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 64
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Value of school-houses. $3,850.00
Amount paid teachers during the year 2,010.10
Amount expended for contingent purposes. 723.95
The first lumber in Grant township was hauled by Oliver Jencks from Burlington, Iowa. Large quantities were brought, also, from Des Moines, Ottumwa and Savannah, Missouri.
Oliver Jencks and Seth W. Robinson were firm believers in the doctrine of equal rights to all mankind, regardless of race or color. The institution of American slavery filled them with a horror and a holy indignation. So they frequently rendered assistance to colored men fleeing from servitude, which often raised excitement in the community, for the inhuman system had its defenders in those days, in Grant township, too.
There are two church organizations in the township besides the one just begun at Clearfield, of which we speak elsewhere.
The Baptists have a church at Grant Center which was organized in 1876, with the following original members: J. H. Jones, Ellen Jones, Campbell Robinson and wife, Jarvis Lovett, Ada Dean and George W. Green and wife. The first pastors were Rev. D. T. Smith and Rev. William Golding. The present pastor is Rev. I. M. Seay. The society is in a highly pros- perous condition, although the withdrawal of several of its members and uniting at Clearfield may be serious in its effects. The membership is thirty-two.
The Methodists worship at Grant Center, and give their church its name. It was organized in 1870. Its original members were George W. Dean, James Walker and wife, A. Smith and wife, Mary J. Benedict, Thomas Leonard, Sophia Knox and J. O. Eastman and wife. It has a membership of about forty, and is a growing and prosperous organization. The new town of Clearfield may draw a portion of its members. The church is now under the charge of Rev. Nye. The different pastors have been Rev. Avery, Rev. Potts, Rev. Dunbar, Rev. Horton, Rev. Mitchell, Rev. Ran- dolph, Rev. Welch and Rev. Plumb.
Grant has quite an extent of unimproved land. The number of acres and value will be seen by turning to the description of Platte township.
585
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
GROVE TOWNSHIP.
In 1857 there was but one family residing in this township, which was then a part of Marshall. It was organized in April, 1871, with Edwin Henck, now of Bedford, as clerk, and Van R. Strong, T. V. Williams and Samuel Johnson as trustees.
Grove township is one of the very best in Taylor county. Its soil is remarkably fertile, and all, or nearly so, arable. Its corn crop is simply prodigious, that being the chief product. Hogs and cattle are raised in large numbers, and are a source of wealth to the enterprising farmer who thus seeks to enrich himself.
The people of Grove township are intelligent, and for so new a one, are in "well to do" circumstances. Their interest in education commends them as a people who will bless the land in which they live. Its schools are among those most praised in the county. Since the township was organ- ized and school-houses began to dot its beautiful hillsides county superin- tendents have spoken in terms of unstinted commendation of its superior schools, and of the interest manifested in them by their patrons and by the pupils themselves. The county superintendent's report for 1880 is a show- ing that will at once strike the reader's attention. It is as follows:
Number of subdistricts.
9
Number of teachers employed.
22
Salary per month-male. $ 27.58
Salary per month-female. 27.43
Number of school months.
8
Number of children of school age
171
Number of children enrolled in school
171
Average daily attendance
95
Aveage cost of tuition per scholar
$
4.74
Number of school-houses (frame)
9
Value of school-houses.
$5,800.10
Amount paid teachers during the year
1,924.15
Amount expended for contingent purposes
795.78
The first teacher in the township was Miss Eva McCloud, who is now an instructress in one of the public schools at Bedford. The young ideas she strove to learn to shoot gathered at a small dwelling-house on T. V. Wil- liam's farm. The next teacher was Mrs. Bacon, who still lives in the town- ship.
As in Bible times so was it in Grove township. People were married
586
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
and given in marriage. The first ceremony of this character was the union of J. W. Johnson and Miss Evaline Allen. The earth still owns the happy pair, and they reside on Mr. A. M. Allen's farm.
Also was there multiplying and replenishing after the good old scriptural way, in Grove township. David Bacon was blessed with the first girl baby the doctors brought to the bailiwick. She was christened Jennie, and is now a resident of the township. James T. Johnson was the first boy born in the township. And yet there may be a mistake in this. A paper before the writer says that the first child born in this province was Van R. Strong's. Which statement is correct is not for this historian to say.
Perhaps no township in the county has settled more rapidly than Grove. · From a table published in the history of Platte township it may be seen that in the number of acres cultivated it is far in advance of many townships much older.
