USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > History of Poweshiek County, Iowa: a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume 1 > Part 39
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This township is bounded on the north by Bear creek, on the east by Lincoln, on the south by Jackson and on the west by Pleasant. The North English river crosses the central portion of the township from west to east and with its many affluents drain and water the land quite generously. The land is more rolling than in Pleasant, but not so much as in Lincoln. The soil is very fertile and here are to be found some of the most highly cultivated and most productive farms in the county. The improvements on these farms-modern homes and spacious barns, well-kept fences in the fields and along the best of prairie roads -are the evidences of the prosperity and consequent independency of their owners. Most of this land is prairie and there is scarcely an acre of it that cannot be utilized for some purpose.
In the early '70s, when the Grinnell and Montezuma railroad, now operated by the Iowa Central, was built, the road swerved enough to cut across the ex- treme southwest corner of the township. There is no town or postoffice within its borders, but in this regard the people of Scott are not conscious of any loss, as Grinnell is but a few miles to the northwest, Brooklyn not so far on the north and the county seat closer than either on the south; and all of them acces- sible and splendid trading points.
Neri Bryan was probably the first settler in Scott township. He emigrated from Ohio in the early '50s and located on section 31.
Dennis Bryan, now living in Montezuma, came from Ohio in 1855, with his wife and daughter, Rosella, both of whom are dead. They first located in Ma- haska county-in 1849-and upon coming here lived with Mr. Bryan's uncle, Neri Bryan, one month, when a small house was built for them on section 31.
John K. Rayburn was a settler here in the '50s, and so were John Early, Eli Shook and J. B. Buttles.
In the '6os came R. S. Willett and brother, George. Addison Bone settled in the central part of the township and D. J. Evans also settled there about the
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same time. Others now remembered were Robert Shannon, Mr. Lytle and George Shipley. All of these people came mostly from Ohio and Indiana.
William Buck lived in Scott township in an early day, and Neri and Andrew Bryan, brothers of Dennis, after serving their country in the Civil war, joined their friends here and became residents of the township. Neri went on to his Uncle Neri's farm where he left it and Andrew still owns his farm on section 31, but lives in Montezuma.
Other settlers, probably of the '50s, were Matthew Hardin, from Kentucky; William Menlo, from Ohio; and John Shearer, from Pennsylvania.
SHERIDAN TOWNSHIP.
The first settlers in Poweshiek county came to its timbered regions in the east and south parts in 1843, and twelve years later permanent settlers found their way to the unbroken prairie land of Sheridan township. The government survey of land was not completed until 1847. Therefore, little land was entered in the county until 1848, the year in which the county was organized.
The first entry of land in congressional township, No. 31, north, and range 15, west, was in 1854. On May 7th of that year John Korns, Jr., entered the southeast quarter of section 5. On May 17th, Benjamin L. Smith entered eighty acres on section 13, and eighty acres on section 24. On the same day Frederick Moseley entered the west half of section 25, and Eli P. Judd entered two hundred and forty acres on section 35 and four hundred and eighty acres on section 36, and Smith, Moseley, and Judd entered together two hundred and forty acres on section 24. In June, 1854, there were eleven entries, during the month of July there were sixteen entries, and by the close of the year one hundred and sixteen entries had been made, mostly large tracts. During the year 1855 there were thirty-six entries. This land was all purchased at the uniform price of $1.25 per acre.
The township was organized, September 5, 1866. H. I. Davis was made the first township clerk, October 8, 1867; Asher Shifflet was chosen township super- visor ; E. E. Cleveland, assessor; M. M. Snyder, town clerk; John Meyer, con- stable; and four road supervisors were chosen. The next year the number of road supervisors was doubled, and the building of the first bridge across the Walnut was let at the sum of $212.
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSES.
The first schoolhouse in what is now Sheridan was a log building, 20x20 feet, built by Uriah Jones, on section 24, for $249. The first term of school began there, December 21, 1858, and ended March 13th following. John McCarney was the teacher and was followed by Mary Ball from July 11 to October 18, and was paid $42 for services during the three months and a half. Fortunately for the teacher, perhaps, the free school law of 1858 was just coming in force.
