USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 43
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The total assessed valuation of Smithfield township for the year 1909 was two hundred and eighty-one thousand one hundred and fifty dollars.
CHAPTER XXXV.
UNION TOWNSHIP AND THE CITY OF WEST UNION.
Within comparatively recent years this township has been subdivided, de- taching the city boundaries from the original township and designating it as West Union township, and leaving the balance of the congressional township as originally organized and designated as Union township. This arrangement was made for political convenience, and to give the city control of adjacent territory without the necessity of conferring with township authorities.
The city of West Union, with its various additions, is laid out on parts of sections 8, 9, 16 and 17, the principal part, and the original town plat, being established on the last mentioned section. The school district boundaries are co-existent with the boundaries of West Union township as now established. Around this territory centers the general history of the northern part of Fay- ette county in the formative period, and, specifically, the history of West Union township as originally formed and maintained for many years.
The town of West Union, as laid out by William Wells, J. W. Rogers and Jacob LyBrand, in 1849, and re-surveyed in 1850, comprised four blocks north and south and three blocks east and west. Near the center of this orig- inal area is the public square, a plat of ground four hundred feet square, which Mr. Wells donated to the county conditioned on the county seat being estab- lished at West Union. The final disposition of this property, together with a recital of all transactions regarding the establishment of the county seat and retaining it ; the building of the first court house, its destruction and rebuilding ; the construction of the jails, and enlargement and modernizing of the court house, will be found fully presented in the chapter on County Organization, and need not be repeated here.
The additions which have been made to the original town plat of West Union are : Fuller's first, second and third additions on the south: Hoyt's ad- dition east of Fuller's, and Upright's addition north of Hoyt's; Cook's addi- tion north of the original town plat; Hinkley's first and second additions west of the original town; North Union, a small addition just south of Hinkley's, and Union addition and Wells' donation south of that; three additions were
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made at the northwest corner of the town, known as Smithfield, Uniontown and Rickel's additions. The villages which sprang up in some of these addi- tions, as Uniontown, Smithfield, etc., were merged into the town proper by action of those having jurisdiction of such matters.
The township of West Union, as originally established in 1849, was under the jurisdiction of Clayton county; but after the organization of Fayette county, in 1850, it included portions of Dover and Pleasant Valley townships, and, for election purposes, the northwest one-fourth of Illyria township was attached thereto.
EARLY SETTLERS.
The first settlers in this territory began to arrive and establish homes as soon as the Winnebago Reserve, from which it was organized, came into market as a part of the public domain. This was in 1848, when the Indians were removed to a new reservation in Minnesota, and the domination of the Winnebagoes ceased to be a menace to the progress of civilization. A favorite camping ground of the Indians was maintained by them, years after their nominal removal to Fort Atkinson, on the farm later known as the Jacob Cory, W. C. Ashby, D. W. Hall and J. Massingham place, and later known as the W. E. Fuller place, which is now owned and occupied by the Jacob Yearous family. Small hunting parties of Indians camped there at times for several years after the township was settled by the white people, and their lodge poles could be seen there for many years after their last visit in 1858.
The first actual settler in West Union (now Union) township was Lor- enzo Dutton, who, with the Jones brothers (Henry and Charles M.), came in July, 1848.
Thomas J. Smith, who accompanied Samuel Conner to Pleasant Valley, located in West Union township about the same time as the above mentioned parties, and is credited with building the first cabin in the township, between the 15th and 20th of August, 1848. He located on the place later known as the Lippincott farm, and now owned by Gus. Reidel.
DUTTON'S CAVE.
