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 97
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Sylvester Wilcox was born in Connecti- cut, September 3, 1804. He made his home with his parents until eleven years old, then came to New York State and followed farming. During his last stay in New York, he was married to Miss Caroline Bissell. In 1863, he emigrated to Iowa, and at once purchased his present farm located on section 35 where he has since resided. ITis wife died in September, 1878, leaving a family of seven children, only one of whom is now living-George L. Mr. Wilcox lost the sight of one of his eyes in 1880, and in August, 1882, he became totally blind. George L. Wilcox was born in the State of New York, Feb- rnary 16, 1834. In March, 1855, he mar- ried Miss Delia A. Kasson, also a native of the Empire State. He came to Iowa, in 1863, and first settled in Buchanan county, where he followed blacksmithing until June of 1874. Mr. Wilcox then
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came to Tama county, and has since had charge of his father's farm, which contains 255 acres.
ORGANIC.
The township of Otter Creek was organ- ized in 1856; at that time it comprised all the Congressional township 83 north, range 14 west, and that part of township 82 north, range 14 west, lying north of the Iowa river. The first election was held at the house of Abram Thompkins on the 7th of April, 1856, at which there were fifty-two votes cast. C. E. Hayes; M. Mitchell and N. H. Bidwell, served as Judges of election, and R. C. M. Wells and C. Leach as Clerks.
The names of the persons voting at the election are here given:
M. Cochran, A. J. Tyler, J. H. Voor- hies, O. T. Clark, James Cloud, John Southard, E. A. Bumham, M. Baker, Wm. Wooten, A. B. Hancock, L. Olney, .1. W. Ammerman, James Gillen, Calvin Powell, William Rittenhouse, A. D. Olney, C. A. Russell, Benjamin Grover, J. M. Hayes, A. Rittenhouse, James Erwin, Daniel Gro- ver, A. L. Russell, J. HI. Richardson, William Rittenhou-e, Jr., Hezekiah Baker, O. L. Truesdell, Aaron Ba- ker, H. Cloud, D. Sater, M. Hunt, Nor- man Lewis, John Williams, Wm. Pick- ett, Robert Carter, J. A. Siling, George Pickett, Joseph Carter, HI. Cross, A. Morse, Abram Tompkins, R. K. Clark, Il. Riddle. C. E. Hayes, Mefford Mitchell, S. C. Leach, N. II. Bidwell, R. C. M. Wells and Daniel Rusk.
The officers elected November 7, 1882, were as follows-D. K. Richards, J. P. Evans, Trustees; Theodore Dupree, Clerk; N. Bidwell, Assessor.
The United Brethren have a society in Otter Creek, which holds meetings at the school house of District No. 7, and for the past four years there has been preaching at the school house of District 5.
POSTOFFICES.
In the spring of 1854, a postoffice was established at the house of Norman Lewis, on section 27, called Tamaville. C. E. Hayes succeeded Mr. Lewis as postmaster, and the office was removed to his residence. Thus it remained for a number of years, but finally the mail route was abolished, and the office discontinued. After this the township was without a postoffice, un- til May, 1882, when the Gladstone post- office was established, and P. H. Dupre appointed postmaster.
CEMETERY.
There is one cemetery in Otter Creek township situated on the southwest quar- ter of section 22, containing about an acre and a-half of ground. The land was donated to the township for burial pur- poses by Norman Lewis, in 1861.
GLADSTONE.
In the spring of 1882 the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Railroad Company laid a side track from their main line, and made a stopping point on section 22, Otter Creek township, calling the station Glad- stone. The company had previously pur- chased the farm of M. W. Varner, and erected a depot. There has been a store started here, by P. A. Dupre, in a building. 20x56 feet. Ths is the only store ever started in the township.
P. A. Dupre, postmaster at Gladstone, is a native of New York, born in Buffalo, November 9, 1854, a son of J. P. and Rose (Bouche) Dupre. In 1864 he came
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with his parents to Tama county, and received a good education. Subsequently he taught school for nearly eight years- three terms in Tama county, two years in Washington county and the balance of the time in Kansas. Mr. Dupre was mar- ried June 15, 1882, to Miss Josie S. Muzzy, a native of Springfield, Maine.
EDUCATIONAL.
It is said a community may be judged correctly as to general character by the condition of its schools, and to a certain extent this is true. A people having a ! desire for the elevation and enlightenment of coming generations, and the better con- dition of mankind, are not found among the opponents of the public school. Ap- 1 preciating the desirableness of educational facilities, the early settlers of Otter Creek township made provision for a school in 1855, and erected a log house on section 19, and employed Miss Harriet Hatfield,
who taught a term of three months for 820. The next school in the township was near the residence of C. E. Ilayes, in what was organized as district No. 3, and Miss Ingham was the teacher.
