USA > Iowa > Lucas County > Past and present of Lucas and Wayne counties, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 23
USA > Iowa > Wayne County > Past and present of Lucas and Wayne counties, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 23
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
Wayne county reported a large majority in favor of our present prohibitory law when it was submitted to the voters of the state. There is no question but that the sale of intox- icating liquors for use as a beverage is one of our greatest national ills, but it seems almost impossible to find a com- plete remedy for it. Various plans and schemes have been adopted and tried, to abolish this evil, but the fact that it can be sold for many times the cost of its manufacture, has operated to induce men to devise means to avoid the law.
It would seem that the only effectual remedy is in the absolute prohibition of the manufacture of liquors, and the weak point in such a remedy is, that even the denial of the right to manufacture in one state, cannot operate to prevent such manufacture in another state, and thus far our law- makers have failed to prevent the shipment of liquors from one state to another. Senator Kenyon of Iowa is now en- gaged in trying to frame a law of congress whereby the shipment of liquors from other states into the State of Iowa, can be legally prohibited.
The saloon element and their legal advisers claim that, under the constitution of the United States citizens have the right to ship anything in the shape of property from one state into another, and that congress does not have the power to deny such right.
The friends of temperance will await the result of this effort with interest.
The legislation of Iowa, on the liquor question, is a dis- grace to the state. Many years ago, the prohibitionists in the republican party, by threats to vote against their party, drove it to promise prohibition in its platforms, and caused it to submit to the voters the proposition to absolutely pro- hibit the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors, in- cluding wine and lager beer.
287
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
This proposition carried, and the state was about to enter upon the system of absolute prohibition, when the supreme court held, that on account of some informality in the sub- mission of said proposition to the voters, the result was abso- lutely void. By this time prohibition had become very un- popular, so much so, that Horace Boies, the democratic can- didate for Governor, was elected over a usual republican majority of at least thirty thousand votes. The republican party was then between the devil and the deep sea. A large faction of the party was threatening to vote squarely against it, if it did not abandon prohibition, while another large fac- tion was threatening to vote against its candidates if it did. The large German vote, in the river towns, demanded the right to manufacture, sell and use lager beer.
Then the leaders of the republican party undertook to frame a law that would suit both parties. They enacted a law called the Mulet law, wherein they still declared that the manufacture and sale of all kinds of intoxicating liquors including wine and beer, was absolutely criminal, and they provided heavy penalties for the violation of such law. Then to satisfy the voters in the large towns and cities they declared that if the person convicted of the crime of selling such liquors had obtained a permit from the board of supervisors of the county to sell the same, that the penalties of the law could not be enforced against him. The result is, that in all of our large towns and cities liquors are sold in any quan- tity, while in the smaller towns in the same county, and in adjoining counties, a person may be compelled to pay a fine of $300 for selling a glass of beer or an ounce of whiskey.
Some lawyers claim that that part of this Mulet law, releasing the person from the penalty of his crime, on ac- count of his permit from the board of supervisors, is abso- lutely void. But, however, this may be, the idea that a cer- tain class of citizens may be released from punishment by virtue of a permit issued by the board of supervisors, is to say the least, ridiculous.
It may be doubtful whether or not any law, except a law prohibiting the manufacture of liquors, would result in pro- hibiting this great national evil. So long as liquors are manufactured, they will be procured and used as a beverage. So long as liquor is manufactured men will obtain it in some way. And then, if it is manufactured, even in another state.
288
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
they can obtain and ship it to Iowa. As above stated, our United States Senator Kenyon is now engaged in trying to so frame a law as to prohibit the shipment of liquors into the State of Iowa. It is claimed by some lawyers that such a law would be unconstitutional. The history and result of this proposed law will be attended with interest.
