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 85
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he started for New York by way of the Isthmus. He stopped in the State of New York long enough to vi-it friends and then started for Minnesota, spending the following winter with his father and brother at Saratoga, in that State. In the spring of 1866, he came to Iowa, first lo- eating in Clinton county, where he spent two years and then made his settlement in Geneseo township, of this county. In 1871, he was joined in marriage with Miss Sarah Tallett, a native of England. They have three children: Chloe, May and Ralph. Mr. Maynard's brother, who went to California with him, started on his re- turn in 1857, taking passage on the steam- er Central America, which was lost, and he, with a greater part of the erew, per- ished.
Charles Jameyson was born November 18, 1828, in the province of Ontario, Can- ada. His early life was spent in school and on the farm. In 1843, he, in company with his parents, who were Quakers, came to the States and settled in Medina county, Ohio, where he learned the carpenter's trade. During 1849, Mr. Jameyson re- moved to Walworth connty, Wisconsin, where he resided two years and then came to Iowa, making his first settlement in the State in Hampshire township, Clinton county, where he was one of the first set- tlers. There he resided until 1864, and then entering Company FF', 10th Iowa Vol- unteers, went South and joined Sherman's command at Atlanta, Georgia. He was with that general in his triumphant march to the sea and afterwards went to Wash- ington with him, where he was honorably discharged from service, May 30, 1865. lle then returned to Clinton county and
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
in 1868, sold his property there and came to Tama county, settling on land which he purchased in the northeast quarter of sec- tion 30, Geneseo township. Mr. Jamey- son was married, in 1855, to Miss Caroline M. Maynard, of Washington county, New York. They have five children: Alice M., Champe O., Mary L., Elmer C. and Courtney R.
Gilbert J. Monroe settled in Geneseo township in 1879, and upon his arrival pur- chased wild land on section 28. Since that time he has thoroughly cultivated the land, set out trees and erected the com- fortable farm house in which he now lives. He is a native of New York, hav- ing been born in Delaware county in that State, April 14, 1835. His early life was spent in school and on the farm, and at eighteen years of age he was apprenticed to a carpenter to learn the trade. In 1857, he removed to Ogle county,Illinois, where he followed his trade until 1869, when he came to Geneseo township. December 5, 1861, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Jane Anderson, who also was born in Del- aware county, New York. They have been blessed with eight children, seven of whom are now living: Jessie, William A., John, Guy, George, A. Archie and Gertrude M. Their daughter Nettie died when eighteen months old.
George A. Edwards is a native of Illi- nois, having been born in Putnam county, of that State, April 22, 1838. Ile is a son of William and Mary Edwards who were among the very first settlers of that county. Ile attended the district schools of his na- tive county, subsequently completed his education with two terms at Mt. Palatine College, situated in Putnam county. Dur-
ing 1860 he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Mullin, a native of War- ren county, Ohio. Six children bless their union, Estella, Hattie, Charlie, Oscar, Wal- ter and Clarence. In 1869, Mr. Edwards came to Tama county, and settled in Gen- eseo township, on land entered in 1854 by George Dent, an Illinois neighbor of his. Soon after the land was entered, it was purchased by Mr. Edwards' father for $1.75 per acre. Since his settlement bere, Mr. Edwards has improved the land and erected on it a good set of farm buildings. The house in which he now lives was built in 1870.
George M. Life is a Virginian by birth, was born in Highland county, that State, February 14, 1830. IIe received his early education under a private tutor, and in 1854 entered the Tuscarora Academy at Tuscarora, Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1855, and in 1859 grad- uated from Washington College at Lex- ington, Virginia. 1Ie then entered the Union Theological Seminary in Prince Edward county, Virginia, but at the opening of the war came north to finish his studies, and entered the Princeton Seminary at Princeton, New Jersey. His first pastorate was at Nichols, in Tioga county, New York, where he had charge of the Presbyterian church seven years. From there he came to Iowa and located at Dubuque, where he preached one year, and then came to Tama county and set- tled on land which he had previously pur- chased, on section 17, of Geneseo town- ship. Since that time Mr. Life has devoted his attention exclusively to the cultiva- tion of his land. He was joined in the
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
holy bonds of matrimony, in 1863, with Miss Anna E. C. Smith of Montour, Penn- sylvania.
