USA > Iowa > Wapello County > History of Wapello County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 35
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
but one store and a church. It had at the apex of its prosperity some fifty residences, three stores, a drug store, three blacksmith shops and a church. There were also two saloons there about thirty-five years ago.
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LOG HOUSE WEATHERBOARDED, BUILT IN 1850, POLK TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XXXIV
POLK TOWNSHIP
Polk Township is situated in the western part of Wapello County and is bounded on the north by Columbia and Cass townships; on the east by Center and Cass townships; on the south by Adams Township; and on the west by Monroe County. It comprises all of congressional townships 72, range 15, except sections 1, 2, 3 and 4. The land is high rolling prairie, which is drained by Avery and Bear creeks. There is considerable coal and some limestone. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad enters the township on section 24 and makes its exit at the southeastern corner of section 31. The township was organized in the same year that Iowa was admitted into the Union-on April 14, 1846. The first election was held at the house of Lewis Myers and the judges were H. M. Smith, Lewis Myers and James A. Wood.
It has been at this late date practically impossible to find any one liv- ing who is able to give the names of the first settlers in this township. It is known, however, that many who have already been mentioned as settling in other townships contiguous hereto, soon became residents of Polk. Among the first ones to locate here were H. M. Smith, James A. Wood, Lewis Myers and Absalom Brooks.
John Harlan came in 1849, and was one of the successful Polk Town- ship farmers. He served on the board of supervisors, and held other local offices. U. L. Harlan also settled here in 1849.
Thomas Lottridge, an Ohioan by birth, entered a tract of land in Polk Township in 1849, but did not begin farming it until 1855. This was Mr. Lottridge's home until death came to him in 1880.
James M. Chisman was born in Virginia and was a farmer by occupa- tion. He removed to Indiana at an early age, and tilled the soil until the year 1850, when he removed to Iowa, and located in Polk Township, Wapello County, where he purchased a farm and cultivated it until 1886, in which year he passed to his eternal reward. His son, Benjamin F. Chisman, married Elizabeth Wolf, daughter of B. D. Wolf, a pioneer of 1855.
Curtis Chisman came here from Indiana in 1850. He married Eleanor Brooks, born in Wapello County in 1844. J. J. Chisman located here in 1854. Curtis retired from the farm some years ago and became a resident of Ottumwa. His death occurred in 1913.
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
Andrew E. Fagerstrom immigrated to the United States in 1846. Five years later he settled in Polk Township. Mr. Fagerstrom was highly esteemed and his neighbors placed him in several local offices.
Charles Johnson became a settler of this county in 1853. He was a Civil war veteran.
William Venator settled in this township in 1853. He married Sarah M. Lindsey in 1877.
Sven Larson, after coming to the county in 1854, located in Ottumwa. The year 1857 found him on a farm in Polk Township.
Dominik Schlagater, a breeder of thoroughbred stock, located in this township in 1854. He was well known among stock breeders, and his services in judging cattle were always in demand at the local and other fairs.
John Swen was born in Sweden. He began farming in Polk Township in 1854, and was successful in his operations.
Jacob Siberell came from Ohio in 1855 and settled in Wapello County. Mr. Siberell was a member of the State Legislature.
One of the first schoolhouses built in the township was for the White Oak School. It was the traditional log cabin and was built in the north- east corner of the township.
Abner Beagle, father of the old Civil war veteran, John Beagle, moved into the township in 1853, and taught that winter in this building. He took up his residence in a clapboarded log house, which is still standing on section 36, and now owned by a son, Abner Beagle. The land was entered by Absalom Brooks, father of Mrs. John Beagle, who sold it to Zephaniah Holcomb. John Beagle attended the Thayer School in 1853. The old schoolhouse stood either on section 24 or 25, and the school was taught at that time by George Thayer. Among his pupils were his own children, three or four of Henry Kuhns', two of the Brooks family and one or two of the Ware family.
Religious services were held in the Thayer schoolhouse for several years. when a house of worship was erected by the Methodists at Christianburg, a hamlet long since out of existence.
On section 23 is Bidwell, a station on the Milwaukee Railroad, and Willard, another station, located on section 33. There are mining shafts at both places. Munterville is an old hamlet located on section 18. Here there are a few inhabitants, general store, a church and schoolhouse.
