USA > Iowa > Marion County > Pioneers of Marion county, consisting of a general history of the county from its early settlement to the present date. Also, the geography and history of each township, including brief biographical sketches of some of the more prominent early settlers > Part 19
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frequent halts till one or another should go forward in search of the path and break the drifts.
Besides the nine acres he broke for himself, Mr. Price broke some for two or three of his neighbors, among whom were Samuel Martin, David Fritz, and Wm. Adams, who made claims in what is now section twenty, but remained in the set- tlement a short time. The unfortunate career of Sam Martin may still be remembered by most of the old settlers. Having stolen a horse at Council Bluffs, he returned to Red Rock, was followed there, arrested and lynched by whipping; after which he descended the river in a canoe belonging to A. B. Donnel, and is now supposed to be in Idaho.
Humphrey Blakeway also came up with Mr. Price, and made a claim of land now owned by John Ribble, in sections 27 and 34. The same was also claimed by David Ray, who had built a house on it to hold it. In consequence of this some trouble arose between the claimants, that was finally settled by Ray buying the claim of Blakeway.
Another temporary settler, named Wm. Hodge, overtook Mr. P. on the way up, and made a claim on land now owned by S. S. Roberts, section 28, and another on section 17. Hodge remained in the country but a short time. He was afraid of Indians, and a contact with them was the cause of his speedy departure from the country. Being in company with Jonathan Donnel on a bee-hunting expedition, they were visited by a party of Indians, who, seeing some barrels they (the hunters) had in the wagon to put honey in, supposed they contained whisky, and began to beg for some of it. On being refused they took hold of Mr. D. in a rough though friendly manner, intending to over-persuade him to comply with their wish. This, to Hodge, looked like fight, and he took up an ax to defend his companion; seeing which the Indians drew their knives and made a rush at him, whereupon he fled, to the great
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Township Histories.
amusement of the savages, and never returned to see how his companion fared alone in their hands.
The Wilson family, consisting of four sons, two daughters, David Ray and their mother, took claims and settled in sections 33 and 34, June, 1843. They were natives of New Jersey, which state they left in 1836, and came to Indiana, and from thence to Burlington in 1840. On the third day of their jour- ney from Indiana, October 24th, John, the father of the fam- ily, died, aged 56 years.
Since their settlement here, two of the sons, one of the daughters, and the mother have died. Samnel died September 28th, 1844, and was, so far as is known, the first white person that died in the township, and his remains were the first depos- ited in the burying ground on the farm of James Price, George* died June 16th, 1855, and on the 22 of January, 1870, the mother, Ruth Wilson, died, aged 82 years.
During the first two years of their settlement here, the Wil- sons, in company with others, were subjected to some severe privations and inconveniences in the matter of subsistance. For some time corn was necessarily the only kind of breadstuff that could be procured. As we have before stated, the mills for grinding were so distant that they could not be applied to for a supply at any time, so that necessity, " the mother of in- vention," called into requisition such temporary substitutes for mills as could be manufactured at home, and as we have already described as in common use at that early period.
In this emergency, however, the Wilsons were fortunately blessed in the possession of a strong, old iron coffee mill, that they had brought from the east. This mill was firmly fastened to the wall, and, on one occasion, was kept in almost constant service for more than two weeks, doing its work slowly enough to discipline the patience of the young milleress, (now Mrs. W.
*George Wilson settled in Polk directly after their arrival in the country.
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Pioneers of Marion County.
B. Keeler,) but producing a good article of meal, fine enough to be successfully sifted through a fine hair seive, that the family had also thoughtfully provided themselves with on leaving their eastern home.
This venerable mill now belongs to Freeman Wilson, and is still in the service, not as a corn-cracker, but legitimately as a coffee mill. We are informed by the owner that it has had the honor of pulverizing more than $400 worth of coffee, be- sides the corn, since it has been the property of the family. They esteem it as a worthy keepsake.
David Ray settled in the township, in the same neighborhood and at the same date with the Wilsons, to whom he was rela- ted by marriage. He now lives in Red Rock township.
Joseph S. West, who was the first person that held the office of justice of the peace, within the present limits of Summit, and whose name appears among the first grand jurors in the county, was a native of Mason county, Kentucky, where he was born in 1810, and from whence he immigrated to Iowa in 1844. On his arrival here he purchased a claim in the south- ern part of the township, from Gadis and Nye, the two traders mentioned in the first chapter of this history, where he has con- stantly resided ever since.
