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 66
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Henry M. Beeson came to the county in 1853, and entered a half section two miles northeast of Albion. He moved on it in the Spring of 1855, and broke forty acres. He was stricken with typhoid fever, and died in November. 1855. His wife and little ones were left by themselves. His wife died in November of the following year. His children were cared for by Mr. Samuel Beeson.
The settlers went to Albion and Iowa City for their supplies, and to Iowa Falls to mill.
A school house was built near Mr. Beeson's house in 1856, and the children were sent there to school from long distances.
As a mark of improvement the present farmers have over the old pioneers, we will quote Mr. Beeson's remark in regard to it: "Heavy ox teams did all our breaking and heavy work. We did not for a moment suppose that horses could be used in breaking prairie."
Mr. Beeson, in speaking of some of the incidents connected with the early settlement of the county, related the following : "When I moved to this county in 1855, carpenters being very scarce, I secured some lumber from Dr. Bush's saw-mill, and built me a small shanty. I could not get the carpenters to come and build my house until late in the Fall. The weather had not set in bad yet, but the nights were very cold. While the carpenters were at work on the house, they began to run out of lumber, and I took the north side of my shanty out and gave them the lumber to use. This was in November. During the night. after taking the side of my shanty down, a terrible snow storm came on. I arose and covered the sleeping over with comforts and shawls and everything that would keep off the snow, and then crawled in myself. In the morning, the snow ceased falling. I carried the snow out that had fallen on the coverlets, thus preparing a place on which to spread our breakfast. The carpenters went to work and completed the house shortly after dark, and we moved in. Byron drove the carpenters to Albion that night."
In 1857, Mr. Beeson hauled 1121 bushels of wheat to Marengo, a distance sixty miles, making three trips, in all 360 miles, and received for his wheat $40.50.
The first reaper brought into this section of country was owned by John Hauser and Jacob Crouse. They cut Mr. Becson's grain in the Fall of 1856. Levi Ulery brought the first thresher into the county the same year. During the years 1857-8, a great many people settled hercabouts. but by far the greater partion came directly after the war.
The town of Liscomb was laid out in 1869, after the building of the Central Road of Iowa. It was laid out by J. W. Tripp, who has been greatly interested in the growth and prosperity of the place. The town was named for H. P. Liscomb, an officer of the road, and it was a name that pleased all. The post office was located in 1869. J. D. Loucke was the first Postmaster. Loucke
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
Brothers erected the first store in Liscomb. It was a small grocery store and stood on State street near the livery stable. A large number of buildings were erected about the same time, though the larger number went up in 1870. There were in business in Liscomb during the latter named year W. Martin (formerly of Carroll Co., Ill.), dry goods and groceries : D. A. Armstrong. grocery ; Confield Brothers, grocery ; Meyer Brothers, grocery : Moore & Mosher, drugs : Adams & Drown, hardware ; Hall & Brother, dry goods and groceries.
The first blacksmith was Phelix Hombel.
Dr. Johnson was the pioneer physician.
The business is now represented by one grocery store, two confectionery stores, three general stores, one hardware store, two millinery shops, two black- smith shops, one drug store.
A barb wire fence manufactory is in operation, and is the property of Bar- ber & Hopkins. They are operating on a small scale with the intention of enlarging their business.
J. C. Bosworth & Co. are operating a steam elevator.
Liscomb was incorporated in 1873. The Mayors, in regular order, have been : 1873-4, N. H. Fields ; 1874-5, Henry Green ; 1875-6, E. D. Whitta- ker; 1876-7, Samuel Beeson ; 1877-8, J. C. Meyers.
