USA > Iowa > Marion County > The History of Marion County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, & C. > Part 62
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Johnson, Peter M., company H, Fortieth infantry.
Richards, Nathan, company H, For- tieth infantry.
Amos, Caleb J., company H, Forti- eth infantry.
Arnold, Stephen S., company K, Fortieth infantry.
McCormack, John L., company A, Forty-seventh infantry.
Stuart, William, company D, First colored infantry.
Miller, Jacob F., company K, Third cavalry.
Cherrie, Martin, company K, Third cavalry. Honnold, Newton O., company K. Third cavalry.
390
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
FIRST LIEUTENANTS.
Long, Daniel P., company B, Third infantry.
Kennedy, Oliver H. S., company B, Third infantry.
Howell, S. Sylvester, company B, Third infantry.
Sumner, William H., company B, Third infantry.
Cooper, Henry B., company E, Eighth infantry.
OlarE, Alexander M., company E, Eighth infantry.
Reed, J., Oo. E, Eighth infantry. Swallow, Aurelius L., company B, Tenth infantry.
Hanks, Romulus, L., company G, Fifteenth infantry.
Bye, Edward P., company G, Fil- teenth infantry.
Welch, Isaiah M., company G, Fif- teenth infantry.
Eldridge, Rufus H., company K, Fifteenth infantry.
Christofel, Frederick, company K, Fifteenth infantry.
Barnes, Abraham H., company G, Seventeenth infantry.
Hudson, William D., company G, Seventeenth infantry.
Pierce, Samuel S., company A, Thirty-third infantry.
Cooper, James M., company A, Thirty-third infantry.
Cory, Lewis P., company G, Thirty- third infantry.
Henderson, John, company I, Thir- ty-third infantry.
Reichard, John, company I, Thirty- third infantry.
Clark, Joseph M., company I, Thir- ty-third infantry.
Carrothers, Levi, company I, Thir- ty-third infantry.
Jones, Oscar L., company I, Thirty- third infantry.
Anderson, Thomas J., company A, Fortieth infantry.
Blain, William, company A, Forti- eth infantry.
Burzette, George F., company A, Fortieth infantry.
Kennedy, Oliver H. S., company F, Fortieth infantry. Jordan, Daniel O., company G, Fortieth infantry.
Baird, William T., company G, Fortieth infantry.
Richards, Nathan, company H, Fortieth infantry.
Amos Caleb, company H, Fortieth infantry. Cherrie, Martin, company K, Third cavalry.
Ward, Samuel L., company K, Third cavalry.
SECOND LIEUTENANTS.
Hobbs, Albert, company B, Third. Gregg, Tilman P., company B, Third. Mathews, Benton A., company B, Third.
Ruckman, Joseph, company B, Third.
Cooper, Henry B., company E, Eighth.
Clark, Alexander M., company E, Eighth.
Fisk, Hezekiah, company G, Fif- teenth.
Cathcart, William M., company G, Fifteenth.
Bye, Edward P., company G, Fif- teenth.
Davis, Edwin, company K, Fifteenth. Christofel, Frederick, company K, Fifteenth.
Myers, David, company K, Fifteenth. Momyer, Oyrus J., company K, Fif- teenth.
Smith, Oliver H. P., company G, Seventeenth.
West, Elias F., company G, Seven- teenth.
King, George, company H, Seven- teenth.
Woodruff, Erastus K., company A, Thirty-third.
Cooper, James M., company A, Thirty-third.
521
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
Bishop, Abijah W., company A, Thirty-third.
Klijn, John C., company G, Thirty- third.
Cory, Lewis P., company G, Thirty- Third.
Morgan, John S., company G, Thirty- Third.
Reichard, John, company I, Thirty- Third.
Strong, Samuel L., company I, Thir- ty-third.
Liggett, Simeon, company D, Thirty- Sixth.
Davis, Edward, company E, Thirty- seventh. Blain, William, company A, Fortieth.
Keefer, Henry B., company G, Fortieth.
Arnold, Stephen S., company G, Fortieth.
Amos, Caleb J., company H, Fortieth.
Stamper, Elsbury J., company H, Fortieth.
Stone, Melvin A., company A, Forty- seventh.
Honnold, Newton C., company K, Third cavalry.
Miller, Josephus, company K, Third cavalry.
Black, Samuel O., company L, Fourth cavalry.
TOWNSHIPS, CITIES AND TOWNS.
CHAPTER I. KNOXVILLE.
Knoxville Township-City of Knoxville-Schools-Churches-Societies-Biographical.
