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 24
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At last the deep silence of that after-midnight was broken by the hooting of an owl not far away in the timber, and this. was presently answered by one near the house. This was taken by the watchers to mean something more than what owls are supposed to mean by it; but there was not the time to look for an explanation. When daylight came the squad sur- rounded the house, and Eb. and Jim were taken into custody. Being told that the owl signals had been heard, and that they must give a truthful explanation of their meaning or be whipped, they both denied any knowledge of it. But this their custo- dians believed to be false, and resolved to force them to tell the truth; so they led them away to a convenient place to adminis- ter the pursuasive hickory. Seeing what was about to take place, poor old Mrs. Castner attempted to follow, declaring that if her boys were to suffer she would suffer with them; but she was rudely driven back by one of the men, and told that they , only meant to whip them, a punishment her boys had been accustomed to.
Now being convinced that he must tell the truth or be severely whipped, Jim, the boy, stated that the hooting of the owls was by his brother Bill and John to let him and Eb. know where they were, so that they could take them something to eat. This was satisfactory, and Jim was released. But Eb. concluded that he would stand the thrashing rather than tell, and the whip was vigorously applied; after which he was a second time admonished to confess or have the process repeated. Now being convinced that a confession would be more agreea- ble than another application of the gad, he corroborated Jim's statement.
They then led their custodians to the place of rendezvous, and their statement was further corroborated by the trail they
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had made through the dewy grass. But the fugitive brothers had again fled, and it was believed that pursuit would then be in vain.
They thereupon turned their attention to the further disposal of their prisoners, by ordering them, with the whole family, to quit the country within a given time, or abide certain consequences. But, as the time of grace expired without any movement on the part of the offenders to comply with the com- mand, the citizens again collected to enforce it. They com- pelled the Castners to rig up their conveyance and load their plunder, and then accompanied them beyond Bremen, Monroe county, where they left the next morning, after having seen them start on another day's journey.
Some time after this Eb. returned to his brother Jonas', in Warren county, on pretense of settling up some business con- nected with the family. Here a number of citizens of this and Warren county followed him, and Wesley Jordan was made captain of the company. On approaching the house Jonas and Eb. who were at a spring watering their horses, having their guns with them as though they anticipated an attack has- tened in. The company now drew up in line in front of the house, and Jonas came to the door and ordered their captain not to approach beyond a certain limit, which, however, he did, and called for Eb. The latter then came to the door with his head bound up and a great butcher knife in his hand. Seeing this, the captain told him the company was not prepared to hear him when coming thus armed; that he had promised to not return to the country, and that he would now be voted a limited time to leave it again or be severely dealt with. Also, inasmuch as Jonas rested under strong suspicions of villainy, he, too, would be dealt with in like manner, A vote was then ordered in Jonas' case, all being in favor of his expulsion to step one pace front. Hearing this, Jonas raised his gun and threatened to shoot any one that stepped forward. Instantly
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every rifle was deliberately aimed at him, the hammers of which were set and fingers pressed upon them. Seeing his critical situation, Jonas quickly stepped within doors. The vote was taken, and the Castners evacuated the country within the time specified.
Population of Swan by U. S. census of 1870:
Native. 978
Foreign. 23
Total 1001
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Pioneers of Marion County.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Pleasant Grove Township-Its Geography and Early His- tory-Early Settlers-Denem Halsey-Yoest Spalti- First Prairie Broken-First Orchard Planted -- John P. Glenn-First Religious Society of the Christian Denomi- nation and Others -- First Birth-G. Logan-William F. Jordan-Claim Contest-The First Mercantile Trans- action-First Schools-Pleasantville.
This is a middle western township, and consists simply of township 76, range 21, except sections 5 and 6, and the north half of sections 1, 2, 3 and 4, as described in the history of Swan. It is bounded on the north by Swan, on the east by Union and Knoxville, on the south by Franklin, and on the west by Warren county.
Pleasant Grove is mostly prairie, though there is an abund- ance of timber margining the streams, the principal one of which is Coal creek, running through the southern and western parts of the township. Butcher creek and other small streams head in the same township.
Coal abounds on all these streams; but more abundantly on Coal creek. One vein on the Cartwright farm measures about four feet in thickness, and one more recently opened on land belonging to Y. Spalti, about three and one-half.