The Dutton party built, a temporary cabin in September, using hay, or green grass, for a roof and "banking." When this became dry, it also became inflammable, and was burned soon after its construction, burning most of their cooking utensils, clothing, supplies, etc. Mr. Dutton had but recently re-
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turned from a trip to Illinois where he bought a team of oxen, breaking plow and other implements, and on his return through Elkader he had filled out his load with lumber, provisions, etc., hence the loss of this cabin meant a good deal to the owners. But Lorenzo Dutton is a man who has never yielded to discouragements, of which he had his share in early days, hence the damage was soon repaired, and his placid, even-tempered career resumed. Mr. Dut- ton's career as a pioneer, and some of his own sayings relating thereto, will be found in another chapter. But there is one event in his early history which has been reserved for this article, and that is the discovery of Dutton's cave, and the events leading up to it. Now Mr. Dutton has always been recog- nized as a temperate man, and right well has he maintained his record in this respect, as well as the record of good citizenship. It will not, therefore, be a reflection upon his sobriety to mention "snakes" in connection with his dis- covery of "the cave." As he and his neighbor, Mr. Bailey, were exploring the Dutton domain, they came in contact with more than the usual number of rattlesnakes, which were plentiful everywhere. In seeking to conceal them- selves, the reptiles divulged their hiding place to be a hitherto unknown cavern, which, when explored, seemed to be of considerable dimensions. This was the discovery of the cave which has always been known as Dutton's Cave, and for many years a favorite resort for people seeking a day's outing wherewith they might combine a view of nature's freaks, with a pleasant time. Without entering into a description of this now famous place, we will say that it is beautifully located, as to environments, and the grounds have been fitted up with special reference to the accommodation of the large crowds of people who visit it during the summer seasons, some coming from Fayette, Clermont and other distant towns. Abundance of cold spring water gushes from the entrance to the cave, while the beautifully shaded grounds, with ample seating, tables, places for cooking the ever-present picnic dinner, and the quiet seclusion of the spot, render it ideally suited to the wants of those seeking rest and recre- ation.
Mr. Dutton broke some land in the fall of 1848, and this was probably the first breaking done in West Union township. He still owns the farm which was his first home in the West, but is now living in West Union, enjoy- ing a well-earned respite from active labors.
Among the earliest settlers of the vicinity of West Union, are found the names of many who located in adjoining townships, and who are mentioned in the township histories where they settled. It would be a useless repetition to present the names here, unless they first settled in West Union. It is stated
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in another chapter that seventy persons spent the winter of 1849-50 in West Union, and that but three of the number are now living. Among these are found the names of persons who became thoroughly identified with the early history of the locality, some of whom were prominent in county and state affairs. We submit the following as a partial list of early settlers' names, some of whom came to the town or township as late as 1853, but were located in other parts of the county prior to coming here. For example : Judge Woodle was living at Dunham's Grove when elected to the office of county judge. David Smith settled on section 17, in the fall of 1848, and Morris B. Earll and Jacob Cory on section 16. Henry F. Smith located near them, on section 9. Jacob F. and Henry Smith (sons of Henry F. Smith) spent the winter of 1848-9 here. Absalom Butler settled here in April, 1849; George Smith, April 22; William Wells, April 23; William Redfield, Franklin Bishop and Stephen Bailey in May; Solomon Bishop and Gabriel Long, July 4; Jacob W. Rogers, with his wife and daughter, Ada, and Jacob LyBrand, September 7; Humphrey Tibbetts, October 25; William Felch and his two sons, Cephas and Richard, probably in October or November, 1849; Matthew Wells, spring of 1850; Joseph W. Foster, July 4; John Phillips and Daniel Cook, September, 1850; David Wells, Dr. J. N. B. Elliott, 1850; William McClintock, Henry C. Lacy, Phineas F. Sturgis, Thomas Woodle, Dr. Joseph H. Stafford, David Stafford, Edwin Smith, Porter L. Hinkley, in the spring of 1851 ; J. G. Webb, September, 1851 ; John S. Brewer, Charles McDowell and others came in 1852; Isaac F. Clark, Myron Peck, John Gharky and others, 1853. Among other early setlers, the dates of whose settlement cannot now be ascertained, were James Carl, William Kilroy, Jonathan Ferrell, Jonathan Cruzan, Eli Root, William Root (1849 or 1850), Thomas Ritchie, George Stansbury, Elisha Van Dorn, Friend Dayton, Rev. H. S. Brunson, Joseph Deford, George W. Neff, Nicholas Butler, Willis T. Bunton, William Barnhouse, John Saltsgiver.
