USA > Iowa > Scott County > History of Scott County, Iowa > Part 48
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TWENTIETHI ANNUAL FESTIVAL.
The Old Settlers' Association held their annual festival at the new Burtis House. There was only abont 50 of the men and women who laid the foundation of the city and county present. A couple of social hours were passed in the parlors, after which a business meeting was held in the dining-room.
The president, Wm. S. Collins, was in the chair. The election of officers being in order, William Van Tuyl was elected President. The following gentlemen were elected Vice-Presidents: Horace Bradley, Laurel Summers. Benjamin Johnson, James E. Burn sides. Johnson Maw. G. W. Parker. John Friday, Jacob M. El- dridge. and James McManus: C. H. Eldridge, Secretary, and Israel
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
Hall, Treasurer. Mr. Hall moved that the annual meeting for the election of officers be held on the first Tuesday in September, at such place as the executive committee may select; motion prevailed.
Secretary Eldridge real the names of the members who had died during the last year, of which there were 13; the following are the names: Gen. George B. Sargent. Saralı E. Eldridge, Os- mond G. MeKown. Mrs. Sarah M. Burroughs, Father Pelamorgnes, Electa A. Smith, Roswell HI. Spencer, Mrs. Nancy Smith, Eliza- beth Moore. Mrs. Elizabeth McArthur, Mrs. L. J. Center, Henry Stone and ex-President John Owens,
The valedictory of President Collins was now in order. In the absence of the president-elect the cane was surrendered to Vice-Pres- ident Eldridge to retain for him. The retiring president then delivered his parting address, which was very appropriate. Vice- President Eldridge, in behalf of the new but absent president, thanked the society for the honor conferred. The annual address was delivered by W. A. Foster, and was very appropriate and in- tere-ting throughont; it was replete with eloquence and held the undivided attention of all present. Then followed another social season. after which came supper in the east dining-hall. The tables were laden with good things and the feast was heartily enjoyed. Aukl Lang Syne was sung and all proceeded to the parlors, where good nights were said with warm elasping of hands, and the festi- val was at an end.
TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING.
The regular annual meeting of the Old Settlers' AAssociation was held Sept. 4, 1877, at the office of George I. Davenport. In the absence of the president, ex-President Collins was called to the chair, and J. P. Risley appointed secretary pro tem. After the reports of the different officers. Horace Bradley was nominated and elected President for the ensuing year. Judge Grant then moved that all the other officers be re-elected, which was unani- monsly carried. it was then moved and adopted that the executive committee have full power to select time and place for the next annual festival. No further business, the meeting adjourned.
TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL FESTIVAL.
The twenty-first annual festival of the Old Settlers' Association took place at the residence of Judge Grant, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 1877.
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At the hour of beginning the exercises there were about 75 of the old settlers present. The secretary read a letter from Judge Grant expressing great regret that he could not be present on ac- count of a pressing lawsuit at Washington in the Supreme Court. The secretary then read the roll of old settlers who had died during the year.
The president assumed the chair at S o'clock, an I after the sing- ing of "Oft in The Stilly Night," Mr. William Boyer, of Rock Island, delivered the valedictory for President Van Tuyl, who was unavoidably absent. In concluding he introduced the new presi- dent, Horace Bradley. Mr. Bradley on accepting the cane made a few very appropriate remarks. The president announced that there were several matters of business to attend to. After some discussion it was decided to hold the annual festival carlier in the fall hereafter, and the month of September was selected, the day to be fixed by the executive committee. After extending a vote of thanks to Judge Grant for his hospitality, supper was announced, and the whole company sat down to one of the most generous feasts ever known in the history of the society. The meeting broke up at a late hour, closing with the singing of . " Auld Lang Syne."
TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL FESTIVAL.
Between 10 and 11 o'clock on the 21st day of September. 1878, about 150 members of the Pioneer Settlers' Association of Scott County assembled in the park ou the fair ground, with 50 or more young men and women, their descendants, for their twenty-second annual reunion, President Horace Bradley in the chair. After an hour of social greetings, the election of officers for the ensuing year was held, which resulted as follows: James E. Burnside. President; Alibone Morton, Levi S. Chamberlain, Ira F. Smith, A. J. Hyde, C. M. Pinneo, Johnson Maw, Henry Gabbert, Philip Baker, W. L. Clark and Enoch Mead, were elected Vice-Presi- dents ; Charles Eldridge, Secretary ; and Israel Hall, Treasurer.
