USA > Iowa > Story County > History of Story County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization. > Part 9
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Mrs. Fuller had in the meantime become a widow, and in 1864 returned as Mrs. Boynton. She was soon thereafter induced to take a position as teacher. Miss Dilla Letson was also engaged as teacher about the same time. Miss Letson's work continued almost without intermission, until she became Mrs. Waldron, while Mrs. Boynton is still in the work. In 1864-5, A. S. Condon, now Dr. Condon of Salt Lake, Utah, was principal, and Miss Dilla Letson, assistant. Miss Minnie Braden and Miss Emma Gar- rett taught in the summer of 1865.
In 1865 the frame building which now stands west of William Moran's (P. E. Shugart) place, (and was long used as a barn on the present Dry- bread lot) was built in the street just north of the brick school house and used in conjunction. More rooms called for more teachers, and Messrs. McPheeters and Beckley, assisted by Miss Rachel Trumbull and Mrs. Beck- ley, had the young ideas in charge during the winter of 1865-6. In the summer of 1866, Miss Adeline B. Cheeney was chosen principal and was assisted by Mrs. Boynton and Miss Trumbull.
The last corps of teachers previous to organizing as an independent district consisted of a Mr. Clapp as principal, with Mrs. Boynton, Miss Letson and Miss Viola Pierce, as assistants. This brings the story of the schools down to May 6, 1867, when Mr. Weller, as principal, and Mrs. Boyn- ton, Miss Minnie Braden and Miss Viola Pierce, as assistants, opened the schools under the independent district system.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
In the original organization of the school districts, it was not thought best to leave any of the entered lands without a taxable interest in the schools. The school district of Nevada was permitted to extend to the north and east lines of the county, taking in a large portion of lands now in Richland, Warren and Lincoln townships. The wild lands in that part of the district were assessed at from three to five dollars per acre, while improved farms were usually rated at from six to ten dollars. The non- resident taxpayers had abundant opportunity for contributing to the cause of education.
The correspondence of our local land agents showed great hopefulness on the part of the absent owners when they acknowledged the reception of their tax receipts, their letters often referring to the liberal taxes they paid for the erection of school houses and congratulating themselves on the
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rapid improvement of the country as shown by such facts. But when they visited their lands with a view to sale or settlement the fine school house was liable, greatly to their disgust, to be more than a dozen miles distant from the lands taxed to erect it. Meantime the boundaries of the district would be changed and another school house would be needed. Thus the school house tax on non-resident land was a steady thing, continuing until every hill-top was duly supplied with its educational temple. However un- satisfactory this arrangement may have been to the possibly impoverished speculator, it helped to reduce the percentage of illiteracy.
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CHAPTER VIII. REMINISCENCES BY COL. SCOTT-(CONTINUED).
THE GOOD PIONEERS.
The hardships of the early settlers in the town were greatly alleviated by the generous aid and pleasant courtesy of a number of the early citizens of the county. Among these Mr. George Kirkman, who was so brutally murdered May 9, 1875, is most kindly remembered. He lived near the south line of Indian creek township, and had surrounded himself with some of life's necessaries before the settlement of Nevada began. He was al- ways ready on call to leave his plow or other labor to furnish bread, meat, vegetables or what else he might have, to those who must be fed until they could begin to live on their own resources. And when it is remem- bered that no surplus of productions was to be had this side of southern Jasper and Mahaska Counties, this generosity will be better appreciated. It was not an exceptional thing to haul corn from Mahaska County that had cost there more than one dollar per bushel. John Keigley, Thomas Jones and Samuel Heistand and some others who lived on Skunk river and Squaw creek, also deserve mention in this connection. Watt Murphey and H. F. Murphey, also Major Hawthorn and John Lackey, all of whom then lived near Johnson's Grove, were ever ready to start with their teams to Iowa City, Muscatine, Davenport or Rock Island and draw supplies for the merchants. Without the help of these men the dwellers in the town would often have been in extremity.