The number of sub-districts increased until there were nine in the township, each eminently self governing, after 1872. These sub-districts declared inde- pendence, March 1, 1873, and sent the following resolution of the township
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board of directors: "Resolved, That the county auditor and county treasurer be informed that the district township of Sheridan is organized into nine independ- ent school districts," and that the county treasurer is instructed to pay the "schoolhouse fund to the treasurer of Independent District No. 5 and all teach- ers' fund and contingent fund to be paid to the separate districts where the said tax is paid from." These independent districts are now self-directive and well pleased with self-government.
Sub-district No. I was called Ottawa. Its house was built in 1868 by Uriah Jones. Its first teacher was Abbie Martin. Among the early teachers were Min- nie Dawes, Lucinda Graham, George Reed, Minnie Hartsell and Nellie Jones. Lightning struck the house during school time in June, 1896. It was injured but slightly and teachers and pupils were unharmed.
No. 2, Pleasant Prairie schoolhouse, was erected in 1868 and was rightly named although Sheridan abounds in pleasant prairies, none more pleasant. Hat- tie Fuller, - - Snow and Mary Storm were early teachers there. The light- ning sought out this house also and an insurance company paid the district $40.
No. 3, the Enterprise, was the last house to be erected for a school in the township. Early teachers there were William Beatty, Sarah Carlin, Mary Gra- ham and Ida Reams.
No. 4, the Orion schoolhouse, was begun in 1872, while George W. Campbell was sub-director. Alida Mosher was the first teacher. She was followed by C. W. Poster, Rosa E. Devenney, W. A. White and others.
No. 5, the Center house, was built in 1872 and served twenty-four years. Its successor was built in 1893, just before the Columbian Exposition, and photo- graphs of it, inside and out, were on exhibition there.
No. 6, the Hickory Grove house, the first in the township, was built in 1868. That grove attracted the first settlers. It was carefully watched, nevertheless it disappeared, often without the consent of the owner and no one could tell where the trees went. The grove was greatly exposed. It was like other groves in prairie regions, much inclined to travel.
No. 7, the Excelsior building, was erected in 1869 and the school maintained there is said to be the best in the township. (Is that a dangerous remark to make?) The teachers especially remembered are Helen Jordan, Ione Rogers, Anna Pierce, Dell McWhorter and Messrs. Martin, Polk, M. T. Funk, William Chapman. Ida Taylor taught fourteen terms there continuously.
No. 8, the Star school, was taught by Edward Mclaughlin three years, and by Jennie Welch four years. And still the girls are ahead !
No. 9, the Bear Creek schoolhouse, was built in 1871. The first teacher was a Mr. Anderson, and among those who came after him were Mary Bradley, Richard Jones, Edward Mclaughlin, Lettie Meyers, Gertie Richardson and William Beatty.
CHURCHES.
The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in this township in the spring of 1868, by Samuel Snyder and wife, Morris Snyder and wife, Harry Cobun and wife, Wesley Cobun, Edward Snyder, John Poster and wife, and Mrs. Margaret Coulson. The dedication of a church building, the construction of
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which was begun in 1875, took place on the 6th day of May, 1877, the services being in charge of Rev. A. V. Kendrick, who was assisted on the occasion by the presiding elder, Rev. D. C. Smith, of Brooklyn. The church is in a pros- perous condition. Across the road burial grounds were laid out.
A society of the Latter Day Saints (Mormon) was organized in Sheridan township in the spring of 1879, with about ten members, who held their meet- ings for some time in a schoolhouse, about two miles east of the Chester Meth- odist church. It has been removed to Richland, Tama county.
FIRST PERMANENT SETTLERS.
Three families came to what is now Sheridan township in the spring of 1855. These were Mr. and Mrs. Johnathan Boyle, Mr. and Mrs. Hervey Coulsen, and Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Harmon. Mr. Boyle built a log cabin on section 24, in Hickory Grove, but did not secure a perfect title to the land and was forced to leave it. He then entered land on section 23, built a log cabin and moved into it in the fall of 1855. After a few years residence here he removed to Jefferson township. Mr. Coulsen entered land on section 22 and moved on to it in May, 1855. His wife died in October of that year. Three years later Mr. Coulsen married a second wife, and she died in 1860. This same year the family moved from the township, Mr. Coulsen going to Pike's Peak, where he died in 1861.
