USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 36
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Hardware-George King & Son, Blong & Kolbert.
Implement Dealers-James McEnaney.
General Merchandise-Fred Mckay, Bright & Webster. Grocers-Servoss & Sperry, Fred Reed, Mrs. Anna Beebe.
Furniture-Blong & Colbert, John Reed.
Jeweler-C. A. Kohout.
Grain Dealers-Webster Brothers and James McEnaney.
Bank-The Bank of Waucoma.
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Harness Shop-M. B. Wilson.
Lumber Dealers-Webster Brothers.
Livery Stables-L. Young and Robert Scott.
Meat Market-Bert Stribling.
Newspaper-The Sentinel.
Blacksmith shops-Will Kent, M. Stribling.
Restaurants-F. B. Reed and Mrs. A. Beebe.
Feed Mill-Will Twambley.
Creamery-Farmers Creamery Company.
Opera House-Mrs. J. J. Kieron.
Photograph Gallery-J. P. Eskildsen. Physicians and Surgeons-Drs. O. B. Dodd (retired), Fox & Hobby, E. S. Kaufman (homeopathic) and Dr. Smittel.
Hotel-Mrs. Anna B. Beebe. Wagon shop-William Barbour. Millinery-Mrs. M. Husband.
Attorney-at-law-A. C. Boylan.
Dr. J. B. Norris came from Illinois to Chickasaw county, ten miles north of Waucoma, in the fifties, and to Waucoma in 1860, and practiced here until his death, in 1865. Then came Dr. Olmstead, who remained only a short time. The third doctor at Waucoma was Dr. O. B. Dodd, who still resides there, but has practically retired from the practice, though he is called in extreme cases and as counsel. (See medical chapter).
ALPHA.
By Mrs. Anna Holton and Almon Davis.
The village of Alpha is located on Crane creek, section 32, Eden town- ship, and was originally a part of the farm owned by Philander Davis. It was surveyed and platted about 1870, by E. D. Gazley, as it was necessary that the town should be named before the plat could be recorded, Mr. Davis said his wife should name it. She said as it would be the first town on Crane creek, they would call it Alpha, as that meant the "beginning." But for sev- eral years the town was more generally known as Johnson's Mill. The first house was built during the fall of 1869, by Samuel Johnson, who, with his son Volney N., had bought the water power the preceding winter or spring. During the winter of 1869-70, timber was hauled from the Auburn woods, and lumber from Lawler, and work was begun both on the mill and dam early
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in the spring of 1870. The work on the mill was carried on so expeditiously under the supervision of a millwright by the name of Taft, that the people in the vicinity held a 4th of July picnic in it, that being the first 4th of July demonstration held in Alpha. The mill was completed and in operation early in the autumn. Harley Wade was the first miller. Flour was made and shipped quite extensively for several years, but at present only buckwheat and feed grinding is done. After numerous changes in ownership, this property is now owned and operated by A. A. Finch. The first blacksmithing was done by Tyler and Perkins, in a board shanty on the east side of the road, at the north end of the bridge. In the fall of 1870, Mr. Perkins built the stone shop, and sold it to Thomas Bartie in 1871. Some of those who have either owned or worked in the old shop for some considerable length of time are Thomas Bartie, Chauncey Bronson, Thompson and Tabor, George Broadbent, Albert Broadbent, Frank Fisk, and others. The building was owned for some years by C. C. Dykins, who sold it to the Davis brothers. The "old stone shop," which for thirty-eight years was a landmark in Alpha, was torn down by Almon Davis, in 1908, and a two-story brick building erected on the site. The first story of this building is used by Mr. Davis as a hardware store, and the upper story is used by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Brotherhood of American Yeomen as a lodge room.
The first wagon shop was built by the Davis brothers, who did wagon making and general repair work. This building was sold to F. D. Talcott, who moved and enlarged it, and put in a blacksmithing outfit. This prop- erty has changed hands several times, Fred Thelman owning it and working there quite a number of years. It is now owned by Almon Davis and son, D. D. Davis, who have rebuilt it, and put in a gasoline engine, saw, lathes and other machinery, making it a first-class blacksmith and wagon shop.
