USA > Iowa > Boone County > The history of Boone County, Iowa, containing biographical sketches war records of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, history of the Northwest, history of Iowa, map of Boone county etc. > Part 62
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Allen T. Birchard, quartermaster-sergeant, thirty-second infantry.
Lucius Boudinot, hospital steward, forty-fourth infantry.
CAPTAINS.
Strunk, D., fifth infantry, U. S. A. D. McCall, Samuel B., company E, third infantry.
Perry, Wm. B., company D, tenth infantry.
Eberhart, A. C., company D, tenth infantry.
Williams, Crandall W., company D, sixteenth infantry.
DeTarr, Theo., company D, thirty- second infantry. Shannon, Robert, company D, thir- ty-second infantry. Adams, John J., company H, forty- fourth infantry.
FIRST LIEUTENANTS.
Wheeler, William J., company D, tenth infantry. Moffatt, Sephen G., company D. tenth infantry.
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Eberhart, A. C., company D, tenth infantry.
Stover, Isaac, company D, tenth in- fantry. Alexander, Joseph S., company K, sixteenth infantry.
Templin, William, company D, thir- ty-second infantry.
Shannon, Robt. J., company D, thir- ty-second infantry.
Harvey, Joseph M., company D, thirty-second infantry.
Adams, John J., company H, forty- fourth infantry.
SECOND LIEUTENANTS.
Templin, William, company D, tenth infantry.
Stine, Isaac, company D, tenth in- fantry.
Holcomb, George H., company D, sixteenth infantry.
Stringer, A. N., company K, six- teenth infantry.
Huxford, George, company K, six- teenth infantry.
Shannon, Robert J., company D, thirty-second infantry.
Boggs, William F., company H, forty-fourth infantry.
SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA.
The following beautiful poem, which has won for its author a national reputation, and has been sung in the theaters of Europe, was written in a Southern prison, by Adjutant S. H. M. Byers, at present (1880) U. S. Con- sul, at Zurich, Switzerland. In his little book, "What I saw in Dixie," on pages 73-4, he copies from his diary, December 25, 1865, as follows: "This is my second Christmas in prison. * * * * * * * Lieutenant Tower, of Ottumwa, Iowa, who had lost a leg in the army, and who was afterward captured, is now to be exchanged and sent home. He wears a hollow, artificial limb in place of the one lost; this we packed full of letters, one of which contained 'Sherman's March to the Sea.' The rebels little suspected our novel way of communicating with our friends. The Lieutenant went safely through, and the letters were all safely de- livered":
Our camp fires shone bright on the mountains That frowned on the river below, While we stood by our guns in the morning And eagerly watched for the foe- When a rider came out from the darkness That hung over mountain and sea, And shouted "Boys up and be ready, For Sherman will march to the sea."
Then cheer upon cheer for bold Sherman" Went up from each valley and glen, And the bugles re-echoed the music That came from the lips of the men. For we knew that the stars in our banner More bright in their splendor would be, And that blessings from Northland would greet us When Sherman marched down to the sea.
Then forward, boys, forward to battle, We marched on our wearisome way, And we stormed the wild hills of Resaca, -- God bless those who fell on that day-
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Then Kenesaw, dark in its glory, Frowned down on the flag of the free, But the East and the West bore our standards, And Sherman marched on to the sea.
Still onward we pressed, till our banners Swept out from Atlanta's grim walls, And the blood of the patriot dampened The soil where the traitor flag falls; But we paused not to weep for the fallen, Who slept by each river and tree;
Yet we twined them a wreath of the laurel, As Sherman marched down to the sea.
O, proud was our army that morning That stood where the pine darkly towers,
When Sherman said, "Boys, you are weary, This day fair Savannah is ours." Then sang we a song for our chieftain That echoed o'er river and lea,
And the stars in our banner shone brighter,
When Sherman marched down to the sea.
CHAPTER XII.
TOWNSHIPS, CITIES AND TOWNS.
