USA > Iowa > Appanoose County > Past and present of Appanoose County, Iowa : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 38
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HENRY JAQUISS POST, NO. 325. G. V. R.
The veterans of this vicinity organized the Grand Army post in 1885. with eighteen members, which have dwindled down to eleven, although at one time there were sixty-three. George W. Wyckoff was the first commander. His que- cessor- have been J. C. McDonald, J. D. Sayres, J. C. Hawkins, and for the past twenty-three years, J. C. McDonald.
WOMAN'S RELIE CORPS. NO. 3.30
The woman's auxiliary society of the Grand Army was organized February 6. Hon. In Mesdames Martha Shaw, Lizzie Harris, Elizabeth Wilson. Emma
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Robertson, Alice McDonald, Mary AN. Parks, Lou Holbrook. Maggie McCollum, Lizzie Robertson, Sarah Corporon, Eliza I. Mitchell, Lizzie Sayres, Lou Glasser, Frances Hawkins, Mary F. Fowler, Addie Buck, Rebecca A. Corder, Martha Bowie, Alla Sturdivant, Angie Wyckoff and the Misses Josie Wyckoff, Stella Holbrook, Lena Holbrook, Lois Sayres, Jean Steel, Sarah A. John.
PROSPERITY LODGE, NO. 504, A. F. & AA. M.
This Masonic body was organized in 1888 by Melvin Knapp, H. 11. Baker, G. W. Colton, W. 1 .. Leseney, C. S. Smith, John Brawner, C. M. Healey. R. O. l'inston, E. J. Gault. W. S. MeDonaldl. J. A. J. Boley. The charter officials were: Melvin Knapp, W. M .; R. O. Pinston, S. W .: C. M. Healey. J. W. : G. W. Colton, secretary ; H. 1l. Baker, treasurer ; J. A. J. Boley, tyler.
The first meeting place was over MeDonald Brothers' furniture store on the west side, since destroyed by fire. The next place was the Odd Fellow's hall, three or four years. In 1898 the lodge put up a two-story brick building and occupied the second floor, the lower floor being devoted to commercial uses. There are now seventy-five members and the organization is one of the strongest of its kind in the county. The present officials are: W. AL., W. S. McDonald; S. W., N. C. Hargis : J. W., D. M. Cline ; secretary, William Samson : treasurer. H. H. Baker : tyler, J. A. J. Boley.
NANCY BAKER CHAPTER, NO. GI. O. E. S.
This chapter was organized in 188t by Mrs. F. W. Hoover, Mr -. W. S. McDonald, F. W. Hoover, Mr. and Mrs. O. H. Sayres, Mr. and Mrs. David Dinning, Mr. and Mrs. W. S. MeDonald. The first officials were: W. M., Mrs. F. W. Hoover ; W. P., W. S. McDonald. The present officials are : W. M .. Nannie Dinning : W. P., W. S. McDonald ; A. M., Myrtle Steel; secretary, 11. S. Jaquiss ; treasurer, G. C. Sayres.
CINCINNATI LODGE, NO. 485. 1. 0. 0. F.
The Odd Fellows completed an organization August 28, 1885. The charter members were Wallace M. Harvey, John C, McDonald. James R. Putman, 1I. C. Millice, Michael C. Harris, Jasper H. Glasser, William 1. Leseney. L. Nathan Moss, R. K. Atherton.
The charter officials were: J. C. MeDonald, N. G .: W. L. Leseney. V. G .; G. W. Rigler, treasurer. Present officials: G. W. Bailey, N. G .: O. A. David- son. V. G .; Thomas Samson, secretary : Robert English, treasurer. This lodge is- in a highly prosperous condition. In 1893-4 it erected a building 40 x so feet on North Liberty street and the square, two stories in height and constructed of brick. On the lower floor are three business rooms and the second floor is devoted to the lodge and other rooms of the fraternity. The furnishings and parapher- nalia are of the very best. Cincinnati Lodge is free from debt and has property worth at least $10,000.
HHISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
APPANOOSE ENCAMPMENT, NO. 138
This encampment was organized October 20, 1801. In J. ( McDonald. J. W. Robey. J. R. Putman, T. S. Kerr. J. E. Ruch and G. W. Colon.
The ladies' auxiliary lodge was organized October 16, 1805. The charter mem- bers were J. H. and Addie Stickler. W. L. and Phoebe Leseney. A. F. and Laura Williams. R. L. and Fannie Hamilton, Michael and Amanda Morgan, G. W. Colton, Maggie Putnam, Mary McCoy, Mary E. Ervin, Minnie B. Skinner, Sarah John, Charles Frost. A. E. Hanum, W. A. Beer. The officers are: N. G., Mrs. Con Bartholamus ; V. G., Mrs. W. H. Stevenson ; R. S., Bertha Buck ; F. S. W. I .. Mitchel.
FOREST ROSE COURT OF FORESTERS, NO. 10
This lodge of Foresters was organized March 12, 1900, by Dr. J. H. Holman. J. A. Johnson. D. M. Osborne. J. R. Hamilton, W. N. Wyckoff, B. O. Buck and William Packard.
CINCINNATI LODGE, K. P .. NO. 404
This lodge was organized October 6, 1804. The charter members were John H. Stickler. I. R. Putman, George W. MeKechan, John McJunis. J. H. May. C. M. Sayres, Jesse Hutchinson. O. H. Perry, Hugh Dinning, William Powell. S. A. McKechan. R. M. Duncan, William Corder. E. K. Elledge, T. E. Corporon. Joseph Bier. Martha Dinning, Charles C. Morgan, W. H. Harris, John A. Corder. A. F. Rasmusson. J. V. Leseney. E. B. May. Jeffrey Hughes, John E. Ruch, Thomas Samson, William Evans. Ben Jones, Arthur Duffey, James Medlen. 11. V. Bohz. Alex Seath. J. B. Herron.
The officers are : C. C., W. O. Steel; V. C., S. G. Lewis ; prelate, Joseph Bowie ; M. of W. M. Murphy : K. of R. & S .. Dr. N. C. Hargis ; M. of F. C. A. Lesency; M. of L ... Hugh Dinning. Sr .: M. of A .. A. M. Bowie; I. G .. John Rathburn ; O G. ( ' Stevenson.
RATHBONE SISTERS SLOMAN LODGE. NO. 54
The lodge was organized August 14, 1805. The charter members were as follow -: Mesdames J. V. Lesency, Hugh Dinning. A. M. Sayres. A. Seath. I. Il. Stickler. E. Cartwright, Thomas Dawson. J. A. Corder, E. B. May, J. B. Her- ron. W. V. Boltz. A. Duffey, John Ruch, G. W. MeKechan, Samuel Buck, Charles Clawson. Thomas Samson. D. Johnson, Thomas Johnson. D. Jones, and the Misses Ilo Fawcett and Bertie Johnson.
This lodge was organized January 5. 1807. with the following charter man- bers: Frank W. Hoover. D. I. Saulsberry. J. M. Casey, Will Casey. C. M. Jen nings, A. H. Sayres. M. Hersberg. J. N. Stuckey, J. I. Morgan, J. F. Woodburn. W. I. Holbrook, J. S. McDonald, C. S. Wyckoff.
In the fall of 1912. J. ( McDonald wrote a series of reminiscent articles for the ( in mati Review, which are here given to the reader of this volume :
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Having been solicited to write for the Review some of my recollections of the older times in Cincinnati and vicinity, 1 cheerfully attempt the task. In the first place it should be borne in mind that what I write is only a "recollection" and not an attempt at accurate history. What I saw and heard in 1854 and subse- quently, might appear and sound different to other eyes and cars, and in writing these recollections 1 do not court criticism or compliments. If any one chooses to differ from me as to dates, names or locations 1 trust you will be generous enough to admit to your columns their version, written as I have this, without reflection on any one.
I was much pleased and interested in the letter of Elza Moore, of Admire. Kansas, lately published in the Review, and find that his letter has' stirred the minds of a good many people, which is creating an interest in the early history of Cincinnati and Appanoose county.
