History of Taylor County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. : a biographical directory of many of its leading citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, history of Iowa and the Northwest, map of Taylor County, Constitution of the United States, reminiscences, miscellaneous matters, etc, Part 59

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Des Moines : State Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 868

USA > Iowa > Taylor County > History of Taylor County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. : a biographical directory of many of its leading citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, history of Iowa and the Northwest, map of Taylor County, Constitution of the United States, reminiscences, miscellaneous matters, etc > Part 59

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To insure the protection of the citizens of the border counties the gen- eral assembly, at the extra session of 1862, directed the organization of the Southern Border Brigade, the name of which is suggestive of its ob- jects and the men who composed it. But the necessity of some kind of concerted action had been previously known, and in early October, 1861, the adjutant-general of Iowa called attention to the matter of protecting the border. This was done in general order number forty one, as fol- lows:

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, 2 STATE OF IOWA, Oct. 3, 1861. 5

SIR -- The present condition of affairs in Missouri are such as to render it prudent for us in Iowa to be prepared for possible reverses there. Should the rebels gain the battle soon to be fought there it is not improbable they may endeavor to enter our State. We should be prepared to meet this emergency. To this end two things are necessary-organization and arms. In order to effect an organization in your county you are hereby appointed to organ- ize into companies and regiments all able-bodied men in your county liable to perform mili- tary duty, under chapter seventeen of the acts of the extra session of 1861. These companies and regiments as thus organized are only for the defense of the State, and cannot be trans- ferred as such to the service of the United States .; If, however, companies are organized in your county for the United States service you will not interfere with such organizations, but afford them all proper facilities. Report to the adjutant-general, at Davenport, each regi- ment, as soon as organized, and commissions will be forwarded. You will perceive by the law that companies may consist of not less than forty, or more than one hundred men. En- deavor to have each company filled to the highest number.

As you are aware, the State is not properly armed, nor arms be had at present by the State; under these circumstances you will require every man in your county having private arms to report the number and kind of arms he has. Double-barreled shot-guns and hunting rifles, although not the best, are good arms in the hands of brave men. If arms of this kind

*See report adjutant-general State of Iowa, 1863, vol. 2, p. 877.

+This fact was one eagerly seized upon by many whose patriotism manifested itself in a desire to escape service at the front. Here was an opportunity to acquire fame, without the hardships of actual warfare.

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HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.

are in the hands of persons in whose families there are not men liable to military duty, you will have such appraised and receipted for in the name of the State, to be paid for if lost or injured, or not returned; and when you deliver the same to any company take bond from the captain for the same at the appraised value, keeping a correct list to show the owner of each arm and the captain to whom delivered. The captain will take from the privates to whom arms are thus delivered bonds for the same. 1

Of each regiment thus organized two companies may be mounted men, or two companies of mounted men may be attached to each regiment. The force thus organized is strictly for the defense of the property and homes of its members.

Every man must furnish his own clothing, horse and equipments, and all will hold them- selves in readiness to march at a moment's notice. As soon as a regiment is organized you may call it together for one day's drill, and then dismiss the men, after having perfected ar- rangements for calling them together again with the least possible delay in case of emerg- gency. Understand for yourself, and have all others understand, that the work hereby en- joined is especially for your and their own protection, and let your action be prompt, decided and earnest.

By the commander-in-chief.

N. B. BAKER, Adjutant-general of Iowa.

This had its effect, and organizations, impromptu, were perfected in va- rious of the border counties. But it was the above-mentioned act of the general assembly that give to this undertaking the impetus which insured success. In pursuance of that act enlistment books were opened and names began to be enrolled. The entire number of enlistments in the Southern Border Brigade was seven hundred and ninety-four, an average of 79.4 to each border county.

During the progress of the war, and while the excitement ran highest, every stranger was regarded as a renegade or a spy; every company of two was made the object of the most vigilant military espionage, and " suspi- cious characters " figured largely in contributing to the general excitement. That these attentions were as often unwarranted and unjust as proper and correct, will now be admitted, and in view of this the continued anxiety of very many reputable citizens can be pardoned them.

The First regiment western division Iowa volunteers was organized July · 3, 1861, and was composed of volunteers from Adams, Montgomery, Page and Taylor counties.

