USA > Iowa > Hancock County > History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 30
USA > Iowa > Winnebago County > History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 30
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
It saved the day. The charge only occupied a few minutes' time, but in that short period, fifty of the regiment had been killed and wounded, and as many mere unhorsed by the fire of the enemy. It was a charge of the utmost audacity, the like of which was never made, except by troops of the most daring courage.
By the 20th the army was entrenched behind Corinth. The enemy's communications on the east were destroyed, another movement of our forces on the right would destroy them on the west and the destruction of the railroad, south, would leave Beauregard completely isolated at Corinth, before a mighty army impatient for battle. Colonel Elliott, commanding the Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, which con- sisted of the Second Iowa and the Second Michigan, was selected to perform this service. This expedition proved to be successful. The Second lost two men killed and two wounded, with several captured.
Company E, as a part of Pope's bodyguard, was one of the first to enter Corinth. After a period of scouting duty, the Second was relieved from duty at the front and moved to camp near Farming- ton. In the latter part of June the command was again called upon for active duty and on July 1st was fighting at the battle of Boone- ville. After this the regiment went into camp for about two months. The regiment, after the battle of Iuka, where it did arduous service, participated in the campaign of Corinth. As a part of the "eye" of the army it did splendid work.
The Second was next ordered to join General Grant in the central
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Mississippi campaign. They arrived at Grand Junction on November 4th. Throughout the campaigns of this year and the next the Second Cavalry performed meritorious service, continually engaged in work peculiar to its branch of the army. The regiment left winter quarters at La Grange on March 10, 1863, and then participated in the noted movement known as the Grierson raid. This raid became known as one of the most brilliant cavalry exploits of the war. After this the regiment returned to La Grange. Immediately after Colonel Hatch took command of a brigade just formed, consisting of his own regi- ment, the Sixth lowa Infantry, mounted, and a regiment of West Tennessee Cavalry, and four pieces of artillery. Until August 23d the command participated in raids, etc., and then went to Memphis, where they rested until November 1st. The regiment then marched to the relief of Colliersville, threatened by Chalmer's troopers. Here they fought a sanguinary battle with the rebels.
On March 28, 1864, the regiment was mustered into the service as a veteran organization, most of the members having enlisted after the expiration of their terms. A furlough was then granted to the men. In the summer of 1864 the regiment took part in Gen. A. J. Smith's campaign into central Mississippi, participating in the battle of Tupelo. The campaign into middle Tennessee against Forrest next ocenpied the attention of the regiment. From then on until the close of the war the regiment did valiant duty in the South.
In the autumn of 1865 the regiment was mustered out of the service of the United States.
SKETCH OF THIRTY-SECOND IOWA INFANTRY
The companies forming the Thirty-Second Iowa Infantry were recruited in Hancock and adjoining counties, during the latter part of the summer and early fall of 1862. They rendezvoused at Camp Franklin, near Dubuque. Here, on October 6th, they were sworn into the service of the United States for three years. John Scott of Story County was colonel of the regiment. In this camp the regiment re- mained until the middle of the following month, suffering in the meantime by an epidemic of measles. From the 14th to the 18th of November the regiment embarked by detachments for St. Louis and went into quarters there at Benton Barracks. Here it remained a few days, then under orders six companies under Colonel Scott proceeded to New Madrid, Missouri, and the remaining four companies under Major Eberhart went down the river to Cape Girardeau. This sepa- ration continued until the spring of 1864. The first part of this sketch concerns the portion of the regiment under Eberhart.
They went to Cape Girardeau and spent the winter on garrison
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and provost duty, participating in the fight with Marmaduke's rebels at that place in the spring. By the middle of July the regiment started on the march which resulted in the capture of Little Rock, Arkansas. Then came the expedition up White River. The fleet of captured boats upon which the troops returned was attacked by rebels, but the federals repulsed with ease every onslaught. As guard to the cavalry trains the four companies of the Thirty-Second performed excellently, but suffered more from hardships and sickness than in engagements with the enemy. Severe criticism was forthcoming due to the orders compelling the men to keep up with the fast cavalry troops. The men returned to Little Rock in October, 1863, and there stayed until the following January, then started for Memphis, then to Vicksburg. It reached that city on the 9th and remained until the 27th, when it marched to Black River to await the army on its return from the interior.