Charles Harp was a native of Tennessee, from whence he immigrated to Illinois, and from thence to Iowa in 1844, and settled on section 21, in this township. He was the head of a numerous family, the most of whom are still residents of the township. He died in the winter of 1847, and his widow sur- vived him, and occupied the homestead, till in the winter of 1870, when she died. .
Isaac N. Crum was a native of Illinois, from which State he moved to Iowa and settled in Summit in '45, where he opened the farm he still owns, but resides in Otley, engaged in the merchantile business.
David and Allen Tice moved from Illinois and settled where
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Township Histories.
David still lives, near the western line of the township, arriving there on the 18th of May, 1843, and lived in a tent till a house was built. They did little or no farming that season, but ship- ped their provisions from Illinois, except such wild game as they could take fit for meat. In the spring following they planted three acres of corn, and sold some of it in the fall for $1.50 per bushel. They were among those who made early provisions for fruit. In 1845 they shipped from Illinois about fifty apple trees, that they planted that spring, in a piece of grubby, unfenced land. The trees are all still living, except two, and are good bearers.
Andrew Metz was a native of Germany, immigrated to and settled in the west side of the township in 1844, and died in 18 --.
Alexander B. Donnel was born in Pennsylvania, March 20, 1806, and immigrated to Ohio in 1818, and from thence to Iowa in 1844. In '45 he purchased land in company with S. S. Roberts, with whom he had been associated in business for several years. In '49 he, in company with many others, started for California, and died near Fort Kearney, in June. Other members of the family, some of them still living in the town- ship, settled here in 1848, and the mother died early in the spring of '56, aged about 80 years.
Soon after the settlement of this family here, a report got abroad that they intended to enter a number of claims in the neighborhood, and this brought the club together to enforce mutual protection in case such was the design. But upon vis- iting the residence of the supposed intruders in a body, and with such warlike threats as were thought necessary to frighten them into compliance with the rules supposed to be indispensa- ble to " settlers' rights," yet without avail, it was discovered that it was not the intention to interfere with the just title of any claimant. Failing to bring the enemy to any more defi- nite terms, the club adjourned, and this was about the last demonstration of the kind made by them.
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Pioneers of Marion County.
A somewhat amusing instance of claim jumping may be related here. Just previous to the event related above, Andrew Donnel had made a claim and hauled some logs to the ground preparatory to the erection of a house thereon. But, after a few days absence on some other business, he returned to the place and found, to his astonishment, and, we presume, some- what to his grief, that the house was already built and occupied by Mr. John A. Scott, who still owns and occupies the land. Mr. D. preferring not to disturb the intruder, made another claim in the neighborhood, which proved to be far superior to the first in value.
The first postoffice in Summit township was called "Divide," and John A. Scott was commissioned P. M. in '47. But, as Mr. S. did not serve, the office was immediately discontinued, and he carried the mail to Red Rock for several years. At first, not having any regular mail bag, he took the small amount of matter directed to that place tied up in a handker- chief.
In the summer of '57 a post office was established on section 16, called Newark, Wm. H. Anderson P. M. Some years after this it was shifted into the hands of various persons, and finally got settled at Otley, where its name was changed to that of the village, Geo. M. Hammond, P. M. I. N. Crum is the present incumbent. Daily mails.
The first day school was taught by Abram B. Scott, in the southern part of the township. - - Watson, better remem- bered as "the one-armed Watson," afterwards taught in a small cabin on the divide. In the same cabin the first Sunday School was organized and conducted by Andrew Donnel and others, in the summer of '49, and preaching was had there on irregular occasions.
In the latter part of September, '67, Columbus Long, John F. Baldwin, and G. W. Johnson, employed J. B. Caruthers, county surveyor, to survey a town on land owned by them, on
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Township Histories.
sections 15% and 22, being on the Des Moines Valley Railroad, at a station previously located by Col. Otley, engineer of this road, and called it Otley, in honor of that gentleman.
