USA > Iowa > Cedar County > The history of Cedar County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. : a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 54
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Clarence Gazette .- The next newspaper undertaking was the Gazette, by Messrs. Crane & Mclaughlin, law partners. The undertaking was not a successful one, and the Gazette died an early death.
Then came the Independent, which was commenced by E. L. Derby, and then sold to D. W. Carothers. The latter gentleman after a short trial, sold out to Messrs. Wood & Wooster, who failed to make a living success out of the undertaking, and the office material reverted to Mr. Carothers, who finally removed the outfit to Wheatland.
True Delta .- Next after the Gazette came the True Delta, by Burton & Co. After a few months this paper " gave up the ghost," and followed where so many good newspapers had gone before, and Clarence was again left without a newspaper.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
Dana Mc Niel .- Among the business interests of Clarence may be mentioned that of Dana McNiel, son of Wm. McNeil, the successful stock raiser. Dana is a bright boy about 12 years. Having obtained possession of a miniature printing press, Dana has become an expert at job printing, and interferes very materially with " Printing House Square."
Stanwood Express .- In the Spring of 1872, E. L. Derby was induced to undertake the publication of newspaper at Stanwood, which he called the Stanwood Express. It was about the size of the New York Tribune-of eight pages and five columns to the page. It was an ably conducted paper, but the expenses of keeping up so large a newspaper exceeded the receipts, and its light flickered out in 1873. Its career was brief but glorious. After the death of the Express, the material on which it had been printed was removed to Clarence.
TIPTON.
The location of a county seat for Cedar County was a matter of so much general interest in the history of this county, that this subject has been given a special chapter. Suffice it to say here, that Tipton was located as the seat of justice in March, 1840, on the northwest quarter of Section 6, Township 80 north, Range 2. The northwest corner of the original plat, being the center of the county, is situated near the elevator on the railroad. The plat was sur- veyed May 20, 1840, by John J. Tomlinson, Surveyor, with streets eighty feet wide, alleys sixteen feet, and lots fifty by one hundred and forty-two feet in size. Wm. M. Knott was one of the chain bearers on this survey.
From the Commissioner's Record the following is taken. April 18, 1840, it was
Ordered, That J. J. Tomlinson proceed to lay out the town of Tipton agreeable to the plans submitted by him forthwith, and make return of the same to the Clerk of the Board as soon as finished.
Ordered, That the surveyors lay out the public square on the most eligible site near the cen- ter of the quarter section.
Tipton was named by Henry W. Higgins, one of the locating commission- ers, in honor of Gen. Tipton, of Indiana, a warm personal friend of Mr. Higgins.
The claim ownership of the site has been noted in the General History.
The only building on the town site at that time, was a log cabin which had been built by Wm. M. Knott in 1839 for Henry S. Chase, near Robert Collar's present residence.
This cabin was first used as the County Clerk's office, by Wm. K. Whittel- sey, who moved there from Rochester. The County Commissioners also met here in 1840. When the removal of the county seat occurred all the county were contained in one candle box.
In the Spring of 1840, Charles M. Jennings built a cabin near the south- west corner of Section 31, afterward in Jenning's Addition to Tipton. This was used as the first public house at Tipton, and was called the " Petriksen " building ; afterward, in 1846, it was used for church purposes.
John Culbertson and wife and William Cummins came to Tipton in 1840, and the former boarded with George Carl, two miles southeast, until his house was built in June (?) on the site of the City Hall. Here Mr. Culbertson kept hotel for many years. He afterward engaged in the mercantile business with Preston J. Friend. Among the residents who came soon after were John P. Cook, Ninian Y. Walker, a carpenter, Daniel Davis, a carpenter, and John R. McCurdy-all single men. John P. Cook built the first storeroom in Tipton in
459
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
June, 1840, on the corner now occupied by J. W. Tuthill's drug store, where he opened a general stock of goods-the first to be sold in the village.
John R. McCurdy was the first tailor, and built a shop near the site of Whan & Adam's store. Dollarhyde was a tailor of Tipton soon after.