David Smith, having established a claim on section 17, covering the later town site of West Union, held the land and timber until he sold his rights to William Wells prior to the founding of the town. Mr. Wells built a log cabin near the present location of the brick house now owned by Harry G. Blunt, and which to this day is better known as the "old Wells property" than by any other description. For years this ancient brick house stood empty, and was well-nigh gone to decay when purchased and repaired by the present owner. Weird tales were told about it and believed by the school children of earlier days. This house stands just north of the site of the original home of Wil- liam Wells and family, and neither it nor the log cabin were located on what
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subsequently became the town plat. This Wells cabin also sheltered the fam- ily of the late Hon. J. W. Rogers, wife and daughter, when they arrived in West Union, in July, 1849. Accompanying Mr. Rogers and family was Jacob LyBrand, they all coming from Monroe, Wisconsin. Rogers and Ly- Brand opened a store in this primitive cabin, and were thus the first merchants in the township. Mr. Rogers commenced building a house on lot No. 17, now on Pine street, and which he occupied on Christmas day, 1849. He and Mr. LyBrand moved the remnant of their stock of goods from the Wells cabin soon after, and were the first to engage in mercantile business on the town plat, as well as on adjacent territory. But Daniel Cook was the first general merchant in West Union, as he put in a complete stock.
Mr. Rogers and wife joined with William Wells and wife, in laying out the town of West Union, as did also Jacob LyBrand. They were old ac- quaintances from Monroe, Wisconsin. Mr. LyBrand removed from the county many years ago, but the others remained in the town they had established until their days were ended. They purchased an interest in sixty acres from Mr. Wells upon which the town was laid out. Appearing in the foregoing list of names of fifty early settlers in West Union are the names of nearly all the county officers elected at the first general election held in Fayette county. Others of them were pioneer business men who established many of the first in- dustries in the town, and continued until retired in the fulness of years.
These were residents of the town during its formative period, but were soon followed by others whose names are familiar among the early settlers as active business men, mechanics and farmers. We append the following incomplete list : J. A. Gruver, John, Daniel and James Dorland, brothers, Jere- miah House, George Blunt, Samuel Rickel, Dr. Levi Fuller, L. L. and S. S. Ainsworth, Hon. S. B. Zeigler, Curtis R. Bent, J. J. Welsh, Thomas Green, Sr., the Hoyer family, W. D. Parrott, T. D. Reeder, J. S. Sampson, the Cowle family consisting of three brothers, William, Daniel and James, H. B. Hoyt, William Kent, John Knox, Sr., Myron Stafford, James Holmes, James George, William Harper, F. J. Carter, the Loftus family, Henry Wonnenburg, the Shaffers, William Houck, Heisermans, Wimbers, Newcombs, Crosbys, Hales, Berkeys, Irvins, McMasters and Gilberts, Coles, Slyters, Conkeys, Hoovers, Shermans, Topes, Nels. Spencer, John Boale, Sr. These became residents of West Union or vicinity, between 1850 and 1856, several of them in the former year. Many of this list are numbered with the dead, but in most in- stances their children and grandchildren still represent the pioneer stock in the community.
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Judge Thomas Woodle, Revs. John Webb and H. S. Brunson were among the pioneer merchants, establishing "The Arcade" in 1852, but this firm did not remain long in business. Their chief clerk and accountant was Mr. P. F. Sturgis, one of the most familiar characters in all of West Union's history, Mr. Sturgis formed a partnership with Daniel Cook which existed until the death of the latter in 1854, after which the stock was sold out to Charles A. Cottrell. P. F. Sturgis then established stores at Clear Lake and Mason City, but returned to West Union at the beginning of the Civil war and re-engaged in business. He was successful in all of his business ventures and retired in middle life.
Densmore & Company, the "Company" being Charles Chadwick, L. C. Noble and B. T. Reeves, and Henry C. Lacy & Company in the "Crystal Pal- ace," were in mercantile business in 1854 or earlier. But we must not forget the "Nimble sixpence" store kept by F. D. W. Morse. In this year (1854), William Wells made a sale of town lots, realizing about forty-five dollars each for those sold. Dr. L. Fuller bought two for ninety dollars and Judge C. A. Newcomb purchased two for eighty-five dollars. The next year Friend Day- ton sold sixteen lots at auction at prices ranging from thirty-three dollars to sixty-seven dollars each.