The president-elcet was conducted to the platform by Judge Grant and Squire Baker, and President Bradley surrendered the historie cane to him. Then all adjourned to dinner, which was enjoyed in pienie style, -some in the dining-hall, some in the park, and all happy. After dinner President Burnsides delivered an off-hand inaugural address, which was full of reminiscences of 40 years ago. He thanked the association for the honor conferred
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
upon him, after which Secretary Eldridge read the roll of the dead of the past year, 30 in all, the longest list of any year since the society began. The choir sang "Gathering Home," then their were addresses from Judge Grant, George Mixter and Dr. Gregg. of Rock Island, and others. Soon after the entire com- pany joined in the singing of "Auld Lang Syne," shook hands all 'round, and the re-union was at an end.
TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL FESTIVAL.
The twenty-third annual meeting of the Pioneer Settlers' Associa- tion was held on the fair ground Sept. 24, 1879. Owing to the heavy storm of the day before and the chilly torenoon of the day of meet- ing there were not as many present as usual.
President James E. Burnside called the meeting to order. After the secretary had read the minutes of last meeting, the election of officers took place as follows: Enoch Mead, President; A. Mor- ton. George B. Hawley, Henry Gabbert, Johnson Maw, W. L. Clark, A. II. Davenport, Levi S. Chamberlain, John Lambert, Randolph Sry, and Capt. W. II. Gabbert. were elected Vice-Presidents; Israel II all, Treasurer, and Charles II. Eldridge, Secretary.
Capt. Gabbert was appointed a committee to conduet the presi- dent-eleet to the chair, which he did, whereupon President Burn- side resigned the presidential cane to Mr. Mead.
TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL.
On the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 22. 1880, the Old Settlers' Association met at the hospitable abode of Judge Grant and wife to hold their twenty-fourth reunion; it was the third time that they had enjoyed the warm-hearted hospitality of the Judge and his fam- ily, who made everybody feel at home and happy.
The business meeting was called to order abont 7 o'clock by President E. Mead. The choir then sang "The Old Folks at Home," after which the election of officers was held, and resulted in the election of Johnson Maw, President, and Israel Glaspell, George B. Hawley, Henry Galbert, Robert Fleming, William Mc Gennis. Levi Chamberlain, John Lambert, Vice-Presidente, Israel Hall, Treasurer; R. S. Smetham, Recording Secretary; Cor- responding Secretary, Charles II. Eldridge.
Soon after the election came the inauguration and President Mead delivered the official eane to President Maw with a neat ad- dress, in which he called to mind the fact that the canc was made
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
of Scott County hickory, and the panels of its gold head, engraved with the names of the presidents who had carried it, was made by one of the early settlers who is still in business in Davenport. Mr. Maw accepted the cane. Then followed a social time for an hour, in which there was abundance of merry greetings of old friends, The oldest resident settlers present were Mr. and Mrs. D. C. EI- dridge and Mr. and Mrs. Van Tuyl, who came here in 1835, and Mrs. Adam Noel, Mrs. C. Paden, Phillip Suiter, L. S. Chamberlain and Charles Eldridge, who came in 1836.
At 10 o'clock supper was announced and the Judge said that the first china he had ever used in housekeeping would be spread on one of the tables; also his first set of chairs would be set at the ta- ble. These were to be filled by Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge, Mrs. C. Paden, Mr. and Mrs. Van Tuyl, Phillip Sniter and L. S. Chamber- lain. The attendance was nnusually large, there being nearly 200 present, cansing the necessity of setting the tables the third time. The tables were furnished with dishes the pioneers were familiar with in the old days, and everything choice which the market affords in these later days. After the adjournment from the supper table a resolution of thanks to the Judge and family for their hos- pitality and kindness was passed. During the evening there were several short addresses, and the universal verdict was that a pleas - anter reunion of the old settlers had never been held, and everyone went home feeling that it was good to have been there. Mr. Phil- lip Suiter, who only wanted 31 days of being 81 years of age, walked from Le Claire, a distance of 14 miles, to attend this meeting.
The meeting closed by singing " Auld Lang Syne."
TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL.