KNOXVILLE TOWNSHIP.
IN 1843 there were several settlers living in what is now Marion county; some doubtless lived in the bounds of what is now Knoxville township. The county was then under the jurisdiction of Washington county and an election precinct called Lake precinct was formed for the accommodation of those settlers. In 1844 Mahaska county was organized and Marion county then became a part of Mahaska, and the commissioners of the latter county established some four precincts in Marion.
In 1845 Marion county was organized and the county was subdivided in- to six precincts known respectively as Knoxville, Red Rock, English, Round Grove and Lake Prairie. Though the boundaries of Knoxville pre- cinct as defined at that time were not exactly the same as at present and though it was not yet properly a township, yet the boundaries contained most of the territory now composing it and the precinct soon became a town- ship of the same name. The creation of Knoxville precinct at the time mentioned was properly the beginning of Knoxville township. The county seat was located and named before the township was formed, and conse- quently the township was named after the town, which is somewhat extraordi- nary, the reverse usually being the case.
The order forming the precinct of Knoxville was as follows:
"Knoxville precinct shall consist of township seventy-five, range nine- teen and all of township seventy-six, range nineteen, south of the Des Moines River, and east and south of Whitebreast Creek, also of townships seventy-five and seventy-six, range twenty, east of the old Indian boundary line; elections are to be held at the place of holding District Court; Lawson G. Terry, Landon Burch and Moses Tong are appointed judges.
At a called meeting of the commissioners, in November, 1846, it was or- dered that townships seventy-five, and all of seventy-six lying south of the Des Moines River, both of range nineteen, and townships seventy-five and seventy-six, of range twenty be included in Knoxville township. This in- cluded, besides all the present territory of the township, all of Polk south of the Des Moines River and part of Union.
At the organization of Polk in 1848, it was reduced in size, also at the organization of Union in 1850. It is the largest township in the county
523
KNOXVILLE.
and consists of about two and a half congressional townships, equal to about 52,000 square acres.
The land originally consisted of upland prairie and timber in about equal proportions. Whitebreast Creek and English Creek traverse the township in a northeastern direction, their course being nearly parallel, the average distance between them being about four miles.
The surface of the township is gently undulating and comprises as desir- able a farming country as the sun shines upon. Abundant evidence of coal is to be found along the banks of the aforementioned streams, as well as along their small tributaries. The fact has been established that the entire township is underlaid with productive veins of coal of the best quality. The veins range in thickness from a foot and a half to four and a half feet, and the distance of the coal from the surface of the ground varies from forty to one hundred feet.
Quite a number of mines have been opened, mostly in the vicinity of Knoxville, and it has been established, both scientifically and practically, that the city of Knoxville, which is near the center of the township, stands over an extensive coal-field of from three to five veins to be reached at various depths.
Whitebreast Creek runs through a beautiful and romantic country, and it was on the bank of this stream, within the limits of Knoxville township, that the first mill in the county was erected. Landon J. Burch was the builder, owner and operator; it was begun in the summer of 1845 and com- pleted in about a year and a half.
Upon the formation of road districts in 1846, Knoxville precinct was made to constitute one road district, and Lewis M. Pierce was appointed road supervisor.
In 1851 the township was subdivided into nine school districts. Some of these districts were five miles long, as witness the following order defin- ing the limits of district No. 2:
"Commencing at the northeast corner of section 29, in township 75, range 19, thence west five miles, thence south two miles, thence east five miles, thence north to the place of beginning."
Among the first settlers within the bounds of Knoxville township were: John M. Jones, for many years connected with the Knoxville Woolen Mills, Landon J. Burch, the Conreys, the Burches, Lysander W. Babbitt, Tyler Overton, Conrad Walters, J. R. Welch, Elias Fuller, R. S. Lowry, John Essex, M. Wilcut, Michael Livingston, Lossen G. Terry, Christopher Cox, Smith Hunton and several other persons of the name Jones.
At the election in April, 1846, there were twenty-five votes cast in Knoxville precinct. The names of these voters will afford a good idea of who were the early settlers of the township. They are as follows: L. W. Babbitt, James Bothkin, Christopher Cox, Thomas S. Thompson, Emanuel Jenkins, John M. Jones, John Essex, Samuel H. Robb, W. M. Bassett, G. B. Greenwood, Lawson G. Terry, Moses Tong, Gerret W. Clark, Conrad Walters, Nathan P. Cox, Joseph Tong, Landon J. Burch, George Gillaspy, Francis Daygmaton, Francis A. Barker, Noah Bonebrake, John R. Welch, Renben S. Lowry, Eli Wickersham, David Immel, Benjamin Casner.
