USA > Iowa > Marshall County > The History of Marshall County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men etc > Part 49
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 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90
At this time began the carnest work of influencing the people to co-operate in favor of the road. Meetings were held along the line, and all measures adopted to overcome the general feeling of distrust caused by the dishonest con- duct of the old Air Line Company. Chicago and Eastern capitalists took great. interest in the project, but the times were not of the best for public measures,
417
HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
and the experience of the managers of the scheme was far from encouraging. Like all other great undertakings, the work progressed slowly. During the Summer we notice that the people needed constant exhortation to keep from lagging. The exciting campaign of 1860 began, and nothing else was thought of. Politics ran high and absorbed public attention.
In October, the Times remarked that the "railroad prospects were brighten- ing," and urged renewed efforts on the part of the people. Again, on the 10th of that month, the Times said : "The subscriptions to the capital stock of the C. R. & M. R. Railroad are getting along finely," and advocated subscrip- tions in such amounts as could be afforded by the people. It remarked, " Let every man and woman bear in mind that whatever is done must be done now.'
January 23, 1861, the Times " stops the press " to announce, in large type, and with a spread-eagle over the article, the " glorious news" that Mar- shalltown has been definitely chosen as the point in this county to be touched by the road. "The contract has been let to responsible Eastern men, and will be built as fast as men and money can do it. A happy future awaits us. Hip, hip, hurrah !" shouts the gratified editor.
In 1860, the surveys were made west of Cedar Rapids, and grading was done. In 1861, forty miles of iron were laid, taking the track to Chelsea, Tama County. The next year, 1862, early in January, the first train ran into Marshalltown. There was an intense excitement over the event, and proper observance of it was made. Exercises were held in this city, and excur- sionists came out from Chicago to join them. Marshalltowners returned the compliment by going back with their city friends, and a jolly season was passed.
The work was pushed steadily and persistently west of this city, and was completed to Council Bluffs in February, 1867. The last 150 miles of the road was graded and the iron laid in 275 days. This rapid work was done in order to earn a donation offered by the Union Pacific Railroad Company of $75,000 provided the road reached the Missouri River by April, 1867. It was com- pleted two months before that time, and it was then considered a great feat in railroad building.
This was the first road built across the State to the Missouri River, and a large portion of the materials for the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad was transported over the line. The principal offices of the company are at Cedar Rapids.
The officers of the company are: Horace Williams, President ; Frederick Nickerson, Vice President; P. E. Hall, Secretary ; D. P. Kimball, Treasurer and Register of Stock ; J. Van Deventer, Assistant Treasurer; George T. Crandell, Auditor.
The capital stock of the company is: Common stock, $6,850,400; seven per cent. preferred stock, $769,600 ; first mortgage seven per cent. bonds, $3,614,000 ; dividends on stock, February and August.
The Cedar Rapids &. Missouri River Railroad is leased to the Chicago & North-Western Road, and in connection with the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska, forms the Iowa Division of the North-Western Road. Steel rails have been laid on the whole road, and it is said to be not only the best managed road in the State, but it is also claimed that it is the smoothest and best in the West. It does a very large passenger and freight business. The management have made it popular with the people along the line, and eventually it will be the principal east and west road in the State.
418
HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
THE CENTRAL RAILROAD OF IOWA.
In January, 1866, Messrs. Platt Smith, J. K. Graves and C. C. Gilman, of Dubuque, and George and William Greene, of Cedar Rapids, incorporated under the general laws of the State, the "Eldora Railroad and Coal Com- pany," for the purpose of constructing a line of railway from Ackley, a station on the Dubuque & Sioux City R. R., 133 miles west of Dubuque, southward to Eldora, the county seat of Hardin County, and then supposed to be in the center of the Hardin County coal fields. The road was to be seventeen miles
long. The company was empowered to mine and ship coal, as well as operate the railroad to the beds referred to.
The people of Eldora and Steamboat Rock offered inducements for the rapid completion of the work. The right of way and 1,000 acres of coal fields were donated to the project. In December, twelve miles of the iron was laid, taking the track to Steamboat Rock. Meanwhile, the Sioux City Railroad, which encouraged the scheme, had passed into the hands of the Illinois Central Railroad, and the latter company impeded the progress of the work by a series of petty annoyances.