I came to lowa from Pennsylvania by river in 1852, and landed at Keokuk in the month of April, at the age of seven years. Two years later, in March. 1854, my father moved to Cincinnati, bringing with him myself and four other chil- dren. My father had previous to this, about September. 1853. made a trip to Appanoose county, to seek a location, and hearing of Cincinnati as a religious and anti-slavery center, bought here the preemption right to one hundred and sixty acres of land lying in the northeast corner of what is now Cincinnati. He bought this land from a man by the name of Meddis, later entering it by paying the gov- ernment $1.25 an acre. At the same time he laid land warrants, as they were then called, on an adjoining forty acres and forty acres on the Missouri state line, making two hundred and forty acres owned by my father. One of these war- rants was purchased of David McDowell, a brother-in-law, and the other from Isaac Powell, both of whom had done service in the war with Mexico and these warrants were granted to the soldiers under act of congress, dated September 28, 1850. My father paid Meddis $640 for his preemption right, including the improvements of a one and a half story single room log house. 15 x 20 feet, a log stable and a log smoke house, a well and fifty acres fenced and about forty acres cleared, making his two hundred and forty acres, including the entry price, cost nearly four dollars per acre, a pitiful sum looking back to it today, but a large sum fifty-eight years ago.
The first court house in Centerville, built of logs and clapboards, cost the peo- ple of Appanoose county as much per capita and wealth as the new stone struc- ture that now adorns the center of the public square.
LAND OFFICE AT CHARITON
The land in this county was embraced by the government in what was known as the Chariton district and the "post of entry" was at the town of Chariton, then an insignificant place, and the county seat of Lucas county. It was called by everybody "Chariton Pint." In those days there were neither railroads nor wagon roads to Chariton, the only distinguishing mark being a single trail trod by horses. Many people going from AAppanoose county went on horseback, trav- eling in a northwesterly direction, riding night and day regardless of roads, speed and everything else except direction. Many races were run by contesting claim- ants to get to the land office first and enter the choice tract of land.
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
When we came here in 1854 all the land in this district (Chariton ) was open to entry at $1.25 per acre, which was being rapidly taken up by actual residents and speculators. The greatest drawback or setback to any new country was the law then in force which allowed one man with ten thousand dollars to enter eight thousand acres of choice land and hold it for the advance in price. That was done, for many persons yet living remember the vast prairie lying open in Franklin township and Bellair township until after the war closed because it was owned by speculators in the east. The homestead law which came into effect in 1861 wisely provided that no man could get more than one hundred and sixty acres from the government. If he wanted more he would have to get it from some one else. AAlthough Missouri was admitted as a state twenty-six years before lowa was admitted to the Union, yet the land in Putnam county, adjoin- ing us on the south, was not yet in the market and was not subject to entry for some little time afterward. Many lowa people went across the line and filed claims on Missouri land, which was the cause of many dissensions between the residents of that state and lowa.
NO LOVE LOST BETWEEN MISSOURI AND IOWA
In early days, Missouri being a slave state and lowa a free state, there was a hostile feeling between the denizens of the two states that was not obliterated until after the Civil war.
Some people may think that as I was only nine years old when I came to Cin- cinnati and am now sixty-seven years old. I am not qualified to write of events of fifty-eight years ago with any degree of accuracy. In this connection I wish to state that in the beginning of this epistolary effort I safeguarded myself by saying that I attempted to give my recollections and not give accurate history, but I have found that early impressions sink the deepest and last the longest.
.A case or two in point will illustrate. My first view of a river was the Ohio at Beaver. Pennsylvania, and my first sight of a railroad and steamboat was at the same place and time, when I was a little less than seven years of age. They were all a vision to me ; in fact, to my youthin eyes they were a revelation. Since that time I have traveled from ocean to ocean and from lakes nearly to the gulf, but no river since that time has looked like such a big body of water as the Ohio, nor any steamboat so grand or palatial, or railroad engine so majestic or fero- cious, or train so long as those that | first saw at Beaver in 1852.