One of the pleasant customs of the early days was lending and divid- ing liberally the family supplies. The grocers would sometimes run short of such necessaries as flour and corn meal, and it might happen that none could be had until the roads would admit of sending teams a long distance to procure them. During the sickness and death of Dr. Kellogg, the supply of flour failed in the house, and there was none in town for sale. Mrs. K. narrates with gratitude that Mr. Alderman brought her all the flour he had in his own house, (about twenty-five pounds) leaving himself and his large family to subsist on corn-bread, until flour could be obtained. Long
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may the pioneers live among us to illustrate love and courage in woman and pious tenderness and unselfishness in man !
SOCIAL HABITS.
In the early days there was great social freedom. Strangers, as well as neighbors, were always welcome. The disposition to be courteous to visitors was almost universal. True, the man who is a bear or boor by nature will manifest his disposition even when it is greatly to his interest to be otherwise; but outbursts of boorishness were not common. Hospi- tality was so free as to be scarcely rated as a virtue. No one then feared to either extend or accept an invitation; for everything was on a common level, and the courtesy could be returned without embarrassment and of the same quality. The house-wife that had taken most pains to put up her year's supply of wild plums and crabapples could set out a more elaborate spread with pardonable pride. Or in proper season she could make a melon or a cracker pie that was the envy of those less given to the study of luxury; but such things bred no permanent estrangements.
SPECULATORS' TIMBER.
One of the blessings the early builders possessed and of which they availed themselves to a liberal extent was the non-resident ownership of the growth on the adjacent timber lands. This species of property, which in the Iowa law is absurdly reckoned as a part of the realty, was looked upon by the pioneer very much as our fathers looked upon wild game animals. Title in standing timber that could be used, vested in the pioneer by "right of discovery." And while many who needed homes would not appropriate "speculators' timber" and take their chances in litigation, yet they did not hesitate to buy logs of those who had neither fear nor scruples of conscience in reference to the matter. One of the wrongs committed by these men was felt by the public as well as by the owner of the land and consisted in the wanton destruction of some beautiful groves adjacent to the town. One of these was near the upper ford just west of town, and its destruction was much regretted. In the same manner, many valuable black walnut trees were cut for fence posts and for common lumber, and while a total loss to the owner were of little gain to the depredator and to the purchaser.
FLUCTUATING MARKETS.
In the present period of rapid transit and cheap freights, we are apt to forget how completely we were governed in our markets by our sur- roundings in the time of ox-teams and unbridged sloughs. E. S. Hoag tells that in the spring of 1857 he bought potatoes near Indian Town, a village two miles east of Le Grand, paying for them four dollars per bushel.
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He cut the eyes out for planting and ate the bodies of the tubers. The following spring he had potatoes to sell and the ruling price was five cents per bushel. The market even at that price was limited to the wants of the few immigrants who came into the country, as all others had potatoes on hand. He remembers selling three bushels of potatoes to get the money necessary to pay for a package of baking powder with which to make light corn bread. Corn meal being the staple for bread at that time, the im- portance of this transaction is readily seen and is full apology for the vigor with which Ed. hustled around to get the coveted wealth out of what would be of no value as soon as the new crop should make its appearance.
FIRST THINGS.
The steam sawmill which made the first and only native lumber, was situated west of the lower ford, east of Mr. Frazier's (the Wm. Abbott) house. There was a board shanty near it in which a family lived. John Parker and R. D. Coldren were the proprietors. The first and only tannery was carried on by H. F. Murphey on the north side of the slough above the brick yard. The building used was an adaptation of the old school house to that purpose, being moved to the base of the hill for convenience of water. The first well was dug by Mr. Alderman, near where now stands the stable on the O. B. Alderman place. The water found was abun- dant and of good quality, and probably came from the underlying quick- sands that supply the town well. The first water used for culinary pur- poses was carried from the creek near the lower ford, and was carried for convenience along the trail, made by hauling the logs for the first building. Mr. Alderman carried the first pails but soon became ill, and this labor as well as that of caring for the pioneer, devolved temporarily upon his wife.