The little railroad company began to falter. A large amount of money had been put into the enterprise, and the individual credit of its projectors was pledged for the ironing and equipment of the line. The road was partly built, but the larger road upon which they had depended for support, and which they expected to be used as a feeder to, was in the hands of men opposed to the plan. At this point, Mr. Gilman, President of the Company, bought out the other parties in interest, and completed the remaining five miles to Eldora. Mr. Gilman was aided by F. W. H. Sheffield, of Dubuque, A. L. Hatch and H. P. Liscomb, of New York. These gentlemen induced Eastern capitalists to exam- ine the work, and in 1868, a party of Baltimore gentlemen invested money therein.
It was resolved to extend the line to Marshalltown, then a place of some 4,000 inhabitants, and there intersect the Chicago & North-Western, which was operating the line of the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad. The new plan was at once carried out, under the name of the Iowa River Railway Com- pany, and the line extended twenty-nine miles. The corporation was allowed to build a road north and south across the State, as near as practicable to the 16th degree of longitude. Stock to the amount of $30,000, and bonds to the amount of $16,000, per mile were authorized on each completed mile of road. The old franchise was sold to the new company. The coal mining rights passed to the Eldora Coal Mining Company.
Mr. Gilman was President ; and Horace Abbott, Thomas Kennett and John S. Gilman, of Baltimore; H. P. Liscomb, of New York; H. L. Huff, Wells S. Rice, of Marshalltown; H. L. Stout and F. W. II. Sheffield, of Dubuque, con- stituted the Directory. Mr. Liscomb died soon after, and Isaac Hyde, Jr., of New York, succeeded him.
Full authority was given the President to build the road to Marshalltown, and to negotiate for funds. The people along the line responded nobly to the appeals for aid. Marshalltown donated, in various ways, over $60,000; and Albion, with but 500 inhabitants, raised over $20,000. The line was located through those places in this county, and at once pushed to completion by Greene, Rowley & Co., of Cedar Rapids, contractors.
The Iowa Central Company had already surveyed a line about thirty miles east of Marshalltown, and the vigor of the new corporation surprised and
419
HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
pleased it. But little work had been done by the Central at the north end, but some sixty miles had been graded south of Oskaloosa, at the southern end. The managers of the road had been disappointed in the matter of help, and were willing to co-operate with the Iowa River Company. Propositions were made and accepted, which led to the formation of a new corporation, called the Central Railroad of Iowa, and the union of the two forces. This resulted in the completion of the present line of road, which opens up directly and by connec- tion with other roads, a vast region of magnificent country, and brings St. Paul and St. Louis into close relations.
The completion of the road was effected to Marshalltown in January, 1870, and was the occasion of great rejoicing by the people.
The history of this railroad, in its alternations of prosperity and pecuniary straits, is not properly a subject for consideration here. Having traced the rise and progress of the scheme to its successful completion, so far as the con- struction of the line to and beyond Marshalltown is concerned, we leave the matter for elaboration in other works written for the especial benefit of those who are pecuniarily interested in the profits of the business.
Marshalltown owes, for the accomplishment of this road, a debt of gratitude to her esteemed townsman, G. M. Woodbury, whose name is indissolubly asso- ciated with all the important measures adopted or proposed by the town.
OTHER RAILROAD PROJECTS
have been offered from time to time, but do not form any part of the actual history of this county. The plans of speculators or capitalists are not within the province of this work, and we therefore refrain from naming any but the roads actually operated within the limits of Marshall County.
FACTS AND INCIDENTS.
The first party of settlers, after the location of Davidson, consisted of Joseph Cooper, David E. Cooper, J. M. Ferguson, John Campbell and Dr. E. B. Bush. They reached Timber Creek on the 13th day of March, 1848, and there camped for the night. On the morning of the 14th, they concluded to examine the country before making claims. They went north past the present site of Marshalltown, and reached the river below Marietta. Thence the party proceeded up the river, and part of them stayed with Dr. Bush, who had made a claim in the northwestern part of the county, as is shown fully elsewhere. D. E. Cooper remained overnight with Curtis Dooley, who worked with Joab Bennett, parties who settled in that vicinity, but who never became citizens of the county, as they remained but a short time.