George H. Thomas and John Owens were early and successful merchants in the town, the former dead and the latter retired and still living in West Union. Mr. Thomas purchased the remnant of the Fox stock when that firm went out of business. A. H. and H. B. Fox, and Berkey & Winet, were also among the early merchants whose career in West Union is long since ended. There was a mercantile firm in the Stone block, erected in 1857 by the firm of Bell & Close, who were among the early business men, but have long since passed to other fields. W. A. Whitney was an early merchant, as were H. B. Hoyt and Samuel Holton, partners in hardware business. The latter was county assessor for a time before the abolition of that office. Dr. L. Fuller was in the hardware business for a brief period soon after he came to the county in April, 1853. He was also in medical practice for some years, but finally retired and devoted his time to real estate and brokerage business. He was a public-spirited citizen who did as much for the progress of early West Union as any one in the place. He was especially active in religious and educational work, and for years was the main pillar of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Hon. Jacob W. Rogers is worthy of more than passing notice in a history of West Union, because of his long residence and active life among the people
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who revere his memory. As is stated elsewhere, he brought the first stock of goods to the town ; built and occupied as a residence and store the first house in the town; he was one of the proprietors of the first town laid out in Fayette county, and manifested as much interest in its future as any man that ever lived in West Union ; he assisted in building the first school house in the town, and examined the first teacher who taught in it, and he was the first county clerk of Fayette county. In 1854-5 he represented twelve counties (including Fayette) in the state Legislature, and was twice elected county judge. He re- signed from his last election to this office to enter the army, raised a: company in defense of the Union, and was commissioned captain of Company F, Thirty- eighth Iowa Infantry. Judge Rogers was a man of keen perception and de- termined will. Whatever he believed to be right received his unqualified sup- port, even though the whole town be arrayed against him. He was a suc- cessful lawyer and a radical opponent of the liquor traffic, whether legalized ( ?) or otherwise. His positive and unequivocal career made for him many warm friends and some enemies. Judge Rogers died in West Union, which had been his home for over half a century. His estimable widow still resides there, enjoying the distinction of having spent more years in West Union than any other living person.
William Wells, like Judge Rogers, his early partner in the "real estate" business, should be memorialized in the annals of West Union and Fayette county. He was elected one of the three county commissioners at the first election of county officers, and had much to do in shaping the early affairs of the county. He transplanted to "Knob Prairie" the name of the county-seat town in his native county (Claremont), in Ohio. He assisted in building the first house erected in West Union township-that of Thomas J. Smith, pre- viously mentioned, and spent a long and active lifetime in furthering the inter- ests of the town and community to which he had transferred the endearing title of "home." Mr. Wells was liberal in donating to public enterprises calcu- lated to enhance the interests of the town and county. For many years the Wells family was a prominent one in the social and business affairs of West Union ; but the older members are nearly all dead and the younger generations have mostly transferred their allegiance to other localities. We believe it was due to Mr. Wells' patriotism that the first Fourth of July celebration was held on his land, now in the business center of West Union. This was not the first celebration in the county, but it was the first that brought together the people from remote districts. There is good authority for the statement that a celebration was held at the house of Daniel Finney, north of Arlington, in
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1846, and another was held at the home of James Crawford, in the southern part of the county, on the same day of West Union's big celebration, on July 4, 1849. It will thus be seen that at least three celebrations of Independence day were held before the county was organized. The event engineered by Mr. Wells was presided over by Stephen Bailey ; Simeon B. Forbes, a recent arrival in Pleasant Valley, read the Declaration of Independence, and Samuel Wilson and Rev. Joseph Forbes were the orators of the day. A fine hickory-elm lib- erty pole was erected on the public square, and from the top of this, "Old Glory," as popular then as now, displayed her folds to the view of those who approached from far and near, and in every conceivable conveyance then known. But the ox team was the principal propelling power.
IN MEMORIAM.