Meanwhile General Scott established his headquarters at New Mad- rid and assumed command of the post. On December 28, 1862, Scott destroyed the public property and evacuated New Madrid and pro- ceeded to Fort Pillow. Here he remained six months on garrison duty. Then came a seven months' camp at Columbus, Ky. On July 10th Union City, Tenn., was captured by the rebels and the command hastened to that place, but arrived too late to find the enemy. They returned to their base and were soon again split up into fractions. Two companies alone remained at the regimental headquarters; these were B and I. In the month of January, 1864, the six companies were again brought together and soon embarked for Vicksburg, where they were assigned to the Second Brigade. Also, at Vicksburg, the six companies were again joined with the four others which were sepa- rated from them several years previously.
Shortly after the regiment as a whole was ordered to the Depart- ment of the Gulf and there accompanied the disastrous Red River expedition. On this expedition, it is said, the Thirty-Second suffered more than any other regiment. On April 7th the regiment engaged in the battle of Pleasant Hill and stood the brunt of the fight. The bri- gade commander reported as follows on this: "Of Col. John Scott, 32d Iowa, it is sufficient to say that he showed himself worthy to com- mand the 32d Iowa Infantry-a regiment, which, after having been entirely surrounded and cut off from the rest of the command, with nearly one-half of its number killed or wounded, among them many of the best and prominent officers, forced its way through the enemy's lines, and was again in line, ready and anxious to meet the foe, in less than thirty minutes." The regiment lost 210 men in killed, wounded and prisoners.
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The regiment reached Memphis on June 10th and then engaged in the Tupelo campaign, then the Oxford expedition. The next cam- paign was that into Missouri in pursuit of Price. In the battle of Nashville the 32d played a prominent part and won great praise. Early in 1865 the regiment went to Eastport, Miss. Its next and last campaign was that of Mobile. It remained in Alabama some time after the fall of Mobile and was mustered out at Clinton, Iowa, August 24, 1865, and was soon afterwards disbanded.
CHAPTER VII HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN HANCOCK COUNTY
EARLY SCHOOLS-CONSOLIDATION-REPORT OF FIRST COUNTY SUPERINTEND- ENT OF SCHOOLS-STATISTICS OF 1860-REPORT OF COUNTY SUPERINTEND- ENT FOR 1883-ROSTER OF COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS-SCHOOL STATISTICS OF THE PRESENT TIME.
Although the advance of schools and educational facilities in Han- cock County has not been so rapid as in certain other counties of the state of Iowa, there has been substantial progress since the days of the log cabin school and, though the county may be said to be still feeling her way among the most recent school improvements, it is safe to pre- dict that not many years shall have passed before educational advan- tages in Hancock are the equal of any in the state.
Consolidation of schools, with the advantage of equal opportunities for the country pupil with those of the city pupil, larger and better equipped buildings, had just been established in Hayfield school district in June, 1915. This district, was the only one in the county to adopt the system up to 1917, and constructed a handsome building which was ded- icated December 22, 1916; prior to this time and after the consolidation, the old buildings in the country were moved into town, also the town hall of Hayfield was utilized. The Corwith district was consolidated also in the early part of 1917.
FIRST SCHOOLS
The first school in Hancock County was taught in Avery Township in the year 1857, in the spring. C. D. Pritchard was the teacher, follow- ing this in conjunction with his limited activities as a lawyer. The school was held in a residence which stood on Section 29. The next school in this township was taught the following year by James M. Elder. By 1883 there were five schoolhouses in the township, all frame buildings costing about $500 each. Just when this school district was organized is difficult to determine, owing to the absence of any definite records. It is known, however, that the first officers were: L. S. Hazen, John Christie and A. D. Hines, directors; M. L. Fuller, secre- tary.
The first school in Bingham Township was held in the house of Mr.
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Bingham in 1872. The wife, Mrs. Clarissa Bingham, was the teacher. During the same year a small frame school building was erected at a cost of $500. The building was sixteen by twenty-two feet in dimen- sions. The Lake George school house, a frame edifice, sixteen by twenty-two, was erected in 1881 at a cost of $500. Katie Quinn was the first teacher in this school. The Shattuck schoolhouse was also built during this year-1881. This was a smaller building than any of the others and, of course, cost less money. This school was formerly taught at the house of Frank Aiken, starting in 1877, and Mary Aiken was the first teacher. The Barber schoolhouse, erected near the resi- dence of C. H. Barber in 1883, was at the time more pretentious than any previously built. It cost $700. Katie Quinn was the first teacher here.