THE TOWNS OF WAYNE COUNTY
Wayne county has thirteen towns, the following being a list thereof, showing the probable population of each town:
1. Seymour, population 2,000
2. Corydon, population 1,800
3. Allerton, population 1,600
4. Humeston, population 1,400
5. Lineville, population
1,000
6. Promise City, population 500
7. Cambria, population 400
8. Confidence, population 100
9. Clio, population 100
10. Harvard, population
100
11. Kniffin, population
12. Bethlehem, population 100
100
13. New York, population 100
The number of inhabitants may not be exactly correct. This statement is made upon the information of a party well acquainted in the county. Of course a number of these towns consist chiefly of one or two general stores, a blacksmith shop, a lumber yard and a few dwellings. It follows that Wayne county can never have any large town. The trade of the county is so divided that each town can only have or control the trade coming from a very limited territory. While a number of said towns are very small, yet they can and do, each of them, furnish a large number of articles demanded by the community.
SEYMOUR
the largest town in the county, is quite a busy little town. It is surrounded by a splendid farming territory and it is the only town in the county where they have any mining interest. Heretofore it has been thought that a vein of coal
13
CHRISTIAN CHURCH, SEYMOUR, IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION
10
---
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SEYMOUR
1
1
291
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
less than thirty-six inches in depth would not pay for min- ing purposes, but Seymour has shown that this opinion is not entirely sound. They discovered a vein of coal from twenty-five to thirty inches thick within the corporate limits of the town. A company was organized to operate a mine; they have sunk two shafts and are now mining about four hundred tons of coal daily. They have a force of about three hundred miners, and the company is making money. By prospecting they have ascertained that the vein extends under the town and for about eight miles west of the town, but they do not know how far east it extends.
The coal is of a superior quality, producing white ashes, comparatively free from clinkers. As coal has not been found at any point west of Seymour in Iowa or northern Missouri, their markets extend to the towns on the Mis- souri river, and although the vein of coal is only about twen- tv-five inches thick they are making money mining and selling it.
The little mountain of cinders and debris within the town limits, removed from the mine, is about one hundred feet high and has been burning for several years. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company have built a track to this debris and are using it for ballast. They claim that this is the best material for ballast they can find in the country, and that the quantity is sufficient for many miles of railway.
Seymour has a small public square well filled with busi- ness houses, except on one side thereof, where said railroad is located. If the town was located near the center of the county, Corydon would have a dangerous rival for the county seat, as it is certainly the busiest place in the county.
The coal company pays out from $10,000 to $20,000 every two weeks to its miners and this adds largely to the money in circulation. Miners, as a rule, are good livers and good spenders. They make from three to six dollars per day in their work, but very few of them attempt to save money.
The probability is that this vein of coal will last for years, as it is not found in pockets, but constitutes a regular vein or strata growing in depth as they go east towards the wonderful veins of coal in the Centerville district.
The cost of coal in Iowa depends largely upon the prices fixed by the mining trust or the organization of miners.
292
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
Coal is a necessity, especially in a prairie country, and it will not do to permit an organization of miners to fix abso- lutely the cost of this necessity. We hear a great deal about the oppression of capital, but a combination of laborers, while complaining of the oppression of capital, too often show a disposition to obtain unconscionable prices for labor. Miners, can by strikes, bring about an advance in the prices of coal at any time. By means of a strike they can render coal scarce at any time, and they well know that in cold weather the people will be bound to pay any price that they fix on coal. This will become a very material question before many years have passed, to be settled by statutory law.
THE SEYMOUR LEADER
Seymour has one paper, called the Seymour Leader. The Seymour Leader was established in September, 1891, by A. W. Maxwell, as a democratic paper. It was published in a small upstairs room on the east side of the square, with a hand press and the usual outfit of type and equipment of a country office at that time. Mr. Maxwell was a democrat of considerable ability and enthusiasm for his party. Mr. Maxwell, remained an ardent advocate of democratic prin- ciples until 1904, when Parker was nominated candidate for president on the democratic ticket, which nomination Max- well very much opposed. He turned over to the republicans and was a staunch supporter of Roosevelt. During the cam- paign (in Sept., 1904) the paper was purchased by John J. Adams of Montezuma, Iowa, and has been conducted as a republican paper ever since. The subscription list has been increased very materially, and new equipment of linotype, power presses and motors added, making it a truly modern country office. It is printed in Mr. Adams' own building on Fourth street, and is a bright, newsy and popular paper, a credit to a town of Seymour's size. It is one of the three official papers of the county.