In the summer of 1871 C. C. Dykins built the first store building, and put in a stock of general merchandise. This building has been used continu- ously as a store, and is now, occupied by Gager Brothers, with general merchan- dise and postoffice. The Bethel postoffice was moved to Alpha about 1879, and the name changed to Alpha. Philander Davis was the first postmaster, and George Bowers, deputy. Mr. Davis soon resigned in favor of Mr. Bow- ers. The office was turned over to R. S. Brayton in 1883, and after his death in 1890, his wife, Mrs. M. A. Brayton, was appointed postmistress, which office she filled until June, 1907, when she resigned in favor of E. E. Gager. About 1887, the Day Brothers put up a small building for creamery purposes, the machinery being operated by horse tread-power. The building was burned in September, 1888, and the Farmers Co-operative Creamery Association was
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formed the same fall. A new building was erected, equipped and in operation by the following January. After twenty years use, the building was torn down and a brick structure was erected in 1908 and equipped with all modern conveniences ; and now Alpha has a creamery to be proud of. The report for the year ending October, 1909, was one hundred seventy thousand one hun- dred and fifty-seven pounds of butter manufactured, and actual cash receipts, forty-four thousand two hundred nineteen dollars and twenty-four cents. Dur- ing the spring or summer of 1880 the building now occupied by E. F. Sheldon, as restaurant and grocery, was built by Doctor Stearns, and a stock of drugs was placed in it. After a few months the Doctor left, and the drugs were moved away, since which time Alpha has had no resident physician.
M. B. Wilson put in the first harness shop in 1887, and continued here in the business five years. Frank West is the present harnessmaker, and is doing a good business. The tonsorial chair has for years been looked after by William Patterson. In 1883, L. W. Drake put up a new building, and filled it with a stock of goods. The building is now occupied by Richmond & Chapman, with general merchandise.
The following gentlemen have been at some time in the mercantile busi- ness in Alpha : C. C. Dykins, George Bowers, L. W. Drake, A. L. Davis, J. B. Hathaway, James Patterson, C. F. Carr, F. J. McIntyre, and C. Brayton, general merchandise; Herman Schmudluck, J. A. Hathaway, Eugene Finch, and Almon Davis, hardware.
The first school house in the district was built by S. H. Stine, in the fall of 1867, and the first term of school was taught by Henry A. Bender. The first marriage in the town was A. E. Davis to Record Jewett, in November. 1870. It is believed the first child born was Mamie Bartie, daughter of Thomas Bartie. The first death, Sammy Bronson, little son of Chauncey Bronson.
The only serious accident that has occurred in the town was on Decem- ber 9, 1902, when a shadow of gloom was cast over the entire community by the death of Robert Patterson (miller), who was caught in the machinery, and instantly killed.
Alpha is a town of some note abroad, as it is quite a summer resort. It has its beautiful little park, on the south side of the river, owned and cared for by J. T. Gager, who has also a gasoline launch, and several row boats, and a commodious boat house for the use of pleasure-seekers. No saloon has ever smirched the fair record of our town. It was once attempted. but was boycotted, and soon was moved away.
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RELIGIOUS AND CIVIC SOCIETIES.
Religious meetings were held in the room over L. W. Drake's store some time during the eighties, conducted by a Congregational minister, Rev. Rob- ert Mumby. A Sunday school was also organized in the same place, Charles A. Husband acting as superintendent.
The Ladies' Aid Society was organized by Rev. Emmett Hunt in 1888, since which time the ladies have realized over three thousand dollars by their efforts.
The church was built in 1889, and dedicated by the Methodist Episcopal denomination, with Rev. Emmet Hunt, as first pastor.
SOCIETIES.
An Independent Order Good Templars was organized in July, 1889, by Mrs. Anna M. Tyng, state deputy, and still holds weekly meetings. A. L. Davis was the first chief templar. In connection with this order, a Juvenile Templars organization was instituted by Mrs. Mary E. Lloyd, and continued its meetings for twenty years.
Alpha Camp, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized on Febru- ary 24, 1898, with Ed. Ostrander as first venerable consul, and J. B. Hath- away, clerk.
Bethel Homestead, Brotherhood of American Yeomen, was instituted in September, 1898 with John Waterworth as first foreman.
Alpha Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted January 25, 1908, by L. W. White, grand master of the grand lodge of Iowa, with forty-three charter members. Almon Davis was first noble grand.