The first school in Boone Township was held at the house of J. B. Hill in 1879 and Mary Clark was the first teacher. This school was kept up and held session when convenient until the summer of 1881, when a schoolhouse was erected on Section 5, the same costing about $400. May Halgeson was the first to preside over the school here, which school became known as the Dallman school. What was called the Nissen schoolhouse was built in 1883 on Section 11. It was eighteen by thirty feet in size and cost $438. Prior to this time, however, a school was taught at the residence of Peter Madison, of which Andrew Murray was the teacher.
The first schoolhouse within the limits of the territory now within Britt Township was constructed on Section 25 in 1875 and was called the MeMullen schoolhouse. The first school here was held during the same year and was taught by Dida Draper. This building was later moved to Section 26 and called the Dickinson schoolhouse. Lucy Sloper was an early teacher after the removal. In 1881 another schoolhouse was erected on the land of J. H. Burdick, on Section 15, and the first teacher was J. Clark.
The first school in the town of Britt was held in the kitchen of the hotel during the fall and winter of 1876-7. Belle Swartwood was the first teacher. During the following spring and summer Mary Hess taught the school, which was then held in a store building. A school- house costing $2,000 was erected during the summer of 1878 and is still in use in conjunction with the addition. The first term in this building was taught in the fall of that year by W. S. Groom. In May, 1880, this was made a graded school with W. J. Massingham as principal and teacher. In the fall and winter terms he was assisted by Mary Stubbins. C. C. Turner was the principal during the summer of 1882 and Thomas Lowe the fall and winter following. William Houston, with Calla Ross and Della Whitney as assistants, came next.
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A newspaper account of the history of education in Britt states that Blanche Bloom taught the first school in Britt, followed by Miss Crapser and Miss Hess. These terms of school were taught in a "lean to" of the Benson House, which stood where the Britt Tribune office is now located. Dide Draper is said to have taught a term near town about this time, also "Doc" Groom. "He says he was not after Miss Draper, that is in point of time, but was ahead of her at least a year. He remembers that he taught the first school in the present school building, because the carpenters were putting up the purlin plates when he called the children to prayers, and that the A class was reciting when they began to raise the rafters, and that he adjourned the class to a neigh- boring gopher knoll for further instruction." This was the old build- ing later owned by Henry Steffens and sometimes used as a wagon shop.
The first to teach school in Concord Township was a man named Smith, who located in the village of Concord in the early part of 1870. The first election in the township for school directors took place in March, 1870, and resulted in the choice of J. M. Elder, Ira Bailey and Manser Dyer.
The first schoolhouse in Crystal Township was erected in 1867 at Crystal Lake, was twenty-two by twenty-eight feet in dimensions, and cost about $400. Martha Church first taught here. The second school- house was built in 1870, near the site of the later Lake Edward school. William Overbaugh was first teacher. In the spring of 1883 this old building was demolished and a new building put up in its place. Bertha Pitkin was the first teacher in the new building. Buffalo Grove school- house was built in 1871, and Marcus Williams first taught in it.
The first school in Ellington Township was held in a dwelling which stood on Section 22, but was destroyed by the cyclone of 1881. Hannah Johnson was the first teacher here. The school was started either in 1858 or 1859.
The first school board of Erin Township was chosen at the March election, 1879, and consisted of Mary E. Donahoe, John O'Rourke and J. V. Hill. J. J. Donahoe was appointed secretary and B. MeMullen, treasurer. The first school was held in the Devenpeck schoolhouse during the fall of 1873 and Betsy Swartwood was the first teacher.
