USA > Iowa > Jasper County > Past and present of Jasper County, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 30
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Mathew T. Mathews came in company with Mr. Sparks. He had a wife and five children at the time. They commenced housekeeping in a log cabin without doors or windows.
J. W. Swan, the first treasurer of Jasper county, located here in 1845. He made many a coffin for the people who died in an early day in his section of this county.
FIRST EVENTS.
It is always of more or less interest to know the first happenings in the settlement of any given portion of a county, hence the following :
The first township election was held when all was primitive. The ballot box consisted of a tin cup with a spelling book for its cover. In the evening the ballots were counted out fair and square and the number was fourteen and Jabez Starr was elected justice of the peace.
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The first couple married was Alexander Davis and Mercy Shoemaker, in the winter of 1848-9. The next was Jesse Hammer and Margaret Sparks.
The first death was that of the ten-year-old daughter of Wesley Stallings. The first sermon in the township was preached by John Cameron.
LYNNVILLE.
This sprightly town is located on section 11 of Lynn Grove township, and was laid out by John and Mary Arnold in 1856. There is perhaps no section of Jasper county more replete with early day history, in many ways, than this vicinity. The first claims to land in what afterwards became Lynn Grove township were those made by Wesley Stallings and "Tandy" May- field, who came in the spring or summer of 1844. In the fall of the same year occurred the first birth in the neighborhood, the same being the second in Jasper county. This was in the family of Mr. Mayfield, and the child was named Napoleon B.
John R. Sparks and several others whose names are not recalled by the old settlers now settled in the Grove during 1845. The first death of that year was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shillings, aged about eleven years. Mrs. William Sparks passed from the scenes of this life in 1846.
In the autumn of 1845 Mr. Sparks began the construction of a saw mill and completed it the following year. This was doubtless the first saw mill in Jasper county, hence it had all it could possibly do as the pioneer settlers must needs have lumber with which to aid in building. Mr. Sparks also began his grist mill in 1847 and completed it himself, only aided by Mr. Richards. It commenced grinding in the fall of 1848. This was the first flouring mill completed in Jasper county. It was operated many years by its builder, but in the seventies passed into the hands of F. & J. Arnold.
A school house was built in the autumn of 1848 and a school taught by a young teacher named Foster. The following spring a Sabbath school was started by Miss Lizzie Springer as its superintendent.
Probably the first camp meeting in Jasper county was held by the Metho- dist Protestant denomination either in 1850 or 1851.
Lynnville is situated on the right bank of the North Skunk river, which here is a very rapidly flowing stream. In 1878 the town had a population of about five hundred souls. It is situated also about four miles to the west of Searsboro, on the lowa Central railway line.
A creditable local newspaper was founded at Lynnville in 1876 by B. F. Arnold, who later removed to Kellogg.
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JASPER COUNTY, IOWA.
Lynnville was incorporated in 1875 for the purpose of controlling the liquor traffic, which the common law did not well regulate. The first council met September 28, 1875, and was composed as follows: O. C. Meredith, mayor; W. W. Dryden, recorder ; Z. F. Gause, Joel Hyatt, B. F. Arnold, G. R. White, I. J. White, trustees : Joel Hyatt, treasurer ; J. B. Naylor, solicitor ; D. C. Edwards. marshal ; Taylor Brown, street commissioner.
Ordinance No. I was for prohibiting the sale of liquor in the corpora- tion. In 1876 a pound was established and much attention was given to the building of suitable sidewalks.
The following include the list of mayors in Lynnville since its incorpora- tion : O. C. Meredith, then in their order came Miles Tahash, Joseph Arnold, R. T. English (two terms). L. H. Bufkin, G. B. McCoy, E. W. Jay, E. B. Macy. C. W. Wildman, the present mayor. The 1911 officers are: Mayor, C. W. Wildman : clerk, E. M. Cary : treasurer, C. F. Briggs ; council. S. R. Allee, M. H. Gause, C. H. Newby, A. T. Gifford, W. A. Cunningham.
As the churches, schools and lodges have been made topics in chapters by themselves, for all the towns of the county, no reference is here made of them. This is also true of the interesting subject of the old slave time "Un- derground Railroad." which had a station here. See general chapters.
The population of Lynville as shown by the state census reports for 1905 was four hundred and sixty-two.
BUSINESS INTERESTS IN 19II.
At this date the business of Lynnville is carried on successfully by the following persons :
General dealers-J. H. Gause & Company, Briggs Brothers, Rich Rivers. Hardware-Ollie Ladd, F. W. Royden.
Harness shop-Lynville Harness Company.
