USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > The history of Black Hawk 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 > Part 43
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The track of the Dubuque & Pacific, or Sioux City, Railroad reached the water-tank, within eighty rods of the depot, at Cedar Falls, March 29, 1861, and the first regular train arrived on the following Monday. To celebrate the auspicious event that enabled Cedar Falls to shake hands with the outside world, the people of the town made extensive preparations. The Committee of Reception contained 128 citizens. The celebration was had on Thursday, April 11th, the guests from Dubuque and other towns being met at the depot by a long procession of citizens, who, giving three hearty cheers, bound a chaplet of evergreens filled with mottoes over the locomotive, and assembled with the guests in the depot building, where an address of welcome was made by Hon. A. F. Brown, in behalf of the city, and felicitously responded to by Herman Gelpke, President of the road. Other speeches followed from Col. Sessions, of Cedar Falls, Platt Smith, of Dubuque, and Hon. J. B. Grinnell, of Poweshiek County.
The invited guests, sixty-three in number, were then conducted to the Ameri- can House, then presided over by J. L. Wilcox, where a bountiful supper was provided. This disposed of, the following toasts were responded to as indicated:
The President and Directors of the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad-llerman Gelpke.
The Four Great Cities of the Northern Confederacy-Cedar Falls, Dubuque, Chicago and New York-Platt Smith.
Our Guests-For the first time we greet you; welcome collectively to our festive board : may it not be the last-Hon. A. F. Brown.
The Flag of Our Union-(. T. Smeed, of Waverly.
The Press, the Intellectual Elevator of the World-D. A. Mahoney.
lowa, Her Past and Her Future-Hon. J. B. Grinnell.
The Cedar Falls & Minnesota Railroad-Edwin Brown.
The Communication between Dubuque and Cedar Falls-Its Change from the Coach to the Locomotive-Hon. Zimri Streeter.
The Pioneers of Iowa-Hon. Wm. P. Harmon, of Waverly.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
A grand ball followed the banquet, the Germania Band, of Dubuque. furnishing the music.
The extension of the Dubuque & Sioux City Road from Cedar Falls west- ward, began late in the season of 1864.
Cedar Falls of Minnesota Railroad .- May 7, 1860, the stockholders of the Cedar Falls & Minnesota Railway Company chose the following as Directors for the ensuing year : R. B. Mason, J. F. English, E. Brown, E. Edgerton, J. M. Overman, S. A. Bishop, A. S. Smith, William Ward, Chester Butterfield, J. Barrick, D. Wiltse, J. D. Jenkins, A. Mullarky. R. B. Mason was made President the same day.
The work of grading began in the Fall of 1860, and about forty miles were made ready for the ties the following year.
The following were the Directors of the company, as elected in May, 1861 : R. B. Mason, Chicago ; E. Brown, J. M. Overman, S. A. Bishop, A. S. Smith, E. Edgerton, Cedar Falls ; W. P. Harmon, Bremer County ; S. Harwood, R. M. Matthews, M. G. Cook, Floyd County ; J. F. English, A. Hitchcock, S. Clawson, Mitchell County.
The Articles of Incorporation were amended early in 1864, and by the change the company was enabled to remove its place of business to Dubuque.
Track-laying was begun on this line in 1864, the road reaching Waverly the same season ; but so insufficient was the grade and so hastily was the work done, that the running of trains was abandoned for a time the following Spring.
The people of Cedar Falls were much disappointed in losing this road, which they had counted on so much. The company had been formed originally as an appendage of the Dubuque & Pacific Company, and to buy its iron it had to lease the line to the Dubuque Company. Hence, when the Dubuque Company decreed that the Cedar Falls road should begin nearly two miles east of that town, there was nothing to do but to submit.
Iowa Central Railroad .- Many miles of grading were done on the " Iowa Central Railroad " during the Autumn of 1865, beginning at Cedar Falls and working southward. The company was organized on the 5th of January pre- vious. Ground was broken September 19th, with elaborate ceremonies, and speeches by Hon. David Morgan, who threw the first shovelful ; Hon. B. F. Gue, of Fort Dodge; Wm. E. McMaster, of New York ; C. C. Carpenter, of Fort Dodge ; Alfred Phillips, of Tama County ; Capt. Babcock, of Chickasaw County ; Judge Palmer, of Butler County ; Mr. Chase, of Mitchell County. Letters were also read from W. R. Marshall, of St. Paul, and Hon. J. B. Grin- nell, of Poweshiek County. But the discovery of coal and fire clay in Hardin County induced capitalists to foster the " plug" started from Ackley about the same time, which was also called then the "Iowa Central," and the people of Cedar Falls were unable to obtain funds for completing their line, which still remains unfinished.