Romanzo Nutt made his first settlement in this State in 1864, locating in Eagle township, of Black Hawk county, where he rented land and lived until 1870, when he bought and removed to section 1. lle also bought on section 11, Geneseo town- ship, Tama county. In 1872, he erected, on section 11, the house in which he now resides. Mr. Nutt was born in Tioga county, New York, on July 14, 1819. He received his education in the common schools of his native county, and when of sufficient years, was employed in farming during the summer season, and followed lumber- ing the remainder of the year. In the spring he took rafts of lumber down the Susquehanna to Harrisburg and other points on the river. In 1844, he removed to Lake county, Indiana, where he lived two years and then returned to New York and purchased a farm in Broome county, of that State. Three years later, he sold it and bought a piece of timber land, which he cleared, and sold just before his removal to this State. His wife, to whom he was married in 1842, was Miss Caroline Goodnow, of Broome county, New York. They have five children-David, Elijah, Charles, Martha and Frank.
John Huey was born near Londondery, Ireland, in 1830. Four years after his birth, his mother died. When eighteen years of age he came to America, and from Boston (his landing place) proceeded di- rectly to Holyoke, Massachusetts, and one year later removed to Chicago, where he was employed in the Broomer & Chap- man car works one and a half years. He
then worked in the Rock Island Railroad Company's shops for nine years; after which, he removed to Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming near Whitewater one year, and then returned to Illinois, and followed the same occupation in the vi- cinity of Rockford until 1868. At that date he came to Iowa and located in Black llawk county, where he lived three years, and then settled in Geneseo township, of Tama county, which place has since been his home. In 1880, he purchased an im- proved farm on section 18 and immediately removed his family to it. Mr. Iluey was married October 22, 1856, to Miss Margaret MeNeill, a native of Chicago, where she was born in 1839. They have been blessed with six children, five of who are now living-Flora I., Joshua C., Esther C., Mary J. and Lizzie B.
David Taylor is a native of Delaware county, New York, where he was born in July, of 1844. His education was re- ceived in the district schools, and at Andes' Collegiate Institute, Delaware county, which latter place of learning he attended two and one-half terms. In the spring of 1869, the subject of this sketch made his first trip to Iowa, visiting Cedar and Tama counties, and returning home in the fall. In September, 1871, he again left his native State for Iowa. Tama county was again visited, and after purchasing land on section 27, of Geneseo township, Mr. Taylor went to Cedar county, where he spent the winter. The next spring he returned to this county, broke 80 acres of his land, and then went to Minnesota and spent the winter of 1872-3 in Redwood county, of that State. The following spring he returned to Gene seo township,
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
which has since been his home. In 1876, he erected the house in which he now lives with his sister, Christina. During the year of 1882, he erected on his farm, a barn 40x60 feet.
Tillotson C. Temple settled in Geneseo township, on section 16, in 1874. When four years of age his parents moved to lIartford county, Maryland, where his father died . in 1823, and the family soon after returned to Pennsylvania. When he was sixteen, he began to learn the carpenter's trade, and four years later, moved to Cincinnati, where he was mar- ried, April 9, 1839, to Miss Ann Eliza Carsner, of Bedford county, Pennsylvania. They soon after removed to Vicksburg, where he worked at his trade three years, then returned to Cineinnati. After a short stop there, they went to Louisana, and made that State their home for five years. In 1843, Mr. Temple and family settled in Rock Island county, Illinois, where they were among the early settlers. Mr. Tem- ple here engaged in farming for six years, and from there removed to Port Byron, where he embarked in the mercantile bus- iness. lle also built a saw and flouring mill and continued in business until the breaking out of the Rebellion. August 14, 1862, Mr. Temple enlisted in the 126th Illinois Volunteer Infantry; went south and participated in several engagements, being present at the siege and capture of Vieksburg. He was honorably discharged August 27, 1864, on account of physical disability, and at once returned to Illinois. He worked at his trade as much as his health would permit, and in 1872, he came to Iowa, living one year at Vinton; then spent one year in
Waterloo, and in 1874, came to Tama county, as above stated. Mr. and Mrs. Temple have but one child living- Edgar W. Charlie, born March 17, 1855, died, February 24, 1856; Frank, born Oe- tober 29, 1859, died, February 25, 1856.