Meats-W. F. Zimmerman, V. A. Johnson.
Milliners-Flora Noah, Gause & Garner.
Furniture-A. T. Gifford.
Livery-John Thompson. Hotel-Mrs. T. A. Thompson.
Photographs-Edith Burnham.
Roller Mills-Fred Wagman, manager.
Farm Implements-Gertsma & Renaud, G. B. McCoy. Lumber-Macy Brothers.
Grain and Stock-Macy Brothers.
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Brick and Tile-C. H. Newby.
Cement Blocks-H. C. Macy. Newspapers-The Lynnville Star, C. W. Wildman. Builders and Contractors-J. C. Trease and S. R. Allee & Son. Blacksmith-J. Noah.
LYNNVILLE POSTOFFICE.
In 1901 Joseph Arnold wrote concerning this postoffice as follows: "At this writing Lynnville is supplied with a branch of the lowa Central railroad running from New Sharon to Newton. It affords ample means of trans- portation, and the mail car attached to the passenger train drops off its mail on time. This is a wonderful contrast with the one-horse carrier in the person of Mr. Eli Wolf, who in the year 1848, and on into the fifties, made a weekly trip, or a 'try' weekly trip it should be said, for when the roads were impassable he abandoned it days at a time. John R. Sparks was appointed postmaster when the office was first established. He kept it in a small building near where the hotel later stood. In a short time it was inconvenient for him to attend to the office and a returned Mexican soldier, Sabin Stanwood, was appointed in his place. He lived a mile and a half west of Lynnville. In 1853 Joseph Arnold was appointed postmaster by President Franklin Pierce. The desk turned over to him was of black walnut, three feet long and fifteen inches wide and about eight inches deep. This, with a roll of paper, com- prised the furniture, and was carried by me from Stanwood's house to Lynn- ville under my arm. It set up the postoffice in the claim in which I lived, which was located on what is now lot 1, block 3."
The postmasters have served in about the following order: Joseph Arnold, Mattie Cloud, William Dryden, Joseph McConnell, Jacob Kitch, Marietta Dryden, Ollie Mathews, Marietta Dryden, Charles W. Wildman.
In 1903 a rural route was extended out from Lynnville over a line twenty- nine miles in length : T. A. Thompson has been the driver four years. The receipts of this office are about one thousand dollars a year. The number of mails sent out each week is fifteen and eighteen are received.
VILLAGE OF SULLY.
This excellent town is situated on section 8 of Lynn Grove township, on the line of the Iowa Central railroad from Newton to New Sharon, four miles west of Lynnville, and in 1900 had a population of one hundred and fifty and a good bank, lumber yard, large general store, a newspaper and an implement house. At present it has the following :
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Bank of Sully.
Hotels-The Sully House, by Mrs. Rosa Hammer; and the house con- ducted near the railroad. by Mrs. A. J. Quinn.
General Stores-C. E. Haan, Boat & Verdencamp.
Drugs-C. V. Shipman.
Restaurant-R. Burnham.
Harness Work-Holdsworth & Company.
Livery-Eldridge Brothers.
Hardware-Vangenderen & Luberden, who are also blacksmiths ; Holds- worth & Company.
Lumber-D. S. Jardema.
Grain-Emmet Awtry.
Contractors-N. J. Edwards, Henry Willets.
Garage-H. Welle.
Dressmaker-Mrs. Everett Eldridge, Miss Neva Edmundson.
Barber-Lee Perry.
Butcher-E. Austin.
Railroad Agent-H. B. Lane.
Physicians-Drs. O. O. Carpenter, J. C. Smith.
Sully was incorporated as a town late in the nineties and the following have served as mayors in the order here named : H. Welle. Robert Willets, C. Burnham, W. H. Holdsworth, S. G. Sherman.
The 1911 town officials are: Mayor. S. G. Sherman, J. G. Huigen, treasurer : D. Sjaardema, clerk ; councilmen, Henry Welle, A. C. Boat, E. Awtry, J. P. Brunner. Peter Lubberden.
In the month of April, 1911, at the spring election, the matter of voting on the question of providing water and fire protection was up, and resulted in the casting of sixty-two votes. There were forty-five cast for voting and selling bonds to the amount of eight thousand five hundred dollars and seven- teen voted against the enterprise. At this election the ladies who were en- titled to a vote cast forty-four votes, of which all were favorable but seven. The bonds will be floated and the work of construction begun this season. The tower for the tank will be one hundred and eight feet high and the tank will hold thirty thousand gallons. Gasoline engines will be installed to pump with. This movement upon the part of the enterprising people of Sully will never be regretted.
