USA > Iowa > Appanoose County > Past and present of Appanoose County, Iowa : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 36
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The first parsonage was located some distance north of the present Keokuk & Western depot. This was sold and in 188t the one now owned by the church on West Washington street was built. Considerable improvements have lately been made on the building and grounds, thus making it one of the desirable resi- dences in the city. The present membership of the church is 250, while the Sun- day school has a membership of 125.
This sketch would be incomplete without reference to the Christian charac- ter, loyalty and wise counsel of C. H. Howell, William Bradley and Samuel P. Hays. These men used their varied capacities in the early developing period in meeting many difficulties, pointing out the way to success, and ever breathing forth the prayer of peace. These worthies, letting fall their mantle upon others to continue the work well begun, have gone to their reward.
Rev. Matthew Smith served this charge until about 1860, when Rev. John Fisher succeeded him. Mr. Fisher remained here until 1868. His departure left the charge without a pastor until some time in the carly part of 1869, when the services of Rev. J. C. Clyde were secured. The next pastor whose name is of record was Edward L. Dodder, who assumed charge of the church November 9. 1873, as stated supply for one year, but was retained until October 17. 1875. His successor was Rev. McCleggett, who came in April. 1876, as stated supply for six months. February 10, 1877, 1 .. M. Belden was secured as stated supply for six months. In April, 1881, W. W. Thorpe came and his successors have been : June 13, 1886, 1. A. Bartlett ; May, 1889, G. H. Putnam ; December, 1893. S. W. Pollock: January, 1898, Mott R. Sawyers; March, 1898, Clarence G. Miller ; December, 1900, Mott R. Sawyers; February, 1902, H. A. Cooper; October, 1904, D. J. Mitterling : September, 1907, David McEwan ; December, 1910, Wil- liam McCoy.
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
The First Baptist church of Centerville was organized in August, 1851, with thirty-one members as near as can be ascertained. The first officers of the church were: Pastor, Albert Thompson, called September 27, 1851 ; deacons, E. A. Packard and B. L. Packard; clerk, John F. Overstreet ; trustees, J. F. Wad- lington, E. A. Packard and Daniel P. Sparks; ( they were also chosen a building committee. November 22, 1851 ) ; treasurer, Jeremiah Brower. The charter mem- bers were Daniel P. and Mary A. Sparks, John and Eurydice Overstreet, Isaac Fuller. E. A. Packard. J. Brower. A. Thompson, Amanda Thompson, B. 1 .. Pack- ard, Elizabeth Packard, Ilannah Packard, Jane Wright. S. F. Wadlington, Har- vey Campbell, Parney Campbell, Louise Campbell, Harriet Robertson, C. Brower, J. T. Gunter, Jane Gunter. James Thompson, Calvin Smith and Alarilla Smith. On the 22d of December. 1855. the church appointed J. W. Osborn, Daniel P. Sparks and B. L. Packard a committee to draw up articles of incorporation to conform with the provisions of the law so that the society could hold in its name their right to a lot to be deeded to it and have power to alienate it at any time the church saw fit. On May 2d, 1858. D. P. Sparks presented a deed for the church lot and at the same time stated that the amount of money paid for the erection of a church edifice up to that time was $728.78 and that there were donations of $170.08 to apply on the building. Still there was a balance of $558.70 unprovided for to clear the house from debt, which Mr. Sparks agreed to pay providing the members would go ahead and finish the structure. S. F. Wadlington donated the bell. J. R. Wright and .A. Fuller made the pews, which were in constant use until October, 1881. The building was a frame structure and is still standing a short distance west of the court house square. A parsonage was built in 1874, at a cost of about Stoo but was sold after the present buikdling was erected and the society i- without a home for its pastors, intending, however, soon to purchase a lot and erect one.
Ir June. 1875, the church appointed William Evans, F. M. Veach and B. L. Packard to solicit aid to build or repair the church. In July of that year this com- mittee reported it had secured subscriptions to the amount of $1, 100 and that it had an opportunity to sell the old house for $ioo to Isaac Lane, he to move it off the lot. The report of the committee was received and the church decided to build a new house. William Evans. F. M. Veach and S. C. Goodenough were appointed a building committee and in 1875 a new house of worship was erected and in November of that year dedicated by Rev. J. M. Smith, of Osceola. This building was a structure 30 x 45 feet, with vestibule and bell tower. The old Wadlington bell which bore his name, together with the date of its cast, June, 1858, was hung in the new structure, which cost $1, 500.
