USA > Iowa > Appanoose County > Past and present of Appanoose County, Iowa : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 23
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
Captain
H. C. Haynes.
First Lieutenant
O. M. Cole.
Second Lieutenant Carlton W. Bradley.
First Sergeant
Haynes, G. C.
Quartermaster Sergeant
Lowther, A. M.
Sergeant
Fee, T. G .; Porter. G. M .; Valentine, II. E .; Gilcrest, G. G.
Corporals
Fowbel, S. B .: Ogle, G. B .: Cutler, W. . \ .; Elgin, C. H .; Stephenson, R. O .; Phillips. W. J .: Duckworth, A. S .: Benson, L. E .: Halden. W. L .; Fortney, G. W .; Kindig, C. W .; Pixley, E. A.
Musicians
Barrow, F. E .; Braun, L. C. Artisan
Sapp, E. W.
Wl'agoner
Ramsey, E. L.
Privates
Ammons, B. F .: Baker, C. . \ .; Beall. C. H .; Blakesley, W. P .: Boston, C. P .; Brown, G. W .; Brown. Z. E .: Burns, Thomas; Berry, G. W .; Bryan, E. E. ; Caster, 11. W .: Charlton, M. I ..: Clark, G. F .; Clark, Claude: Close. W. J. : Connoly, J. G. : Daniels, W. S. : Davis, J. W .; Dodds. W. P. ; Duck, George ; Duck- worth, A. B .: Efaw. Dexter : Elwood, Samuel; Everman, J. F .; Finerty, J. M .: Fleak, Dennis; Frisby, Charles; Fuller. C. E. : Frazee, W. L .: Gale. W. I .: Gil- crest. Paul : Greene, V. W. ; Gedney, Harry ; Halden, M. A. ; Harris. A. H. ; Hig- ginbottom. B .: Haselton; Hobson. J. L .: Kelley, James: Kinion, G. C .; Kings- bury, C. W .: Khyler. 11. J .; King. J. R. : Lantz. J. G .: Larson, (). O .: Lane, C. J .; Lane, G. H .: Lewis, E. 11. ; Loughridge, E. : McNelly, W. A .; MeKechan, C. E .; Maddeaux. H. W. ; Mytinger, I. E. ; Moore, R. Il. ; Moore, F. C. ; Moor- man, C. M .: Mundell, G. H .; Ogle, James T .; Palmer. J. P. : Reed, C. P .; Par- ker, J. Il .; Reynolds, A. C .: Richardson, L. O .; Robey, S. B .; Sapp. B. F. : Simpson, F. B .; Stevens, J. 11 .; Stephenson, R. G .; Shook, Jos. ; Snyder, Ed .: Treon, Bert; Tyler, C. M. ; Tuttle, J. B. ; Ward, John ; Wakeland, C. M. ; Weaver. M. J .: Weaver. Claud; Wiemer. E. A .: Wilkerson. C. A .: Welton. Charles ; Wright, D. R. : Wood, Noah D).
Private W. P. Blakesley died of typhoid fever en route home from service.
HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
COMPANY E ARMORY
For a long time Centerville's military organization strongly felt the need of a hall specially constructed for its purposes and in the summer of 1912 stock was issued by the company and bought by the individual members to the extent of $12,000, which was expended on a brick building, erected in the fall on East Jackson street, just off the public square. The structure is two stories in height. has a frontage of 60 feet on Jackson street, and a depth of 100 feet. The sec- ond story extends 20 feet. The drill room is 60 x 80 feet. Armory E was built to suit the desires and needs of a military organization. In connection with the drill room there are locker rooms, toilet rooms, quartermaster's room, all on the first floor. In the upper story are club room and officers' quarters. In the basement are the target range and shower baths.
CHAPTER X
THE LOG CABIN WAS THE PALACE OF THE PIONEER-CHUNKED LOGS COVERED WITH ( LAPBOARDS-RIFLE AND SPINNING WHEEL-ALMOST ANYTHING WAS A BED- ROOM-COOKING WAS PRIMITIVE FOR SHARP APPETITES WELCOME FOR THE WAYFARER-PRAIRIE FIRES AND WOLF HUNTS-AMUSEMENTS FOR THE FRON- THE'R PEOPLE WERE NOT LACKING-WHAT UNREMITTING TOHL, HAS ACCOM- PLISHED-OLD SETTLERS ASSOCIATION.
