USA > Iowa > Allamakee County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 20
USA > Iowa > Winneshiek County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 20
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
built manufacturing and commercial young city, situated in the centre of a dense population, draining a section unrivaled for its agricultural wealth.
STORY OF A DEFUNCT TOWN.
The following history of Moneek is from sketches of early his- tory of Winneshiek county, and was published in the Decorah Republican, March 26, 1875:
Those who are familiar with the early history of the county will remember that when its organization was perfected, the most flourishing settlement was neither Decorah or Fort Atkin- son. And those who have read Rev. E. Adams' 'First things of Decorah,' will remember that there is good evidence that the resi- dents of both these places were evidently afraid of that third town. The latter, in examination of the records and witnesses did not venture to enquire deeply into the first county seat vote, and he intimates pretty plainly that sharp practice was resorted to in order to shut out the overwhelming vote which this third town might secure for the coveted honors and the profits aris- ing from its pre-eminence as the county town. The name of this town was Moneek, it evidently was, in 1850, '51 and '52 the foremost town in the county, and a veritable history, if one is ever written, cannot be complete without the story of its rise, growth and decay. The records show it the oldest town in the county, and there is every reason to believe that at one time its opportunities were most favorable, and it bade fair to lead any that might be started as its rival. The recorded plat shows that it was surveyed in January, 1852, although the plat was not re- corded until the November following. Decorah was not platted .and recorded until the year following, viz: August, 1853. Frank- ville came into existence similarly in October, and was followed by Freeport in May, and Calmar in November, 1854; and Ossian in April, 1855. That year saw a number of other towns begun, some of which have a lively existence still; while others never got beyond the record in progress towards village existence. The seniority is enough of itself to give Moneek prominence in these sketches.
It was situated on the north fork of the Yellow river, on the southwest quarter of section 1, in Bloomfield township. Tremen- dous hills, well wooded, surrounded it, and it nestled cosily in the valley on the river, on a site that originally must have been charmingly beautiful.
The pioneer settlers were Moses S. McSwain and Abner De- Cow. To these may be added John DeCow, who joined them a year later. All of them were Canadians, but McSwain had re- sided for a while previous in Illinois, and probably obtained there some ideas of the western methods of doing things. They had a town site in their eyes from the commencement. The two arrived
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
at Moneek with their families in July, 1849, and lived in their tent wagons until a log house 12x16 was built. They commenced the same season to build a saw mill, which was afterwards noted all over the adjacent country as the mill.
Their nearest neighbors were Joel Post, at Postville, and two families who had "squatted" on the Military Road. These were David Reed, the first county Judge, yet a resident of the county, and a man named Campbell. The widow of the latter still oceu- pies the land on which her husband made his elaim. Besides these, there were the Hawks, and Isaac Callender, over in Frank- ville. R. Tillotson joined them the same year. He was a mill- wright, and helped them build the mill. This was completed in July, 1850. In the spring of the latter year Russell Dean and Geo. Blake, with their families-also from Canada-joined the new settlement June 29th 1850. John DeCow, ex-County Judge and now member of the State Legislature-also moved in; he, too coming from Canada. He found all of the four families occupying the one log house, above mentioned, yet it was large enough to re- ceive the fifth family, until another house-the second in the em- bryo city-could be built.
The hospitality of the early settlers was unbounded. Like the modern omnibus, their old log habitations had always room for more, and the new comer surely received a warm welcome. How this small building accommodated the five families during the six weeks in which he was putting up his own house, the Judge can now scarcely tell. He does tell us that he brought a little pro- visions with him, and when these were exhausted he was com- pelled to go to Elkader and MeGregor for more. After making his purchases, and buying a cow, price $20, he had left, as a work- ing capital, the magnificent sum of $4.30. Returning home, he . hired out to MeSwain and Abner DeCow, who were partners, to work in a mill at $18 per month. This engagement lasted only one month and twenty-two days, when he struck out to paddle his own canoe. How well this has been done is attested by the 400 choice acres he now owns, near Ossian, well fenced, cultivated and stocked, to say nothing of a little surplus funds laid by for a rainy day. His first act was to make a claim adjoining Moneek for 160 acres.
The same year Blake went south and Dean west about a mile and a half, and put up log houses on 'claims' of their own.