It was officered by John R. Morledge, colonel; L. T. McCoun, lieuten- ant-colonel, and David Ellison, major. These persons were all commis- sioned by Governor S. J. Kirkwood. The regiment made three expeditions into the State of Missouri, in July, August and September, of 1861. The first was July 5, 1861, when it was called out by citizens of Nodaway county, Missouri, who had become alarmed at certain vague reports that the Confederate forces were marching to overpower them and drive them from their homes and from the State. The only matter of moment was the

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HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.

"capture of a secession flag," which was subsequently presented to the gov- ernor of Iowa, at Bedford, and a few prisoners who had refused to take the oath of allegiance. On the tenth of the same month large numbers of Con- federates were reported as gathered in Gentry and Worth counties, Mis- souri, and threatening the southern border of Taylor county. Nothing re- sulted from this expedition, save the capture of another secession flag. The third expedition was as uneventful, and no blood was spilled in any of the three.

The organization of the Southern Border Brigade was, perhaps, the out- come of these independent volunteer organizations. At all events, it was their successor.

Under the date of September 11, 1862, the governor addressed the fol- lowing instructions to R. A. Moser, of Lexington, Taylor county, with ref- erence to this brigade:

EXECUTIVE OFFICE, IOWA, September 11, 1862. R. A. Moser, Lexington, Taylor county :

SIR-A law has passed the general assembly authorizing the organization in your county and other border counties, of a company of men for home defense against guerilla bands from Missouri. The law will soon be published, and you will be able to see its provisions and learn its objects. I desire you to enlist the company for your county.

I am informed that in some of the border counties there are men whose loyalty is doubtful, and whose sympathies are with the rebels. Such men must not be admitted into the com- pany. I will not, if I can avoid it, be instrumental in placing the public arms in the hands of any man whose devotion to the government in this hour of peril is doubtful. I do not mean by this that none but Republicans shall be enlisted. I only mean just what I say, that your company must consist of open, known, unconditional supporters of the government and of the Union, and I hold you responsible if you accept this service, that you enlist none others. Your company can consist of not less than eighty nor more than one hundred men all told. When you have enlisted the minimum number you will call the men together and have them elect one captain, and one first lieutenant, and report the names to the adjutant general, who will issue commissions. The men are enlisted to act as mounted men when their ser- vices are needed, and each man must furnish his own horse, saddle, bridle, blankets and clothing. It is not intended these men should all be on constant service. A few men from each company will daily act as scouts, and the others are to be at home holding themselves as minute men. Please also report to me at Iowa City your action in this matter.

I trust you will feel it to be your duty to do this work and to do it firmly and thoroughly. It is for the defense of your own county, and the service should be promptly performed. If for any reason you cannot act in this matter, please hand this authority, indorsed by you, to some man who will do it in the manner herein set forth, and report his name and post-office address to me immediately.

Very respectfully

SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.

In pursuance of this letter of instructions, company B, Fourth Battalion of Southern Border Brigade was duly enrolled. The total rank and file numbered ninety-seven men, and were the following named persons: John

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Flick, captain; David Smith, lieutenant; W. S. Hamilton, orderly sergeant; A. P. Evans, bugler;

Privates-J. C. Adams, J. S. Boyd, George Banes, Elihu Baker, James Burge, Jeremiah Beall, Enoch Beachamp, M. W. Burk, Daniel Blake, N. J. Blake, George Ballou, Edwin Brown, J. W. Burk, John Banes, J. B. Campbell, J. Cole, G. B. Cadle, E. A. Coon, J. E. Cooksey, John Cooksey, R. E. Dilley, Jesse Dale, I. C. Everitt, Jesse Evans, E. W. Fouts, A. Fonts, A. Flick, J. A. Golding, Thomas Grear, James Gartside, Gilbert Goldin, J. Huddleston, T. Herrington, E. Hawk, C. H. Haun, Daniel Hoover, M. Hause, Thomas Hutson, John Helm, L. D. Hatfield, G. W. Hatfield, S. J. Hall, Wil- liam Hindman, S. U. Hindman, R. M. E. Hicks, L. W. Hillier, Edwin Houck, J. A. Hawk, L. D. Hair, Oliver Jenks, D. Johnson, Cary Knox, J. V. Ly- ons, R. A. Mosier, J. C. Meekan, James Mathers, James Martin, William Mahan, C. C. Moler, John Morgan, T. Mc Crackin, J. Morgan, W. P. Med- als, J. D. More, Oliver Nash, F. H. Perkins, E. Parker, O. Perkins, J. C. Ray, W. W. Ray, Daniel Perkins, Jacob Reed, H. Rockwell, E. T. Smith, J. J. Scott, Cyrus Sweat, James Sickels, J. S. Sleath, J. R. Stanley, A. Stephens, William Swomley, D. Underwood, John Vanhouten, A. J. Wal- lace, James Wallace, R. B. Wallace, James Walters, T. Wolverton, I. Wal- lace, J. W. Wood and Caleb Wilson.