The postoffice was established here in the nineties and the following have served as the postmasters: Lew Mather, C. Phelps, T. H. Thomson, L. H. Sherman. appointed 1890; L. M. Doani, 1893; Cornelius Boat, 1897; Henry DeWit, 1899: John Varenkamp. 1903, and still in office.
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JASPER COUNTY, IOWA.
A rural free delivery was extended from this point in February, 1903, and is twenty-six miles in length. The first carrier was R. E. White and the present one is E. S. Haines. It was made a money order point in August, 1902. The receipts of this postoffice (outside of money order business) in 1910 was eight hundred and seventy-seven dollars and eight cents.
The churches at Sully in the spring of 1911 are Congregational, "Christ- ian Holland Dutch." Methodist Protestant and Dutch Reformed.
The lodges are the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and its various auxiliaries.
The churches and lodges are mentioned in their respective chapters in the general chapters of this volume.
CHAPTER XXXI.
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.
Richland township is situated in the south and eastern portion of the county, comprising all of congressional township 79, range 17 west, hence is six miles square and contains thirty-six sections of choice land. Its chief stream is the Skunk river, which courses through the territory from north to south, with a heavy body of natural timber growing in the south part of the township. In the east part is Sugar creek, a small stream.
Richland is situated south of Rock creek, west of Poweshiek county, north of Lynn Grove township and east of Buena Vista township. The correction line runs on the southern boundary of Richland township.
Richland was organized in 1860. The population of this township in 1905 was placed by state reports as being seven hundred and thirty-nine.
The property valuation-personal and real-in 1877 was $244,569, on which the taxes amounted to $4,816. The assessed valuation of all personal property in 1878 was $43,141, inclusive of 537 head of horses, 40 head of mules and 1,108 head of taxable cattle. See table of various townships for 1910, in the chapter on County Government.
At this date there are laid out and well improved highways on almost every section line in this township. The chief business of the people in this section of Jasper county being agriculture, the lands are well tilled and farm- ers are in a prosperous condition. There are no towns within Richland township, but the modern advantages of both telephones and free rural mail delivery makes farming a pleasant task instead of a hum-drum life as it was in the fifties, sixties and seventies.
Richland has its full quota of well conducted public schools which are mentioned in the Educational chapter of this volume.
CHAPTER XXXII.
POWESHIEK TOWNSHIP.
Poweshiek township was named in honor of that very intelligent and "good Indian" chieftain of the Sac tribes of lowa Indians.
It is situated on the western line of Jasper county, second from the northern border, with Polk county to the west, Clear Creek township to the north, Sherman township on the east and Mound Prairie and Washington townships on the south. Indian creek is its eastern border most of the dis- tance north and south, which fact caused it to be set over into another con- gressional township a part of one tier of sections from the one it is chiefly composed of. Its main territory is within township 80, range 21 west. However its southwestern corner is taken off from what would be a right angle, by reason of its line at that point going only to the banks of the South Skunk river, leaving two sections of township So on the south side of the river in Washington township.
Poweshiek has considerable native timber within its borders and coal is found in paying mining quantities. This is said to be one of Jasper county's banner townships, and with its excellent coal lands and fertile surface it has come to be looked upon as among the most valuable realty within this section of the state.
This township was organized in January, 1847, by the county commis- sioners, who then were the sole rulers of the county, this being prior to the establishment of the old county judge system, which obtained from 1851 to 1868, but more properly a one-man power up to 1861, when the supervisor system was established in Iowa.
The commissioners' record, relative to this township, reads : "January 5, 1847-To provide for the needs of the growing population of this county, be it ordered that there be a precinct laid off in the northwest corner of Jasper county, to be called Poweshiek precinct, said precinct to commence as fol- lows: On the county line, at a supposed line so as to include the Slaughter Grove. on the south side of the Skunk river, at the east end of said grove, thence north to the county line so as to include all the Indian creek timber and its tributaries.
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JASPER COUNTY, IOWA.
"Ordered, that the place for holding elections in Poweshiek precinct be at the house of John McDonald.
"Ordered, That Lemuel Perrin, C. H. Hamlin and Joseph Kintz be ap- pointed as judges of elections in Poweshiek precinct."
The population of this township in 1905, according to the state census, was one thousand thirty-two.
It is now thickly settled and lands are held at high prices, but when sold or exchanged the one leaving goes much farther and fares no better than to have remained the possessor of a fine farm in Poweshiek, in which township the old Indian chieftain made his last home, as the good head of the Sac tribe of Indians. Indeed great has been the transformation in these parts since the dusky warrior took his farewell look at the beautiful plains and hillsides, his last hunting grounds.
