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 67
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On the 7th day of April, 1856, the first election to elect township officers was held at the house of James Carnes, and the following named persons were elected to the various township offices:
Justices of the peace-James Laughbridge and Calvin F. Brown.
Township Clerk and Assessor-Ed. Vail.
Trustees-Isaac Moore, Abel Lum and James Carnes.
Constables -- Isaac Crable and Moses Rolorson.
There were twenty-eight votes cast at this election-all in the township. The population of the township at the time of organization was seventy- five persons, divided into seventeen (17) families.
In 1872 the township was reduced to its present size-six miles square. Population in 1856, seventy-five; population (estimated) in 1876, five hun- dred; increase in twenty years of 425; number of families, 1875, seventy- nine; number of voters, 1875, one hundred and seven.
About the year 1858 a town was laid out by Ed. P. Vail and Calvin Brown, but no improvement was made, and it failed. Its name was Union- ville.
First marriage, Samnel Weeks to Miss Matilda Johnson, in 1858.
First birth, Hannah Moore, daughter of Charles Moore, in 1853.
First death, Sarah Moore, wife of John Moore, died in 1852.
First physician, John Moore.
First lawsuit in 1856, Francis Johnson, plaintiff, Jesse Petts, defendant.
The first sermon was preached in the township by Rev. Claiborne Wright, Campbellite, in the spring of 1854; and the first person baptized in the township was Mary McKeon, in 1854. In the fall of 1856, the Methodists made their first appointment for regular preaching, a Rev. Steward filling the first appointment. At that time the Baptists, also the United Breth- ren, held meetings in the township.
The Methodists had a large society until the year 1859, when the church organization was broken up, and since that time there has been a very small membership. At present the Rev. Mr. Brady is the minister.
In 1863-4 the Christians (Campbellites) had a society, but have none at present.
In 1860 the Baptists had an organization, and at present Rev. A. E. Simons preaches regularly in the township.
On the 14th day of July, 1855, a meeting was held at the home of James Carnes for the election of school officers in district number 5, Berry
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
township, and resulted in the election of Isaac Crable, James Loughridge and James Carnes, as board of school directors.
Early in the spring of 1856, a log school-house was erected on James Carnes land, (section 27,) sixteen feet square, each man interested contribu- ting two or three logs; in this manner was the first school-house built in the township.
The first school commenced on the 5th day of May, 1856, and was tanght by Miss Caroline Palmer, at one dollar and seventy-five cents per week for twelve weeks, board included; number of pupils in attendance, fifteen; number in township at that time, twenty.
On the 22d day of August, 1856, the district was changed to district township of Union and district number one, by A. L. Sperry, school-fund commissioner.
At a meeting of the voters, held June 14, 1859, the district was divided into two school districts, and on the 17th day of June, 1861, the board of directors decided to build two new school-houses, one in each district. July 1, 1861, the contract was sold at $700. The house in district number one was named Lincoln, in number two Douglas; number of pupils in 1861, fifty, an increase of thirty since 1856; number in 1865, eighty-five.
In 1866 Jefferson school-house, now in Peoples township, was built, and in 1873 three more were erected. In 1872 the district township was re- duced to the township proper, and now contains five school-houses; the number of children between five and twenty-one years of age, (census of 1875,) 159. In 1875 the district township was divided into nine indepen- dent districts.
Below is a list of the names of persons who entered into the service of their country during the great rebellion. They were as follows:
Francis M. Burgett, Ariel S. Corlis, Manford Paige, John E. Carnes, William Peoples, Orin Mills, Calvin Johnson, Charles R. Moore, Elliott.
These died in the service or were killed. Of those who returned were:
Lewis Athey, Thomas Athey, William R. Moore, John D. Moore, Geo. Lum, James Mills, Abraham Tulk, Nathan Mowrer, and John Ricketts.
Some of these fell on the field of battle and others died of disease. They rest at Vicksburg, New Orleans, and other places.
The officers elected at the last general election are as follows:
Assessor-A. L. Mace.
Clerk-John J. Moore.
Trustee-D. W. Colton.
This township being the only one in the county traversed by the Des Moines and Fort Dodge railroad, and a large majority of the people doing their trading in Des Moines and in Dallas county, itis somewhat less closely allied and its people have less intercourse with the rest of the county than those of any other township.