Edgar W. Temple was born at Tibedor- ville, Louisiana, November 28, 1838. lle received his early education in the district schools, and completed it at the Rock River Seminary, in Ogle county, Illinois. When twenty-one years of age, Edgar took charge of a ferry boat, which he run six years. He then opened a grocery store at Port Byron, Rock Island county, Illi- nois, in company with G. D. Comstock, and continued in business two years, when he sold his interest and engaged in farming in the same county until 1872. That year he came to Iowa, spent two years in Benton county, then came to Tama county, settling on section 16, Genesco township. In 1882, he erected a frame house into which he moved and where he now lives. Decem- ber 19, 1862, Mr. Temple was married to Ellen C. Durnan. Mrs. Temple died, and Mr. Temple was again married in 1880, to Mrs. Martha E. Wales, of llastings, New York. They have two children-Lincoln E. and Lewis P.
Robert N. Rigg was born in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, September 11, 1845. At the age of fourteen Robert, with his parents, moved to Indiana. lle engaged in farming and married Miss Emma Casbon, of Wayne county, Ohio, April 15, 1869. In 1876 he moved from Indiana to Tama county, Iowa, and bought land on section 1, Geneseo township, his present home.
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
ORGANIC.
This township assumed its present boundaries in 1856. The first election was ordered at the house of Nathaniel Spencer. At this time Chauncey B. Slade was elected Town Clerk; John L. Tedford was elected as one of the first Trustees. The records are lost, and it is impossible to give a full list of the first town officers.
An election was held at John L. Ted; ford's house, in the fall of 1856, to vote for presidential electors. There were eighteen votes cast, seventeen for the Whig candidate and one for the Demo- cratic.
At the annual election in November, 1882, held at the Geneseo Centre school house, the following officers were elected : Justices of the Peace : C. A. Williams and G. H. Grover ; Township Clerk, G. M. Tedford ; Constables, F. L. Leslie and R. S. Anderson ; Assessor, Jacob Sirine, Trustee, T. R. Mellhinney. The Trustees holding over are D. F. Campbell and Robert Speer.
George II. Grover, one of the Justices of the Peace of Geneseo township, came here from Clinton county in 1865. He first purchased wild land on section 5, which land he continued to improve for three years, and then bought a farm on section 7, where he has since resided. He now has a large barn, besides other build- ings necessary for the shelter of stock and grain, and in 1869, erected his present residence. Ile is a native of Ocean county, New Jersey, where he was born August 18, 1834. When twenty years of age he went to Philadelphia, and there, in com- pany with his brother, spent two years in horse dealing. Ile then located at Daven-
port, Iowa, but after a few months spent in a store in that place, removed to the country, where he was engaged in break- ing prairie land. 1Ie was also married there, in 1857, to Miss Catherine Fullmer, a native of Fayette county, Pennsylvania. In 1860 he went to Pike's Peak, where he spent several months engaged in mining, then returned to Scott county, and in the spring of 1861, removed to Clinton county, where he tilled the soil until his settle- ment in this county in 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Grover have eight children : Angeline C', Charles H., William I., Robert E., Alice S., George E., Mary N. and Curtis I.
EDUCATIONAL.
School matters here have received their share of public attention. In 1874 all the districts were made independent and so remain at the present time. There are now six districts, and following is a record of each :
School District No. 1-The first house in this district was built in the spring of 1858, and was constructed of logs fur- nished by the neighborhood. The people of the vicinity turned out, made a "bee," and put up the building on the southwest quarter of section 21. Miss Frank Eaton was the first teacher in this house when completed. This building was used for school purposes until 1863, when the present house was erected on the old site. It is a neat frame building. Miss Mary Slade was one of the first teachers in this building. This is called the Geneseo Centre District.
District No. 2-The first school in this district was taught in Phineas L. Sher- man's house on section 10, by his son, Eugene, in 1856. It was a select school.
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
In the fall of 1858, the present school house was finished. It is a stone building. The stone was quarried at Camp quarry, Black Hawk county. It is located on the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section 10. Miss Lottie Baker from Black Hawk county is the present teacher.
District No. 3-The first school in this district was taught by Sardis V. R. Slade in the winter of 1856-57, in Nathaniel Spencer's house on section 14. The next school was taught in John Riley's house on section 13. Jacob Parmenter was the teacher. In 1860 the district bought a stone building on the northwest quarter of section 24. Miss Morton was the first teacher in this building. It was used until 1869, when the present building was erect- ed on the southwest quarter of section 12. It is a frame building and cost about $500. Miss Elizabeth Landis, from Waterloo, was the first teacher in this school house. Miss Ida Estle, of Crystal, is the present teacher.