CORYDON
Corydon does not have the advantages of coal mines, but it is surrounded by a first-class farming section. It is situ- ated on a branch road now owned by the Burlington Rail-
293
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
road Company, and the new railroad, called the St. Paul & Kansas City Short Line Railroad, extending from Des Moines, Iowa, to Kansas City, passes through Corydon. This road will be open for travel within the next six months, and will constitute a part of the main line of the Rock Island Railroad from Chicago to Los Angeles.
It is being made a first-class railroad from the start. This is contrary to the usual practice of building railroads in the west. Usually they are temporary in the beginning and after the road is in operation they are straightened, the crooks taken out, and permanent bridges and culverts put in. But in this case this road is made as nearly straight as possible and all bridges and culverts are permanent. There does not seem to be any attempt to save money in the construction. The hills are cut down, the double tracks are put in wherever required, and an attempt is made to build a first-class road in the beginning. Hills are graded down to a level for stock vards wherever it is necessary. This road will prove a great benefit to Corydon.
Corydon has three stores, each of which would be a credit to any town. They have one hardware store that is about two hundred feet in depth, the greater part of which is two stories high. There is scarcely an article of hardware that cannot be found in this wonderful store. Its stock of bug- gies, wagons and farm implements and machinery of all kinds can be found in but few stores in the state of Iowa. It is owned and operated by a joint stock company.
Again it has two drygoods stores, each of which is about one hundred and fifty feet in depth, and are well filled with almost every article common to such stores. It has several large school houses and five churches. While Seymour seems to have a few more inhabitants, vet, there is quite a popula- tion of miners and temporary residents in that place. Cory- don is a typical home town, proud of its social advantages and standing.
It has two newspapers, "The Wayne County Democrat." (this is a democratic paper, as the name implies) and the "Times Republican," a republican paper.
The following named persons are the present officers of Corydon : Adam Ripper, Mayor; Geo. Miller, J. L. Keer, M. E. E. Sallman and Seth Brown, Councilmen ; J. J. C. Bower, Clerk.
294
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
Corydon has one building that deserves special mention. It consists of a three-story brick block, which is now occu- pied and used for library purposes and as a home for the Y. M. C. A. By and through the will of a benevolent citizen of Corydon the sum of $2,000 was given towards pay- ing for such a building, provided the citizens would, by subscription, raise sufficient money to build, finish and com- plete a building of this character. The balance of the money was promptly secured, and as a result Corydon secured a library building that would be a credit to a much larger town. It is another illustration of the fact that the leading citizens of Corydon are public spirited men, who will put their hands in their own pockets and liberally contribute of their own means to encourage and assist any public enterprise that will benefit the town. This building is three stories high. It is built fronting on the public square. It is used for the purpose of a library, a house for the Y. M. C. A. and other public uses. Take this action in connection with the fact that the citizens of this small town voluntarily built and gave to the county a commodious and appropriate courthouse, and it shows remarkable liberality and public spirit on the part of the citizens. Such a building would now cost at least $20,000.00.
In the preceding articles we have seen how and in what manner Corydon was selected as the county seat of the county, and how it obtained its name.
Not having any great natural advantages for a manufac- turing town it became and is evident that the growth and prosperity of the town became and is largely dependent upon the agricultural interests and advantages of the county. In this respect Corydon had, and still has, the support of one among the best agricultural counties in the state. It seems to be conceded, however, that as a corn country the counties of Montgomery. Page and Fremont excel any other portion of the state. They have a sandy loam peculiar to themselves. which especially renders them superior as a corn country. But in other respects there is no county in Iowa superior to that of Wayne county, and it is conceded that many of the counties in southern Iowa, including Wayne, excel in blue grass, which has become a very profitable and valuable crop for a stock farm. While the counties above named may
BAPTIST CHURCH, CORYDON
CHRISTIAN CHURCH, CORYDON
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, CORYDON
297
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
excel in corn, their soil is not so well fitted for grasses as other counties in the southern part of the state.