There are now eight schools in the town- ship, and the school property is valued at $4,000.
HISTORICAL ITEMS OF INTEREST.
The first birth in the township was Sum- ner, a son of Abram and Mary A. Tomp- kins, born on the 26th day of March, 1855.
The first death was the wife of Robert Carter, which occurred March 20, 1854. She was buried in Oak Hill cemetery.
The first marriage united the destinies of Logan McChesney and Miss L. A. Han- cock, daughter of A. B. Hancock. This was in 1854 and the ceremony was per- formed by Rev. Alexander LaDow. The couple now reside in Kansas.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
PERRY TOWNSHIP.
This is a full Congressional township, comprising all of township 85 north, range 14 west, containing an area of about 23,040 acres. It is bounded on the north by Buckingham, on the west by Crystal, on the south by Carroll and on the east by Clark townships. It is well watered by numerous streams. Wolf creek and Four
Mile creek enter from Crystal township on the west, and make confluence near the center of section 7, flowing thence toward the east and northeast it passes through sections 8, 9 and the northwest corner of [0 and making exit toward the north on the northeast quarter of section 3, enters Buckingham township. There is, on this
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
stream on section 10, a water power which has been utilized. Coon creek enters from Clark township on the west, on sec- tion 24, and flowing toward the north-west and north, traverses sections 14, 11, the north-east corner of 10 and empties into Wolf creek on section 3. A branch of this creek enters on section 1 and flowing towards the west through sections 12 and and 11, joins the original stream on the north-east quarter of 10. Salt creek en- ters from the west on section 30, and pass- ing through this section and 29, 28, the south-west quarter of 27, then 34, it leaves toward the south on the south-west quar- ter of 35. A branch of this creek comes from the south and passing through sec- tion 33 enters the main stream on the south-east quarter of section 28
The surface of this township consists mainly of a beautiful, gently undulating prairie, with a most excellent soil, which is generally a productive, dark sandy loam, with clay subsoil. There is a good grove of natural timber located mostly on sec- tions 4 and 5, called National Grove. Another, Osborn's Grove, located on sec- tion 10, but a good part of this has been cut away. Another, still smaller, called Baker's Grove, may be found on section 30.
The township is peopled by an indus- trious, energetic class of citizens, has many beautiful farms and desirable homes, and compares favorably with any township in the county.
There is one line of railway traversing this township, the Burlington, Cedar Rap- ids & Northern, which enters from the east on section 13.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first person to make a claim here was Norman L. Osborn. He came from Buckingham township in the spring of 1852, and claimed the northeast quarter of section 10, and there erected a log cabin, the first in the township. In the fall of 1853, he sold his claim to Ira and Giles Taylor. He then entered the northwest quarter of the same section, which he also sold, in 1854, to Stephen Klingaman. In 1855, he located near Webster City and finally went to Missouri, where it is sup- posed he is still living. He was the first Sheriff of Tama county.
The next parties to be mentioned in this connection are Jonas P. Wood and William D. Ilitchner, who started from Mercer county, Ohio, in June, 1852, seeking a location in Iowa. Taking pass- age on a canal boat at St. Mary's they soon arrived at Toledo, Ohio, from where they journeyed by railroad to Belvidere, Illi- nois and made a visit with friends. From there they went to Beloit, Wisconsin. At Wyota they met John and Joseph Connell, who were from Conneticut, and were looking for a western home. They all then journeyed together by stage and boat to Dubuque, and then started on foot across the country to Vinton, where they remained a few days; but not finding a location to suit them, pushed on to this county, where Mr. Wood entered 400 acres of land, being the northwest quarter of sec- tion 4, and the north half of the north- west quarter of section 25, in township 86, range 14, and the southeast quarter of sec- tion 3, in township 85, range 15. John Con- nell entered the north half of the southwest quarter of section 4, and the northwest
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
quarter of the southeast and the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter in the same section, in township 85, range 14.
