USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Oelwein > The Telegraph-herald's abridged history of the state of Iowa and directory of Fayette County, including the city of Oelwein, with a complete classified business directory; > Part 7
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.
and Channey Swan of Dubuque, appointed to locate the Capitol, fixed the point on the East bank of the Iowa River, where six hundred and forty acres were procured. It was named Iowa City. The six hundred and forty acres were divided into lots, and the sale of the lots was well advertised for Aug. 18th, 1839. A few log houses had been built before the sale. The first sale lasted three days and was then postponed until October. Two hundred and sixty lots were disposed of at these sales for $28,854.75, which amount was estimated to be about one-fourth the value of the plat. There were no roads leading into the new Capitol, and in order to guide travelers to it from the Mississippi River, the enterprising citizens employed Lyman Dillon to run a furrow across the prairies and through the groves, to guide strangers to the new seat of govern- ment. Dillon started a two-horse immigrant wagon, carrying provisions, cooking utensils and bedding. The ox team dragged the plow patiently all day, turning over the prairie sod to mark the way for the travelers. At noon and night the oxen were turned out to graze on the rich prairie grasses, while the men cooked their food and slept in the wagon. It was the longest furrow of record, being about one hundred miles; and soon a well beaten road was made beside it by the white-topped wagons of the new settlers. During the fall of 1839 Governor Lucas, accompanied by his two daughters, with Gen. Fletcher of Muscatine, as guide, all traveling on horseback, visited the new Capitol. They met a most cordial reception, the hospitality of the best house in the village, the only one having an attic, was tendered to them. The way to their sleeping rooms was up a rude ladder through a small opening in the upper floor. Before returning the Governor purchased a claim near the city which in after years became his home. The first settlers in and about the new Capitol are described, by one who was among them, as "Mostly young men without families, who had left the paternal roof in the older States in search of homes on the frontier, there to work out their own way in life's battles and toils. The young pioneer is not encumbered with extra baggage; with a gun and knife, a bake-pan, tin cup, some corn meal and bacon, all packed on his back, he explores the country on foot. He selects his claim, builds a rude log cabin, cooks his coarse food, and freely shares his scant supply with any traveler who comes along. When absent, his cabin door is left unfastened, and some cooked food left in sight for any weary, hungry pioneer who may chance to come in to rest. When several settlers have taken claims in one vicinity, the first act toward civil government is to meet at one of the cabins and form a 'claim association' for mutual pro- tection of their new homes. They select officers, record the names of the inembers, as well as the number of each member's claim. Thy pledge themselves to stand by each other in holding possession of their respective homes until they can be purchased from the United States. In the absence of laws protecting their claims from mercenary speculators, they organized and enacted homestead and pre-emption laws long in advance of the legislation which was subsequently founded upon the recognition of the justice of this principle thus first established by the necessities of the early pioneers."
Churches were organized in the new Capitol at an early date. The Presby- terians and Methodists organized as early as 1840. The former secured the first bell seen in Iowa City, and the story connected with it is worth relating here:
"For several years their meetings were held in Berry's school house, the Mechanics' Academy, the temporary State House and in the Council Chamber
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.
of the Capitol. The erection of their church was commenced in 1844, but was not completed until 1850. It was burned in 1854. Their first regular pastor was the Rev. Michael Hummer of Paris, Ill. He was a hard and earnest worker for the church in its early day. In 1846 Mr. Hummer was appointed by the Presby- tery as agent in the East to collect money to aid in the erection of buildings for Des Moines College, a denominational institution located at West Point, in Lee County, Iowa. It was reported that he made good collections but the treasury of the church, for some reason, did not get the proceeds of his labor. When the church pressed him for an accounting he became profane and abusive and refused to make any report of his doings as agent. When cited before the Presbytery he appeared and treated the members with defiance and contempt. After a very violent controversy he left the house, after denouncing the Presbytery as a den of ecclesiastical thieves. He continued obstinate and abusive until it became necessary to remove him from the ministry and deprive him of all authority in church matters. At the time of his expulsion he held a claim against the church for his services as minister and agent. In ill humor Mr Hummer removed to Keokuk, where J. W. Margrave, an early trustee of the church, and some men then quite prominent were building up a sect called the New Lights. Their creed was a mixture of Mormonism, spiritualism and other isms of the time. This congregation proceeded to build a temple and seeing that they would need a bell Mr. Hummer undertook to furnish them with a good one very cheap.