The first goods sold were by I. N. Crum, who still continues in the business there, and is also P. M. There are now five stores in the place, three good church buildings, and a propor. tionate number of dwellings and shops. Being situated on the railroad it is necessarily a point of considerable shipping by farmers and merchants south of the river.
Population of Summit by the U. S. census of '70:
Native
1,262
Foreign
222
Total. 1,484
*In July, '48, a town was laid out on the west half of section 15, and called by the pretentious name of American City. It was surveyed by Stanford Doud in the interest of James D. Putnam, S. S. Mangrum, I. N. Crum, and George F. Hendry. Nothing but the stakes ever indicated the existence of a town there. The land is now owned by J. F. Baldwin.
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Pioneers of Marion County.
CHAPTER XIX.
Polk-Geography and Early History-" White Breast" - Death of White Breast -- Names of Early Settlers-First Schools-First Preaching-First Saw Mill-Richard R. Watts-John Babcock-Destitution-Rouseau and Coal- port.
On the 4th of July, 1848, town. 76., range 19, was declared a township to be known as Polk, thus dating the beginning of its municipal history on the seventy-second anniversary of our national independence. The place of holding elections was appointed to be at the house of Warren D. Everett .* The formation of this township took that part of Red Rock in town. 76, range 19, lying north of the Des Moines river.
The formation of this township was in opposition to a remonstrance of Josiah Bullington, and others; so, on the 3d of October, of the same year, in response to a petition of Jeremiah Shepperd and others, the whole of the township was attached to Knoxville. But it appears that the court shortly afterwards, in defining the boundaries of the township recog- nized the legal existence of Polk by describing it as all of town. 76, range 19, except the two southern tiers of sections, and all of town. 76, range 20. But on the 8th of January, 1850, town. 76, range 20 was struck off, thus limiting the town- ship to four tiers of sections, which is as it now exists.
Polk is bounded on the north by Summit, on the east by Lake Prairie and Clay, on the south by Knoxville, and on the
* At the first election-the date of which we have been unable to obtain- about 40 votes were cast; Warren D. Everett and - Lowery were chosen justices, and Andrew Hopkins, clerk. The names of the other officers are not remembered.
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Township Histories.
west by Union. The Des Moines and White Breast rivers run through, the first from north-west to south-east, and the latter from south-west to north-east. The township being mostly within the margins of these streams, is timbered and uneven in surface; but the bottom lands are level, and are noted for their great depth and fertility of soil. White Breast prairie, north of the river, and bordering its bank, is a beautiful strip of farming land, highly adapted to the culture of corn. And here many of the first settlers took claims, by which the place was known as the " White Breast Settlement."
The Indian name for White Breast was Waupa-Cauki, and was said by them to have originated by the circumstance of a bear having been killed near the creek having a white spot upon its breast. But at what period this event transpired tradition does not state. At an early date in the history of the settlement of this part of the county, there lived here an Indian chief also named White Breast. He is remembered by some of the early settlers as a large man, coarse-featured, and badly pock-marked. He was somewhat noted as a warrior, and loved to recount his military exploits against the Sioux; and once after their removal to the west, whilst engaged in this favorite pastime, surrounded by a small but appreciating audi- ence, his life and his glory suddenly ceased forever. Some one, probably actuated by a love of sport, or by a malicious motive, informed a white man of a sort of desperado character, who happend to be present, that White Breast was plotting mis- chief against him. Without stopping to question or investi- gate the truth of this statement, the enraged man instantly dashed upon the chief, knocked him down and leaped upon his breast with both feet, causing his instant death.
The names of those who settled within the present limits of Polk at the earliest date are the Stevison family, George, James, Andrew and their father; Edward, George and Rachael Billaps; George Wilson, Mikel S. Morris, (who served as the first jus-
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Pioneers of Marion County.
tice of the peace within the present limits of the township before its organization; Richard R. Watts, Alexander Caton, Mardica Yearns, and Andrew Stortz. These all settled on the north side of the river in 1843, except Watts, who settled near where Coalport now is. John Babcock, Warren D., Frank and John Everett, Andrew, George and William Karr, and Robert Ethrington settled in the township at later dates from '45 to '47. But few of these still live in the county, Andrew Stevison being the only one of the first named still living near where he first settled. Robert Ethrington lives in Summit.