Burlington, Cedar Rapids &. Minnesota Railroad .- In August, 1870, the people of Cedar Falls voted a tax of five per cent. to aid in the construction of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railroad, conditional on the track being laid to the city by January 1, 1871. Other towns along the line voted similar aid, and Waterloo gave material assistance in subscriptions, etc.
The construction train of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota road reached Cedar Falls on Wednesday, November 30, 1870, and the first passen- ger train next day, just a month in advance of the time agreed upon by the officers of that company.
F
376
HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The first meeting for the organization of an agricultural society in this county was held at the Clerk's office in Waterloo August 30, 1856. G. A. Knowles was Chairman of the meeting, and S. W. Rawson, Secretary. At this meeting, a Constitution was adopted and the following officers elected :
President, George Ordway; Vice Presidents, G. A. Knowles, Z. Streeter, B. Winset ; Corresponding Secretary, S. W. Rawson ; Recording Secretary. J. O. Williams ; Treasurer, O. E. Hardy. Executive Committee-L. Kennicutt, S. R. Crittenden, James Barclay, C. K. White, James Dunkerton, S. Webster, Benjamin Knapp, M. S. Oxley, M. W. Chapman, William Kent and Byron Sargent.
The Executive Committee was authorized to make arrangements for a fair, but the first exhibition was not held until October 1, 1857, when it took place at the Court House. The records do not show the premiums awarded, but the Treasurer's first annual report gives the receipts from all sources as amounting to $100. The attendance was quite large for the time, and the exhibition a meritorious one. One of the principal attractions was an immense squash vine, bearing 1,100 pounds of "fruit," exhibited by T. B. and B. S. Doxey.
During the fair, the organization was perfected, and the officers same as above continued for another year, except that James Evans was elected Treas- urer, and J. H. Sherrill, L. C. Sanborn and J. H. Mead were added to the Ex- ecutive Committee.
The second fair was on the West Side, the following year. The vegetables, fine arts, pickles, needle work, preserves, etc., were in the basement of the Con- gregational church, and the stock and cumbersome articles were on the bluff, somewhere near Fowler's greenhouse.
The grounds of the Society were purchased in 1865, but had been occupied for several years before the purchase for the exhibition of stock, etc., and the Court House was used for an exhibition hall. The grounds cost $2,175. Cost of fitting up, fences and improvements, about $1,600. Fairs have been held every year and have generally been successful.
The following are the Presidents of the Society from its organization to 1878, viz .: George Ordway, 1856-8 ; J. H. Sherrill, 1859 ;
1860 ; O. O. St. John, 1861-4; Cicero Close, 1865 ; John Elwell, 1866; C. A. Farwell, 1867 ; P. McIsaac, 1868-70; A. Cottrell, 1871; Byron Sargent, 1872; A. Cottrell, 1873-4 ; Albert Whitney, 1875; H. B. Allen, 1876-8. Officers, 1878-H. B. Allen, President ; W. H. Palmer, J. Gay, Vice Pres- idents ; R. A. Whitaker, Secretary ; C C. Close, Treasurer. Directors-W. A. Wilson, Bennington ; A. C. Bratnober, Barclay ; Philip Bonesteel, Lester ; John Struble, Black Hawk; Samuel Gilson, Lincoln; John Osborn, Big Creek ; William Winters, Mt. Vernon; William M. Fields, Cedar Falls ; Ethan Allen, Orange ; W. H. Leavitt, Cedar ; John Engle, Poyner ; N. B. Choate, East Waterloo ; George Clark, Spring Creek ; J. C. Gunn, Eagle; George Newell, Union ; W. H. Young, Fox ; John Tennyson, Washington, and J. A. Fowler, Waterloo.
THE CEDAR VALLEY DISTRICT JOINT STOCK AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION was organized in 1856, through the influence and labors of Hon. Peter Melendy, who was chosen the first President, which office he filled for more than ten years. This society held annual exhibitions on their grounds at Cedar Falls and accom- plished much to advance the agricultural interests of the county.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
The records of the Association were burned several years since, but a few items respecting it are gleaned from various sources.
When the first number of the Cedar Falls Gazette was issued. March 16, 1860, this Association had subscribed $1,300 for the purpose of purchasing and fitting up grounds.
Something over 200 premiums were awarded at the fourth annual fair at Cedar Falls, which was held September 18-20, 1860.
The officers of the Cedar Valley Association for 1861 were : Peter Melendy, President ; A. S. Smith, Vice President; J. B. Powers, Secretary ; S. A. Bishop, Treasurer ; H. C. Overman, Benj. Knapp, A. Mullarky, Directors.
