USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 35
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J. N. Iliff, now of Webster City, Iowa, and son of Benjamin Iliff, who was among the earliest settlers of this township, claims that his father was the first white settler at the "forks of the Turkey ;" that Lewis Kerr did not come with his family until the summer of 1850; that Eli and Dempsey Elrod came together in 1850; that the flouring mill at Eldorado was built before the saw- mill, which was erected soon after, etc. These are not material points, except the matter of "first settler." It is probable that Lewis Kerr did not bring his family to the new settlement until 1850, but well-confirmed tradition places him there as a house-holder in 1848; "immediately after the removal of the Indians." But the same authority says that he brought his family, and was "accompanied by his mother, one sister and two brothers."
Mr. Iliff mentions the first "callers" entertained at his parental home, and we can imagine the impression they made on the mind of a lad four years old. He says, "They were queer looking fishermen, wearing long red blankets thrown loosely over their shoulders, with buckskin moccasins and feathery
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head gear. They carried long flint-lock rifles, a big knife and a tomahawk. They seemed highly elated and overly curious." His father was called from his work near by, and soon had the Indians smoking, jabbering and grunting with great satisfaction. Soon they began to leave without saying good-bye, but it is not probable that the boy noticed this lack of courtesy! The visitors were Winnebagoes from Fort Atkinson, where they had been cared for by the government, but were now supposed to be on their new reservation in Minnesota. But there were straggling bands of Indians. who frequently vis- ited the early settlements for several years after the removal in 1848, but they were peaceable and generally harmless, except as they sometimes imbibed too much of the white man's "fire-water." Their favorite hunting grounds were in the heavy timber which skirted the Turkey river, and they were loth to leave the habitation of their fathers.
In the fall of 1850 the first Methodist minister made his appearance in the new settlement in the person of Elder John Webb. He put up at the home of Benjamin Iliff, and again the critical eye of the young son, Jasper N., "took notes." He noticed that the preacher was tall and angular, and that he had to stoop to get in at the cabin door. Elder Webb and Mr. Green- up, previously mentioned among the early settlers, conducted a two days' meeting in the unfinished flouring mill, loose boards being laid down for a floor. Both these men, with their families, became residents of Eldorado, as soon as lumber could be sawed with which to build their houses. Elder Brunson soon removed from the township.
Another authority gives Rev. John Hindman credit with holding the first religious services in the town and township, and gives the date, October 29, 1849, at the home of Benjamin Iliff. Mr. Hindman was a Methodist. These conflicts of dates, however immaterial, tend to show the treachery of the memory, and that none are infallible.
But it is generally conceded that James A. Iliff, now of West Union, was the first white child born in Dover township, that event occurring on the 13th of April, 1850. His mother, Mrs. Alvina, wife of Benjamin Iliff, died November 15th of the same year, and this was the first death in the new colony. Benjamin Iliff opened the first store in Eldorado, and was also the first postmaster in the place.
The first school in the township was opened in the summer of 1851, in a log cabin in section 31. One authority says Sarah Stafford was the teacher, and another says Arabella Nutting was entitled to the honor. Both statements emanate from early pioneer authority.
The first bridge to span the Turkey at Eldorado was built by subscrip-
(24)
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tion in 1855. It was succeeded by an iron structure in 1870, at the expense of the county, and this has been replaced or repaired as occasion demanded, the road which it connects being one of the early thoroughfares between West Union and Calmer, and other points north and south.
CHURCHES.