So far as regards Corydon it is now evident that the parties appointed to survey and plat it made a mistake in providing such a large public square for the town. It is true that such squares are common in Iowa towns, especially county seat towns, and in some respects the plan is a good one, in providing space for business separate and apart from the space for lots intended for dwelling houses. But this space provided for business, if too large, will give the town a ragged appearance until the business lots are all occupied. It is evident that the lots fronting on the public square in Corydon are sufficient for business purposes and to pro- vide for the business that would naturally come to a much larger town than Corydon will ever likely be.
Corydon has a number of good business buildings, and if they were concentrated around a public square one-half as large as the present square, they would give the business part of the town a much better appearance. However, the beauty of Corydon consists in the large commodious and elegant homes; in brief it is a prosperous and pleasant home town ; the kind and character of a town that will attract people who are seeking a pleasant home, free from the noise, smoke and debris ever present in mining or manufacturing towns.
Again-while Wayne county is larger in space than the ordinary county in Iowa, yet it has more towns outside the county seat than most of the counties have, and one of these outside towns is fully as large, if not larger, than Corydon.
By reference to the map it can be seen that Wayne county has been cut to pieces by railroads. Very few agri- cultural counties in the state are better supplied with rail- roads. In the first place it has a line of railway running east and west through the county with connections at Keokuk on the east, and Council Bluffs on the west, giving it almost unlimited railroad facilities to the countries east and west of Iowa. Then it has a line of railroad passing through the county controlled and operated by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company, giving it a line of railroad to Chicago and also to Kansas City. Then it has a line of rail- road controlled and operated by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company, passing in a southwest direc- tion through the county. Then the Chicago, Rock Island & Vol. 1-17
298
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
Pacific Railway Company are now building a line of railroad from Des Moines, Iowa, in a southwest direction to Kansas City, which will pass through near the center of Wayne county, this giving the county unusually good railroad fa- cilities and providing unusual opportunities for manufac- turers in Wayne county to distribute or market their prod- ucts. But these railroads as above stated, have caused the building of several good trading towns in Wayne county out- side of the county seat and have thereby evidently largely reduced the trade and business which would naturally go to Corydon.
For instance-the town of Humeston in Richmond town- ship is a live and active town of about eighteen hundred inhabitants. It is located at the crossing of a branch line of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, extending from Chariton, Iowa, to St. Joe, Missouri, and also the line of railroad extending from Keokuk to Council Bluffs above mentioned. It has several dry goods stores and groceries, whereby the people of that part of Wayne county can and do a large part of their trading. It is also supplied with stock yards and grain houses whereby the products of the farm can and are shipped to Chicago or other markets. Then it has immense lumber yards and hardware stores, and also large supplies of farm implements and farm machinery. Then, strange to say, in the township of Washington adjoin- ing the township of Richmond, there is another town called Cambria. As this town is only about seven miles from the town of Humeston, a person would be surprised to see the large supply of hardware, farm implements and farm ma- chinery, lumber and building materials that are kept for sale at this little town. Of course there are very few people there, perhaps not one hundred in the town, but farmers can and do find many articles kept for sale there that they would require.
ALLERTON
The town of Allerton in Warren township of Wayne county is another good town. It has a population of about 1,600 people. It is located on the line of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, and the branch road now being built by that company will cross its present road at Allerton.
