USA > Iowa > Muscatine County > The History of Muscatine county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 69
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Rev. J. H. Scott took charge of the little Church in the winter of 1857. and continued until January, 1862. He was succeeded by Rev. Samuel J. Mills, during whose labors the parsonage was built. He left in the winter of 1865. and was followed, in the spring of 1866, by Rev. Alexander Porter, who gave part of his labors to the Church up to April 21, 1874, when the pastoral rela- tion was dissolved. Rev. A. M. Tanner had charge of the Church for six months.
Rev. F. A. Shearer, D. D., commenced preaching to this congregation the 1st day of June, 1875, at which time the prospects were very discouraging : the membership was very small, numbering only twenty-six, and most of these women. For three years, the Church was greatly blessed and prospered, the membership increased to seventy and the Church was feed from debt. It now holds a position among the churches of the Presbytery.
The Catholic Church was built by Rev. Father Emonds, and is now in charge of Rev. Father N. Dugan, of Wilton. The congregation consists of fifty families, and the church property is valued at $2,000.
The M. E. Church was in existence as early as 1839. Thirty years ago, Elder Twining preached here. The present house of worship was built in 1875, and is an elegant structure. The congregation had a church-building previous to this time, erected between the years 1858 and 1860. Before that period they worshiped in schoolhouses.
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY ..
The present membership numbers 125. The officers of the Church are A. Cooley, D. F. Smith, D. W. Hartitpe, A. Floyd, W. L. U. Burke, I. Childs, H. Walters, William Baird. The present Pastor is Arthur V. Francis. The church property is valued at $1,500.
The Society of Friends held their first meeting in the neighborhood of West Liberty about the year 1858, several families having settled in the vicinity sev- eral years previous. John Wright, long and familiarly known as Uncle John, was the first. The Society was not regularly organized until some time in 1860. The monthly meeting, when organized, consisted of about fifty mem- bers. John Wright, Sarah M. Wright, Stephen Mosher, Aquilla Whitaker, Ruth Mosher and Ann Whitaker were Elders, and Dr. Jesse Holmes, recorded or acknowledged minister.
A meeting-house was built about one mile north of town, 50x24 feet. Some time in 1870, it was moved and placed in its present location, in the town of West Liberty. The recorded ministers since acknowledged are Thomas E. Hoge and Ann Heacock.
The Temperance Reform Club was organized in January, 1878, with the following first officers : K. O. Holmes, President; J. A. Evans, Albert McNulty and John Henderson, Vice Presidents ; Horace Deemer, Secretary ; A. F. Keith, Treasurer ; J. Mad. Williams, Chaplain. The only change that has taken place to the present is in the office of Secretary, which is now filled by Mrs. McElravy.
This is an unusually strong club, having a membership of 1,252. Its meet- ing-place is Liberty Hall.
The Ladies' Aid Society was organized in March, 1878, with the following first officers : Miss Sarah Erwin, President ; Mrs. A. F. Keith, Secretary ; Mrs. N. W. Ball, Treasurer. The present officers are : Mrs. J. Wilson, President ; Mrs. McElravy, Vice President : Mrs. N. W. Ball, Treasurer. The object of the Society, as the name indicates, is to assist the poor of West Liberty by the proceeds derived from sewing and monthly contributions.
It is only proper here to state that the merchants of the town have been very generous in helping to promote and facilitate the noble cause these ladies are engaged in.
LODGES.
Mount Calvary Lodge, No. 95, A., F. §. A. M., was instituted by dispen- sation July 19, 1856, and a charter was granted June 3, 1857. The following were the charter members: W. C. Evans, George W. Dunlap, L. Stockman, Arthur C. Davis, Asa Gregg, I. D. Vore, Perry Reynolds, J. A. Mills, Allen Broomhall, J. R. Palmer, E. Messmore, J. N. Graham. The first officers were : William C. Evans, W. M .; Asa Gregg, S. W .; Allen Broomhall, J. W .; I. D. Vore, Secretary ; George W. Dunlap, Treasurer. The present officers are : C. W. Hoge, W. M .; A. M. Jackaway, S. W .; James Hoopes, J. W .; E. P. French, Secretary ; W. R. Childs, Treasurer. The present membership of the Lodge is ninety-two, its property is valued at $2,000, and its meeting-place is in Masonic Hall, over E. C. Thomas' furniture-house.