Preston J. Friend built a log cabin near the same place, and William R. Rankin, Tipton's first lawyer, soon after married and moved to a house built just north of the Palmer House. Jacob A. Haight built a frame house on the site of Mrs. Cynthia Sharp's residence. Davison Lee, remembered for his peach brandy, built near and cast of Michael Shaffer's present residence, just east of town.
William Cummins soon separated from partnership with John Culbertson, and built a frame house near the site of Perrien Dean's store, on the north side of Court Square, third door east from the corner. There he opened a salcon, which was afterward sold to Wm. M. Knott.
In March, 1841, William H. Tuthill came to Tipton, and soon after pur- chased the store of John P. Cook, which he continued for about two years.
The next general store was that of Friend & Culbertson.
The following is a copy of the census of Tipton, taken by Edward M. Mac- Graw, March, 1842, there then being thirty voters and ninety-four souls :
John Culbertson, wife, child and two hired girls. 5
John P. Cook, Wm. K. Whittelsey, John McElroy, Danl. Davis, P. M. Vicker .... 5
Wm. H. Tuthill, John S. Tuthill, O. C. Ward, John R. McCurdy. 4
Preston J Friend, wife and three children 5
William R. Rankin, wife, child and Laura Kilborn. 4
Charles M. Jennings, wife and three children 5
Davison Lee, wife and four children 6
John Finch, wife and eight children 10
Abraham Lett* and five children, Mrs. Abraham Lett and five children 12
Eleazer Huff, wife and Charles S. Ovett
3 Jacob A. Haight, wife and four children.
6
George McCoy (Sheriff ), wife and two children.
William M. Knott, John Fleming, Bob Guinee, Jake Wink
4
Samuel Akers, wife and four children .. 6
9
William A. Doty, wife and child .. 3
Dan Reed, Franklin Heywood and Doty's other man 3
94
Harvey G. Whitlock was the first among the disciples of Galen to make his home at Tipton. He built a house on the site of Judge Tuthill's office, and afterward moved to California.
A son of Jacob A. Haight-named Jacob Tipton Haight-was the first child born in Tipton, in 1841. John Tipton Culbertson, son of John Culbertson, was born soon after. Sallie Friend was the first girl born in the village.
In 1841, Charles M. Jennings built the hotel known as the Fleming House. Several other small buildings were put up as residences about that time, and the village began to assume form.
In 1841, John J. Tomlinson built a small house on the site of Mrs. H. M. Dowd's residence. Eleazer Huff built a house in the same year on the site of Perrien Dean's residence.
The building of the Jail and Court house is referred to in another place.
In 1840, George McCoy built a house and planted a cottonwood tree on the east side, in the dooryard, in the same year. This tree is now of gigantic size, and well known by all. It is located at the corner of Sixth and Cedar streets, near S. D. Casad's office.
* Abraham Lett's first wife died Oct. 9, 1841, being the first death occurring in Tipton, and he married the widow Southern on the 20th of January, 1842.
4
Harvey G. Whitlock, wife and seven children.
460
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
In 1841, John S. Tuthill built a house for Wm. H. Tuthill, near his present residence.
Addison I. Gillett opened a store, about 1843, in the room built by William Cummins. He remained here until his death, a number of years later.
Those in Tipton at that time will remember " Bob Guinee," the fiddler, who came in 1838, and, later, delighted to 'tend saloon while Bill Knott, then Deputy Sheriff, would be absent on business. There he would sit and drink and fiddle, and fiddle and drink, until he was powerless to watch the saloon, when customers would help themselves without price.
The first harness maker in Tipton was John A. Sangston, who came in 1842 and left after a short time; and, in 1848, Austin Parsons came and has con- tinued in the harness business from that to the present time. He and John Godden, the plasterer and stone mason, are among Tipton's oldest mechanics.
E. M. MacGraw was the first wagon maker in Tipton. He was followed in that trade by John S. Tuthill, in 1841, by Robert Evans and by S. A. Bagley, who settled near the south county line, in 1838; moved to Center Township in 1844, and to Tipton, as wagon maker, five years later.
The "Tontine" was a small building put up by John Culbertson as a bar room, and afterward used as the Clerk's office when Culbertson was appointed District Clerk, and as post office when J. C. Betts was Postmaster.