In May, 1872, a basis of agreement was reached between the officers of the Black Hawk County Agricultural Society on one hand and the Cedar Val- ley District Association on the other, for a practical union of the two societies. The agreement was that a horse fair should be held in each alternate year at Waterloo and Cedar Falls, and an agricultural fair in the city not having the horse fair.
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
In 1872-3, when the organization known as the Patrons of Husbandry swept like a tidal wave over the entire West, Black Hawk County did not escape. Granges were organized in every township, and many honest farmers indulged in the most sanguine dreams of the benefit to accrue from the institution. " The original and leading idea of the Grange," says Mr. Stevens, of Delaware County, himself a prominent and influential member of the Order, "was to secure social advantages : but in 1873, the leading idea among our farmers was business, or pecuniary benefit. Hence. Granges were crowded with anxious farmers, cherishing the illusory ideas of immediately bettering their circumstances, of the sooner clearing their farms from mortgages or securing a competency for the accomplishment of other cherished purposes through some mysterious influence of the organization. They did not realize that all changes or reforms proceed slowly."
Under this delusive faith that the organization was destined to work an immediate and wonderful revolution in their financial condition, the husband- men of Black Hawk, in common with those of the whole State, rushed into the Granges until the institution became a power which, had it been wisely and judiciously directed, might have accomplished something in the desired direction.
In this county, not only were subordinate Granges established in every town- ship, but a county council was organized to centralize and utilize the power evoked. A Grange store was established at Waterloo and a Grange elevator was started on the east side of the river.
But the new broom, although it swept clean at first, did not bring about the miraculous reforms anticipated. Its managers did not realize the tremendous power they had invoked, and it controlled them, and crumbled because it was not controlled and directed. Those who had anticipated such immediate and tremendous results, soon became disgusted ; were not satisfied with the slow reforms the organization might legitimately be expected to produce, and aban- doned the institution nearly as rapidly as they had entered it, forgetting the lesson they every day receive-that plants of the most rapid growth are gen- erally the first to decay.
In 1878, only a few Granges maintain a feeble existence in the county. The county council, it is said, maintains its organization, but is dormant. The Grange store at Waterloo is being closed up, and the Grangers no longer have an elevator.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
BLACK HAWK COUNTY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
This is, comparatively, a young society, having been organized but two years-August 4, 1876. The charter members are as follows : J. M. Ball, graduate W. R. College, Cleveland, Ohio, 1846; S. W. Pierce, graduate Ver- mont Medical College, 1856 ; D. W. Crouse, graduate Chicago Medical College, 1864; S. Vandervaart, graduate Holland College, Netherlands, 1842 ; D. B. Colcord, graduate Bellevue Hospital Medical College, 1875; William Robinson. graduate Berkshire Medical College, 1844; O. S. Knox, graduate Albany Med- ical College, 18 -; J. M. Lanning, graduate Rush Medical College, 1862 : J. J. Wasson, graduate La Porte City Medical College, 1847 ; H. W. Brown, graduate Geneva Medical College, 1866 ; D. W. Crouse, graduate Long Island Medical College, 1869; W. Eddy, graduate Michigan University Medical Col- lege. 1863 ; G. J. Mack, graduate Bellevue Medical College, 1872.
The first officers were : J. M. Ball, President; S. N. Pierce, Vice Presi- dent : J. M. Lanning, Secretary and Treasurer ; Drs. Ball, Pierce and Crouse, Board of Censors.
Their present officers: S. N. Pierce, President; J. M. Lanning, Vice President ; A. D. Bedford, Secretary and Treasurer ; Drs. Crouse, Eddy and Bedford, Board of Censors.
The association meets on the first Friday in each alternate month.
THE FARMERS' MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
was organized in 1873, by Wm. Strayer, S. H. Miller, Jos. S. Strickler, J. W. Leeper, J. M. Bandfield, J. H. Jeffers, S. B. Vinton. J. W. Miller, Thos. Heitter, Cornelius Miller, J. H. Mead, Matthew Simons, Chas. Lichty, J. M. Saylor, A. L. Eyestone, D. A. Miller, Sam'l J. Metz, H. C. Glasgow, S. B. Beekly, L. B. Berkley, A. A. Miller, M. V. B. Turner, Chas. Heller, C. M. Mishler, Chas. A. Hesse, O. Virden, John Palmer, L. R. Peifer, Samuel Cain, S. G. Leversee, Michael Beachley, John M. Lichty, Chas. Asquith, Jonas Flickinger, Wesley S. Stokes, Levi Strayer, August Boldt, John Asquith, James Holmes, G. W. Strayer and Gilson Gardner.