The first school house in Eldorado was erected in 1854, the school pre- viously mentioned serving the people of the village until this time, though at some inconvenience and danger, especially when the river was high. A United Brethren church was erected in the village in 1859. Subsequently it was taken apart and moved to Auburn, and the continuing members allied themselves with the church elsewhere. A Methodist Episcopal church was organized in Eldorado during the winter of 1849-50, presumably by Rev. John Hindman, who preached the first sermon in the township, though this statement is disputed in the interest of Rev. John Webb, whom the narrator himself says, "came in the fall of this year," .meaning in 1850. The Meth- odist church was built in 1869, but was not dedicated until January 2, 1871. The building committee was James George, Richard Dewey, James Young, George K. Eckert and Thomas Kincaid, familiar names in Dover township early history. In later years William Oberdorf, Samuel Dewey and Andrew Reed became prominently associated with this church in official capacities, and so continued until their removal from the township. Nearly all the early members of this church are dead. For fuller history of this church, and for the record of the German Lutheran church, see the special articles on these subjects. A Sunday school was organized at the house of Benjamin Iliff, by Eli Elrod and others, in 1850, and this has been a continuing institution, with seldom a break in its weekly meetings.
Special mention should be made of the work of Rev. G. Blessin, pastor of the German Lutheran church at Eldorado. Nearly thirty-five years of his life have been devoted to the service of the church and its people in this county, his present pastorate extending over nearly all of this time. In ad- dition to his pastoral duties, he has taken an active part in social and educa- tional affairs in the village, particularly as a teacher of his self-constituted parochial school, and as a teacher of music in the village and elsewhere. No man could have been more useful in the upbuilding of the moral and intel- lectual status of the community. We refer with a great deal of pride to his special articles in this work on "German-American Citizenship" and the "German Lutheran Church in Fayette county."
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THE MILLING INDUSTRY.
Several saw-mills and grist-mills were erected along the banks of the Turkey in early times, some of which continued in active operation until with- in comparatively recent years, but most of them gave way to floods and fire. A steam saw-mill was erected in 1853 by Newton, Walcott & Towner, on section 32, at a place locally known as "Bloomertown," which was continued in operation for many years. Latterly it was owned and operated by Abram Geil, who sold it to John Sphar, who now operates it when its services are demanded. But the portable saw-mill has taken the place of the permanent ones, thus substituting the hauling of the mill for the old custom of hauling the logs. There is yet a large traffic in this line of work in the timbered sections of the county. Alexander Musselman built a saw-mill in early days about a mile below the Eldorado bridge which still has a nominal existence. That place was known for many years as "Slabtown."
The Dover mills, owned and operated in early days by Burnham & Granger, was one of the leading industries of the township during the time when it was customary to do grinding for "toll." But this property gave way to the ravages of the raging Turkey, as did many other industries along its course. The Eldorado mills are still in operation, and have been improved to meet the requirements of the times, though the volume of business done is much less than in earlier days.
Eldorado is a flourishing village with two stores, mechanical shops and minor industries. Its natural surroundings are extremely beautiful ..
This township, with its sheltering river bluffs and timber, seems to be specially adapted to fruit-growing, comparing favorably in this respect with any township in the county. Some excellent orchards, and a great diversity of products, are found in this township and good prizes have been awarded Dover township fruits at both county and state fairs. Some small nurseries are also profitably conducted by men schooled in such work. Without dis- paragement to the work of others, we mention the farms of William A. An- derson, Henry George and Adam Johnson as being specially well equipped for the growing of prize-taking fruits and grains. Others excel in the pro- duction of heavy hogs, while still others give special attention to the rearing of horses and cattle.
It is said that a "Know-Nothing" lodge existed in Eldorado in very early times, the garret of Elrod's flouring mill being used as a lodge room. This was reached by means of an outside ladder. "Black-balled" candi- dates for initiation, who had the presumption to climb the ladder in search of
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that which had been denied them, were treated to a bucketful of batter made from mill-sweepings, and this usually dissuaded further efforts in seek- ing the "mysteries of the order!"
A Good Templars lodge also had an existence in the village in early days, but this has long since ceased to exist.
EDUCATIONAL.
