USA > Iowa > Wapello County > History of Wapello County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 31
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holders refused to pay the amount of their subscriptions and withdrew. Those who remained in the enterprise secured money to put up the improve- ment and opened a toll bridge which became a source of no little profit to them. The company was incorporated and at one time had the following officers : James Nosler, president ; S. A. Welch, treasurer; Elijah Quillen, secretary ; directors, H. H. Williams, J. T. Wiley, Joseph Roberts, Sr., and Mary Ives. The bridge of course was a great convenience and an improve- ment over the ferry but it eventually became a source of dissatisfaction to the people of the locality and a movement was inaugurated to built a county bridge. The people and the board of supervisors of Wapello County were perfectly willing to expend their share but Monroe County was not in favor of the innovation. Finally the Legislature's assistance was sought and obtained through and by which Monroe County was forced to join in the construction of a steel bridge, for which the contract was let and in 1887 the present structure across the Des Moines River at Eddyville, consisting of four spans of 165 feet each in length, was built and opened to the public. The cost was about twenty-five thousand dollars, two-thirds of which was paid by Wapello County and one-third by Monroe County. The first bridge was a wooden truss affair with a draw for vessels on the Wapello side. While negotiations were pending between the two counties in regard to a new bridge, an ice gorge swept the old structure away and while the present bridge was building the citizens went back to the primitive ferry.
EDDYVILLE INCORPORATED
Eddyville was incorporated as a town in the spring of 1857, and held its first election Monday, May Ist of that year. The initial officers returned by the electorate were: Dr. F. H. Buck, mayor ; E. L. Smith, recorder ; F. R. Manning, treasurer ; Benjamin S. Slemmons, marshal.
CITY HALL
The officials for many years met for deliberation in rented rooms but in 1895 a two-story brick building was erected as a city hall, at a cost of about three thousand dollars. The ground floor is arranged for the fire department and jail and a large room has been fitted up for the library. On the second floor are the council chamber and general purpose rooms. The fire department is a volunteer organization having for its apparatus a hand pump, hose cart, hook and ladder and about five hundred feet of hose. The town is policed by one man, who has the title of city marshal.
MUNICIPAL LIGHT PLANT
In 1902 Charles F. Sturtevant, of Evanston, Illinois, was granted a fran- chise to erect an electric light plant, which was built that year at a cost of
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about eight thousand dollars. Under the franchise the city of Eddyville was given the privilege of leasing the plant and at any time to purchase it. The builder mortgaged the property and the notes were held by the Manning & Epperson State Bank. In a short time the town came into possession of the plant and eventually paid off the notes. About four thousand dollars additional has been spent on the utility and an outlay of $3,000 more is anticipated on additional equipment, so that the town can give a continuous service. The plant is installed in a brick and cement power house.
WATERWORKS
Eddyville has not what may be termed a modern system of waterworks. A number of years ago, however, mains were run through the principal streets and connected with a system of springs by the father of Mrs. Ida Rowe, who established the convenience, which gives to a limited number of patrons a pure, delicious water for drinking and culinary purposes. The leading men here, however, fully realize the necessity for a greater supply of water. The project of building a system of waterworks is now quite prominently before the people of the community and it is only a question of a short time before they will have this modern convenience and a sewer system also.
POSTOFFICE
The history of Wapello County, published in 1878, states that while J. P. Eddy was running his store at Eddyville in 1843, he was made post- master and that he was the first one to hold the position at that point. It is possible that Mr. Eddy, being of an enterprising spirit, undertook to handle mail for the people of that vicinity, but there is no record at Wash- ington of his ever having been appointed postmaster at Eddyville. The first one to hold the position at this place was William R. Ross, whose commission was dated September 12, 1844, that being the time the office was established. The names of his successors follow: Stephen Roberts, February 2, 1846; R. C. Warriner, June 12, 1849; B. F. Anderson, Septem- ber 23, 1850; Michael Welch, August 22, 1853; J. T. Cook, April 2, 1861 ; C. E. Phillips, October 8, 1861; E. L. Smith, December 30, 1861 ; Aaron Melick, May 10, 1865; John Wilcox, April 16, 1869; E. M. Fausnaugh, October 22, 1879; Anderson Crosson, August 25, 1885; John M. Ryan, March 25, 1889; Jacob Kussart, Jr., June 28, 1893; William W. DeLong, July 16, 1897; Josiah M. Crosson, February 9, 1909; Frank Kussart, July 23, 1913.