The method of doing business is very simple and practical. When any member of the association shall sustain a loss or damage by fire, he shall, within ten days after such loss, deliver to the Secretary a particular statement in writing of such loss or damage, signed by him, and verified by his oath or affirmation, and also, if required, by proper vouchers, and stating also the whole cash value of the property lost or damaged, how the building was occupied, and by whom, at the time of the loss, how the fire originated, as far as he knows or believes, and that the fire occurred by misfortune, and without fraud or evil practice ; also, declare whether any insurance existed thereon in any other com- pany, and if so, what amount; and if required, submit to a full examina- tion.
The Secretary shall, within ten days after receiving a statement of a loss by fire or lightning, call a meeting of the Board of Directors, giving notice to persons interested, of the time and place of meeting. The Board, after examining into the cause and amount of said loss, and being satisfied that the claim is just, shall levy a pro rata tax on the amount of protection afforded each member of this Company, and no assessment shall be made unless a loss occurred.
379
HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
.
WATERLOO.
This city, the largest in the State west of Dubuque and north of the line of the Chicago & North-Western Railway, is located on the east side of Town- ship 89, Range 13, nearly in the geographical center of Black Hawk County, of which it is the county seat; is beautifully situated on both banks of the Cedar River, at a point where the timber handsomely opens out into a fine rolling prairie, forming a site as perfectly adapted for the location of a large and healthful city as if it had been specially planned by the Creator for that purpose. The business and residence portion of the town are about equally divided by the river, and are situated on ground which, in the lowest portion, is just above the ordinary high water, and, gradually rising as it recedes, affords some quite elevated and commanding building sites a few blocks back from the business streets, which run parallel with the river on the west side, and at right angles with it on the east, which have only a sufficient grade to afford good drainage. The town is regularly laid out, with most of the streets run- ning parallel and at right angles with the river, which here runs in nearly a southeast direction, although some portion of the east side is laid out north and south. The general appearance and character of the improvements are good, fully equal with those of Eastern towns that possess no larger population. Some really handsome business blocks adorn the principal streets on either side, while the generality of the residences are neat and tasty in their appear- ance, with a few that are truly palatial in design, external finish and arrange- ments, surrounded by grounds that cannot fail to attract the attention and secure the approval of the most unobserving. The river, which is here some nine hundred feet in width, has good banks and a solid lime rock bottom, over which the water, clear as crystal, flows in sufficient quantities to afford motive power sufficient to drive almost any amount of machinery. This power, which is among the best, has, though but partially improved, already done much to advance the business prosperity of the town, and is destined at no very distant day to be of still greater value in encouraging manufactures and other material interests. without which no Western town can secure or hold a large business.
FIRST SETTLERS.
In June, 1846, James Virden, then a young man, a Kentuckian by birth, selected a claim on the east side of the river at Prairie Rapids, on Section 23, Township 89, Range 13, just above the original plat of the town of Waterloo. He did some breaking in that season, but did not build a cabin until the next year. About a month later, Charles Mullan and family arrived, and located on the west side of the northwest quarter of Section 26, northwest of the original town plat. Mr. Mullan was from Illinois, and became the first Post- master at Waterloo, and the first County Surveyor of Black Hawk. He died in August, 1874, at the age of 63 years.
July 26, 1847, George W. Hanna entered Lots Nos. 1, 2 and 3, of Section 26, being that part of the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 26 not covered by the river, and was the first entry of lands on which Waterloo was afterward laid out. In the Spring of 1852, Mr. Hanna built a cabin on the west bank of the river, which was the first house built on the original town plat. It stood about one hundred and fifty feet west of the race bridge on Bridge street, on the site of a building that, in 1878, is called "Nauman's Office," and was occupied in the following Winter by Adam Shipley. The
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
second building on the first town plat was a rude shanty built by Samuel Aldrich, on the east bank of the river, at the corner of Third and Water streets, in the Fall of 1852; and the third by Adam Shipley.
Prior to December, 1851, the place was called Prairie Rapids, or Prairie Rapids Crossing ; but at that time the post office was established, and the name selected for it, by Mr. Mullan, was Waterloo. The first platting of the present town site was done in the Fall of 1853, by Charles Mullan, G. W. Hanna and John H. Brooks, and was the westerly portion of the original plat on the West Side. As originally surveyed in 1853, the town was laid out with due regard to the Government survey, and the streets were laid parallel with the Section lines. In the Spring of 1854, Lewis Hallock, who owned the balance of the land now in the original plat on that side, joined with Mullan & Hanna, and J. R. Pratt, B. M. Cooley and James Virden, who were the owners of the land on the East Side, had a plat made early in 1854, and then all the parties joined, and the united plat was recorded June 24, 1854.