PIONEER LIFE
Most of the early settlers of lowa came from older states, as Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio, where their prospects for even a competency were very poor. They found those states good-to emigrate from. Their entire stock of furniture, implements and family necessities were easily stored in one wagon, and sometimes a cart was their only vehicle.
THE LOG CABIN
After arriving and selecting a suitable location, the next thing to do was to build a log cabin, a description of which may be interesting to many of the younger readers, as in some sections these old time structures are no more to be seen. Trees of uniform size were chosen and cut into logs of the desired length, generally twelve by fifteen feet, and hauled to the spot selected for the future dwelling. On the appointed day the few neighbors who were available would assemble and have a "house-raising." Each end of every log was saddled and notched so that they would lie as close down as possible ; the next day the proprietor would proceed to "chink" and "daub" the cabin, to keep out the rain, wind and cold. The house had to be redaubed every fall, as the rains of the intervening time would wash out the greater part of the mortar. The usual height of the house was seven of eight feet. The gables were formed by shorten- ing the logs gradually at each end of the building near the top. The roof was made by laying very straight small logs or stout poles suitable distances apart. and on these were laid the clapboards, somewhat like shingling, generally about two and a half feet to the weather. These clapboards were fastened to their place by "weight poles" corresponding in place with the joists just described, and these again were held in their place by "runs" or "knees" which were chunks of wood about eighteen or twenty inches long fitted between them near the ends Clapboards were made from the nicest oaks in the vicinity, In chopping or saving them into four foot blocks and riving these with a iron, which was a
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
simple blade fixed at right angles to its handles. This was driven into the blocks of wood by a mallet. As the frow was wrenched down through the wood, the latter was turned alternately over from side to side, one end being held by a forked piece of timber.
The chimney to the western pioneer's cabin was made by leaving in the origi- nal building a large open place in one wall, or by cutting one after the structure was up. and by building on the outside from the ground up, a stone column, or column of sticks and mud. the sticks being laid up cob house fashion. The fire- place thus made was often large enough to receive fire wood six to eight feet long. Sometimes this wood, especially the "back-log," would be nearly as large as a saw log. The more rapidly the pioneer could burn up the wood in his vicinity the sooner he had his little farm cleared and ready for cultivation. For a window, a piece about two feet long was cut out of one of the wall logs, and the hole closed. sometimes by glass, but generally with greased paper. Even greased deer hide was sometimes used. A doorway was cut through one of the walls if a saw was to be had, otherwise the door would be left by shortened logs in the original building. The door was made by pinning clapboards to two or three wood bars and was hung upon wooden hinges. A wooden latch, with catch, then finished the door, the latch being raised by any one on the outside by pulling a leather string. For security at night this latch string was drawn in. but for friends and neighbors, and even strangers, the "latch string was always hanging out," as a welcome. In the interior over the fireplace would be a shelf. called the "mantel," on which stood the candlestick or lamp, some cooking and tableware, possibly an old clock, and other articles. In the fireplace would be the crane, sometimes of iron, sometimes of wood. On it the pots were hung for cooking. Over the door, in forked cleats, hung the ever trustful rifle and powder horn. In one corner stood the larger bed for the "old folks." and under it the trundle bed for the children. In another stood the old fashioned spinning wheel, with a smaller one by its side, in another the heavy table, the only table. of course, there was in the house. In the remaining corner was a rude cupboard holding the table ware, which consisted of a few cups and saucers and blue edged plates standing singly on their edges against the back, to make the dis- play of table furniture more conspicuous, while around the room were scat- tered a few splint bottom or Windsor chairs, and two or three stools. These simple cabins were inhabited by a kind and true hearted people. They were strangers to mock modesty and the traveler seeking lodging for the night, or desirous of spending a few days in the community, if willing to accept the rude offering, was always welcome, although how they were disposed of at night the reader might not easily imagine, for, as described, a single room was made to answer for the kitchen, dining room, sitting-room, bedroom and parlor, and many families consisted of six or eight members.
