USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 53
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This great political revolution began to manifest its power in 1854, and a meeting of all persons in Fayette county who were opposed to the ag- gressions of slavery, as exhibited in the United States, and who were willing and determined to take up the issue forced upon the country by the advocates of slavery, whether freedom or slavery shall be the ruling power in the gov- ernment, was called at the Methodist church, in West Union, on the 8th day of July, 1854. The meeting was called to order by Rev. Stephen D. Helms, on whose motion Dr. Aaron Brown was called to the chair. D. H. Miller was appointed secretary. Jacob W. Rogers submitted the following reso- lutions :
"Resolved, That we adopt the name of Republican as the distinctive style of an organization, as expressing opposition to slavery in all its forms, and devotion to the principle of equal natural, political and social rights.
"Resolved, That we ask all persons of all parties who are earnestly op- posed to slavery and who are willing to make it the cardinal issue in political action, to unite with us in an endeavor to restore the government to
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its original purpose, and make it in fact what it purports to be-a true republic. "Resolved, That all other political questions sink into insignificance when compared with the overshadowing evils of slavery."
The resolutions were unanimously adopted, and Jacob W. Rogers, Carman A. Newcomb and John Phillips were appointed a central committee. This was the birth of the Republican party in Fayette county.
The first ball in West Union, and probably in the county, was given at the "West Union House" on Christmas evening, 1851. The hall was in the sec- ond story of the building, and bear steaks were served for supper.
PIONEER MARRIAGES.
The first marriage of Fayette settlers that appears of record in Clayton county is the following :
"I do hereby certify that I did, according to the rules and regulations of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, of which I am a member, celebrate the rites of matrimony between William Orrear and Miss Mary A. Wilcox, on the 25th day of February, A. D. 1844, both of Fayette county, Iowa Territory.
"D. LOWRY, M. G.
"Recorded April 3, 1844. F. ANDROS, Clerk D. C."
August 5, 1846, the marriage of Zophar Perkins and Valzick Tegarden is recorded, followed August 12th by William Tegarden and Asenath Perkins. August 6, 1847, George Culver and Margaret E. Castall were married by Rev. Simeon Clark, the pioneer preacher of Delaware, and March 27, 1848, Charles Glidden and Mary Lowe, by Andrew Hensley, justice of the peace.
Orrear's marriage with Miss Wilcox is thought to have been the first mar- riage of Fayette county settlers, but the wedding was probably celebrated at the residence of the bride's father, between the old Mission and Fort Atkin- son, as Mr. Lowry was the officiating clergyman, and a question arises some- what like that in relation to the birth of Mrs. Mumford's baby, "was this a Fayette county marriage ?"
PIONEER CHURCH GOING.
In September, 1849, shortly after Benjamin Iliff settled on section 7, township 95, range 8, he heard that there was to be a religious meeting at Mr. Smith's cabin, at West Union. Mr. Iliff was anxious to attend, but was at some loss to know how to manage. He could not think of leaving his wife and two small children at the cabin alone, the nearest neighbor being four miles away. If he went with the oxen and wagon and took them with him,
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there would be nobody to take care of the cows and young cattle at home. But where there was a will there was a way. Mr. Iliff was determined to "go to meetin'." He hitched up his team, put his wife and children in the wagon, hitched his horse, "Old Nance," behind the wagon, and the cattle, so lately coming from Wisconsin in that way, very readily fell into the procession, and away they all went to meeting at West Union, where the family enjoyed a good time and the stock found rich pasture, returning home, after the meet- ing was over, in the order in which they came.
It was only a little incident, but it gives an insight into pioneer life and customs. What citizen of Eldorado, in the year of our Lord one thousand nineteen hundred and ten, would think of going to West Union to church, driving a yoke of oxen attached to a wagon in which his family should be seated on some straw, with his horse led by a halter and his cows and young stock bringing up the rear? And yet, the sturdy pioneers of 1849 enjoyed it, and entered into the worship of Almighty God with quite as much earnestness and sincerity as characterizes much of the religious worship in these modern times. They did not "go to meetin' " to show their new bonnets or spring overcoats, nor were they too proud to ride in an ox cart. They went to attend to the spiritual necessities of their being, and cared very little for external show.
