haughtiness than did Mr. Prosecuting Attorney Swaney in his blue pigeon-tailed coat with brass buttons, on all state occasions. It is said by some that Conrad was elected as a joke, but he did not at all regard it as such. With him it was a serious fact, and although he knew no law, and even had he been a veritable Coke, as there were no law suits, and no courts during his term of office, yet he carefully preserved his blue coat, and wore it on all state occasions until the day of his death. At Fourth of July celebrations, celebrations, elections, and campmeetings Conrad was a special object of interest. Wherever a spectator beheld a large crowd of full grown men and boys gathered around a blue coat with brass buttons, he would always find upon close examina- tion, an ex-prosecuting attorney within it."
Richard Rivers came to Iowa from Indiana in 1846, stopping one year in Keokuk county, then came to Sugar Creek township, entered land, built up a home and continued to live here until the time of his death. There was a large colony of Indiana people who emigrated to Iowa at that time. With Mr. Rivers, came Robert F. Steele, his son-in-law, Thomas Brown and family, James Reynolds and family, George Purkey and John Orr. These all came from Indiana to Keokuk county.
Mr. Rivers brought to the county with him two teams of oxen, one team of horses, forty head of sheep, and twelve head of cattle. At the time his family consisted of seven children. His eldest daughter, Elizabeth, had already married Robert F. Steele. The other children were: Jacob; Richard and Mary were twins : Sarah, William, and John.
Richard Rivers and Mary Watson were married in Jackson county, Indiana, about 1817, and there their family was born to them.
During the first summer Mr. Rivers raised ten acres of corn, and built a log house eighteen feet square, men coming from Keokuk county to "the raising." The first land he bought was a claim of one hundred and sixty acres for which' he paid twenty dollars. He continued to add to his first farm until he became a large landholder, and each year increased the number of acres of cultivated land. After living in the first log house two years he built another of hewed logs and this was his home until his death in 1873, his wife having died in 1865.
Robert F. Steele. The following biographical sketch was published in 1901, his death having occurred since that time: "To mention the name of Robert F. Steele is to speak, with possibly one or two exceptions, of the oldest living resident of the county. He was born in Bath county, Kentucky, in 1817, and at two years of age moved to Indiana. He was married in 1842 and four years later moved to Iowa. In November, 1846, he first came into Poweshiek county, making a few days' stay. He spent the winter of 1846 in Keokuk county, and on April 18, 1847, arrived in Poweshiek with his family. The first land he entered was forty acres on section 8, Union township, and he added to this until he owned four hundred acres. His family consisted of seven children. His first wife died in 1877, and three years later he married Catherine Ashing, and they now reside in Union township."
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Benjamin Snow entered forty acres of land on the south side of the river in section 34, November 16, 1848, and soon thereafter located on the north side of the river. There he continued to reside until 1859, when, owing to the feeble condition of his wife's health, he returned to his native state, Ohio. There Mrs. Snow died. He returned to this county and after one year's residence moved back to Ohio with his two boys.
The family of Mary Casteel, consisting of one daughter and three sons, settled on section 17 as early as 1848, coming from Keokuk county. Mrs. Casteel was a widow, and during her residence here married a young man, Charles Russell. After their marriage they purchased eighty acres of school land on which they settled. Here they resided until 1854 and then emigrated to Ringgold county. It is understood that these Casteels were near relatives of the Andrew Casteel and wife who were murdered a few miles west of Montezuma in 1856.
Garrett Bird, with a family consisting of a wife, three girls and two boys, came from Indiana in 1849, and built a log cabin on section 17. He did not enter the land on coming here, and after a residence of five years in the county moved to Missouri. On October 3, 1851, Elizabeth Bird and Andrew Haffin were united in marriage, Joseph Robertson, justice of the peace, performing the ceremony. This was the first wedding in Sugar Creek township.
Mr. Roberts, a brother-in-law of Garrett Bird, came from Indiana and settled near the river. He resided there a short time and a child was born unto him. The wife and mother died soon after. Taking the motherless child in his arms, Mr. Roberts started from here on the long journey back to Indiana on foot.
Daniel Dolph Orcutt was a resident of Sugar Creek township at the time the county was organized, in 1848, and on the assessor's first list his property was valued at $129.00. On June 12, 1849 he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 33. He was also a member of the grand jury at the October term of court in 1851. His family consisted of several sons, who did not long remain residents of the county.
Alex Stanley came to Sugar Creek township in 1850 with his wife. He was born in Virginia in 1814 and married Clara Jordon in his native state, and soon after settled in Ohio. He had purchased a soldier's land warrant for one hundred and sixty acres and came here to build up a home. He brought some stock to the county and had started improving his home, but from chills contracted while digging a well he took sick and after an illness of but a few days died, in September, 1851. His remains were buried in the Stewart ceme- tery. His wife disposed of the property left by him, and for many years resided with a nephew, William Jordon, in the north part of Mahaska county.