THE first subdivision of the county into precincts was made shortly after the first election in 1849. As has already been seen, the county was at that time divided into three precincts or civil townships by the board of supervisors. These townships were strips of about equal width, extending east and west across the entire length of the county. The south precinct or township was called Pleasant, the north one was called Boone River and the one in the middle was called Boone. While this arrangement was an economical one, and, during the time that the county was sparsely settled except along the Des Moines river, was sufficiently convenient for election purposes, the time soon came when it became necessary to subdivide the townships already existing, and it was likewise wisely concluded to have none of these civil townships extend across the river. In changing the territory comprising these original townships, there was a disposition manifested on the part of the authorities whose duty it was to order the changes, also to adopt a new class of names. The name Boone, although a good one, was thought to be altogether too general. There was Boone county, Boonesboro, Boone township and Boone River township, and it was suggested, and that, too, not without reason, that this name be released of part of its application. The official, whose duty it was to order the organization of new townships, was county judge. S. B. McCall was filling this office in 1852, when these changes occurred, and to him, probably more than to any other person, is a large number of the town- ships indebted for their names. Mr. McCall was an ardent Democrat, and was likewise enthusiastically in sympathy with that Democratic measure, the Mexican War. It is from this cause that a large number of the town- ships of Boone county are named after the generals of the Mexican War and Democratic politicians.
March 1852, the old boundaries of Boone township were changed by the following order:
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
Ordered, That the boundaries of Boone township, Boone county, Iowa, be changed as follows:
Commencing at the east boundary line of said county at the southeast corner of section 1, of township 84. range 26, thence running due west to the Des Moines river, thence down said river to where it crosses the section line dividing sections 26 and 35 of township 84, range 27, thence due west to the west boundary line of said county, thence south along said west boundary line to the southwest corner of section 7 of township 83, range 28, thence due east unto the Des Moines river, thence down said river to the southwest corner of section 21 of township 83. range 26, thence due east along the section line to the east line of said county. thence north to the place of beginning.
This 8th day of March, 1852.
SAM. B. MCCALL, County Judge.
It must be remembered by the reader that Boone township as first con- stituted, embraced one third of the county, and was a strip eight miles wide lying midway of the county, extending from the east to the west boundary. Of the townships, as now constituted, it embraced the south halves of Jackson, Des Moines, Yell and Amaqua, and the north halves of Beaver, Marcy, Worth and Colfax. After the change of the bound- aries of Boone township in March, 1852, it included all of Des Moines township, as now constituted, except the north tier of sections; it included the larger part of Worth township, also a large section of country on the west side of the river. The township, as thus constituted, was ill-shaped, and had it been the studied attempt of the authorities to promote the in- convenience of the people they could hardly have succeeded better than by doing as they did, when they are supposed to have had just the opposite ends in view. Boone township, however, existed in this shape till March, 1858, when it was subdivided and a new township called Des Moines was formed as follows:
Ordered, That all that portion of Boone county included within the following bounds, to-wit: Commencing at the northeast corner of section 6, township 84, range 25, thence running west along the township line between townships 84 and 85 to the Des Moines river, thence down said river to a point where the section line dividing sections 7 and 18, town- ship 83, range 26 crosses said river, thence running east along said section line to the north- east corner of section 8 in township 83, range 25; thence north on the section line dividing sections 8 and 9 to the northeast corner of section 20 in township 84, range 25. thence west one mile, thence north on the section line dividing sections 17 and 18 in said last men- tioned township to the place of beginning be and the same is hereby erected a township for election, judicial and revenue purposes and designated as Des Moines township, same to take the place of Boone township.
SAM. B. MCCALL, County Judge.
DES MOINES TOWNSHIP.
As at present constituted Des Moines township is very near the same as that designated by the foregoing order of 1858. It included then a small strip on the east, which now belongs to Jackson township; also a strip on the south, which now belongs to Worth; these subsequent changes, how- ever, were unimportant, and were made gradually as other townships were created. So it will be seen that Des Moines township was practically or- ganized in March, 1858. This township from the first has been the most important part of the county. It has almost invariably been the case in the various counties of the State that the county that absorbs to a very large extent the wealth and political, as well as social, influence of the county. But aside from the fact that Des Moines township contains the county seat and the metropolis of the county, it has wealth, population and
.
