USA > Iowa > Wapello County > History of Wapello County, Iowa, and representative citizens > Part 14
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Mr. Friend purchased Mr. Duffield's interest in 1893, and changed the name of the paper to the Eldon Forum. The paper is prosperous under Mr. Friend's management.
On August 18, 1850, at the town of Black Hawk, Van Buren county, opposite lowaville, Pulaski Lodge, No. 28. 1. O. O. F .. was es- tallished, with 12 members. The location re- mained unchanged for more than two years, when, in October, 1852, the lodge was taken to lowaville, and the name changed to lowaville Lodge, No. 28. In 1863 it suspended work. and so remained until May 26, .872. when 13 1:cmbers, viz .: W. II. Cross. J. E. AAlverson, B. F. Welch. T. M. Taylor, T. P. Kelley. T. Barnes, T. B. Allen, J. Beatty, E. T. Roland. D. Yeoder, J. C. Nelson, J. W. Nicholas and W. 11. Nicholas, of Magnolia Lodge, No. 24. of Agency City, were granted the privilege of removing the lodge to Eldon, and changing the name to Eldon Lodge, No. 28 The charter, in accordance with the above, was granted Oc- tober 17. 1872, and, on the 27th of December, of that year, the lodge was removed to Eldon. There is a post of the G. . A. R. and a lodge of the A. F. & AA. M. in Eldon.
The young town has met with more than its proportion of losses by fire. The first heavy fire occurred on the morning of November 22, 1875. It broke out in the Valley Hotel, in a building used as a saloon. The Parker House adjoining was next to take fire. This building was not used as a hotel. but two of the lower rooms were occupied as grocery stores and some of the upper rooms were also used for j various purposes. The wind changed and
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
threw the flames toward the Ashland House. which was the property of the C. R. I. & P. Railroad, and was a very fine building, used as a depot hotel. The railroad ticket office and freight depot were the next to suffer, and were entirely consmed. The landlord of the Ash- land House was the heaviest individual loser by this fire. Very little of his personal property was saved. The total loss by the fire was not far from $10,000. The second heavy fire be- gan June 13. 1876, in J. D. Baker & Son's store, which was in a building owned by Peter Faust. The flames were communicated to the buildings on the southwest. occupied by Mike Shanahan, thense to William Iluston's proper- ty, and thence to the lowa Hotel, which was occupied by N. W. Mckee. The total loss was probably about $9,000, with $3,500 in- surance. In 1891 a fire destroyed a number of buildings. The losses were as follows: Ritz, $1,000; George Earhart. $1.500; Dr. J. W. La Force. $2.000; L. Guggerty, $3,000; De Ford & Croddy. $1.500: partially insured. In 1892 the Phoenix Block was burned, with the following losses: \. J. Sheffer. $3.000: II. C. Mason, $7.000: William Nick, $1,800: Eldon Review, $1.000: milliery. .. $500; two grocery stores, $1,600: partial insurance. In 1893 fire destroyed the Depot Hotel, kept by Mr. Mosely, who lost $3,000; the loss on the building was $2,000 ; partially insured.
On the night of February 1. 1897. the Bradley Bank. J. L. Foungker, cashier, was en- tered by burglars and the safe robbed of $7.000. Two of the robbers were convicted and sent to prison.
AGENCY CITY.