ALLANTE STATE
ALLERTON STATE BANK
77777777771
HIGH SCHOOL, ALLERTON
TV
301
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
It is thought that said new road will be completed during the year 1913. One new feature of this new road is found in the fact that an attempt is being made to make this new line of railroad a first-class road from the beginning. This has been unusual, especially in the building of branch lines by old companies. The plan heretofore adopted was to build a temporary road in the first place, with temporary bridges and temporary side tracks, and then after the road was placed in operation to straighten the line and put in perma- nent bridges and permanent depots. But, as above stated, in this case said company has ignored its former custom in this respect, and has spent nearly twice the amount of money usually used in the first construction of the road.
Again-the company has undertaken to build comfor- table and elegant depots, to make the line as straight as it could and provide spacious grounds for stock vards; and instead of attempting to save money or labor by making curves around hills, it has cut through them, thus shortening their line. It is evident from this large expenditure in building what seems to be in the first place a mere branch line or feeder to its system of railway, the company desire and intend to make this line of railway from Des Moines to Allerton a part of its through line or lines from Chicago to Los Angeles, California, and Galveston, Texas. The pres- ent through train of this company from Chicago, via Kansas City to Los Angeles, California, called The Golden Gate Lim- ited, has a world reputation for its elegance, comfort and beauty. This train heretofore has passed through Eldon and Allerton, Iowa, and the branch line above described will cer- tainly become a part of said main line of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad.
Allerton is a beautiful little prairie village of about one thousand six hundred people. It has one large modern school house sufficient to accommodate all of the children of the town. The school is under the control of a competent superintend- ent with about six assistant teachers.
It also has five churches, with appropriate church build- ings. It has the usual orders and societies, and two moving picture shows and two hotels.
The following are the names of the present officers of the town, to wit: W. T. Grimes, Mayor: S. F. Shields, Sec-
302
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
retary; W. B. Castor, Treasurer; Members of the Town Council, B. Bracewell, S. L. Cox, L. L. Hall, C. E. Keller, E. E. Nelson.
LINEVILLE
Lineville is located near the Missouri state line, in fact a portion of the town is in the state of Missouri. It is the oldest town in the state. The first house built in the town was a store house built by Alexander Faulkner. It stood on the boundary line between the two states. It is said that Mr. Faulkner kept and sold general merchandise in that part of the house which stood in Iowa, and that he sold liquors in the Missouri end of the building.
Mr. T. H. P. Duncan afterwards purchased this store room and while he was engaged in business there J. M. Sulli- van & Co. put up a second store house. After this, the place became well known in the surrounding country. Being sit- uated an equal distance from three county seat towns, that is, Princeton, Leon and Corydon, it became and was for sev- eral years an important trading point. B. S. Duncan and H. P. Sullivan are thought by some to have been the first settlers in Wayne county. They came together from Whit- ley county, Kentucky, in April, 1840, and settled on sec- tions 16 and 23 in Grand River township. They both had families. Mr. Duncan's wife was named Adelaide, daugh- ter of D. F. Berry, who settled just across the Missouri state line in 1840. Mr. Duncan removed to California several years ago and died in 1880. Mr. Sullivan was born in Law- rence county, Indiana, but was reared in Whitley county, Kentucky, where he married Elizabeth J. King, daughter of Isaac King. Both of them died at Centerville in 1854 of cholera while on their way home from Keokuk with a load of goods.
John Rober and Samuel Rockhold all came from Whitley county, Kentucky, later in the season, and settled in Grand River township. John Rockhold in 1861 moved to central Missouri, but some of his children still reside in Wayne county. Robert Rockhold died at Lineville in June, 1882.
H. B. Duncan, who served in both the Missouri and Iowa legislatures without changing his residence, settled at Line-
303
PAST AND PRESENT OF WAYNE COUNTY
ville in the fall of 1841. His wife, Eliza, was the daughter of Colonel Thomas Laughlin and by her he had eight chil- dren. Mr. Duncan owned some slaves but by the settlement of the boundary dispute he found that he was a resident of Iowa, and he offered to liberate his slaves. However, they voluntarily remained with him and received the same edu- cation common to the school children of Iowa.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.