LIBRARY
As early as the year 1849 there was established in Eddyville what was called the Eddyville Mutual Institute, the objects of which were municipal
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improvement and discussions of scientific and literary subjects. The pro- moters of the institute were Homer D. Ives, who was Eddyville's first law- yer; Rev. Mr. Hitchcock, Doctor Fish, R. W. Boyd, W. H. Dunlap, Walter Clement, H. H. Williams, W. M. Allison, Robert Coles and W. H. Cross. The members met on stated occasions and participated in reading essays on various subjects and often listened to lectures by persons of ability invited for the purpose. In the meantime quite a number of books was collected, which was the first attempt at establishing a library in the place. The society went out of existence about 1856, at which time the collection of books was scattered. About 1896 an effort was again made to revive interest in a public library and a number of the worthy and energetic women of the town put forth every effort to further this end. Entertainments of various kinds were given to raise funds and a library association was organ- ized January 9, 1897. The first president was Prof. F. S. Thompson ; sec- retary, George Elliott ; board of directors, Mrs. Sarah Lafferty, Mrs. F. M. Epperson, Manita Harper and W. R. Nelson. In the year last mentioned the city authorities undertook to maintain the library and since then levied a tax for that purpose. A room in the city hall was set apart for the library, which now has a collection of books numbering 1,100 volumes. The institu- tion is very liberally patronized as shown by the fact that for the last fiscal year its distribution of books numbered 4,540 volumes. The present officers are: President, Mrs. M. E. Bell; secretary, Fannie D. Wing; librarian, Miss Pearl Fields.
THE SCHOOLS
Columbia Township was not more than established when J. P. Eddy built the first schoolhouse, in 1844, already referred to. It seems that a school board was also organized that year, which was composed of Walter Clement, Heman Snow, Doctor Nosler, James Workman, and David Camp- bell. As far as can now be ascertained, the next school building was erected in 1867. This was a splendid brick structure for the time and cost $18,000. Its ground dimensions were 64x50 feet, three stories in height, with base- ment. The schools of Eddyville have always been maintained on a high plane and now rank among the best in Wapello County.
CHURCHES
Reverend Kirkpatrick, pioneer in Methodism in Wapello County, preached in the schoolhouse built by J. P. Eddy in 1844 and became the pas- tor of the church, which was organized at that time. A house of worship was erected by this society in 1848, the first building erected for religious pur- poses in the place. It was an ordinary frame affair and stood until 1862, when it was replaced by a brick building at an outlay of $4,000. This
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RED MINERAL SPRINGS INN, EDDYVILLE
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, EDDYVILLE
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
building remained until 1901, when it was destroyed, with all the other build- ings in the block, by fire. That same year a new edifice took its place-a modern brick building, which probably cost all of six thousand dollars. The society is one of the strongest in the community and its pastor is Rev. J. H. Koch.
The Congregational Church was organized February 18, 1845, by Revs. B. A. Spaulding and Daniel Lane, also J. A. Reed and Erastus Ripley, members of the Iowa Band. The charter members were: William Dunlap, Jane Dunlap, Richard Long, Albert Long, Elizabeth Long, Elizabeth McCall, Isabella Dunlap and W. H. Dunlap.