On the morning of the 15th, the party went up to the west fork of the Iowa River, but found no site that pleased them as well as the original selection on Timber Creek. On the 18th of March, these men made claims on the site first chosen, by blazing trees and driving stakes.
The country was green with grass at that early season of the year. In all directions the fresh growth of herbage was beautiful to the eye, and the pioneers agreed in calling this a lovely region. Game was abundant.
The party returned to Jasper County, and prepared to return to Marshall as soon as possible. By April 1st, the little band came on, and this time W. C. Smith, William Springer and J. F. M. Cooper accompanied them. The Coopers brought in an ox team, and Smith had a horse team. These were the first teams in the county.
420
HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
In 1848-50, the pioneers of Marshall were compelled to go to Oskaloosa for their stores. A little trading place was opened in Newton, in 1848-9, but no reliance could be placed on it. In 1851-3, the natural channel of trade opened up to Iowa City, and continued there until the railroad drew the custom toward Cedar Rapids, in 1858-9.
The milling privileges were very crude in 1849, as has been shown. One day, Francis M. Cooper and William Asher took two bushels of corn to the first mill built in the county, and concluded to wait for it. They went into the tim- ber and hunted for bee trees until 3 o'clock in the afternoon, five hours after they handed in their grist, and when they returned there was still half a bushel of corn in the hopper.
The mill on Timber Creek, a year later, was not much better. Charles Brennicke, who bought the property in the early '50's, used to make it a rule that those who came with grists should work upon the farm while he ground the corn. The time given to grinding was so long that there was no profit in it. So the men who went to mill had to pay double for the privilege.
John Haines brought the first threshing machine into the county in 1854. He had a monopoly of the business, and literally wore out his machine. He charged $6 to set the thresher, or six cents per bushel if more than 100 bushels were turned out. Farmers used to club together and make one thresh- ing of it.
The first grain or produce bought and shipped was probably in 1854, although it was several years later that this trade assumed respectable propor- tions. Not until the railroad approached the county, in 1859 or 1860, did the farmers realize much for their grain.
The first corn grown was raised by Davidson, but we were unable to satisfy ourself about the first field of wheat.
In the Fall of 1848, Alvin Adkins, William Campbell, Emanuel Anderson and Francis M. Cooper took a fishing trip from the Cooper-Ferguson settlement on Timber Creek to the present site of Woodbury's Mill, on the river north of Marshall. They stopped on the site of the town and played "seven-up " for their fish, on their way home. The river was alive with all the varieties of the finny tribe peculiar to such waters, and the stake played for was a large one.
An incident is related of Thomas Pearson, who located in Bangor Township. In the Winter of 1848-49, he attempted to cross the prairie from near the pres- ent site of Bangor, on his way to Newton, Jasper County. The snow was very deep and the weather exceedingly cold. He traveled Indian fashion, on snow shoes. He lost his way and wandered desperately on, knowing that there was no aid in any direction but by the one he desired to make. If he traveled west or north, he went farther and farther away from succor. Fortune favored him, for by mere chance he chose the right course. When night came he made a huge fire in the edge of a grove, and remained until morning. He was nearly frozen to death, but succeeded in reaching Newton before sundown, and thus escaped a terrible fate.
The following is the second list of grand jurors chosen in this county : John M. Whitaker, George B. Derbin, Edward Edwards, Isaac Myers, James Asher, F. M. Clifton, Green B. S. Ralls, William E. Stout, Thomas S. Brown, Riley Meyers, Blakely Brush, Thomas M. Womberly, Hiram Lackey, Mahlon Woodward, James Pearson, Wells Titcomb, Richard Westlake, James F. West- wood, Ayers H. Elsbury, Lewis H. Ketchum, Allen Steele, Hosea J. Dean, John B. Hobbs.
421
HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
A story is told of the time of the terrible rain storm, which occurred near Albion in 1853 or thereabouts. The bottom lands south of the new village were covered with water, and the wind blew frightfully. Judge Hobbs lived on the Swearengen farm and had but one neighbor between his house and the village.