This building which stood on a portion of Section 3 was the first school in the township. At the time of its erection the present town- ships of Erin and Britt were all one school district. In the fall of 1879 this building was removed to the southeast corner of Section 8. Andrew Murray was the first teacher in the new location. The next school was known as the MeMullen schoolhouse, and was located on Section 11, on land belonging to B. McMullen. In 1877 a coal house was purchased and moved from the Daggett district, in Orthel Town-
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GRADE SCHOOL BUILDING, GARNER
1
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ship, and out of this was built the schoolhouse. The first teacher was Nancy Clark, who taught the year of its erection. In the spring of 1882 this building was moved to Section 23. Ella Lawton was the first teacher after this, followed by Della Whitney. The Porter school- house was erected in September, 1882, and was opened that fall with Mrs. Mary Porter as teacher. The building cost $1,000. The Glidden schoolhouse was built during the winter of 1882 and the first teacher was Emily Lincoln.
The first schoolhouse in Madison Township was erected in 1858 and was known as the Barker school. Here the first class was taught by Hannah Johnson. The house was a frame structure, eighteen by thirty feet, and cost about $600. The Skinner or Hartletz school was built in 1868 on Section 15. The Maben school was erected in 1869 on Section 13. L. B. Phelps was the first teacher and C. B. Maben the second. The Steiff or Lackore school was erected in 1869 on Section 3. A Mr. Walker was the first pedagogue here. The Greis schoolhouse was built in 1879 on Section 6. Sophia Connors was the first teacher.
The first school in Magor Township was taught in 1879 by Alice Crane in a building on Section 28. She had three scholars, her cous- ins, namely : R. D., Prudie and Katie Crane. The first school board consisted of James Crane, William Brummond, Harrison Bailey, Alvah Packard and Thomas Magor. The Brummond schoolhouse was built in 1881 and Miss Harding had the honor of being the first teacher. The Gray school dates from 1882, taught then by Miss Smith. The Whiteman school was built in 1882 and the first teacher was Mary Blood.
The first school in the village of Corwith was erected by a stock company in the summer of 1881. This was a temporary building and was rented to the district until the township could build one more suit- able for the purpose. The first term was taught by Mary Maher. The high school building was erected in the northern part of the town in the fall of 1883. It was a two-story frame structure and cost over $2,000.
In Orthel Township the Daggett schoolhouse was built in the spring of 1873, and the cornerstone laid sometime in April, with formal cere- monies by Mr. Daggett in the presence of the entire district-namely- five persons. The building, which was twenty feet square, was fin- ished in June and school was held therein that summer, with Mary L. Leggett as teacher.
The first school in Twin Lake Township was taught by Mrs. E. C. Packard during the year 1867. This school was taught at the house of the teacher on Section 6. The first schoolhouse erected in the town-
I-20
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ship was the one known as the Bailey school. This was built during the summer of 1868 and opened for the fall and winter term with Delia Yarrington as the first teacher. The next was the Gartin schoolhouse, which was built in 1873, and of which Hattie Morse was the first teacher. The Harmon schoolhouse was opened in the autumn of 1882 with Mary Granfield as teacher. This building was the school- house built in the Gartin district in 1873, but when that district con- structed a new building in 1882 the old one was moved. The Butter- field schoolhouse was originally built on land now a part of Avery Township, but in 1870 was removed to the northeast quarter of Section 24, Twin Lake Township, and in 1880 again moved to the northwest quarter of Section 13. Ella Cushman taught here during the summer of 1880, and was followed by Richard Ruggles and May Holtz. Other early teachers were: Alma Butte, Ashley Boughton and Laura Christie.
From the time of the organization of the county, the number of school districts has gradually increased and educational facilities have become more and more efficient. The report of the first county su- perintendent of schoos, Grove R. Maben, filed November 27, 1858, is as follows :
Number of districts in county.
Number of scholars between 5 and 21 years of age. . 47
Number of schools taught the past year 0
Number of volumes in school libraries 0
Amount of money expended 0
Number of male scholars in Avery district 17 .
Number of female scholars in Avery district 12
Number of male scholars in Madison district 8 Number of female scholars in Madison district 10
In the fall of 1858 the two district townships had voted a tax toward raising a fund with which to erect suitable buildings. In addition to this the state apportionment was received early in 1859 and amounted to the sum of $371.18. This was divided by the county judge, who was, ex-officio, the head of government, as follows: to Avery district the sum of $228.95; to Madison $142.11.
