USA > Iowa > Allamakee County > Past and present of Allamakee county, Iowa. A record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 28
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The first birth on the records of the congregation is that of Knud A. Knudson, July 13, 1850. The first marriage was solemnized July 18, 1852, Helge Olson and Miss Ragnhild Halvorsen. Our early settlers must have been unusually health- ful, as the first death recorded occurred over six years after the organization of the congregation, March 7. 1857. the deceased being a child of less than two years old, by name Mathea Halvorsen.
At the very beginning of its existence this congregation went to work and secured eighty acres of land on which to erect a church and parsonage, being the same land on which they now stand. The first church erected, in the early fifties, was a log building, in which public worship was conducted until 1869, when the present stone edifice took its place.
The following ministers have served this congregation : Revs. Magelson and Brandt until 1853; Dr. N. F. Koren, 1853-63; O. J. Hjort, 1863-79; C. Stoltz, 1879-80 ; H. A. Hartmann, 1880-95: C. J. M. Gronlid, the present incumbent, has served since 1895.
L. S. Guttebo is the pastor of the East and West Paint Creek Lutheran Synod churches.
The Lutheran Church Association of Waterville was incorporated April 18, 1906, by members of the "Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Old East Paint Creek" and the "Old Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of West Paint Creek," with the following officers: President, Peter Arenson; Sec- retary, Ole Hanson; Treasurer, O. G. Kolsrud; Trustees, Olaf Oleson, J. M. Siem and Gustav Ellefson.
Catholic-The date of organization of the old Cherry Mound church, on the Linton township line, was in the fifties, about the time of that at Lansing. We have not been able to ascertain the names of those who have served as pastor there. It became incorporated under the Iowa statutes December 4, 19II, as St. Pius Church of Waterville, with Rev. John Hehir as pastor, then as now, and vice president of the corporation. Archbishop James J. Keane being ex officio presi-
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dent. Joseph Geller and James Slattery were the lay members of the board of directors.
Baptist-There is no Baptist church in the township at this time, but in 1860 such a church was organized, with eleven members. This church made no further report after that year. However, in 1862 another new church was reported organized at "Paint Creek," with a membership of fourteen, of whom nine were baptized during that year. In 1865 this church was reported extinct also, the members who had not removed probably changing their membership to the Rossville church.
PUBLIC SCHOOL
The present schoolhouse at Waterville was built about the year 1886, but we are without data as to the first school at this place. With the increasing enroll- ment it was deemed necessary to have a larger and more modern building here, and an election was held March 10. 1913, on the question of issuing bonds for that purpose, at which the women turned out to vote also, as is their privilege, the result being in favor of the new building by 62 10 33, the women's vote being 25 for and 13 against the proposition. It is contemplated to erect a two-room building, constructed of rock-faced cement blocks manufactured at Lansing.
The officers of the Waterville district are: President, Jacob Anderson ; Secre- tary, Adolph Asleson; Treasurer, Peter Arneson.
MODERN WOODMEN
Waterville Camp No. 3470, M. W. A., was organized January 8, 1896, with sixteen charter members, viz .: A. Asleson, B. M. Bottolfson, Ed Gaynor, H. . \. llendrickson, Halvor Larson, Harold Hanson, H. H. Larson, Dr. S. C. Myers, Alfred Pederson, G. Pederson, J. J. Kaveny, Jonas Siem, Ole Storla, Carl Spinner, Martin Stromme, Vic H. Stevens, of whom seven are still members of this camp. The first officers were: Venerable Constil, Martin Stromme ; Worthy Advisor, V. H. Stevens ; Banker, C. A. Spinner ; Clerk, B. M. Bottolfson ; Escort. G. Pederson ; Watchman, J. Siem ; Sentry, A. Asleson.