In October of that year Wood and Hitehner started on their return, having gone to their old home for their families. With them was Mr. Wood's mother with a family of seven children of whom Jonas was the oldest. The names of the others were Rachael, Eve, Joshua C, I.yman E., Mary, the wife of Mr. Hitchner; and Lucy Ann. Dr. W. A. Daniel, a prac- ticing physician from Illinois, and Miss Eve Heckathorn, a maiden sister of Mrs. Wood's, accompanied them. They came with teams bringing provisions with them and camping out on the way. This tiresome journey occupied four weeks of time. Upon their arrival here they moved into a log cabin that had been built by the Connell brothers In a short time they had erected a cabin of their own, fifty-five feet long and twenty wide, on the northeast quarter of section 4. The Woods family made their home there until 1856. Jonas, who was at this time Deputy County Surveyor, married and settled in Toledo. Joshua married a short time afterward and settled on sec- tion 33, township 86, range 14, where he still lives. Lyman located on the north- east quarter of section 6. Mrs. Wood made her home with her son Lyman until the time of her death.
Lyman Wood was born in Hoosick, Rensselaer county, New York, 1791. During the war of 1812, he joined a Volunteer company and went to New York to defend the city. After his dis- charge, he engaged in the lumber trade until 1817, when he went to Ohio, and
was there engaged with the United States surveyors in surveying western Ohio. He was married in 1819, to Miss Naney lleckathorn, who was born in Virginia, in 1798. Tle settled in Fairfield county, where he engaged in the manufacture of linseed oil. In 1829, he removed to Hoek- ing county, where he was engaged to superintend the outside work of a paper mill, at Pine Grove, and was thus employed at the time of his death, which occurred in 1839. In polities, Mr. Wood was a Whig, and in religion a Universalist. HIe left a widow and seven children to mourn his death. His oldest son, Jonas P., one of the pioneers of Tama county, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, August 8, 1820. He was but nine years of age at the time his parents moved to Hocking county. Being the oldest son, he became the head of the family at his father's death. In 1843, the family moved to Mercer county, where they bought some timber land. The boys went to work, cleared the farm and built a house. In 1852, they sold out and came to lowa, locating in township 85, range 14, now known as Perry town- ship. He was joined in marriage, June 29, 1856, to Miss Margaret Connell, dangh- ter of Daniel and Mary Connell, and in September of that same year, he moved to Toledo, where he lived until 1861, then returned to his farm on section 4. He has improved his land. He has engaged quite extensively in the nursery business and now has a fine orchard of 1,000 trees. Mr. Wood received a common education in his younger days and by extensive read- ing in his later years, has been enabled to keep pace with the times. Mr. Wood is a
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
Republican; in religion he is a Universal- ist, having followed in the footsteps of his father, who had lived and died in that faith.
Lyman E., youngest son of Lyman and Nancy (Heckathorn) Wood, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, June 20, 1825. He received his education in the old fashioned log school house in his native town. He came to Iowa with his parents and made his home with them until 1856, when he settled on his own farm on section 6. lle built a frame house, into which he has since moved. He has also built an addi- tion to his house and made improvements till he has a very comfortable home. His marriage with Miss Augusta, daughter of John W. and Francis McKune, occurred on June 28, 1857. And to Mr. and Mrs. Wood must be given the honor of being the first couple married in Crystal town- ship. They have but one child-Abbie, an only daughter.
The Connell brothers were joined in the fall by their father, Daniel Connell, Sr., their brother Robert and sister Margaret. The father went back to Connectieut, and in the spring of 1853 returned with his wife and another daughter named Mary. They lived in the Connell house on the north half of the southwest quarter of see- tion 4. Joseph died in September, 1854. .John was elected to the State Legislature in 1854, and afterward settled in Toledo. Hle served in the Union army, as Colonel of the 28th Iowa regiment, and lost an arm while in the service. In 1867 he was ap- pointed Collector of Internal Revenue, at Burlington, an office which he held until May, 1883. Robert settled on the north half of the northeast quarter of section 4,
where he died in February, 1876. Mrs. Connell died in June, 1866; Mr. Connell in October, 1875. In 1855 Daniel Connell, Jr., joined the family, and in 1856 engaged in mercantile trade, in Buckingham, where he continued in business nutil the collapse of that village, when he removed to Traer. He is at present postmaster at Gladbrook.
W. D. Hitchner hought the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 10, from Osborne, with the stipulation that he should build a mill. He built a log house and lived there until 1856, when he sold his interest in the property, and loca- ted on the southwest quarter of section 3, where he lived until the time of his death, which occurred in 1874.