Among the first to enter government land in this goodly section of Jasper county were : Seth Richards, who claimed the east half of the south- east quarter and the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section I, June 29, 1849; Levi Plummer, the north fractional half of section 2. Septem- ber 17, 1849.
The school history of this township will be found in the chapter on Education. It may be well in passing, however, to mention the fact that the school fund apportionment in this township in 1851 was but eighteen dollars and twenty-five cents.
At the 1852 presidential election the vote in Poweshiek township re- sulted in giving Gen. Winfield Scott eighteen votes as against eight cast for Franklin Pierce. Pierce was elected, but Scott carried Jasper county.
When the vote on prohibition was taken in Jasper county in the spring of 1855, the vote stood, "for license eighteen, and thirty-one against" in Pow- eshiek township.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
In this township have been platted four towns, Greencastle, on section 14, Mingo, on section 3. Valeria, on section 20, and Oswalt, on section 33.
Greencastle-a name almost obsolete now-was a village nestled down in the midst of a fine farming section of this county. The first white man to settle in this vicinity was pioneer Joseph Slaughter and a few who came in about the same time in 1846. A school district was located near Slaughter's settlement in 1849. showing the character of the few who braved the new country hardships.
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JASPER COUNTY, IOWA.
A successful Independence Day celebration was hell there July 4. 1859. at which the throng assembled at the school house, formed in gay procession and marched to the music of the Greencastle String Band to seats in the western part of the village. George E. Baker was presiding officer ; Revs. Carr and E. M. II. Flemming made short addresses : also Rev. Murray-After the picnic dinner was over, short speeches were made by Rev. W. Schaffer and I. S. Winslow.
In 1866 Dr. J. H. Knox, a homeopathic doctor, located there.
In 1875 a flouring mill was erected by Fisher & Pfieffer, the same having a capacity daily of one hundred barrels.
The Methodist society, early in the field at Greencastle, built a good church building.
With the construction of the railroad-the Great Western-the village of Greencastle went down and now there is but litle if any business carried on there and the mail is delivered by rural carrier.
VILLAGE OF MINGO.
Mingo is situated on section 3, on the line of the Chicago Great Western railroad, sixteen miles to the north and west of Newton. For its platting see Miscellaneous chapter on "Village Plats." This is an enterprising little place of about two hundred and eighty people. It is an incorporated place-one of the smallest incorporations in this county. Commencing with its first mayor in 1903. the list of mayors is: L. C. Westfall, Jacob Stiers, W. W. Goodrich, R. D. Armstrong. L. C. Westfall. W. F. Hayes, L. C. Westfall.
The present town officials are: L. C. Westfall, mayor; W. E. Witmer, clerk ; Charles Hansen, treasurer ; councilmen, W. F. Hayes, D. Mckeever, C. C. Black. D. B. Adams, F. E. Baldwin; town marshal, Martin Neal.
The town has a lively Odd Fellows' lodge and also a Woodmen of America camp, mentioned in the Secret Society chapter. Its churches are the Methodist and Christian denominations.
The two railroads at Mingo are the Great Western and the Newton & Northwestern routes.
Of the postoffice history it should here be stated that Mingo was named for the town of like name in Ohio, by the present postmaster, R. C. Everett, and the original name was derived from that noble old Indian chieftain. "The Mingo Chief," so familiar to all school boys. The postmasters have served in the following order: W. H. Penquite, F. W. Rumbaugh, Dr. W. W. Hawk, Ira Cummings, R. C. Everett. A. L. Rees, Jasper Watt. R. C. Everett.
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JASPER COUNTY, IOWA.
About 1907 a rural route was established from this point, with C. E. Baker as carrier. There are two mails each way daily from Mingo. The office receipts in 1910 were eight hundred and fourteen dollars and seventy-five cents, including box rents.
The business interests in Mingo in April, 1911, were as follows :
Banking-Mingo Savings and Trust Company.
Lumber-The Adams Lumber Company.
Grain Dealer-A. W. Frey.
Stock-Berkley & Knotsman.
Meats-Neal & Franklin.
Hotel-Mingo House.
Millinery-Mrs. S. E. Harter.
Barbers-Joseph Pitcock and E. C. Kelley.
General Dealers-W. A. Witmer, H. M. Baker, Mingo Mercantile Com- pany. Hardware-E. C. Southern Hardware Company and G. L. Rumbaugh. Drugs-Charles Hansen.
Implements-Black Brothers.
Produce-Des Moines Poultry Company.
Livery-Albert Kerns. Physician-Dr. D. C. Garner. Wagon Shop-David McKeever.