District No. 4-In 1862 the first house was erected in this district. It is located on section 31. Miss Lizzie Klingaman was the first teacher. Miss Mary Tallet is the present teacher. This is called Excelsior district.
District No. 5-There are at the pres- ent time two school houses in this district. The first school was taught in Jared Cheasboro's house on section 26, in 1864. His wife was the first teacher. The first school house was built in 1866, on the northwest quarter of section 16, and in this house, Elder Beach was the first teacher. In 1867, the building was moved to the northwest quarter of section 36. The second school house in the district
was built at Mooreville, and in it E. A. Pine was the first teacher. The present teacher is A. L. Bell This is called the Mooreville district.
District No. 6-The first and only house built in this district was erected in 1868, and is located on the southwest corner of the southwest quarter of section 8. Miss Jennie Hayward was the first teacher. Miss Ida Redfield is the present teacher. It is called Mt. Pleasant district.
RELIGIOUS.
The first religious service held in this township was at the house of William Tedford, on section 21, during the summer of 1855, by Elder Kern, a preacher of the United Brethren denomination. As soon as the school house, on section 21, was erected, meetings were held there once in two weeks. A society was organized here by Elder Kern, who continued to supply the pulpit. The members of this church have mostly removed or died, and the meetings were discontinued some years ago.
The Methodists held meetings in Phineas L. Sherman's house in 1857. George Wilson who lived on section 13 preached. Meetings were afterward held in the stone school house on section 10, and a society was organized there by Elder Donaldson, in 1858. l'eter Cromhurst was class leader. In connection they had a Sabbath school with quite a large attend- ance. IIarvey Wager was Superintend- ent. In 1869, they built a church on sec- tion 10, which is a neat frame structure and cost about $2,000. Elder B. C. Barnes, of Dysart, is the present pastor, and W. C. Best, class leader. There is a membership of seventy-six. Meetings are held once
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
every two weeks. Sabbath school weekly, with T. J. Merritt as present Superintend- ent.
Theodore J. Merritt is a native of War- ren county, Pennsylvania, where he was born October 8, 1842. Two years after his birth his father died, and his mother soon after removed to MeKean county, Pennsylvania, where she was subsequently married to Isaae Smith. In 1853, two years after, the family removed to Kala- mazoo county, Michigan, where they remained until 1858, and then came to lowa and settled on section 16 of Gene- seo township. The subject of this sketeh received his education in the public school. Ile was married March 13, 1867, to Eliza J. (Simons) Spencer, widow of N. K. Spencer. They have been blessed with five children, four of whom are now living: Oliver, Dell, Cora and Ida. One child died in infancy. Mrs. Merritt has one son living, by her first husband- Lyman.
Religious meetings were held in the school house in district No. 6 soon after the house was built. J. L. Leisher, a Free Will Baptist, was one of the first preachers here. A Protestant Methodist society was organized by Elder Griffith, with George H. Grover as class leader. There was a Sabbath school organized soon afterward with Russell Richards for Superintendent. Church services were held once in two weeks, and every week, sabbath school, during the summer. Ministers of different denominations have preached here frequently since that time. At present there are no regular meetings there, the people attending at Geneseo church.
There was a Methodist class organized at the school house in district number five in 1867, with N. P. Wheeler as class leader. Meetings were held regularly every Sabbath, and preaching every two weeks. This organization still continues . to exist and meets to worship in Moore- ville. Lorenzo D). Ilall is class leader ; B. C. Barnes, pastor in charge. There is a membership of twenty-six.
The Free Will Baptists held their first meetings, in 1864, in the school house in district No. 1. C. B. Messer, who lived on section 15, was the preacher by whom a society was organized with ten mem- bers. Nathaniel Spencer and Luther Wheeler were the first deacons. Meet- ings were held once in two weeks. In 1870 they built a church edifice at Moore- ville. There is now a membership of twenty-eight. J. L. Leisher is the pastor.
HISTORICAL EVENTS.
The first blacksmith shop in the town- ship was started by Theodore Moore in 1855 on the northwest quarter of section 11. Ile put up a log building and cov- ered it with "shakes." About two years afterward this building was burned. He then erceted a frame building which is still standing. Ile was a horse shoer and did all kinds of work in his line, having at that early day considerable trade from adjoining counties.