There are nine rural independent school districts in Dover township in which were enrolled two hundred and fifty-nine of the three hundred and fifty- one pupils of school age, with a total average attendance of one hundred and sixty-five during the year ending July 1, 1909. One male teacher was em- ployed in the township at a salary of forty dollars per month, and the female teachers received salaries ranging from thirty-three dollars to forty dollars per month. Average duration of schools in the entire township, seven and three-tenths months. Average cost of tuition per month for each pupil two dollars and thirty-nine cents. Value of school houses, five thousand seven hundred and ten dollars; value of school apparatus, nine hundred and five dol- lars; number of volumes in school libraries, four hundred and three.
Wild game, especially deer, was plentiful in Dover township from the time the white settlers began to locate there until the winter of 1856-7. That winter was exceptionally severe, with deep snow from early winter until late in the spring. The snow was crusted to such an extent that it was difficult for the deer to get away from the hunters and their dogs, and nearly all were slaughtered-many of them wantonly, we believe. This was equally true of other localities in the county, and but few deer have been found here since the eventful winter of 1856-7.
CHAPTER XXIV.
EDEN TOWNSHIP.
This township, formerly a part of Auburn, was organized in 1852, with a voting population of nine. It is generally believed that James Austin, who built a cabin on section II, in 1849, was the first actual settler, but he soon sold his claim to Baldwin Kirkpatrick, and is thereafter better known among the pioneers of Windsor township.
Eden is one of the best agricultural townships in the county; its soil being specially adapted to diversified farming and general stock raising, elements which together contributed to the success of the pioneers during their first efforts at home-making. The land is generally rolling prairie, except along the Turkey river and Crane creek, where there was considerable timber in early days. The banks of these streams are comparatively low as they pass through this township, and the typical "Turkey river bluffs," as found else- where in the county, are mostly lacking in Eden township. Besides the two principal streams already mentioned, there are many smaller creeks and spring branches which drain the land and render it ideal for stock-raising.
Unlike most of the other townships of the county, the first settlers in Eden did not at once establish a village, but located on their farm homes and were content to do their trading at towns established in other sections, or even in adjoining counties. The northwest quarter of Eden township was settled almost exclusively by Irish people, some of them direct from the Emerald Isle, but mostly from other sections of our own country. The de- scendants of these early families still occupy the old homesteads or have drifted into other lines of business, but most of them are in some day identified with the original homesteads. Some of our most efficient county officers have come from the early farm homes in northwestern Eden.
The first school in this township was taught in a private house in the spring of 1854, by Hannah Tiff. In the same year a log school house was built on section 24 (at the later village of Eden), and Miss Murray was the first teacher there.
St. Rose's church, established in the northwest corner of the township, was the first religious organization in Eden, if we except the work of the
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traveling pioneer ministers who occasionally held services at the cabins of the people. This church was built in 1857, and was dedicated by Bishop Loras, as appears more fully in the article on the Catholic church in Fayette county. For the history of St. Mary's Catholic church in Waucoma, the reader is re- ferred to the same article.
The schools of Eden township are organized under the district township system, there being eight sub-districts, controlled by a board of eight sub- directors, each endowed with legal authority to manage his own school (under certain restrictions). There are eight school houses in the district township, valued at three thousand five hundred dollars, with school apparatus valued at one hundred twenty-two dollars, and five hundred ten volumes in the school libraries. At the taking of the last enumeration there were one hundred ninety pupils between the ages of five and twenty-one years, of whom one hun- dred fifty-four were enrolled in the schools, with an average daily attendance of ninety-nine. The average cost of tuition per month for each pupil was two dollars and eighty-two cents. Duration of schools, eight months. Teach- ers employed, two males and nine females, at an average compensation of thirty-five dollars per month.
WAUCOMA.
Waucoma is the principal town in Eden township, and dates its exist- ence from 1855, when Baldwin Kirkpatrick built the first house on the town plat. The land upon which this town is located was entered by J. P. Webster in 1854, and Mr. Webster laid out the town in the same year. At first, and for many years, the town had a tardy growth, but the advent of the Daven- port and St. Paul branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway, in 1879, gave the village a new lease of life, and it has since had a steady and prosperous growth. It has always been the principal town in Eden township, and is today fully abreast of all the trading points in the county, and is a progressive and flourishing town, peopled with a class of public-spirited citi- zens whose influence, money and enterprise have made Waucoma an up-to-date and prosperous town.