That memorable night, at about 3 o'clock, the Judge was awakened by the sudden appearance of his neighbor, who burst in through the rain, and deposited one of his children on the floor, meanwhile crying lustily for aid, as his family were all killed, saving the child he had thus rescued.
In his haste to aid his friend, Judge Hobbs could not find his clothes, but chanced to lay his hand on a short-skirted overcoat, which he speedily donned. and in this scant habiliment rushed out into the storm. The man kept ahead of the Judge, who could see him staggering onward through the mud and water every time a flash of lightning illumined the sky.
At last, the Judge reached the shanty in which the man had tried to live. and found it completely overturned. Not a trace of life was there, and believ- ing that the settler's story was. true, the Judge attempted to lift one corner of the small cabin. The weight proved to be greater than he could master, and in despair the Judge looked about him for the owner of the wreck. Nothing could be seen of him. The Judge concluded to go to the village for assistance, as that was the nearest place where it could be obtained. Forgetting his undress uniform, in his eagerness to perform a good deed, the official representative of the county ran to the nearest house. He saw that the storm had worked de- struction in many places, but observed a light burning in one of the cabins. To that house he made his way and loudly rapped at the door. Before he was aware of his situation, he found himself in the midst of nearly all the ladies in town, who gazed at him with mingled mortification and amusement.
The lady of the house had presence of mind enough to bring the astonished Judge a pair of pantaloons, in which he hastily incased his judicial limbs, and then proceeded to tell his story.
The sequel shows that the pioneer had also beheld the ruin of his home, and had gone to the village for aid. During his absence in notifying the Judge, the wife had managed to reach the village, and there the happy couple manifested their joy, in the presence of all, by numerous hearty osculatory expressions of delight.
The presence of the ladies in one house is easily accounted for. It thundered, and under such circumstances the female mind is a unit. The ladies went out in the rain for the express purpose of dying together, if they were obliged to die at all.
An incident is related of the early religious services at Albion that illustrates the quality of the professional men, and also proves that the rough pioneer missionaries were as sound in common sense as they were unpolished in exterior.
Some time about 1855, a United Brethren minister chanced to stop at Albion, and Western courtesy compelled the pastor in charge to invite the traveler to preach. The people knew he would bore them, but they were too sensitive in their observance of etiquette to ignore his rights. So he was called upon to preside over the meeting and the invitation was speedily accepted.
After a thoroughly uninteresting attempt to tell the people something about a subject far beyond his comprehension, the good man paused and noticed the looks of disgust on the countenances of his hearers. Leaning over the box- for pulpits were a thing unheard of then-the preacher roared out : "My friends, preachers is just like apples. In a new country you can't get much fruit. All
422
HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
you can get hold of is crab-apples. But by and by, when the country grows older, you will be able to do better. You will be able to give up the crab-apples and pick grafted fruit.'
In the Marshall Times, Oct. 27, 1858, we read how an old gentleman, a farmer on the north side of the river, missed his horses from their stable some- what late at night. If he had reflected a little, and noticed that his boys were missing, too, he might not have become so alarmed. However, as it was, he immediately suspected horse thieves, and came over to town in hot haste and aroused the Vigilance Committee. The President of this organization soon had out a force of men, armed to the teeth, and scouring the country in pursuit of the thieving scoundrels. But after a few hours, the old gentleman, whose horses were missing, came back to town rather crest-fallen, to announce that he had discovered that his boys had gone off with the horses to a distant part of the neighborhood to "charivari" a newly married couple. So the police were obliged to return without any prowess.
In the Times. of the date Dec. 22, 1858, the editor mentions seeing a fine- looking specimen of an elk ("if anything so ugly can be called fine-looking") pass through the town, being led by a rope around his horns, but evidently a very unwilling captive. A child upon the street fled in terror, believing it to be the devil.
The Times, of Oct. 10, 1860, speaks of there having been no frost up to that time, and says that "tomato vines are as green as they were in June, and the leaves upon the trees are dying of old age. Surely, Iowa is a great country."
