USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,. > Part 39
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Among these pioneers there was realized such a community of interest that there existed a community of feeling. There were no castes, no aris- tocracy of benevolence, and no nobility, except a nobility of generosity. They were bound together with such a strong bond of sympathy, inspired by the consciousness of common hardship, that they were practically com- munists.
Neighbors did not even wait for an invitation or request to help one an- other. Was a settler's cabin burned or blown down, no sooner was the fact known throughout the neighborhood than the settlers assembled to as- sist the unfortunate one to rebuild his home. They came with as little hesitation, and with as much alacrity, as though they were all members of the same family, and bound together by ties of blood. One man's in- terest was every other man's interest also. Now, this general state of feel- ing among the pioneers was by no means peculiar to this county, although it was strongly illustrated here. It prevailed generally thoughout the West, during the time of the early settlement. The very nature of things taught the settlers the necessity of dwelling together in this spirit. It was their only protection. They had come far away from the well estab- lished reign of law, and entered a new country, where the civil authority was still feeble, and totally unable to afford protection, and redress griev- ances. Here in Poweshiek county, the settlers lived for quite a time be- fore there was a single officer of law in the county. Each man's protec-
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tion was in the good will and friendship of those about him, and the thing any man might well dread was the ill will of the community. It was more terrible than the law. It was no uncommon thing, in early times, for hard- ened men, who had no fear of jails, to stand in great fear of the indignation of the community. Such were some of the characteristics of the first set- tlers of Poweshiek county.
HOUSES, AND HOME COMFORTS.
The first buildings in the county were not just like the log cabins that immediately succeeded them. These latter required some help and a good deal of labor to build. The very first buildings constructed were a cross between " hoop cabins " and Indian bark huts. As soon as enough men could be got together for a " cabin raising," then log cabins were in style. Many a pioneer can remember the happiest time of his life as that when he lived in one of these homely but comfortable and profitable old cabins.
A window with sash and glass was a rarity, and was an evidence of wealth and aristocracy which but few could support. They were often made with greased paper put over the window, which admitted a little light, but more often there was nothing whatever over it, or the cracks be- tween the logs, without either chinking or daubing, was the dependence for light and air.
The doors were fastened with old-fashioned wooden latches, and for a friend, or neighbor, or traveler, the string always hung out; for the pioneers of the West were hospitable, and entertained visitors to the best of their ability.
It is noticeable with what affection the pioneers speak of their old log cabins. It may be doubted whether palaces ever sheltered happier hearts than those homely cabins. The following is a good description of these old landmarks, but few of which now remain:
"These were of round logs, notched together at the corners, ribbed with poles, and covered with boards split from a tree. A puncheon floor was then laid down, a hole cut in the end, and a stick chimney run up. A clapboard door is made, a window is opened, by cutting out a hole in the side or end about two feet square, and it is finished, without glass or trans- parency. The house is then 'chinked,' and 'daubed' with mud made of the top soil.
" The cabin is now ready to go into. The household and kitchen furni- ture is adjusted, and life on the frontier is begun in earnest.
" The one-legged bedstead, now a piece of furniture of the past, was made
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by cutting a stick the proper length, boring holes at one end, one and a half inches in diameter, at right angles, and the same-sized holes corresponding with these in the logs of the cabin the length and breadth desired for the bed, in which are inserted poles. Upon these poles clapboards are laid or lind bark is interwoven consecutively from pole to pole. Upon this primi- tive structure the bed is laid.
" The convenience of a cook stove was not thought of then, but instead the cooking was done by the faithful housewife in pots, kettles and skillets, on and about the big fire-place, and very frequently over and around, too, the distended pedal extremities of the legal sovereigns of the household, while the latter were indulging in the luxuries of a cob pipe, and disscuss- ing the probable results of a contemplated elk hunt up and about Walled Lake."
These log cabins were really not so bad after all.