This township was surveyed in '46 and '47 by John Bull and Jesse Williams, and was declared a township by order of the county commissioners, in January, 1847, including town- ship 75, range 21, now Franklin, and called Pleasant Grove by suggestion of the people living in and about the beautiful grove near Pleasantville. The place of holding elections was appointed to be at the house of Wm. Glenn.
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There is no preserved record of the first three elections, and we are dependent upon the memory of old settlers for the dates and incidents connected with this part of the history. The first election ever held within the limits of this township was a precinct elec- tion, as it occurred previous to its organization, April,'46. There was, however, no voting done on this occasion, there being only enough present to fill the board. ' The next came off in August of the same year, under some shade trees near the house of Wm. Glenn. On which occasion John P. Glenn, Wm. Glenn, and Wm. Young presided as judges, and Jesse W. Glenn and Robert Logan as clerks. About fifty votes were cast, by which John P. Glenn was chosen a justice and Thos. Hailey constable. Other officers not remembered.
At this election a well-known office-seeker, running for sher- iff in opposition to George Gillaspy, made his appearance, and was so abusive in his denunciation of his opponent, that John P. Glenn, by virtue of his prospect of being elected justice, ordered the prospective constable to arrest the offender. The latter respected the authority and retired.
The first township election came off at the house of Wm. Glenn, Aug., '47. No particulars remembered, and only one incident may be worth relating, and this may show with what care the records were kept : After the election was over, and the votes were being counted by tally, by the light of a grease lamp, James Glenn, one of the clerks, accidentally threw the lamp over on his tally sheet, ruining it completely.
The names of those who settled in this township at the ear- liest dates are as follows :
Denem Halsey, in '45; Lewis Reynolds, Trainor Reynolds, John P. Glenn, Wm. S. Glenn, two Samuel Glenns, Daniel Vansel, Larken Young, Pleasant Prater, Wm. Young, G. B. Greenwood, John Lewis, Marion and Jas. Clifton, Richmond Miller, David Shonkwiler, Samuel. Tibbett, Gilmore Robert and Harrison Logan, and Yase Spalti, in '46 ; Wm. F. Miles and Wesley Jordan and Daniel Davidson, in '47.
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Pioneers of Marion County.
The first person mentioned in the above list, came into the country previous to its vacation by the Indians, and lived alone in a small cabin near the present site of Pleasantville. He was a person of tall frame, dressed principally in buck- skin, and occupied himselt mostly in hunting and keeping bees. He died many years ago from disease supposed to have been contracted by exposure.
The sad fate of Pleasant Prater is well remembered by many old settlers and others. He moved to Adams county many years ago, and there, during the late war, joined the 4th Infantry. Having returned sometime after on furlough, he got into trouble with a neighbor named Carns, about some hogs, and one day Carns waylaid and shot him as he was on his way to Fontanelle. Carns was arrested and imprisoned, after which a mob broke into the prison, took him out, hung him to a tree, and then shot him to pieces.
Yoest Spalti-well remembered by old settlers as " Dutch Joe "-was a native of Switzerland, from which country he, with two brothers, Henry and Joachim, came to Iowa in '45, and settled temporarily four miles west of Ottumwa, in August. Here they remained till spring, and wintered in a shelter of their own construction, partly dug in the earth, and, for want of means, or opportunity to earn it, subsisted upon a very limited variety and amount of fare. They were frequently asked to work, but not being able to reply in a language com- prehensive to any American, except nix verstay, they were not employed for some time, when they were luckily accosted by a German, and got work.
Yoest came up in the spring of '46 and settled at what was known as Lynn Grove, where his brother Henry now lives. Here he lived a bachelor till he started to California in the spring of '50, and died on the way. Some mystery connected with his death seemed to indicate that he was foully dealt with.
Henry and Joachim followed him to this township some
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years later, and are now among the most wealthy men in the county.
Lewis Reynolds broke the first prairie in the township, on his claim a little south of Pleasantville, on land now owned by Abram Erle, in May, '46. He, W. F. Jordan, and G. Logan planted orchards in '49. The trees then planted by Mr. Reyn- olds are mostly still living ; those of the others having been destroyed by gophers.