THE FIRST HEWED LOG HOUSE IN KEOKUK TOWNSHIP, WAPELLO COUNTY (The residence of the late Benjamin Young)
CHAPTER XXXV
KEOKUK TOWNSHIP
Keokuk Township was organized April 14, 1846. The first election was held at the house of William Roland, and the judges were Moses Robbins, Samuel Gray and William Roland. Its territory is composed of congres- sional township 71, range 13, with the exception of parts of sections 4, 9, 10, II, 12 and 13, and sections 1, 2 and 3. The land is rolling, and is drained by Little Soap and Village creeks. There are 14,430 acres under cultivation, yielding goodly harvests of corn, oats, wheat, hay and potatoes. Fruits also grow in abundance, and the raising of live stock is a remunera- tive industry.
The same difficulty occurs here as with some of the other townships : no data obtainable relating to the first settlers, in what part of the township they located, where they came from, where they built their first schools and churches, who were the first teachers and ministers, and, of the early births, deaths, and marriages-details always interesting to the reader of local history. The research for information of this character unfortunately has been delayed too long. Those who knew are not here to tell. This is the first attempt that any writer has made to prepare a history of Wapello County by townships and at its inception it was not anticipated that all facts required for a comprehensive detail of the salient and most inter- esting events in each township would be lacking. But such has proven to be the case in some of them. That accounts for the paucity of details in this sketch.
W. C. McIntire was born in Ohio; removed to Indiana; in 1841 he came to Van Buren County, and in 1843 to Wapello County. He was a farmer and a man of sterling parts. William A. McIntire, one of the boys, was born here in 1849. He served the county well as superintendent of schools.
Dr. James La Force located in Keokuk Township in 1843. He was a native of Kentucky and removed to Indiana. He finished his medical course in Wapello County, served in the Civil war and became prominent in his chosen profession.
D. Bower was born in Indiana. He came to Wapello County in 1845, and was one of the pioneers of this township, in which he held several public offices.
Daniel White and wife came to the United States from Ireland in
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
1836, and located in Keokuk Township, on section 28, Wapello County, in 1847. He died in 1898, and for a number of years thereafter a son, John M. White, lived on the homestead, which was his birth place.
J. M. Rupe was born in Wapello County in 1845, and married Mary J. Gee, in 1866. Mr. Rupe enlisted in 1864 in Company E, Thirty-sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry.
L. Z. Rupe came to Wapello County in 1845, from Gallia County, Ohio, having the previous year married Mary M. Smith. He was one of the early ones to locate in this township. In 1851 he was elected justice of the peace, and held the office for many years.
CHAPTER XXXVI
HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP
Highland Township is composed of congressional township 73, range 13, and contains 19,126 acres of good farm land, with considerable tim- ber in the Cedar bottom. The territory is drained by the Cedar from the northwest to the southeast, and is crossed diagonally by two branches of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, both of which enter at section 31. Highland Center, a village having a general store and a church and schoolhouse close by, is a station on the Milwaukee road, lo- cated on the line between sections 15 and 16. It has but a few inhabi- tants. The township was organized January 3, 1848, and the first elec- tion was held at the house of George Godfrey.
Among the early settlers of Highland Township were: J. W. Carpen- ter, George Godfrey, William Evans, James West, Jedediah Scott, Wil- liam Harris, Washington Williams, George Robinson, James Van Winkle, M. W. McChesney, Lewis Cobler, Joseph Kitterman and Elias Kitterman, who first located in Dahlonega Township, and then removed to this lo- cality. His son, George, who is still living, was the first white child born in the township, his birth taking place November 5, 1843.
Lewis Cobler was born in Ohio. He early was stricken with the west- ern fever, and when this part of Iowa was opened to the white man and civilization, he was one of the multitude which entered Wapello County in a rush on the first day of May, 1843. He entered a quarter section of land in Highland and Dahlonega townships, as then formed, and with his son, David, who was six years of age, in 1843, improved his farm and prospered.
Joseph Kitterman was among those who settled in Wapello County in 1843, and experienced all the hardships of a pioneer's life. He located in this township and became known as a good farmer and citizen.
Beniah Dimmitt settled in Highland Township in 1844, coming from Indiana. He was a prominent farmer and stock-raiser and passed away in 1875. A son, Beniah Dimmitt, was born on the homestead in 1864 and became well known as a teacher. He was elected county superintendent of schools in 1899. A daughter, Olive, married George Phillips, who was also county superintendent of schools.
John G. Baker was one of the first men with a family to locate in Highland Township. He arrived here with his wife and four-year-old
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
boy, J. J. McCoy Baker, in 1844, and located on a claim, which he farmed until 1860, when he moved to Ottumwa and became prominently identified in the hotel business.