VILLAGE OF VALERIA.
This is another town created by the building of the Chicago Great West- ern railroad through this township. It also became a junction point with the road named and the Colfax & Northern line. Its population in 1900 was one hundred and fifty. A bank was established there in 1901 by Benjamin Falen, but it has closed. Its present business consists of the following :
General Dealers-C. J. Ryan and J. Y. Fiddler.
Restaurant-hotel-H. Stiers.
Barber Shop-W. M. Keever.
Hardware-J. A. Radley. Lumber-H. E. Stoke. Livery-J. C. Stanley. Millinery-Miss Dolla Vernocom. Grain Dealers-Gannon Brothers. Drugs-Charles Worrick.
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JASPER COUNTY, IOWA.
With the coal deposit running out by being worked many years; by the great cyclone through the township in May, 1896, and several disastrous fires, the town has gone down instead of advancing. One fire in April. 1894, burned on both sides of the main street, causing much damage.
The population is now less than one hundred souls. The churches of Valeria are the Catholic and Methodist Episcopal. The latter is served by the pastor at Mingo.
The following have served as postmasters at Valeria: C. A. O'Brien, J. W. Walters, Mr. Bushard, Frank Woods, F. G. Pease, B. Anderson, J. B. Hessinus, C. Jones, C. J. Bryan, who was appointed in 1910. It is a fourth- class and a money order office. It was robbed in July, 1910, of four dollars and sixty-three cents. Under postmaster Anderson a fire in March, 1911, visited the office, but little was lost, but in the sweeping fire of 1894 the entire office effects were lost.
OSWALT.
This is now a mere station point on the Colfax & Northern railroad, midway between Colfax and Valeria. At one time, in the palmy coal ship- ping days, it had considerable local business.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
PALO ALTO TOWNSHIP.
Palo Alto township is immediately south of Newton city and township, west of Buena Vista and Elk Creek, north of Elk Creek and Fairview town- ships and to the east of the Fairview and Sherman townships. It is of irregu- lar shape owing to its domain taking the territory to the northeast of South Skunk river in its southwestern part. Its territory comprises parts of con- gressional townships 78 and 79, in range 19 west. It contains about thirty- five sections of land and is eight miles from north to south and five miles wide from east to west in the main part of its territory, following the meander- ings of Skunk river in the southwest.
It is largely a prairie section, aside from the large body of timber found growing three miles or so to the south of Newton, known as Hixon's Grove, and that growing along the valley of the Skunk river.
The Newton & Marion railroad runs through this township from north to south, with siding station points at various points and at Reasoner.
The earliest entries of government land were made as follows: William Hanshaw, on the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 4, November 29, 1847; Thomas Rees, the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 15, January 3, 1848.
Palo Alto township had a population of one thousand ninety-six in 1905, according to the state census.
The township was organized in the spring of 1857 by the county judge. His order for the formation of a new township reads as follows: "Commenc- ing at the quarter section stake on the east side of section 12, township 79, range 19 west ; thence west on the line through the center of the section to the quarter section stake on the west side of section 12, township 79, range 20 west ; thence south on the section line to the southwest corner of section 36, said township and range; thence east to the township line to the northwest corner of section 4. township 78, range 19; thence south to the southwest cor- ner of said section; thence east to the southeast corner of section I, same township and range; then north with the range line to the place of beginning."
The above was the original territory of Palo Alto township which was named for the Mexican name, which had been made famous by the war with Mexico about the date of the formation of this sub-division of Jasper county.
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JASPER COUNTY, IOWA.
THE BEGINNINGS IN PALO ALTO.
Thomas Rees and family were the first to establish for themselves a home in what is now known as Palo Alto township. Mr. Rees located on section 22, township 79, range 19 west, in November, 1848. Not until four years had passed-long ones too-did they enjoy the society of a neighbor nearer than four miles distant. Months at a time Mrs. Rees never saw the face and form of a woman, except the dusky Indian women. They were on good terms with the Indians and frequently the latter were entertained and even allowed to sleep in the house in bad weather and enjoy the huge fireplace and crackling fire, always at a bright glow.
In the summer of 1852 Shelby Baker came in and located; later still came a man named Finwick. Joshua Guessford, Jacob and George Elmanty, E. B. Sloan, Wesley Watkins, and Wakefield Trotter came in 1854 to in- , crease the little settlement in the wilds of the township. In 1856 came David D. Prior, Joel Guessford, Stephen Guessford, Allen T. Drake, James Early, Riley Ashley and LeRoy Livingston. In 1860 the township had a population of not far from five hundred.
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