The first quarterly meeting was held near Otter creek, at the house, it is said, of George Smith, about three miles east of West Union, about June I, 1850. The first quarterly conference was composed of Rev. G. B. Bowman, presiding elder; Rev. H. S. Brunson, Rev. John Hinman, Rev. Eli Elrod, Benjamin Iliff, J. W. Foster, James Robinson and G. P. Slayton. It is possi- ble that this was the second meeting, and that the first was held in September, in 1849.
FIRST COURT PROCEEDINGS IN FAYETTE COUNTY.
The first term of district court held in Fayette county, in accordance with an act of the Legislature, approved January 15, 1849, was really a special term. The district comprised the counties of Allamakee, Fayette and Winne- shiek, and the first term for Fayette county was fixed for the 26th of Sep- tember, 1851, but this date was allowed to pass without any appearance of Judge Wilson, probably because there was no suitable place provided in which to hold court.
But another and special term was called to meet on the 6th of July, 1852, and Hon. Thomas S. Wilson, judge of the second judicial district, pre- sided. Hon. J. W. Rogers was clerk and George W. Neff, sheriff. The
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sheriff's deputy was Simeon B. Forbes. The first term of district court in Fayette county was held in the West Union House, in a dance hall where a grand Christmas ball had been given in December previous to the convening of court.
The first grand jury summoned and impaneled was as follows: James B. Earll, J. W. Foster, William Wells, Joseph S. Burdick, A. G. Park, D. P. Lowe, Lemuel Iliff, Eli Elrod, Erastus A. Light, P. F. Sturgis, Stephen Reeves and Hiram Jackson ; Joseph S. Burdick was appointed foreman.
The first entry was a case of attachment, Jonathan Cruzan vs. William Root, disposed of as follows :"This case having been settled by the parties, and the costs paid, the cause is dismissed." Several other cases were disposed of in a similar manner.
THE FIRST JURY TRIAL.
Noah W. Harrow vs. Joseph L. Bruce ; appeal. A jury was called con- sisting of James Austin, David C. German, E. C. Sooy, Eli Root, Nicholas Russell, William Edgar, Charles Sawyer, John Conner, Benjamin Dimond, Edwin Montgomery, Thomas Douglass and William Stephenson. The ver- dict was for five dollars for plaintiff, and costs.
July 7, 1852 (second day), William McClintock and J. B. Onstine, prac- ticing attorneys for the state of Ohio, were admitted to practice in the courts of the state. Martin V. Burdick, upon examination, was admitted to the bar.
The first divorce case was that of William S. Key vs. Jane Key. Plaintiff filed his petition on the 7th. Defendant defaulted ; divorce decreed, with cus- tody and guardianship of children to plaintiff, who was charged with the costs.
FIRST INDICTMENT.
The grand jury returned a true bill, State of Iowa vs. Chauncey Leverich, for retailing spirituous liquors. Court ordered a capias ad respondendum to be issued, returnable at next term; and that the respondent be held to bail in the sum of one hundred dollars. This was the only bill found by the grand jury at the first term.
Court adjourned on the 7th, having been in session two days.
DISTRICT COURT IN 1853.
The second (and first regular) term of the district court was held in the Methodist church in West Union, June 15, 1853. Thomas S. Wilson, judge, presiding ; John Webb, clerk, and Hiram W. Earll, sheriff. The grand jury
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was made up as follows: Joseph S. Burdick, foreman; James B. Earll, J. G. Webb, J. W. Foster, William Wells, Lemuel Iliff, Eli Elrod, James Robin- son, Horatio Warner, Jerome Boswell, Stephen Reeves, William P. Kavan- augh, P. L. Hinkley, J. A. Griffith and Nelson Graham.
The first criminal trial was the State vs. Chauncey Leverich. Indictment for retailing intoxicating liquors and keeping a dram-shop. Martin V. Bur- dick was prosecuting attorney, and defendant appeared by William McClintock and J. B. Onstine, his attorneys. Defendant filed a demurrer, which was sus- tained as to first count. Defendant filed his plea of not guilty to second count. Thereupon came a jury, viz. : John McMillen, Samuel Stephens, Cephas Felch, F. S. Palmer, Jacob Rosier, James Jamison, Miles Lewis, Martin Dunham, Aaron South, R. M. Hooker, M. B. Earll, J. W. Fisher. After hearing, jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and defendant was discharged.
The divorce mill seems to have been a prominent feature in the early courts, since the records show many petitions for the severing of the "hymenial knot," a procedure which does not seem to have grown out of date with pass- ing years !