As before remarked, Union township was organized in 1856. The fol- lowing is a copy of the order creating said township:
Ordered, That all of Boone county now included in Berry township, that lies west of the section line between sections 16 and 17, township 83, range 27, be stricken off from Berry township and formed into a new township to be called Union township. Said new township to be bounded as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of section 17, township 83, range 27, thence west on the section line to the west line of Boone county; thence south
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. HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
along said county line to the southwest corner of said county; thence east on said county line to the southeast corner of section 32, township 82, range 27; thence north along section line to the place of beginning.
This 21st day of February, 1856.
JOHN B. MONTGOMERY, County Judge.
PEOPLES TOWNSHIP.
. Peoples township was organized a civil township on the 12th day of May, A. D. 1871, and comprises the congressional township No. 82, north of range 27, west of fifth principal meridian, prior to which time the west one-third of it was joined to Union township, and the east two-thirds to Cass township for civil purposes.
It received its name in honor of one of the first permanent settlers of the township, Mr. David Peoples, who, with his son-in-law, Hon. Levi Colvin, entered portions of sections 17 and 18 of said township in 1855.
The first settler within the limit of the township was one Dart, on sec- tion 33 in 1854.
The first wedding was the marriage of Enos Rhoads to Henrietta Peoples by the Rev. Wm. Sparks, on the 20th day of March, 1860.
The first birth was that of Albert B. and Alfred B. Wade, twin sons of W. W. Wade and Lucy Wade, born on the 12th day of January, A. D. 1857.
The first death was that of Albert B. Wade, son of W. W. and Lucy Wade, on the 2d day of November, A. D. 1857.
The first sermon was preached by Rev. Wm. Sparks, Baptist, in school- house now known as No. 1. Sparks is now dead; of N. C. in 1857.
The first school house was built on the southeast quarter of the south- west half of section 12, in the spring of 1857. The first school was taught by Martha Page, now Mrs. Nutt, during the summer of 1857.
The first post-office, called Prairie Hill, was established in 1867, Alonzo Bettis being the first postmaster.
W. W. Wade was the first justice of the peace, and Seneca Needham the first constable of the township.
The first church edifice was the M. E. church, erected on the southwest corner of section 15, in the year 1875.
The first general election was held at Elkhorn school-house, October 10, 1871, at which time the following officers were elected:
Justices of the peace-W. W. Strickling and W. W. Wade.
Trustees-J. G. Vernon, J. F. Craig, E. H. Smith.
Clerk-James R. Swain.
Assessor-John B. Swain.
Constables-M. Shepherd, J. P. Colvin.
At this election there were 82 votes cast, the population then being about 300. The present number of voters is 158; number of inhabitants, 500.
The first church organized in the township was a Methodist church. The first Sunday school was a union school, organized in a school-house on section 24, during the year 1866. Wm. Hutchings was the superintend- ent.
The first celebration of Independence Day was held at the Peoples school house July 4, 1868.
The first official meeting of the township officers was held at the house of J. B. Swain, section 16, on the 3d of February, 1872.
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
The first school-house was built in the spring of 1856, on section 12. In 1871 a cemetery was laid out on the south-east quarter of section 8.
There are nine subdistricts in the township, there being no independent districts.
During the past year the amount of tax levied for school purposes was as follows: Contingent fund, $500; teachers' fund, $800; school- house fund, $350. There are in the township nine road districts, and the rate of taxation for road purposes was 5 mills on the dollar. The present township officers are as follows:
Justice of the peace-James B. Swain.
Assessor-Miles Becket.
Clerk-Marion Brooks.
Trustees-F. S. Kendall, J. G. Spurrier and Fred. Miller.
The Peoples Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1875. The original members were Daniel Wood and wife, John Kirby and wife, Na- thaniel Noland and wife, M. N. Strickling and wife, Richard Grant and wife, Enos Rhodes and wife, Mrs. L. Spurrier, Mrs. Stewart and Mrs. A. Porter. In 1875 a frame church building was erected at a cost of two thousand dollars. The church not yet.having been entirely free from debt has not been dedicated. William C. Smith is at present pastor. The membership at present numbers forty. There is a Sunday-school in con- nection with the church with the following officers: Superintendent, Frank Smith; M. N. Strickling, secretary; it numbers about fifty pupils.
The Peoples Baptist Church was organized as a branch of the Perry church in March, 1874, and in February, 1879, E. R. Swain, Mrs. E. S. Swain, David Peoples, Lavina Peoples, Levi Colvin, Mary Colvin, James R. Swain and others organized an independent church. The society has no church building, and meets for public worship in what is known as the Peoples school-house. Public religious services are held twice each month, Rev. A. Hunt being at present pastor. There are at present thirty mem- bers. The Sunday-school numbers forty-five members; James R. Swain is superintendent; Mrs. J. R. Swain, secretary.