SLEEPING ACCOMMODATIONS
The hed was very often made by fixing a post in the floor about six feet from one wall and four feet from the adjoining wall, and fastening a stick to this post about two feet above the floor on each of two sides, so that the other end of each of the two sticks could be fastened in the opposite wall. Clapboards
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
were laid across these, and thus the bed made more complete. Guests were given this bed, while the family disposed of themselves in another corner of the room, or in the "loft." When several guests were on hand at once they were sometimes kept over night in the following manner: When bedtime came, the men were requested to step out of doors, while the women spread out a broad bed upon the midfloor and put themselves to bed in the center. The signal was given and the men came in and each took his place in bed next his own wife. and the single men outside beyond them again.
COOKING
To witness the various processes of cooking in those days would alike sur- prise and amuse those who have grown up since cooking stoves and ranges came into use. Kettles were hung over the large fire. suspended with pot hooks, iron or wooden, on the crane, or on poles, one end of which would rest upon a chain. The long handled frying pan was used for cooking meat. It was either held over the blaze by hand or set down upon coals drawn out upon the hearth. This pan was also used for baking pancakes, also called "flap-jacks." batter cakes, etc. A better article for this, however, was the cast iron spider, or Dutch skillet. The best thing for baking bread those days, and possibly even in these latter days, was the flat bottomed bake kettle, of greater depth, with closely fitting cast iron cover, and commonly known as the Dutch oven. With coals over and under it bread and biscuit would quickly and nicely bake. Turkey and spare-ribs were sometimes roasted before the fire, suspended by a string. a dish being placed underneath to catch the drippings.
Hominy and samp were very much used. The hominy, however, was gener- ally hulled corn-boiled corn, from which the hull or bran had been taken by hot lye. hence sometimes called "lye hominy." True hominy and samp were made of pounded corn. A popular method of making this, as well as real meal for bread, was to cut or burn a large hole in the top of a huge stump in the shape of a mortar and pounding the corn in this by a maul or beetle sus- pended by a swing pole like a well sweep. This and the well sweep consisted of a pole twenty to thirty feet long fixed in an upright fork so that it could be worked "teeter" fashion. It was a rapid and simple way of drawing water. When the samp was sufficiently pounded it was taken out. the bran floated off. and the delicious grain boiled like rice.
The chief articles of diet in an carly day were corn bread, hominy or samp. venison, pork, honey, pumpkin ( dried pumpkin for more than half the year ). turkey, prairie chicken, squirrel and some other game, with a few additional vegetables a portion of the year. Wheat bread. tea, coffee and fruit were luxuries not to be indulged in except on special occasions, as when visitors were present.
WOMEN'S WORK
Besides cooking in the manner described, the women had many other arduous duties to perform, one of the chief of which was spinning. The "big wheel" was used for spinning yarn and the "little wheel" for spinning flax. These stringed instruments furnished the principal music of the family, and were
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
operated by our mothers and grandmothers with great skill, attained without pecuniary expense, and with far less practice than is necessary for the girls of pur period to acquire a skilful use of their costly and elegant instruments. But those wheels, indispensable many years ago, are all now superseded by the mighty factories which overspread the country, furnishing cloth of all kind- at an expense ten times less than would be incurred now by the old system.
The loom was not less necessary than the wheel, though they were not needed in so great numbers. Not every house had a loom, one loom having a capacity for the needs of several families. Settlers, having in spite of the wolves succeeded in raising sheep, commenced the manufacture of woolen cloth. Wool was carded and made into rolls by hand cards and the roll- were spus on the "big wheel." We still occasionally find in the house of old settlers a wheel of this kind, sometimes used for spinning and twisting stocking yarn. They are turned with the hand and with such velocity that it will run itself while the nimble worker, by her backward step, draws out and twists her thread nearly the whole length of the cabin. A common article woven on the loom wa- linsey. or linsey woolsey, the chain being linen and the filling woolen. This cloth was used for dresses for the women and girls. Nearly all the clothe- worn by the men were also home made. Rarely was a farmer of his son seen in a coat made of any other. If occasionally a young man appeared in a suit of "boughten" clothes, he was suspected of having gotten it for a particular occasion, which occurs in the life of nearly every young man.
HOSPITALITY
The traveler always found a welcome at the pioneer's cabin. It was never full. Although there might already be a guest for every puncheon. there was still "room for one more." and a wider circle would be made for the new comer at the big fire. If the stranger was in search of land, he was doubly welcome and his host would volunteer to show him all the "first-rate claims in this neck of the woods," going with him for days, showing the corners and advantages of every "congress tract" within a dozen miles of his own cabin.