In the spring of 1851 the first frame building was built by A. and J. DeCow. This was rented to a man named Johnson, from Illinois, who brought on a stock of goods and became the first merchant. His capital was small, the amount of trade limited, and he soon 'busted.' McSwain bought out his remnants, and sold out the stock. Having neither money or credit with which to purchase more goods, the mercantile business came to an end for the time being.
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
The same year John Duff came along, liked the looks of the settlement, and built a blacksmith shop, which he sold in the fall to Phil Lathrop (the same who was landlord at Frankville, fifteen years ago.) The latter united butchering to blacksmithing, and soon after added merchandising. About the same year he built a house, which when completed was opened for the entertainment of man and beast, and the village had a hotel. It was not large, but in those days it was thought to be 'a good one.'
In 1852, George Crawford, who afterwards went to Burr Oak Springs-another defunct town of early promise-became a mem- ber of the community. He was, likewise, a Canadian, and brought goods, mostly cloths, with him. He was a tailor by trade and did a thriving business, which soon required the aid of a journeyman. He soon added groceries to his stock-dry and 'wet'-and pros- pered as long as Moneek was in its glory.
James F. Andrews, a retired Baptist minister, with two sons and their families, became residents in the same year. They added another store. One of the sons was a doctor, and so the town se- cured the benefit of elergy and medicine by this really large ac- quisition. They, however, only remained about a year. The town was outgrowing the settlements, and was not large enough to support so many "middlemen."
Louis Boughner, also a Canadian, but of German descent, came along in the same year, opened his kit of tools, and sat down upon his shoemaker's bench. That winter the hamlet began to feel as though it was of sufficient importance to be recognized by the General Government, and postal facilities were demanded. Dur- ing the winter or following spring these were secured, and Boughner had so far won the confidence of the people that he was chosen to serve as the village Nasby. The office was supported by "Winneshiek"-a post office then situated between Castalia and Postville, at which Mr. D. A. Reed, of Decorah, was then deputy postmaster. It is related by Mr. R. that his brother-in-law was postmaster, and he served as deputy. By this arrangement the mail carrier, or any one calling for mail, was sure to find one or the other at home. The convenience of this arrangement was very great, because the postmaster and his deputy only lived a quarter of a mile apart. About this Winneshiek P. O., E. E. Meader can tell an incident, something like this. About the time the lands were to come into market, he had a large sum of money, amount- ing to about $400, coming to him in Indiana. There was no ex- presses in those days, and he was compelled to direct that it be sent in a letter. He expected to receive it at Decorah, then a small office, which, according to Rev. E. Adams, was carried around in Claib. Day's hat. After waiting a more than reasonable time for its arrival, and it not being forthcoming, he became enxious about it. Procuring a list of the offices in the county he visited them
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and at last found it intact at this Winneshiek P. O., and went home rejoicing. The sender had failed to address it to Decorah.
That year, 1852, saw a large increase to the settlers outside, as well as in Moneek. Among those who came was Col. D. D. Webster, David Duff, Philip Husted, Andrew Stewart and John W. Smith. The first three still reside on the farms they occu- pied, surrounded by large families and prosperity. About that time Dr. Riddle, an Ohioan, settled in Moneek. He now lives at or near Nora Springs. Dr. A. B. Hanna, now of Elkader, fol- lowed a year or two later, and succeeded Boughner as postmaster, holding the office until it was thrown up-sometime in the six- ties.
In 1853 Geo. W. Esty settled there, and is, to-day, the sole owner of what was then a most thriving village. He came from New York, and found the village to consist of eight dwellings, one saw mill owned and operated by Abner DeCow, one black- smith shop, worked by John Duff, Jr., two stores kept by James F. Andrews and George Crawford; a shoe shop and post office, managed by Boughner, and two liquor saloons, one kept by Geo. Crawford as an adjunct to his store, and the other by a man named Walker, who enlisted when the war broke out, and died in battle. The Yellow River then contained double the water it now posses- ses, and the saw mill was easily able to run five months in the year. The timber in the neighborhood was superior, and this won the mill a wide and high reputation. In 1850, E. E. Meader, who had settled at Hesper, obtained there ash flooring for the log house in which he began his Iowa house-keeping. At the time of its greatest prosperity, Moneek contained scarcely a score of build- ings, divided into dwellings, shops, etc. But it had a large out- lying settlement, and it was this, probably, that made it feared by the dwellers in Decorah and Fort Atkinson when the county seat vote was taken. They were sufficiently numerous to give the two other points a "close call" in a fair poll. Failing to receive the poll book in time, the people of Moneek held an election with as much form and regularity as they could devise, but not sufficiently so to prevent the vote from being thrown out. What might have been, if there had been more determined watchfulness by the peo- ple of the village, it is impossible to tell. What did happen is very easy to narrate.