John McDowell, another one of the early settlers of Sugar Creek township, settled here in the fall of 1847. On July 5. 1848, he entered the following pieces of land from the government: forty acres in section 20, eighty acres in section 27, and forty acres in section 28. His entering land on three sections is likely accounted for from the fact that he improved land before the survey was made. After the survey was made he found his cultivated land lying in three sections and he had to make the entries accordingly.
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Mr. McDowell was born in Pennsylvania in 1812, and in 1840 married Lucinda Perry, who was a native of Ohio. They settled in Ohio for a short time and then came to Sugar Creek township. His family by his first wife consisted of nine children, five boys, and four girls. His first wife died in 1866. Two years later he was united in marriage with Caroline Larson, who was born in Norway in 1844, and came to America with her parents at twelve years of age. The Larson family on coming from Illinois settled at New Sharon, and later lived on a farm in Sugar Creek township. Mrs. Larson died during their residence here, and the family removed to Shelby county.
By the union of John McDowell and Caroline Larson six children were born : Mark, George, Minnie, Carrie, Lota, and Volney.
Mr. McDowell came to this county when there were but few families here. His acquaintance was extended, and for the first few years he claimed to know every man in the county. When he came here the nearest postoffice was at Oskaloosa, the nearest gristmill, known as Whisler's mill, was thirty niiles down the Skunk river. He was a man prominent in public affairs, and was one of the first justices of the peace in Sugar Creek township, serving in 1849. He helped to locate the county seat, and it was his mattock which moved the earth for the planting of the stone which marked the location. He assisted in building the first schoolhouse in his township, and after it was completed he taught the school two weeks, following William English, without compensation. He was one of the election board in 1857, and was thus ever active in all public affairs.
He continued to reside on the old homestead, which he first entered, until 1892, at which time he went to live with a daughter near Kansas City, at whose home he died soon after.
Joseph Robertson came to the county in 1847 and continued to reside here until his death in 1901. He was born in Tennessee in 1822, and united in marriage with Mary Whitney. Their family consisted of nine children, the sons being, Andrew, Pleasant, George, James, and Stephen, and four daughters.
Mr. Robertson was a soldier in the Mexican war and when the government had given him a land warrant for his service he came to this county to claim the same. He became a prominent citizen of the county when he came here and thus he continued through life. He was one of the first justices of the peace. He was a man of very strong character and influence and was widely known and respected by all. He improved a fine farm in the south part of the county, and this was his home for over fifty years.
John T. Stanley was another one of the sturdy sons of the Buckeye state, who came to Sugar Creek township. Here he lived, brought up his family of children who became honored citizens of the county, and here he died. Our subject came from Ohio to this county in the fall of 1851. He, with his wife and seven children, and a young man, A. J. Elliott, constituted the party who made the long journey for those days by team. Mr. Stanley first occupied the house built by his brother, and at once began to improve a home in this new and unsettled west. In 1852 he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in sections 21 and 22, and the next year bought eighty acres of school land. In Ohio he had purchased a land warrant from a soldier of the war of 1812. During his first year's residence he also lived for a short time in a log cabin
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which had been occupied by Benjamin L. Snow. The first summer he farmed twelve acres, which his brother had cultivated the previous year. He also broke some prairie, got out the logs, and in the fall built himself a house eighteen by twenty feet, a story and a half high. This was his residence until 1871.
By the union of John T. Stanley and Mary Baber seven children were born : Martha J., Julia A., Mary E., John H., James T., Granville N., and Lawson M. They were all born in Ohio and came to the county with their parents.
Samuel Fleener was one of a large family of children who came to Sugar Creek township in 1851. The brothers coming here at that time were, John, Joseph, Michael, Pleasant, and Samuel. Their father, Michael Fleener, came through the county prior to 1850, and entered land here. Going from here to Missouri he died soon after. In 1851 the widow and her family, consisting of five sons and six daughters, came and occupied the land.
Samuel Fleener was born in Brown county, Indiana, in 1831, and his wife was Amanda McFarland, a native of Indiana, born in 1829. By their union nine children were born, six boys and three girls. He died in December, 1891, and his wife in 1900.
SEARSBORO.
This little village of 226 souls is situated in the northeastern corner of the township, on the main line of the Iowa Central railroad. The town plat was surveyed by R. Sears in the fall of 1870. The town site of Searsboro is located on the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 9, town 78, range 16.
The first house and hotel was built in the spring of 1871 by J. M. Powell and at about the same time the firm of J. E. & M. E. Latham opened a general store. L. & J. G. Haink were the members of the first firm to engage in the lum- ber business and L. Hambleton and C. Johnson were the first grain buyers.
The first postmaster was W. E. Burrows.
The first independent school district of Searsboro consists of sections 3, 4, 9 and 10, in town 78, range 16, and the first school was taught in 1867, by Miss Samantha Sanders, now Mrs. Pleasant Hays, of Forest Home, in a room of the farm house of Thomas Morgan, now the home of Jeremiah Shehy, three-fourths of a mile northeast of the village. The attendance at this school was never over ten at one time.
SEARSBORO INCORPORATED.
Under an order issued by Judge L. C. Blanchard, August 20, 1876, Sears- boro took on the airs of an incorporated town and under her first election the following officials were returned: Mayor, T. C. Reid; recorder, C. R. Coho; council, J. M. Powell, S. S. Stallings, W. E. Williams, J. H. Alderman ; assessor, John Hobert.