The first school was taught by an Englishman, whose name our informant could not remember, in a small log house built for that purpose, near the creek, at the head of White Breast prairie, in '48 or '49. John Everett next taught in the same house. This little log school house also served the purpose of a church occasionally, where Warren D. Everett, Baptist, and John Demoss, United Brethren, preached in it. The flood of '51, a never-to-be-forgotten event, as we have already seen, swept the house away; and not far from where it stood, but above high water mark, now stands a well-finished frame build- ing large enough for any ordinary use in a country district.
W. D. Everett, Jas. Karr and Mike Morris erected the first saw mill in '50, being a temporary affair, driven by horse-power. It stood near the south bank of the river.
Richard R. Watts was a native of Ohio, where he was born in 1815, moved to Indiana in '20; to Illinois in '30; to Jeffer- son county, Iowa, in '42, and from thence to Marion county in the spring of '43, and settled near the present site of Coalport. During his early residence here he and his family suffered some of the privations common to the times. During one winter they were dependent upon the services of a coffee mill for their daily bread, and with it they ground ten bushels of buckwheat that season.
John Babcock was also a native of Ohio. When he settled
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Township Histories.
here his family consisted of a wife and seven children, mostly girls. He was a Mormon in faith, and his wife was a member of that church. At one time during a period of about six weeks, his family was reduced to the verge of starvation, sub- sisting almost entirely on nettles boiled for greens. On rare occasions they obtained a piece of corn bread from Mike Mor- ris. This kind of diet produced a change in their complexions from a natural to a dark, greenish hue, suggestive of poor health.
There were two villages laid out in this township, but they were never improved to any extent. The first is Rouseau, on the south bank of the river, in section 9. It was located by Wm. Kent, and surveyed by James Rouseau, April 25, 1850, and named for him. Here a pretended effort was once made to erect a dam and lock in the great visionary enterprise of improving the navigation of the Des Moines river.
Coalport is located in section 14, at the point of a large bend in the river, on the south side. It was laid out by Wm. Welch, May 11, '57, and so named on account of the vast quantity and superior quality of coal in its vicinity. No post office was ever established in either place, and they still remain mere hamlets.
The population of Polk township by the U. S. census, was: Native. 794
Foreign
85
Total 879
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Pioneers of Marion County.
CHAPTER XX.
Knoxville-Geography and Early History-Names of First Settlers-John M. Jones- Wooden Bowls-An Indian Visitation-John. Conrey ---- Fight with Wolves --- Landon J. Burch ---- A Rough Experience in Pioneer Life.
At a called session of the commissioners' court, in Novem- ber, 1846, it was ordered that town. 75, and all of 76, lying south of the Des Moines river, both of range 19; also towns. 75 and 76, range 20, be declared a township, to be known as Knoxville township. This included, besides all of the present township, all of Polk on the south side of the river, all of Union up to the south line of 77, and all of the present town- ship of Pleasant Grove, included in town 76, range 20. Elec- tions to be held at the county seat .*
At the organization of Polk in '48, and of Union in '50, the township was reduced to its present size. It is a large town- ship, embracing mostly upland timber and prairie, of about equal area. The only considerable streams running through it are White Breast, English and Cedar. The first runs through the east and north-east part of the township, the sec- ond through the south-east, and the latter rises in the north part, runs northward to the Des Moines.
Abundant evidences of coal are to be seen in the banks of these streams, and also along the smaller creeks in the imme- diate vicinity of Knoxville City. Several productive veins have already been opened, principally eastward of town; and according to the report of a geological survey, recently made, the city stands over an extensive coal field of from three to
*We have been unable to find any record of the first election held in and for this township.
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Township Histories.
five veins to be reached at various depths. Fire and potter's clay also exist in the township.
Among those who settled in this township at an early date, (besides those mentioned in the general history of the county,) we note the names of the Jones family, John, Sen., John, Jun. Isaac, George and William; Elias Fuller, L. C. and John Conrey, Tyler Overton, J. R. Welch, Conrad Walters, R. S. Lowry, John Essex, M. Willcut, Michael Livingston, Lossen G. Terry, Christopher Cox, Smith Hanton, Lauden J. and William Burch.