Its decline began in 1855. Judge DeCow saw it coming in 1854, and sold his 160 acre claim adjoining the plat for $1,800, to a man named Barnum. The place has been sold twice since, but never for as much money. With the proceeds the Judge settled on the place he now owns, and is very thankful he took that tide in his life at its flood. The tax list of 1855 shows that the Moneek merchant's assessment was $800 for four lots; and Abner De- Cow's tavern was valued at the same figure. In Decorah, at that time, there were only four assessments of greater amount, and
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
two others only equaled it. The causes for its decline were few and simple. Settlers were thronging into the country, and open- ing other sections. Post routes and lines of communication were being established. Nature was rather against Moneek. It was nestled away in the valley of the Yellow River, surrounded by mountainous hills, and not easy of access. Notwithstanding this, the founders of the place evidently thought Moneek had such a start that its growth was sure and permanent; that roads must come to them; they could not be 'left out in the cold.' One thing is certain, while the post routes were being established the Moneekers were too busy with their 'corner lots,' In the mean- while, a busy, bustling fellow named Frank Teabout, had settled on the ridge, and when the 'state road' was run he was looking after his interests. The line was established on the ridge; Frank- ville sprang into existence; and ere they knew it the great tide of emigration which set in was sweeping by them, along the ridge road, but bringing no grist to be tolled and ground for the benefit of Moneek. It had its method of egress, but no artery of trade. The result was certain. Those who were in trade one by one sold out, or abandoned the place; and by the time it was ten years old it was indeed a deserted village.
Early in the sixties its postoffice was thrown up. Abner De- Cow enlisted in 1861 and served in Capt. Willett's company of the 3d Iowa Infantry; and at the close of the war removed to Kansas, where he still resides. McSwain remained until about 1865, when he left, principally because the neighborhood was getting too warm for him. The rights of the property were not rigidly observed by everybody about that time; but who it Was that was careless as to other people's titles, was not known. At last an old buggy was missed from the road where it had been left. Inquiry was made as to its whereabouts for several days ineffectually, until Judge DeCow (mind, he doesn't tell us this story, and isn't responsible for it,) went down to McSwain's to look at some sheep the latter wished to sell. As the families had not visited for a long time, he took his wife and children along. During the day the children went to the straw stack to play, and pleased themselves by climbing to the top, and sliding down the stack. McSwain's boy, however, cautioned the Judge's son not to slide down on a certain side, because there was a wagon under there! This excited his curiosity enough so that he remembered to tell his father about it on the way home in the evening. It instantly struck the father-there is that missing buggy! The suspicion was more than hinted to the owner, and a search proved it to be the identical buggy. MeSwain settled the matter, but used, afterwards, to charge the sheep with being the sole cause of the difficulty. He reasoned it out, somewhat after this manner. If he had not owned the sheep and wanted to sell them, the Judge would not have paid him that visit; the boys would not have
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
been sliding down the straw stack; the buggy would have re- mained hid until he could have run it off. Ergo: the sheep were wholly to blame!
This discovery gave the neighbors cause to suspicion MeSwain whenever anything was missing; and as there was considerable horse-thieving going on about that time, it became too unpleasant a place to stay. As soon as he could dispose of his property, he folded his tents, and fled away to new fields.
The plat of the village was vacated in 18 ---; and it is now a part of a good farm, which a clever, thorough going farmer, Mr. G. W. Esty, above mentioned, annually plows, sows and reaps. Oc- easionally a new comer enquires where was Moneek, and the query calls up a smile to the face of an old settler, as he cheerful- ly answers and thinks of the swath it cut in the years which are so recent, and yet in the hurry-skurry of more important events, seem much longer than a fifth century ago.
EARLIER SKETCHES.