The first sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Spaulding in the Sac and Fox council house, which was still standing, at the point now known as Second and Bridge streets; the congregation was made up of both whites and Indians. In those early days the church had a hard struggle to exist, the settlers all being poor. However, the American Home Missionary Society paid the larger share of the pastor's salary until 1862, when the local society became self-supporting, under the ministrations of Rev. Daniel Lane. In 1849 funds were secured and a church building erected. The structure was subsequently sold to the Baptists and in 1862 a new house of worship was built at a cost of $3,600. This building, a view of which appears in this volume, was remodeled in the latter part of 1909 and rededi- cated March 13, 1910, under the pastorate of Rev. Lucy Whittier Carter.
The names of the pastors who have served this church follow: Revs. B. A. Spaulding, L. B. Marsh, George B. Hitchcock, J. T. Cook, A. D. French, Daniel Lane, William Windsor, J. M. Chamberlain, Dutton, Row- ley, Foster, Tomes, Hand, Hughes, Carl W. Hempstead, Lucy Whittier Carter, John T. Steele, S. A. Martin and James L. Jones, who came early in 1914.
In the spring of 1914 a building standing on a lot adjoining the church was bought for a parsonage.
Two of the early members of this congregation are still living-Mrs. Gervais Fais, who entered the church in 1859, and is living with her daugh- ter, Mrs. Minnie Reed, in Greeley, Colorado; and Mrs. J. N. Elliott, who joined in 1863, and is still an active member of the church.
The Baptist Church was first organized by Rev. Moses H. Post in the early '40s, and kept up the interest in the work until about 1846, when he removed to Pella. In 1865 the present church organization came into exist- ence and among the charter members were A. B. Bush, Mrs. Rhoda Briggs, Isaac Riggs and a Mr. Montony, who was one of the deacons and fur- nished material for the building of the first church, for which he took a mortgage from the trustees. This obligation was eventually met through the efforts of A. B. Bush and Mrs. Briggs, who made a canvass and raised the money for the purpose. Eventually the church building was sold and the present one-a frame building-erected.
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In the early days this society and the one at Pleasant Corners engaged ministers under a mutual arrangement, the same pastor preaching in both pulpits. Among the ministers of this church are Reverends Cornelius, Bush and Yard; the later ones are: Reverend Alexander, who was here in 1906; he was followed by Rev. Perry Silvara, who remained but a short time and was succeeded by Reverend Barton, in December, 1907; Rev. S. E. Wilkins, . who came in May, 1908; Reverend Pruett, in November of the same year ; Reverends Eldridge, H. H. Williams and Goad, and the present pastor, Prof. Ransom Harvey, Jr., who holds a chair in Pella College. The society is small, having fifty-nine names on the church roll, but only fifteen active members.
The Christian Church at Eddyville was organized in a small brick build- ing, which at the time was used as a schoolhouse and which stood across from the Rock Island Depot, on the 2d of July, 1857. The charter members were Robert Oldham, Nicey Oldham, Carson Whited, Abigail Whited, Sam- uel Vance, Rebecca Vance, Aaron Oldham, Mary Oldham, Elizabeth Wroth, Mary Bassinger, Elizabeth Morgan, Susan Benedict, Louisa McCurdy, John Kirfman, Lydia Kirfman, Peter Kirfman, Elizabeth Kirfman, George Old- ham, Martha J. Carr, Margaret Littrell and Eleanor Holmes.
The first elders of the society were Carson Whited and Aaron Oldham; deacons, Robert Oldham and Samuel Vance ; and clerk, George Oldham.
In the year 1859 the society built a frame house of worship, which was remodeled and enlarged in 1898. Some of the earlier pastors of the church are: Reverends Noe, Jacob Creath, Jr., G. T. Garrett, N. E. Cory, N. A. McConnell, G. T. Carpenter, William Thompson, Freeman Walden, William Cowley and Job Combs. The present pastor is Rev. S. K. Coats, who took charge early in the year 1914. The present membership numbers about one hundred and thirty-five. In connection with the church there is a pros- perous Sunday school, Christian Endeavor Society and Woman's Auxiliary Society.