It will be seen from the foregoing brief history of the township that Mr. Swain is one of the most prominent and influential citizens; to him we are chiefly indebted for the facts herein narrated. The inhabitants of the township are almost exclusively engaged in farming and stock-raising.
CASS TOWNSHIP.
At first included in its borders the present township of Cass and Peoples township. It at present embraces that part of congressional township 82, range 26, which lies west of the Des Moines river. The first settlements were made in this township in 1848, Jonathan Bowles, John Woods, V. Preston, Crawford Cole and Jacob Rhodes having settled there during that year. In 1849 J. H. Rhodes and William Noland settled there, and in 1850 George Spurrier, Landa Hurst, Jesse Williams and Preston Berry. The first marriage was that of James Hurst and Susan Missmore, in the spring of 1850. The first birth was that of Samuel, son of Mr. and Mrs. V. Preston, November 27, 1849, who died in December of the same year, and was buried on section 32; this being also the first death which occurred in the township.
This township was organized during the administration of Judge Mc-
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
Call, and was named after Lewis Cass, a distinguished statesman and poli- tician. The following is a copy of the order for its organization:
Ordered, That for the convenience of the inhabitants, and for election, judiclal. revenue and municipal purposes, the following described new township be created, to-wit: Commen- cing at the southwest corner of section 33, in township 82. range 27, thence running north on the section line six miles, to the township line dividing townships 82 and 83, thence east along said township line until it intersects the Des Moines river, thence down the channel of said river until it intersects the south boundary line of said county; thence along said boundary line to the place of beginning. Said township to be known as Cass township, of Boone county. lowa, and that the same be organized at an election to be held at the house of -, in said township, on the 3d day of April, 1858, in conformity with the law in such cases.
March 6, 1653.
S. B. MCCALL, County Judge.
From the foregoing it will be seen that Cass township originally in- cluded the territory now comprising said township together with a greater portion of Peoples township and remained thus constituted till May, 1871, when the latter named township was formed. For a long time after this county was first settled the people had to endure inany privations and undergo many hardships. The nearest post-office was at Des Moines, where they also had to go for groceries and other supplies. The nearest mill was at the mouth of Middle river in Warren county, and this fre- quently over-crowded with work, the people had to go as far as Eddyville and Oskaloosa. The first school-house was a log structure and was located on section 32. The first public religions services were conducted by Rev. John DeMass, at the residence of Jonathan Bowles, during the fall of 1850. The first school was taught by Clayborn Wright, in a log house situated where Orlow Oviatt's barn is now located.
The McClelland Church of Cass township was organized in February, 1880. Among the first members of this organization were the following named persons: Andrew Oviatt and wife, Orlow Oviatt and wife, Mrs. Drake, Mrs. Hurdman, Mrs. Meeker, Mrs. Halsay, Mrs. Mannard. Emina and Ella Vernon, Philip Carl and wife, Mr. Perry and wife, Charles Rus- sell and wife. The congregation expect soon to erect a place of worship. The present pastor is Rev. James Printze, and services are held in the Mc- Clelland school-house, located on section 5. The membership consists of about twenty persons. There are about thirty pupils attending the Sunday school. Charles Russel is superintendent and Henrietta Oviatt is sec- retary.
The Concord Presbyterian Church was organized in the spring of 1872. S. K. Collins, Mrs. Boswell, Mrs. Lemaster, N. L. Nance and wife, J. B. Vernon and wife, and Jessie Vernon and wife were the original members. Not having any church building the place of worship was at the Union school-house. Rev. Mr. Dodder and Mr. Cook have been the pastors. The organization has gone down; there not having been any public services since 1877.
BEAVER AND AMAQUA TOWNSHIPS.
Through the western part of the county almost parallel with the Des Moines river flows a beautiful stream of water, known to the Indians as Amaqua creek. The Indian name Amaqua means Beaver, hence the early settlers changed the name of this stream to Beaver creek. When the west.
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
ern part of the county through which this stream flows was organized into civil townships, two of them were named after the creek. The Indian name Amaqua being applied to one, and the English name Beaver being applied to the other. The first settlers of Beaver township were: Patrick and John Vaughan, Cornelius and Patrick Cronin. They settled on section 10 in May, 1867. They were originally from Ireland, more recently from Ogden, this county. The first marriage was that of Denis Vaughan and Mary Mahony on April 28, 1869.