J. C. Willits has been Recorder ever since the city was incorporated.
Liscomb Lodge, No. 242, I. O. O. F. was established June 12, 1872, with six charter members, as follows : J. C. Meyer, J. C. Hass, J. B. Meyers, Mos- ley Confield, Jobel Hass. First officers : J. Meyers, N. G. ; J. C. Hass, V. G. ; J. B. Meyers, Secretary ; J. L. Hass, Treasurer. Present officers : S. C. Hobson, N. G .; T. J. Meyers, V. G .; J. C. Willets, Secretary ; H. C. All- good, Treasurer. Membership, 42.
S. A. Emory established a banking house in Liscomb, October 5, 1875, but it was subsequently sold to W. Martin, and is now known as the banking house of W. Martin.
Important among the other interests of Liscomb are those of N. H. Field and Mr. Herrick as stock raisers, both dealing extensively in hogs.
The first school taught in Liscomb was taught by J. L. Ralls. This was soon after the town was begun. This school lasted three months, when a build- ing was erected in the south part of Liscomb, at a cost of $2,000. The aver- age attendance is sixty. The officers of the School Board are : N. H. Fields. President ; H. C. Allgood, Secretary ; W. Martin, Treasurer. The Board of Directors are : N. H. Field, I. Meyers, J. P. Fuose, E. D. Whittaker, James Baylor, T. W. Potter. Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Thompson. Miss Emma Van Slack and A. W. Hill, Assistants.
Disciple Church in Liscomb .- In 1876, the Disciples in and about Liscomb concluded to build a meeting house. This was accordingly done, although they still had their membership with the old Bethel Church some three miles in the country. After the house was built they organized with a membership of about fifty. Elder G. Il. Laughlin. one of the Professors in Oskaloosa College, was their preacher at this time, and he continued his monthly visits for some time after. In December, 1876, the Church secured the assistance of Elder F. Walden to hold a protracted meeting, which lasted four weeks. There were twenty-five added to the Church as the result of this meeting. Soon after Elder Walden commenced preaching regularly for the Church, and continues up to the present to preach there one-half his time. In December, 1877, another protracted meeting was held by their present Pastor, and fifty-one were added to the
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
Church. The present membership is about one hundred and fifty. H. H. Wilson, A. H. McMahon and G. L. Nichols are the Elders, and D. T. Parnell and G. W. Calhoun are the Deacons.
The Methodist Episcopal society was organized during 1870-71, Mr. Lis- comb donating $1,000 toward building a church. A church edifice was erected and services conducted for some time, but the society has died out.
Company K. of the Third Regiment Iowa N. G., was organized August 12. 1877, with fifty three members. The officers were R. H. Stevenson, Captain ; J. B. Mevre, First Lieutenant ; James T. Jackson, Second Lieutenant. The Company drilled under this organization for nine months, when they were detached, and placed in the First Regiment Iowa N. G. The letter of the Company was changed to F, and upon the organization of the First Battalion of the Iowa N. G., they were made Company A of the First Battalion. There are now forty-two men in the Company. Officers : J. B. Myers, Captain ; J. C. Myers. First Lieutenant ; Y. A. Gripp, Second Lieutenant.
Capt. Stevenson was promoted to the rank Major on Gen. Miles T. Sher- man's staff, Second Brigade, and Assistant Inspector General, Second Brigade. The Company is provided with an armory and forty-two stand of arms.
In 1875, The Farmers' Union Railroad Company was organized in Liscomb, for the purpose of building a narrow-gauge railroad to the Mississippi River from Liscomb. The officers of the Company at that time were, J. N. Tripp. President ; William Battin, Vice President ; F. A. Soule, Secretary ; I. A. Emory, Treasurer. Directors-William Goodrich, S. Beeman, J. C. Conrad, George Elliot.
The company laid ten miles of wooden track; and graded twenty miles of roadway. They purchased an engine and ten cars in Cincinnati, and run the road six months when it fell into litigation.
GILMAN.