There is no church organization in the township. The people attend divine service at Hayden's Grove, at Lenox, and at Bethel, in Platte town- ship.
Mr. W. H. Colegrove, a citizen of Grove township, was elected a member of the board of supervisors of Taylor county at the general election in 1880. His term will expire December 31, 1883. He is a gentleman of eminent good sense and is universally popular.
Washington Burrell, who now resides in Grove township, relates a story that amply illustrates some of the difficulties the pioneers were called upon to encounter, although in this instance the hardship was not so very great. Almost any full grown, healthy man would have been happy under at least a portion of Mr. Burrell's ill luck. He was then living at Hayden Grove, in Holt township. One evening he concluded that a wooing he would go. His dulcinea welcomed him most royally, and a most happy evening was passed. But just before the " wee sma' hours " set in, when a fellow has got no business to be up with his girl, a cloud blacker thian Egyptian dark- ness covered the land, and wind, rain, thunder and lightning made a pande- monium of the outside world. In going to the home of his inamorata Mr. Burrell had been obliged to cross the One Hundred and Two River on a " foot log." This was a very easy thing to do in droughty times, but if there should be a rise in the stream of a foot or more, the log would be under water, and passage exceedingly dangerous and difficult in such pitchy dark- ness. So there was no getting home that night, and he and his sweetheart " sparked " on until day dawned. He then set his face homeward. Arriv- ing at the river he found it bank full, and his log several feet under water, even if it had not been washed away. Dutifully he returned to his lady
587
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
love, for there was no other alternative. And parenthetically, this historian would remark that it must have hurt Washington's feelings amazingly. We've been there ourself, or, at least had we been Mr. Washington Burrell, this little picture illustrates the course we should have taken. He did nothing of the kind. He disrobed, to use a polite figure of speech, and tying his clothing into a neat bundle, the pantaloons of which . contained some sixty dollars in gold, he undertook to breast the angry stream with his bun- dle hanging to his teeth. The bundle proved to be so much of an obstruction upon reaching the rapid current in the middle of the stream that either he or the package must go to the bottom. Washington loved his life, and he didn't want to break his girl's heart. So he let the gold and the unmentionable's of a man's toilet go, and he pulled to shore safely. When he got there he was just as clean as Adam ever was in the Garden of Eden, and he had just as many garments on, barring the fig-leaf. But he was equal to the emergency. At a pace that would make Maude S. open her eyes, he started for Uncle Jesse Laird's, where boys were numerous. Uncle Jesse didn't believe in girls, and there were none about the premises. Ar- riving within hailing distance Washington got behind a stump, and yelled lustily for the boys, who finally came to his relief with the necessary apparel. Mr. Burrell never found his bundle, but he says that within a few years he has learned that some laborers, while excavating for the foundation of a bridge near the scene of his loss, found a package of man's-well such ar- ticles as a man wears. It confused the laborers very much, for to their ex- cited imaginations it meant that a foul murder had been committed. Thus much for the bundle. The gold was never heard of by Mr. Burrell, who oughtn't to have gone "sparking" at all, in those early days. He should have waited till now, when the One Hundred and Two and all the streams of the county are bridged at stated distances, and by structures that defy the elements that cost him his gold and clothing. In this at least, in its bridges, Taylor county can claim preëminence. In its roads too, and Grove township especially.
HOLT TOWNSHIP.
Is divided into independent school-districts. This, itself, is proof that her schools are of the very best, and that her citizens are deeply interested in the cause of education. The system of independent schools and districts is rapidly commending itself to thinking people throughout the State, as being the best and most economical. Some counties have no other kind, and it will soon be thus in Taylor. That all may see for themselves what Holt township is doing educationally-what her standard is, we give place to the following from the county superintendent's report for 1880:
588
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
ANTIOCH.
No. of rooms in ungraded school. 1
No. of teachers employed. 2
Average number of months taught 7
Salary per month-male. $ 25.00
Salary per month-female. 30.00
No. of children of school age
41
No. of children enrolled in school 32
Average daily attendance. 22
Average cost of tuition per scholar $ 1.26
No. of school-houses (frame).
1
Value of school-houses.
$300.00
Amount paid teachers during the year. 185.00
Amount expended for contingent purposes 32.07
CHENOWETH.
No. of rooms in ungraded school. 1
No. of teachers employed 2
Average number of months taught
7
Salary per month-female.
$ 28.28
No. of children of school age ..