The Seventh Day Adventists have a society here, organized August 8, 1886, in a tent, with a membership comprising the following named: Cassie Baker, Catherine Burt, Ree Stoner, Jennie Watkins, Hattie Clark, Joanna Dixon, Mary Hitabidel, 'Nelia Bamer, Mary Northrop, A. P. Heacock, E. J. Morgan, Amanda Medowes. The following named were taken into the church one week later: J. H. Robinson, Letitia Robinson, Neoma Secress, Eliza J. Gray, Alice Steel, Rose Evans, Myra Thomas, William B. Miles, Maggie A. Miles, Mrs. M. C. Heacock.
The society continued to worship in a tent until winter came on when they purchased a church building of the Presbyterian Society, a brick struc- ture, standing near the Rock Island Depot. The present membership num- bers twenty-one.
The Church of Christ was organized in 1892 by W. P. Gray, Martha E. Gray, Jacob Yoder and Sarah, his wife; George Mahaffey, and Elizabeth, his
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wife; Alfred and Sarah A. McMahan, Mrs. Lewis Townsley, Mrs. Rebecca Bowden, Mrs. Kenister and Mrs. Ella McNeese. Elder W. P. Gray held the first services and remained with the church ten years. The same year the church was organized a house of worship was built which cost the society about eight hundred dollars. It is a frame, hectagonal in shape. There are ten active members.
St. Mary's Catholic Church was established here fifty years or more ago, through the efforts of Father John Kreckel. The first pastor was Father Feely. At one time the church had a strong following, which has now dwindled down to fourteen families. There has never been a resident priest, mass having been held for the greater part of the time by an attending pastor from Oskaloosa. There have been two church buildings, both frame. Father M. W. Vaughn, stationed at Eldon, holds mass here once a month.
The latest religious body organized in Eddyville is the First Reformed Church, which came into being in 1909, through the efforts of Rev. F. B. Manson and certain of the sect living on farms near by. The members, all of whom are Hollanders, built a neat appearing house of worship and dedi- cated it in the summer of 1910. The property cost $4,000. Reverend Man- son accepted another call after a pastorate here of three years and for a few months past the pulpit has been vacant.
SOME FACTS
The Town of Eddyville now has a population of about one thousand two hundred. It is an important station on the Rock Island and M. & St. L. railroads, sixteen miles north of Ottumwa. The mercantile establishments are equipped with stocks of goods that meet the desires and demands of a people accustomed to the best the markets afford. There are good schools, fine churches, active fraternal lodges, safe and sound banking institutions, a weekly newspaper, well organized commercial club, a library well patron- ized, a Chautauqua Association, Opera House, a band and a baseball team. Two companies have a lucrative trade in sand pumped from the bed of the Des Moines River, and stone quarries and coal mines furnish employment for a number of men.
The Woman's Civic Improvement Club, organized in 1911, has done a great deal toward beautifying the town. The worthy women comprising its membership, through their efforts, built and paid for a cement walk in the city park, and also a cement walk from the city hall to the wagon bridge. This includes an approach to the bridge of the same material. The club now has in contemplation the erection of a pagoda in the park for the convenience of Eddyville's excellent band.
FINANCIAL
S. T. Caldwell established a private bank along in the '6os, which was still in operation at the time of his death in 1878. That year the mercantile firm
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of Manning & Epperson, composed of Calvin Manning and F. M. Epperson, began taking deposits to accommodate their patrons. At the time they were located in a brick structure on the river front, built by Edwin Manning in the '50s, where he kept a general store for many years. The banking business of Manning & Epperson increased with the years and on February 10, 1902, they incorporated the Manning & Epperson State Bank, with a capital stock of $30,000. Associated with them at the time of the incorporation were H. G.
True, Grant Cowley, John Jager, and I. S. Riggs. The first officials of the institution were: F. M. Epperson, president ; Calvin Manning, vice presi- dent; H. J. Wing, cashier. Mr. Manning resigned from the presidency in 1904. At the same time John Jager was elected president and F. M. Epperson, cashier. Previous to this, however, Calvin Manning had served as chief executive of the institution from some time in 1902 until 1904. The present officials are: John Jager, president; Frank Epperson, vice presi- dent; and F. M. Epperson, cashier.