The Woman's Mission Circle was organized April 20, 1878, with Miss Rosa Richardson as president, and later the Baptist Young People's Union, Junior Union and Ladies' Aid Society-auxiliaries of the church-were organized.
In 1886 special meetings were conducted by the pastor for six weeks and the church was greatly strengthened and encouraged. While the church reaped bountifully in the services rendered by W. A. Sunday in 1903, yet great credit was dne to the pastor. J. D. Vannoy, who began his work on this charge. October 1, 1902. As a result of a series of meetings conducted by him in January and Feb-
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
ruary over three scores of people were added to the church. During the entire year of 1903 there were received to membership in the church 224 members.
Present Church Building
On July 15. 1903. the church voted that a committee of five be appointed to solicit funds for a new church building. The motion upon which the vote was to be taken was amended by making a committee of seven instead of five. J. G. Patterson, William Speers, E. F. Anderson, William Powers, Miss Elizabeth Thompson, Mrs. C. A. Lewis and F. W. Hamilton were appointed as the com- mittee. W. C. Cutler. A. B. Bush and Ed Lowrey comprised the committee on plans and specifications. On December 2, 1903. resolutions were passed that steps be immediately taken toward the erection of a church building to cost not less than $12,000, and building to commence when two-thirds of the total amount should be raised. In pursuance of the spirit of the resolution building opera- tions commenced and the new church edifice was erected in 1905, at a cost of nearly $20,000. In changing the plans for a more pretentious building than first contemplated the society found itself in debt to the amount of about $10,000. Efforts were then made to cancel this debt. The parsonage was sold and the proceeds applied on the indebtedness. By other means the amount outstanding has been cut down but still the society has some outstanding obligations. The church was dedicated Sunday, December 10, 1905. the principal sermon being delivered by H. O. Rowlands, assisted by A. E. Clemmens, of Seymour. The names of the pastors who have served this church since its organization are given below :
Albert Thompson. 1851-55: John Osborn. 1855-56; Benjamin Blackburn, 1856-58: James L. Cole, 1858-60 : J. C. Burkholder. 1860-61 : John Redburn. 1861- 65: J. W. Bolster, 1865-6 ;: Arthur Scott. 1867-68; W. H. Turton, 1808-73; F. Edwards, 1873-80; A. Robbins, 1880-83; G. E. Eldredge, 1883-80: J. F. Leek, 1886-88: James L. Cole. 1888-92; W. H. Sayre, 1892-95: \. J. Smith, 1895-97; G. F. Reinking. 1807-1900; G. M. Adams, 1900-1902; J. D. Vannoy, 1902-05; Dr. Bass then served the church a few months and was followed by Rev. Arthur C. Hageman, who remained two years, his successor being W. M. Martin, who came in August, 1911.
CONGREGATION E'NM ISRAEL
The city of Centerville has a class of people within her confines, which takes no small part in its business, social and religious affairs. This people are of the Jewish race, industrious, law-abiding and God-fearing. Their strength in Cen- terville encouraged them to organize a church and in 1892 the undertaking was realized. The B'Nai Congregation was reorganized in 1912. The charter mem- bers were: . A. Grinspan. M. Futoransky, M. Hirshburg. A. Chapman, N. Chap- man. M. Ritchell, A. Lazar, A. Park. A. Lieberman. S. Gaba. S. Toub. S. Hirsh- burg. J. Sax, C. H. Hirshburg. C. H. Tonb. J. Schutzbank. The officers were : S. J. Friedlander, president ; D. Bromberg, vice president : H. Chapman, treasurer ; trustees, A. Israel, E. M. Cohn. E. Teitel. J. Fefer : rabbi. . \. Israel.
The pastors have been: Rabbis .A. Israel, M. Levinson, L. AAdelman and I .. Bobrov.
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
Present officers and members : L. Salinger, president ; 1 .. Bernstein, vice presi- dent ; A. Goldstein, treasurer ; S. Rosenbaum, secretary; J. Rosenbaum. J. J. Frankel. 1 .. Bromberg, trustees.
A very comfortable and presentable church edifice, of frame construction, was erected by the congregation in 1894, at a cost of $3,000. An additional $2,000 was spent in remodeling the building in 1912. The synagogue stands on the corner of Terry and Fifteenth streets, and on the same lot is the rabbi's residence.
MISCELLANEOUS CHURCHES
Second Baptist. (colored ). Christian Science. Church of Latter Day Saints. Swedish Congregational.