John P. Glenn was born in Pendleton county, N. C., Sep- tember 1, 1793; moved from thence to Jackson county, Tenn., thence to Crawford county, Ind., thence to Sangamon county, Ill., from thence to Jefferson county, Iowa, in '38, and from thence to this county in the spring of '45, and settled in Poik, near Eagle Rock, where he remained one season, and raised a crop on a claim belonging to F. M. Clifton. In the spring fol- lowing he moved to and made a claim on what is now section 27, Pleasant Grove, where he remained till the day of his death, September 16, 1868, aged 75 years and 17 days. Mrs. Glenn survived him 15 months, and died December 5, 1869, aged 75 years and 25 days.
Mr. Glenn was for many years a minister of the gospel, of the Christian denomination; and in connection with Isaac Metcalf, an elder and local preacher of the same order, organ- ized societies in various parts of the township, in '48. He also preached and organized churches in Warren and Polk counties, at an early date. James Gill also organized churches of the same order, in the township, in '48-9. Wm. Knite, a brother-in-law to Samuel Tibbett, a preacher of the M. E. Church, preached at Mr. T.'s, and organized a church there at an early date. The first building erected for religious services, was in Pleasantville, in '52, under the pastoral charge of James Woods. The building now belongs to the Methodists.
The first birth in the township was that of Jonathan, son of
20
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Pioneers of Marion County.
Samuel and Elizabeth Glenn, June, '46. They now live in Clark county.
Gilmore Logan is now the oldest settler still living in the township. He first moved from Indiana.to Wapello county, and from thence to this place, arriving on the 20th of Febru- ary, '46.
Win. F. Jordan was born in Kentucky, in 1795, and moved to Illinois when that State was yet a territory. From there he moved to where Pleasantville now is, arriving there on the 16th of October, '47, and purchased a claim of Wm. S. Glenn, on which was only a small cabin. On this claim the town of Pleasantville was afterwards located, and the cabin above mentioned still stands in the northwest corner.
Previous to its coming into possession of the Jordans, this claim was the subject of arbitration and legal contest, in which the notorious Spurlock had a hand. At this time it was claimed by the three Gillmans, father and two sons, on the one hand, and by William S. Glenn on the other; and the opposing par- ties agreed to settle the matter by arbitration. Spurlock, who was a justice of the peace in Wapello county, happened to be here on some kind of business, and was employed by the Gill- mans to conduct their case, they agreeing to give him a portion . of the contested property, as compensation for his services, provided he should succeed in securing it to them. But, after the contest had terminated in favor of the Gillmans, Spurlock refused to accept the part of the claim offered him, being of comparatively little value, and returned to his home in Wapello. There he was followed by the Gillmans some time after, of whom he purchased the entire claim for a horse and $30. The property now being forfeited to both the Gillmans and Spur- lock by their absence, Glenn " jumped " it, and held it till he sold it to W. F. Jordan, who afterwards made a portion of it the town plat of Pleasantville.
Mr. Jordan's two sons, Miles and Wesley, who are still res-
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idents of Pleasantille, opened a small mercantile establishment on the part of the claim now occupied by the town. A little anecdote relating to their first business experience, may be worth telling. They began on a capital of $150, by first investing it in a load of dry hides. These they took to Church- ville, (now Alexander,) Mo., expecting a handsome profit, and intending to invest the proceeds in a stock of goods. But, on reaching the place and attempting to make the trade, they found that their want of experience in the business would prove disastrous to their expectations. In purchasing the hides they had innocently included horns and tails, and now they discov- ered that these appendages were not in the market, and must come off before the hides were weighed. Accord- ingly a man was set to work with a big knite, and in a short time the village swine were in possession of a large share of the profits of this important trade. It was, indeed, the most grievious loss of all their business experience, but one that would now be scarcely felt.
Daniel Shea taught the first school, in the spring of 1847, in a small log cabin built by G. Logan, about one mile west of where Pleasantville now is. Term, three months; 20 scholars . at $2.00 per head. Miles Jordan taught the next in the winter of '47 and '48.
