USA > Iowa > Tama County > History of Tama County, Iowa, together with sketches of their towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 34
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Thomas Everett came to Tama county, with his family, from Ohio, in the fall of 1852, and settled in the territory which now comprises Columbia township. He remained there until the time of his death, which occurred a number of years ago. Ilis family still live on the farm. He was a large, heavy man, a first rate farmer and had accumulated a large property before his death. Thomas Everett had been a soldier in the war of 1812, and participat- ed in the battle of Lundy's Lane, under General Scott. He very much resembled General Scott.
Widow Croskrey and her sons, William
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II., Wesley, John, Joseph, and Jacob, and one daughter, settled in township 82, range 15, in the fall of 1852. Mrs. Cros- krey died there and the sons are still liv- ing in the county. The daughter married Geo. W. Lonthan, and now lives in ()'Brien county.
Mr. Beabout settled in Salt Creek town- ship in 1852 with his family. Not much is remembered of him more than that he was a native of Tennessee and left this county years ago.
Peter Overmire came to Tama county in the spring of 1852, and located in Tole- do township. lle was a native of Ohio, born in Perry county of that State, Feb- ruary 1, 1814. lle is a son of Jacob and Mary ( Guima ) Overmire, who emigrated to Ohio in 1810, being among the early settlers of Perry county. Here Peter grew to manhood, receiving an education in a log cabin. When eighteen years of age, he went to Sandusky county, where he became acquainted with and married Miss Elizabeth Hill on June 24, 1838. Five children blessed this union-Eve, John F., Levi W., Silas and Mary C. Mr. Overmire left Ohio, went to Indiana, and, in the summer of 1851, emigrated to lowa City, where he spent the winter, emigrating in the spring of 1852, to Tama county, and settled on section 6, in Tole- do township. About the time of his ar- rival, there was a heavy snow storm, the snow falling to the depth of eleven inches. Mr. Overmire went to work and soon erected a log cabin, one among the first in the township, here he remained four years, when he removed to the vicinity of Monti- cello. In the spring of 1860, he moved to his present farm, where he has since resid-
ed. Ilis farm consists of eighty acres of land under good cultivation, valued at $40.00 per aere, and twenty acres of tim- ber. Mr. Overmire is a member of the Baptist church and his wife of the Lutheran.
The Myers brothers came from Indiana and located in Toledo township, Tama county, in June, 1852. Noah was the princi- pal factor of the party, his brothers being James, a young man, and Angelo, who was married. Noah was the first school fund commissioner of the county, and a prominent and influential politician in car- ly days. He only remained in the county five or six years. He now lives in Mis- souri.
B. W. Wilson and Thomas Skiles set- tled with their families in what is now Salt Creek township, south of the river.
William Cruthers settled with his fami- ly north of the river, in the same town- ship. He left the county some years ago.
Washington Abbott and William Mar- tin settled with their families in the west- ern part of the county in 1852.
Samuel Giger, E. Moler and R. A. Run- dle all settled in the county during the year 1852. They are noticed elsewhere in this work.
The northern part of Tama county did not lie in the same path of travel as the southern part. It seems that the valley of the Iowa River was followed by emigrants mostly from Davenport, Muscatine and other points in that direction. Northern Tama laid directly in the path of those coming by way of Dubuque. Thus it was much later in receiving settlers. The Io- wa river was an established highway for travel, and in many places 100 miles west
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
of Tama county, there were settlers be- fore any settled in northern Tama, ten miles from the river. The first settlers in the northern part of the county were Norman L. Osborn, David Dean and his two sons, Ira and Lewis, who arrived Jan- nary 1, 1852. During the summer and fall of that year, the following named made their appearance, and swelled the settlement in that vicinity : Samuel Dun- kle, Mr. Springmyer, Nelson Usher, Vol- ney Carpenter, Patrick Casey, John Con- nelly, Jonas P. Wood, Joseph and John Connell, William D. Hitchner, Joshua C. and L. E. Wood, Wesley A. Daniels, Dan- iel Connell, senior, Robert Connell and his sister Margaret, and Otto Story.
Norman L. Osborne came to Tama coun- ty in January, 1852, and claimed the southeast quarter of section 26, Bucking- ham township. After a few months he sold this claim to Mr. Dunkle, and remov- ing to what is now l'erry township, enter- ed the northeast quarter of section 10. In 1853 he again sold out to the Taylor brothers, and entered the northwest quar- ter of the same section, where he broke several aeres and built a log honse. Two years later he sold to Stephen Klingaman, and sought a new field for speculation. At last accounts he was in Missouri. Mr. Osborn was a good man, of more than or- dinary intelligence. lle and his family were well liked by his neighbors.