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
resources which have no connection with the county seat. Des Moines township, with its two towns, Boonesboro and Boone, contains about one- third of the population of the entire county; more than that proportion of the wealth of the county is here, and the influence which radiates from this township, both by reason of its favorable point of emanation and owing to its penetrating force, is more than enough to balance the rest of the county in the agitation and determination of all questions of civil polity and politi- cal policy. Owing to its well improved farms, fine farm houses and im- portant mineral resources, this township ranks first in the county, while the population outside of the towns of Boone and Boonesboro amounts to over fifteen hundred, it being the second township in the county. The following were the civil officers chosen at the general election last fall:
Assessor-Samnel Wheeler.
Clerk-C. T. Brewer.
Trustee-Thomas Bowman.
Owing to the large extent of railway track, and the vast amount of min- ing capital invested in this township, the revenues for road and school pur- poses are ample.
BOONESBORO.
The circumstances attending the location of this town have been detailed at length in our chapter on county organization. The usual spelling of the name is peculiar, and was suggested by Mr. McCall. Persons not familiar with the place would spell the name Boonesborough, and such is the spell- ing dictated by the etymology of the word, but we are informed that such was not intended by those who named the town, and that the approved or- thography is not Boonesborough but Boonesboro. The town was located and laid out early in the summer of 1851, and soon after the first house was erected by Wesley C. Hall. This house was built of logs, as, indeed, nearly all of the first houses were. It was situated immediately east of the public square, and was for a time used as a court-honse. It was likewise a private residence, a business house and a post-office building. It probably served for a number of years as a hotel. This location was a favorite hotel site for many years, where the Parker Honse and then the Occidental Hotel were located. Mr. Hull was probably the first citizen, although seven other citizens, viz .: S. B. McCall, John Houser, J. A. MeFarland, William Car- roll, Dr. J. T. Rice, Wesley Carroll and Dr. D. S. Hutton came about the same time. The growth of the town was slow from the first till 1854. In December J. A. McFarland established a store of general merchandise. His establishment was located directly east of where the court-house now stands. He was the first merchant of Boonesboro, and the first one of the county who carried a large stock of goods. Casting his lot with the people of this locality he has remained among them ever since. His career has been one of long and uninterrupted success, and while he has reaped an ample fortune for himself, he has to a large extent aided in the develop- ment of the material resources of the county. In 1854 Boonesboro con- sisted of eleven log houses and one frame building. The frame house was erected by Mr. McFarland in 1853, the second one being built by Mr. C. Beal in the fall of 1854. Shortly after Beal erected the second frame house, John Houser built a third one. This was the most elaborate and expensive house erected up to the winter of 1854 and 55. After Houser finished the building, he had it heavily insured and left the town for a short time.
*
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
During his absence it was burned, and the impression prevailed at the time that Houser had it burned in order to realize in cash the amount of his in- surance policy. Shortly after his house was consumed he emigrated to the far west. The first school-house was of hewed logs, and stood on the iden- tical piece of ground where the west ward school-house now stands. The first school was taught here by C. W. Hamilton, who for many years was a county official, and at length proved to be a defaulter. This building served not only for a school-house, but also for a church and court-room. It was a veritable forum, where both plebians and patricians were wont to assemble at times of excitement, or on those ordinary occasions when the people came together to deliberate.
Among the first persons to preach in this house was Mr. Montgomery, a Methodist local preacher, who afterward was for several consecutive years county judge. At the present time-April, 1880-Judge Montgomery, now almost a centennarian, still resides in the town, unquestionably the oldest resident of the place and the oldest man in the county. Among the first district judges who presided over the courts held in this renowned log house, was Judge McFarland. This was the scene of many exciting law- suits, and some of the sayings of McFarland, which have rendered that name renowed in Iowa jurisprudence, were uttered here. Judge McFar- land died in Boonesboro some eighteen or twenty years ago. In the spring of 1855 there were eighteen families residing in the town, among others the following: S. B. McCall, Jno. A. Hull, J. A. McFarland, Wesley Carroll, C. J. McFarland, William Carroll, A. L. Speer, Dr. L. J. Royster, V. T. Large, Elisha Bowman, E. L. Hinton, James W. Black and L. Regan.