The earliest records of the beginning of Agency City are related in other parts of this volume. The town owes its origin to General Street, the Indian agent, who selected the lo- cality as a suitable place for the Indian agency. General Street was the first Indian agent, but he died in 1842, and was succeeded by his son- in law. Major Beach. A sketch of the lives of these two worthy men is incorporated in this work. The town began in 1843, soon after the "New Purchase" was opened for settle- ment. The first store was opened by Shaphat Dwire, who became the first postmaster. Rev. B. A. Spaulding organized a Congregational church there. in 1844. Rev. Thomas M. Kirk- patrick organized the first class in Methodist circles, Olive Branch Lodge, No. 21. A. F. & .A. M .. was instituted June 6. . 850: the first officers were: C. P. Yeoman. M .: William Griffin, S. W .: S. E. Griggs, J. W. : Luther M. Davis, S. D .: John Wiley, J. D. : James Weir. secretary: John Priest, treasurer: William Griggs, tiler. Magnolia Lodge. No. 24. 1. (). O. F., was instituted October 27. 1852. The Encampment was chartered October 21. 1874. Gen. E. F. Winslow Post. No. 107. G. A. R. was organized November 28, 1882, and the following officers installed : Post commander. Capt. E. G. White: S. V. C .. Engene Chilson : J. V. C. William J. Allen : Q. M. J. T. Rex- nolds; surgeon. Dr. D. A. La Force : chaplain. W. 11. II. Smith: O. D .. J. Q. A. Dawson; O. G .. E. T. Mlen : adjutant. H. B. Wagers : ser- geant major. J. S. Dunbar : O. M. S., II. C.
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
Humbert. General Winslow took a great in- terest in this post and made valuable donations to it. Dr. M. L. Davis is the present adjutant and contributed the facts relating to the history of the post.
The oldest known plat of the town is dated November 10, 1848. The charter to the town was granted by County Judge J. H. Flint, January 6, 1859. The application for incor- poration was signed by a committee composed of J. Q. A. Dawson, B. B. Allen, J. T. Rowe, Thomas Lyon and Joseph R. Myers. The first election was held in March, 1859, and the fol- lowing named officers were elected: Mayor. Jesse Brookshire: recorder, J. H. Cartwright : trustees, J. Q. 1. Dawson, Edward Dudley. Samuel Packwood. M. Hixon, E. D. Black : marshal, E. F. Hoffstatter: treasurer. J. S. Wheaton. The mayors since that time have been Gideon Myers, R. Banks, J. T. Rowe, J. Q. A. Dawson, Joseph Myers, E. G. White, N. A. Woodford, Eli Allen, William Shadford. W. D. Horton, Robinson Myers. A. Roberts, A. L. Chamberlin, H. C. Humbert and J. F. Newell. The following have been the post- masters since Dwire : Joseph Myers. Dr. Johnson, H. B. Wagers, who served fourteen years, E. T. Sage, J. T. Reynolds, John Fullen and George L. Nye, who holds the office at present.
Van Zant. Major Beach, Thomas Wilcoxson. John Q. A. Dawson, John Phillips, George L. Nye, David Farnsworth. N. A. Woodford, Charles Connelly, James Stevens, J. M. Mur- ray, David Sautbine and George Reynolds and his sons. J. T., W. C. and W. H. The most prominent citizen of Agency, who has made a mark in civil life, was Hon. Charles Dudley, who was born near Bangor, Maine, September 16, 1813. and died at Agency City. August 25, 1880. Mr. Dudley came to the county in 1844. He represented Wapello county in the 11th, 12th and 13th general assemblies; was temporary speaker of the 12th assembly ; chairman of the claims committee of the 12th and 13th, and was a member of the ways and means committee. He guarded the State treas- utry so closely that he was given the name of "Economy" Dudley. In 1871 he was appoint- ed a member of the board of capitol commis- sioners, charged with the duty of erecting the new state house, involving an expenditure of a million and a half of dollars. In each public position he served with ability and rugged in- tegrity. Mr. Dudley was a man of more than ordinary force of character and was honored and respected by men of all political parties. He was a leading member of the Free Will Baptist church and contributed liberally of his means to church purposes.
„Among those most prominent as citizens of It is a fact not generally known, that the buildings and improvements of the old Indian agency were made through the aid of slave labor. The contractor was a Missourian, who Agency City and Agency township, there were Edward and Charles Dudley, Walter Connelly. Hugh Connelly, John Fullen. J. S. Wheaton. II. C. Humbert, Maj. S. K. Creamer, H. C. i owned a large number of slaves and he brought
WAPLLLO COUNTY SCENERY-Eetween Sugar Creek and Agency City.