The people of to-day, familiarized with " Charter Oak cooking stoves" and ranges, would be ill at home were they compelled to prepare a meal with no other conveniences than those provided in a pioneer cabin. Rude fire-places were built in chimneys composed of mud and sticks, or, at best, undressed stone. These fire-places served for heating and cooking purpo- ses, also for ventilation. Around the cheerful blaze of this fire the meal was prepared, and these meals were not so bad after all. As elsewhere re- marked, they were not such as would tempt the epicure, but such as afforded the most healthy nourishment for a race of people who were driven to the exposure and hardships which were their lot; we hear of few dyspeptics in those days. Another advantage of these cooking arrangements was that the stove-pipe never fell down, and the pioneer was spared being subjected to the most trying of ordeals and one probably more productive of profanity than any other.
A gentleman who had managed to get along without a cooking stove for a number of years, was so favorably impressed by the first one which was brought to his neighborhood, that he offered a yoke of his best oxen for it, but the owner of the stove refused the offer.
Before there were mills of easy access, and even in some instances after- ward, hominy blocks were used. These now exist only in the memory of the oldest settlers, but as relics of the " long ago," a description of them will not be uninteresting.
A tree of suitable size, say from eighteen inches to two feet in diameter, was selected in the forest and felled to the ground. If a cross-cut saw hap- pened to be convenient, the tree was " butted"-that is, the kerf end was sawed off so that it would stand steady when ready for use. If there were no cross-cut saw in the neighborhood, strong arms and sharp axes were ready
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to do the work. Then the proper length, from four to five feet, was meas- ured off and sawed or cut square. When this was done the block was raised on end, and the work of cutting out a hollow in one of the ends was com- menced. This was generally done with a common chopping ax. Some- times a smaller one was used. When the cavity was judged to be large enough, a fire was built in it and carefully watched till the ragged edges were burned away. When completed the hominy-block somewhat resem- bled a druggist's mortar. Then a pestle, or something to crush the corn, was necessary. This was usually made from a suitably sized piece of tim- ber with an iron wedge attached, the large end down. This completed the machinery, and the block was ready for use. Sometimes one hominy- block accommodated an entire neighborhood, and was the means of staying the hunger of many mouths.
In giving the bill of fare above we should have added meat, for of this they had plenty. Deer would be seen daily trooping over the prairie in droves of from twelve to twenty and sometimes as many as fifty would be seen grazing together. Elk were also found and wild turkeys and prairie chickens without number. Bears were not unknown. Music of the natural order was not wanting, and every night the pioneers were lulled to rest by the screeching of panthers and the howling of wolves. When the dogs ventured too far out from the cabins at night they would be driven back by the wolves chasing them up to the very cabin doors. Trapping wolves be- came quite a profitable business after the State began to pay a bounty for wolf scalps.
The streams of water abounded in fish, and the very best could be pro- cured by the expense of a little time and labor. Those who years ago im- proved the fishing advantages of the country, never tire of telling of the dainty meals which the streams afforded. Sometimes large parties would get together, and, having been provided with cooking utensils and facilities for camping out, would go off some distance and spend weeks together. No danger of being ordered off a man's premises or arrested for trespass.
One of the peculiar circumstances of pioneer life was a strange loneliness. The solitude seemed oppressive. Months would pass during which time they would see scarcely a human face outside their own families. The iso- lation of those days worked upon some of the settlers an effect that has never passed away. Some of them say that they lived in such a lonely way when they first came here that afterward, when the county began to fill up, they always found themselves bashful and constrained in the presence of strangers. But when the people were once started in this way the long pent-up feelings of joviality and sociability fairly boiled over, and their
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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
meetings frequently became enthusiastic and jovial in the highest degree. It seems singular to note bashfulness as one of the characteristics of the strong, stalwart settlers, but we are assured by the old settlers themselves that this was a prominent characteristic of the pioneers. And some of them declare that this feeling became so strong during the early years of isolation and loneliness that they have never since been able to shake it off.