The town of Pleasantville was surveyed by Stanford Doud, Aug. 1, '49, on the south-west quarter of the north-west quar- ter of section 15, and then owned by W. F. Jordan. Wesley Jordan built the first house, a frame, that is now occupied as a dwelling. He also kept the first postoffice in connection with the store. The first hotel was kept by Wm. H. H. Alley.
The location of Pleasantville would naturally suggest the name, being a beautiful, open prairie, adjoining a large, well- timbered grove that extends up the tributaries of Coal creek. Its location is also healthy; and the prospect of a railroad gives vitality to business, and promises much for the future prosper-
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ity of the place. Two fine church buildings have just been erected in Pleasantville, by the Methodist and Christian denom- inations.
A town called Weston, was laid out on the north-half of sec_ tion 35, township 76, range 21, Oct. 8th and 9th, '56. Pro- prietors, P. W. and G. F. Pitman. Surveyor, Jesse H. Kent. The place never improved.
Population of Pleasant Grove by the United States census of 1870:
Native. 1415
Foreign
30
Total. 1445
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Township Histories.
CHAPTER XXX.
Washington Township -- Geography and Early History --
Names of First Settlers-Hiram Moon-An Adventure in the Snow-Allen Pearson-Joseph Pershall-A Toil- some Milling Expedition - Land Excitement - First Church Organizations - First School-New Town, or Gosport-Columbia.
Washington is a southern township, and may be described as the south-east quarter of the south-west quarter of the county, and is technically known as town. 74, range 20. It is bounded on the north by Knoxville, on the east by Indiana, on the south by Lucas county, and on the west by Dallas town- ship.
About two-thirds of the township is prairie, though English creek that runs nearly through the center, from a little west of south to as much east of north, is widely margined by timber of a very good quality. English has numerous tributaries, and coal abounds along these streams in paying quantities, but the best veins yet worked are in section 34, owned by Clark & Williams, and average about three and a half feet in thickness.
On the 6th of January, '47, it was ordered by the county commissioners that town. 74, range 20, and town. 74, range 21, be declared a township to be known as Washington township. This included the present townships of Washington and Dallas, and so remained till about October 3, '48, when Dallas and Franklin were defined as one township, and Washington as it now is.
The earliest election of which there is any preserved record, was held on the 5th of April, '52, at which the following offi- cers were chosen :
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Pioneers of Marion County.
Allen Pearson and Joseph Grove, justices; James Fletcher and Henry Dresser, constables; Hezekiah Willey, Andrew Reed and Joseph B. Snyder, trustees, and Allen Pearson clerk.
Provious to this Joseph Pershall and James M. Brady were justices; Joseph Scott, John Riddle and Hezekiah Willey, trustees, and Allen Pearson clerk.
The names of most of those who settled in the township at the earliest dates, are as follows:
Josiah Willey, now living in Lucas county, in '46; John Asher, Wm. Clear and Wm. Hunt, in '47; the Moon family, Hyram Larkin, Geo. W., and Simon P., and Joseph Pershall in '48; Wm. Agan in '49; John Agan in '50; and John Stotz and Andrew Reed in '52. Of these, Hiram Moon, John Asher and Wm. Clear are dead, and the remainder, except Joseph Willey, still live in the township.
Hyram Moon was born in North Carolina, August 22, 1818; moved to Indiana at an early age, and from thence to this township, arriving on the 12th of October, '48, and settled on section 31, making what was then the frontier settlement in that part of the county. He was accompnaied by his three brothers, Larkin, George W., and Simon P., and another man and his son, whose names have been forgotten, making in all a family of twenty-one persons; and these wintered together in a small cabin on Mr. M's. claim. Their nearest mill for pro- curing breadstuff was Haymaker's, on Cedar, at which they had the good fortune to get a supply of corn ground before the commencement of that terrible winter. They also procured some wheat, of which they made an occasional substitute for corn bread, by grinding it in their coffee mill.