A channel is out by the water, several inches & p. int schlich I. m . in the elapsed since the ruling mulet began its work
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them into the Territory of Jowa and held them here to service and labor, during the erection of the agency buildings.
At Agency City, in the Fullen Grove, is held the annual meeting of old settlers. Those who have gathered there in the past will not forget John Fullen, owner of the grove, who always took such an interest in these reunions. Hle was a good citizen in all the word implies.
The first newspaper published at Agency - City was the Newsboy, by William Axline, in 1869, which paper was discontinued. The next paper was the Independent, by C. L. More- house : in 1875 the paper was managed by W. F. Moeller. On February 14, 1878, Charles J. Best became proprietor. During the time Mr. Best was publisher he published Major Beach's narrations, and if he had done no more than this he is entitled to the gratitude of the people of Wapello county for his thoughtfulness and enterprise. The paper is no longer published.
EDDYVILLE.
J. P. Eddy, of Warren county, Ohio, was the first settler on the site of the present Eddy- ville : he was an Indian trader and opened a store in 1841, and sold scalping knives, sad- (les, calico, beads, coffee, sugar and other articles to the Sac and Fox Indians, who were located on the Des Moines river. Hard Fish was chief of the band that was located near Eddy's trading point. Mr. Eddy had a grant from the government to 640 acres of land, and he laid off 160 acres of it into a town plat, and called it Eddyville. It lies in the corner of
Wapello, Monroe and Mahaska counties. Mr. Eddy remained there until 1844, when he re- - moved to St. Louis. Ile was the first post- master of the town. Mr. Eddy built a school house and donated it to the town that bears his name. He converted his Indian trading house into a store for white settlers, but sold out the stock to E. D. Fish. Richard Butcher was a clerk for Mr. Eddy in the trading house days, and afterward established a store of his own in connection with William Cox, the firm name being Butcher & Cox. The first commissioners to represent the county were elected August 18. 1844: they were James M. Montgomery, Lewis F. Temple and Charles F. Harrow. J. 11. Benedict came to the locality in 1843; he built a sawmill and was elected justice of the peace. He joined in marriage the first couple. -James Wilson and Catharine Steele. In 18.17 the town had increased to 20 families, and Benedict built a gristmill. in connection with his sawmill. Among those who had settled there were J. T. Wiley. Nicholas Scribner, Walter Clement, the surveyor, William Dun- lap. B. H. Palmer, David Campbell, Robert Akins, James Amos, Richard Butcher, Dr. Fish. Milton Fish, W. T. Caldwell, Dr. Nosler. Dr. Ross, Homer D. Ives, William Cox, Mar- tin Tucker. John B. Gray, Joseph Roberts and R. W. Boyd.
Martin Tucker opened the first hotel in an abandoned Indian wigwam; this was about 1843 or 1844. The first physicians were Dr. Ross, in 1843: Dr. Fish, in 1845; and Dr. James Nosler, in 1840. The first blacksmith- ing work was done by J. W. Caldwell and J.
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
T. Wiley. In 1843 a steamboat passed by on the way to Fort Des Moines, with soldiers for the post. A. J. Davis ran a flatboat to St. Louis in 1847, and in 1849 another flatboat "sailed" for St. Louis under the command of Captain Carnes. In 1855 B. H. Palmer equipped the "Ben Buster," a sloop-rigged ves- sel, with sails, laden with produce, and made the trip to St. Louis and returned after many days. The first child was born to Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Caldwell; it was a son, named George. Walter Clement was the first school teacher and surveyor.
John M. Fish was the pioneer in the lumber business, in 1860; he must have prospered, for he started the first bank in Eddyv.lle three years later. Joseph Perry made wagons as early as 1853. There was a pottery conducted by J. M. McNamee in 1847, which existed until 1851. There was a woolen mill in 185', conducted by James Brady : the motive power was oxen, on an inclined wheel. The first toll bridge was built in 1855-56, at a cost of $30,000, by a company consisting of Dr. Nosler, S. .. Welch, Elijah Quillen, Il. II. Williams. J. T. Wiley, Joseph Roberts, Sr., and Mary Ives.