50
No. of children enrolled in school
35
Average daily attendance. 18
Average cost of tuition per scholar $
1.44
No of school-houses (frame). 1
. $184.00
Amount expended for contingent purposes. 12.15
Value of school-houses 100.00
FAIRVIEW.
No. of rooms in ungraded school 1
No. of teachers employed. 2
Average number of months taught 7
Salary per month-male
$ 24.28
No. of children of school age
40
No. of children enrolled in school
32
Average daily attendance 22
Average cost of tuition per scholar
$ 1.10
No. of school-houses (frame).
1
Value of school-houses. $400.00
Amount paid teachers during the year 168.15
Amount expended for contingent purposes. 93.00
Amount paid teachers during the year
589
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
GRAVEL POINT.
No. of rooms in ungraded school 1
No. of teachers employed. 2
Average number of months taught. 9
Salary per month -- male
$ 25.00
Salary per month-female. 30.00
No. of children of school age 32 No. of children enrolled in school 38
Average daily attendance 20
Average cost of tuition per scholar
$T 1.40
No. school-houses (frame). 1
Value of school-houses
. $385.00
Amount paid teachers during the year
225.00
Amount expended for contingent purposes 50.77
HOLT CENTER.
No of rooms in ungraded school. 1
No. of teachers employed. 1
Average number of months taught 7
Salary per month-female.
$ 25.57
No. of children of school age
55
No. of children enrolled in school.
36
Average daily attendance. 23
Average cost of tuition per scholar
$ 1.25
No. of school-houses (frame) 1
Value of school-houses
$400.00
Amount paid teachers during year. 179.00
Amount expended for contingent purposes 48.50
HOLT.
No. of rooms in ungraded school 1
No. of teachers employed. 1
Average number of months taught 3
Salary per month-male.
$ 27.50
No. of children of school age
31
No. of children enrolled in school
32
Average daily attendance. 11
Average cost of tuition per scholar $ 2.50
No. of school-houses-frame. 1
Value of school-houses .$200.00
Amount paid teachers during the year 82.50
Amount expended for contingent purposes. 87.49
590
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
LINCOLN.
No. rooms in ungraded school. 1
No. of teachers employed 3
Average number of months taught
8
Salary per month-male.
$ 30.00
Salary per month-female.
24.00
No. of children of school age.
39
No. of children enrolled in school
31
Average daily attendance. 22
Average cost of tuition per scholar
$
1.23
No. of school-houses (frame).
1
Value of school-houses.
$350.00
Amount paid teachers during the year 200.34
Amount expended for contingent purposes 83.65
MT. PLEASANT.
No. of rooms in ungraded school . 1
No. of teachers employed 2
Average number of months taught
7
Salary per month-female.
$ 28.14
No. of children of school age
32
No. of children enrolled in school
36
Average daily attendance. 18
$
2.90
No. of school-houses (frame). 1
Value of school-houses
$225.00
Amount paid teachers during the year
195.00
Amount expended for contingent purposes. 39.50
WINTERSET.
No. of rooms in ungraded school. 1
No. of teachers employed 2
Average number of months taught
6
Salary per month-female.
$ 22.50
No. of children of school age
40
No. of children enrolled in school
36
Average daily attendance. 15
Average cost of tuition per scholar $ 1.49
No. of school houses-frame. 1
Value of school-houses . $500.00
Amount paid teachers during the year' 135.00
Amount expended for contingent purposes 71.50
Average cost of tuition per scholar
591
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
The first settlers of Holt township came in 1850, 1851 and 1852. They were Levy Hayden and John Hayden, and their widowed sisters, Mrs. Hud- son and Mrs. Tabor, who arrived in 1851. They were from Kentucky, and moved from Taylor county to Kansas. C. N. Scott, who lives on section 35, came in 1852; John Laird, section 32, in 1854; E. W. Meredith, sec- tion 27, in 1858; S. L. Meredith, section 33, in 1856; R. H. Dunkin, in 1859; T. J. Davis, section 28, in 1858; Thomas Laird, section 33, in 1854; Daniel Leonard, section 10, 1854.
The first wedding in Holt township was the union of John Anow and M. Hudson. The first birth occurred in 1853, in the luscious month of September, and the boy was given the good old Bible name of John. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Scott, who still reside in the township. A Mr. Hudson died first, and was buried on his farm. Dr. Bent, of Bedford, and Dr. Grover, of Hawleyville, attended to the ailments of these pioneers. The township now has an excellent physician of its own, Dr. J. T. Mc- Colm.