The following from sketches of early history, published in the Decorah Republican in 1865, give much interesting information, although some points omitted are supplied elsewhere, and the chronology of early settlers given more completely in Chapter I.
It has been repeatedly shown, and it is an undisputed fact, that the Day family are entitled to the honor of being Decorah's first settlers; and, as this has grown into the most important and influential point within the county, it will always give to them a pre-eminence over all other pioneers. But, as we have shown in the history of Fort Atkinson, there were those who preceded them. The Days came to Decorah in June, 1849. The German colony, consisting of Gotlob and Gotleib Krumm. Charles Kregg and Francis Rogers, came in 1847, nearly two years before. We have sometimes doubted whether this is not an error of a year, because the soil was then Indian territory, and not open to squatters. The Indians were removed in 1848, and the reservation opened to set- tlement. The date, however, has been published, and stands un- questioned, therefore we give it again, with this query, which may substantiate it or correct an error. If it is substantiated, the fact is very clear that they were the first permanent residents.
If there is an error of one year, it will give them a year's precedence over the settlement at Decorah, but it will leave it an open question whether a family named Campbell, who had settled in Bloomfield township, were not as early, or earlier comers. To these may be added the family of ex-Judge David Reed, who follow- ed the Campbells closely, and became the pioneer settlers in the southeast corner of the county.
We learn of these through Mr. D. A. Reed. He informs us that his father's family moved upon what afterwards became the northeast quarter of Section 25, in August, 1848. The family
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'consisted of eight persons, and he was then 18 years old. They found their only neighbors to be the family of this Mr. Campbell. He had come in only a few weeks previous, and was still "camping out," or occupying an emigrant wagon, over on the west side of what became Section 23. Both these points were on the Military road, then the only travelled thoroughfare. This would make the Campbells resident from some time in July, 1848. Perhaps Mrs. Campbell, the wife, now a widow, living (we believe) on the homestead which they then squatted upon, may be able to give the exact date. Mr. Reed tells us that Mr. Campbell made claim to a strip of land one mile wide and four miles long. and a year or two later he thought it hard that he could not get $20 for his claim.
Mrs. Powell, the old lady who was canonized in the sketch of Fort Atkinson as the wonderful talker at "Rattle-trap," had also come in a few weeks before, but as she did not long remain, we leave her out of the list of settlers.
Leaving the dates as they have been written, we have this data as established facts: The German colony was first in precedence; the Campbells and Reeds second, and the Days third. If there . are any who can dispute this order we have yet to hear a hint or trace of them. They represent, too, three different sections of the county, or independent settlements, each begun prior to July 1st, 1849. In that month of July Geo. Bachel, Joseph Huber, Andrew Myers, Anthony Stottle, Joseph Spillman, and Jonah Rausch, with their families, joined the German colony; and the Goddards came in the fall. In the same month McSwain and Abner DeCow settled at Moneek. These speak of Hawks and Callenders, who were residing over in what has become Frankville township. Of the date of their coming we have obtained no in- formation. Rev. E. Adams, in his "First Things of Decorah," mentions that the Days found but two settlers between Monona and Decorah, and these were at or near what is now called Frank- ville.
The history of Moneek added a few other names to that settle- ment in 1849. To Decorah was added the Painter family, and probably on the first of January, 1850, the residents of the county did not number over two score families, all told. Large accessions came in that year; and it must be left to an "Old Settlers' Associa- tion," to gather upall their names and put them on record (this is done in the chapter first of this history). We have a few facts gathered here and there, which will serve as contributions to such a roll of pioneers. Among these, and one of the most valuable, is a list of those who lived north of the Iowa River in 1850. Henry Holm moved into Canoe Township about August 1, 1850. His family consisted of himself and wife, three sons and three daughters. The oldest son, J. W. Holm, is still a well-known resident of Canoe, and was then 19 years old. The neighbors
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
were few and they soon knew each other. Happily, Mr. H. dis- tinctly remembers the names and location of all the old settlers, and from him we gather the interesting fact that there were then twelve families living north of the Iowa River. These were, --
George Ream, John Ream and James Cross. These all lived together in an old log cabin, still standing on what is known as the H. H. Horn farm.
David Kinnison, in Canoe, on the farm he still occupies.