The present membership of the camp is 63, 56 beneficial and 7 social ; and the total insurance now carried is $74,500.00. During the seventeen years the camp has been in existence four members have died, three of them by accidents. The official roster now is: Venerable Consul, M. J. Kelly: Worthy Advisor, G. Pederson ; Banker, A. C. Grimsgard ; Clerk, J. A. Anderson; Escort, A. J. Ellef- son ; Physician, B. J. Dillon, M. D.
TAYLOR TOWNSHIP
As originally organized in 1851 this township included the present townships of l'aint Creek and Jefferson, which were set off in April 1852, and the course of Paint creek designated as the southern line of Taylor. But in 1858 sections 3 and 4-90-3 were transferred to Fairview, by the County court. These were returned to Taylor by the Board of Supervisors in January, 1873, along with section 5 ; and in 1874 sections i and 2 were likewise set off to Taylor, since which
VIEW OF LANSING FROM THE SOUTH, IN RAFTING DAYS
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time no change has been made. It is a large and in the early days a compara- tively populous township, the enumeration in 1854 showing 323 souls. In 1910 there were 881.
Harper's Ferry is the principal place in the township, and one of the oldest settlements in the county. No record is at hand as to who the first comer here was, but it is not likely there was any ahead of Wm. Klett, who it is said located on Paint Rock Prairie before the region was opened for settlement. His death oc- curred in 1905. The village of Winfield was platted in May. 1852, by Wm. H. Hall and Dresden W. H. Howard as owners of the site, but in 1860 the name was changed to Harper's Ferry by act of the legislature. This was one of the places voted on for county seat in 1851 under the name of Vailsville, Horace Vail having located here prior to that time. In the early steamboat days it promised to become an important place, possessing one of the finest townsites along the river. being a level plateau above high water mark, extending back nearly a mile to the bluffs and some three miles along the river bank, or rather Harper's slough, a secondary channel of the Mississippi which permitted stcamers to make landing here except in very low water. David Harper was the leading spirit in the development of the village, having purchased a large interest in the place prior to 1860, in which year his name was given to the town. He built a stone ware- house and carried on an extensive produce business, but lived only long enough to see it begin to wane. The old warehouse, then owned by his estate, was destroyed by fire in February. 1877.
A petition in district court was filed August 31, 1901, asking the incorporation of the town of Harper's Ferry, to comprise the following described territory : Commencing at the one-sixteenth post center of the northeast quarter of section 23-97-3; thence east on one-eighth line through section 24, to intersect slough, 72 chains ; then commencing at same one-sixteenth post center of northeast quar- ter section 23, thence south 19 chains on one-eighth line to Road No. 163; thence west along said road to intersect Road No. 224; thence southwesterly along said road to south quarter post of section 23; thence south on center line of section 26, 32 chains and 10 links to the bank of Harper's channel ; thence northeast along Harper's channel to the north line of section 24-97-3. Said petition setting out that the number of inhabitants within said territory was 253.
September 28, 1901, the court appointed the following commissioners to hold an election and submit the question of incorporation to the voters within said territory, viz: T. F. McCaffrey, T. W. Melaven, Robert Mullally, S. E. Angell, and John Collins. Such election was held October 28, 1901, resulting in a vote of 33 for and 23 against incorporation. Whereupon on November 22 follow- ing the court approved and confirmed the incorporation, and ordered an election for officers thereof. The election was held December 19, 1901, and the officers elected were: Mayor, T. W. Melaven : Clerk, T. F. McCaffrey ; Treasurer, T. A. Houlihan ; Councilmen, W. H. Collins, P. J. Donahue, M. J. Gleason, L. Demerse and Robert Mullally.
The present town officers are: Mayor, P. J. Donahue; Clerk, M. D. Kelly ; Assessor, P. G. Cota; Treasurer, T. A. Houlihan ; Councilmen, T. A. Oestern, I'. J. Houlihan, J. J. Finnegan, T. F. Calvey, and John Markwardt ; Marshal, F. F. Wachter.
The present population is over 300, and T. A. Oestern is postmaster.