Mr. Harmon entered land on section 23 in the fall of 1854. He was living in Missouri at that time. In October, 1854, with his family, Harmon left Mis- souri, stopping at Nauvoo, Illinois, during the winter. In March, 1855, they started across Iowa with two wagons. The weather was very unfavorable dur- ing the entire journey. They crossed into Poweshiek county, March 31st, and the next day reached the home of Uriah Jones, of Madison township, whose house was open to all travelers. That week they began living in Hickory Grove, having constructed a temporary residence of rails, covered over with slough hay. He at once began the erection of a house on the land which he had en- tered the year before, getting the logs from Hickory Grove. The house was twenty by twenty feet, one story and a dirt floor. This farm, improved by them, continued to be the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harmon during their life time and they were thus the first permanent settlers of Sheridan township.
The Harmons moved into their unfinished house on May Ist, 1855. That spring Mr. Harmon broke ten acres of the virgin prairie sod, and planted it to corn. He brought with him to the township twelve head of cattle, and seven horses. One team of horses was traded for a yoke of oxen, and the other horses died within a year, not being able to endure the climate of Iowa. This pioneer had twenty-five cents in cash when he arrived in the township which shows that money was a scarce article. The first winter was a very hard one, deep snow and very cold. Mr. Harmon hauled some grain to Keokuk for a man in Monte- zuma, it taking two weeks to make the trip. At that time there had been no settlement in Chester township, and only the year before, Hon. J. B. Grinnell had located at Grinnell. There were a few settlements in Malcom township, and not to exceed a half-dozen families in Madison township. The year previ-
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ous the first residence had been built in Brooklyn, and the railroad extended as far west as Davenport.
It was in the summer of 1856 that Jonas Harmon and Emlin Coulsen plowed a furrow from their homes in Sheridan to Grinnell, as a guide for travelers. Other settlers came during the year. The crop of this season was hauled to Iowa City, and the pay for one load of dressed hogs, sold there, was in wild cat money, and proved to be worthless. The nearest mill at this time was on the Skunk river, above Oskaloosa. The Indian had gone from these parts, but deer were frequently seen and killed, and rattlesnakes were so numerous that "Mother" Harmon found one of them in the chips on the dirt floor by the cook stove one morning.
In 1856 Mr. and Mrs. Harmon, and their son, Jonas, were charter members in the organization of the Methodist church in Madison township. Jonas Har- mon and wife moved from Sheridan township, to Wayne county in 1859. In 1861 he enlisted in the army, and his family returned to Sheridan during the early part of the war. Later they located in Kansas. Henry Harmon, at the opening of the war enlisted in Co. E, 4th Iowa.
At the organization of the township in 1866 Mr. Harmon took an active part in public affairs, being elected one of the first trustees. In 1866 he built an ad- dition to his first log house, and a few years later erected a comfortable frame house, which was his home until the close of life. He also increased the size of his farm from the original entry in 1854. He died March 21, 1891, and his wife followed him to the grave a few years later-
EARLY YEARS OF SHERIDAN.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Boyle, who located here in the spring of 1855, consisted of four children, Crul, Ella, Norman, and Julia. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Hervey Coulsen, who also located in the township the same spring, consisted of eight children, Jabez, Emlin, Martha, Ruth, Saul, Luranah, Cath- erine, and Forest. Mrs. Hervey Coulsen died on October 20, 1855.
Bartholomew Carney located on section 28 in 1856 and began improvements on the land which he had entered two years before. Here he lived until his death a few years later, and then the family removed from the township. This year Mr. and Mrs. Harmon and their son were charter members in the organi- zation of the M. E. church in Madison township.
In 1857, Cris Schultz began improvements on section 25. on land owned by Frederick Moseley. Mr. Schultz soon after located in Malcom township.
Early in 1858 Messrs. Gust and Fred Schultz located and began improvements on the E. P. Judd place on section 35. Later they purchased land in Malcom township, and became permanent residents there. This same year Mr. Hervey Coulsen, and Mrs. Jones of Iowa county were united in marriage. On August 28, 1858, Jonas Harmon and Louise Drury, of Madison township, were united in marriage. It was during the year 1858, the first schoolhouse in the township was built.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schultz came from Bureau county, Illinois, in 1859, and located on land owned by Frederick Moseley. On March 27, 1859, John Reh-
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berg, who came to Sheridan with the Schultz brothers the year previous, and Miss Susan Harmon, were united in marriage at the bride's home, Esq. Urialı Jones performing the ceremony.