William Robertson came to Wapello County from Indiana in 1847. He located in Highland Township and reared a large family of children.
W. H. Stevens was brought to Wapello County in 1847, being at the time but three years of age. The Stevens family located on a farm in Highland Township, and he remained there until 1873, when he came to Ottumwa and formed the grocery firm of Stevens & Dennis.
John G. and Thomas R. Gray located in this township in 1848.
A. V. Stevens, of Indiana, located here in the spring of 1848, and was the parent of thirteen children, among whom was B. I. Stevens, born in Wapello County, June, 1848. He married Mary M. Phelps, who was born in the county in 1855.
Silas Osburn was born in Kentucky, came to Wapello County in 1849, and became prominent in public affairs. He served in the Indiana Legis- lature, and as county judge for Wapello County six years.
Abraham Davis settled here in 1849, coming from Indiana. He was a man of progressive ideas and believed in education. He helped build the first schoolhouse in Highland Township in 1850.
Wade Kirkpatrick came from Ohio to Wapello County with his par- ents in 1850, and located in Highland Township. Within a year the family were residents of the county seat. Wade Kirkpatrick was a veteran of the Civil war, and after leaving the army ran a saddler's shop in Ottumwa. He served as a postoffice clerk under General Hedrick several terms, was county recorder, and was city treasurer.
In 1852, at the age of twenty, James Davis settled in this township. Joseph Davis came a year later. James Davis settled in Highland Town- ship, on section 23. He was a lover of fine horses and cattle and for many years engaged in the breeding of shorthorn cattle.
John McCarty settled in Highland Township in 1853.
Henry Kitterman, born in Virginia, came to Wapello County in 1853 and began farming in this township. He died in 1877. Samuel Kitter- man, a son, was eight years of age when he came to the county. He grew to manhood, was a veteran of the Civil war, and then took up farming in Richland Township.
Benjamin Dimmitt was an early settler in this township, and on the home farm, on section 33, his son, Samuel Dimmitt, was born in 1866. The latter married Louise Schertz, who came from Germany, and in 1854 settled in Dahlonega Township.
Peter Craft settled in the county in 1855 and was for many years a resident of this township, living on section I.
William Evans settled here in 1856 and became independent as a farmer.
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
Highland's first schoolhouse was, like its neighbor's, built of logs. It was presided over by James Davis, among whose pupils were quite a num- ber of Kirkpatricks. This schoolhouse was located about a half mile south of Highland Center and the school was maintained by subscription. Other children who were taught the three Rs here were Abram and Benjamin Stevens; William and Robert McCormick; George Travis; James, Guy, Amanda, Francis and Martha Gray; Rhoda and Mary McCormick; San- ford, Mary J., Wade, Elmira, Abel and Thomas Kirkpatrick. Sanford (Sant) Kirkpatrick represents the sixth congressional district in Congress.
The first church society organized in Highland Township was the Baptist, who held their first meetings in the schoolhouse. Reverend Mor- row preached the first sermon. The Baptists then built a church which . was part log and part frame. The first minister to preside here was Rev. Bird Baker.
The Methodists built a frame church at Tabor, 30x40, in 1860, and its pastor was Rev. Joseph Flint.
The first marriage to take place in Highland Township was that of Mary Jane Gray, who became the wife of a Mr. Brown.
The first child born in the township was Gwin Kirkpatrick, a son of Minor and Hannah Kirkpatrick.
The first deaths were those of Eden Lowe, Mrs. Ewing and Mrs. Shank.
CHAPTER XXXVII
CASS TOWNSHIP
Cass Township is composed of sections 6, 7, 8, and that part of sections 5 and 9 west of the Des Moines River, in township 72, range 14; also that part of section 31, west of the river, in township 73, range 14; also sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 in township 72, range 15; and sections 34, 35, 36 and the westerly parts of sections 23, 25 and 26 in township 73, range 15. The township is very irregular in shape and covers but a small territory, as indicated by the above description. Polk and Center townships are to the south of Cass. Running diagonally from north to south is the Des Moines River, which is also its eastern boundary. On the west are parts of Co- lumbia and Polk townships. The land, which is gently rolling prairie, is drained by the river and North and Little Avery creeks. There are con- siderable coal and limestone in this neighborhood.
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad crosses the river and enters the township on section 9. Following this stream, it makes it exit at the northwest corner of section 34. The Rock Island runs along the eastern border of the township, but does not enter it. The township was organized April 6, 1851, and the first election was held at Chillicothe.