This town was incorporated in July, 1883, and J. P. Webster was elected first mayor. This venerable pioneer has served in that capacity about twenty of the twenty-seven years of the corporate existence of the town, though not continuously. Other mayors elected in the town were Dr. O. B. Dodd, Ace Webster, G. W. Bowers, W. H. Stone and L. A. Miller, with J. P. Webster, the present incumbent.
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The postoffice was established soon after the town was laid out, and Milo Goodell was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by J. P. Webster. Other postmasters, in order of appointment, were L. J. Smith, K. M. Burnside, J. J. Kieron, J. M. Burnside, A. F. Gressler, and J. W. Reed, the present incum- bent. In early days this office was on the "star route" between Osage and West Union, and mails were delivered but twice a week. It is now a third class office, having several daily mails.
The Waucoma Sentinel is the only newspaper in the town, it having been established in the seventies (see article on the Public Press). E. B. Stillman, an experienced newspaper man, was at the head of the Sentinel for a number of years in its early history. It has always been a spicy and readable weekly paper.
The Waucoma mill was one of the earliest industries established in the town, and one which did more than anything else to bring trade and develop business. It was at first equipped with the old-fashioned stone buhrs, but with the progress of the times it became a full roller system and turned out as fine a quality of products as any of its competitors. At present this mill is operated exclusively for the grinding of feed, buckwheat, etc., and has aban- doned flour-making since the failure in the spring wheat crops.
The first hotel in Waucoma was operated by Milo Goodell and was known as the Empire House. A little later it passed into the hands of "Uncle Bill" Scovil, who operated it after a manner peculiarly his own, for many years. The Commercial House and the Palace Hotel were later additions ; the latter, and the best hotel Waucoma has ever had, was burned in January, 1907, and the Commercial suffered a similar fate in the autumn of 1908. In each case other property was destroyed, these being the greatest fire losses the town has ever sustained.
CHURCHES.
Numerous church organizations have existed in Waucoma from time to time, but some of them have not sustained their early organizations, while others have come and superseded them. Of the former, we mention the Christ- ian denomination, who were among the early occupants of the field, but their organization went down.
In 1874 both the Congregational and United Brethren people effected organizations in the town and held their services in the school house. But the church organization of the Congregationalists was effected in the country, and later removed to Waucoma, where they built the first church edifice. In 1894 this congregation built their present house of worship, and this is the principal Protestant organization in the town.
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A revival meeting was held in 1874 by Rev. M. S. Drury and his son, Rev. M. R. Drury, of the United Brethren denomination, the latter being then the pastor of the church at West Union. Excellent results were attained and a strong class was organized which flourished for a number of years. They built a church and maintained a successful organization, until a change in the church curriculum divided the members on doctrinal points into two organ- izations, known as "Radicals" and "Liberals," neither of which was financially able to sustain their weakened organizations, and the Waucoma church lost its identity, and the building was sold to the Methodists. The last named society still maintains its organization, as appears more fully in the history of the Methodist Episcopal church in Fayette county elsewhere in this work.
From the earliest days of Waucoma history, a considerable portion of the population have been people of the Roman Catholic faith, and these were somewhat inconvenienced by being compelled to attend services, if at all, at St. Rose church, some three or four miles distant. The question of moving the church to the town had long been considered, and yet the settlers around the old church objected to its removal. It was finally decided, however, to establish a new church for the accommodation of those who could attend services more conveniently in the town, and leave the old church undisturbed. This was finally done, and St. Mary's church, in Waucoma, was organized in 1899, under the pastorate of Rev. Father Hogan, the present pastor of the church in Waucoma. A neat and commodious church edifice was erected, at a cost of thirteen thousand five hundred dollars, besides a comfortable and modern parish house.
WAUCOMA SCHOOL.