Of these citizens of Boonesboro in 1855, A. L. Speer still remains. He is at present one of the most influential persons in the town; is president of the school board, and mayor of the town. L. Regan afterward became one of the county officials, and held positions of honor and trust for a num- ber of consecutive years. He died some years since, and his widow is still a resident of the town. James W. Black was for many years associated with one of the leading commercial honses of Boonesboro, and was after- ward engaged in business in the new town. He is now engaged in the stock business, being the leading shipper of the county.
Boonesboro was laid out in 1851, the town plat bearing date of Septem- ber 1 of that year. The original town plat was on the northwest quarter of section 29, township 84, range 26. It consisted of a public square, twenty-four blocks of eight lots each, four streets and five alleys running three-fourths of a degree northeast, and four streets and five alleys running three-fourths of a degree northwest. The streets were sixty feet wide and one hundred and one rods long; the alleys sixteen feet wide and one hnn- dred and one rods long. The lots were sixty-six feet wide and one hundred and thirty-two feet deep, lying north and south-except the west half of block twelve and east half of block thirteen, which lay east and west. The first addition to the town was laid out in May, 1854. It was in the southwest corner of the original town site, and consisted of ten lots. The second ad- dition was called Iver's addition, and was laid out in 1865. The same year two other additions, known as Thrift's addition and Capp's addition, were laid out; the former was laid out early in the year, and was a part of the original town quarter; the latter was laid out in November, and was a part of the southeast quarter of section 20, township 84, range 26. This addi- tion was laid out after the railroad was completed through the county, and
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
after Boone was laid ont. It lay immediately east of the original to wn site, and between the old and the new towns. The object of the proprietor doubtless was to bring about an extension of Boonesboro toward the depot, and thus draw the old town toward the depot. This plan, could it have been carried out, would in all respects have been better than the building up of a new town. The railroad anthorities, however, had planned otherwise, and the new town went ahead, while Capp's addition has thus far consisted of unimproved lots.
The location of the town, together with the addition, is a very desirable one, and so far as the natural advantages are concerned is altogether prefer- able to the location of the new town. The two towns may eventually grow together, and then will be realized the fond hope which for fifteen years has been delayed on account of a spirit of jealousy calculated to separate and tear down rather than to unite and build up.
Boonesboro was incorporated June 4th, 1865. During the following November the town conncil adopted the following ordinance, describing ing the seal and defining the boundaries of the town:
" AN ORDINANCE, Describing the seal and defining the boundaries of the incorporate town of Boonesboro, Iowa.
"SECTION 1. Be it ordained by the Town Council of the incorporate town of Boonesboro, Iowa, That the boundaries of the town shall be fixed by an order of the county judge of the county of Boone, State of Iowa, dated January 5th, 1865, and embracing the following lands, viz .: All of section twenty-nine, and the south half of section twenty, and the cast half of the southeast quarter of section nineteen and the east half of the east half of section thirty, and the west half of the southwest quarter of section forty-eight; all in township number eighty-four, north of range twenty-six west, and embracing the town of Boonesboro, Iowa, and all other plots and addition to the same within the said limits.
"SEC. 2. The seal of the incorporate town of Boonesboro, Iowa, shall have the words: 'The incorporate town of Boonesboro, lowa,' around the outer edge, and the word 'seal' in the center thereof in a circular form; and the same shall be the seal of the said incorporate town.
"SEC. 3. This ordinance shall take effect from and after its passage.
" Passed November 30th, 1865.
" S. B. McCALL, Recorder."
" JOHN A. HULL, Mayor.