John M. Jones (now owner of the Knoxville woolen factory,) was a native of Ohio, and one among the first white men that came to the county. Being an employee of the American Fur Company, in that capacity he traveled over most of the state in the summer and fall of 1842, and first made a claim on White Breast. Here he spent the winter in a camp, during which time he made three trips with team to Meek's mill, at Keosauqua, for breadstuff, traveling a portion of the distance on the ice of the Des Moines.
Soon after settlements were permitted, the elder Jones, with the rest of the family, moved in. Mr. Jones, Sen., was a tur- ner by trade. Having brought his tools with him, they at once put up a temporary lathe, and proceeded to manufacture bowls from slabs split from the trunks of walnut trees. This ware, John, Jun., loaded into his wagon, hauled them to the old set- tlement, and peddled them out for corn, at from 25 to 75 cents apiece. A load of bowls would thus secure him a load of corn, and this he would get ground at Meek's, and return with meal enough to subsist upon for some time. Mr. J. says that some of the stumps of the trees that furnished the materials for these bowls are still visible.
They were frequently visited by the Indians during the early period of their settlement here. On one occasion the savi ges made the visit something of a visitation. The men
16
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Pioneers of Marion County.
were all out on a hunting expedition, leaving the mother and only sister in charge of the house, when a squad of about two hundred dusky warriors came in in single file, unannounced, and totally regardless of the fears of the two defenseless women, filling the little cabin to its utmost capacity. They immediately began searching for plunder, laying hands upon whatever they thought fit to eat. Among other things prized by them as an article of food, were a couple of pigs in a pen near the house, intended for breeders. The Indians thought one of them would make an excellent mess of soup, and, regardless of the protestations of the women, and their loud calls for the men, who they hoped might be within hearing, murdered the male swine, a shoat of sufficient age and size to possess much of the peculiar odor common to his species, threw it across the back of a pony and vanished.
This was a loss not easily replaced in those days, for hogs were scarce and money ditto. The expense of bringing such stock from a distance made the loss at least $25.
John Conrey, uncle of L. C. Conrey, settled where he still resides, a few miles south of Knoxville city, March 20, 1845, having made his claim and erected his cabin the fall previous. During the first year his nearest neighbors were from three to four miles distant, and his nearest convenience for breadstuff's was Bonaparte, Van Buren county.
Mr. C. relates an adventure that occurred in the spring following, of which Elisha Wilcutt, one of his neighbors, was the principal hero. He and Mr. Conrey had started on a hunt- ing expedition ; and after having traveled together two or three miles without seeing any game, they separated, hoping thereby to meet with better success. A few minutes after Mr. Wilcutt was surprised by five large timber wolves that came rushing down a hill, nearly abreast with each other, and met him in the most threatening manner. One large, black fellow seemed to be the leader of the gang, and fell a victim to the contents of Mr. W.'s rifle. But now having nothing to rely upon for further protection but his dogs and hunting knife, he felt the extreme
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Township Histories.
danger of his situation, and called loudly for help. Mr. Con. rey heard the report of the gun, and knew by the freightened cry of his comrade, that he was in trouble, and hastened to his relief. But, on reaching the scene of action he found Mr. Wilcutt, with the help of his dogs, the victor, having dispatched two more of the wolves, the remaining two having instinctively adopted the theory that discretion is the better part of valor and fled. The adventurers named the little creek near by Wolf Run, and it has been known by that name ever since.
Landan J. Burch, a prominent old settler in the northern part of this township, and still a well-known resident there, was born in Virginia in 1801. He became an orphan early in life, and was subjected to many hardships and adventures during a long career of changes of place and occupation, till he finally located here in 1844. In relation to his adventurous experience as a pioneer, we will let him speak for himself, quoting from an elaborate paper submitted by him to the "Old Settler's Association" of this county :
" I and my brother William shouldered a parcel of provis- ions, a coffee pot, an axe and a gun, and left Winchester some time in January. We traveled up the Des Moines valley to White Breast creek, and there took the claim where I now live for myself, and my brother took that whereon John Fry now lives. We stayed here eight or ten days, made some little im- provement, lived in camp and suffered a great deal from cold. During one day of the time it snowed, after which the weather became warm enough for the bees to come out, but still cool enough for some of them to become so chilled that they could not fly far. Then we went bec-hunting. Instead of looking up into the trees we traced up the hives by the fallen bees; and by this means we found several swarms, some of them quite rich.
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