The same year David Dean and family came and settled on the southwest quarter of section 27, Perry township. Ilis son Ira entered the southeast quarter of sec- tion 28, and another son, Lude, settled on the northeast quarter of section 33. They all sold out in 1855, and went west. One
of the sons is now at Goldfield, Wright county, where he keeps a grocery store and meat market. The Dean family came from Indiana, and went from here to Wright county some time in 1857 or 1858. They were good neighbors.
Mr. Dunkle came to the county in 1852, and purchased the farm of Norman L. Os- borne, but did not remain long, selling his farm and removing from the county.
"Another early settler who came in the year 1852, was Patrick Casey, a native of Ireland. lle settled on secton 25, Buck- ingham township. In 1854 he sold his farm and went to Geneseo township, where he lived for a few years, and then remov- ed to Kansas. He is not living. Mr. Ca- sey was a full-blooded Irishman, and like all the rest of his race was genial and warm-hearted.
Otto Story came to Tama county with the Dean family in 1852, and made a claim on section 33, Buckingham town- ship. Ile did not prove up his claim, but sold in 1854, and went to Wright county.
The same year Mr. Springmeyer came and setttled on section 26, Buckingham township, where he remained a short time ; then went to Cedar county in this State.
Some time in June of 1852, Jonas P. Wood, William D. Ilitchner, and Joseph and John Connell came together, and set- tled in what is now known as Perry town- ship.
J. P. Wood entered 400 acres of land in the northwest quarter of section 4, the north half, of the northwest quarter of section 5, in township 86, range 14 ; and the southeast quarter of section 3, in township 83, range 15. In October of
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that year, Mr. Wood returned to Ohio and brought out his family. He still lives here on section 4, Perry township. Two brothers of Mr. Wood, Joshua C. and Lyman E., came with him to Iowa, on his return from Ohio. J. C. now lives on section 33, Buckingham township, and L. E. resides on section 6, Perry. Sketches of them will be fourd elsewhere.
William Hlitehner, who settled in what is now known as Perry township, commit- ted suicide in 1874. Details of this may be found in the chapter "Miscellaneous."
The Connell brothers located on the north half of the southwest quarter of section 4, Perry township, and were join- ed in the fall of that year by their father, Daniel Connell, now deceased ; their brother, Robert, who died in 1876 ; and a sister, Margaret. Joseph Connell died in September, 1854, while on a trip to Vin- ton ; John Connell now resides in Toledo. Daniel Connell, Jr., came several years later.
W. A. Daniels, also a settler of 1852, located on the west half of the southeast quarter of section 33, Buckingham, where he still lives.
Nelson Usher and his son-in-law, Vol- ney Carpenter, came in 1852, the former entering the south half of the southwest quarter of section 4, and also a part of the northwest quarter of section 9, in Perry township. He sold in 1854, and went west. His son-in-law, Carpenter, followed him and at last accounts were both in Oregon.
This brings the settlement of the whole county up to January, 1853, after which time immigration set in rapidly. It is un- necessary to carry the settlement any
further in this chapter, as this subject is treate I at length in the history of the various townships, where the most of the pioneers who have here been briefly treat- ed, and those who may have been omitted, will receive due and lengthy notice.
THE COUNTY NAME.
Tradition says that the name which Tama county bears, was given in honor or remembrance of the wife of the Indian chief " Poweshiek, " after whom the coun- ty joining Tama on the south was named. In the Indian tongue, the name signifies beautiful, pleasant or lovely. This is gen- erally accepted and believed to be the true source from which came the name of the county. There is another theory ad- yaneed, however, which sets forth that the name was derived from that of an Indian chief " Pottama."
ORGANIZATION.