But there were certainly some occasions when the settlers were not in the least degree affected by anything in the nature of bashfulness. When their rights were threatened or invaded they had "muscles of iron and hearts of flint." It was only when brought together for merely social pur- poses that they seemed ill at ease. If any emergency arose or any business was to be attended to, they were always equal to the occasion.
On occasions of special interest, such as elections, holiday celebrations or camp meetings, it was nothing unusual for a few settlers who lived in the immediate neighborhood of the meeting to entertain scores of those who had come from a distance.
Rough and rude though the surroundings may have been, the pioneers were none the less honest, sincere, hospitable and kind in their relations. It is true, as a rule, and of universal application, that there is a greater degree of real humanity among the pioneers of any country than there is when the country becomes older and richer. If there is an absence of refinement, that absence is more than compensated in the presence of gen- erous hearts and truthful lives. They are bold, courageous, industrious, enterprising and energetic. Generally speaking, they are earnest thinkers and possessed of a diversified fund of useful, practical information. As a rule, they do not arrive at a conclusion by means of a course of rational reasoning, but, nevertheless, have a queer way of getting at the facts. They hate cowards and shams of every kind, and above all things falsehood and deception, and cultivate an integrity which seldom permits them to prostitute themselves to a narrow policy of imposture.
Such were the characteristics of the men and women who pioneered the way to the country of the Sac and Fox Indians. Many of them yet remain, and, although as a general thing they are among the wealthiest and most substantial of the people of the county, they have not forgotten their old- time hospitality and free and easy ways. In contrasting the present social affairs with pioneer times, one has well said:
"Then, if a house was to be raised every man turned out, and often the women too, and while the men piled up the logs and fashioned the primi- tive dwelling-place the women prepared the dinner. Sometimes it was prepared by big log fires near the site where the cabin was building; in
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other cases it was prepared at the nearest cabin, and at the proper hour was carried to where the men were at work. If one man in the neighborhood killed a beef, or a pig or a deer every other family in the neighborhood was sure to receive a piece.
"We were all on an equality. Aristocratic feelings were unknown, and would not have been tolerated. What one had we all had; and that was the happiest period of my life. But to-day, if you lean against a neigh- bor's shade tree he will charge you for it. If you are poor and fall sick, you may lie unnoticed and unattended, and then probably go to the poor- house; and just as likely as not the man who would report you to the authorities as a subject for county care would charge the county for mak- ing the report."
Of the old settlers some are still living in the county, in the enjoyment of the fortunes they founded in early times, " having reaped an hundred- fold." Others have passed away, and many more will not long survive. Several of them have gone to the Far West, and are still playing the part of pioneers. But wherever they may be, and whatever fate may betide them, it is but truth to say that they were excellent men, as a class, and have left a deep and enduring impression upon Poweshiek county and the State. "They builded better than they knew." They were, of course, men of activity and energy, or they would never have decided to face the trials of pioneer life. They were almost invariably poor, but the lessons taught them in the early days were of such a character that few of them have remained so. They made their mistakes in business pursuits like other men. Scarcely one of them but allowed golden opportunities, for pecuniary profit at least, to pass by unheeded. What are now some of the choicest farms in Poweshiek county were not taken up by the pioneers, who preferred land of very much less value. They have seen many of their prophecies fulfilled, and others come to naught. Whether they have attained the success they desired their own hearts can tell.
To one looking over the situation then, from the standpoint now, it cer- tainly does not seem very cheering, and yet, from the testimony of some old pioneers, it was a most enjoyable time, and we of the present live in degenerate days.