"In the early days of the church in Iowa City some gentlemen of Troy, N. Y., among whom was the owner of the Troy Bell Foundry, had cast for and presented to the Presbyterian congregation a very fine church bell. At the time of the receipt of the bell the congregation met for worship in the old Capitol and the Rev. Mr. Hummer was their minister; a wooden frame was constructed just inside the east door of the State House and the bell was hung therein. It did duty there for several years until the church was built at the corner of Clinton and Market streets, when it was duly installed in the belfry of that edifice. Late in the summer of 1848, the Ex-Rev. Mr. Hummer and Dr. Margrave appeared in the city, and having provided themselves with ropes and pulleys, they entered the church without saving a word to anyone. Mr. Hummer went into the tower and began to lower the bell. Dr. Margrave waited below to receive it in his wagon. Word was sent down town. A few men with teams soon appeared. Mr. Margrave and his team was ordered to a distance and when the bell came down it was received in the wagon of Eli Myers. Anthony Cole removed the ladder, which was used in entering the tower, and Mr. Hummer was left a prisoner in the belfry. Dr. Margrave was given the choice of keeping perfectly quiet or taking an involuntary bath at the foot of Dillon's Island. Mr. Myers quietly drove off with the bell, accompanied by A. B. Newcomb, James Miller, David Lamerean, Anthony Cole and Samuel Shellady. In the meantime the citizens of the town gathered to witness the strange proceedings of the man in the tower. Upon the refusal of his request for a ladder, Mr. Hummer became wild with rage and hurled such missiles as he could lay hold of at the crowd below. Failing to get any help he opened his battery of abuse and for a few hours treated his hearers to a general excommunication, and was partic ular to apply his curse to the church upon which he stood and its members. When time enough had passed for the bell to be safely secreted his companion was permitted to help Mr. Hummer down, and they began a search for the bell.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.
Failing to find any trace of it they went back to Keokuk, but soon returned bringing a daughter of Dr. Margrave. She was said to be a powerful medium; after due preparation the young lady was informed by the spirits that the lost bell was sunk in a well, but she failed to locate the well, and this led to an indiscriminate sounding of wells in the city and vicinity, but no bell was found, and Mr. Hummer gave up the hunt. The bell was sunk in the Iowa River, on tlie East side not far below the mouth of Rapid Creek. It was safely chained to the roots of an elm tree. When the troubles between the church and Mr. Hummer had been settled the bell was looked for with the intention of replacing it in the church to which it was donated, but the bell had disappeared and the community were as badly puzzled as to its whereabouts as Mr. Hummer had been. The matter remained a mystery for years, until, through Mr. New- combe, it was learned that the bell was taken to Salt Lake in the summer of 1850, by David Lamereau and James Miller, and presented or sold to the Morman church. Asa Calkin, who was an early settler here and also an early convert to Mormonism, was here at the time the bell was taken from the church, and he had removed to Salt Lake and was private clerk for Brigham Young at the time the bell reached there. In the fall of 1868, Rev. S. M. Osmond communi- cated with Brigham Young in regard to the bell.
"On November 3, 1868, Brigham Young answered Mr. Osmond's letter saying that 'the bell was there, that it had been well housed but never used and was in the same condition as when it reached there, that they had no use for it and that it would be immediately shipped to the congregation for which it was cast, provided the shipping charges were guaranteed.' No provision was made for payment of charges and the bell lies silent among the Mormons, where it has been for over fifty-five years. The ownership of the bell and the matters in dispute between the church and Mr. Hummer were finally passed upon by the courts and the bell became a subject of song and story. The poem of Hummer's Bell was composed by John P. Cook, Wm. H. Tuthill and others. It was preserved by Stephen Whicher of Bloomington and was often recited by him for the amusement of an evening gathering. George Yewell, then a boy, made a charcoal sketch of the taking of the bell, which is probably in the rooms of the Historical Society.
"In 1854 an unlucky spark from Sperrey's carpenter shop lodged in the church roof and in a few hours the hard worked members were without a meeting place. After overcoming many obstacles the church was finally rebuilt and for several years was without a remarkable incident except a bolt of lightning, which somewhat damaged the spire, but on June 20, 1877, a wind storm passed over the city, mowing off chimneys and shaking walls in its march. It swept the spire of the Presbyterian church from its base and cast it a mass of broken timber in the street below.
The following ode to Hummer's Bell has been preserve
Ah! Hummer's Bell, ah! Hummer's Bell, How many a tale of woe 'twould tell, Of Hummer driving up to town, To take the brazen jewel down, And when high up in this belfry, They moved the ladder, yes-sir-ee,
And while he towered aloft they say, The bell took wings and flew away
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.