Some of the names appearing on the poll-book of the election in April, 1846, do not appear as voters at the election in August of the same year, and we are thereby led to conclude that they were not long identified with the history of Knoxville township or Marion county; they belonged to that
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
innumerable caravan of itinerant claim-seekers who ever hovered on the extreme western verge of civilization, and after a few months' residence fell into line at the command of " move on." Some of these names, how- ever, appearing on the first poil-book of Knoxville precinct, became per- manently connected with the history of the township. Such were the names Welch, Jones, Conrey, Walters, Burch, etc.
At the August election in 1846, there were cast in Knoxville precinct sixty-four votes, being more than double the vote cast in the preceding April. The August election was more important than the April election, and consequently fewer persons remained away from the polls; nevertheless the large increase in the vote was chiefly owing to the heavy emigration which was pouring into the township, and it is safe to conclude that dur- ing the four months extending from April 6, 1846, to August 3, 1846, the population of Knoxville township more than doubled.
Timber for building and fencing purposes was a great object to new set- tlers; there was an abundance of this in Knoxville township, and this, to- gether with the fertile soil and the location of the county seat, made Knox- ville township a desirable location.
Many of the persons whose names we have mentioned, lived in the new county seat town, but they also had claims in various parts of the township, and even some of the early county officials found much spare time when they laid off the dignity of office and walked miles into the country to cultivate their claims. We find that Lysander W. Babbitt, the county clerk, had a claim in the township, and was an owner of cattle and swine, for his ear-mark is registered along with the marks of less distinguished individuals. Conrad Walters, instead of having a deputy sheriff to assist him, did all the business of the sheriff's office and fell back on the rearing of swine to assist him to make a living.
1
One of the first persons to dispense justice at the high court of justice of the peace in Knoxville township was Richard R. Watts, some extracts from whose docket will be given further on.
At that time there was but one justice of the peace and one constable for each township. The candidates for this responsible office in Knoxville township in 1846 were, Landon J .. Burch, George G. Rose and the said Watts. The vote stood as follows:
Burch
20
Rose
12
Watts
32
Five persons aspired to the honors and emoluments of the office of con- stable, Michael Livingston, Allen Lowe, James Wiltace, W. C. Wallace and W. G. McCain. The vote was as follows:
Livingston 29
Lowe. 11
Wiltace.
16
Wallace
4 McCain
4
The first election of officers of Knoxville township were as follows: Judges-G. W. Clark, Landon J. Burch and Moses Tong; Clerks-Issac H. Walters and George G. Rose.
525
KNOXVILLE.
The following is a copy of the record of the first case brought before .Richard R. Watts, the first justice of the peace in Knoxville township:
" JOHN JOHNSTON
08.
-
" Ww. M. BLANKENSHIP.
"In an assumpsit snit brought on a contract made for the Brakeing of fif- teen a cre of land at two dollars per a cre, upon which the plaintiff claimes thirty dollars, the value of the said Brakeing, and twenty dollars damages on account of the Brakeing not haveing Bin done according to contract.
"Execution returned ten dollars and 34 cents, paid on this execution this 21st day of October, A. D., 1845. Percentage 40 cents. James W. Watts, constable.
"November 20, 1845, Recieved of John Johnston, in full, all costs in this suit, wherein John Johnston is plaintiff and William M. Blankenship is defendant, the sum of one dollar and five cents, over and above the consta- bles return. RICHARD R. WATTS, J. P."
It seems that an attachment was afterward issued and four yoke of oxen, the property of the defendant, were attached.
After the case was in court for quite a time and the costs had amounted to $18.45, the plaintiff withdrew his suit. Rather expensive litigation for such early day, but poor though they were, the pioneers would not deny themselves the luxury of sning and being sued.
Owing to the size of the township at present, and there being but one polling place, Knoxville, persons are under the necessity of going quite a distance to vote; but this seldom works a hardship to anyone, as the aver- age American citizen is very willing to give an entire day to his country on election day; moreover it is quite an improvement on the accommoda- tions in some parts of the State in early times when the voter had to go fifty miles to deposit his ballot.
The present officers of Knoxville township are as follows:
Justices of the Peace-J. K. Casey, C. B. Boydston.
Trustees-Thomas Jenkins, H. L. Wolf, E. W. Ridlen. Clerk-T. G. Gilson.
Assessor-Hiram Andrews.
Constables-C. B. Thompson, William Shields.
CITY OF KNOXVILLE.