In early days before the civil townships were organized a large number of settlers chose the western part of the county for their new homes. Among them may be mentioned Joseph Gardner, Moses Baker, Frank Bates, James Sales, Abram Butin, Samuel Webb, Bird Pritchett, Noah Dofflemeyer, Lewis Myers, George F. Nye, L. L. Denny, L. Stump, Samuel Bush, John Cavanaugh, William Black, Abraham Stuber, William A. Nye and A. J. Wicker.
G. F. Myers settled in this county in 1844. He lived for many years in Cass Township, where he served as justice of the peace over twenty years.
B. G. Sayers settled in Wapello County in 1844 and applied his ener- gies to his trade of carpentry. He was a veteran of the Civil war.
William A. Nye was born in Germany in 1824 and immigrated to the United States with his parents when eight years of age. In 1845 Mr. Nye came to Iowa and settled in this township, where he farmed for some years. Two years were spent in Ottumwa, while Mr. Nye served the county as treasurer. A son, George L. Nye, was born in a log cabin on the old homestead in 1845, soon after the arrival of his parents. He grew
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
to manhood, served his country in the Civil war, lived on the farm in Cass until 1869, and then moved to Agency. For many years he has been postmaster at Agency City. William A. Nye was ordained a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1861.
Abraham Stuber and his brave wife, Mary, were among the first set- tlers in Wapello County. Mr. Stuber was a German immigrant, coming to the United States in 1837. After several removals he located in this township, upon a claim of 160 acres, lying two miles southwest of Chilli- cothe. The farm was under the management of Mr. Stuber until his death. which took place in 1849.
R. M. Gibbs settled in Cass Township in 1847. He was elected justice of the peace and held other offices of the township.
Lawrence Guggerty left Ireland in 1849 and in 1859 settled on a farm in Cass Township. During the war Mr. Guggerty bought horses and mules for the Federal Government, and in 1863 located on section 31, in this township. He was quite progressive and, it is said, built the first house in Eldon.
Samuel P. Heacock came to Cass Township in 1851 and acquired a farm. In 1868 he began operating the mill at Chillicothe.
Paul Arnold settled here in 1852 and acquired a considerable body of land.
Dr. L. Campbell, a native of Ohio, settled in the township in 1854. David Cook was here as a resident in 1853.
Samuel Buchanan was a South Carolinian by birth and spent his boyhood in Indiana. After his marriage he came to Wapello County in 1855 and located in Cass Township, where he rented a farm and coal bank. Later, Mr. Buchanan bought a farm in Keokuk Township and made his residence there until his death, which occurred in 1898.
George D. White, who made a specialty of thoroughbred cattle, set- tled in Cass Township in 1854. He was counted as an industrious, suc- cessful and valued citizen.
John M. Swope became a citizen of Cass Township in 1856 and held several local offices.
What was known as the Jack Oak schoolhouse was built soon after a number of the pioneers had established homes. Its character was of the traditional log cabin kind. It was 18 x 18 feet and located in the eastern part of the township. The first teacher was said to be a man by the name of S. P. Gilland. Among his pupils were children of Silas Warren, Philip Hartley, Thomas Johnson, Samuel Bush, Jackson Gilland, Wil- liam Clark and others.
CHILLICOTHE
Chillicothe is located on section 36 and is a station on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. The village was laid out by A. J. Wicker
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
and platted in 1849. Rev. A. J. Pierce, a Methodist minister, erected the first house in the place. This region was a part of the White Breast Mis- sion, which extended from Knoxville to a point opposite Ottumwa on the west shore of the Des Moines River, hence the early presence of a clergyman belonging to the Methodist Society. A log church 18 x 20 feet was erected by the Methodists in 1849, and Rev. James F. New was the first pastor. Previous to this the society held its meetings in the members' homes. Revs. William W. Knight and M. H. Hare were among the early ministers here.
Peter Young was the first merchant. He opened a store in a building IOXI2 feet, and stocked it with a line of goods to meet the immediate needs of the settlers.
Rev. W. A. Nye, who was a local Methodist preacher, and a pioneer of the township, was the second person to engage in merchandising here, taking into partnership a son and running the business under the firm name of W. A. Nye & Son. Soon a blacksmith shop and a wagon shop were in operation.
By 1865 the town had a grist mill, which was owned and operated by J. G. and S. P. Heacock. The mill had a capacity of 300 bushels a day. It was not long after this that J. M. Hull put up a sawmill in the village.