There seems to have occured no disturbance in this county of sufficient note to warrant an official communication to the adjutant-general relative thereto, as actually was the case in Fremont, Ringgold, Van Buren and Davis counties. Intense excitement, at times, swept over the county, but nothing of a real warlike character ever occurred. But the events that called these organizations into existence are a thing of the past, and while they are recorded in history, it is not the desire nor the intention to arouse again the feelings of enmity and hatred which long since should have been banished from the hearts of men.

THE PRESS OF TAYLOR COUNTY.

The kingdom of Taylor has been blessed with as many newspapers, prob- ably, as any county in the State. To-day it has the Argus, the Taylor County Republican, and the Iowa South- West, at Bedford, with now and then a Taylor County Democrat. At Lenox is the Time Table, and at Conway the Champion.

The oldest newspaper in the county is the South-West. About the first of October, 1857, Edwin Houck, one of the first settlers of the county, wrote to J. M. Dixon, of the Des Moines Register, asking him to send a

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HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.

inan to Bedford to start a newspaper. After some delay Joseph H. Turner, who had been living at the capital for several months, made a trip to Bed- ford to view the ground. He found it a village of perhaps three hundred inhabitants, and the county sparsely settled, with from three hundred to four hundred voters. Satisfactory arrangements were made whereby suffi- cient financial backing was furnished by E. Houck, A. Ballou and E. W. Fouts; and after many delays and discouragements the press was purchased at St. Louis. It was shipped by the Missouri River to St. Joseph, but be- fore reaching that point the "big muddy" was a sheet of ice. However, the type and press finally reached Bedford, and on or about the first of February, 1858, the Iowa South- West made its first appearance. It was a six-column folio of fair typography, and having all the work of the county, aided by the hard times of 1857, which gave it a large amount of legal work, it was soon on a substantial basis. In 1859 George Moser was taken in as a partner, and the business was conducted for several months by Tur- ner & Moser, when Turner sold out his interest to Moser. Turner then commenced farming on one hundred and sixty acres of land, six miles south- east of Bedford, on Honey Creek. At the outbreak of the war he enlisted as a private in company F, of the Twenty-ninth Iowa infantry volunteers, Colonel Thomas H. Benton, Jr., commanding. He was made sergeant- major of the regiment at its organization, and afterward first lieutenant of company F. He served as captain and acting assistant adjutant-general on the staffs of Generals Rice and Solomon in Arkansas and at Mobile. At the close of the war he returned to Bedford, and in January, 1867, re-com- commenced the publication of the South-West, which had been suspended for a time. After a few months Mr. Turner sold his paper to Mr. S. Lucas, the present proprietor, and went to Missouri, where he started the Wakanda Record, an eight-column folio paper, and Republican in politics. On the 24th of April, 1868, the office was entirely consumed by fire with no in- surance. In four weeks thereafter he had another office in operation, and after years of hard work he had succeeded in getting an establishment worth about $6,000. Then came another fire, January 19, 1878, wiping out every- thing, except an insurance of $1,500 that was upon the office. Owing to some complications in the business, it was not again started until August 17, 1878. This time it was launched out as the Carroll Record, with Jo- seph H. Turner as editor and proprietor, and it continues in the same name and under the same proprietorship. From the first it has been a staunch Republican paper, although published in a Missouri county having four hundred Democratic majority.

This much of personal history seems to be due Mr. Turner, he being the

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first publisher of a newspaper in Taylor county, one of its early settlers, and identified with its history. The old South- West has survived its in- fancy, and has grown to be a journal of power and usefulness. Soon after purchasing Mr. Turner out, Mr. Lucas associated with him in the publica- tion of the South- West a Mr. Patrick, of Fairfield, who had considerable ability. Afterward Mr. G. N. Udell was a partner with Mr. Lucas. In 1872 Mr. Lucas became sole proprietor again, and from that day to this has had the entire ownership. Prior to 1872 the South- West was stalwartly battling for the principles of the Republican party. That year it got tinctured with Greeleyism, and hasn't been back to the old fold since. It has been the advocate of grangerism and anti-monopoly -- in 1876, Tilden- ism; and since, it has espoused the cause of the Greenbackers. Mr. Lucas is honest in his political convictions, and advocates them with much earn- estness. Under his management the South- West has won deserved popu- larity and success, and will so continue. In material it is finely equipped, the paper and job presses being run by steam.