The following is a verbatim copy of some manuscript left by Mr. Moon, narrating an adventure of his in one of those fear- ful snow storms in the winter of '48- 9:
" On the 1st day of January, I went fourteen miles for some
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corn, and on the second day, on my return, accompanied by my brother Simon P., it snowed on us all day, and we got within six miles of home. Next morning the snow was so deep, and drifted so hard against the axles and fore gate of my wagon, that we got only about three miles, and the horses became so fatigued that we unhitched them and tried to make our way home so. But we soon found the horses too tired to carry us, and, being too tired to walk, I took my old horse by the tail and made him drag me home through the snow. Our wagon stood on the prairie seventeen days. By this time the snow had become so thickly crusted as to bear a team part of the time; and when they went to rescue the wagon and get it home, the animals would occasionally fall through the crust, cutting their legs so badly that their trail could be traced by the blood after their tracks had become obliterated by thaws."
Mr. Moon was a minister of the Christian denomination, and preached his first sermon here, in his own house, on the first Sunday in March, '49, and at John Asher's on the same day. He organized a church in June, '49, composed of 13 members.
It is related that, in his public services, he used a large family bible, and, in the absence of a table on which to lay the cumbersome volume, he rested it upon the back of one of his brothers, who sat in a recumbent position in front of him.
Mr. Moon was a man of affliction, being much of his time prostrated by ill health, which kept him in comparative pov- erty; yet he continued to preach occasionally at his own house till about the time of his death, January 25th, 1861.
Allen Pearson, whose name appears on our list as the first township clerk, moved from Missouri to this township, in July, '49, settled on section 10, and bought his claim of J. Wilcut. Mr. Pearson made the first shingle roof, laid the first brick in his own chimney and put up the first timothy hay in this township.
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Pioneers of Marion County.
Joseph Pershall, who was one of the first justices in the township, moved from Missouri, and settled on section 3, in the spring of '48, on land now owned by Charles McKey.
Mr. P. and his family suffered many hardships during the first few years of their pioneer experience, particularly in the way of procuring breadstuff. One milling expedition per- formed by two of his sons, I take occasion to relate, quoting from his written statement :
"I do not remember the year, but it was in the month of December. There was a little snow on the ground, but it was pleasant and thawing, when I started two of my boys, Phineas and Isaac, to mill. They went to Haymaker's, on Cedar, but failed to get their grinding done there. Then they went to Eddyville, and failed there also; and from there to the Skunk river mills. Here they got in company with John Harsin and Phillip Canton, stayed all night and got their grinding by late next evening. In the mean time it turned severely cold, insomuch that it was hazardous to undertake to travel. But they were all pretty resolute fellows, and anxious to get home, for they knew we must be uneasy about them by that time. So, cold as it was, they started. After getting about two miles they discovered they had left their bed cloth- ing at the mill, and had to stop, borrow a horse and send the youngest boy back for them.
They got to Oskaloosa that night, and stayd there. Next morning it was still cold as ever, but they set out to try it again. They would drive on till they were nearly frozen, then stop and warm and go again. One evening Phillip Canton got so cold that he began to get stupid and sleepy, and sat down by the side of the road, with his back against a tree, and said he was going to rest awhile. The others tried to persuade him to get up, but he remained on his seat. They then took hold of him and raised him to his feet, when Mr. Harsin took his whip and gave him several pretty keen lashes around the
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legs. This made him a little mad and he was then able to travel.
" On the fifth day they got home in safety, and we were all glad to see them."
During the year 1853, the lands in this part of the county were taken up rapidly by speculators and settlers. Mr. Brum- field Long, who settled that year, on section 23, lodged as many as twenty land prospectors per night, and fed them on corn bread. The beautiful prairies here, no less than in other parts of the county, were justly attractive to land hunters.
As has been stated Rev. Hyram Moon organized the first religious society of the Christian or Campbellite order, in 1849. Rev Johnson organized the first Methodist class, with a mem- ship of eight or nine persons, at Henry Molesworth's, a short distance east of where Columbia now is, in 1852. Mr. T. L. Strong, who lived a short distance within the limits of Lucas county, was appointed the first leader of this class.
The first school was taught by Miss Mary Crowley, (now Mrs. Beabout, living near Gosport,) in 1853. The school- house was a small cabin built by Mr. T. L. Strong, above mentioned, and stood upon the line between Marion and Lucas. It was a fair representative of most of the school-houses of that period, being small, with a puncheon floor, a clapboard roof and upper floor, and a wide fire-place. The school was mostly supported from this township; and it is a fact worthy of note that at least eight persons that attended that school, have since become teachers.
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