Swedish Lutheran.
Free Methodist.
First African Methodist Episcopal.
St. Mary's Catholic.
CENTERVILLE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
Oakland cemetery, the "silent city of the dead." became tenanted early in the history of Centerville. Its site is a beautiful spot within the confines of the city and practically marks the corporate limits of East State street. No real system had been adopted for laying out the grounds and practically no supervisory corps had been in vogue to beantify and keep in order the grounds until the women of Centerville took the matter in hand. To this end and for this purpose the Center- ville Cemetery Association was organized January 26, 1893, by a number of pro- gressive women of Centerville for the improvement and systematic superintend- ence of the burial grounds. These enterprising women went to work with a will and with the hearty approval and support of almost the entire public, the incen- tive prompting them being the lever which enabled them to raise sufficient funds to start the movement. Banquets were given and entertainments of various kinds, which were quite generously aided by talented thespians of Centerville. who spent their vacations at home. Through these means snug little sums of money were realized. Donations were solicited from individuals, business men. and in fact from every one who would contribute, and every dollar was applied to the work in hand. After spending several thousand dollars in constructing beau- tiful drives and the erection of an iron fence, the association paid $1.000 for additional grounds, which were secured by the city. The members then employed a landscape gardener to lay off the new addition. The Bradley estate donated a tract of ground on the west, which is now known as Memorial Park. Here was erected a large arbor or colonnade, now covered with beautiful vines. Here all memorial exercises are held and it has become one of the salient features of the cemetery.
Not satisfied with what they had already accomplished, the ladies purchased another tract of land adjoining the park on the west, where they built an attrac-
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
tive little residence for the superintendent of the grounds. This, with other im- provements, cost about $3,000.
Quite recently the association bought the patent right for making cement burial vaults. This then suggested the idea of a building for the installation of the vaults and in the fall of 1912 a beautiful and attractive structure was erected near the western entrance of the grounds, the material being of plain Bedford stone, at a cost of about $8,000. The purpose of this building is for the installa- tion of vaults, the temporary reception of bodies for burial and services for the dead. It is a chapel that meets the eye as one approaches the cemetery and is the piece de resistance of this beauty spot.
The ladies of the association now purpose to procure the interests of all owners in Oakland in the plan to raise an endowment fund for the perpetual care of lots. Already quite a number have materially furthered the project and it is hoped that others will see in this innovation sufficient virtue to induce them to join those who have already expressed their sympathy with this object. Tak- ing it all in all the members of the Centerville Cemetery Association have accom- plished a magnificent work, the results of which are apparent to even the most casual observer at a glance ; and the people of the community are back of them in their work and their aspirations for the future.
CHAPTER XXIII
THE TOWNSHIPS-FIRST COMES WELLS BECAUSE IT WAS FIRST SETTLED-PIONEERS AND THE TOWNSHIP OF THEIR CHOICE OPENING OF A NEW COUNTRY THAT IS NOW' TEEMING WITH GOOD FARMS AND FINE HOMES-HISTORY OF THE VARIOUS TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES
WELLS TOWNSHIP
Wells township was an inviting locality for the early settler. There was manent settler in Appanoose county and is honored in having given to the locality the name of the pioneer, Colonel James Wells.
The township was organized in January, 1848. It is the extreme southwest township of the county and was quite heavily timbered in the center, running diagonally from the northwest to the southeast. There is considerable good farming land in this vicinity and there are farms that will vie with any in the county in productiveness. There are many small streams, the principal one being the Chariton, which mean that the land is generously watered and drained. The township is traversed by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, the Chicago, Milwau- kee & St. Paul, Keokuk & Western and the lowa and St. Louis railroads.
Colonel James Wells was the first settler, coming with his family in 1839. He selected a location on section 16 and in the fall built a log cabin, in which he installed his family. Two years after he began the construction of a sawmill on his claim, which was followed a few years later by a flouring mill.
During the year 1841 Adolphus Stevens made a claim not far from where Wells had set his stakes and in the same year Austin Jones settled in the neighbor- hood. Jones remained but a few years and then removed to California. Stevens improved his farm and became a fixture in the township, living on his place for many years.
William Cooksey and family were also settlers in this township in 1841 and the Cookseys later became well known in the township. The name of Cooksey fig- ures quite prominently in the history of the county.