Liberty Chapter, No. 79, Royal Arch Masons, was instituted under dispen- sation December 1, 1875. The first officers were : E. C. Chesebrough, M. E. H. P .; P. R. Evans, E. K .; J. A. Hollister, E. S .; George C. Shipman, Secretary. A charter was granted in October, 1876. The following are the present officers : J. A. Hollister, M. E. H. P .; Asa Gregg. E. K .; I. D. Vore, E. S .; George C. Shipman, Secretary. The present membership is twenty- three.
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY.
Liberty Lodge, No. 190. I. O. O. F., was instituted by dispensation March 3, 1870, and a charter was granted October 20 of the same year to the follow- ing charter members : E. L. Stratton, W. G. H. Inghram, George Bagley, C. W. Burger. S. M. Mitchell, P. R. Evans, W. L. Penny and H. A. Thomas. The first officers were : George Bagley, N. G .; E. L. Stratton, V. G .; W. L. Penny, Secretary ; P. R. Evans, Treasurer. The present officers are : W. S. Lane, N. G. ; John Stiles, V. G .; W. C. Harris. Secretary ; P. R. Evans, Treasurer. The present membership of the Lodge is thirty-eight, its meeting- place is in the I. O. O. F. Hall, over the People's Bank, on Third street, and its property is valued at $350.
Liberty Lodge, No. 659, I. O. G. T., was organized March 30, 1874, with thirty-four constituent members. The first officers were : Mr. Rankin, W. C. T .; Mrs. Mary Evans. W. V. T .; Mr. Manby, W. S .; J. R. Palmer, W. F. S .; J. S. Wilson, W. T .; John Deemer, W. C .; W. Collier, W. M .; Lillie Gregg, W. I. G .; Milton Jackaway, W. O. G .; Lizzie Deemer, R. H. S .; Mary Mor- gan, L. H. S .; Mr. Wright, P. W. C. T .; James Morgan, G. L. D. The following are the present officers : George C. Shipman, W. C. T .; Lillie Gregg, W. V. T. ; James Morgan, P. W. C. T .; Mary Evans, W. C .; Frank Thomas, W. S .; Mrs. Morgan, W. F. S .; Mary Deemer, W. T .; Jessie Holmes, W. M .; Percy Cooley, W. I. G .; William Henderson. W. O. G .; Helen Holmes, W. D. M .; Horace E. Deemer, G. W. D. The Lodge owns quite an extensive library for the short period it has been in existence. Its meeting-place is in a rented hall on Third street, furnished, by its own funds, in very handsome style. The present membership is about fifty.
INCORPORATIONS.
The People's Bank was organized May 1, 1868, and incorporated under the laws of the State of Iowa the same date. The following were the first Directors : Henry Harrison, E. Schooley, Jesse Holmes, Jonathan Cowgill, Frank Colton, John Russell, Joseph Ball, W. E. Evans and George Woolley ; Henry Harrison, President ; E. Schooley, Vice President; H. B. Sedgwick, Cashier. The bank commenced business with a capital of $20,000, which was increased to $40,000, $50,000, and, eventually, to $75,000, all paid up. The present Directors are John Lewis. S. T. Chesebrough, E. C. Harrison, W. C. Evans, P. R. Evans, E. Negus and George Woolley ; J. L. Brooke, President ; Jonathan Cowgill, Vice President ; A. A. Ball, Cashier. This bank is the pride of the citizens of West Liberty, and justly, too, inasmuch as the manage- ment has been conducted in such a manner as to make money for itself and its stockholders.
The Bower Mining Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of Iowa January 15, 1879, by Allen Breed, George W. Hise, Isaac Heald, T. W. Rogers, T. W. Hoge. I. C. Nichols, Mahlon Hollinsworth, George W. Ilandy. Directors : Allen Breed, George W. Handy, George W. Hise. T. W. Rogers, C. W. Hoge, Isaac Heald. Officers : Allen Breed. President ; T. W. Rogers, Vice President; Isaac Heald, Secretary ; G. W. Handy, Superintend- ent. The capital stock of this Company is $10,000,000, represented by 100,000 shares, all subscribed and paid up. The stock is non-assessable. The Company's mining claim is located in El Dorado County, Cal., on what is known as the Seam Belt, or Ore Channel, near Greenwood. The property is to be opened by running a tunnel from the American Canon, a distance of about six hundred feet, with proper size for sluice-bore. A shaft is to be sunk at the terminus of the tunnel for the purpose of getting a face to commence working
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by hydraulic process. On the 20th of March, 1879, one hundred and forty feet of the tunnel had been completed.