Ives Marks, who founded the village of Palestine, is said to have preached the first sermon. This was in the old log school house. Among the early preachers was Job Garbison, an old-line and eccentric Baptist, who lived on a farm near Skunk river, west of Turner McLain's farm. Afterwards a Presbyterian named Steward and a Baptist named Reese, dispensed (with) the gospel statedly, also an Episcopalian named X. A. Welton. Meantime John Parker, the sawmill man, who was probably a volunteer, held service in the name of the Methodist organization. All these men were peculiar in manner and in habits of thought, expression and action. The devout attended their meetings from a sense of duty to their own professions, while those more careless found amusement in the eccentricities of the preachers. Mr. Reese lived on the farm that now con- tains Black's additions to Ames. The first regular minister of the Method- ist church was Rev. J. F. Hestwood. He was for a long time afterwards a member of the conference, being a young man at the time mentioned. Rev. R. Swearingen, quite an able man, succeeded Mr. Hestwood. The
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first church building was erected on lots west of Mrs. John White's place (now the Judd place on Elm street). It was built by the citizens but in the name of the Cumberland Presbyterian society, which made little progress except in the Mullen Settlement. The members after a time con- cluded to build in their own neighborhood and sold the lot and material, most of which had been contributed by the town.
The first law office was built by Mr. Frazier facing south toward the park, about midway of the block. The first blacksmith shop was that of George Helphrey, mentioned elsewhere. Daily & Compton afterwards had a smith shop on the east end of Mrs. Letson's residence lots. About 1857 Mathis Switzer had a smith shop near the present residence of Judiah Ray (the Ed. Statler home). It is related of Switzer's business methods that in explanation he said, "if I work on credit I not charge much; for maybe I lose him; but if he pay cash, then I tell you, I charge him." Switzer became a prosperous farmer in Grant township. The lot where E. S. Hoag has his pleasant residence was the residence of Truman Kelly. His house stood back from the street, while the front was occupied by his blacksmith shop, and in passing it is curious to note the various loca- tions of earlier smith ships. Helphrey's on the corner facing Mrs. Butt's place; Daily & Compton on the east end of Mrs. Letson's place, another on the southeast corner of the block of Charles D. Berry, where Mr. Lyman (Frank Poage) now lives, and that of Mr. Switzer near Mr. Ray's resi- dence. There was also at one time a smith shop a short distance south of Lockwood's mill (Frazier's elevator).
The first printing office was in a small frame building facing the park, standing west of Homer Boardman's place (Dr. Smith's). The Story County Advocate was there started by R. R. Thrall. The building was afterwards moved to the lots now occupied by Dr. Smith (opposite John- son Bros. & Co's., implement house) and was the residence of Mr. Thrall's family. Mr. Thrall's well, just below the house proved the abundant supply of water in the locality, which was finally utilized by the town for the public well. Charlie Smith's shoe shop on the Ballou (S. H. Booher) lot was afterwards used as a printing office, as was subsequently the Abner Lewis property near where Mrs. Ringheim (Misses Emily and Hannah Ringheim) now lives. The court house was also used at one time for the same purpose, while it was also used for court offices.
THE FIRST RACES.
Long before the building of the speedcourse tradition tells of a trial of swift-footed coursers on an extemporized track north of the McLain House. Two of our citizens, who have long felt the weight of years and piety and who would not now under any consideration engage in a scrub race, in the giddy and wild and woolly long ago found themselves insisting on the speed and virtues of their respective horses. The parties were none
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other than J. C. Lovell and George Child. Each had a team. In each team was a marvel of speed. Over these coursers they had many a war of words. These boastful battles finally resulted in a challenge from Child to Lovell to a trial for supremacy with a town lot for stakes, which chal- lenge was promptly accepted. It was afterwards reported that preliminary to the wager George had surreptitously made a moonlight trial with Jim's plugs and had discovered that his horse could distance either of them. The conditions contained the innocent reservation on the part of Lovell that he could run any of his horses against Child's entry. The time was fixed, the judges appointed and all preliminaries arranged, and at the su- preme moment all the idlers in town were present. When mounts came to the score for the word Lovell rode a three-year-old colt that had not figured in the moonlight trials nor in Child's estimates. At the word the colt took the lead and when well along the course Lovell turned to see the whereabouts of his rival. In doing this he checked his own speed and swayed from the best part of the track, and Child, being a good second, took the lead. But glory and a town-lot being at stake, Lovell rallied the colt, which being by heel and hand admonished, responded and came in a neck in advance. The boys had a war of words. Fraud was freely charged. The realty changed hands. Afterwards George hedged by pur- chasing the colt for his speed; but he never won another race.