Chillicothe was incorporated December 20, 1881, and at that time had 234 inhabitants. The census of 1910 gives the population as 181. Its general stores and shops have considerable trade, however, from a terri- tory containing many fine and productive farms. Its school is of a high order and the Methodist Church is well attended by a peaceful and law- abiding people.
LODGES
Chillicothe Lodge, No. 115, I. O. O. F., was instituted December 15, 1857, and received its charter October 14, 1858. The charter members were : J. J. Ellison, A. F. Durant, J. H. Griffith, N. W. Dowd, G. W. Dick- son, D. Henshaw and F. M. Henderson. The first officers were: D. Hen- shaw, N. G .; N. W. Dowd, V. G .; G. W. Dickson, secretary ; J. H. Griffith, treasurer.
About 1870 a lodge of the Sons of Temperance was organized but was short lived. The Good Templars then organized a lodge known as Chilli- cothe Lodge, No. 605, but it also was of short duration.
POSTOFFICE
The postoffice was established here July 20, 1849, with Andrew J. Wicker as the first postmaster. The names of his successors follow : Peter Young, September 20, 1850; Asa C. Olney, September 19, 1853; Nimrod Vol. 1-23
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
Poston, May 3, 1858; A. J. Wicker, August 15, 1861 ; J. J. Ellison, May 4, 1864; James G. Henshaw, September 14, 1870; Samuel P. Heacock, Oc- tober 3, 1871; Miss Leonora L. Johnston, April 14, 1873; S. P. Heacock, June 2, 1873; F. M. Bush, July 1, 1873; Aaron Byram, May 27, 1886; David Ray, September 22, 1886; J. A. Pinegar, March 7, 1890; Joseph S. Layne, December 28, 1893; J. A. Pinegar, November 16, 1897; A. E. Bellman, December 21, 1901; J. A. Sweeney, February 7, 1907; C. W. Peterson, March 31, 1911; Oscar W. Hasselrooth, March 1, 1913.
BANK
The Chillicothe Savings Bank began business under the state laws in 1907. Samuel Mahon is the president; W. H. Bennett, vice president ; G. E. Jenkins, cashier. The capital stock is $10,000; surplus, $3,000; and deposits, $55,000.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
WAPELLO COUNTY IN THE CIVIL WAR
THE CALL FOR TROOPS
On the 16th of April, four days following the assault on Fort Sum- ter, Gov. Samuel J. Kirkwood, of Iowa, received the following telegram from Simon Cameron, secretary of war:
"Call made on you by tonight's mail for one regiment of militia for immediate service."
That very day the governor proclaimed to the people of Iowa that the nation was imperiled, and invoked the aid of every loyal citizen in the state. The telegram above alluded to was received at Davenport. The governor was then residing at Iowa City, but there was no telegraphic communication in those days between the two cities.
It was important that the dispatch should reach the eyes of the gov- ernor at once, and General Vandever, then a civilian, volunteered to take the message to Iowa City. The governor was found on his farm, outside the city, by the self-appointed messenger, dressed in homespun and work- ing in the field. Reading the dispatch, Governor Kirkwood expressed extreme surprise and exclaimed: "Why, the president wants a whole regi- ment of men ! Do you suppose I can raise so many as that, Mr. Vandever?" When ten Iowa regiments were offered a few days later, the question was answered.
The intelligence that Fort Sumter had been fired upon, and that a sec- tion of the country was in revolt against its laws, was not long in reach- ing Ottumwa. The citizens, regardless of age or sex, were excited to the highest pitch, at the threatened dissolution of the Union. They gathered enmasse before the Courier office, eager to get the first glimpse of that paper's description of the direful event. Mass meetings were held, loyal speeches were made by eloquent and influential men, financial assistance was tendered the Government in its avowed purpose to stamp out seces- sion and bring the slave-holding states to a realization of their error. Recruiting for the war thus declared, and to furnish troops under Abraham Lincoln's call for 75,000 men, at once commenced vigorously and enthusi- astically, and Wapello County fulfilled every duty expected of her citizens.
Following is a list of the brave men, who went from her business centers ; from the marts of trade, counting rooms, law offices, factories, schools and
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farms. The names will never be blotted from the pages of history, and the memory of heroic deeds in defense of the Union will always remain clear and bright. In Ottumwa's "silent city of the dead" lies sleeping a large contingent of the Civil war veterans, in a space especially set apart and hallowed, where the flag they loved so well waves gloriously and peace- fully over their graves:
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