The City of Gilman is located in Green Castle Township, a region finely watered by tributaries of Timber Creek and North Skunk, and containing excellent farming lands. Elias Hilsabeck was the oldest settler in this town- ship, having come from Illinois in 1852, and entered his land. The village of Green Castle, which died of overweening ambition, since it aspired to be a second New York, or of discouragement when the Central Road showed a pref- erenee for its rival Gilman, was the first city that sprouted in this soil. Mr. Blakeley Brush built a large, two-story house there. without wings, which bore the name of .. The Castle." Later, this was metamorphosed into modern dwelling.
Gilman was the direct outgrowth of the Central Railroad of Iowa.
The territory in the immediate vicinity of Gilman, and the adjacent country first began to be settled in 1868. The settlers who were living there at that period, or who came soon after were. F. F. Ingersoll. Amos Ingersoll, Lyman Farr. - Berry, George Pence, Jacob and John Pence. John Green, Arthur Hall, Lyman Hall, Moses Hall, Il. Sutherland, Brayton Burtch, Isaac Mallet, Josiah Patterson, A. W. Patterson, W. J. Patterson, William Wenderling and Dr. Potter. There were others who come afterward, whose names did not occur to Mr. Patterson.
The railroad came through in the Fall of 1870. The town of Gilman was laid out in December, 1870, by Fred. Baum - Downer, Charles Hobart and F. F. Ingersoll. The town derived its name from President Gilman of the Cen- tral Road. now a resident of Eldora.
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
The people gave $10,000 and ten acres of land toward the construction of the railroad. The post office was established in April. 1871. F. F. Ingersoll was the first Postmaster. After the town was laid out, a Town Lot Company was formed, which purchased 100 acres of A. W. Patterson ; sixty acres of John Green ; eighty acres of C. Hobart ; eighty acres of F. F. Ingersoll ; thirty-seven aeres of Dr. Potter. The Company then began to dispose of the lots, and still control the sale.
The first store in Gilman was built in 1871, by M. L. Rodgers; it stood on the corner, next to Mr. Patterson's warehouse, on the opposite side of the street and is occupied by Hartman & Cunningham. The second building was erected by A. W. Patterson in the same year. It stands on the corner of Main street, and now occupied by Milton Young. It was first used as a hardware store.
After this period, the people began to come in so fast that building became rapid. Whiteline & Brothers built the third store. The first lumber yard was opened by L. G. Rinehart. Dr. Potter was the first physician. The first elevator was built in 1871. by A. W. Patterson. Mr. L. G. Rinehart built the first residence. Mr. Patterson opened the first hardware house. J. R. Wood was the first station agent.
The Union Mills were established in 1875 by Rigg & Emers. The mills are now owned by Rigg & Brownlee. They are located north of the depot. The main building is 34x36, a three-story frame structure ; the engine room is 16x40 feet in size. There are two runs of stone, but the proprietors are pre- paring to place another set in the mill. A Cooper engine, built at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, of fifty horse-power is used. All the modern improvements in milling machinery are in use in this mill. They have a capacity of 150 barrels per day.
There are three elevators : the old " Waggoner Elevator" is the property of G. E. Stokes. Rigg & Brownlee own and operate the small elevator that was built by A. W. Patterson. L. G. Beal is the owner of a large steam elevator.
Gilman was incorporated in 1876. The first meeting of the Board, elected subject to the incorporation, was held July 31, 1876. The Mayor and Council were as follows : John Carney, Mayor; J. C. Gould, W. S. Horton, C. W. Waggoner. A. W. Patterson, J. A. Hartman, Councilmen. The Recorder was H. H. Gregg, and the Marshal, Ira Elly.
The above-named gentlemen held their respective offices until March, 1877, when a new election was held. at which the Mayor and all the old Councilmen were re-elected except Mr. Hart- man. H. Sutherland being chosen in his stead. Messrs. Patterson and Gould resigned. and J. B. Pence, and H. W. Mundihank were elected to fill the vacancies. R. H. Achard was appointed Assessor, and J. H. Henriques. Treasurer. The latter-named gentleman resigned his office. and L. G. Seagar was the appointee in his place.