The first school house within the present limits of Waucoma was erected in 1860, and three years later a new frame school building was built to ac- commodate the increasing population. A graded school was established in early days, and it has always been one of the material points in municipal affairs to procure the best teaching talent to be found, and Waucoma has been justly proud of her schools, even when only a straggling village. The inde- pendent district of Waucoma came into existence prior to the incorporation of the town, and in 1882 the district built the first part of the present brick school house, to which an extensive addition was made in 1891, at a total cost of five thousand dollars. There are four rooms in the building, employing four teachers, one male and three females, the former at seventy-five dollars per month, and the latter at an average compensation of thirty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents; duration of school year, nine months. During the last
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year, sixteen non-resident pupils received instruction in the high school depart- ment, for which the district realized from tuition, one hundred seventy-nine dollars and seventy-five cents. There are one hundred sixty-three pupils of school age in the district, of whom one hundred thirty were enrolled in the schools, with an average daily attendance of one hundred two. The average cost of tuition per month for each pupil was one dollar and eighty-one cents. There are three hundred seventy volumes in the district library, and the school apparatus is valued at one hundred and fifty dollars.
EDEN.
The village of Eden is a little hamlet located on section 24 which has had a nominal existence since 1856. In the year last written. Oliver Stone erected a saw-mill on the Little Turkey, which passes through the village, and around this centered quite a number of early pioneer homes. Being lo- cated in a rich farming district, the small amount of business which the village stimulated was of that substantial kind which encourages the merchant and enables him to continue. During the days when the Patrons of Husbandry wielded a strong influence in this county, a Grange store was established at Eden, and conducted successfully for a number of years by George L. Noble, manager. But that feature was abandoned many years ago, and there is now one small store there, owned and operated by R. F. Rogers, an early settler and prominent citizen in the township.
BANKING.
The first banking accommodations here was the private bank of S. B. Zeigler & Company which concern had a chain of banks in this county. Its date was November, 1882. W. H. Stone was its cashier. He bought the bank out and established the Bank of Waucoma in 1887, a private bank.
LODGES.
A lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was organized in October, 1875, and now has a membership of sixty-six; meets over the Bank of Waucoma.
Standard Lodge No. 351, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, was organ- ized May 14, 1875, with the following charter members and officers: A. P. Fowler, worshipful master; W. E. Bender, senior warden; Linus Fox, junior
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warden ; Henry Felker, secretary; James Miller, treasurer ; O. B. Dodd, senior deacon ; William Miller, junior deacon; John Lawrence, tyler; Robert Patter- son, senior steward; Vol. Johnson, junior steward. The lodge now has a membership of sixty. It is the only lodge in the county owning its own hall, a fine brick with the postoffice on the first floor. This was erected in 1895.
A post of the Grand Army of the Republic was organized in 1879. Only twelve survivors of the Civil war are now members at this post.
The Modern Woodmen of America, Camp No. 4306, organized May 14, 1897, has seventy-five members at this date. Present officers are: L. J. Gibbs, venerable consul; J. B. Steel, worthy advisor; Jo. Mitchell, banker; F. B. Reed, clerk. Meets in Independent Order of Odd Fellows Hall. The camp has a Royal Neighbor auxiliary.
BRIDGES.
At an early day the Turkey was spanned by two bridges near this point- one up stream about a quarter of a mile, and one at the lower end of town. Both were of the old type of Howe truss wooden bridges. As time and floods swept by, many repairs and new structures had to be built, and finally in 1872 a new and more modern one was built on the site of the present bridge. That served until 1890, when the Chicago Bridge Company erected the present steel structure, costing Fayette county three thousand five hundred dollars.
In 1876, D. P. Moody established a creamery at Waucoma and later sold to Webster & Webb, who operated the same until it was burned, after which the Farmers Creamery Company was organized and incorporated in 1889 and re-incorporated for twenty years more in 1909. They gather cream over regular routes.
PRESENT BUSINESS INTERESTS.
Drugs-Burnside & Knight.
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