The twenty-fifth annual festival of the Pioneer Settler's Asso- ciation met at the St. James Hotel on the evening of the 26th of October, 1881. The day was gloomy and the roads were in a fear- ful condition, so that the attendance of old settlers living at a dis- tance in the country was not to be looked for. But a few did arrive in spite of the threatening weather and bad roads. There were about 100 present and a very social and pleasant time was passed.
The meeting was called to order at S o'clock by Mr. William S. Collins, the president, John Maw, being absent. The choir of the Christian Church then sang, "Way down upon the Swanee River " in a most charming manner. The first business was the election of officers, which was entered into and resulted in the
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election of Daniel Moore as President by acelamation. George Hawley and J. M. Eldridge having been appointed a committee for the purpose, now presented the president-elect to the acting presi- dent, William. S. Collins, who presented to him the pioneer cane, the time-honored staff of office, with a few appropriate remarks. Israel Hall was re-elected Treasurer : Charles H. Eldridge was re-elected Corresponding Secretary, and Richard Smetham re- elected Recording Secretary ; D. C. Eldridge and George Hawley were appointed a committee to select Vice-Presidents for the en- suing year. They reported the following gentlemen : Isaac Glas- jell, George B. Hawley, Henry Gabbert, Robert Fleming, William McGinnis. Levi S. Chamberlain, John Lambert, after which the choir sang " Come Silver Moon " and " Oft in the Stilly Night." Then came the magie word "Supper," and the old settlers of Scott County sat down to a really elegant and satisfying repast, to which they devoted themselves with great assidnity, showing that of whatever else time may have bereft them he had left them good appetites. So well was the society pleased with their enter- tainment that a vote of thanks was tendered Gough B. Grant, landlord, for their entertainment, and also to the choir of the Christian Church for their sweet mnsie discoursed during the even- ing. After this nothing remained but to sing " Should Auld Ac- quaintance be Forgot," and disperse to face the chances and changes of another year.
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CHAPTER XII.
REMINISCENCES.
In this chapter are given a few reminiscences of the pioneers of Scott County. Where the historical committee differed with the writer, correetions are made by foot notes.
BY J. E. BURNSIDE.
I was born in Greenbrier County, in the State of Virginia, on the 10th day of April, 1813.
My father moved from Virginia to Logan Co., Ohio, in 1816. When I was 20 years of age I left Ohio, in 1833. I stopped at White Pigeon, Mich., and remained there three years, during which time I built me a saw-mill and flonring-mill, and married my present wife there. We were married April 9, 1835, and in June, 1836, I started West again to find me another home farther westward.
There were three of us started together. We started on horse- baek; sometimes we traveled 30 or 40 miles before we could find a place to entertain us. We had a map and compass to travel by. We crossed the Mississippi River at Flint Hills, now known as Burlington. Then we traveled 10 days southwest of Burlington. in Black Hawk Territory and Northern Missouri. There we ran out of provisions, and turned onr course up the Mississippi River to Buffalo in Scott County.
Thence we went out to Cedar River, and took up claims and ran ont of provisions again ; had nothing to eat but strawberries, which grew wild. Then we started back for home. We came back to Buffalo, 10 miles west of Davenport. At that time Captain Clark kept the only ferry boat on the river between Burlington and Du- buque.
We landed back in Michigan sometime in July; had a hard trip of it. We thought sometimes the Buffalo gnats would eat us up We got home all right.
I then made up my mind to go West, and sold my mill property and rigged up an ox team of three yoke, and put them to an old Pennsylvania wagon which was called "prairie schooner." I
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loaded in three barrels of flour and one of spring wheat, probably the first spring wheat brought to Iowa Territory. It was what we called the old bald wheat. I hauled it 500 miles by land, and sowed it in the spring of 1837, and raised 75 bushels of good wheat. This gave me a good start in spring wheat.
I left Indiana on the first day of September, 1836, and landed at Buffalo that same fall. W. L. and Perry Clark, who were both small boys then, ferried me across the river safely. They understood their business well. I moved out to Cedar County; settled on Sugar Creek, six miles below Tipton. There were four families of ns that had moved there at the time. Shortly after there were 10 or 12 moved near us.