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The Paint Rock Catholic church, located two or three miles from Harper's Ferry, is a very early organization, having been established over fifty years. Father P. A. McManus was pastor in the early seventies. A 3,000-lb. bell was placed in this church in August, 1889. Rev. F. Kernan was here in 1892. It became incorporated under the statutes of lowa, November 16, 1911, under the name of St. Joseph's Church of Harper's Ferry, with Rev. Michael Sheehan, pastor, and Nicholas Brazell and Bernard J. Finnegan lay members of the board of directors.
St. Ann's Church of Harper's Ferry is of comparatively recent date. This became incorporated at the same time as St. Joseph's, with Thos. Cavanaugh and James J. Finnegan laymen directors. Both of these churches are under the pastorate of Rev. Michael Sheehan, and of course Archbishop James J. Keane is ex-officio president of the corporate bodies.
Harper's Ferry Court. No. 507. Catholic Order of Foresters, was organized May 30, 1895, by D. J. Murphy, with a charter membership of twenty-two. The first officers were: Chief Ranger, J. J. Finnegan; Vice Chief. M. J. Gleason ; Past Chief. Thos. Kelly ; Treasurer, T. W. Melaven : Financial Secretary, D. L. Fitzgerald ; Recording Secretary, Robt. Mullally ; Trustees, Frank Byrnes, Exelia Valley, and J. II. O'Neill; Sentinels. John Kelly and Joseph Flood. The mem- bership has increased to ninety-nine, and but few changes have been made in the official roster, which is now: Chief Ranger, James J. Finnegan; Vice Chief Ranger, J. P. Doonan ; Deputy High Chief Ranger, J. F. Kelly ; Recording Sec- retary, Robt. Mullally ; Financial Secretary, J. H. O'Neill; Treasurer, Thomas Cavanaugh ; Trustees, J. J. Collins, Nicholas Barbaras, and M. F. Ryan ; Spiritual Director. Rev. M. Sheehan.
Immaculate Court No. 439, Women's C. O. F., was chartered in 1900.
Harper's Ferry Camp No. 8274, M. W. A., was chartered June 16, 1900, and as near as can be ascertained G. W. Clark was the first venerable consul, and T. A. Gestern first clerk. The present membership is twenty-six. and the officers are: Consul, J. J. Rellihan: Advisor, A. S. Inger; Clerk, P. G. Cota ; Banker, J. H. O'Neill; Escort, C. L. Traversy ; Watchman, F. Wachter ; Sentry, Pat Burke.
The principal business establishments of Harper's Ferry comprise the fol- lowing : Bank of Harper's Ferry, private bank, President, W. F. Daubenberger ; Cashier, Thos. Cavanaugh. Frank Byrnes, hotel. W. H. Collins, hardware. A. E. Daman and David Murray, blacksmiths. Gilbertson & Schafer and Spinner Brothers, implements. T. A. Houlihan and T. W. Melaven, general merchan- dise. M. D. Kelly, groceries. Meuser Lumber Company, lumber and coal. Rob- ert Mullally, harness. John Quillin, confectionery. J. J. Roche, meats. W. E. Wiedner, wholesale fish. The Harper's Ferry Farmers Cooperative Creamery Company was incorporated December 9. 1912. with a capital stock of $8,000, and the following officers: President, N. J. Brazell ; Vice President, M. F. Collius; Secretary. J. E. Ducharme : Treasurer. Thomas Cavanaugh.
Postmaster, T. A. Oestern.
Members of the school board are: President. P. J. Donahue; Secretary. Pat Burke: Treasurer, Robert Mullally; Directors. John Doonan, John Markwardt, Thos. Cavanaugh, and B. G. Bassler.
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There was the beginning of a village at Paint Rock at an early day, one Wm. H. Morrison having opened a store near the bluff of that name in 1850, it is said, with the inevitable barrel of whiskey. He was later the school fund com- missioner to select lands in this county to make up its share of the 500,000 acres granted the state for school purposes, additional to the sixteenth section grant. A postoffice was opened here and Mr. Morrison appointed postmaster. This point afforded a landing for steamers passing through Harper's slough, and at one time was ambitious of becoming a town, but its hopes faded away, as did the buildings before many years. Mr. Morrison went to California, and died there insane.