The commissioners appointed by the Territorial Legislature to locate the seat of justice of Marion county, made their report and officially filed the same August 25th, 1845; this then was the beginning of Knoxville, and from that date, through a period of but little over thirty-five years extends the career, and was accomplished the events which pertain to the history of the city. Though the building up of the city and the development of its business enterprises have not been characterized by the dash and enterprise characteristic of the mining towns of the Pacific slope, and notwithstand- ing the fact that the growth of Knoxville was greatly retarded during the period extending from 1860 to 1875, on account of its unfortunate position in regard to railroads, yet when we consider how a bleak and tenantless parcel of land, hundreds of miles from market and miles from a single hab-
696
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
itation has in a little more than a third of a century been peopled by ita thousands, who successfully pursue all the different trades, mercantile pur- suits and learned professions, while from school-houses and numerous churches arise lofty spires, expressive of the fact that in intellectual and ro- ligious attainments, as well as in industrial and commercial pursuits, the city is well up in the march of events, and the people in full sympathy with advanced ideas-when we consider these things we are lost in astonish- ment and are led to the conclusion that all things are possible to an indus- trions and enterprising people who breathe the pure air of the western prai- ries.
There are persons yet living in Knoxville who well remember the time that the people of the town were too few in number and too poor to build a school-house, when two or three hundred dollars would have sufficed to erect one fully as pretentious as any in the neighboring county seat towns. Now Knoxville has two elegant school-buildings well adapted for graded- school purposes; both in the appearance and conveniences of these build- ings, as well as in the number and character of the instructors, the people of Knoxville are as well provided as are the people of the most wealthy and enlightened portions of New England.
There are persons who will read this book that have not forgotten how their hearts sank within them when coming to this country they found the people wholly given over to worldly pursuits; not a single temple of wor- ship, even ever so humble, had been built, and not a single religious organ- ization had been formed. They also remember the trials, disappointments and self-denials through which they passed, before they succeeded in dedi- outing to the worship of Almighty God " the little church around the corner." Such of our readers can best estimate the liberality, industry and perseverance which have been essential on the part of the people of Knox- ville in the erection of its ten churches, and the voluntary contributions which have been requisite from year to year in keeping up these religious organizations.
In another part of this work it has been related how that at one time the settler was compelled to travel more than a hundred miles to have a grist ground, to purchase his necessary supply of dry-goods or groceries, to pru- care agricultural implements, to dispose of his surplus farm products; now Knoxville, in its various commercial and manufacturing institutions, sup- plies all these needs. There are grist-mills, grain-elevators, iron foundries, woolen-mills, dry-goods establishments, grocery stores and stores of gen- eral merchandise without number. It will be impossible to particularise at this place, but be it said that in a little over a third of a century there has been built up a city whose school-houses and churches, whose mercan- tile and manufacturing institutions, whose professional men and artisans will compare with those of any city of its size in the Union; a city whose past record and future prospects are alike matters of congratulation, and a city which for its size and pretentious has more real solid wealth than any other in the State of Iowa.
The place chosen as the site of the seat of justice was designated by the locating commissioners as the northwest quarter of section seven, town- ship seventy-five, range nineteen. The town site thus selected was de scribed by the locating commissioners as a " high, level prairie or platean, about one mile south of the exact center of the county, and in the near neighborhood of excellent timber."
L
597
KNOXVILLE.
After selecting the site of the seat of justice it remained to christen it. The locating commissioners suggested the name of Knoxville, in honor of the memory of Gen. Knox, a distinguished Revolutionary soldier; this name was adopted and upon laying ont the town the county commission- ers complimented the locating commissioners by naming two streets in their honor; Robinson Street was named after Joseph Robinson, of Scott county, and Montgomery Street received its name in memory of James Montgomery, of Wapello county, these two commissioners being the per- sons who located the city of Knoxville.
The first survey of Knoxville was made in January, 1847, the plat being filed on the sixth day of that month. It consisted of twenty-three blocks; there were two rows of blocks of five blocks each north of the public- square, one east, two west, two rows of blocks of three blocks each south and extending still further south of this along Second Street were three blocks.
In December, 1849, there was an additional survey, the plat being filed on the 26th of that month; this survey comprised enough additional land to made the town a complete rectangle.
The third survey was made in September, 1852, the plat being filed on the 17th of that month; this survey comprised all the remaining portion of the town quarter.