The first male child born was William Vanghan, born September 15th, 1869. He died August 25th, 1870, this being the first death in the town- ship.
The first school taught was in district No 2 by Patrick Coil, who has since gone to California,
The first school-house was erected in 1871 at a cost of $800. It was lo- cated on the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of the south west quarter of soction 10.
The first board of township trustees consisted of Enos Barrot, Patrick Mahoney, John Garlic.
John T. S. Williams was the first township clerk, and Patrick Cronon the first township assessor.
The first official meetings of the board were held at the residence of J. T. S. Williams. The following are the present municipal officers of the township, who were chosen at the last general election:
Justice of the peace-George Goetsman.
Assessor-David Chamberlin.
Clerk-Patrick Cronon.
Trustee-Benjaınin Hayer.
Constable-Herman Chamberlin.
Amaqua township was organized in January, 1871. The first board of trustees was composed of George Wood, D. M. Girard, D. B. Carrey.
John Smith was the first township clerk, and Gilbert H. Pardall was the first assessor. The official meetings of the township board are held in the Center school-house. Pleasant Hill cemetery is located on the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 16. The M. E. Church of Cen- ter school-house was organized in 1869. The Rev. Mr. Snodgrass was the first pastor of this congregation. The membership of this church numbers about twenty-five.
The town of Beaver is located on the south half of the southwest quar- ter, section 32, township 84, range 28. It was laid out June 30, 1879. This town, though quite young, has become quite a trading point, and is the only shipping place for the people of the west part of Boone and Greene counties. The civil officers of Amaqua township, chosen at the last gen- eral election, are as follows:
Assessor-F. W. Jasinsky.
Clerk-A. Lee.
Trustee-George Shadle.
Constable-S. B. Shadle.
GRANT TOWNSHIP.
This township is situated in the extreme northwest of the county. A correspondence with congressional township 85, range 28. It is almost ex- clusively prairie, and was the last in the county to be settled. Indeed, it is
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
as yet brit meagerly settled, and had in 1875 a population of 411, a large proportion of whom are of foreign birth. At the last election the follow- ing officers were elected:
Justice of the peace-Frank Barrot. Clerk-Peter Johnson.
Trustee-James E. Robertson.
PILOT MOUND.
This township was organized in September, 1858. The first board of trustees consisted of Bethel Owen, A. Abercrombie and Peter Bunyan. M. F. Schlicht was the first clerk and J. M. Carson was the first assessor. The official meetings of the township board were first held at the house of Mr. A. Abercrombie.
The first school-house was built on the east part of section 16. In 1858 a cemetery was laid out on section 4. There are six subdistricts for school purposes, and the same number for road districts. The sum of $850 was raised last year by taxation for school purposes, and a tax of five mills on the dollar was levied for road purposes. The equalized value of all the real estate in the township last year was $67,126. The present township offi- cers are as follows:
Justice of the peace-William M. Petty.
Assessor-J. R. Butolph.
Trustees-John Burrell, J. R. Butolph and C. A. Lumbland.
The first settlement in the township was made in 1847 by M. White, who came from Indiana and took a claim on section 15. Solomon Tomlinson came from Ohio the same year, and took a claim on section 10. The first marriage, as far as known, was that of John Aknson, who was married to a lady by the name of Peterson, by Samnel B. McCall. Rev. William Sparks, of the Baptist church, preached the first sermon, at the house of Mr. Carson. Sarah Scott taught the first school, in a little log house on section 3. The first school-house was erected on section 3, and cost $50.