An unusual rate of mortality has existed in West Union among elderly people within comparatively recent years ; and it seems that but few of the early business men and professionals now survive. Ignoring the order in which deaths occurred, we here present the names of some of the prominent and useful citizens of the town whose book of life has closed within the last fifteen or twenty years: Paul A. Nandall, John Scrivner, W. E. Talmadge, Dr. J. H. Stafford, John S. Brewer, Myron Peck, S. S. Ainsworth, L. L. Ainsworth, William Wade, Willard Wade, Henderson Clements, C. A. Dorland, C. M. Dorland, J. D. Neff, H. M. Neff, G. T. Descent, L. L. Farr, Johnson Dickey, O. E. Taylor, O. C. Taylor, J. W. Rogers, O. W. Rogers, Henry Wonnenberg, F. J. Carter, C. R. Bent, J. W. Gardner, Charles Woodward, John Rapp, Wil- liam McClintock, James Graham, E. H. Berkey, John Detrich, Thomas Green, Sr., the Cowles brothers (William, Daniel and James), William Kent, H. B. Hoyt, Samuel Holton, Charles H. Talmadge, Ephraim B. Shaw, Samuel B. Zeigler, A. C. Gunsalus, Dr. S. E. Robinson, Dr. Alvaro Zoller, F. H. Chap- man, Andrew Doty, Henry Rush, Edward C. Dorland, Benoni W. Finch, Bruce W. Branch, Aldrick R. Burrett, David Winrott, A. E. Rich, Andrew Dye, I. M. Weed, David Merritt, D. M. Hoyt, John Bower, Nason Hoyt, William Redfield, George Thompson, Alfred Crosby, William Oberdorf, Lookings Clark, James George, George James, Henry W. Ash, William Ash, George M. Gilson, George H. Thomas, Edward Thomas, John Kuehens, William Gruver, A. J. Archer. It is not assumed that the foregoing list is complete, since memory is treacherous; but it represents, almost without exception, the men who were carrying forward the business enterprises of the town when called to their reward. In most instances the wives are living.
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EARLY GROWTH OF WEST UNION.
The development of the town of West Union seemed assured from the first. Men of business push and energy were at the head of affairs; and when the county-seat question was settled (even temporarily) it soon became the largest town in the county and so remained for many years. In very early days Auburn was its principal competitor for trade, as appears more fully in the history of Auburn township. "Lightville," now Lima, in Westfield township, was a close competitor for county-seat honors, tying West Union at one time, when a deciding vote had to be taken between the two places, the other competitors being thrown out. (See article on county organiza- zation.) Daniel Cook, father of John Cook, a present-day resident, built a store building and stocked it with goods in the summer of 1850. This was practically the first store in the place. Mr. Cook was a public-spirited and useful citizen among the pioneers. He died suddenly in 1854. He also commenced work on a hotel building, on the corner of Vine and Elm streets in the same year, but sold out to J. H. and D. Stafford, who completed it the next year, and the Stafford Hotel was opened to the public. In later years this was known as the West Union House, and as such was operated for years by S. W. Cole, J. J. Welsh, Hiram Ingersoll and others. In this building, as originally constructed, was established, by Doctor Stafford, the first drug store; by Henry Wonnenberg, the first tailor shop, and it is said that Eli Sherman opened the first harness shop in West Union, all of these various industries being carried on in the office of the old hotel, which was not as large then as in later years. Chauncey Leverich is credited with build- ing the first hotel in West Union, completing it in 1850. There was consid- erable rivalry between his workmen and those employed on the Stafford house, as to which should be first completed. This was known as the Irvin house, which stood on the site of the Descent house, as constructed in 1875. But at the time of its removal by G. T. Descent, to make way for the new building, it was known, and operated by Descent, as the Farmers' Exchange. The United States House was erected in 1854 by Samuel Hale, and by him conducted in early days. This building stood on the site of the brick block erected in 1883-4, by James Riley, and which is now owned by C. B. Minchin. The hotel was burned in 1882. The old Stewart House came into existence as the Dayton House, and was so known for a number of years. We believe that all of these early hotels had saloon attachments, and some of them were the scene of "high carnival" at times during their existence ; but all have been
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burned or removed, to give place to more modern, and perhaps more useful, structures. The Descent House, spoken of above, was the most modern of them all, and was considered a good hotel during the earlier years of its ex -. istence. It was the first steam-heated house in West Union, and its proprietor and owner tried to keep it fully abreast of the times. After Mr. Descent's re- tirement the house was leased for a few years, during which time the name was changed to The Arlington. It was the property of Charles Woodward when burned a few years ago, and a feed yard and stabling now occupy the site.
James M. Lisher, who now owns and conducts the Commercial House. occupied the Arlington for several years under lease, but was rebuilding and enlarging his present property at the same time. The Commercial is the prin- cipal hotel in the place, and under the management of Mr. Lisher and wife it is very popular with the traveling public. It is a two-story and basement brick structure just east of the stone block, and in fact the east half of the stone block, as erected, is now included as a part of the hotel. There is a small brick hotel just south of the Bank block which is known as the Union House, and which has been in successful operation for several years. The Loftus restaurant is a popular resort for the hungry, and nobody goes away dissatisfied. The proprietor keeps a stock of groceries, fruits, bread, etc., for sale.
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