The city officers for 1878 are: R. H. Archard. Mayor: H. H. Gregg. Recorder : L. G. Seagar, Treasurer : D. A. Comstock. Assessor. Councilmen -- H. Sutherland : W. J. Ward, Irwin Peet. Dennis Beal. R. Sutton. Ira Elly. Marshal. There is no permanent or effective fire department, though the citizens contemplate the purchasing of an engine as a better protection against fire. The town is at present provided with a number of hooks and ladders that are stored in convenient localities.
SECRET SOCIETIES.
Cyrus Lodge. No. 338. A .. F. S. A. M-A dispensation was granted this Lodge in 1874. First officers : C. H. Shaw. W. M. : J. R. Wood, S W. ;
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
David Bowen, J. W. ; C. W. Waggoner, Treasurer ; J. H. Seagar, Secretary ; W. J. Ward, S. D. ; A. G. Ellis, Tiler. The charter was granted June 3, 1875. Present officers : W. J. Ward, W. M. ; L. G. Seagar, S. W. ; Dennis Beal. J. W. ; C. W. Waggoner, Treasurer ; E. Cunningham, Secretary ; J. C. Gould, S. D. ; John Pemberton, J. D. ; R. H. Archard, S. S. ; J. H. Vosburg. J. S. ; H. S. Turner, Tiler. Organized with ten members ; present member- ship, sixty-five.
Eden Lodge, No. 316, 1. O. O. F .- Organized June 9, 1875, with six members. The first meeting was held in the second story of the building now owned and occupied by W. D. Forbush. First officers : R. Andrews, N. G. : James Durrell, V. G. ; J. R. O'Neal, Secretary ; E. R. Wilkinson, Treasurer. Present officers : Irwin Peet, N. G. ; Dorr Graves, V. G. ; B. P. Bennett, Secretary ; R. Andrews, P. Secretary ; H. W. Mundihank, Treasurer. Mem- bership, thirty-eight.
Gilman Lodge, No. 157, A. O. U. W .- This Lodge was organized April 6, 1878, with eighteen charter members. First officers: W. D. Forbush, P. M. W. : John Carney, M. W. ; Dennis Beal, G. F. ; C. H. Shaw, O .; O. P. Beal, G. ; H. H. Gregg, R. ; W. S. Horton, F. ; C. W. Waggoner, R. ; H. Alex- ander, I. W. ; John Ensinger, O. W. Present officers same as above with the exception of Recorder, which office is held by C. W. Pinkerton. Membership. twenty.
SCHOOLS.
The first school house in Gilman, was the school building that was used in the district, and after the establishment of the town was moved within the limits. About thirty pupils were in attendance the first term. The present school building was built in 1873, and is a large two-story frame, containing three rooms, and was erected at a cost of $4,000.
The average attendance is about 135 ; number enrolled, 170. The present teachers are R. D. Jones, Principal ; Miss E. Fletcher and Miss Kate Smalley, Assistants. The President and Board of Directors are as follows: President, W. S. Horton ; Secretary, H. Sutherland ; Treasurer, C. W. Waggoner: Direct- ors, George Pence, William Weaverling, J. H. Scurr.
RELIGIOUS.
First Congregational Church .- This Church was organized March 29, 1870, with eight members. This being prior to the rise of Gilman, the organization was perfected in School IIouse No. 3. Green Castle Township. The Church was given the name of the above township but was changed to that of Gilman. Serv- ices were held in the school house, until the year 1871, when a church build- ing was erected at a cost of $3,148.
The first minister was the Rev. J. M. Chamberlain. He was succeeded, after a few months, by Prof. S. J. Buck. The Church has never been provided , with a resident Pastor, until the present one, Rev. F. H. Magoon, who, having accepted an invitation to become such, entered upon his duties. July 21, 1878. In 1877, the church edifice was newly fitted up at a cost of $500, making it very pleasant for purposes of worship. The Church membership now numbers 74, and is constantly increasing. There is a flourishing Sabbath school con- nected with this society, with an average attendance of 60. Mr. John Carney is the Superintendent. He is assisted by an able corps of teachers.