THE FIRST MAIL ROUTE.
The first mail route was from Des Moines by way of Iowa Center and the mail was for many years carried by the sturdy and brave 'Squire Rob- inson. In fair weather or foul his arrival on time was to be expected. True, the elements were sometimes too much for him, and there were storms in the winter of 1856-7 during which for many days at a time even he was prone to confine himself to his own fireside; but such minor ac- cidents as the washing away of all the bridges on the route and the deep flushing of Skunk bottom could be overcome. The mails were not to be delayed by trifles when in the possession of the 'Squire. The mails were not very heavy. There was no public library. Private collections of ap- proved literature were not extensive. Lectures and entertainments were unknown. The Sunday meetings were more matters of form than of sub- stance, considered as to profit mentally. What wonder then that the pub- lic rooms of the hotels and such offices as contained tables were almost continually filled with euchre and old-sledge parties, and the candles burned far into the night. But I think with all the card playing gambling was al- most unknown.
THE FIRST COUNTY BUILDING.
Before the first court house was built the office of county treasurer and recorder was kept in the small building south of the park west of
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Homer Boardman's place that was afterwards used by Mr. Thrall as a printing office and in which the Story County Advocate was first published. James C. Moss was treasurer and recorder and William Lockridge was his deputy.
THE FIRST PAPER PUBLISHED.
It is possibly stated elsewhere that the first newspaper was the Story County Advocate. It is true this was the first newspaper printed in the county ; but it is remembered that at an earlier day about the time of the arrival of the weekly mail a written sheet was sometimes picked up on the street which contained the news of town interspersed with interesting per- sonal squibs and anecdotes. The name of the responsible publisher was not given: but it was afterwards known that Randolph Goodin, a young lawyer, got up the publication. A file of that paper would now afford ma- terial for this story.
THE FIRST BAND.
Mr. Wagoner, a lame shoemaker, organized and taught the first brass band in the town of Nevada. S. S. Statler was one of the bright lights in that first band of musicians. Sam whistled upon a clarionet, and I am still able to call up the looks of wonder and astonishment as we watched him finger his shrill instrument.
THE FIRST DANCING SCHOOL.
A Mr. Dodd and his brother from Jasper county taught the first dancing school that was ever taught in Nevada, and for about twelve months Dodd's dancing school was all the go with the younger members of society. And not a few of the elder ones would come out to see one of the teachers dance the grape-vine or cut the pigeon-wing.
THE FIRST FAIR.
In 1859 a county fair was held in Nevada. The site of the exhibit of livestock was north and west of the old court house. The court room was used for the display of some wares of the household and products of the field. There were three squashes that had been raised from seed sent from California, the average weight of the three being about one hundred pounds. An amusing incident of this fair was-
THE FIRST BABY SHOW.
Mrs. Charles Schoonover entered her Minnie. Mrs. John Shoemaker entered her Maggie. Mrs. R. R. Thrall entered her Ella. Mrs. Chas. G. Robbins entered her little girls, and Mrs. Isaac Evans borrowed Mrs. J. Vol. 1-6
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G. Tanner's Jimmy and threw his cap defiantly into the ring. Amid much · merriment and a goodly deal of interest and warmth of contention the · prize was borne off in triumph by the incipient journalist. The defeated feminine contestants became beautiful women and are now probably mothers of prize infants; but the acute judges saw promise under adipose tissue and gave him the medal. Whether the mothers of the neglected in- fants ever forgave the stupid judges is not recorded.
THE FIRST SUICIDE.
Doctor Adamson, who was called in professionally, and others remem- ber that Martin Batzner, who was the first barber in town, opened a shop north of the south square and in connection with his tonsorial labors also kept a variety store. He was successful in his business, but was supposed to have taken greatly to heart a rumored rejection of his addresses by a young lady, which disappointment unsettled his mind. He borrowed a rifle from a neighbor, put his shop in good order late on Saturday night and repaired to the unoccupied log house near John Stone's present (late) residence and shot himself through the heart. He was missed from his seat at the breakfast table by Mr. Tanner, with whom he boarded; but no · uneasiness was felt for a time, as it was not thought strange that he should be late on Sunday morning. But as the morning wore away some of the citizens compared notes and began to fear that evil had befallen him. His shop was examined and found not to have been occupied, an alarm was given and a search set on foot. Many of the citizens repaired to the creek and thickets south of town in crowds. The writer of these lines went alone on a tour among the deserted buildings. In the second house visited the body was found with ghastly face turned upward, his hands still grasping the deadly rifle and his well-worn Bible by his side. There was evidence that his self-destruction was deliberately planned and coolly carried out, even to the extent of reading for some time from the sacred writings. The testimony before the coroner fully established the facts as here given.