Soon after the bank was incorporated under the state laws, the present home of the institution-a two-story brick with brown stone front-was erected on the corner of Walnut and Third streets. The bank is a United States depository for postal savings and its capital is still $30,000; surplus and undivided profits, $30,000; and deposits, $400,000.
The Eddyville Savings Bank began operations December 3, 1906, as a private concern under the management of Homer Miller, H. B. Allfree, W. H. McElroy, L. A. Andrew and Walter T. Hall. The concern was incor- porated under the laws of Iowa as a savings bank, November 25, 1908, with a capital stock of $10,000. The incorporators were W. L. Hays, H. G. True, D. W. Ward, E. L. Bay, L. A. Andrew, Walter T. Hall and W. H. McElroy. The first officials were: L. A. Andrew, president ; Walter T. Hall and H. G. True, vice presidents ; and D. W. Ward, cashier.
On November 6, 1911, W. T. Hall, D. W. Ward, L. A. Andrew, W. H. McElroy and H. B. Allfree disposed of their stock to H. H. Harold, and previous to the incorporation Homer Miller had withdrawn his interests. In 1910 H. G. True was elected president, and with him at the head of the institution the official list is completed with the addition of A. Stuber, vice president ; H. H. Harold, cashier ; and D. W. Ward, assistant cashier. The capital is $10,000, and deposits, $200,000.
CLUBS AND FRATERNAL ORDERS
Eddyville Commercial Club was organized in 1905 and had the follow- ing officers : O. F. Seifert, president ; W. G. Shinn, vice president ; George L. Gillies, secretary ; J. S. Oldham, treasurer.
The Fortnightly Club was organized January 7, 1894; and the Woman's Civic Improvement Club was organized in 191I.
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WARE HOUSE
PORK
EARLY DAY PACKING HOUSE AT EDDYVILLE
STOVE STORE
EDDYVILLE IN AN EARLY DAY
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
John Wilcox Post, No. 138, G. A. R., was organized February 28, 1883. The charter members were F. M. Epperson, A. M. Lafferty, J. C. Logan, R. M. Young, W. A. Edwards, Hiram McKim, D. H. Hudson, Silas Chase, William Allison, W. A. York, William Spencer, H. C. Beamer, F. R. Barnett, J. P. Totman, W. L. Palmer, J. M. Ryan, E. G. Wellman, O. H. Vance, Samuel Stuart, J. B. Mummert, Nathaniel Totman, John Kirkpatrick, H. M. Sparks, H. G. True, John Jager, J. M. Welch. Its present members are but few and they are becoming less year by year. They meet at irregular intervals in Masonic Hall.
Eddyville Lodge of Odd Fellows was chartered July 5, 1850, and had the following initial members: John Kline, Doctor Warner, Doctor Buck, William H. Dunlap and Walter H. Cross. On December 6, 1873, the home of the lodge was destroyed by fire, with all of its contents. In 1874 the lodge obtained a new charter.
Eddyville Lodge, No. 74, A. F. & A. M., was organized June 5, 1856, the charter members being William Thompson, W. M., Thomas Ogden, D. W. Corwin, Henry Graves and James Sherrod.
The other lodges of Eddyville are as follows: Order Eastern Star, Eddyville Chapter, No. 99, organized May 12, 1891, with sixty members; Eddyville Camp, No. 1837, M. W. A., organized November 23, 1892, by William M. Brunt, Charles Kussart, Jacob Kussart, Jr., John W. Linder- man, Edwin M. Lester, Henry G. Mathews, John S. McMahon, Ed Rector, Fred W. Schafer, Charles J. Schafer, and William T. Steinhoff; Unity Camp, No. 2020, Royal Neighbors, organized March 3, 1900, with thirty- five members ; Pleides Lodge, No. 15, K. P., organized November 16, 1886, with ninety-six members; M. B. A., No. 342, organized November 28, 1904, with thirty members; Homesteaders, organized in 1906.