In the Fall of 1860, we read of a lyceum which had been organized in Marshalltown, and which reflected great credit upon all concerned in it, with the one exception of the order, which was not of the best. There was evidently a lack of the respect due to the officers of the association, for it is related that when, as a finale to a very praiseworthy debate, the Secretary arose to make a motion, one of the mischievous members shipped behind him and drew his chair away. When he had finished, he did what was expected of him, politely took his seat a la bumpe (the editor's French) where his feet should have been. The rogues laughed, of course, and there was a general rush for the door.
Mr. Philip Ballard, who came into Iowa Township in 1859, thus relates his experience in getting there : " It was early in the Spring, and when coming to the Iowa River, it was found necessary to cross on a piece of ice by laying boards from the shore to the ice. In that way the horses were induced to cross over; then the wagon was drawn over by hand, the goods having been removed ; then over went the furniture, and finally the wife and little ones. It was a mar- vel to every one in the vicinity how we crossed, and without disaster."
There is a record of former good fishing in Iowa River. We find that in the Fall of 1859, Ed. Thorn caught, one day, a pike weighing twenty pounds, and the next day another weighing twenty-four and a half pounds. As high as seventy pounds a day were taken by a single person with hook and line. The average weight of the fish was four and a half pounds. Later, we find a record of a pike caught just below the dam at Woodbury's Mill, by Messrs. Shutz and Sherwood, which weighed twenty-seven and a half pounds.
Linn Creek has been the scene of several tragedies. A young lady with her father, Mr. Hudson, was drowned about two miles west of Marshalltown. Miss Hudson attempted to cross on the submerged bridge, but her horse lost his foothold upon the planks, and there being no railing, both fell into the water. Her father, attracted by her screams, plunged in, but lost his hold upon a
423
HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
bunch of willows to which he clung for support, and being unable to swim, both were drowned. At another place, a railroad bridge over this creek was damaged by a freshet, and a train was wrecked upon it. The locomotive only passed over, the baggage and passenger cars plunging into the water. It was in the darkness of the night, but strangely enough, with heated stoves and burning lamps and overturned cars, no one was hurt-only the passengers and mails had an unwilling bath. A Mr. Algoyee was drowned in this same creek, not far from Le Grand highway bridge, while he was in bathing. And about 1860, Mrs. Ed. Lockwood and Mrs. H. Nash had a narrow escape from death in the same ill-fated waters. The covered wagons of some Pike's Peak travelers frightened their horse, which began obstinately backing, and finally overturned the buggy with its human freight into the current. It was in March, and the water was icy cold, and Mrs. Lockwood struggled to hold up her child, which she did, with the aid of willows on the shore, until she was rescued by the emi- grants whose wagons had caused the disaster.
The Times, of Jan. 30, 1861, records an accident which came about from rejoicing over the location of the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad. "The boys thought they could not let the event pass without some noise. Accordingly, they found the cannon which was cast here last year, and after heating it thoroughly to extract the frost, commenced firing. They had fired but a few rounds, when the gun burst, throwing the fragments in every direc- tion. One piece struck the Marshall House, passed through into a bed room. breaking the leg of a bedstead, and finally buried itself in a sack of sugar which happened to be in the room. Another piece struck the Court House, tearing up the shingles, but doing no particular damage. Another piece struck Mr. Getting's house." No one was killed.
In the Times of March 12, 1862, we learn that there had been no news from the outside world since the 1st. It had snowed for a week, and the roads were so bad that neither the mails nor the express were able to get through, and travel was entirely done away with.
The same date announces the closing of the first term of the Marshalltown Graded Union School with an exhibition, which had a crowded house.
The Times of April 2, 1862, says: "The Iowa River seems to take on about these days as if it was on a bender. The water is up so that it touches the bridge at Woodbury's Mill and runs around on the north side of the bridge, covering the flats for at least a mile north of the mill. Northeast of town the river must have been nearly two miles wide. One family, of the name of Young, were obliged to leave their house and seek a place where land was higher.
" Linn Creek, also, joined in the jubilee, and for two or three days, it more resembled the Mississippi than the little insignificant stream it is. At all events, it has raised hob with the telegraph poles and buried the wires some four feet under water, so that we are now shut out from news either by stage power or lightning."
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.