TREEPLANTING.
Russell McLain planted the cottonwood trees in front of the Earl place (at east end of Addison lots), also those on the Judge Mitchell place. John McLain planted those on the lots where the old hotel stood, the William Hall place, also the trees on the Lyman Dinsmore farm. Frank McLain planted the cottonwoods in front of his lots, the Worsley place (west of J. A. Mills). These are, what are left of them, the oldest trees in town. Many of them have been removed; but they made the first show of shade and broke the monotony of the glare of new houses standing out in the bright sunshine, and the sight of them encouraged the subsequent planting that has done so much for the appearance of the town and comfort of the citizens.
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It may be of interest also to note that the first white willow cuttings ever planted in Story county now stand near the northwest corner of the Lyman Dinsmore place. They were set there by John McLain, and, I believe, were brought from Rochelle, Illinois, by his brother, William. They were closely cut for many years and miles of willow were no doubt grown from cuttings afforded by that small planting. There was a golden willow near the west door of McLain's hotel, from which Dilla Letsen (Mrs. John V. Waldron) planted two cuttings on the east end of her father's lots. From these I planted, near my home, cuttings from which have grown trees more than two feet in diameter.
Perhaps the eldest tree entirely grown on the town plat is a honey locust which Mrs. Kellogg discovered growing from a seed in the corner of her calf pen. She carefully nurtured it, even transplanting it to her flower-garden, and from thence to its present site on the lots where she formerly lived west of her present residence (now O. I. Spencer property).
THE OPEN COUNTRY.
While the county seat was busy getting into shape for the emoluments of trade and county business the prairie around it was not wholly neglected, and several outside towns were being started. Among the sites selected for outside towns by the early settlers were those of Iowa Center, New Phila- delphia, Bloomington, New Albany, Fairview, Defiance, Prairie City, Smith- field and Cambridge. Iowa Center and Cambridge retain their names and locations. Ontario and Story City have supplanted New Philadelphia and Fairview. New Albany was near Nelson Perry's residence on section 18, township 93, range 21. Bloomington's remains still occupy the old site and place on the county map. Defiance was near the southeast corner of the county. Prairie City was platted on the west line of Milford township on a part of the farm of John E. Davis. Smithfield was in the west part of Howard township on the south half of the northeast quarter of section eighteen. Southeast of Nevada the Mullen Settlement had been made. John Hempstead and Mr. Harrison, Sam's father, lived on the east side of West Indian Creek on Fultz place, while Lewis Applegate lived on the west side. Mr. Fitch lived a little farther south. J. P. Robinson, the 'Squire, with his sons about him, had the Finley and McConnell farms.
Russell McLain's first improvement before he settled in the village was on the site of H. H. Robinson's present dwelling (in the Mullen Settle- ment ), while Abner Lewis had opened the place now owned by Z. Shugart (Sherman Shaw), and which Lewis sold to Jesse McLain. Alex. Dins- more had also improved the farm long occupied by him, and the William Hague place was occupied in the early day by his father. Thus the early settlement was not only near the timber but had a tendency to locate itself in a southeasterly direction as being nearer to the region of civilization.
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The earliest lines of travel were by way of Iowa Center, Peoria City, and Corey's Grove to Des Moines, and by Iowa Center, and Peoria City to Newton. The latter route was soon made more direct by following a plowed furrow across the prairie toward the ambitious town of Defiance, of which Anson Deters was the proprietor. Part of the travel branched off more to the south and passed through Clyde and thence by way of Kintz's tavern to Newton. It was from this direction that many of the early settlers had first come into the county, and Jasper and Mahaska counties were the Egypt where corn was to be had until it could be raised on the newly turned sod in Story.
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