In 1872 G. N. Udell started the Bedford Argus. The first issue bears date of August 1st of that year. He was a brilliant writer, and at once made the Argus readable and powerful. Saturday, February 22, 1873, it was destroyed by fire. Mr. Udell lost no time in putting in a new and better outfit. The next issue bears the date of April 10, 1873. Soon after he sold the Argus to Dr. M. C. Connett, who employed A. J. Cook and C. W. Connett to run it. In about three months Dr. Connett disposed of it to the Hale brothers-John and William-who ran it nearly, or about two years. William Hale had charge of the office, and he did some work ed- itorially. that is rarely surpassed in excellence. But disease was preying upon a constitution that was not rugged. He was compelled to dispose of the office, which he did, and died in the latter days of 1876. Dr. J. D. Morris purchased the Argus of the Hales in 1876. In September, 1876, he sold a half interest to John D. Smith, who had long been foreman of the office. January 12, 1877, George H. Powers, for many years editor of the Clarinda Herald, bought Dr. Morris' interest in the Argus. In June, 1877, he purchased the remaining interest-Mr. Smith's. In September, 1877, he added to the office material a power press and many founts of type of new design. Mr. Powers continued in charge of the Argus to March 1st, 1880, when it passed into the hands of a stock company of the follow- ing gentlemen, where it still remains: W. E. Crum, J. R. Van Fleet, O. B. Thompson, P. C. King, C. H. Dow, George H. Powers, M. C. Connett, Sid. Schram, H. McConvill, Mark Atkinson, E. D. Kepner, W. F. Evans, L. W. Fairbanks.

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HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.

At the first meeting of the stockholders, George H. Powers was elected editor, W. F. Evans, treasurer and manager, and O. B. Thompson, P. C. King and C. H. Dow directors. In the early part of 1881 Mr. Powers re- signed the editorship and W. F. Evans was chosen in his stead, and was reelected treasurer and manager. The old board of directors was also re- elected. Under this management the Argus is steadily gaining in useful- ness and substantial strength. Its patronage is daily growing and its subscription list is all genuine, numbering on its roll the best citizens of the county.

The Taylor County Republican began its career with the fifth day of January, 1878. It was started by two practical printers who had enjoyed abundant experience in an editorial capacity. The proprietors were Mr. James M. Pierce and Mr. Albert G. Lucas. Mr. Pierce had ably con- ducted the Grant City (North county, Missouri) Star and the Hopkins (Missouri) Journal. Mr. Lucas afterward edited the Star above mentioned with signal ability. Both gentlemen now own the Hopkins Journal. From the first the Republican has had the most flattering success. It has the county and city printing, and boasts of having the largest circulation of any paper in the county. Its claims are doubtless true. At any rate it is ed- ited with rare excellence, and is a special favorite with the people of Taylor county. Both gentlemen are its editors-both are ready and graceful writ- ers, and there are few better in Iowa. The Republican is well supplied with all the advantages of invention that money can purchase for an office. Probably it has more and better material than any printing establishment in southwestern Iowa, although the Argus and the South- West are gener- ously equipped.

In January, 1880, Mr. John V. Faith, who won considerable local fame as editor of the Chariton Leader, began the publication of the Taylor County Democrat. Mr. Faith has newspaper ability and he put it unstintedly into his Democrat. Every issue was red hot and brimful of intelligence served in a manner so rich and spicy that everyone wanted to see it. But Taylor is a county where Democrats do not congregate numerously; and so the Democrat has not had that encouragement which it has so clearly earned. Let us hope that the future will have for it brighter skies.