The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Gilman was formed in the year 1872, by uniting two appointments of what was formerly the Le Grand Circuit
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
of Upper Iowa Conference, and the Johnson and Middlefield Classes. The lat- ter was organized in the year 1865, by Rev. J. Haymond, in a school house near the residence of Mr. L. G. Beale, of Gilman, and formed a part of the Le Grand charge until 1872, when the Gilman Circuit was formed, and the Rev. R. G. Hawn appointed its Pastor. He served the Church only about six months when he left it and went West, and then the Presiding Elder, J. Bowman, em- ployed J. J. Caldwell to fill out the year. He succeeded during this half year in raising the funds to build a foundation for a church in the then new town of Gilman. The lot on which the residence of Mr. D. McDaniels now stands, on High street, was purchased and the foundation laid just as the Conference year closed. October, 1873, Rev. L. G. Woodford was appointed by the Conference to the charge, who thinking the foundation too small, persuaded the people to build larger. They finally abandoned both plan and location, and secured lots where the present church stands. This building was begun near the close of Woodford's first year, and was nearly inclosed at Conference time. At the Annual Conference of 1874, L. C. Woodford was re-appointed to Gilman. The Chapel was finished and was dedicated by Rev. John Clinton, November 29th. The entire cost of the building was $3,871. September 27, 1875, E. D. Hos- kyns was appointed to the charge and served two years. October 7, 1877, L. S. Cooley was made the Pastor until October 2, 1878. The present number of members on the records is 90.
The M. E. Church of Laurel, Jefferson Township, was organized in June. 1864, by the Rev. S. Dunton, and formed a part of what was then known as the Timber Creek Mission, embracing the following preaching places : Hazel Green, Illinois Grove, Story Grove, Bear Grove, Altic's School House and Jefferson School House. In the Fall of 1864, the Rev. J. A. Vananda was sent to the work and labored one year. In 1865, Rev. J. Haymond was appointed preacher, and the circuit was enlarged by the following appointments : Richart's, Le Grand, Marietta and State Centre. It was again enlarged at the Conference of 1866. Rev. Jacob Haymond was sent as Pastor, and R. M. Wade was sent as junior preacher. The latter was sent to fill a vacancy at Tama City, near the middle of the year, and Revs. J. Montgomery and Austin filled out the year. In 1867, Asa Critchfield was the minister, and in 1868, Rev. J. E. Baker, and J. F. Baker in 1869. The Conference of 1870 appoint- ed G. M. Hall to the Le Grand charge, and during this year the chapel at Lan- rel was begun. R. G. Hawn was sent to the work in 1871. The chapel was finished and dedicated Oct. 30, and called Dunton Chapel, in honor of the founder of the society here. In 1872, Laurel became a part of the Gilman circuit, and R. G. Hawn was its Pastor about one-half of the year, when he left the charge for some part of the West.
EDENVILLE.
This beautiful httle village is situated in Eden Township, eight miles south of State Centre, with a rich, thriving community all about it. It was laid out by C. B. Rhodes in 1855, who built the first store and brought on the first stock of goods. The old store is still standing, unoccupied. The earliest set- tler in the vicinity was Greene Allen, who came upon his claim of 600 acres in 1849. He was made of the right stuff for a pioneer, as even the Timber Creek Indian scare did not cause him any trepidation ; or, if it did, he did not manifest it. but kept on in the even tenor of his way, not even deigning
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
to go into the fort with the terrified settlers. A man of the name of Mag- gard lived in a cabin near Clear Creek, and made a little improvement, but he took a fever from exposure and died before there were half a dozen families within twenty miles to miss one of their limited number. Among the earliest settlers were Rev. Thomas Mendenhall and Rev. Simon Woolston, the latter of whom labored for temperance and Masonry as well as for the church, and who afterward removed to Missouri, leaving behind him a numerous family of sons and daughters. At about the same time came Mr. Owen and Simon Price, and Mr. Andrew Logan, who published the first newspaper in Iowa. at Davenport, in 1836. Mr. Tuffe, of Pittsburgh, Penn., came in 1855, feneed his land and built his house when the howl of the wolf was one of the most familiar sounds to be heard. Mr. Ruston Bullock came later, also Mr. Jerole- man.