FAYETTE COUNTY TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.
This organization came into existence on November 3, 1860. The place of meeting was at the chapel of the Upper Iowa University, and after the adop- tion of a constitution and by-laws, the following named officers were elected for the first year : President, J. M. Mckenzie ; vice-president, W. W. Warner; secretary, A. O. Whaley. The first executive committee was J. M. Mckenzie, W. W. Warner, R. H. Spencer, Nellie Herrington and Electa Abernathy.
With the introduction of the teachers' normal institute system, the county association was merged into that as an auxiliary, though separate meetings have always been held, but usually at the time fixed by the county superin- tendent for the convening of the annual institute. Some excellent ideas rela- tive to the teaching profession were first brought out and discussed at the county associations. The early existence of this organization, which, though recognized by the law, was not compulsory under it, is evidence that the better class of educators in early days were thoroughly alive to the importance of their work.
The normal institute system, at the meetings of which attendance was supposed to be compulsory, has served as a kind of training school for, inex- perienced teachers, and no doubt has done much good in that respect. In recent years its plans and purposes have been changed, and the cramming pro-
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cess to fit attendants for examination has been abandoned. It is now conducted largely along didactic lines, and its curriculum made to meet the necessities of all classes of students, from the beginner in the country schools to the superintendents of the high schools.
CRIMES, CASUALTIES AND CALAMITIES.
The foregoing title is one which creates a shiver of discontent when writ- ing it; and yet we suppose that something ought to be said on such subjects. Under the first would come shooting and cutting affrays, murders, suicides, disappearances, etc. Of all these, Fayette county is not without representa- tion. But to record them in detail would only gratify the morbidly curious, while the recital would involve innocent persons, in no way concerned in the commission of the crimes for which their ancestors suffered. That some cold- blooded murders have been committed on Fayette county soil is already a mat- ter of history through the public press, through general discussion, and, in some instances, through confessions. We will leave the unsavory record without further comment, except to say that in all cases efforts were made to bring the guilty parties to justice, and usually with success. In only one case, however, was capital punishment administered in the county.
The first drowning of record is that of William M. Rosier, brother of the early established Rosiers who settled in Dover township. While on a fishing excursion on the Volga river, he got beyond his depth and went down, never to rise. His body was recovered some time after life was extinct, by dragging the river with a seine. It is said that young Rosier had quite a sum of money concealed about his cabin, which was never recovered, though the place of concealment was found years afterward, but no money. This gave rise to suspicions of foul play at the time of his death, the community being divided in opinion on this subject. Rosier had built his cabin in 1848, and his death occurred in June of the next year.
The Turkey and Volga rivers have claimed many victims since the date of the above, which is probably the first death by drowning in the county.
In early days these streams were crossed at "fords," and this is some- times the custom at present. The adjacent land being hilly, the rise from a freshet is rapid. At times a team will pass over in perfect safety in the morn- ing, and get entirely beyond its depth returning, a few hours later. Bridges are frequently wrecked or washed away, and then resort is had to the old fords, until repairs are made. Teams with their loads and drivers have been
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lost occasionally, and individual drownings have been frequent. The record of these is presented in the township histories where the accidents occurred.
But one of the most pathetic drownings in the Turkey within recent years, and one which excited universal sympathy, both for the unfortunate girl and her parents, as well, was the death of Mary L. Fitch. She was a self-reliant and accomplished young woman, engaged in a laudable effort for self-support. She had organized music classes in the towns of Elgin, Clermont, and Dover Mills, and drove her own rig between these places. While driving from Cler- mont to the last named place, and having crossed "Barker's Ford" in safety a few hours previously, her horse plunged into eight feet of water, and was swept from the ford into still deeper. This occurred on the 7th of February, 1889, during a winter thaw, and the occupant of the buggy was swept under the ice below the ford. The body was not recovered until the sixth day after- wards. Workers and sympathizing friends were at the river side constantly during these hours of hopeless distress; and it is safe to say that every town- ship in the county was represented among the willing workers. As an evi- dence of the high esteem in which the unfortunate one was held, the Masons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the city of West Union, each offered liberal rewards for the recovery of the body, and each organization paid promptly in accord with its proposition.