The first religious services in the township were at Hayden's Grove. Rev. Isaac Kelly, the pioneer Methodist clergyman of southwestern Iowa, preached there in 1856, and organized a society. Elder J. M. Smith, of Bedford, began a revival there in 1857, which resulted in an organization. Elder William Cobb, of Bedford, was also among the early ministers who enunciated God's living truths to the people of this township.
The first school-house was built of logs, for a cabin, in 1855, and was do- nated to the people for school and other public purposes by Mr. G. C. Ab- bitt and Mr. John Lewis. The seats were slabs, the floor " puncheon," and the chimney made of sod. It was located on section 33. Here the first school was taught by Mrs. Churchill, who now resides in Washington town- ship.
The milling of the early citizens of Holt township was done at a dis- tance of eighty miles, except when they patronized the little " corn cracker" at Hawleyville.
In early times the citizens of what are now Holt, Nodaway and Wash- ington townships, collected and held an election. The voting place was at the farm of L. Rogers, which is now in Washington township. The ballot- box was " old " Mrs. Bank's teapot. There were fourteen votes cast, and every man. who desired an office got one. His politics were not a consider- ation at all.
The name of Holt is said to have been given the township in honor of its first clerk.
Until 1878 Holt township had two post-offices: "Dan," located on section
592
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
10, and nomenclatured thus for Uncle Dan. Leonard. In that year it was discontinued, and the inhabitants thereabouts get their mails at Corning and Holt. Holt is in the south part of the township, and is located on section 33. It is still one of Uncle Sam's stopping places. The postmaster is Mr. J. O. Tufts, a merchant. The mails are tri-weekly, and the route is from Bedford to Corning; T. J. Davis is the messenger. Heretofore Holt has been quite a trading-point, but the new railroad town of Gravity, in Wash- ington township, will probably accomplish its destruction.
Holt township has some of the finest farming lands in Iowa, and some of the wealthiest farmers. Daniel Leonard devotes himself more especially to the finer breeds of logs and cattle. One of its best citizens, a gentle- man highly esteemed throughout the county, and one of the first settlers in Holt, Rev. W. G. Meredith, died in the fall of 1878, after a lingering ill- ness. Several sons are living in the county.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP.
In many respects Jackson is the most noted township in the county. It has the first history. Up to 1851 it included all of Taylor county. The first settlers of Taylor county located in Jackson. They were Matthew Hindman and Isaac Guyll. Hindman located on section 8, and Guyll on section 14. They came in 1843, seven years before the present State line was run. In 1844, probably when there were but these two families in the county, Jesse Guyll and Martha Hindman were united in wedlock at the residence of Mathew Hindman, who was the bride's father. In 1844, after this marriage, a son was born to James H. and Melissa A. Burge. He was given the name of William Thomas Burge. Pasetta Guyll was the first girl baby that visited the county or the township. Alexander Guyll died in 1844 on section 14, and was buried on the same. The physician who
ministered to the physical ailments of the people in those early times was Dr. Torrence, of Maryville, Missouri, who is now dead. The first religious services were held at Matthew Hindman's; Alexander Spencer furnished the sermons. He was of the Methodist denomination. The first school was taught in 1845, on section 15; fifteen pupils attended. The teacher was Smith Haubble. His compensation was two dollars and fifty cents for each pupil for three months; in other words, he taught fifteen scholars three months for $37.50. This was raised by subscription. The first school- house was built on section 15, in 1845; it was made of round logs; the plaster was mud-pure and undefiled. The people built it for themselves and their children. The public was to no expense in the matter. That was thirty-six years ago-a long time. The old school-house-the first in
593
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
Taylor county-is no more. Not the vestige of a log remains to mark the place where it stood when the kingdom of Taylor was the home of the sav- age, the beasts and the birds. The next school-house was built by a Mr. McGuire in 1855, at a cost of two hundred and fifty dollars. It was loca- cated near Mr. Daniel Hoover's. The first teacher, after Haubble, was John C. Meehan, who taught on Mr. B. B. Hoover's farm. Mary Edmiston wove the first cloth.
The nearest neighbors that the Hindmans and Guylls had, lived fifteen miles distant, and that was in Missouri. After six months, immigration brought one or two families a trifle nearer. Whatever necessaries of life that were required which their guns did not bring them, or that were not raised, could not be obtained nearer than St. Joseph, Missouri. This was a distance of seventy-five miles, over streams that had never seen a bridge, and across prairies that had never dreamed of roads. To cross a stream, shallow water with a pebbly bed must be hunted, and the divides were taken as roads from one house and from one place to another.