Another case is that of a man by the name of Andrew J. Borelan, of Don- nellson, lowa, who. if still living, is eighty-one years of age. It so happened in 1852 that in getting a place to set his foot in lowa, my father rented a place belonging to the father of this man Borclan, near Warren, in Lee county, .1 double log house with shed additions to the rear afforded a home for my father's family, and this man, A. J. Borclan, who was then twenty-one years old. had just been married. The two families lived peaceably in this house for a time and the next spring may father rented another farm in the vicinity and moved to it, while in the spring following he moved to AAppanoose county, and Mr. Borclan was lost sight of. It often occurred to me to make a visit to the old places near Warren where we lived those two years, and I often thought when passing
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
through on the railroad, as I have done many times, that I would stop off and make the coveted visit, but have never done so.
About four years ago 1 proposed to my brother Albert that we go and see the old stamping ground and visit any of the old neighbors whom we once knew and might perchance find. We went, but we did not see but two persons whom we had seen during the two years we lived there. The rest had either died or moved away. We did, however, see the man of all others whom we wished to see -. A. J. Borelan. We introduced ourselves, telling him that we were the sons of Daniel MeDonald, who lived in the same house with him in Warren county, in 1852.
You can imagine our surprise when, pointing to me, he said "You look like your father," and then pointing to brother Albert, said, "but this man doesn't look like him a bit." Everybody who knew my father and us boys will verify the correctness of the statement made by Mr. Borelan. Thus had my father's image been carried on the retina of the eye of this man's mind for over fifty-four years.
In olden times the farmer had to sharpen his seythe before attacking the job of cutting wheat, and the schoolmaster usually sharpened his quill pen before he wrote copies for his pupils.
We had the honor of a visit in Lee county in 1853, from L. R. Holbrook, John T. Matkins and J. H. D. Armstrong, of this place, whose acquaintance my father had made in his quest for a location some weeks before, and on his return trip Mr. Holbrook took a load of our goods, such as we could spare over the win- ter, and brought them to this place, storing them until we arrived later. Accord- ingly, about the last day of February, 1854, we loaded our penates and lares into two wagons, driving a small herd of cattle and a drove of fifty sheep behind the wagons. The custody of the animals was given to William Hamlin, a neighbor boy, and to Oliver C. Rinker, who had been attending school in Lee county and wished to return to his home in Appanoose county. Many persons reading this article will remember Mr. Rinker as being at one time a prosperous merchant of Livingston. this county. The roads were good and we made good time, arriving in Appanoose county on the ist day of March. We stayed over night with a man by the name of Steel. about a mile south of Centerville. The farm afterward was purchased by James Hughes, who made it his home until his death. The next morning we came south and west over the unfenced prairies, following a well beaten road, until we came to Shoal creek. The first places I can remember north of Shoal were the residences of Charles A. Stevens on the west side of the road, and William Phillips, on the east. We crossed Shoal creek at the old ford about a quarter of a mile above where the road now runs and also crossed Little Shoal, the small creek that runs east a half mile. north of Cincinnati. We came up the hill to the first farm owned by Henry P. and John Baker, brothers. the former being the father of Henry Il. Baker, our well known smithy. This farm was later sold to Lewis Ilarris, who lived there until his death, a few years ago. James Milner now lives on the place. Following the ridge, we came to the farm of William McClure, afterward sold by him to a Mr. Webster, who in turn sold it to a Mr. Mitchell. After the death of the latter the farm fell into the hands of Albert Mitchell by purchase and inheritance. lle has subdivided the place, which originally comprised three hundred and twenty acres and now owns
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but one hundred acres, the remaining two hundred and twenty acres being now the suburban residence portion of Cincinnati, which is owned and occupied by a hardy population of one hundred or more Austrians.