The Park Association was incorporated October 10, 1874. The first officers were Phineas Nichols. President; W. C. Evans. Vice President; George Morgridge, Secretary ; A. E. Keith, Treasurer. Directors-S. A. Barnes, R. C. Jewett, Ira Nichols, Z. Ellison and T. C. Manfull.
The present officers are W. C. Evans, President ; Phineas Nichols, Vice President : C. M. Nichols, Secretary ; E. E. Harrison, Treasurer. Directors -J. Evans, Ira Nichols, J. M. Fisher, Z. Ellison and S. Barnes. The capital investment of the Association is confined entirely to real estate valued at $3,300.
Union District Agricultural Society was organized January 24, 1863, at Springdale, Cedar County. For some time previous to this date, the Society existed under the name of Cedar County Agricultural Society. The first officers were: Moses Varney, President; H. C. Gill, Vice President : J. M. Wood, Secretary : John B. Cole, Marshal ; J. H. Painter, Treasurer. Directors -D. G. Barkalow, John Marsh, S. E. Gunsolus, John Moore, Phineas Cow- gill, A. B. Cornwall and A. Hirst. The first fair was held September 28 and 29, 1863, in Cedar County, about one-half mile north of the Muscatine County line. In 1869, West Liberty became the headquarters of the Association, but no fair was held here until 1872, since which time there have been annual fairs, which have been notably successful. The Society is in a very flourishing condition ; its grounds are leased from the Park Association, but the buildings, improvements and fences have been constructed at an expense of about $1,200 to the Society. The premiums paid annually will average $1,500. The present officers are : S. Gause, President ; Ira Nichols, Vice President ; George C. Shipman, Secretary ; E. E. Harrison, Treasurer ; John Henderson, Marshal. Directors-John A. Evans, Thomas Gray, Pliny Nichols, Phineas Nichols, A. B. Cornwall, Allen Breed, R. Miller, W. C. Evans, James Morgan, Z. Ellison, Jesse Swartz and James H. Ady.
The Occidental Cornet Band was organized in 1871, under the leadership of S. W. Windus, with nine additional members, viz., D. M. Johnson, John A. Evans, Fred Hinsilwood, Frank Sheet, William Hudson, John Patterson, Mark Trusdell, O. P. Hare and Hise Inghram. Its present members are : Harry Shipman, Leader; Henry Lewis, Willard and Everet Chase, Richard Phillips, S. B. Windus, E. Honnolow, John Wiley, Robert Clark and A. J. Westland. The present officers are: Harry Shipman, President; Richard Phillips, Treasurer ; A. J. Westland, Secretary. The value of the band fixt- ures is about $400; the instruments are about equally divided, one-half silver and the other half brass.
FACTS AND ANECDOTES.
We are indebted for much early information and many interesting anecdotes of this neighborhood to the courtesy and kindness of Mr. Asa Gregg, a pioneer of Wapsinonoc Township, who is personally familiar with, perhaps, every incident of any note in the township and vicinity, since the earliest settle- ment of Muscatine County. He has always been prominently identified with the politics of the township and town and acquainted with the interests, of every description, thereof. Our narrator states that he came to this place at a very early day in its settlement, and has been familiar with the hardships and incon- veniences, as well as the pleasures of pioneer life. He can well remember when these beautiful and well-cultivated fields were in a state of nature-no roads,
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no bridges, no stately dwellings, no schoolhouses, no churches, nothing but prairie, with here and there a belt of timber, with an occasional log cabin to vary the scene and enliven the monotony of the traveler on some Indian trail, traveled alike by the red and white man.
The appearance of the prairie was both beautiful and picturesque, and there were many things to arrest the attention of the observant new-comer. The great abundance of game, the exuberant growth of grass on the prairie, the great abundance of pea-vine in the bottom land, the collection of bones to be seen in the gullies and sheltered places in the timber, said to be bones of buffalo that had died from cold and starvation some winters before, when as the Indians would relate, the snow was so deep that it came up to their ponies' backs, marked the newness of the region.
There was another remarkable feature in the appearance of the prairie- that was certain places where the weeds had grown up very rank and tall in a circle of about a rod in diameter, usually in two rings, about five or six feet apart, always in a perfect circle, the grass between the rings or circles and in the center growing as compact and luxuriantly as in any other place on the prairie. This was to the stranger a great puzzle at first ; but, upon inquiry of his neighbor, he of the pony, the blanket and inevitable rifle, he would learn that there a herd of buffalo had stood with their heads together fighting flies and gnats not many summers before, and their continued stamping of feet had so killed out the grass that the weeds had taken possession of the ground, and thus, after a period of eight or ten years, still held it.