Photo by C. H. Shearer
PUBLIC SCHOOL. AGENCY
Photo by (. H. Shearer
STREET SCENE, OLD TAVERN TO THE RIGHT, AGENCY
CHAPTER XXVII
AGENCY TOWNSHIP
This township is composed of sections 19, 30 and 31, of congressional township 72, range 12; also sections 1, 2, 3 and that part of 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 north of the river in congressional township 71, range 13; also sections 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, and 36, in township 72, range 13. The north end of the township is fine prairie land, which has been so improved that many fine farms are in evidence. The middle part is hilly but good grazing land. There is also considerable timber. Several coal mines are open among the hills. Alpine Mine is situated near Cliffland. There is also good stone for commercial purposes. The bottom land is very rich. Corn, oats, wheat, hay and fruits grow in profusion. The number of acres farmed is 11,180. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad enters the town- ship on section 31 and leaves it at the southwest corner of section 27.
The civil Township of Agency was organized April 16, 1851, with the polling place at Agency. Jesse Brookshire, Thomas Wilcox and Norman Goodspeed were judges at the first election which was held that spring.
The establishment of the Sac and Fox Indian Agency in this locality under the command of Gen. Joseph M. Street, in 1838, was the forerunner of the settlement of the locality by whites. In April, 1839, General Street arrived with his family and took up permanent quarters here. Other white people soon followed him and an interesting account of the Indians in this reservation and the pioneers who first came to this locality, penned by Maj. John Beach, who succeeded General Street at the time of his death in 1840, appears in another part of this volume. The history of the agency is prac- tically that of the township. The building of pioneer homes and stores was commenced here and established. "It is a fact not generally known," relates S. B. Evans, in the Wapello County History, published in 1901, "that the buildings and improvements of the old Indian agency were made through the aid of slave labor. The contractor was a Missourian, who owned a large number of slaves and who brought them into the territory of Iowa and held them here to service and labor during the erection of the agency buildings."
At the time, and very soon after the opening of the "New Purchase" in May, 1843, many settlers came into the township. Among them were James Weir, who later was elected probate judge; James Stevens, S. S. Dwire, Charles F. Harrow, Joseph Myers, William H. Cogswell, Jesse Brookshire, Reuben Myers, H. B. Hendershott; there were also the sons of General Street-William B., Alexander and J. H. D. Street.
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
Other pioneers who should be mentioned were Edward and Charles Dud- ley, Walter and Hugh Connelly, John Fullen, J. S. Wheaton, H. C. Humbert, Maj. S. J. Creamer, H. C. Van Zant, Samuel Wilcoxen, John Q. A. Dawson, John Phillips, George L. Nye, David Farnsworth, N. A. Woodford, Charles Connelly, J. M. Murray, David Sautbine, George Reynolds and his sons, J. T., W. C. and W. H. Reynolds.
Maj. John Beach was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, February 22, 1812. He was appointed a cadet at West Point Military Academy, from which he graduated at the age of twenty, in 1832, receiving a commission as second lieutenant in the First Regiment United States Infantry, under Capt. Zachary Taylor, who became President of the United States. Upon the death of Gen. Joseph M. Street, in 1840, Major Beach received the appointment of agent to the Sac and Fox tribe of Indians and filled the office with much credit to himself and the Government until 1847, when he was obliged to resign, as his hearing had become seriously affected. From 1847 to 1863, Major Beach engaged in mercantile pursuits in Agency City and from the latter year until his death, which occurred August 31, 1874, devoted himself to literature. In 1851, Major Beach married Caroline Sprague, daughter of a pioneer, who located first at Walnut Grove, in 1845, and in 1849, at Agency City. Two years after the death of Major Beach she became the wife of John Hannawalt, a carpenter, but continued to live in her old home, which was the first brick residence erected in Wapello County.
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