William D. Hitehner was born in Salem county, New Jersey, March 3, 1818. When he was three years of age, his par- ent- moved to Ohio, and William was married there, on the 6th day of October, 1850, to Miss Mary M., daughter of Ly- man and Nancy (Heckathorn) Wood. In 1852 they came to Iowa and settled in township 85, range 14, now known as Perry township. He, in company with others, purchased land and built a mill. In 1855, he sold his interest and moved to section 3, where he engaged in farming until the time of his death, which occurred in 1874. Ile left a widow and seven chil- dren. The children are named as follows: Almira, Sarah F., Nancy R., James P., Hannah J., Nettie and Wesley D. The two eldest are children of his first wife, to whom he was married in 1839. She died in 1846. His family now live on seetion 3.
W. A. Daniel entered the west half of the southeast quarter of seetion 33, town- ship 86, range 14. fle made this his
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
home with the Woods until 1855, when his mother, Mrs. Margaret Daniel, and two brothers, named Ilenry and Jacob, came to the county and bought the east half of the southeast quarter of section 33, township 86, range 15, and settled there. Henry went to Waterloo, where he is now engaged in the furniture business. In 1863, Jacob went to Denver, where he yet remains, and is proprietor of the Co- lumbns House. Mrs. Daniel died in 1879, at the advanced age of 86 years. Dr. W. A. Daniel still occupies the place.
Nelson Usher and his son-in-law, Vol- ney Carpenter, came in 1852. Usher en- tered the south half of the south west quar- ter of section 4, and the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 9. He sold in 1854 and went west. In 1855, Carpenter entered the northwest quarter of section 3; he also sold out and went with Usher, who now lives in Oregon.
In the fall of 1852, Ira and Giles Taylor, natives of Pennsylvania, started from Delaware county, Ohio, with their fami- lies, for lowa. They drove through with three teams and arrived at Tipton the 11th of November, 1852. There they hired a house and spent the winter. In the spring they came to Tama county and entered land in township 86, range 14, the north- east quarter of section 10, the northwest of 11 and the south half of the southwest quarter of section 2, and the southeast half of the southwest quarter of seetion 3. They moved into a cabin that was stand- ing on the claim they had purchased, lo- cated on the northeast quarter of section 10. They soon built another log cabin on the northwest quarter of section 11, and Ira moved with his family to that place.
In the fall of 1854, the family were strick- en with typhoid fever and four of the seven children died within a short time. Mr. Taylor lived on his place until the spring of 1856, when he sold out and moved to Toledo, where he engaged in farming a few years and then in mercan- tile business. He is now in his eighty- fourth year, has retired from business and lives in Toledo. Giles has occupied his place on the northeast quarter of section 10. He made a frame addition to his log cabin, where he continued to reside until 1873, when he built the frame house in which he now lives.
Giles Taylor was born in Luzerne county Pennsylvania, in 1808. Ilis parents, Dan- iel and Elizabeth Taylor, moved to Ohio when Giles was a child. Mr. Taylor was reared in that State and was there mar- ried to Miss Mary Levering. They came to Tama county in company with a broth- er, Ira Taylor, in March, 1853, driving through with teams and being abont five weeks on the road. Giles settled in Per- ry township, on section 10, on which a large part of the village of Traer was platted. About one-half of his farm of 165 acres was laid out in town lots. Ilis brother, Ira Taylor, settled on section 11, and is now a resident of Toledo. Mr. Tay- lor has devoted most of his attention to farming, but has done all in his power to promote the growth and prosperity of his town. He was the first Mayor of Traer. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have four children: Zoe A., who was for a number of years postmistress of Traer and is now the wife of Dr. L. J. Kynett, of Hamburg, Iowa; Melville T., who married Miss Emily Hor-
He. It. Hearts have
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
ton; Addie E., now Mrs. David Porterfield; and Elmer E., present editor of the Traer Star.
In 1853, Samuel Dunkle, a native of Ohio, came from the township north, where he had lived about one year and en- tered the northeast quarter of the north- east quarter and the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of seetion 3. In 1854, he sold to II F. Gaston and returned to Ohio.
The same year Willard K. Snow, a na- tive of Pennsylvania, entered the south- west quarter of the northwest quarter of section 2. In 1857, he sold out and went to Buekingham and lived on seetion 36 until 1880, when he went to Kansas.
Hiram and Stephen Klingaman, natives of Pennslvania, came here from Auglaize county, Ohio, in 1854. Stephen bought Osborn's land on section 10, where he settled in 1855, and there remained until the hanging of the Bunker boys who were notorious horse thieves from Hardin county. He was arrested and an indiet- ment found against him for murder, but was released on bail and went to Texas and started up the river on a steamboat, which was lost, and it is supposed he per- ished, although it is asserted by some that he is now living in Missouri. Hiram set- tled on the northeast quarter of seetion 3, in 1855, where he lived until 1862. He now lives in Traer.