David Bartlett, on the farm now occupied by Wm. Marlow. where he died.
Wells McIntyre, on the farm which his sons still occupy.
John Johnson, on the Jewell farm, in Decorah Township.
James Boyce, on the river bottom, forming a part of what has been known since as the "Filbert" and the "Ashmore" farm.
Aldrich, the miller, at the Spring mill.
Joe Brown, on the Russell farm, in Canoe.
William Klontz and Justice Wilson lived with Brown.
Mr. Holm's family made fhe 13th.
There was at this time-August, 1850-but one farm opened. the Reams had one crop of about eight acres of winter wheat. which was cut and in shock, at the time. The winter previous had proved favorable, and the crop was a good one. The Holms bought of them and sowed winter wheat that fall, but it proved then as it has repeatedly since, a failure.
Rev. Mr. Adams mentions the presence, when the Days moved in, of these Reams and a man named Button; but as they did not remain they can scarcely be called pioneer settlers.
Mr. J. W. Holm helped dig the race for the Decorah mill, and hewed logs for the first dam that was built. They were cut from a burr oak grove that was standing close by on the north side of the river.
Mr. H. says at that time the postoffice used was McGregor, and thither they had to go to get their necessary supplies.
While writing these notes, circumstances favor us with an op- portunity to consult another of these thirteen.
Mr. David Kinnison came to Iowa in 1849, but wintered down on the Yellow River. In March, 1850, he came up into this sec- tion. He passed through Decorah, finding the Day and Painter families on the east or south (?) side, Aldrich on the west side, and the Reams on their claim as above stated. He settled on the northwest quarter of section seven, in Canoe township, and claims, probably rightfully, that he built the first cabin erected in Canoe township; and so far as they then knew, or have ever been able to learn, there were no white settlers north of him, and west of the river, except at St. Paul. Bartlett, Johnson, Bryce, Brown, Klontz and Wilson came in May, following; and McIntyre ar- rived on the last day in June. Besides these, there was one James
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
Kelley-not mentioned by Mr. Holm-who came on the 10th of May, and settled on a part of what is now the Col. J. W. Taylor farm.
Among others who joined these that year were two young men, named Gilbert and Lambert, who made a claim on the Iowa river above the Reams. They kept a kind of store. Bernard Harmon came in the fall, and made claim of the present Jacob Headington farm. George Smith was another neighbor, who moved in and occupied a piece of land on the Iowa, just over the line in Blufftown township (section 24) where he may yet be found. James Ackerson and B. L. Bisby were also among the '50rs. They pushed on to the front, the first getting over into Hesper and the other into the northeast corner of Bluffton town- ship.
PIONEER NORWEGIANS.
Norwegian enterprise and their work in pioneer service have had much to do in the development and prosperity of the county. Of their first settlers here, Mr. Baily, in his address, said:
So far as I can learn, Engebret Peterson Haugen, who died last year, was the original pioneer of this nationality. He came to settle in 1850 but was here prospecting the fall previous, and bought the claim where he lived and died, and on which was the old Henry M. Rice trading post. In July, 1850, twelve Norwe- gian families came in from Wisconsin and found a home on Washington Prairie, a home where several of the fathers still live the heads of large and prosperous families. These twelve were represented by Nelson and Germund Johnson, Ole A. and Andrew O. Lommen, Andras Hogue, Knudt Ophal, John Johnson, A. Holverson, Ole Tostenson and Mikkle Omlie. Other families fol- lowed them rapidly, and from that day, Norwegians, by their in- dustry and frugality, have done a large share of the hard work which has made our best prairies to bud and blossom as the rose. Not alone as emigrants have they done service in multiplying the population. The earliest marriage records show that they did not think it good for man to live alone and also that they were more disposed to giving and taking in marriage than any other class. The first recorded marriage is that of one of those early pioneers. now that useful citizen of Madison township, Mr. John Evan- son, and Catherine Helen Anderson. The ceremony was perform- ed in February, 1852, by Rev. N. Brandt, then a wandering mis- sionary from Wisconsin, and now pastor of the Lutheran Church in Decorah. I further find that of the first 1,227 marriages recorded in the clerk's office, that other pioneer and christian gentleman, Rev. V. Koren, officiated at 247, and I hasten to ac- cord to him the position of champion marrier.
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