In 1860 there were in the county of Hancock, between the ages of five and twenty-one years, thirty-one males and thirty-three females. In 1862 five districts were reported to have been organized, having the following number of legal school age in each: Avery, twenty- eight; Madison, twelve; Amsterdam, fifteen; Ellington, two sub-dis- tricts, thirty-one; making a total of eighty-six scholars. In 1872 there were in the county 527 people of legal school age, divided as
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follows: Avery, distriet township, twenty-nine; Amsterdam, seventy- nine; Concord, one hundred and five; Crystal, thirty-seven; Ellington, one hundred and ninety-seven; Madison, eighty.
The report of the superintendent of schools for 1883 was as fol- lows :
Number of distriet townships in county 16
Number of independent districts. 0
Number of sub-districts. 14
Total number of districts 30
Number of ungraded schools in the county 67
Number of rooms in graded schools ..
6
Average term of school in the county.
1
Number of male teachers
21
Number of female teachers
99
Total number of teachers.
120
Total number of children enrolled
1078
Total average attendance .. 743.9
Average cost of tuition per month, per pupil $3.80
65
Frame
63
Brick ยท)
Total value of houses $27,225
Total value of apparatus. $4,063
Total number of certificates issued in 1883 139
First Grade 48
Second Grade 51
Third Grade 40
Number of applicants rejected. 10
Average age of female applicants 21
Average age of male applicants
31
Number of volumes in library. 150
This table may be compared with the 1916 report of the county superintendent to be found at the close of this chapter.
The office of county superintendent of schools was created by an act of the Assembly during the spring of 1858, and was to supercede the old office of school fund commissioner. The first to fill this respon- sible position in Hancock County was Grove R. Maben, whose term of office commenced with his election in July, 1858, at the time of the organization of the county. At this same time the district townships, which had concurrent boundaries with the civil townships of Madison and Avery, were organized. In the following fall Madison voted a tax of five mills and Avery a tax of ten mills on the dollar for the purpose of building schoolhouses. Following Mr. Maben in the office of county superintendent of schools have been: Charles Gillespie, Charles Church, James M. Elder, the latter failed to qualify and James
Number of school houses in the county
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Crow was appointed by the board of supervisors, James Elder was again elected in October, 1862, and qualified; M. L. Fuller, C. C. Way, C. Boughton, Lambert B. Bailey, A. R. Barnes, B. F. Scott, A. R. Barnes, M. L. Fuller, A. C. Ripley, Samuel Sturgeon, C. H. Grove, S. L. Thompson, C. F. Schell, A. M. Deyoe, J. R. Baggs.
1916 REPORT
There are at present seven Independent City, Town and Village school divisions and two consolidated districts. The two latter-Cor- with and Hayfield-were set off since the 1916 report, so will be con- sidered in the summary under the first classification.
Britt has fourteen teachers; 260 male and 292 female persons between the ages of five and twenty-one; an enrollment of 457; and one $28,000 school building. A new school building is to be erected in Britt during the summer of 1917, which will relieve the congestion at the old building, part of which is the original school, the addition having been constructed within the last fifteen years.
Corwith has eight teachers; 157 persons of school age; an enroll- ment of 187; and one $16,000 school building.
Crystal Lake has two teachers; 63 persons of school age; an enroll- ment of 46 and one school building.
Garner employs fourteen teachers; has 476 persons of school age; an enrollment of 365; and has two school buildings worth $55,000. A new high school building has just been built in the city of Garner.
Goodell has six teachers; 123 persons between five and twenty-one years of age; an enrollment of 99; and one school building.
Hayfield has four teachers; 162 persons of school age; an enroll- ment of 136; and two buildings.
Kanawha has six teachers; 146 of school age; enrollment of 165; and one building.
Klemme has four teachers; 135 of school age; an enrollment of 115; and one building.
Woden has two teachers; 63 of school age; enrollment of 50; and one building.
In the independent city, town and village districts there are alto- gether 60 teachers, seven of whom are men. There are 1877 persons of ages from five to twenty-one-914 males and 963 females. The enrollment of all is 1620. There are eleven buildings, representing a total value of $139,800.
There are sixteen school townships in Hancock County, namely : Amsterdam, Avery, Bingham, Boone, Britt, Concord, Crystal, Ell, Ellington, Erin, Garfield, German, Madison, Magor, Orthel and Twin Lakes.
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