This was called the Wapsinonoc Settlement, that being the Indian name of the stream ; or, as they pronounced it. " Wap-pe-se-no-e-noc." which, in their language or tongue, signifies " smooth-surfaced, meandering stream or creek."
We quote from Mr. Gregg's statement :
" The first settlement was made in the fall of 1836, and the first white woman that made a permanent home here is now a respected inhabitant of this village. I allude to. Mrs. Mary Nyce, who is, at all events, entitled to the honor of being the oldest inhabitant living here. There were several other families wintered here that winter, among them, some men of the name of Huntman, who, in the spring, went to Missouri and united their fortunes with the great Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith, who was at that time making a set- tlement there, and, shortly afterward, was driven out of the State.
" In the spring of 1837. there was quite an emigration to Iowa, or, as it was then called, the Black Hawk Purchase, and, of course, some new arrivals here to fill the place left vacant by the departure of the Huntmans, among whom were the following : William Bagley, William Cornes, William A. Clark and the writer, who all arrived before the middle of May in that year. Later in the season, Galentine Gatton and Samuel Hendrickson made a settle- ment where they now reside. The two brothers, Henyen and Cornelius Laneas- ter, also made a commencement that season. At this early date of our settlement, we had neither roads nor bridges, and any one may very easily con- jecture what some of the difficulties were that these early pioneers had to encounter when they are informed that all the provisions, except such as could be procured by the rifle, had to be brought by wagons from Illinois.
" The first election was held in a cabin in the timber, nearly west of this village, then occupied by William A. Clark. £ There being at that time no party issue to divide and distract the public, there was wonderful unanimity in the voting, and the close of the polls showed that all had cast their votes for the same candidates, none of whom were personally known to the roter; and
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on counting out the votes, it was found that we had just eight voters west of the Cedar River.
" The first sermon was preached by Elder Martin Baker, a well and favor- ably known minister of the Christian order or denomination, who lived and died below Rochester. Mr. Baker was a good and true man, and very much respected by the early settlers; rough and uncouth as a bear in his man- ners, it is true. yet tender-hearted as a child ; and many a kind act of his has gladdened the lonely hut of the poor and necdy settler, when sickness was upon him and starvation was staring him in the face, and the greatest hour of need had come. I am sure his many friends will pardon me for relating a little anecdote of him, when I say there is none who knew him that have a greater respect for his memory than myself.
" Early in the summer of 1837, some five or six of us were at Moscow on some public occasion, and Mr. William Bagley, being one of the number, fell in with Mr. Baker for the first time, and, after some conversation with him, came to the rest of us and told us that he had found a preacher, and wished to introduce us to him. Accordingly, we all went, and, after some very pleasant chat about the country, its soil, climate, etc., some one of the crowd said: 'Mr. Baker, we have all come from a civilized part of the world, and wish to keep up the institutions that belong to civilization in our new homes, and would be glad if you would come and preach for us, some time when it will best suit your conven- ience.' The old gentleman replied : 'I don't much like the idea of casting pearls before swine, but reckon I can go.' And he did come; and so the first sermon was preached in the same cabin that the first election was held in. Religion, like party political questions, did not disturb the friendly relations of the few. Our intercourse was cordial and sincere, and I have often thought that persons who claim to be further advanced in civilization might profit by a few lessons in pioneer life.