The village of Waukon Junction had its origin in comparatively modern times, the spot being a tangled wilderness prior to the construction of the Waukon railroad. When the success of this local branch became assured, the C., D. & M. Railroad put in a station at the junction and it was given the name of Adams, from the president of the Waukon road, D. W. Adams. When the road was put into operation, in 1877, a few houses were put up, and not long after a post- office was established, and the name was changed to Waukon Junction. The postoffice was for many years in charge of the railroad agent at the station, but in October, 1893, Postmaster J. A. Lundin, then station agent, was succeeded by Margaret Hulse. Various changes were later made, and the present postmaster is Wm. Cahalan. The business places comprise the following: John H. Atall, blacksmith ; R. E. Blackwell, general merchandise and hotel; Wm. Cahalan, hotel and grocery ; Fanny Gyrion, restaurant ; WV. A. Stowell, general merchandise.
Among the early settlers of Taylor township not elsewhere mentioned in this chapter, the following came in as early as 1851 or before, viz .: Michael Shields, Aaron Ward, John Garin, John Ryan, Timothy Collins, Horace Vail, John and Dennis Garvey, John Hennessy, Timothy Howe, and J. P. Jackson.
The township officers of Taylor are now: Clerk, Patrick Burke; Trustees, J. H. Hogan, Thomas Kelly, Thos. Kernan; Assessor, J. W. Ryan; Justices, Patrick Burke, B. J. Finnegan ; Constable, Edward Calvey.
PIONEER RECOLLECTIONS OF L. O. LARSON
In A. D. 1850 a number of Norwegian families set out from Rock county, Wisconsin, where they had resided from one to several years since crossing the Atlantic, their destination being Iowa. Arriving at Prairie du Chien they crossed the Mississippi on McGregor & Nelson's tread-power ferry, landing at North McGregor, and from there proceeded through the densely wooded country northward, forded Yellow river and Paint creek, bridging gullies along their route, and finally arrived upon what was then known as "Paint Creek Prairie," in this county. Ole Larson (Rotnem) and Ole Knutson (Stakke) stopped in Taylor township, the former locating on the east half of the northwest quarter aud west half of the northeast quarter of section 17, and the latter on the east half of the northeast quarter of section 17, 97-3, while the rest of the company pro- ceeded westward into Paint Creek township, where Ole Storla located on the northeast quarter of section 11 ( which he had visited the year before) ; Syver Vold on the east half of the northwest quarter and east half of the southwest quarter of section 13, Thomas Anderson (Gronna) on the northwest quarter of section
ยท
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12, and Ole Christianson section 1, 97-4; Arne Knutson ( Stakke) on the northeast (quarter of the southwest quarter and northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 31. 98-3, in Lafayette. Prior to 1850 W. C. Thompson had located on the southwest quarter of section 29, 98-3; and Van Sickle, Wilson, and Williver ( Captain N. Williver's father ) had located on the bottom land on Big Paint creek in sections 30 and 31. LaTronche, Martell, Klett, and others had also settled on the prairie near the present city of Harper's Ferry prior to 1850. Nels Bottolson and Aslag Melen also came in 1850 ; the latter was here when Bottolson came in the fall of 1850 in company with Ole Storla, who had gone back to Wis- consin for a helpmeet. Mr. Melen had located on the northeast quarter of section 7. 97-3, and disposed of the east half of same to Bottolson. It was assumed by the knowing ones that Mr. Melen considered a helpmeet in the person of Mr. Bottolson's sister as a more valuable possession than the eighty ; however. after the land deal was consummated the expected consideration failed to materialize. This is simply an illustration of the informal methods of buying and selling real and personal property in pioneer times. In the years succeeding a large number of Norwegian and Irish nationalities settled in Taylor, Paint Creek and Lafayette, among whom were: Koykendall, Hewitt, -. Sigurson, Jacob Oestern, Gullick Oestern. Ole Hunstad, Tov Olson Tveton, Kittel Olson Tveton, and Ole Olson Tveton, Helge Olson ( Boen), Anton Larson ( Sjellebek ), Endre Endreson ( Ash- braaten ), Ole Halvorson ( Sauherring), Nels -. ( Nummedal ), Jacob Norvold, James Banks, Thomas Roche, Thomas Sullivan, Owen Sullivan, Jas. Melaven, Jas. Corrigan, Michael Clark, -. Evans (Chas. Evans' father ), John Brazell, John Olson ( Saga), Olaus (W. O.) Erikson, Jas. Barry, Timothy Collins, Pat and Mike Ryan (brothers, the former serving as assessor for eighteen years), Pat and Mike Bulger, Jas. Fagan, Daniel Johnson.