To his neighbors the pioneer was equally liberal. If a deer was killed, the choicest bits were sent to his nearest neighbor, a half dozen miles away perhaps. When a "shoat" was butchered, the same custom prevailed. li a newcomer came in too late for "cropping." the neighbors would supply his table with just the same luxuries they themselves enjoyed, and in as liberal quantity, until a crop could be raised. When a newcomer had located his claim, the neighbors for miles around would assemble at the site of the newcomer's proposed cabin and aid him in "gettin' " it up. One party with axes would ent down the tree- and hew the logs, another with teams would haul the logs to the ground. another party would "raise" the cabin, while several of the old men would "rive the clap- boards" for the roof. By night the little forest domicile would be up and ready for a "house warming," which was the dedicatory occupation of the house. when music, dancing and festivity would be enjoyed at full height. The next 'lay the newcomer would be as well situated as his neighbor.
An instance of primitive hospitable manners will be in place here. A travel- ing Methodist preacher arrived in a distant neighborhood to fill an apromtement.
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
The house where services were to be held did not belong to a church member. but no matter for that. Boards were collected from all quarter- with which to make temporary seats, one of the neighbors volunteering to lead off in the work. while the man of the house, with the faithful rifle on his shoulder, -allied forth in quest of meat, for thus truly was a "ground-hog" case, the preacher coming and no meat in the house. The host ceased not the chase until he found the meat in the shape of a deer. Returning, he sent a boy out after it, with direc- tions on what "pint" to find it. After services, which had been listened to with rapt attention by all the audience. mine host said to his wife. "Old woman. I reckon this 'ere preacher is pretty hungry and you must git him a bite to cat." "What shall 1 get him?" asked the wife, who had not seen the deer. "Thar's nuthin' in the house to cat." "Why look thar." returned he. "that's a deer, and thar's plenty of corn in the field; you git some corn and grate it while 1 skin the deer, and we'll have a good supper for him." It is needless to add that veni- -on and corn bread made a supper fit for any pioneer preacher and was thank- fully eaten.
PRAIRIE FIRES
Fires Get out by Indians or settlers, sometimes purposely and sometimes per- mitted through carelessness, would visit the prairies every autumn and some- times the forests, either in autumn or spring, and settlers could not always succeed in defending themselves against the destroying element. Many inter- esting incidents are related. Often a fire was started to bewilder game, or to bare a piece of ground for the early grazing of stock the ensuing spring, and it would get away under a wind and soon be beyond control. Violent winds would often arise and drive the flames with such rapidity that riders on the fleetest steeds could scarcely escape. On the approach of a prairie fire the farmer would immediately set about "cutting off supplies" for the devouring enemy by a "back fire." Thus by starting a small fire near the bare ground about his premises and keeping it under control next his property, he would burn off a strip around him and prevent the attack of the on-coming flames. A few furrows or a ditch around the farm were in some degree a protection.
An original prairie of tall and exuberant grass on fire, especially at night. was a magnificent spectacle, enjoyed only by the pioneer. Here is an instance where the frontiersman, proverbially deprived of the sights and pleasures of an old community, is privileged far beyond the people of the present day in this country. One could scarcely tire beholding the scene, as it- and inspiring features seemed constantly to increase, and the whole panorama unceasingly changed like the dissolving views of a magic lantern, or like the aurora borealis. Language cannot convey, words cannot express the faintest idea of the splendor and grandeur of such a conflagration at night. It was as if the pale eneen of night, disdaining to take her accustomed place in the heavens, had dispatched myriade upon myriads of messengers to light their torches at the altar of the sel- ting san until all had flashed into one long and continuous blaze.
The following graphic description of prairie fires was written in a traveler through this region in 18jo.
"Soon the fires began to kindle wider and rive higher from the long grass. The gentle breeze increased to stronger currents, and soon formed the small.
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flickering blaze into fierce torrent flames, which curled up and leaped along in resistless splendor, and like quickly raising the dark curtain from the luminous stage. the scenes before me were suddenly changed as if by the magician's wand. into one boundless amphitheater, blazing from earth to heaven and sweeping the horizon round-columns of lurid flames sportively mounting up to the zenith, and dark clouds of crimson smoke, curling away and aloft till they nearly obscured stars and moon, while the rushing, crashing sounds, like roaring cata- racts mingled with distant thunders, were almost deafening. . Danger, death, glared all around; it screamed for victims, yet, notwithstanding the imminent peril of prairie fires, one is loth, irresolute, almost unable to withdraw or seek refuge."