"The courts were not what some of us had been used to, but they were the best remedy and protection we had, unless we should resort to that unmerciful despot-Judge Lynch-which, happily for us, we never did. We did not at that early time pay much attention to county lines, for we had but two counties in the Territory-Dubuque and Des Moines-and we did not know nor care where the line between them was. In the summer of 1837, William A. Clark and myself were summoned to appear before His Honor, Robert R. Roberts, a Justice of the Peace, who lived where John Lewis, of Iowa Township, Cedar County, now lives, as jurors in a suit brought by Mr. Hare against McConnell, to recover possession of a claim which he alleged defendant had jumped; and the narra- tor's recollection of that case will serve to show the reader something of the kind of justice meted out at that day. After the calling of the case, we found we had two jurors from near where Tipton now is, one from the forks of the Iowa and Cedar Rivers, and one from east of Moscow-an attorney from near Dubuque, and one from Bloomington, now Muscatine. The formality of impan- eling the jury was gone through with, the witnesses called and examined, and the case was argued by the counsel, and the Court proceeded to charge the jury in something like the following speech :
"' Gentlemen of the Jury: You have heard the testimony in this case and argument of counsel. With the evidence the Court has nothing to do, and as to questions of law you are as competent to judge as this Court. I will, there- fore, proceed to instruct you in your duty as jurors.' And the Court stood up and said : 'The jury will rise ;' and we obeyed, feeling very much as if we were convicted of some crime, and were to be sentenced. The Court, with great
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dignity. proceeded : . You will go hence in a body, to the apartment prepared for you under the charge of a bailiff, and there remain without food or drink, and you are not to speak to any person nor allow any one to speak to you, except the officer in charge, and he only to ask if you have agreed upon your verdict, and you to answer yes or no : and when you have agreed upon a verdict, and not until then, will you return into court in a body, where we will be happy to receive you. Gentlemen, you are now in the custody of the bailiff.' So, we were prisoners, and our keeper was Alexander Ross. the man who afterward so brutally murdered an Indian at Moscow, and is mentioned elsewhere in these pages. He marched us in single file along a cow-path to a pen about 8x10, covered with prairie hay, with unmistakable evidence that its last occupant had been a horse. Ross, being a brother-in-law of the defendant, and, no doubt, anxious to know how the jury stood, deposited himself inside by the door, say- ing : ‘Now. gentlemen, make up your minds d-d quick. for it is getting late, and who the d-l wants to stay here all night ?' Our member from the forks of the river replied : . Yes. hurry up, men, by G-d ; I have my mind made up, and I'll be d-d if I don't lay here and rot before I'll change it !' Some of us felt a delicacy about expressing our opinion with Ross as an auditor, and remon- strated with him, but he swore that we were in his charge, and that he would do as he pleased. So we were forced to speak out, and soon found three for the plaintiff and one for the defendant, the other two saying they would go with the rest of us when we agreed. Ross and his friend from the forks argu- ing and swearing for their friend, the defendant, and three arguing as earnestly the other side ; thus it became dark and soon commenced raining and our roof began to leak. Until the rain drove them away, our prison was surrounded by McConnell's friends, and we were offered all the whisky we could drink, but three of us. knowing from whence it came, indignantly refused it. Thus the time passed away-Ross and his friend covertly and openly abusing us for our stubbornness until we were wet through. for it rained as hard inside as out, and we could not keep our tallow dip lit. At length, about 1 o'clock, it became intolerable, and we sent word to the Court that there was no prospect of agree- ing, and insisting upon returning into court, which was very reluctantly granted, and after a long parley, we were discharged.
·· Francis Foot made a settlement on the east side of the east branch of the creek in the summer of 1837, in a cabin built by a man of the name of Hueler, whose wife had died early that spring, and he, Hueler, became dissatisfied and left the country, Mr. Foot taking his place and remaining here until his death. which occurred in the fall of 1838. These, with the exception of two or three young men who did not settle here, it is believed are all that came in 1837.
" At the time last mentioned, the land was not surveyed into sections, but during that season the Government surveyors came along and sectionized it, and their trails on the section lines on the prairie were plainly visible until after the land-sale in the fall of 1838.
" The fall of the year last mentioned was the darkest time our infant settle- ment ever experienced, and will long be remembered by those who were here at that time. The most of us had been here long enough to reduce our finances to a mere shadow, and had raised barely enough grain to save our families from starvation ; the season had been very sickly indeed ; there were not well persons enough to take proper care of the siek ; death had visited our little settlement in more than one form, and to crown our misfortunes the General Government ordered the whole of the Black Hawk Purchase into market. Here was a dilemma. Many who had expended every dollar they had in the world in
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improving their claims, found themselves in danger of losing all for the want of means to enter their lands. Fortunately, through the instrumentality of John Gilbert, an Indian trader, those who held claims in this immediate vicinity obtained funds of Alexis Phelps, who at that time lived at Oquawka, Ill., to enter what land they wanted. The manner of the loan was this: He, Phelps, was allowed to enter the land in his own name; he then gave the other party a bond for a deed, conditioned that they should pay him the amount which he paid for the land within one year. with twenty-five per cent interest from date of the bond ; and what is more remarkable is that all who borrowed of Phelps at that time had the good fortune to fulfill their contract with him and obtain their lands, or a large advance on their investment in improving it.
" The Indians, though quite numerous, were not generally very troublesome, but would occasionally, when under the influence of liquor, attempt to steal a horse, or annoy us in some other way, such as throwing down our fences, or taking our corn to feed their ponies, etc. Large numbers of them were in the habit of coming here for the purpose of making sugar from the hard maple, which was, and is yet, quite abundant in the groves hereabout, and still bears the evidence of their destructive mode of obtaining the sap.
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