Ah! Hummer's Bell, ah! Hummer's Bell, Ralph*, thy history shall tell, How at the East by Hummer's slight Donations, gifts and widow's mite, Made up the sum that purchased thee, And placed him in the ministry; But funds grew low, his dander riz, Thy clapper stopped, and so did his.
Ah! Hummer's Bell, ah! Hummer's Bell, We've heard thy last, thy funeral knell,
And what an aching void is left! Of Bell and Hummer both bereft, Not e'en the rantings of R. P. Could give our eyes a sight of thee
Thy spirit from the vasty deep In vain he called both loud and steep.
Ah! Humnier's Bell, ah! Hummer's Bell, Lowe hints unwisely in the well,
Oh! thou art gone, thy silvery tone No more responds to Hummer's groan; There yet remains one source of hope Old Hummer left a tine bell rope, Which may be used, if such our luck, . To moor our friends at Keokuk.
Ah! Hnmmer's Bell, ah! Hummer's Bell, Thy checkered fate could Seer foretell?
Thy prolonged sleep, so wet and calm, Amongst catfish near Clark's dam! Thy ride in hogshead o'er the plains! Transported thus in hope of gains,
And now thy clanging, brazen tongue Calls up the hosts of Brigham Young.
The seven paragraphs below explain respectfully the seven comic charcoal sketches made by George Yewell of the taking of the bell by Michael Hummer from the tower ofthe Presbyterian church late in the summer of 1848 at Iowa City, Iowa.
J .- THE OUTBREAK.
And it came to pass that Michael did ascend unto the housetop and com- mence taking down the bell. And the multitude cried out unto him to show by what right he did so; but he did hold his peace.
Now when Michael had lowered the bell even unto the floor of the building, lo! the people laid hands on it and carried it away. Then Michael waxed wroth, and did say many naughty things, and did cast pieces of wood among the multitude, who eried unto him to stop lest he should kill some one. Then Michael raised his voice aloud and cried: Verily, verily, I will kill more of you.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.
II .- THE PARSON IN A RAGE.
Now when evening was come Michael and his serving-man did go unto a room in a public inn. And Michael's wrath was great and he did kick over the chairs and stools insomuch that his serving-man did quake and tremble. And Michael bade him take a horse and ride to a distant town and hasten back with a cunning man who was a lawyer and then he would fix the rebellious multitude.
III .- THE GHOST APPEARING UNTO MICHAEL.
When the serving-man had departed and night was come, Michael did retire to his bed and lo! about the middle of the watch he was awakened by a rushing noise. He leaped from his couch and saw a bright light at a far distance coming towards him. And Michael watched it and trembled. It suddenly became of the shape of a huge bell, such an one as he did try to take the day past. And it stopped, and a huge face did appear on the top of the bell and did say unto him: "Michael! Michael !! Michael! !! " And Michael answered: "What wilt thou?" And it answered: "Verily, verily, will I visit thee in thy slumbers until thou forsake thy wickedness."
IV .- ARRIVAL OF THE ATTORNEY.
Now when the serving-man did arrive in the morning with the lawyer, Michael was much downcast because of the visit of the ghost on the past night. Nevertheless they did set themselves to work to devise means to find where the multitude had hid the bell. Finally the serving-man did remember that he had a sister who, by means of clairvoyance, could give unto them the information.
V .- CLAIRVOYANCE.
And straightway they journeyed unto Keokuk and did hire a learned man who did put the young woman in a state of clairvoyance. And then he spake to her saying: "Where is the bell?" And she forthwith answered: "Verily, it is in a well five miles distant Southwest from the town wherein it was placed."
VI .- THE MISSIONARY SERMON. 1
Now Michael's spirits did revive and straightway he sent the cunning man to the town to preach unto the natives and to threaten them.
And he did so and the multitude did laugh at, and persecute him. Never- theless he threatened the wrath of the law, and of the law-loving Michael, but they only laughed the greater. until, with a sad heart and sorrowful counten- ance, he bade
VIJ .- THE ATTORNEY "SLOPES."
adicu and straightway mounted his horse and, without a hat, did journey, no one knew whither, and has not been heard of since.
And also of Michael and his serving-man nothing can be found. Verily, verily, they shall have their reward.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.
This bell episode caused endless amusement for both old and young.