Boonesboro at that time contained a population of two thousand. Dur- ing the following three years there was a greater effort made to build up the town and there was more enterprise displayed than during any other period in the history of the place. This was the period during which the fiercest contest was waged between the old town of Boonesboro and the new one then called Montana. It was during this period, summer of 1868, that an event occurred which came very near resulting in a riot. The Re- publican convention, for the purpose of nominating a congressman for the Sixth congressional district, was called to meet at Montana. The weather was very warm and Montana being then in its infancy was not as well provided with publie halls as at present. The convention assembled in the best hall which the town afforded. It was in the second story of a frame building; the room was small, and the facilities for ventilation exceedingly meager. Crowded together almost to the point of suffcation, the delegates
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perspired, complained, and it is feared some of them swore. A temporary organization had been effected and the committees appointed when a Boone county delegate from Boonesboro arose and moved that when the conven- tion adjourn, it adjourn to meet in the afternoon at Boonesboro. He alluded to the very inferior accommodations provided by the people of Montana for the use of the delegates and said that he, as a representative of Boone county, was unwilling for the delegates of the Sixth congressional district to return home carrying with them the impression that the miserable den in which they at that time were corralled was the best accommodations which the county afforded. The Methodists of Boonesboro and vicinity had just completed and furnished a commodious, convenient and well ventilated church building, the use of which he was authorized to tender to the con- vention; moreover, some of the enterprising citizens of Boonesboro had erected a commodious public hall, which he was also authorized to tender for the use of the convention. The Montana delegates of course opposed this project of moving the convention to Boonesboro and thus allowing the rival town to rob them of the honor of entertaining the convention and of turning that long talked of honor into a lasting disgrace. A large majority of the delegates cared nothing for the rival interests of the two towns and were only interested in securing more comfortable quarters for the afternoon session. The motion made by the Boonesboro delegate was carried by an overwhelming majority, and just before adjourning the pre- siding officer announced that the afternoon session would be held in the Methodist church at Boonesboro. Even before the convention adjourned the news spread over Montana and from there was carried to Boonesboro. The people of the former place, including women and children, were sullen and melancholy, while those of the latter place were jubilant and enthusi- astic. It is probable that real estate in Montana suffered a decline of at least ten per cent, and property in Boonesboro advanced at a like ratio. When the delegates repaired to Boonesboro they were welcomed by the firing of salutes, flags were displayed from all the buildings, drums were beating and bands playing. Not satisfied with such demonstrations, after the assembling of the delegates, a large number of the people of Boones- boro formed in procession and with flags flying and band playing proceeded to Montana and passed through the principal streets of the latter town and made the deserted place resound with bursts of derisive laughter and remarks not at all complimentary to the people and place. After march- ing till they were tired and shouting till they were hoarse, the Boonsboro procession returned. They had scarcely left the town and the noise of their retreating footsteps had not yet been lost in the distance, when there was the noise and bustle of preparation in the store rooms and shops of Montana. There was a demand for all the old clothes and fire-armns in the town. At length, having been armed to the teeth and arrayed in the most grotesque garb which could be obtained, the procession started for Boones- boro. Arriving at the latter place the procession passed through the prin- cipal streets, sneering at the dead town and uttering words of disdain and defiance. The Boonesboro procession had returned but a short time previ- ous and had scarcely dispersed when their rivals appeared. The people of Boonesboro thought the dignity of their town was outraged by the presence of the motley crowd, and some of the more excitable ones were in favor of calling together the Boonesboro procession and by force drive the ruffianly crowd from the town. Had this plan been carried out there would un-
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doubtedly have been much blood shed. Wiser counsel, however, prevailed. The Boonesboro people managed to suppress their desire for revenge, and after parading till they were tired and shouting till they were hoarse the Montana crowd returned, leaving their rival neighbors to enjoy the honor of entertaining the convention unmolested. This was the convention at which Charles Pomeroy, a citizen of Boone county, was nominated as the Republican candidate for Congress, to which office he was chosen at the general election the following November.
The foregoing incident has been selected from many which might have been cited to show how intense and bitter was the enmity and jealousy existing at the time between the two towns. This rival spirit, which carried the people of the two towns to such extreme measures, was not without excuse, but, as all will now admit, was without reason. Let us briefly allude to the causes which kindled the first sparks, and for several years kept them fanned into a blaze. The story has often been told, and will not be forgotten till this generation passes away. But as the history of Boonesboro culminated at this time, a rehearsal of the story is appropriate here.
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