The first settlers of this region were subjected to many hardships and privations. Des Moines was the nearest trading point and there was noth- ing but an Indian trail for a road to this place. One of the first settlers of the township was Pleasant Chitwood. He employed Thomas Sparks to do his first breaking in the summer of 1848. The only means they had of reaching the place was a small boat in which the persons rowed themselves across the stream, after compelling the teams to swim across. During the. summer of 1548 Mr. Chitwood undertook to remove his family and a few household effects to his claim across the river. His goods and family were placed on a wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen. When he reached the bank of the stream he unloaded his goods, and, while endeavoring to turn the team near the bank, from some cause, the oxen were precipitated into the river, carrying Mr. Chitwood with thein. He could not swim, but suc- ceeded in clinging to the ox-yoke, and was thus borne down the stream by the current, which was very strong, the river being very much swollen by recent rains. After floating down the stream some distance, he came to a tree, which had fallen into the river and the top projected some distance across the stream. He caught hold of the branches and succeeded in reaching the bank. In the meantime his wife, who had been terrified al- most to the point of desperation, jumped into the boat in order to rescue
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
her husband, and, not knowing how to manage the craft, was borne rapidly down the current. By the time Mr. Chitwood reached dry land, he saw, to his horror, his wife carried past him down the river. He immediately started in pursuit and by means of a long pole succeeded in bringing the boat, with its precious cargo, to land. The oxen were drowned and the wagon became embedded in some drift, and it was nearly a year before it conld be got out.
Pilot Mound is located on section 20, township 85, range 27. This is the highest elevation along the entire length of Mineral Ridge, and it is claimed that at an early day a bloody battle was fought here between the Sioux and Sac and Fox Indians.
A post-office is located here and both the office and the township take their name from the mnound. This township was a favorite settlement and the county rapidly filled up. In 1875 it contained a population of some seven hundred.
WORTH TOWNSHIP.
That portion of Boone county now known as Worth township, was the first to be settled, and was for many years the center of activity and in- fluence. One or two settlements had been previously made further south, but here the claims were taken, the homes established, and the society formed which took the lead and directed the movements which formed the basis of the county's prosperity, and constituted the beginning of history. Here the first school house was erected, the first religions services were conducted, and the first official meetings of the county were held. Al- though no seat of justice was formally selected till 1851, there was practi- cally a county seat located in Worth township during the years 1849 and 1850.
When the county was first subdivided into precincts, Worth township was partly in Pleasant precinct and partly in Boone precinct. Thus inat- ters continued till 1852, when that part of Pleasant township west of the river was taken off, and the township remained for some time with its boundaries as constituted in the following order:
Ordered, That the boundaries of Pleasant township, Boone county, Iowa, be changed as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of section 25, township 83, range 25; thence running west to the Des Moines river; thence south along said river to the south boundary of said county; thence east along said county line to the southeast corner of said county; thence north along the east boundary line to the place of beginning.
This 8th of March, 1852.
S. B. McCALL, County Judge.
It will seen that the south half of Worth township still constituted a part of Pleasant township, while the other part was attached to Boone township. In connection with the south half of Worth and Colfax, there was Douglas and Garden, which constituted what was known as Pleasant township. In 1858 Worth township was first organized, but its boundaries were somewhat different from what they now are, as will be seen from the following order:
Ordered, That for the convenience of the inhabitants and for judicial, revenue, and munici- pal purposes, all that portion of Boone county, within the following described bounds, to- wit: Commencing at the northeast corner of township 83, range 25, thence running west on
34
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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.
the township line four miles, thence south on the section line, dividing sections 4 and 5 in said township to the south west corner of section 9 in said township, thence west on section line di- viding sections 8 and 17 in said township to the Des Moines river, thence down said river to the southwest corner of section 4, township 82, range 26 west. thence running east along the section line dividing sections 4 and 9 to the east boundary of Boone county, thence north to the place of beginning; said township to be known as Worth township and to be organized at an election to be held in said township on the 5th day of April. 1858.
S. B. McCALL, County Judge.
The township was named in honor of William J. Worth, one of the soldiers of the Mexican War and the hero of Monterey. Speaking of the achievements of General Worth and his position at Monterey, Samuel C. Reid, his biographer, says: " The position General Worth then occupied might have been considered as critical as it was dangerous. Separated from the main body of the army-his communications cut off and no pos- sible route less than eight miles to regain it-with but scanty supplies of provisions for only four days, surrounded by gorges and passes of the mountains, from whose summits belched forth the destructive shot and shell and grape; he was liable at any moment to be attacked by an over- whelming force from the direction of Saltillo, which would have placed his command in the very jaws of the enemy. For, although holding the passes and gorges of the Saltillo road, yet a superior force from the advance would certainly have forced him back to, and turned upon him, the very passes he then held. It was feared, too, from his impetnous nature, that he would rush his command into unnecessary danger by some rash and desperate attempt. But it was not so. He was collected, calin and cool, and bore himself with that proud, resolnte and commanding mien, giving his orders with promptness and decision which inspired men and officers alike with confidence. He never appeared better than on that day, 'and all felt that with Worth they were sure of victory.' "
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