One of the most important and notable of the early decisions of the Territorial Supreme Court was the case of Ralph, a colored man, who had been a slave in Missouri, belonging to a man by the name of Montgomery. His master had made a written contract with Ralph to sell him his freedom for $550 and to permit him to go to the Dubuque Lead Mines to earn the money. Ralph worked industriously for several years, but was not able to save enough to pay Montgomery the price of his freedom. Two. Virginians at Dubuque, who knew of the agreement, volunteered to deliver Ralph to his former owner in Missouri for $100.
Montgomery accepted the offer. Ralph was seized at the mines while at work, hand-cuffed and taken to Bellevue to be sent by a steamer to Missouri. Alexander Butterworth, a farmer working in his field, saw the kidnapping and hastened to the office of Thomas S. Wilson, one of the Judges of the Supreme Court, and demanded a writ of habeas corpus, which Judge Wilson promptly issued and served, by which Ralph was returned to Dubuque. The case was one of so much importance that at the request of Judge Wilson it was trans- ferred to the Supreme Court for trial.
The court consisted of three judges, Charles Mason, Chief Justice, with Thomas S. Wilson and Joseph Williams, associates. After a full hearing it was unanimously decided that Montgomery's contract with Ralph, whereby he was permitted to become a citizen of a free territory, liberated him, as slavery did not and could not exist in Iowa. Judge Mason, in delivering the opinion, said:
"Where a slave with his master's consent becomes a resident of a free State or 'Territory he could not be regarded thereafter as a fugitive slave, nor could the master under such circumstances exercise any rights of ownership over bim. When the master applies to our tribunals for the purpose of con- trolling as property that which our laws have declared shall not be property, it is incumbent upon them to refuse their co-operation."
When it is remembered that the three judges (all Democrats), thus early enunciated the doctrine of humanity and equity, that slavery was local and freedom a natural right, the liberty loving people of Iowa will forever honor these pioneer judges who, in their sturdy manhood and love of justice, immor- talized their names in an opinion in direct conflict with the infamous later decision of the National tribunal in the case of Dred Scott.
The corner stone of the new Capitol building was laid July 4th, 1840. The principal address was by Governor Lucas. The cost of this building was not to exceed $51,000. A general depression in business prevailed during the time of Van Buren's term as President. The Whigs charged the hard times to the financial policy of the Democrats. Seeing a favorable condition for the over- throw of their adversaries, the Whig politicians called the first Political National Convention ever held in Iowa and proceeded to nominate Gen. W. H. Harrison for President.
The Democrats nominated Van Buren for re-election. The Whigs rallying cry was "hard cider" and "log cabins," and with songs, public meetings and rallies, throughout the country, Gen. Harrison was elected on a wave of popular enthusiasm.
The first call for a Democratic convention in lowa was written by Edward Johnston, in January, 1840, and is as follows:
"The undersigned, members of the Democratic party of the Territory of
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA.
Iowa, conceiving it highly necessary that immediate steps should be taken to effect an organization of the party, hereby pledge themselves to use all honor- able means in the several counties where they reside to bring about that result, and they further agree to use their exertions to have Democratic candidates sent from their respective counties to a territorial convention to be held in the ensuing summer for the purpose of nominating a candidate to Congress.
"Edward Johnston, Shepherd Loeffler, Laurel Summers, Jos. T. Fales, G. S. Bailey, John B. Lash, Jacob L. Meyers, Daniel Brewer, W. G. Coop, S. C. Hast- ings, J. M. Robertson, Jacob Minder, H. Van Antwerp, Thomas Cox, J. W. Parker.
January, A. D. 1840."
Pursuant to this call a convention was held, and General A. C. Dodge was nominated for Delegate in Congress. The Whigs held a convention and nomi- nated Alfred Rich. Dodge was re-elected by a majority of over five hundred.
A proposition had been submitted to the people of the Territory at this election to call a convention for the framing of a constitution, preparatory to the admission of Iowa as a State. It was defeated by a vote of 937 for the convention, to 2,907 against it.
The census of the Territory taken in 1840 showed a population of 43,112, of which 172 were negroes. The Legislature having created the offices of Auditor and Treasurer, on the 14th of January, 1840, Morgan Reno was appointed Treasurer, and Jesse Williams, Auditor.
By the Federal census of 1840 it was shown that Iowa had produced, corn, 1,406,241 bushels; wheat, 154,693; oats, 216,385; buckwheat, 6,212; rye, 3,792; barley, 728, and potatoes. 234,863. Corn was the principal grain crop for many years and was largely used for bread by the pioneers. Prairie grass furnished pasture for stock and all of the hay required for many years.