The next farm we came to was that of Bazel MeKechan, now owned by the E. J. Gault heirs, and south of that E. J. Gault lived on the hillside south of old Thistle Mine No. 1. The farm west of that was occupied by William M. Cava- nah, but is now owned by II. H. Baker. The next farm on the north side of the road coming west was the one hundred and sixty acres that my father bought of Mr. Meddis. We arrived at the end of our journey about ten o'clock. Although Mr. Meddis had agreed to vacate March ast, and my father had in advance written him that we would be here at that time, yet when we arrived we found that Mr. Meddis had made no attempt at vacating and did not give promise of soon doing so, although he had four grown sons 'and four yoke of oxen to help him. He had taken eighty acres of land two miles west and had put up a log house preparatory to removing thereto. That eighty acres was after- ward owned by Daniel Varner, later by Norman Green and still later by G. W. Streepy. 1 .. R. Holbrook, who owned and occupied a log house sixteen feet square, standing on the lot now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Albert Mitchell, generously offered us a home with him until such time as Mr. Meddis could vacate. You may be sure with Mr. Holbrook's family of five and my father's family of seven, that little log house was well filled, and when it came to sleep- ing, his two sons, Charles K. and George W., with my brother Albert and myself. were sheltered in the home of Solomon Holbrook.
A LONG LIST OF SETTLERS
After a few days, which seemed like a long time to wait. Mr. Meddis vacated and we moved into our new home; a sorry place it was, a lonely log house, one room below and a ladder for a stairs to an attic room above. No trees, or shade. or shrub, except a few wild gooseberry bushes set out in the garden, fenced in with home-made split palings. We adapted ourselves to the conditions and Were soon at home to ourselves if not to our neighbors. We built a porch in front Sx20 and two bedrooms as a "lean to" in the rear, covering the FOX20 with the roof so that that when it rained a little more water came into those two bedrooms than fell outside. March was a beautiful month that year, some- thing like two years ago when there were thirty five days of balmy weather in succession. My father sowed his wheat and it was up and through the ground before April 1st, and everything indicated a generous harvest, which was fully realized in proper season, and we were soon well pleased with our new home.
The people I can remember in addition to those I have already named as being here when we arrived are: Walter S. Johnson. Dr. D. R. Ball, who lived where I. V. Leveney now lives, though in a very unpretentious log building. which was burned down a few years afterwards. Then west of that where T. A. Johnson lives now. Dr. Ball's mother lived in a log house with her two daughters and one son, Colin. The husband of Mrs. Ball was detained in Ohio and did not join his family for some time after. Both families moved from here, the old man going to Nebraska where I saw him in 1805, both he and Colvin being in the army. West of Mr- Ball was J H. B. Armstrong.
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who lived in the largest house of any one in the neighborhood. It was a story and a half double log house-in fact all the houses built here in an carly day were built of logs-with a porch in front and shed addition in rear. West of that was Moses C. Robertson, who lived in a house that was sided with boards and white-washed and looked like a painted frame house. We all thought it was great for a new country. Then came Josiah Gilbert, A. M. and G. W: Streepy, William Stinson, Michael Ross, and John and Jacob Calvert. To the north were William T. Reynolds, John Shepherd, David Moore, George Whit- sell, Samuel C. Cooley. James Hlibbs, Jesse Thomas, George Rigler. James Ridgeway, John Fulcher, Nathan Stanton, David Green, Widow Stanton with her sons Austin, Ervin, Edward, and daughter Josie, Henry Adam-on. J. B. Gedney, John Frost, Andrew Buntain, James X. Gibson. Rev. Robert Hawk, Absalom and Isaac Adams, and Elias Fox, known as "Mink Skin" Fox, and some others whose names I cannot now recall. Going east from town William M. Cavanah, E. J. Gault, a Mr. Skipton and two sons, James and Elijah, and Washington Cline, the father of our Albert Cline. A. M. Cline and W. W. D. Cline and Isaac and William Davis, Conrad Mullennax, "Judge" Allen, and the Harpers and a Mrs. Hearty, with a family of three sons and several daugh- ters, all of whom were married but one. Then on the south of town lived John Kemery. Mr. Updyke. Joseph Crowder. Charles R. Crowder. John .A. Crowder, Seth B. Stanton, John Middleton and James Middleton. Isaac Fox. Isaac Nelson, Henry Besse, James Wright, John, Arthur and Thomas Points. and Isaac R. Skinner, and others, whom to mention would lengthen this chapter.