Wells township was an inviting locality for the early settler. There was plenty of timber, water and arable land. It is unfortunate, however, that all the names of the pioneers cannot be given. A few follow :
James Milton Scurlock was a "Buckeye." He came to this locality in 1844. in territorial days, and married Matilda Cooksey, daughter of William Cooksey, in 1845, which shows that the Cookseys were pioneers of Wells township and of the county. When Mr. Scurlock arrived here all he had in the world was a large
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IHISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
stock of courage and determination-and ten dollars in his pocket. It is a tra- dition in the family that five years passed before he saw ten dollars more.
C. F. Findley, a Pennsylvanian, came and located here in 1855, purchasing eighty acres of land.
William Horn lived on section 3 for many years. He came to the county in 1848, soon after attaining his majority. Mr. Horn accumulated several hun- dred acres of land and became one of the valued men of this township.
G. S. Stansberry settled in the township in 1852 and acquired through habits of industry and frugality, a competency. In 1854 he married Rebecca Cooksey. (laughter of William Cooksey, one of Wells' pioneer farmers.
James Craig came to this township from Morgan county, Ohio, with his parents. in 1856. The family located on section 2. where James remained after the death of his father in 1864.
S. P. Elam, a native of Virginia, emigrated from Kentucky to Iowa in 1850 and located in this county. He traded a horse for his first quarter section of land, on which he put up a log cabin and made the furniture from hewn timber. The bucket for carrying water was purchased with money he secured from the sale of a 'coon pelt. Needless to say, Mr. Elam succeeded and became well and favorably known.
John and Ann Bond, natives of Ireland, were among the early settlers of this county, having located in Wells township where their daughter. Sarah Louise. who married George Robinson, was born March 28. 1846.
Eli Ankrom settled on a farm near Moulton about 1852.
Matison S. Edwards, with his parents, William and Marilla (Elliott ) Edwards, arrived in Appanoose county from Kentucky late in the year 1851 and located on a farm five miles south of Moulton. Here the elder Edwards engaged in raising and selling live stock for a period of thirty years, when he retired from the farm to Moulton and died there in 1885. He was followed to the grave by his wife in 1902.
Thomas and Rachel Law of the Buckeye state, soon after their marriage came west and settled on a farm in Wells township. Appanoose county. They were the parents of seven children, of whom O. H. Law. an attorney and real-estate man of Centerville, is one. lle was born on a farm just south of Moulton in 1857.
HAMLET OF DEAN
.A village had been contemplated for section 2 and its name chosen. Leona was to be built upon the southeast quarter of the section and was actually laid out and platted. But the project died abornin' and has long since been forgotten.
Not far from the projected and rejected town of Leona, on section 4, was built the little hamlet of Dean. The "future great" was named in honor of Henry Clay Dean, a noted, although eccentric lowan of his day, who spent his declin- ing years on a farm four miles south and over the Missouri line. Dean was a station on the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska railroad, but is not now so noted by the assessor in making out his returns. For some little time it was considerable of a trading point, but it has been discarded for places of more importance. Coal abounds in this section and is mined quite extensively.
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
IHILLTOWN
Hillman was a hamlet established close to the Missouri line, on the Chari- ton river in 1845. its principal business being done through the mines established in the vicinity. But after a connection had been made with the railroad at Dean and the mines, this source of revenue was taken from Hilltown and then it de Jin An important adjunct of the settlement was the Wells mills, estab- lished in 1845, which brought no little trade.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP'
This township lies in the southeastern portion of the county, being township 68, range 10. It is bounded on the north by Udell, east by Davis county, south by Well and west by Sharon. The topography is pleasing and the land, which is very fertile, i- drained by the Fox river and tributaries of the Chariton. Here are to be found some of the finest farms in the county, upon which are beautiful hennes and substantial farm buildings.
Washington township was organized in January, 1848, and the first election was held at the house of Eli Bagley. The judges of election were David Barn- house. Eli Bagley and John C. Haney ; clerks, W. E. Perry and Cortland Harris.
The first persons to settle in this township were William Bratton. James Wright and Jehiel Troxell. They came in 18443 and chose claims directly after the land was subject to entry. It was not long after the advent of these pioneers that other- came in and the township became peopled by a class of men and women unsurpassed by any community.
No record is at hand from which to give the names of all the early settlers of this or the other townships in the county, but a partial list has been secured and is hereto appended.
E. A. Drake came from Tennesee to Appanoose county and settled here in I847. He purchased government land and at one time possessed twelve hundred acres and was one of the wealthy men of the county.