In pioneer days most of the houses were built of logs and covered with staves held in place by other logs, puncheons of hewed logs were used for the floor, and all done without the aid of a carpenter. Grain was stored in rail pens lined and covered with straw, and stables were built of logs or slabs, with roofs of prairie hay or straw held in place by poles.
The Third Territorial Legislature assembled in Burlington on the 2nd day of November, 1840. In his message, Governor Lucas gives a report of his action in relation to the boundary controversy with Missouri; recommends the organi- zation of rifie companies to protect settlers from the Indians; urges the Legis- lature to provide a plan for raising revenue to meet expenses not provided for by the general government.
CHAPTER XX.
The Legislature created the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; changed the time of meeting of the Legislature to the first Monday of December; provided for a Superintendent of Public Buildings, and an agent to conduct the sale of lots in Iowa City. It provided a law for raising revenue, and author- ized a loan of $20,000 to aid in the completion of the Capitol building, to be repaid from proceeds of lots in Iowa City. Chauncey Swan was appointed Superintendent of Public Buildings with an annual salary of $1,000, and Jesse Williams was appointed Territorial Agent at a salary of $700 per year.
The election of Gen. Harrison, the Whig candidate for President, was speedily followed by a removal of Democratic federol officers and the filling of their places by Whigs. Governor Lucas was superceded on the 13th of May,
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1841, by the appointment of Hon. John Chambers, of Kentucky. Gov. Lucas retired after nearly three years' service and settled near Iowa City, where he spent the remainder of his life. In looking back over his stormy administration, the verdict will be that he gave to the new territory wise, able and faithful ser- vice. He brought to the office large experience in public affairs, strling integ- rity and firm convictions of duty. Tenacious in his opinions, dignified in bear- ing, strong in purpose, he became involved in numerous sharp cotroversies and conifiets with the first Legislature over the exercise of the veto power, but he acted strictly within the letter of the law. In his firm and prompt resistance to the claim of Missouri to a strip of Iowa Territory, Governor Lucas was sus- tained by the final decision of the United States Supreme Court. He was largely instrumental in procuring the establishment of a liberal public school system, at that early day one of the most advanced in operation in the West.
On the 20th of June, 1841, a steamer, the "Ripple," ascended the Iowa River to Iowa City and was welcomed by a great assemblage of people who hoped this was the beginning of regular navigation of the Iowa. On the 22nd of June, Gov. Chambers made his first visit to the new Capitol and was cordially received by the citiezns. He was past middle age, plain, cordial in manner, and made a favorable impression on the pioneers.
Governor Chambers, who was Superintendent of Indian Affairs, in Septem- ber, 1842, negotiated a treaty with the Sac and Fox Indians by the terms of which they ceded to the United States all of their remaining lands in Iowa, to the Missouri River, and agreed to move to their Kansas reservation at the expi- ration of three years. Before this treaty was ratified by Congress adventurous settlers crowded into the newly purchased Territory to secure the choice claims.
The War Department was called on for troops to expel them. The squat- ters were removed to the South side of the Des Moines River.
The year 1842 brought to the people of Iowa severe financial depression, which had begun in the East two or three years earlier. Specie payment had been suspended and many banks failed. The Miner's Bank of Dubuque was the only one in Iowa. It had been poorly managed and was soon compelled to suspend. Throughout the Territory money was very scarce, and exchange of products was the only method of carrying on business.
The winter of 1842-3 was one of the severest known by white men. Snow began to fall early in November and continued at frequent intervals throughout the entire winter, the first snow remaining on the ground until April. The cold was intense, with fierce winds, and before spring, in many parts of the coun- try, snow reached a depth of from three to four feet. The settlers were poorly prepared for such a winter, their cabins were cold and little shelter had been provided for live stock. Great suffering ensued. Provisions became nearly ex- hausted; cattle perished by the thousands; deer, prairie chickens and quail were nearly exterminated. Half starved wolves prowled about the settlements seizing pigs, sheep and poultry wherever they could be found. The failure of banks had left the people without money; business was prostrated and the col- lection of debts became almost impossible. The only market for farm produce was the limited demand from immigrants moving into the Territory. Good cows could be purchased for ten dollars each; pork for one dollar per hundred, wheat twenty cents a bushel; corn and oats for ten cents. Money commanded from twenty-five to forty per cent and was of doubtful value.
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