Theodore Moore was born at Mooresburg in Montour county, Pennsylvania, July 11, 1826. When he was nine years of age his parents removed to Kalamazoo county, Michigan, where they were among the first settlers. lle made his home with his par- ents until in his twentieth year, and was then apprenticed to a blacksmith. Ile
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
served one and a half years and then em- barked in business for himself at Flower- field. Mr. Moore worked at his trade in that State until 1854, when he came to Iowa in search of a good location for a future home. Upon visiting Tama county, he selected land on sections 10 and 11, of Geneseo township, and in the fall of 1855, removed his family here. Since that time he has divided his time between farming and working at his trade. He was mar- ried, in 1848, to Miss Eliza A. Brown, a native of Monroe county, New York. They have been blessed with four chil- dren, three of whom are now living- Charles, Frank and Harriet. Their young- est son, John Hamilton, was born Decem- ber 26, 1861, and died June 15, 1872. 1Ie was thrown violently from a horse, and when taken from the ground was uncon- scious, in which state he remained five days and then died.
Among the earliest births in this town- ship were the following:
Henry, son of John L. and Elizabeth Tedford, born March 30, 1857.
Byron, son of Harvey and Betsy Ann Wager, born Angust 4, 1857. He yet lives with his father.
America Ilill, son of William H. II. and Charlotte Hill, born December 28, 1854. lle now lives in Nebraska.
Louisa, daughter of John and Charity Riley, born March 10, 1854. She is now in Missouri.
Chester I., son of Elijah and Caroline Guernsey, born November 6, 1855. lfe now lives on his farm on section 23.
During the summer of 1865, a tornado swept over this township, striking first in the southern part, and demolishing a house
belonging to John Lefler; passing thence north, it unroofed Andrew Mellhinney's barn, and blew down a house belonging to Mrs. William Tedford; passing thence in a northeasterly direction it blew down the house of Newton Spencer, passed across the grove and on to Benton county, where it did but little damage.
The first marriage was that of Alpheus Goodpasture to Mary Hill, in April, 1854. They have two children now living and now reside in Bourbon county, Kansas. The second child born to them (Arthur) died of hydrophobia at his grandmother's in this township, while here on a visit, in July, 1882. He had been bitten by a mad dog six weeks previous. His remains were taken back to Kansas and buried.
Alexander H. Price, from Ohio, came here in September, 1856, and put up a building on the northwest quarter of sec- tion 24, and opened a general stock of merchandise, with whisky in connection. Here he continued in business about three years, when he sold out his goods and dis- posed of the building for a school house. It has since been torn down.
Among the early deaths in this town- ship are the following:
James Riley died May 3, 1855, of ty- phoid fever, at eighteen years of age. Ile was a brother of John Riley. Ilis was the first burial in the Hill Cemetery.
Joseph Hill died the 28th day of June, 1855, after an illness of four days, at the age of fifty-one years. He was also buried in the Hill Cemetery.
Smese Hulse, came here from Illinois, with his brother and cousin, and were camping out on their claim, on section 24, when he was taken siek in the eamp.
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
This was during the fall of 1855. Mrs. Joseph Hill took him to her house, where he died in a few days of typhoid fever. Ile was buried on the northeast quarter of section 24, across the road from the Hill Cemetery.
George Busler died in the spring of 1856. He was buried in the Hill Cem- etery, but his remains have since been re- moved to Black Hawk county.
POSTOFFICE.
The first postoffice in the township was established in 1861, and was called Fork Postoffice Andrew Mellhinney was the first postmaster, and the office was kept at his house on seetion 21. Mail was received once a week, it being on the route between La Porte City and Tama. After a few years this office was discontinued.
Evergreen postoffice was established in 1870, with Dewitt Hayward postmaster, and the office was kept at Joel Hayward's house, on section 21. Andrew D. Mell- hinney is the present postmaster, with the office at his residence on section 28, with a daily mail from Dysart.
Andrew Mellhinney is a native of Ire- land, born in March, 1829. He made his home in his native land and with his par- ents until he attained his majority, and then came to America, and settled in the State of Pennsylvania. His marriage with Miss Nancy A. Smith occurred in 1859, and the same year they came to Iowa, and settled in Geneseo township, on land which Mr. Mellhinney had previously entered. They have four children living -Estella J., Fayette F., Byron W. and Theressa O.
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