The Mullan part of the plat of Lots 1, 2 and 3 of Section 26, 89, 13. being the fractional east half of the northeast quarter of Section 26, was pre- empted in 1846, but was not entered until the 3d of May, 1852. Hallock's part of the original plat, on the West Side, was entered by himself February 25, 1853, Lots 5 and 6, Section 25, being on southwest of northwest quarter of that section. Brooks' part was entered by W. J. Barney June 24, 1853, and conveyed to Brooks August 11th, of the same year.
J. R. Pratt's part of the original plat, on the East Side, was entered by Isaac Carr on the 3d of May, 1852, and conveyed to Pratt June 4, 1853. Cooley's part was entered by George Plaisted June 25, 1852, and purchased by Cooley June 7, 1854. Part of Virden's property was entered by himself January 10, 1853, and the remainder, by W. J. Barney May 18, 1853, and conveyed to Virden April 7, 1854.
Since the original plat was made in 1854, a large number of additions have been made, and the primitive town comprises but a small portion of the present thriving city of Waterloo.
THE FIRST HOTEL. .
In 1853, Adam Shigley had built a story and a half log cabin, about 16x24 feet, on the west bank of the river, near the ferry landing, near the corner of Second street and Cedar avenue. This was opened as a boarding house and sort of a tavern by Seth Lake, in the Fall of 1853; but it was a primitive affair, and the accommodations exceedingly meager.
Very soon after the first survey of the town plat was made, in the Fall of 1853, Jared and - Emerson, brothers, lumbermen, from Wisconsin, pur- chased Lot 3, Block 8, on the west side of Commercial street, and commenced laying up the walls of a log cabin. But before it was completed they sold out to Solomon Ayers, who completed the building and lived in it during the Win- ter of 1853-4, keeping some boarders, as boarders were plenty and boarding houses few and far between at that time. The next Spring, in April, 1854, Ayers sold to Henry Sherman, who opened the cabin as a tavern, and called it the "Sherman House," which was practically the first hotel in Water- loo.
In the Fall of 1854, he built an imposing two-story frame addition, on the southeast of the original structure. In this building was "the School Section,' which those who stopped at the Sherman House in those days may perhaps remember. The " School Section " was one large room in the lost, in which a
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
dozen or fifteen beds were placed. These beds were numbered from one to fif- teen, under Groat's management. It is said that when strangers came, the landlord would very consequentially direct the boy to show the gentleman up to No. 10, for instance. "Is that a single room ?" the guest would query. " Certainly, sir ! certainly sir!" The guest would vanish under the guidance of the factotum, with a tallow candle, but dismayed at finding fifteen beds in " his single room," cach one, perhaps, except the one assigned to him, with two occupants, he would rush down stairs and salute the landlord with, " I thought you said, sir, that my room was a single one," only to return with a crest-fallen air to his dormitory when the landlord blandly returned for answer, "Well, is there more than one room up there ?"
Besides "the School Section," there was another dormitory with five or six beds in it that was called " the Prairie," the entrance to which was only about three feet high, and which guests entered on their hands and knees.
Sherman was genial, and kept a very fair house for those pioneer times. The old settlers tell numerous humorous stories, however, about the Sherman House and its jolly landlord. Perhaps some of the old settlers may remem- ber Charley McCloud, the tailor, who used to wait on the table for his board. The markets in 1854-5 were not very liberally supplied, but when there were strangers at the table, Charley would politely accost them with " Beef steak, mutton chop, or salt pork, sir?" "I'll take a bit of steak, well done, sir." " All right, sir ; in one minute." And away the enterprising waiter would hurry for a plate of fried pork, for he knew that was all the larder afforded : and it was amusing to witness his gravity when he returned with a plate of greasy pork, and handed it to the disappointed guest with "I'm very sorry, sir, but the steak's all out."
In 1856, the house was leased by M. T. Williams, familiarly known in this region as " Dad " Williams, and a partner named Eichelberger, who changed its name to Tremont House. Mr. Williams' brother, Henry D., came soon after, and became the popular Clerk of the Tremont. Eichelberger sold his interest to - - Day, and Day to Fuller, and at the expiration of their lease Sherman again became landlord, and the house was again known as the " Sher- man." Soon afterward, he leased to B. F. Thomas, under whose administration it was the "Franklin House." Thomas was followed successively by Groat, Joseph Henry and - - Cormick, when Sherman resumed possession and again changed the name to the Sherman House. Sherman was followed
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