It was characteristic of the early settlers that as most of them had come from timbered or wooded states like Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania. Missouri or Kentucky, they first settled close to streams so as to be handy to wood for fuel, buildings and fences, and to water and stone, and regarded the large prai- ries as places to be avoided on account of lack of those necessary articles. The greatest mistake ever made by the early settlers was that of requiring the farms to be fenced and let stock run at large. not recognizing the philosophie ques- tion that live stock needed fencing and that land did not.
William Shepherd, the father of John mentioned herein, and the father of the late Rebecca Boyles, and Mrs. J. H. B. Armstrong, lived here in 1854. 1le had raised a large family, lost his wife late in life, remarried and had a family of three small children when I first knew them. He died, and the wife and mother not long after, and left these small children to the care of their rela- tives. There also was a man by the name of Stotts, who used to pound the face off the hill on the creek south of what is now F. C. Hland's coal mine, in quest of coal, and he was successful in his labors. He died at J. 11. B. Arm- strong's at an early day.
The first bit of affinity romance occurred also about 1854. A man by the name of Hawkins had married a daughter of Mrs. Hearty, mentioned in this article, and they were to all appearances living happily ; but one morning Mr. Hawkins arose and found that his wife had eloped with one of the hardest lookers in the neighborhood, whose name. I believe, was Haggerty, but whom everybody called "Hardscrabble." Mr. Hawkins did not pur-ne the erring couple, but allowed them to wend their way westward unmolested. Simeon Baker, a son-in-law of Samuel Ball and no relation to our 11. 11. Baker, was also
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IHISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY
here and had the distinction of building the first log residence in the town, on the lot now owned by Dr. A. P. Stevenson. Many readers will remember the old house, as it stood there not so many years ago. A quaint old character was Phillip Hawk, a brother of Rev. Robert Hawk. He was a bachelor and a recluse and was supposed to have much of the "filthy." He made periodical trips from somewhere to nowhere and made this town on his horseback journeys, stopping always at L. R. Holbrook's. Another occurrence which we all thought was quaint, too, in the brother of Phillip Hawk, was that he, the Rev. Robert Hawk, who by the way had come to America from England, took a notion to move to Australia with his wife and three daughters. He sold his farm to Francis Gault, now owned by Hester M. Gault, and shipped via England to the largest island in the world. He got there, too, after many months, as letters from his daughters to girl friends here afterward testified.
AN UNWELCOME GIFT
I spoke of John Kemery living south of town. Hle owned one hundred and twenty acres, which was afterward known as the A. S. Brown place, while later it was owned by his daughter Jenhie and still later sold to J. F. Woodburn. This man Kemery had a wife and several children, the youngest an infant. One day when he came in from work he found all the children, but his wife was missing. The husband made search and then gave alarm to the neighbors, who joined in the search. They dipped the well dry, fearing she had gone for water and fallen in. They searched the cornfields. The news spread like wild fire. People came for miles around and an all night search through timber and brush and prairies resulted hopelessly. People came and went speaking in whis- pers. School at the little log schoolhouse was demoralized, we boys and girls attending more to the latest news from the search for the lost woman than to our studies. At the end of the second day's search she was found in the woods up Middle Shoal, in the neighborhood where Logan MeClure now lives. She was scratched and torn with brush and briers and was demented. Mr. Kem- ery sold out soon after to A. S. Brown, Sr., and removed to Decatur or Ring- gold county. I remember the deal for the farm from Mr. Kemery to Mr. Brown, as the business was transacted in my father's house. The terms were cash. I do not remember the amount but Mr. Brown counted the money out in gold and piled it on my father's dining table, which made quite a "pile," and it looked like great riches to me. In olden times people carried their money on their person, in their socks, or hats, or coat linings, or in a belt buckled around their waist, and for defense against possible attack or robbery, they carried a bowie knife or a small pistol called a Derringer.
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