ALPHA TELEPHONE COMPANY.
This company was organized in October, 1905, the object at first being for local convenience, but the system spread, until now it covers ninety miles of line, has three hundred and one shareholders, owning their own phones, and the company owns ninety rented phones. Towns reached by even exchange are as follows: Waucoma, Lawler, New Hampton, Jackson Junction, St. Lucas, Eden, Hawkeye, Randalia, Maynard, Fredericksburg, Calmar, Ft. Atkinson, and Festina. It is incorporated as the Alpha Telephone Company, headquarters at Alpha, where the central office is located, with Mrs. A. A. Finch tending the switchboard, to the entire satisfaction of the public.
CHAPTER XXV.
FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Strangely enough, the early history of this township centers about Tay- lorsville, a village long since obliterated from the map of Fayette county and which survives only in the memory of the early settlers. Its formal organiza- tion as an election precinct, which included the present township of Fairfield and the south half of Illyria, was provided for by the board of county com- missioners, October 8, 1850, and the first election was held at the house of Jared Taylor, with Daniel Finney, Henry Baker and David King as judges of the election. But Fairfield was one of the first four townships surveyed in this county, as appears more fully in the chapter on "County Organization." The same chapter gives names of some of the earliest settlers in the town- ship, as well as the establishment of the first road, thus showing the importance of Taylorsville as an early town and trading place. The opening of a pub- lic highway from the county line east of Taylorsville, through that town, and on to West Union, was one of the first official acts of the county commission- ers, elected in 1850. Reference is also made to the article, elsewhere in this chapter, "Recollections of Arlington and Vicinity," by Hon. James Cooney, ex-county attorney, and a resident of Brush Creek for many years.
It is believed that "Major" Mumford's was the first white family to locate within the present boundaries of Fairfield township. But little is known of this family except some traditional history. Some authorities give them credit with having born to them the first white child in Fayette county. The circumstances surrounding this case are somewhat unique. It seems that the child was born while the parents were temporarily out of the county-in the brush by the road-side, in Delaware county. But as their only home at the time was near Brush Creek, where they had made a claim and built a house, it would seem to be fair to give them the "benefit of the doubt!" The Mum- fords laid their claim early in 1840. But little was known of township bound- aries in those days, and it is probable that the Mumfords were associated with all the early settlers in that section of the county. Some of these were the Gamble family, who came in the fall of 1840 and moved away in 1842.
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TEAGARDEN MASSACRE.
In the autumn of 1842 two men came to the locality from Dubuque who figured conspicuously in the local history of the country. These were Atwood and Teagarden, the latter buying out the Gamble claim. Teagarden brought his family of wife and three children and moved into the Gamble house, At- wood, a bachelor, going to live with them. It seems that their principal busi- ness was selling whiskey to the Indians, and this led to interminable trouble and finally the murder of both Teagarden and Atwood. This atrocious crime was the result of a dispute over the possession of a gun which an Indian had pawned to Atwood, probably for whiskey. During the night of March 25, 1843, Atwood returned from Dubuque with a barrel of whiskey, and found three Indians at the cabin waiting for him. The Indian's gun had been sold or bartered away, and the red man insisted upon having his property. The entire company of five proceeded to get drunk, but it seems that Atwood and Teagarden were more susceptible to the influences of the "fire water" than the Indians, in that they got helplessly drunk, while the Indians were not; and after Atwood and Teagarden were laid out on the floor, it was an easy mat- ter for the Indians to tie them, hand and foot, which they proceeded to do. They then leisurely chopped Atwood to pieces with their tomahawks, but were more considerate in disposing of Teagarden, whom they shot and instantly killed. They also killed a small boy, son of Teagarden's, and seriously wounded another boy and a girl of some nine or ten years, leaving them all for dead. Fearing trouble before the drunken quarrel was over, Mrs. Tea- garden had gone to the Wilcox home, and was away when the other members of the family were murdered. The boy, Isaac, and his sister, Marie, survived their injuries and grew to maturity, married and removed from the state many years ago. After completing their ghastly work, the Indians set fire to the house, stole a horse from the stable, and, after taking possession of every- thing of value to them, made good their escape. But they were captured some time afterwards, indicted by the grand jury of Clayton county, tried and con- victed, but none of them ever suffered the penalty of their crimes. One was killed by his fellows in a fight in the jail, another died, and the other escaped, but was killed by members of his tribe. The unpronounceable names of these worthless savages is not a material point in the recital of this, the first murder in Fayette county. The widow of Teagarden married Zopher Perkins, who lived near Taylorsville. A strange coincidence is the fact that an older son of Teagarden, who lived at Dubuque at the time of the massacre, came to the identical locality and built another house and sold liquor to the Indians. He
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was indicted by the Clayton county grand jury and fined one hundred dollars for this transgression of the law. This occurred on the 14th of June, 1847. Another of the Teagarden boys was indicted for the same offense the next year.