On October 22, 1859, Miss Martha Coulsen, and Donald Fraser, of Madison township, were united in marriage, Esq. Marvel officiating. This same month John Coulsen died and was buried at Kent's cemetery. A son, Clayborn, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Hervey Coulsen, this same year. During the latter part of the year twin daughters were born to Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Harmon, who were then living on section 35. These daughters were named Lucy and Frances. They were the first children born in the township. Lucy married Abraham Sti- wall, and Frances married Charles Lincoln.
In 1860, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Rehberg. The child was named Mary, and later became the wife of August Schrader, of Malcom town- ship. Tena, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schultz, was born in February, 1860.
In 1861, Noah, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Harmon, died of diphtheria. Dr. John Conaway, of Brooklyn, was the physician in attendance on this case.
Every township needs a blacksmith. The first settler in Sheridan was the first blacksmith there,-Jacob Harmon. He was the first and only blacksmith during many years. Mr. Martin served the people near "Sheridan Store" in that capacity several years. William Poorman, from Pennsylvania, located on the site of Ottawa City in 1872 and did general blacksmithing till his death in 1881. His son William continued his work until 1889. William Currie pur- chased the shop in 1894 and united wood work with the business in iron. The business was always good.
SHERIDAN IN THE CIVIL WAR.
Henry Harmon, son of Jacob Harmon, and John M. Carney, son of Bar- tholomew Carney, were two Sheridan boys who enlisted in Company E, Fourth Iowa Cavalry, in 1861. Mr. Harmon returned to Sheridan at the close of the war. Mr. Carney's family, during his absence in the service, removed from Sheridan to Grinnell and he did not return to the township.
Andrew Pflaum, Lawrence Pflaum and Francis Murphy were three Sheridan boys who enlisted in Company H, 28th lowa Infantry, August 17, 1862, and at the same time with them was J. M. Mills, and his brother, who had been in the employ of Judd and Moseley during the summer of 1862. These five young men remained in the service until the close of the war and all returned home. An- drew Pflaum lost an arm in the engagement at Champion Hills. After a few years in Sheridan after the close of the war, all, except John M. Carney, went to other states. Carney became a resident of Gilman and its mayor.
VETERANS' ASSOCIATION.
The Veterans' Association of Sheridan township was organized in October, 1892. The first officers were: President, James P. Chapin; secretary, Henry A. Dee; quartermaster, Rufus Conger. The interest which the ex-soldiers had
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in their war record was shown by the organization of this society, and the fact that nearly every one of them were members of the G. A. R. In June, 1893, the cemetery association donated the lot in the cemetery as a soldier's lot, and the ex-soldiers erected the monument on the lot the next year.
SOLDIERS OF THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
When President Mckinley called for volunteers in the spring of 1898, there were five Sheridan boys who were members of Co. K, 2d Regiment, I. N. G., this company being located at Grinnell. These five young men were, Francis Henry Stickle, William Avery Stickle, George Arthur Stickle, Theodore J. Meh- lin, and John Wesley Lynch. In that year when Governor Shaw called the I. N. G. to Des Moines these young men answered to the call. George Stickle had just previously been thrown from a horse and slightly injured, and because of this he failed to pass the rigid army examination, and could not go with his brothers. The other four above mentioned enlisted in the United States service in the 50th Iowa. The regiment went from Des Moines to Jacksonville, Florida, and their remained in camp, until they were discharged at the close of the Span- ish-American war. The boys returned home and since that have been residents of the county.
Mathew Carroll, Jr., a Sheridan boy, was living at Sheldon, Iowa, at the opening of the war, and on June 4. 1898, he enlisted in Co. M, 52d Iowa Vol- unteers, and went at once with his company to Camp Thomas, Chickamauga Park. He remained with the regiment until August, when he returned from Chickamauga to the hospital in Des Moines, sick with typhoid fever. Here he lingered four weeks and died September 29, 1898. He was the first Sheridan soldier to be buried in Sheridan.
THE GRANGE.
The State Grange society was organized in Sheridan in the early '70s and had a flourishing existence for several years. Daniel Hayward was county organ- izer and he was present at the time of the organization here. Pleasant Prairie schoolhouse was used as the home for the society. During the life of the or- ganization in Sheridan one hundred and three members were initiated, thus showing the popularity of the organization. Considerable property was accumu- lated, such as a handsome bible, flag, curtains, regalia, chest, etc. These were parceled out among the members after the disorganization of the society.