The following was the order:
"I, Joseph Brobst, county judge of the county of Marion, State of Iowa, do appoint F. M. Frush, county surveyor, to run out the balance of the town-quarter into whole blocks, and. said F. M. Frush completed the survey with Joel Stanley, E. G. Stanfield, Isaac Anderson and Luke McKerns' as- sistance, and makes seven blocks which is the balance of the town-quarter, numbered as follows: Numbers 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55, and block 49 is set apart by Joseph Brobst for burying purposes. Also the county judge appointed appraisers to the above six blocks, who were sworn, and appraised them as follows: Lot 50 at $30, 51 at $40, 52 at $55, 53 at $15, 54 at $65, 55 at $50."
In the first survey the streets were made eighty feet wide, alleys ten feet and lots 120x60 feet. In the third survey the blocks were made 256x240 feet and the streets fifty feet wide.
In addition to these original surveys there have been nineteen other addi- tions as follows:
Rufus Eldridge's Addition, October 25, 1855.
East Knoxville, March 18, 1856.
North Knoxville, April 29, 1856.
South Knoxville, May 8, 1856.
Southwest Knoxville, June 4, 1855.
Walter & Roach's Addition, April 15, 1857.
Hillis' Addition, October 1, 1857.
Jones & Hank's Addition, December 31, 1870.
Northwest Knoxville, December 31, 1870.
Jones' Addition, January 17, 1871.
George Henry's Addition, May 24, 1872.
Henry's Re-survey, Angust 29, 1872.
T. J. Anderson's Addition April 21, 1873.
J. Mathews' Addition, July 28, 1874.
Wright's Addition, February 14, 1876.
588
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
Bittenbender & Ayers' Addition, February 8, 1876. Mathews' New Addition, February 24, 1876. Baker & Jones' Addition, November 4, 1876. Reno's Addition, October 27, 1876.
In January, 1854, there was an election held in Knoxville to decide whether the town should be incorported. At this election there were sixty. four votes cast, of which there were cast in favor of incorporation, 60; against, 4.
Upon the canvass of this vote, the following order was made:
" Whereas, a majority of the legal voters of Knoxville, Marion county, Iowa, on the 28th day of January, 1854, have voted in favor of having mid town incorporated, notice is hereby given that an election will take place at the court-house, in the said town of Knoxville, on Thursday, the 9th day of February, 1854, for the purpose of choosing three persons to prepares charter for the said village.
" Knoxville, January 30, 1854.
" JOSEPH BROBST, County Judge"
An election was held in accordance with the foregoing order with the following result:
James M. Walters 51
E. W. Ridlen 41
Charles Burham . 27
Claiborn Hall 90
A. W. Curtis
14
A. W. Collins 6
B. F. Williams 1
J. E. Neal 1
The three persons having the highest number of votes proceeded to pre- pare a charter which was submitted to a vote of the people on the 7th day of April, 1854, with the following result:
For the charter 33
Against. 2
The charter as adopted consisted of twenty-seven sections.
Section one is simply a declaration that the town of Knoxville is incor- porated.
Sections two and three refer to the powers vested in the corporation, and the legislative authority which is vested in a mayor and board of alderman. Sections from three to twenty have reference to the duties of officers, elec- tions, etc.
Section twenty limits tax levies for corporation purposes to one-eighth of one per cent.
The remaining sections have reference to collection of taxes, time of hold- ing elections, amendments. The charter is signed by E. W. Ridlen, J. M. Walters and Charles Burham.
We are unable to give the names of the first officers elected under the charter, but the following is the list of mayors from 1857 till the present time:
1857-1859-E. G. Stanfield. 1859-1860-H. D. Gibson. 1864-J. L.
DE
529
KNOXVILLE.
McCormack. 1865-E. G. Stanfield and N. J. Hodges. 1866-1868-B. F. Williams. 1868-1870-W. B. Carruthers. 1870-E. W. McJunkin. 1871-1873 -- C. B. Boydston. 1873-G. K. Hart. 1874-1878-George W. Crozier. 1878-1880-J. K. 'Casey. 1880-B. W. Clark.
No saloons have been licensed since the incorporation of the town.
In 1872 some men established a beer saloon just outside the corporation. The corporate limits were extended so as to include all the area within one nile from the center, thus compelling the beer saloon to change its quarters.
The following financial statement will show the state of finances some twenty-three years ago.
RECEIPTS.
MAY 10, 1851.
License for Lent's big show
25.00
License for bear show
3.00
License for jewelry. 2.00
License for side-show
5.00
License for eating table.
1.00
License for Cooper & Bess' auction
2.00
August 24, theatrical ..
5.00
September 8, Aspinwall Family
2.00
September 12, fine for drunkenness
2.00
September 24, license Brown's show
25.00
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