Altogether there were about 15 families of us that wintered in Cedar County in the winter of 1836. That was a very hard win- ter for us; the snow fell about 16 inches on a level and laid on un- til the first of March. We had put up a goodly quantity of hay, as it was all we had to winter our stock upon ; but in the latter part of November the Indians set fire out in the prairies and it came through our settlement and some of our settlers lost all their hay, others part of theirs, so we did not have enough to win- ter our stock. and the cattle got so poor that some of them lost all their hair, and some of them got so poor that the wolves ate them up alive. Some of the families suffered for want of provisions.
Teams got so poor that they could not travel and the snow so deep that some had to carry baggage and produce on their backs.
I will next say that when I landed in Cedar County I drove my wagon in the timber which was all the house we had for three weeks. We built our fire against a big log and did our cooking and wash- ing, so that I and my men could put up hay before the frost would spoil it, after which we would build a house to winter in.
I will now relate a little circumstance that took place: We had to go a half a mile for water for use. One morning while I was very busy preparing material for building and getting up our hay before the frost would spoil it, my wife said she must have some water hauled before we went to work, as she must do some washing for the baby. So I sent a man to draw the water with a team from the creek. with some old barrels. He came back and the barrels were leaking out the water very fast. So my wife got vessels to put under the barrels to save the water, and fretting about the new home, etc., after which I went off about a half mile to mow, and she went to washing. In the course of about two hours I heard
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
some one holloing, and listening I learned it was my wife. I knew there was something the matter so I dropped my scythe and broke for the wagon, still hearing the holloing. I did not run far until I was sure that it was my wife and that there was trouble, so I put in my best licks in running through the grass and weeds, which were as high as my head. When I got in sight of her she had run a quarter of a mile from home through the grass and weeds and old logs till she came to a leaning tree which she had climbed and her scream was " Indians! Indians !! "
When I got close to her I asked where the baby was. Her reply was, "O Lord! I never thought of the baby." I never stopped to help her from the tree but dashed ahead making some tall strides until I arrived where the baby was left, and found it all right sit- ting up in the old board eradle; my wife got down from the tree and followed me. When she got back to the wagon I was holding the baby and rejoicing for its safety, for I was most certain the In- dians had stolen it. When my wife got bick she was very much exhausted but soon recovered enough to tell me the trouble. She had been busy washing over the tnb, not thinking of Indians. All at once she chaneed to look up, and there stood two Indians close behind her with their guns on their shoulders. As she started to rnn the Indians did also, but in the opposite direction. The last she saw of them was their guns glittering in the grass. After we had got over the scare my wife went to work and read over the law to me in this style: " As sure as there is a God in heaven, if you do not go to work and build a house, and that right away, I will leave and go back home." This I thought was strong law but I knew I had to obey this time, so I went to whetting my ax, and in four days we built a house. as good a one as was in Cedar County at that time.
That year the Indians would stop very often to get something to eat, but were friendly when treated properly. My wife was so much afraid of them that she would take her babe and go with me out to the timber where I was making rails and stay all day.
In the spring of 1837 I moved from Cedar County to the place on which I now reside.
In the winter of 1836, I hauled all the timber for the first steam flouring mill built in Scott County. It was built by John Sullivan, in Rockingham, in the year 1837.
I then went and hauled wood for Antoine Le Claire two months; I lived with him during the time and I could never recompense
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IIISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
him for the favors he bestowed upon me. I shall ever revere his memory.
I had to work with my team to get something to live on ; my wife stayed in Cedar County while I was thus engaged. I took a load of provisions out to Cedar County every two or three weeks to keep my family and some others alive; I thought sometimes we would not be able to live through till spring, provisions were so very high and scarce. Flour was from $15 to $20 per barrel ; corn meal, from 86 to $7 per barrel ; bacon, 25 cents per pound, and the ribs in the sides at that ; corn, $1.00 per bushel and frost bitten at that. Our living was corn bread and poor, lean beef, and no grease to grease the skillet, so you may form some idea how we lived in this then new country.
The first preacher stationed in Scott County was Rev. Braise ; First Presbyterian preacher was Enoch Mead, now residing in Rockingham township ; the first church in the county was built in Rockingham.
The first little grist-inill was built on Crow Creek, by Davis and Hastel, and an awful thing it was. I got seven bushels of corn ground in it in one night and staid all night with a hoop-pole dig- ging the meal ont of it.