The commission of such a crime as above narrated. in the sparsely settled community, naturally created great excitement and an Indian outbreak was thought to be imminent. A courier was dispatched to Dubuque to inform the authorities and preparations were at once made to receive the dusky foe, which then outnumbered the whites a hundred to one. But the Winnebagoes were for the most part a peaceful, inoffensive race, and were seldom in trouble except under provocation, or when fired with liquor, as in the case here men- tioned.
Wilcox, Orrear and Beatty were the first to visit the scene of this terrible disaster, and they buried the dead in the ruins of the cabin where the deed had been committed. Mrs. Teagarden remained at the Wilcox house for some weeks after the death of her husband, when she was taken by Wilcox to Dubuque where some of her family still remained. We next hear of her as the wife of Perkins, and living near Taylorsville, as previously related.
The Wilcox cabin, after it was abandoned by that family for a home nearer his land, was the temporary home of a number of the early families in that locality. Among those who lived in it were William Van Dorn, the Hensleys, P. F. Newton, James and Samuel Robertson. The Van Dorn child, which was probably the first white child born in this county, first saw the light in the Wilcox cabin.
Orrear and Beatty were partners for a time in their land holdings, but the former bought the interests of Beatty in the fall of 1843, and Beatty selected another location near by. Orrear was married to Angelina Wilcox, February 25, 1844, and they carried on an extensive dairy business for a number of years, selling their products at Fort Atkinson. Thus early was developed the profits and wisdom of dairying in Fayette county.
In the fall of 1843 the Oatman family located on the prairie northwest of the present site of Arlington and built a house of considerable pretensions for that early day. But their holdings were soon sold to St. John, and seven of the nine members of the Oatman family were murdered by Indians during their attempt to emigrate to California.
M. C. Sperry came to Fairfield township in 1846, but had made a pros- pecting tour to the county three years previously. He was one of the first justices of the peace elected in Hewitt township, while this county was still
(25)
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under the domination of Clayton county. Mr. Sperry was a prominent and useful citizen of Fairfield township during the balance of his life time.
Taylorsville, of the "long ago," would be an unimportant factor in the history of Fairfield township but for the life-work of a few very early pioneers there whose families are now nearly or quite extinct. In this connection we mention Jared Taylor, who laid out the town; M. C. Sperry, who did the first breaking of land in the vicinity; William Stevenson, who built the saw-mill in 1854; Mr. Bassett, who opened the first store in 1852, and Robert Powers and Nathan Putnam, who started in mercantile business a year or two later ; Joshua Mead, who was the "architect" and builder of the saw-mill; George L. Ran- som, who entertained the traveling public at his private home, and Jacob Hart- man who opened a hotel in 1856; Peter Kuney and family were early hotel keepers there, as they were, also, at Brush Creek; William White was an early merchant at Taylorsville.
It would hardly be proper to mention the names of the sporting fra- ternity who resided at Taylorsville, or were frequenters of the place, since some scenes were enacted in early days which would not reflect credit upon the citizenship of those times. Suffice to say that Taylorsville was a medley of contradictions, in that it was once the wickedest place in Fayette county, and at the same time one of the most religious. Horse-racing, gambling, drinking, public dances and general carousing were in order at all times, even when religious meetings were in progress in the town.
Jacob S. Guin located near Taylorsville in the fall of 1850, and he and members of his family became prominent in the county's later history. Dr. Silas Taylor and his brother Jared were among the earliest settlers and figured prominently in the county organization period. Samuel Taylor (another brother ?) built and operated the first blacksmith shop, but the building soon burned and Taylor was succeeded in the business by Giles Miller, who was also an early justice of the peace, and who was a resident of the county for more than forty years. His last residence, however, was at Hazelton, in Buchanan county.