Henry Smith, formerly from Conneeti- cut, came from Mereer county, Ohio, in 1854, and entered land on seetion 5; he lived, however, in Buckingham village until 1857, when he traded for land on section 34, Buckingham township, where he lived until 1882, when he sold out and
moved to Traer, where he now lives. Henry Smith settled in what was then Buckingham township, in 1854. He is a native of Middletown, Middlesex county, Connectieut, born in 1816. About 1831, his father, Timothy Smith, removed with his family to Ohio and settled in Ashta- bula county, where he resided until his death. Henry came to Iowa from Mereer county, Ohio, by team, being on the road for twenty-one days and bringing his wife and child with him. He at once entered a farm of forty acres where John Stewart now lives, near Traer. He also bought eighty acres in Buckingham township, where he made his home and lived until in the fall of 1882, when he removed to Village of Traer. Mr. Smith was married in Ohio, to Jane La Bounty, born in Ashtabula county. Her grandparents were natives of France ; her parents re- sided in Ashtabula county till their death. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two children- Adelaide, wife of Simon M. Barnt, and Effle J., wife of C. L. Holman. Effie was born in Buckingham township, September 18, 1856, and was the fourth ehild born in the township. The daughters both reside in Sac county, this State. Adelaide has three children: Henry Smith, Jessie May and Levi R. Effie has one daughter- Jem.
Jonathan Moore, also from Pennsylva- nia, came this season and settled on sec- tion 23. In 1873 he went to Laporte, where he is now engaged in the grocery trade. Horace A. and Quincy D. Ilarts- horn from the same State, also came the same year and bought Usher's farm, and also entered the west half of the north- east of section 9, and the southeast of
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
the northwest of the same section, and the southwest of the southeast of section 4. Quincy bought land on section 4, then they returned to Pennsylvania, set- tled up their business, and in the fall, went to Illinois, where they spent the winter. In the spring they started for their new home in Iowa, coming with teams and driving some live stock. Horace settled on the land he had bought of Usher, where he still lives. Quiney settled on seetion 4, where he remained until the time of his death, which occurred in November, 1878. His family now live in Dakota.
Horace A., eldest son of Horatio and Polly (Quiney) Hartshorn, was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, May 14, 1828. Ilis boyhood's home was very near the Ohio State line. lIe remained under the parental roof until 1854, with the excep- tion of two years, which he spent in Adams county, Illinois. In 1854, however, he came west in search of a home, and entered land in township 85, range 14, now known as Perry township, in Tama county. After en- tering his land, he returned to l'ennsylva- nia, settled up his business, and in the fall went to Illinois, where he spent the win- ter. In the spring of 1855, he came baek to Iowa. He was a single man at this time, so he boarded with his brother, Quiney, while he made improvements on his land. Mr. Ilartshorn is at present largely engaged in stoek raising. He has quite a large herd of blooded stock, in which he takes great pride. He is well and favorably known in this section of the country, and has filled many offices of trust in the town. In January, 1856, he was married to Miss Philinda Kite, who bore
him two children-Horatio and Sherman. Mrs. Ilartshorn died in April, 1860. He was again married March 17, 1863, to Miss Agnes, daughter of Gilbert and Margaret (Wilson) McDowell. Eight chil- dren have been born to them, named-Jen- nie, Harriet, James, Wilson, Martha, Susie, Margaret and Mollie. Margaret was born April 7, 1866; died March 9, 1873. Mollie was born January 22, 1874; died August 18, 1875. Mr. Hartshorn has a very pleas- ant residence on seetion 4, where he is now living.
IIngh F. Gaston, William Mand, Henry Stoakes and Levi S. Cope, natives of Ohio, came here in August, 1864. Gaston entered the southwest of section 2 and bought land of Samuel Dunkle on seetion 3. William Stoakes entered the south- east of 21. Henry entered the southeast quarter of section 2, and south half of the northeast quarter of the same seetion. Cope entered the northwest quarter of see- tion 1. They all returned to Ohio after entering their land.
Gaston came back to Perry township and settled on section 2, where he now lives. lle was born in Colum- biana county, Ohio, August 16, 1822. lle spent his time in school and on the farm until he was sixteen years old and then engaged asclerk in a store in Steu- benville, Ohio, where he served for two years. lle then bought one-half interest in the store, and continued the business until four years later, when the stock was divided, and taking his share he went to Knoxville, opened a store there and re- mained in the business up to 1853, when he went to Port Homer, and there re- sumed his business. In 1854, he sold out
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