The first postoffice in this region was Paint Rock, so named evidently from the large red painted inscription appearing high up on the perpendicular wall of a precipice. The first postmaster was W. H. Morrison, and the second Otto Longerfield. This was a steamboat landing, and the postmaster conducted a small frontier store; but to obtain a larger and more varied supply, although the variety was limited in those days to the actual necessities, one must go to Prairie du Chien, in the summer time by rowing skiffs and in the winter by driv- ing oxen on the ice. When the ice was unsafe they would go on foot, and draw a hand-sled with two or more bushels of hickory nuts to barter for the most urgent needs.
For early habitations, the most rude, quaint, and primitive shelters were hastily constructed upon arriving and selecting a location, as the wagon which had served the purpose of parlor, kitchen, and dormitory combined, on the way, must hence- forth become a mere farm wagon, except when needed for church going. A quaint vehicle known by the Scandinavians as a "kubberulle," the wheels being sawed from large logs, was also used for conveyance by those in more indigent circumstances, for church going as well as farm use. The usual shelter was com- posed of crutches set in the ground, with poles laid in the bifurcated top ends, and on these poles long sections of elm bark were laid, with weights to hold them flat to shed the rain. Bushes were set around the sides, and door and windows were considered a superfluity. In a shanty of this type the Ole Larson and Ole
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Knutson families dwelt for a while, and under the large boxes set on poles laid on the ground a large rattlesnake had ensconced itself for many days. Children as well as adults passed in the aisle between the boxes day and night, but under the surveillance of a kind providence not one of us was harmed. A wound from the serpent would have been fatal, as there was no doctor near, and no whiskey, that "adjunct of civilization" being absolutely prohibited in the Ole Larson family, as well as the filthy weed.
One man, a bachelor, Asle Knutson (Stakke), felled a large hollow basswood tree, cut off a section about sixteen feet in length, and in one end stuffed an armful of hay, then pushed his belongings in at the other end and himself next, drawing an armful of hay into the aperture after him. A knot hole in the side of the log served for ventilation, and being on the east side also served as a time- piece by admitting the daylight. Others dug caves into banks and roofed with poles, and turf over all. These made warm and cozy quarters for families con- sisting of several members, as it was prior to the crinoline and head-basket epoch. Log houses were later built for more permanency, roofed with birch bark and then turfed. For floor, split logs with the flat side up were used, and boards for doors were sawed from logs rolled onto high benches and sawed with a pit saw, one man standing on the log and the other underneath it. Fences were made of rails, six to eight rails high, with stake and rider, called a worm or "Virginia" fence. For splitting rails men were paid forty to fifty cents per day, sometimes without board, and rails sold for $10 per M.
Blue joint grass was cut for forage with scythes, and the women raked, the swaths into mows and helped stack it. Corn was planted in the upturned sod by cutting a slit in it with an axe; and small grain was sown by hand and harvested with a grain cradle by the men, and as a rule the women followed with a rake and bound it into sheaves, and not infrequently did they also have a cradle, in the shade of a shock, with a roseate cherub in it slumbering sweetly in its swaddling cloth.