The Eddyville Mutual Institute was or- ganized in 1849, with such men bers as Homer D. Ives, Rev. Hitchcock, Dr. Fish. R. W. Boyd, W. II. Dunlap, Walter Clement. II. H. Williams, W. M. Allison, Robert Coles and W. H. Cross. The first town election was held on Monday, May 1. 1857. The following offi- cers were elected: Mayor, Dr. F. H. Buck; recorder, E. L. Smith: treasurer, F. R. Man- ning : marshal, Benjamin S. Slemmons.
Mr. Eddy built the first church edifice, which was free to all denominations. The Methodists built in 1848, and erected a brick church in 1862. Rev. B. A. Spaulding, one of the "Iowa Band." came in 1844 as a missionary of the Congregational denomination ; he labored until 1849, when he was relieved by Rev. Hitchcock. Rev. J. G. Schafer, a Lutheran minister, began his labors in 1844, and in 1855 the society erected a building. The Bap- tists were organized under Rev. Moses 11. Post. but in 1846 or 1847 he went to Pella. where he died. Rev. Post was a fair example of the missionary spirit of the Baptists ; prior to the time he came to Eddyville, he was a pioneer preacher in Davis county. The Cath- olies established a church at Eddyville, through the efforts of Father John Kreckel; the first priest was Father Feely.
The I. O. O. F. Lodge was chartered July 5. 1850, its members then being John Cline, Dr. Warner, Dr. Buck, William H. Dunlap and Walter Il. Cross. The charter and all the records were burned December 6, 1873, and in October, 1874, a new charter was granted. Eddyville Lodge. No. 74. 1. 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 charter was burned De- cember 6, 1873, and renewed soon after. John Wilcox Post, No. 138. G. A. R., was organized February 13. 1883. with the following charter members: F. M. Epperson, A. M. Lafferty, J. C. Logan, R. M. Young, W. A. Edwards, Hiram MeKim, D. H. Hudson, Silas Chase,
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William Allison, W. A. York, William Spen- cer, 11. C. Beamer, F. R. Barnett. J. P. Totman, W. L. Palmer, J. M. Ryan, E. G. Wellman. (). H. Vance, Samuel Stuart. J. B. Mummert, Na- thaniel Totman, John Kirkpatrick, H. M. Sparks, HI. G. True, John Jager, J. M. Welch.
The public school records were destroyed by fire prior to 1873. Walter Clement had taught a school at an early date : it is on record. however, that on August 25, 1858, a school meeting was held. Peter Knox, T. C. Ogden and Daniel Zollars were present. In 18 )7 a school house was built at a cost of $18.002. Exklyville has always maintained public schools in line with the march of progress.
J. W. Norris established the first newspa- per, the Free Press. August 11, 1853; it was neutral in politics: upon Mr. Norris' retire- ment, he was succeeded by J. V. Meeker. Ben- jamin HI. Palner then became proprietor, with William H. Allison as editor. The paper was then called the Commercial. Robert McGone- gal leased the office, and continued the publi- cation of the Commercial for a time: it was discontinued after three years of life. J. T. Cooke then started the Observer, but it soon ceased to exist. Melick & O'Connell started the Star. published it about three years, and sold it to Charles Sherman; it was discontin- ued. In 1868 Melick & Bitner started the In- dependent, but it soon suspended : the material was sold to a Mr. Straight, who started the Des Moines Valley Gazette. Maj. John Wil- cox bought an interest, and Mr. Straight re- tired ; Major Wilcox conducted the paper until 1872, when it was discontinued. In February,
1860, William L. Palmer, son of Benjamin H., established the Advertiser, a Republican paper. In June, 1865 W. A. Fast and J. T. Sherman began the publication of the . Advance, a Demo- cratic organ ; it was changed into a Greenback paper, Mr. Fast retired and A. Cross became identified with the paper until the office was destroyed by fire in November, 1873. The Eddyville Tribune became the sucessor of all these publications; it is now in its fifteenth year and is published by W. W. Delong, the postmaster. There have been so many changes in the newspapers that it has been very difficult to obtain accurate information. It is believed that the above statement is substantially cor- rict .