In the summer of 1908, William McMullen, a young man with a large family of small children, was entertaining a party of friends by diving from a high bank into the Volga river, below Wadena. After several successful ex- hibitions, his head struck against a rock or other obstruction, and his neck was broken. This misfortune befell a worthy and needy family, the mainstay of which was removed "in the twinkling of an eye." "Billie" McMullen, and his wife, were both students of the writer's in the "long ago."
In May, 1871, William B. McCleery, a prominent early settler of Auburn township, lost his life by being thrown from a wagon while returning from Ossian, a market town in another county. This death, it seems, resulted from some drunken hoodlums whom he met, yelling and scaring his team. His wife was also seriously injured.
Christian Minger, an early German settler in Illyria township, met his death in a manner similar to that described above. Mr. Minger, while re- turning from Elgin with a load of lumber, fell off the wagon and was crushed to death under the wheels. He was a prosperous man, and his heirs still own the old homestead. This accident occurred in 1879.
Simon Schlatter lost his life in Windsor township while digging a hole beside a large boulder, to bury it below the reach of the plow. The weight
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of the rock crushed the earth left to support it, and the rock fell into the hole, crushing the victim.
These are a few of the peculiar and distressing circumstances under which Fayette county people lost their lives; but the list is almost interminable. Were we to record the deaths or serious injuries from lightning, from prairie fires, from run-away teams, from operating machinery, from handling vicious stock, etc., more space would be required than can be accorded to the subject in this work.
Under the title of "calamities" should appear a record of serious and destructive storms, from which Fayette county has always been remarkably free. We believe there have never been but two cyclones within the bounds of the county which did any serious damage, other than the demolition of small buildings, fences and tender trees.
One of these passed through a portion of western Windsor township, wrecking one or two houses. But the sparsely settled section over which it passed escaped serious injury. It passed into the Auburn timber where its track could be followed for several years, as but few trees in its path escaped its fury. This occurred about 1874.
The "Brush creek cyclone" occurred in June, 1884, though why it should be localized in name is more than we are able to explain! It was evidently in- tended for "general distribution"; and if the blowing down of a circus tent, with its attendant quota of broken heads, from falling poles, and the wetting of Sunday clothes, at West Union, is any indication, it was quite "distributed !"
But the only serious damage to property occurred at Brush Creek (now Arlington). The Methodist Episcopal church was demolished, the structure being turned "upside-down," or practically that. Other buildings were dam- aged. One freak of the storm was the driving of a piece of a pine fence board, three inches wide at the larger end, and tapering to a sharp point, entirely through a two-inch-thick frieze plank of the veranda at the home of Rev. Israel Shaffer. This projectile stuck out horizontally for two feet or more, and Mrs. Shaffer used it to rest the "rain board" against, in catching water off the porch. Another of its freaks, and one which came near being a serious one, was the moving of the W. H. Walrath residence a few inches on its founda- tion, just as Mr. Walrath was making his escape into the cellar. He was caught and received an uncomfortable "squeezing," but was not seriously hurt. Straws were driven into trees, feathers were plucked off chickens, without ap- parent injury to the birds, and a strong lumber wagon was literally crushed to the earth, leaving scarcely a spoke unbroken! But there was no loss of
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life in the path of the storm, which seemed to rise too high to do great damage after leaving Arlington, until it passed out of the county to the northeast. It traversed fully twenty-five miles, in an air-line, in Fayette county.
RAIN STORMS.
Serious damage has been done to crops, buildings, fences, live stock, and even human lives have been lost, by reason of heavy rains.
We think Mrs. Maynard describes the most disastrous rain fall which ever visited the southern part of the county, and Dr. G. D. Darnall mentions two as occurring on June 1, 1878, and June 3, 1890, as the most severe and destruc- tive that have ever visited the county. He also mentions January, 1888, as the coldest month, and most destructive to life and property, since the winter of 1874-5. But we doubt if either of these approach the estimate the soldier boys put upon the "Cold New Year's of 1864!"
It has frequently occurred since the building of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota railroad, and especially before it had any rival in the territory, that the railroad would be blocked with snow for weeks at a time, and the mails were carried in and out of the blockaded territory by horse power. Facetiously and factiously, the patrons along the route of this road, in its early days, were often heard to say that a "heavy frost would blockade it"'! But there is no doubt but this line, the first in the county, suffered heavy financial losses by reason of heavy rains and deep snows. At one time all its bridges between West Union and Elgin were swept away by a freshet.
POPULATION.