At that time it certainly would have been much more difficult for those old settlers to understand how it could be possible that thirty-five years hence the citizens of the present age of the county's progress would be complaining of hard times and destitution, and that they themselves, per- haps would be among that number, than it is now for us to appreciate how they could feel so cheerful and contented with their meager means and
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humble lot of hardships and deprivations during those early, pioneer days. The secret was, doubtless, that they lived within their means, however limited, not coveting more of luxury and comfort than their income would afford, and the natural result was prosperity and contentment, with always room for one more stranger at the fireside, and a cordial welcome to a place at their table for even the most hungry guest.
Humanity, with all its ills, is, nevertheless, fortunately characterized by remarkable flexibility, which enables it to accommodate itself to circum- stances. After all, the secret of happiness lies in one's ability to accommo- date himself to his surroundings.
It is sometimes remarked that there were no places for public entertain- ment till later years. The fact is, there were many such places; in fact, every cabin was a place of entertainment, and these hotels were sometimes crowded to their utmost capacity. On such an occasion, when bed-time came, the first family would take the back part of the cabin, and so con- tinue filling up by families until the limit was reached. The young men slept in the wagons outside. In the morning those nearest the door arose first and went outside to dress. Meals were served on the hind end of a wagon, and consisted of corn bread, buttermilk and fat pork, and occa- sionally coffee, to take away the morning chill. On Sundays, for a change, they had bread made of wheat " treed out" on the ground by horses, cleaned with a sheet, and pounded by hand. This was the best the most fastidious could obtain, and this only one day in seven.
Not a moment was to be lost. It was necessary that they should raise enough corn to take them through the coming winter, and also get as much breaking done as possible. They brought with them enough corn to give the horses an occasional feed in order to keep them able for hard work, but in the main they had to subsist on grass. Horses were not very numer- ous in early times, and cattle were the main dependence.
Still further about the living in those days: If the average family had corn bread the boarders were well satisfied, and well they might be, for at first flour was very scarce, and in many families was an unknown com- modity. And they had corn bread in those days "as was corn bread," such as many a resident of this county at the present time knows nothing of; and the pone made by the grandmothers of the young people of the county was something for pride.
It is said that a certain landlord " up the river" used to charge five cents more for biscuit than when corn bread was placed before his guests. The poet of that region probably alludes to the same individual in enumerating the early settlers. The reader will recognize the quotation as being from Leonard Brown's Centennial Poem, entitled "Big Creek":
Yours truly S.l. Phelps
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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
And Ives Marks's great chair factory,
And his hotel on the corner,
And his twenty-five cent dinners,
With " corn bread and common doin's"- And his half a dollar dinners, With "wheat bread and chicken fixin's,"
Giving to the hungry traveler
Bill of fare and choice of dishes,
And due notice as to prices.
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.
An interesting comparison might be drawn between the conveniences which now make the life of a farmer a comparatively easy one and the almost total lack of such conveniences in early days. A brief description of the accommodations possessed by the first tillers of this soil will be now given. Let the children of such illustrious sires draw their own compari- sons, and may the results of these comparisons silence the voice of com- plaint which so often is heard in the land.
The only plows they had at first were what they styled "bull plows." The mould-boards were generally of wood, but in some cases they were half wood and half iron. The man who had one of the latter description was looked upon as something of an aristocrat. But these old " bull plows" did good service, and they must be awarded the honor of first stirring the soil of Poweshiek county, as well as that of all the first-class counties of this State.
The amount of money which some farmers annually invest in agricul- tural implements would have kept the pioneer farmer in farming utensils during a whole lifetime. The pioneer farmer invested little money in such things, because he had little money to spare, and then again because the expensive machinery now used would not have been at all adapted to the requirements of pioneer farming. The bull plow was probably better adapted to the fields abounding in stumps and roots than would the modern sulky plow have been, and the old-fashioned wheat cradle did better execu- tion than would a modern harvester, under like circumstances. The prair- jes were seldom settled till after the pioneer period, and that portion of the country which was the hardest to put under cultivation, and the most diffi- cult to cultivate after it was improved, was first cultivated; it is well for the country that such was the case, for the present generation, familiarized as it is with farming machinery of such complicated pattern, would scarcely undertake the clearing off of dense forests and cultivating the ground with the kind of implements their fathers used, and which they would have to use for some kinds of work.