The occupancy of this territory by In- dians is treated at length in another chap- ter. In 1845-6, the tribe was removed to the reservation assigned them in Kansas, but many of them wandered back to the old hunting grounds, and began settling upon the tract of land where they yet re- main. Soon afterward the territory of Tama county was attached to Benton coun- ty for Revenne, Judicial and civil purpo- ses, to accommodate the few settlers. A portion of the county was surveyed in 1843, and it was completed during 1845 and 1846 by A. L. Brown and his corps of assistants. In 1848 entries of land were made and soon afterward the pioneers be- gan drifting into Tama county. In 1850 the U. S. census gave the county a popu- lation of eight, but in reality it was about double that number. This rapidly increas-
TranderClan
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
ed until in the spring of 1853 there were a number of neighborhoods in varions parts of the county, which made a total population of considerably over 200. Early in 1853 the settlers began talking . f the need of having some political organization. After considerable agitation, the matter was brought to a eulmination by the pre- sentation of a petition to the county judge of Benton for the organization of the coun- ty into townships. This petition was sign- ed by most of the inhabitants of the coun- ty ; but who they were it is impossible at this late day to tell, as the petition itself has years ago been destroyed.
Upon receiving this application, the county judge of Benton county issued or- ders for the organization of Tama county into three civil townships. These orders have also been lost ; but Daniel Connell, of Gladbrook, was thoughtful enough to make a transcript of the one authorizing the organization of the northern part of the county. This one reads as follows : " STATE OF IOWA, } SS BENTON COUNTY, S
To N. L. Osborne, John Connell and Du- vid Den:
You are hereby notified that the Coun- ty Court of said County has this day or- ganized the following described townships into a Civil Township, for Judicial purpo- ses, viz : Townships 85 and 86, in range 13; 85 and 86, in range 14; 85 and 86, in range 15, west, in Tama County, Iowa ; and has appointed you the Trustees of said Township, and you are hereby au- thorized to call, according to law, and give necessary notice, and hold an elec- tion on the first Monday of April, A. D., 1853, as provided for in the Statutes.
( Signed ) J. C. TRAER, Clerk of the Court.
By order of County Judge."
The order bore no date, but it is pre- sumed to have been made some time in February, 1853. An informal meeting of the citizens was held to give name to the towns thus organized. The men failing to agree, it was left to Miss Margaret Con- nell, and she named it Buckingham, in honor of Gov. William A. Buckingham, of Norwich, Connecticut.
By this it will be seen that Buckingham embraced the territory now organized in- to the following civil townships : Gene- seo, Buckingham, Grant, Crystal, Perry and Clark.
The other two orders mentioned hereto- fore were for the organization of Howard and Indian Village Townships. Howard embraced the territory now comprising Co- lumbia, Toledo, Tama, Howard, Carroll, Otter Creek, Richland, Salt Creek, York and Oneida. Indian Village embraced all the balance of the county. The electors of Buckingham met at the house of Nor- man L. Osborn ; those of Indian Village at the house of Eli W. Daily, and those of Howard at the residence of Rezin A. Redman. The townships were thus legal- ly organized. Thus was the territory of Tama county first set apart from all else, and the wheels of local government started.
In the meantime a movement for a coun- ty organization had been set on foot, and in March, 1853, a majority of the citizens of Tama county petitioned the County Judge of Benton County for the necessa- ry order for a county organization. The order was accordingly issued, command- ing that an election be held on the first
1
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
Monday in May, 1853, for the election of county officers, who should perfect the county organization, and serve until the ensning regular election in August. On the day set the election was held, and re- sulted in the choice of the first county of- licers of Tama County, as follows :
County Judge, Tallman Chase ; Prose- cuting Attorney, John Huston ; Clerk of the Courts, David D. Applegate ; Survey- or, Wesley A. Daniels. For School Fund Commissioner, David F. Bruner and An- thony Wilkinson received an equal num- ber of votes, so neither was elected.
The entry upon the record books regard- ing this election is a curiosity. A third of a century has nearly obliterated the marks of pen and ink, but, as best it can be read, the entry is here presented verbatim :
"Be it remembered that on-day of March 1853 a majority of the citizens of Tama county petitioned to the Judge of Benton county Iowa, to be organized, where upon receiving the said petition, an order was issued to hold an election on the first Monday in May 1853. Due notice was given, the election was held and the Returns was made to Benton county, the following officers was elected : Tallman Chaise, Co. Judge ; John Huston, Pros. Atty; David D. Applegate, Clerk of the District Court.
David F. Bruner and Anthony Wilkin- son was tie for School Fund Commission- ers. Wesley A. Daniels, Surveyor.
The following officers qualified in time prescribed by law : John Huston, Pros. Atty .; David D. Applegate, Clerk of the District Court and Wesley A. Daniel, Co. Surveyor.
JOHN HUSTON, Pros. Atty."