The soil of Jackson township is well adapted to farming purposes. For stock raising it cannot be excelled in the county. Honey Creek, which is quite a stream runs down its west side. It is fed by several small trib- utaries. The west branch of Platte River takes in the larger part of its eastern boundary.
James Gartside, who came to the county in 1850, and located there, was one of its most prominent citizens. He died at Red Oak, Iowa, in 1877, and an entire county mourned the loss of a man universally esteemed. He left a widow and four children who live in the county. The daughter married Mr. Joe Turner, who resides in the township.
George Larrison came in 1857, and John W. Wood, a man passionately fond of horticultural pursuits, and eminently successful in them, in 1855. He lives in section 17.
Daniel Hoover settled on section 9, in 1854, and has been a prosperous. farmer, and a well known and popular citizen throughout the county for many years. His brother, B. B. Hoover, came about the same time.
The Methodist church has an organization at Straight school-house. It
was organized at the Forest Grove school-house in an early day, and was removed to the Straight school-house. It has a membership of seventeen. Rev. T. P. Newland is the pastor. A successful sabbath-school is also con- ducted there.
Jackson township ranks fairly in educational matters. Following is the superintendent's report for 1880:
18
594
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
No. of subdistricts
4
No. of teachers employed. 9
Salary per month-male. 29.25
Salary per month-female. 29.25 4
No. of school months
No. of children of school age
191
No. of children enrolled in school 142
Average daily attendance. 80
Average cost of tuition per scholar
$ 1.55
No. of school-houses (frame)
4
Value of school-houses $3,000.00
Amount paid teachers during the year 936.00
Amount expended for contingent purposes 270.32
.
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
John H. Gear, governor of this State, says : "Iowa is the new Mas- sachusetts in her care of education." The governor might have made his expression yet stronger by asserting that when all things are con- sidered Massachusetts is far behind Iowa in the fostering care shown educational interests. For example, could any Massachusetts township when not more than twenty-three years of age have presented such edu- cational reports as these which follow of Jefferson township? Can Mas- sachusetts find a country township after its hundreds of years of existence that can excel it very largely? Jefferson township is divided into inde- pendent school-districts, of which there are six, as follows : Big Spring, Hope, Mormontown, Platte River, Platteville and Works.
In 1880 the superintendent of county schools reports them for that year as follows:
BIG SPRING.
No. of rooms in ungraded school. 1
No. of teachers employed . 3
Average number of months taught 8
Salary per month -male $ 35.00
Salary per month-female. 24.00
No. of children of school age 51
No. of children enrolled in school 51
Average daily attendance. . 42
Average cost of tuition per scholar $
.58
No. of school-houses, (frame) 1.
Value of school-house. $620.00
595
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
Amount paid teachers during the year. $ 238.00
Amount expended for contingent purposes. 23.91
HOPE.
No. of rooms in ungraded school 1
No. of teachers employed. 2
Average number of months taught
7
Salary per month-male.
$ 30.00
No. of children of school age.
19
No. of children enrolled in school.
28
Average daily attendance. 12
Average cost of tuition per scholar $ 2.30
No. of school-houses (frame) 1
$825.00
Amount paid teachers during the year
214.50
Amount expended for contingent purposes. 49.26
MORMONTOWN.
No. of rooms in ungraded school 1
No. of teachers employed 1
Average number of months taught 8
Salary per month-male. $ 40.00
No. of children of school age. 65
No. of children enrolled in school
65
Average daily attendance. 40
Average cost of tuition per scholar $ .99元
No. of school-houses (frame) 1
Value of school-houses . $420.00
Amount paid teachers during the year 320.00
Amount expended for contingent purposes 85.15
PLATTE RIVER.
No. of rooms in ungraded school. 1
No. of teachers employed. 2
Average number of months taught. 7
Salary per month-male
$ 30.00
Salary per month -- female. 29.00
No. of children of school age 21
No. of children enrolled in school
30
Average daily attendance 12
Average cost of tuition per scholar $ 1.53
No. of school-houses (frame)
1
Value of school house.
596
HISTORY OF TAYLOR COUNTY.
N
Value of school-houses . $400.00
Amount paid teachers during the year 180.00
Amount expended for contingent purposes 4.37
PLATTEVILLE.
No. of rooms in ungraded school. 1
No. of teachers employed 2
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