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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
MILLS AND TRADING POINTS.
The streams of this county did not afford such favorable opportunities for the speedy erection of water mills as presented themselves in other counties of the State, and going to mill in early days, when there were no roads, no bridges, no ferry-boats, and scarcely any conveniences of travel, was no small undertaking where so many treacherous streams had to be crossed; and such trips were often attended with danger when the streams were swollen beyond the capacity of their banks. But even under these circumstances some of the more ingenious and adventuresome ones, in case of emergency, found the ways and means of crossing the swollen streams and completing the trip. At other times, again, all attempts failed them, and they were compelled to remain at home until the waters subsided, and were thrown on the generosity of more fortunate neighbors.
Some stories are related with regard to the dangers, perils, and hardships of forced travels to mills and for provisions which remind one of forced marches in military campaigns, and when we hear of the heroic and daring conduct of the hardy pioneer in procuring bread for his loved ones, we think that here were heroes more valiant than any of the renowned soldiers of ancient or modern times.
During the first three years, and perhaps not until sometime afterward, there was not a public highway established and worked on which they could travel; and as the settlers were generally far apart, and mills and trading points were at great distances, going from place to place was not only very tedious but attended sometimes with great danger. Not a rail- road had yet entered the State, and there was scarcely a thought in the minds of the people here of such a thing ever reaching the wild West; and, if thought of, people had no conception of what a revolution a rail- road and telegraph through here would cause in the progress of the country. Then there were less than 5,000 miles of railroad in the United States, and not a mile of track laid this side of Ohio, while now there are over 100,000 miles of railroads extending their trunks and branches in every direction over our land.
Supplies in those days came to this Western country entirely by river and wagon transportation. Mail was carried to and fro in the same way, and telegraph dispatches were transmitted by the memory and lips of emi- grants coming in or strangers passing through.
Sparks' Mill, at Linn Grove, on Skunk River, now within the limits of Jasper county, and Wimer's Mill some ten miles south of Montezuma, were the main dependence of the early settlers of Poweshiek county.
Jacob Wimer, the man who erected the mill, which in early times went
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HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY.
by his name, was quite a pioneer mill-wright, and the important service he did for the pioneer settlements in the way of mill building, warrants some further notice.
The first mill which he erected was in the present bounds of Keokuk county, immediately on the boundary line between the whites and Indians, as established by the treaty of 1837. The mill was erected in 1842, and was partly on Indian territory; the Indians complained to the proper au- thorities, and a detachment of dragoons was sent to drive Wimer out and destroy his improvements. When the dragoons came Mr. Wimer con- vinced them that his mill was very little, if any, beyond the limits of the reservation, and it being an expensive structure, and an enterprise of great importance to the settlers, the authorities were prevailed upon to leave the mill undisturbed.
Soon after this incident Mr. Wimer sold the mill to L. B. Hughes, and removed to a mill site on North Skunk River, where he began the erection of what was known as the " Whisler Mills." When these mills were com- pleted he sold an interest in them to J. B. Whisler. Sometime afterward he sold the remainder of his interest in these mills to Mr. Whisler, and removed to Mahaska county, where he commenced the erection of the Union Mills, on North Skunk River, finishing them about one year after- ward. This mill was commonly known among the pioneer settlers of Pow- eshiek county as Wimer's Mill, and was their main dependence for many years.
In the course of a few years Mr. Wimer sold his mill in Mahaska county and returned to Keokuk county, and built what was known as the Wimer Mill, on South Skunk River. A sawing attachment was added a few years afterward. Mr. Harvey Ray, of Burlington, who, up to this time, had furnished burs for most of the mills in southeastern Iowa, said this mill was the best grist mill in the State.
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