Fayette county joins the state in the general decrease in population since 1900. The population of the county has dropped from 29,845 to 27,919, a loss of 1,926 as given out officially from the census bureau on November 5, 1910. The decrease in population of the state during the decade, 1900 to 1910, is 7,082 and this is confined almost entirely to agricultural districts. There has been a gradual increase in the population of the cities and most of the towns. The decrease in the population of the state is attributed by the census director to the fact that the land is already fully occupied and to the general tendency towards larger farms.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
OUTDOOR ART IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW COUNTRY.
By J. W. Bopp.
The development of "outdoor art in a new country" is a matter of very slow growth. This was true, no doubt, chiefly because the early settlers were kept busy obtaining necessaries in the way of food and shelter for themselves and families, and providing for the care of their stock and produce. It re- quired many years to subdue the virgin soil and prepare it for the production of useful crops and grasses ; the building of roads, bridges, school houses and fences, and the payment of taxes for other public purposes. When it took three days for the farmer to make a trip to market and return, he was more concerned in meeting the actual necessities, than in beautifying his home sur- roundings. This is nearly always true of the entire first generation, and it is not until the second generation is able to get out into the world to see what has been done in the older states and older neighborhoods, that the beautifying of the home grounds is seriously considered. The pressing necessities of the pioneer very greatly dwarfed, and in many cases entirely crushed out, the ap- preciation of, and desire for, that which was largely a matter of taste and cul- ture. The pioneers did not give up their good books and papers and were ever ready and willing to establish good government, good churches and schools, and to make provisions for other necessities of a public nature, but had little time for anything beyond that. There was, here and there, a pioneer inter- ested in the planting of ornamental and orchard trees, and now and then a pio- neer woman who never quite gave up the old-fashioned flowers and shrubs, even under the most trying circumstances; but when it came to beautifying the home grounds and buildings, the vast majority looked more to convenience and usefulness than they did to anything which appealed only to the sense of taste. Gradually, however, the idea has grown that a place may be beautified, and at the same time be convenient and useful. At first this was worked out by the planting of a few ornamental trees and beds of flowers, which bordered the walks to the highway, with here and there a vine to soften a corner or an entrance.
LINDEN PARK
WEST UNION ,IOWA.
A RUSTIC CORNER, AT LINDEN PARK.
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Within the past few years, however, the question of beautifying farm homes, school grounds, city residences, and even the general aspect of the cities themselves, has received a wonderful impetus, and where once there was only silence or indifference on matters of that nature, it is now discussed at institutes, clubs and at picnic addresses, and even in the pulpit. It has come to be recognized by writers that in the case of children, the home sur- roundings have a very large influence in moulding their habits, hopes and characters. Cities are cleaning their conjested districts of the poor, and doing everything possible to get the population spread out so there will be more than bare streets and crowded rooms for the growth of children and the health of their parents.
Franklin once said that outdoor art was only for other people's eyes, but we have long since found that it has a marked influence on ourselves as well as others, and we have learned from bitter experience that crime is sure to flourish in crowded, unsanitary and uninviting surroundings. So that now it is a well established fact that clean homes, with cheerful surroundings and good fresh air, have a positive value in the establishment and maintenance of law and order in society. Cities are spending vast sums for parks, for shade trees, and open air places, which are kept beautiful and cared for at public expense, on the theory that it pays well in the health of their inhabitants and in its influence on their children. Even in the country districts, where for two generations a school house without a tree or a shrub, and often without even a fence, was regarded as the full duty of the district to the children of the neighborhood, this is being changed, and it is beginning to be recognized that a school house should be more than four bare walls, and that school yards should be more than a barren piece of ground. Even the style of school buildings is rapidly changing, and the school grounds, in many neigh- borhoods, are being planted to trees, flowers and shrubs. There is no doubt that with the awakening on this subject, both on the part of the cities and villages, and by the owners of farm homes, there will be a very large increase of out-door art, so that the next generation will come to understand that life may be surrounded with that which is pleasing and agreeable as well as that which contributes only to physical comfort and utility. The well-to-do farmer is coming to realize that a beautiful lawn, with hedges and ornamental trees, is as pleasing to his children at home, as when seen in the city: and it is be- lieved by those who have given the matter serious thought, that this change will have a large influence in keeping the country population from wishing to go to the city. It is certainly an element stimulating the finer and better na- ture of the coming generation, and, joined with the teachings in the public
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