THE POSTOFFICE.
The postoffice in Sheridan township was established under the name "Sheri- dan Centre," August 17, 1877, J. W. Trainer, as postmaster. January 6, 1879, Sidney Conger was appointed postmaster and the office moved to his residence. In June, 1883, the word "Centre" was dropped from the name and the office known as Sheridan. On June 21, 1883, Miss Mamie Foley was appointed post- mistress and the office was moved to the residence of Mrs. Mary Foley. April
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II, 1884, Mrs. Eliza Decker was appointed postmistress and continued in charge until the office was discontinued at the time when the rural delivery was ex- tended to cover Sheridan township.
At the time of the establishment of the office the mail came from Grinnell tri-weekly. After six years it was changed to a daily mail. In 1900 a total of four hundred and eighty-five papers came to the office weekly, including Chicago and Des Moines daily papers.
LYCEUMS.
The old country schoolhouse lyceum was at one time a great favorite in Sheridan, and at several of the schoolhouses such a society was held during the winter season. Sheridan could boast of as good literary and debating societies as any country district, and many pleasant and profitable hours were spent by the early citizens in the evening lyceum. But they have ceased to exist. The lyceum flourished when the early settlers had few newspapers, and they enjoyed gathering together in the evening for social converse, but under the changed conditions of things they no longer exist. Also the "old-fashioned spelling school" to "stand up and spell down," was at one time a favorite evening enter- tainment at the schoolhouses. To be able to "spell the school down," was a high honor. Then for years these oral spelling contests became unpopular and not considered tests of scholarship, but in more recent years they have come again into popular favor and have even led to county spelling contests
TOWNSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
Sheridan township being the last one organized is, therefore, the youngest of the sixteen townships in the county. The name, "Sheridan" was suggested by Hon. Erastus Snow, at the time he presented the resolution before the board of supervisors for organization of the township. The township is one of the most fertile in the county. It is unbroken by any stream except Walnut creek, which flows in an almost easterly course through districts 4, 5, and 6. Bear creek crosses section 31. On section 24 there were eighty acres of natural tim- ber, mostly hickory, whence came the name Hickory Grove. The entire town- ship, with this exception, is a rolling prairie, nearly every acre of which has been brought under cultivation, the low ravines when tilled being the richest soil. There is no point or spot where the soil is not of good depth.
The first surveys were very accurate and there are no fractional pieces of land, except on the north line of the township. The roads are all properly located on the section lines and the highways have all been opened up along those lines, except a few miles on the south line of the township. No farm is cut up by a road zigzagging through it. The schoolhouses are all located in the center of the respective districts.
No wealthy settlers located here, but many of them were very comfortable. Those who had only limited means advanced more slowly, but where one had a determination to succeed his efforts were crowned with success, the soil always yielding an abundant crop of any variety he chose to plant.
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A wonderful transformation has taken place in the township since it was organized in 1866. On March Ist, of that year, there were eight houses in the township occupied by Jacob Harmon, Henry Schultz, John Rehberg, Conrad Reidash, Bartholomew Carney, Asher Shifflet, H. I. Davis, and C. E. Bosler. There was not a residence in the north half of the township at that time. The broad prairie land, with no dwellings, has been changed to the beautiful country now dotted over with fine residences, surrounded by large groves of trees. It is not going beyond the truth to say that Sheridan township has as fertile a soil, as valuable real estate, as well improved farms, many of the finest dwelling houses, among the largest and best arranged stock barns, and as progressive and active a people as any township in the county. The houses built by the first set- tlers have all been replaced by larger and more comfortable homes, and the old hay-covered stables have given way to large and substantial frame barns.
The growth and development has been very rapid, with no going backward in any way, except a slight decrease in population from 1890 to 1900.
RAILROAD AGITATION.
The northeast part of Sheridan is about as far from a railroad as any point in the state. Several efforts have been made by the people of Sheridan to se- cure a railroad through the township. The following shows the first effort:
"Sheridan, Iowa, March 11, 1871. The trustees met according to notice. It was ordered that an election be held on Saturday, April 1, 1871, in compliance with the request of petitioners to vote a tax of five (5) per cent to aid in building, equipping, and maintaining the railroad known as the Ottumwa, Tama City, and Minnesota railroad, when the question of 'Taxation,' and 'No Taxation,' will be voted upon.
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