During the war a paper was published at Bedford, whose name the "old- est inhabitant" isn't certain concerning. Mr. E. Houck thinks it was the Taylor County Tribune, he informs us in a note. He says: "After Mr. Turner severed his connection with the South- West it was continued for a time under the same name by Mr. George Moser, when the material was sold by the sheriff. The paper was revived again about the year 1862 by

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HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.

a man by the name of Earll. I do not remember his given name, nor do I remember the name of the paper, but think it was the Taylor County Tribune. The paper was subsequently conducted for a time by a gentle- man named James Akin. I think Mr. Lucas purchased of Akin." And still there must have been another paper issued from Bedford during the war. Some old settlers say that there was a Taylor County Republican. The writer knows that sometime along in the early sixties a brother of Maj. E. B. Shoemaker, who was then editing the Clarinda Herald, was publish- ing a paper at Bedford. We have heard the major mention it frequently, but do not remember the name of his publication. It also occurs to us that an old settler by the name of David Atkinson was interested with Mr. Shoemaker in the enterprise.

Conway has a Champion edited by John W. Scott. It was commenced September 4, 1879, under the name of the Conway Neutral. After a year or more Mr. Scott gave it its present name, converting it into a stalwart Republican journal. It is a lively and entertaining paper, and has vigor- ously and with success labored to promote the interests of its home town.

The Lenox Time Table was started by Townsend & Lupton and dates back almost to the day when its city was born. Townsend soon sold his interest to H. Lupton, who remained sole proprietor until May, 1880, when Mr. George Van Houten bought a half interest. The partnership was of short duration. Mr. Van Houten retired, and Mr. Lupton continued alone in the ownership. In the spring of 1881 he sold the paper to Messrs Barnes & McGregor who are now conducting it. They make of it a first-class jour- nal, as Mr. Lupton always did.

Mormontown had a newspaper in 1877-the Motor, published by M. A. Farr, who is now in Nebraska engaged in the same business.

TOWNSHIPS, TOWNS, AND THEIR GROWTH.

In the chapter entitled "Township Organizations," a brief sketch of the township system is given, in which its origin is shown to have been in Massachusetts as far back as 1635. As there noted, in several of the States, including New York and Michigan, the township system is quite inde- pendent in its organization and functions-as independent of the county as the county is of the State. They collect their own revenue; provide for their own schools; take care of their own indigent; make and keep in re- pair their own roads, bridges, etc. Where this system prevails it works well, and is more in consonance with our general form of government. The closer civic affairs are brought to the people the more interest they take in

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them, the better they understand them, and the safer they are from the en- croachments of the few, who too often seek, and do control them like com- merce in the great market centers, to their own advantage, and, not in- frequently, to the detriment of the people. In England, where the local civic affairs are managed by a few-by the landed aristocracy of the shire or county, and where the masses of the people have very little to say or do, smaller subdivisions would not work well, for the landed interests would rather endanger it, if they were permitted to have a voice in local matters. But in this country, under our republican form of government, it is differ- ent. Here there is no landed aristocracy; here the day laborer has a voice equal with the millionaire in the management of the political affairs of the country; hence, the closer these affairs are brought to the masses of the people, the safer they will be.

It will be observed that the growth of the various townships of the county since their organization, as shown in the chapter on "Township Organiza- tions " preceding, and of which this is really a continuation, has been rapid and prosperous. From the wild prairie as it was received from the red man to fine farms, with their meadow land, blooming fields of grain, and herds of cattle, is the work of the toiling husbandman throughout all these townships, and in some of them, wherever the steam horse has made his way, thriving towns have grown up, as a result of this development, which the pioneers made an easy possibility.

BEDFORD TOWNSHIP,

as elsewhere stated, embraces the city of Bedford and the independent school-district of Bedford. How this territory was organized into a town- ship has been explained in other parts of this work.

The city of Bedford was located in March, 1852, by a board of commis- sioners appointed for that purpose, under an act of the legislature. It is pleasantly situated on the west bank of the East One Hundred and Two River, on a gently rolling second bottom, the ground on all sides rising into the form of an amphitheatre and affording many beautiful and com- manding building sites. The first house was built by O. W. Fenno, and the second by Edwin Houck. In 1854 the business of Bedford had not grown extensively. E. Houck was in business, and M. N. Thornton and S. A. Cadle under the firm name of Thornton & Cadle. Thornton & Cadle had a small stock of goods. During the fall of that year D. Under- wood furnished them with a stock of goods. A Mr. King, of Savannah, Missouri, had a stock of goods in Bedford, also. Junius Bent, a brother of the late lamented Dr. Bent, was his clerk. Speaking of Dr. Bent calls to

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Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Des Moines : State Historical Co. Number of Pages: 868

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Des Moines : State Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 868