Eddyville has been blessed with men who have been enterprising enough to do all that seemed necessary for public uses and to supply public demands. Mills were erected at an early day, for grinding corn and afterward, wheat. The Riggs, father and son, have been engaged in the milling business since 1805 : in 18 ; John M. Fish, Robert Cooper and George Bliss & Company built the Star Mills, at a cost of $20,- 000. Manning & Caldwell were the propri- ctors of a pork packing house, in 1855, which was operated until 1875. B. Walz started a brewery in 1868, but it no longer exists.
Three fires of considerable magnitude have afflicted Eddyville. The first occurred in 1866, destroying the depot buildings and two freight warehouses, involving a loss of $50.000. On December 6, 1873, fire destroyed the store of Fish & Dunlap, the store of Dunlap & Com- pany, store of S. T. Caldwell, Chamberlin's
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
store, and the house of Roberts Brothers. The depot of the C. R. I. & P. Railroad was de- stroyed in 1875. Other fires of more or less importance have occurred since. The fire which destroyed the stores of Manning & Ep- person and of D. Il. Harper and Mr. Kibley's bakery, took place April 4. 1888. The bridge over the Des Moines River was erected by the Seevers Manufacturing Company, of Oska- I the mines, however, were abandoned and the loosa, in 1887. Samuel T. Caldwell died Au- gust 25, 1878. The flood of 1851, in the month of May, is memorable in the annals of Eddy- ville and all the country adjacent to the river. It is said that the water rose to the height of 35 feet above low water mark. Eddyville was DAHLONEGA. almost entirely submerged and the people sought safety on the bluffs and in the upper The town of Dahlonega is in the township of the same name; it originated soon after the county was opened for settlement, in 1843. and became quite a business center, claiming at one time a population of about 300, with three stores, a tavern and two small pork packing houses. Dahlonega at one time aspired to be the county seat, and petitions were circulated to effect that purpose, but Ottumwa held the position that nature designed it to hold, and Dahlonega languished. It is now but a hamlet, but it is in the midst of a rich agricultural region, inhabited by thrifty farmers. It was the seat of the famous "Dahlonega Disturb- ance," which is mentioned elsewhere. story of a mill. In 1861 Johnson, a Virgin- ian, stabbed and killed Vance; it was the re- sult of a dispute as to the cause of the Civil War. Johnson was acquitted: he was found dead, two years afterward, by the road side, about to miles south of Ottumwa. There was another murder committed in 1862, growing out of war troubles. Harding shot and killed John Powell. a Kentuckian. Harding was ar- rested, but escaped and entered the Union army, where he attained the rank of captain. In the autumn of 1862 a Mrs. Craven shot and killed James Humphrey. The woman escaped by what was regarded as perjury on the part of a witness, and was not even indicted.
KIRKVILLE.
Kirkville is in Richland township, one of the first organized ( in 1844) in the county, and
is a rich agricultural region. The first re- ligious society organized was the Methodist church by Rev. Thomas M. Kirkpatrick, in 1844; the first church building was erected in 1852; the next was dedicated in 1870. Kirk- ville became prosperous during the period that the coal mines were operated in that vicinity. and at one time contained a population of 500: town consequently decreased in population, but it will always be a local business center, sit- uated as it is in a fertile region, where the farmers are all prosperous. The present pop- ulation is 402.
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CHILLICOTHE.