The steam saw-mill erected by William Stevenson soon passed into the hands of Philander Rawson, who, with his son, Walter, later controlled nearly the entire sawing business in the south part of the county. Mr. Rawson pur- chased a water mill on Brush creek, erected by Jacob Kauffman in early days, and in time merged it into a large and well-equipped steam mill, which for many years did a very large business. Walter Rawson subsequently built a steam mill at Arlington, which he operated in connection with an extensive lumber business at the time of his death a few years ago.
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The "paper" town of Centerville was brought to the attention of the early settlers in Fairfield through a trifling misunderstanding between Doctor Taylor and William Stevenson. The latter platted a portion of his land and attempted to establish a new town, practically adjoining the old. But Taylors- ville had come to stay, and the effort at supplanting it in name proved abortive. Stevenson operated a small store before the opening of the Bassett store (which is credited with being the first mercantile establishment ), but Bassett's was the first complete stock of goods displayed in the town. Stevenson was also the first postmaster in the place, though the office was established through the agency and influence of the Taylors. Previously to this, the mail for Tay- lorsville was carried, irregularly, from Elkader, and later from Volga City. Until after the close of the Civil war, the terminus of the Wadena mail route was at Taylorsville, except as it had one weekly delivery at government ex- pense, and if wanted oftener, it was sent for at private expense.
The old tavern at Taylorsville, erected in 1856, was kept by M. D. Covell for many years, though he was not the first landlord, as has been stated else- where. Peter Kuney succeeded to a monopoly of the hotel business in later years, and operated it, undisturbed, until the town was moved to Brush Creek, when he hitched to the old hotel and moved it over to the other town and operated it there until his death. He was quite successful, both as a hotel- keeper and in the accumulation of wealth. Another pioneer in the vicinity of Taylorsville was Hon. W. R. Morley, better known as "Deacon" Morley. His was a character worthy of emulation. The Deacon was a native of Massachusetts, though he came to Iowa from Illinois. He was poor, but by industry and economy, virtues which he possessed beyond that of the average man, he became quite wealthy. And yet with all his "pinching" economy, he was a very liberal man in the distribution of his wealth to worthy applicants. Being childless, he and his wife reared and educated several orphan children and left them well provided for in later life. Mr. Morley was liberal in donat- ing to the building and support of churches, though he never connected him- self with any religious denomination. But for his liberality in this direction it is doubtful if the United Brethren church at Brush Creek ever could have been built and sustained. This was the religious home of his wife, and though he was liberal in donating to other religious organizations, it is probable that his contributions to the United Brethren were larger and more regular than to the others.
Deacon Morley was a man of sound judgment, but lacking in education. His inherent goodness and unquestioned integrity placed him in places of
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trust and honor for which he was not otherwise qualified. But his record as a member of the Iowa Legislature would compare favorably with that of many others elected to the same position during the last sixty years.
SCHOOLS.
A log school house was built in Taylorsville in 1850, this being the first school house erected in the township. Charles Jones, who came to the county with Lorenzo Dutton and others, was the first teacher, and the winter of 1850-I witnessed the opening of the educational process in the southern part of the county. But schools were opened at Lima, Fayette and West Union about this time, though it is not certain as to which of the four mentioned was the first.
Some of the patrons of this school, besides those previously mentioned, were David German, Elder Lowe, George Mckinney, the Lonsberry, Cook, King, Adams and Glidden families.
Mrs. Henry Wilcox, who now lives near the old parental home, was one of the pupils in the first school taught in Taylorsville. She is a daughter of Jacob S. Guin, who died on the overland trip to California. Clarissa Seeley was the successor of Charles Jones. She became the wife of John Moine, who made the first land entry in the county. During the existence of the log school house, it also served the people for a place of worship, for town meet- ings of all kinds, shows, etc. Some of the pioneer ministers who served the people at this time are mentioned in "Recollections of Arlington and Vicinity." by James Cooney. Taylorsville never had a church building, though re- ligious services were conducted in the town from early pioneer days, mostly by the United Brethren denomination. Rev. William Moore who began preaching on the Taylorsville circuit in the early fifties, received for two years' pastoral work the sum of thirty dollars in cash and two bed quilts !
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