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FINE SCHOOL BUILDING.
In recent years many improvements have come to Searsboro. One in which the citizens take especial pride is a handsome school building, two stories in height and containing eight rooms. Furnace heat and other modern improve- ments go to make this one of the modern schoolhouses of the county.
In the town at the present time are four general stores, two hardware stores, one grocery, one restaurant, bank, barber shop, two smithys, meat market, feed store, furniture establishment and livery stable. There is a physician, of course.
CHURCHES THREE.
The Searsboro Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1869, by Rev. J. D. De Tarr. Those of the charter members were H. W. and Mary Winder, John and Elizabeth Golden and Robert Mitchell. The church building was erected in the fall of 1877 and dedicated by Rev. D. C. Smith, presiding elder of the Oskaloosa district, January 24, 1878. He was assisted by Revs. E. L. Briggs, L. O. Housel, S. R. Ferguson and the resident pastor, S. C. Smith. The building cost $1,000. Among the first pastors were: Rev. J. D. De Tarr, E. P. Mitchner, George Milton, S. R. Ferguson, W. R. Stryker and S. C. Smith. Until 1876 Searsboro was a part of the Lynnville circuit. At that time it was organized into the Searsboro circuit.
Searsboro has two other churches, the Catholic and the Friends. The former was organized in 1875 and has services alternate Sundays by a visiting priest. The Friends, or Quaker church, was organized in 1895.
WEST LIBERTY CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
On the road leading to Searsboro from Montezuma, at the eastern border of Sugar Creek township, is located the church building of the Christian society. This church was organized in November, 1857, by Benjamin Lockhart and the following charter members: Sherwood Allen and wife, Jacob Rivers and wife, R. F. Steele and wife, John Holiday and wife, Lewis Holiday and wife, James Hyatt, John McIntire, George Holiday, Philip Will and Susan Will. The church building was erected in 1867, at a cost of $1,200 and was dedicated by Rev. A. Reynolds who became its pastor. Adjoining the church yard is a burial ground
EARLY HAPPENINGS.
The first marriage in Sugar Creek township was that of Henry McVey and Abbie Moon. 'Squire Richard B. Ogden performed the ceremony.
The first death occurred in 1847.
The first school was taught by William English and the second by James Mc- Dowell.
Residents of the township built its first schoolhouse on section 22, in 1851.
The first regular physician was Dr. Thompson, who was a native of Scotland. He removed to Fremont county.
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It is said that a Methodist clergyman by the name of Chrill held the first re- ligious services in the township at his cabin home.
The township now has a population of 761.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
This township is the hundredth or thousandth memento reared by popular affection to him who was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Writers through the world since Washington have taken choicest words and martialed them into most glowing sentences to express his praise. The words of that famous Englishman, Lord Brougham, please us es- pecially : "Until time shall be no more, a test of the progress which our race has made in wisdom and virtue will be derived from the veneration paid to the name of Washington."
The honor for giving this name to a portion of this county belongs in equal measure to those who gave it to what is now Washington, Grinnell and Chester, and the west third of Sheridan, Malcom and Pleasant, and the west half of Union, and to those who retained it when its original one hundred and forty- four miles of territory were whittled down to its present thirty-six.
The early settlers in the vicinity of Lattimer's have had no fear of the In- dians except on one occasion, and that was not from the Musquakies or Foxes. It will be remembered that Poweshiek thought the Great Spirit wanted the Foxes to live to kill the Sioux. The Sioux were equally sure that the Great Spirit wanted them to kill Musquakies, and when the Musquakies returned to seek a home in Tama county and were lingering about here, about 1850, the Sioux came down to fulfill their divine mission. The settlers feared they might not confine their delicate attention to their copper colored brethren, but, not find- ing them, they might use gunpowder on the whites. They sent their families for a few days to Forest Home or farther and awaited results in their strongest house. The Sioux missed their natural quarry, and withdrew without inter- fering with the whites. They found no opportunity either to shoot the Sioux or to be shot by them. Perhaps they thought the settlers were too well prepared to defend themselves, or they were as always, as they claimed, "too friendly just then to harm the pale faces." At all events, no harm was done by either party.
The original township was organized in April, 1852. The township officers chosen in May, 1852, were: Peter S. Pearce and Robert C. Carpenter, justices of the peace ; Albert H. Carpenter and David M. Rutledge, constables ; Daniel D. Prosser. George M. Beeler and William McNabb, trustees ; and James F. Rob- erts, township clerk.
The groves in the west part of the township continued northward into the southwest corner of what is now Grinnell township. These attracted settlers early, and Lattimer's on the old stage road between the end of the Chicago & - and later between the Mississippi & Missouri railroad, as it was called in Iowa, on the east and the old Fort Des Moines on the west, became a famous stage station at an early day. Two stage lines united there, one running through Iowa City, Marengo and Snook's Grove to that point, the other in through Mil- lersburg and Montezuma, and uniting in one line beyond Lattimer's. It was a
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