This town is in Cass township, on the Des Moines river, and is connected with the busi- ness world by the C. B. & Q. Railroad. In
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February, 1845. A. J. Wicker located on Avery creek, and in 1849 laid out Chillicothe. The first house was built for Rev. A. J. Pierce, a Methodist minister. Mr. Wicker was a Meth- odist and gave all his influence in favor of that denomination, which has always been strong in that vicinity. The region was then a part of the White Breast Mission, which extended from Knoxville to, but not including the teri- tory now embraced in South Ottumwa. The first religions services held in the vicinity of Chillicothe were conducted by Rev. James F. New. Revs. William W. Knight and M. H. Ilare were among the early preachers. Rev. I. A. Nie was a local preacher of the same denomination. He was also a merchant in Chillicothe, and was elected treasurer of Wa- pello county. A. J. Wicker became the first postmaster in 1849. The first store estab- lisbed was by Peter Young. Afterward W. . 1. Nye & Son opened a general store. The Odd Fellows instituted Chillicothe Lodge, No. 115. in 1857. The first officers were: D. Ilen- shaw, V. G .: N. W. Dowd. V. G .: (. 11. Dickson, secretary: J. H. Griffith, treasurer. Jacob Myers, J. M. and J. E. H.ill were prom- inent in the lodge as active members in later years.
BLAKESBURG.
Blakesburg is 14 miles from Ottumwa, in Adams township, and is the center of one of the richest agricultural regions in southern Jowa: it is also well located, in that it is near the corner lines of the four counties, Wapello, Monroe, Davis and Appanosse; it is on Wa-
pello county soil, but the people of four col- ties have a deep interest in it, because it is the town where they sell their stock and produce, where they purchase their supplies, where the merchants know them as well as though they lived next door to them. They have been trading in Blakesburg for many years, and the more they trade the better are they pleased and satisfied with Blakesburg business men. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway passes through the town and connects it with the great business centers. AAmong the first settlers was the venerable Daniel Carl, who located there in 1847. before there was any town of thought of a town. Mr. Carl says that the town was laid out in 1852 by The- ophilus Blake and Cyrus Van Cleve; the first merchants were Butcher & Van Cleve, and then came Leighton & Warden. The Leighton men- tiened was the father of A. C. Leighton, of Ottumwa, and the Warden was the venerable Dr. C. C. Warden, also of Ottumwa. Mr. Carl was justice of the peace in Adams township thirty-four years. Judge Hendershott often said that Mr. Carl was the best justice in the county. Another god old citizen, Capt. S. (. Finney, who located in the vicinity in 1854. lives only about a mile and a Irdi from town. but he is in Monroe county ; he and the Hurts and Sam Swiggett were Marylanders, and were relatives. Captain Finney has had a career of adventure: he was an early California argo- naust, but for many years he has lived quietly and in peace on his excellent farm. He built the first brick house in Blakesburg, and it was built so well that it is now occupied by the
9
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
Blakesburg Bank, which, by the way, is one of the solid institutions of the county. Blakes- burg is so well located that there will never be another town attempted near it: it is growing now, not rapidly, but steadily, and some of the buildings would be creditable to any city in the state ; there are several residences that dis- play excellent taste and architectural beauty. The business houses are commodious and well supplied with all that the county demands. Among other enterprising citizens may be men-
tioned the Fritz Brothers, Dr. C. N. Udell, Frank Hardy, son of Captain Hardy, the Tins- leys, David Jay. William Day and S. L. Co- hagan. George Upp, who became a famous portrait painter, was raised in the township; also Thomas M. Upp, who is now a New York journalist. AAllen Johnston, the distinguished inventor, whose devices for cutlery work are used all over America and in Europe as well, was raised in Adams township.
WAPELLO COUNTY SCENERY -- Between Sugar Creek and Agency City.
THE PHANTOM LADY. Above the month of the case is the well defined niente of a fashionalds dressed wane in, forseed by the rock and faites The home occasionally disappears, to lu again caught by the vision in a remarkable mumsnet It is in this sense a Puzzle Picture
CHAPTER XX
NOTABLE EVENTS
IMPORTANT EVENTS, WORTHY OF RECORD, CHRONICLED LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE OF THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY BUILDING- RECORD OF THE DEATHS OF PROMINENT CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY-DESTRUCTIVE FIRES-NOTABLE CRIMES AND THEIR PUNISHMENT.
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