Mr. Rhodes, besides building the first store, built the first mill. There were but two families then besides his own-Brooks and Sandford, Sandford keeping the hotel. The latter was afterward one of the first Justices in the township.
The first 4th of July celebration was in 1858, and it was a memorable affair. The tables were laden, there was music by the choir, and an oration by Rev. Mr. Merrill, of Jasper County. Zenas Bartlett was Grand Marshal, and the patriotic crowd marched around the mill and back to the grove in the hot sun. Mr. Benson, who a few years later was killed by lightning, was one of the com- pany, and Martin Logan, the first one of Eden's sons to fall in the defense of his country. There was also Mr. Bartlett, who left wife and little children and an aged father to die in a St. Louis hospital; and George Culver and Irving Benson, who were killed at Champion Hills ; then the martyred prisoner, Simon Woolston, and, after him, Harry Nichols, who died early at Alexandria.
The school taught at that early day was in a little log cabin. But a better house was built in 1874, a good-sized frame building, which is also used for church purposes every Sabbath. There are at present about sixty pupils. A weekly mail from Marietta was established in 1857, and Mr. Isaac Sanford was the first Postmaster.
The present business interests of the village are a grist-mill, one general store, a shoe shop, two or three blacksmith shops, and the post office. The store, occupied by White & Bros., was built in 1877.
The Des Moines & McGregor Railroad was surveyed through the place, but unfortunately the survey ended it.
DILLON.
This village was laid out in June, 1875, by the Central Railroad Company. J. Williams made some additions to the town and E. Pemberton did the same. The post office was established in the Fall of 1875. A. Wendt was the first Postmaster. The town was named for Judge Dillon.
The first store was built by Dr. John Risley. It is the building now occu- pied by R. A. Salisbury & Co. The first residence was built by B. H. Pember- ton in July, 1875.
There is a large elevator in operation, the property of W. E. Russell. It was built in 1875, and is operated by horse power.
The cozy little school house was built in 1877. Divine services are also held in the school house.
Corlieon & Chinburg are proprietors of a large grocery store.
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
The business interests are represented by one saloon, one drug store, two grocery and general stores, two blacksmith shops, one lumber yard and two coal yards.
The place is situated about eight miles from Marshalltown, and is sur- rounded by a farming country.
LAMOILLE.
'This little village, lying about seven and one-half miles west from Marshall- town, was an outgrowth of the Chicago & North-Western Railway. It is situ- ated in Washington Township, and has a population somewhere between two hundred and three hundred. The railroad was surveyed through in 1863, and a depot was built the same year, the town contributing $800 toward that pur- pose. The large coal sheds, tanks and wind-mill, now at the station, were erected in 1875.
The village was platted in 1867, by John L. Stevens, then an employe of the C. & N. W. Ry., but now an extensive farmer. The name Lamoille was given it by Isaac Howe, from the town in Vermont of the same name. The first building was put up within the limits of the town in 1867, and in 1868, the first store, by John L. Stevens. Samuel Keith rented it then and kept a stock of goods in it, and it is now occupied by John Ryan.
The post office was established in 1868, with Henry Durkee as first Post- master.
There are three general stores in Lamoille, one dry goods, one hardware and one grocery, besides a wheelwright shop. Samuel Miller built an elevator in 1867.
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