The first frame house was built by B. W. Clark, in 1835 ; first frame barn, by J. E. Burnside, in 1839 ; first post offices established were in Buffalo and Davenport in 1836. The first postmasters were B. W. Clark, of Buffalo, and Antoine Le Claire, of Davenport. Some two or three other offices were established the same year.
The first store in the county was opened at Buffalo, in 1835. The first cook stove was purchased by B. W. Clark, of Buffalo. in 1834.
The largest settlement in Scott County in 1835-'36 was Buffalo township and Rockingham.
The largest settlement in the State was at Dubuque and Flint Hills, now * Burlington. The first reaping machine was brought to Scott Connty by R. S. Baker and J. E. Burnside ; it was the old McCormick reaper.
The first threshing machine was bought by Robert S. Baker and J. E. Burnside.
The first land in market was in 1839-'40. When I came here first, we called this country the Black Hawk territory, or the Black Hawk purchase; some called it the God-for-saken place, and I don't
*A mistake, as Horace Bradly built a frame barn for B. W. Clark in 1837 .- En.
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know but the last appellation was about as appropriate as any of the names ; as there was nothing here but Indians and wild beasts, the wolves would howl around our shanties all night and frequently take our pigs and poultry.
Wild game was abundant, consisting of deer, wild turkeys and geese and dueks. I had two men living with me who killed 110 deer in less than two months ; they sold them at $1.00 apiece and did well at that.
I helped build the first log cabin in Davenport after the town was laid off. have seen Davenport grow up from a tenantless wilderness inhabited by Indians to a mighty eity.
I labored hard here for 14 years, and when gold was first discovered in California I concluded to try my luck in that country. I started for that country in the spring of 1850; went by land, eame back by water. I was 75 days crossing the plains, and 753 days returning by water.
I eame from San Francisco to Panama; then crossed the isth- mus to Shagres; then took a steamer for New Orleans; there changed my gold dust for coin, and took a boat for my home in Scott County, where I landed on the 15th day of November, 1850. I made the whole trip in seven months and thirteen days; the quickest trip that had ever been made from Iowa.
I worked 14 days in the mines; had eight men under my em- ploy; gave them each $S per day. I took out $7,350, and con- cluded to let well enough alone, so I then started for home. We were 47 days on a sail vessel erossing the Pacific Ocean to Pan- ama; were ship-wrecked by a storm, then were on allowance 20 days, during which time our condition was very unpleasant.
I will now say I have lived in Iowa 44 years, and have been in all the States in the Union except five; have been in all the large eities of the United States, and will now say if you will stiek a stake in the city of Davenport and take in 20 miles around the city of Davenport, or make it 40 miles, it can not be ex- celled in the United States; and I doubt if it can be beaten in the world. And Davenport's growth the past 40 years I faney will give us but a faint idea of what it will be 40 years henee. While it numbers its thousands now, it will then reach its hundreds of thousands.
BY JAMES BROWNLEE.
We left Scotland March 31, 1826, and landed in Canada about the middle of May the same year, and continued there chopping
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
farmns out of the woods until 1838, when we got very much dissat- isfied with British rule in that province, and after much thought we concluded to turn all that we owned into money and scek a home in the United States, somewhere in the far West. Accord- ingly, toward the end of June, 1838, with all that we owned turned into money and clothing, our destination being the southern part of Illinois, we started up the Ridua canal and Lake Ontario, and landed at Queenstown, and had quite a tussle with the Canada authorities before we could get across the river ( that was the year of the MeKinzie rebellion, but finally succeeded in shaking off the dust from our feet against both British and Canadian rule for- ever. As soon as we got across, the people-our new friends-all seemed so friendly that we felt as if we had got home.
Just at this time a very fine, grave-looking old man stepped up and said. "I will take you up to Buffalo in time for the boat," but as we were about to finish the bargain, a wieked-looking sinner came up swearing and said: "That old Presbyterian, deacon though he be. will leave you on the road half way there. You old rascal, you know that you are going to cheat these people. I will take you half- way for half the money and that is all that he will do." However, we felt religiously inclined and so concluded to go with the deacon; but sure enough he did leave us half way and comforted us with a lie, saying that he was connected with the railroad and that the train would be along soon and take us to Buffalo. The train did come along and took ns too, but we had to pay our own way. This was our first lesson in Yankeedoul.
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