Several of the officers did not qualify, as the emoluments of the office would not pay for the trouble, and the regular elec- tion for officers for the full term would take place the following August. A local writer says of it: "They realized that they might not be in office long enough to get their seats warm before being invited to step down and out." However, these were the first county offieers ever elected, and as was the prevailing custom of those days, it is said they indulged, one and all, in a jolly time. Thus was the judicial life of Tama county " brought before the world."
Those officers who did qualify, went to Vinton, Benton county, to be sworn in by the county Judge of that county. Those who qualified afterward, were sworn in by the prosecuting attorney of Tama county.
On the fourth Monday in July, 1853, the first term of court was held, and, as Tallman Chase, who had been elected county Judge had not qualified, this term was presided over by the prosecuting at- torney, John Huston. It was held at the house of Huston in Indian Village town- ship. At this time David F. Bruner was appointed Treasurer and recorder to serve until the ensuing August election. Nor- man L. Osborn was appointed Sheriff as he had failed to qualify within the time set by law.
The tie for school fund commissioner was settled by the appointment of Noah Myers to the office.
On the first Monday in August, 1853, Tama county was permanently organized by the election of county officers for the regular term of two years. There were seventy-two votes polled, and from the
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
returns it seems that politics did not enter into the campaign at all. There were three candidates for county judge, John C. Vermilya, James H. Hollen and J. P. Wood, and the former was successful by a majority of four votes. There were two candidates for Treasurer and Record- er, John Ross and David T. Bruner. Ross being successful by a majority of 20. For Sheriff, there were three. Miron Blodgett, W. F. Hollen and N. L. Osborn, and the first named came out ahead with eleven votes to spare. The "woods were full of candidates ; " for coroner, there being Franklin Davis, who received 40 votes ; Zebedee Rush, 15; J. H. Voor- hies, 10 ; Franklin Vorn, 4; and Wesley A. Daniels, 18 ; Wesley A. Daniels was elected surveyor with but little opposition. This makes the list-county judge, John C. Vermilya ; treasurer and recorder, John Ross ; sheriff, Miron Blodgett ; coroner, Franklin Davis ; surveyor, Wesley A. Daniels. The board of canvassers at this election was composed of John lluston, Robert Wilkinson, and William Booher. There were three voting precincts, How- ward, Buckingham and Indian Village.
LOCATION OF THE COUNTY SEAT
As soon as the organization of the county was permanently effected, the mat- ter of the location of the county seat pre- sented itself. Hon. James P'. Carlton, Judge of the Fourth Judicial District, ap- pointed Joseph M. Ferguson of Mar- shall county, and R. B. Ogden, of Powe- shiek county, commissioners to locate a seat of justice for Tama county. They met at the house of John C. Vermilya, on the 20th day of October, 1853, and start- ed out in quest of a location. They first
examined a quarter section near Bruner Mill, in Howard township. At this time, this was about the most notable point in the county. The town of Monticello had been here platted, and a saw mill erected by Christian Bruner. The commissioners were strongly inclined to locate it at this point. David T. Bruner offered to give 20 acres from the north part of his farm, on section 4; Christian Bruner offered twenty acres of the town site of Monti- cello, and twenty adjoining it on the north. But this difficulty arose : Adam Zehrung owned one-half of the townsite of Mon- ticello, and he refused to donate any of it, but insisted upon keeping the very centre of the town. In lieu thereof he offered to give twenty acres of bottom land, be- longing to his son, which was not fit to erect a house upon. The commissioners looked the matter over, and tried to per- suade Zehrung to give it up, and all the neighbors joined, but to no avail. Chris- tian Bruner offered to buy the land, pro- posing to give three times its value, but Zehrung refused to sell at any price, think- ing the county seat would be located there any way. Then Christian Bruner offered 160 acres of raw prairie, lying near the present location of lloward cem- etery, but this the commissioners refused to consider, because it was too far from water, and was not suitable. The Com- missioners then moved on and examined other locations.