WOLF MUNTS
In the early days more mischief was done by wolves than by any other wild animals and no small part of their mischief consisted in their almost constant barking at night, which always seemed so frightful and menacing to the settlers. Like mosquitoes, the noise they made appeared to be about as dreadful as the depredations they committed. The most effectual, as well as the most exciting method of ridding the country of these hateful pests, was that known as the "circular wolf hunt," by which all the men and boys would turn out on an appointed day in a kind of circle comprising many square miles of territory, with horses and dogs, and then close up toward the center of their field of operations, gathering not only wolves, but also deer and many smaller "varmint." Five, ten, or more wolves by this means would sometimes be killed in a single day. The men would be organized with as much system as a little army, every one being well posted in the meaning of every signal and the application of every rule. Guns were scarcely ever allowed to be brought on such occasions, as their use would be unavoidably dangerous. The dogs were depended upon for the final slaughter. The dogs, by the way, had all to be held in check by a cord in the hands of their keepers until the final signal was given to let them loose, when away they would all go to the center of battle, and a more exciting scene would follow than can easily be described.
SPELLING SCHOOLS
The chief public entertainment for many years was the celebrated spelling school. Both young and old looked forward to the next spelling school with as much anticipation and anxiety as we nowadays look forward to a general 4th of July celebration. And when the time arrived the whole neighborhood, yea, and sometimes several neighborhoods, would flock to the scene of academical com- bat, where the excitement was often more intense than had been expected. It was far better, of course, when there was good sleighing. then the young folks would turn out in high glee and be fairly beside themselves. The jollity is scarcely equaled at the present day by anything in vogue.
When the appointed hour arrived, the usual plan of commencing battle was for two of the young people who might agree to play against each other, or who might be selected to do so by the teacher. to "choose sides." that is, each con- testant would choose the best speller from the assembled crowd. Each one
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choosing alternately, the ultimate strength of the respective parties would be about equal. When all were chosen one could be made to serve, each side would "number," so as to ascertain whether amid the confusion one side had more spellers than the other. In case he had, some compromise would be made by the aid of the teacher, the master of ceremonies, and then the plan of conducting the campaign, or counting the misspelled words would be canvassed for a moment. There were several ways of conducting the contest, but the usual way was to "spell across." that is, the first on one side would spell the first word, then the first on the other side; next the second in line on each side, alternately, down to the foot of each line. The question who should spell the first word was deter- mined by the "choosers." One would have the first choice of spellers, the other spell the first word. When a word was missed, it would be repronounced. or passed along without repronouncing ( as some teachers strictly followed the rule never to repronounce a word ), until it was spelled correctly. If a speller on the opposite side finally spelled a missed word correctly, it was counted a gain of one to that side. If the word was finally corrected by some speller on the same side on which it originated as a missed word, it was "saved" and no tally mark was made. An hour perhaps would be occupied in this way and then an "inter- mission" was had, when the buzzing, cackling, hurrahing and confusion that ensued for ten or fifteen minutes were beyond description.
Coming to order again, the next style of battle to be illustrated was to "spell down," by which process it was ascertained who were the best spellers and could continue standing the longest. But often good spellers would inadvertently miss a word in an early stage of the contest and would have to sit down humiliated, while a comparatively poor speller would often stand till nearly or quite the last, amid the cheers of the assemblage. Sometimes the two parties first "chosen up" in the evening would again take their places after recess, so that by the "spelling down" process there would virtually be another race in another form ; sometimes there would be a new "choosing side," for the "spelling down" con- test, and sometimes the spelling down would be conducted without any party lines being made. It would occasionally happen that two or three very good spellers would retain the floor so long that the exercise would become monotonous, when a few outlandish words like "chevaux-de-frise." "Ompompanooste." or "baugh- naugh-claugh-ber." as they used to spell it sometimes, would create a little ripple of excitement to close with. Sometimes these words would decide the contest. but generally when two or three good spellers kept the floor until it became tedious. the teacher would declare the race ended and the standing spellers acquitted with a "drawn game."
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