The first grain threshing was done with a flail, which the sinewy mountaineers handled with a dexterity equaling that of the native Australian in hurling the boomerang. Horses and oxen were also used to trample the grain out, when the sheaves were laid in a circle on the frozen ground. The first reaper, a J. H. Manny, was bought by Ole Larson in the early fifties and cut grain for many neighbors as well as his own. The first machine threshing, by dilapidated outfits, was done about 1852-3 by the Vold brothers, Ole and John, and 1853-4 by Henry McCoy. About 1854-5 Ole Larson bought the first new machine, a J. I. Case, Racine, Wisconsin, which was known as an apron machine, a Pitts model, four- horsepower with jack and belt. The cylinder bars are of wood (it is in evidence here yet) with barbed teeth driven in, and the concaves are of the same material. No stacker, but a short picker. In coming the outfit was frozen in on the boat at Turkey river, and had to be hauled here on sleighs after Christmas, when threshing operations commenced, as people must have grain of which to make the staff of life. The writer was the driver on the horsepower, and though a boy, is presumed to remember the time.
The Riley Ellis corn cracker at Waterville was the first mill to convert the maize into meal for making mush and corn bread, or to use the terms of the Vol. 1-15
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southern darkies, "Johnnie Constant." as there was no wheat from which to make flour bread, or "Billy Seldom." I believe that the mill of Rev. Valentine ( Hon. E. H. Fourt's grandfather) was the earliest in this section to convert wheat into bolted flour on Village creek. In the earliest '50s a sawmill was put into opera- tion on the site of the later Beumer & Haas flour and sawmill, and a half mile cast of this was a shingle mill, owned by one Wilson, that shaved the shingles off steamed blocks of hard wood by a large revolving blade, with water power. The sawmill a short distance below the Lawrence Kelly place, on Big Paint, I think was called the Dye & Williver mill. Coming up from the Bulger valley recently I was reminded how my brother and I carried maple sap home from this valley in the spring of 1851, to use instead of milk with corn meal mush, as cows were few and the late cut prairie grass, blue joint, contained but little nourish- ment for them. If the mill was overcrowded, or for other reason the grist was late in coming, the coffee mill was pressed into service to grind the indispensable corn meal for mush or bread; but the modern complaints of dyspepsia, constipa- tion and appendicitis were unknown in those days.
Virginia deer were very numerous in the '50s and '60s and even into the '70s, though in the winter of 1856-7, the noted "crust winter," these noble denizens of the forest were ruthlessly slaughtered, it being merely a mania for killing, as the animals were extremely lean from starvation. Deremo in Fairview, and Dye and Williver ( our Captain Williver ) with John Ingmundson (later Captain Ingmund- son ) were noted sportsmen by the "still hunt" in Taylor. Rail splitting. how- ever, monopolized the time of the average pioneer, hence he feasted but little on venison. Wolves, foxes, wildcats and skunks were not lacking in numbers, and strychnine was the only mode of exterminating them. There was no bounty, nor price on furs then, as now in 1913. The prairie hen, quail and pheasant, the former two gregarious and easily trapped, and all easily shot, formed a valu- able by-dependence in the meat line in those days. Every stream was abundantly stocked with speckled trout and other varieties of the finny tribe, affording splendid diversion for Young America with hook and line, besides replenishing the oft depleted larder. The biggest "ordnance" in the locality for a time was a flint-lock rifle owned by Ole Larson that was said to have executed vast havoc among the bruins of the Scandinavian jungles. It was transformed into a per- cussion cap lock, and is still in possession of the family. Aslag Espeset was one of the great hunters in the Waterville section, shooting five deer in one day with an old muzzle loader, standing behind a large rock loading. Capt. John Ingmund- son, the hunter above referred to, went to Wisconsin, and entering the army, fell in the battle of Stone River, December 30, 1862. This is mentioned in "The Northmen in America."
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