In the meantime quite a crowd of eiti- zens had assembled, but the extreme southern part of the county had scarcely heard of it Finally Noah Myers started out to get help in the effort to secure the location as far south as possible. Going
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on a run to J. H. Hollins, he roused him by exelaiming. "What in thunder are you laying around here for, when there is a county seat at stake ? " Hollen had not heard that the commissioners had arrived, but it did not take him long to under- stand the situation, as Myers had been with the commissioners. In a few mo- ments they had decided upon a plan to get it located where Toledo now rests. At that time this was school land, and was claimed by John Sporh, Solomon Huf- ford, John Ross and Peter Overmire. The commissioners had decided not to consider bids of less than 80 acres, and Hollen and Myers immediately started for the houses of these settlers to get them to offer 20 acres each, thus making 80, which they at onee agreed to do, so it only re- mained to arrange with the commission- ers. Ilollen and Myers came upon the commissioners at the farm of Samuel Walkup, and after a short explanation the whole crowd moved toward the present site of Toledo. While they were passing the house of Solomon Hufford, R. B. Og- den, one of the commissioners, picked up a stake and sharpened it, without saying a word. When they arrived upon the spot now occupied by the Toledo Hotel Block, he halted and exclaimed : " Gentlemen. here is the spot that shall be the future county seat of Tama County !" lle then drove in the stake with an ax, which had been brought for the purpose. This clos- ed their labors. The location was de- seribed as follows : Southwest quarter of southeast quarter, and west half of south- east quarter of southeast quarter ; and south half of the northwest quarter, of the southeast quarter, of seetion 15, town-
ship 83, range 15.
The commissioners had the right to name the future county seat, but for some reason they failed to do so, and it took the name of Toledo from the postoffice, which had been established during the summer, with J. H. Hollen, as postmas- ter. Mr. Hollen got the name from read- ing the book, "Knight of Toledo, in Spain. "
FIRST EVENTS.
The first marriage in the county was that of Myron Blodgett to Miss Sarah Cronk, August 14, 1853. The happy couple were united by John C. Vermilya, county judge. This was Judge Vermi- lya's first effort in this line and he was not a little embarrassed, it is said. Blodgett, in a joke, called upon him immediately after he qualified.
The second marriage was that of Fred- erick L. Knott to Martha Gayor, in Buck- ingham township, on the 16th of October, 1853, the ceremony being performed by Rev. S. W. Ingham, who still resides in the county, ripe with many years of useful labor.
The first death in the county was Frank- lin, a son of David F. and Catharine Bru- ner who died September 19th, 1852.
The second death as near as can be as- certained, was that of Miss Maria Blodg- ett, which occurred early in the spring of 1853.
The next was William T., a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. II. Hollen, who died April 1, 1853. The little one was born February 9,1853.
William Hitchuer and wife had a daught- er born to them on December Ist, 1852, and it is claimed upon good authority that
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
this was the first birth in the county. They lived in Northern Tama.
The first fire and destruction of proper- ty in the county, was the burning of the log cabin of Alexander Fowler, in what is now York township, in the fall of 1853.
The first county warrants Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, amounting to $19.50, were issued October 18, 1853, to David F. Bruner for services as assessor of Howard township.
The first flouring mill was erected by C. Bruner late in the winter of 1854. He did not get to grinding until the spring of 1856.
About the same time the Indiantown mill was erected.
As early as July, 1852, a methodist de- vine-Rev. Hesswood-held religious ser- viees at Indiantown, in the cabins of various settlements, but no organization was effected.
The next preaching in Tama county was by the Rev. Stone, a Presbyterian minister from Iowa City, in the winter of 1852-3. Services were held at the house of Chris- tian Bruner, in Howard township.
Religious services were held at the house of Norman L. Osborn in Perry. township in the latter part of May, 1853, with Rev. Solomon W. Ingham as preaeh- er. The reverend gentleman organized a class the same time and Ira Taylor was appointed leader. This meeting was held on what is now the site of Traer under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal church and the organization was known as the " Tama Mission."
Their first quarterly services were held November 26, 1853, as the house of Zebe- dee Rush, near Toledo, and Elder Ingham delivered the sermon. They built their
first church in Toledo in 1856.
The first Congregational Church in Tama County was organized at Toledo In December, 1754, with a membership of nine, Rev. George II. Woodward was the first pastor and came in 1856. They erected and dedicated toeir first church in 1860.
The first regular Baptist Church was organized at Toledo, May 20, 1855 with a membership of sixteen persons, and Rev. George G. Edwards as pastor.
The first Presbyterian Church in Tama County was organized by the settlers of Carlton township on the 20th of Angust, 1855, called "Rock Creek Church" with ten members and James Laughlin and James Reed as elders.
The first citizen to become naturalized was Gotlieb Waggoner, who received his final papers from Judge Smyth on the 20th of May, 1856. At the same time John Waltz was naturalized.
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