1. A. Dunbar came from Kentucky to Jowa in 1848 and settled in this township.
1. 1 .. Earnest. a Pennsylvanian, came to the township in 1856 and made good. .A. M. Harm, who later engaged in selling boots and shoes at Moulton, located in the county in 1855.
John Carr was born in Ireland and immigrated to America in 1840. He beated in this town-hip in 1855 and became prosperous as a farmer.
John Cupp was born in Pennsylvania and settled here in 1850, his worldly pos- sessions at the time consisting of his wife and six children, a team and a wagon. By industry and good judgment he accumulated considerable property.
T. Il. Hay- came to this township in 1856 with his parents and located on a farm on section o.
S. G. Haughey came from Illinois and settled in the township in 1858, where he first sold lumber and then opened a brick yard.
John I' Jennings was born in old Virginia and settled in Washington town- ship in 1853
William J. Johnson, with his parents, settled on the Fox river in 1840. His in :: .
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
horse, which he rode from Missouri, and seventy-five cents in money, was all the property he possessed. Mr. Johnson prospered.
A. J. Morrison, who became a banker, settled in this township in 1851. Hle was county treasurer and a veteran of the Civil war.
Thomas Morrison came here in 1856. He was a blacksmith. He enlisted in the Seventh Missouri in 1861.
Robert R. Polk and wife settled in this township in 1853, locating on a farm two miles south of Moulton. He afterward sold the farm and built the Moulton House, over which he presided.
J. R. Rucker settled in this county in 1850 and was one of the pioneers of Washington township.
George N. Scurlock, engineer and machinist, removed from Ohio in 1853 and located in this community.
G. W. Singley came to the township in 1856. He was a machinist and learned the craft in Pennsylvania.
Joseph B. Thomas and Lucy, his wife, settled in Appanoose county in 1850. locating on a farm in section 19.
\. H. Wamsley located here in 1852. He borrowed the money to purchase land and before his death was possessed of a valuable property.
John M. and Nancy A. (Wilson) Taylor came from Kentucky to Washing- ton township in 1849. With them was a family of children, including Lewis Leroy Taylor, editor of this work.
Thomas and Eliza ( Barkley) Wallace removed from their old home in Indiana in 1847 to Davis county, Iowa, whence they came to Appanoose county in March. 1848, and took possession of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in this township. Here his wife died in the carly part of 1856, leaving five children.
Levi Davis came to this township in 1857 and located near the deserted vil- lage of Orleans. Here he met Martha J. Willett. to whom he was married in 1858.
Elisha Rauson came to Appanoose county in 1856. Hle located on a farm of one hundred acres, for which he paid four dollars an acre. He became pos- sessed of several hundred acres of land and held various offices in the township.
THIE VILLAGE OF MOULTON
Elizabethtown was the first village in Washington township to be platted. and was located on the southeast quarter of section 15, and northeast quarter of section 22, town 68, range 16, lying on, or very near the ancient "bee-trace" heretofore described. But at the time of the laying out of Elizabethtown, the North Missouri railroad was building in this direction, and this induced a change in the plans, and the plat of Elizabethtown was merged in that of the town of Moulton.
The town plat of Moulton originally contained one hundred and sixty acres of land, situated in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 15, town 68. range 16. The land belonged to S. S. Caruthers and the plat was certified to and acknowledged before H. M. Jones, July 4, 1867. The streets running east and west were given numbers, while those running north and south were named East. Walnut, Elm, Oak, Main, Vine, Maple and West.
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Business Block Interior of the Postoffice Public School
First National Bank Electric Light Plant Walkash Depot and Hotel
VIEWS OF MOILTON
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
The railroad reached the new town in the spring of 1860 and was extended to Bloomfield and, by the year just named. there were the following inhabitants and business firms at this trading point : Thomas Me Achren, druggist : William Lowry, dry goods and groceries: James G. West, James E. Jennings, Andrew Ogden, Levi David. M. V. Howell. James P. Smith, James Norris, laborers ; Joseph Jurd. John Burdett, carpenters ; and two or three others. All of these men had families with the exception of William Lowry.
The beginning of salient events in the village was about as follows: The death of Thomas Mulock, in 1860. was the first visitation of its kind to happen there. The first marriage was that of Wilson Nycum to Miss Norris. The first school in the village was taught in the Christian church by Thomas Haughey and wife, in the winter of 1860-70. Before this the children attended the district school near the corporation line. In 1872, the firm of Edwards & Davis built a steam flouring mill and filled a long-felt want, not only of the villagers, but of the surrounding country. It was well patronized and was deserving.
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