Dr. Richard Hall opened his drug store in 1847, having been in practice there since 1844, and continued until the California fever.
In 1845, A. I. Gillett had the only general store in Tipton. Two years later, Friend & Culbertson opened their store.
In 1847, Alonzo Shaw, who came in 1845, and Col. Lockwood Smith bought the hotel of John Culbertson, and carried it on until 1850, when it was sold to Samuel Tomlinson.
William Morton, brother of A. P. Morton, now of Center Township, opened a store, about 1847, in a two-story building built by Tuthill & Cook, the upper story of which was used as their office. This building was afterward used for many years as a store room, and torn down by John Whan to make room for Whan & Adams new brick store, in 1876. Morton sold to Alonzo Shaw and George Bagley, in 1852.
In 1849, Willard Hammond, who had been at Cedar Bluffs, came to Tipton and opened a general store. This he continued until his death, February 21, 1864. His family are now prominent citizens of Tipton and elsewhere.
About 1851, Friend & Culberton built the first brick store building in Tipton, the long building on the northeast corner of the block west of Court square.
In 1837, Charley Swetland came to Cedar County and first settled at Rochester. He went to California in 1853, and returned the same year. Im- mediately after, lie built Virgin Block, on the northwest corner of the block, south of Court square. The firm of Kizer, Crew & Turner began business in this building with a general stock.
In 1854, Charley Swetland began the brick building just south of the old Friend & Culberton building, now Fleming & Van Ness' store, but sold to Shaw & Bagley, who completed it. Swetland then built the "Block & Wallace" building, on the southwest corner of the block, north of Conrt square.
Charley Swetland started the Advertiser in November, 1853.
A plain, unvarnished statement of occurrences is sufficient to show what activity and enterprise this well-known man displayed. He afterward failed and went to Corinne, Utah, where he died. One old friend says : "He was a whole-souled, rattle-brained, jolly, go-ahead man-the friend of every one."
461
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
The Cedar County Advertiser was issued first, November 12, 1853. A notice of it will appear in the Press chapter.
In its first number the following business cards and items, illustrative of Tipton at that date, were found :
Attorneys at Law-Wm. H. Tuthill, S. A. Bissell, Wells Spicer, H. C. Piatt, S. S. Daniels, John Huber, A. F. Brown (Rochester). Justice of the Peace-Robert M. Long. Physicians- (Dr. S. B. Grubbs had been here previously ), Reynolds & Turner, C. L. Chambers (who came June 6, 1850, and has practiced to the present date), H. W. Ross (Rochester, now in Oregon), Dr. N. Green (Rochester), W. A. Piatt, J. W. Creese (Eclectic), D. S. Martin (Botanic). General Mer- chants-Friend & Culbertson, W. Hammond & Co., Shaw & Bagley, Addison I. Gillett, C. D. Davis (Rochester), Green & McNaughton (Rochester), Wm. Baker (Rochester), N. C. Swank (Rochester), Elias Shawber (Cedar Bluff ), David Platner (Pioneer, now Peets' Mill). Grocers- Thomas W. Harrass, Jolin Weaver. Druggists-Aaron Gilbert, Mustoe Chambers & Son, Na- thaniel Baker (Rochester). Hardware and Tin Shop-S. P. Daniels. Tailors-I. N. Magee, M. Lyon (Rochester). Boots and Shoes-John H. Dickinson, C. F. Breithaupt (Rochester). Wagon Makers-Robert Evans, S. A. Bagley. Blacksmiths-Aaron Peabody, Robt. H. Adams.
An article in the Advertiser of Nov. 19, 1853, says :
Tipton is a village containing between 600 and 700 inhabitants, situated in the geograph- cal center of the county. Its citizens are moral and industrious. It can boast of one select school, by Miss Kate Bissell, and two public schools with competent and experienced teachers. It can further boast of three churches, three hotels, eleven stores, a steam mill, two black- smith shops, two wagon shops, one saddler's shop, two shoe shops, a tin shop, etc.
The following are the market reports :
Wheat, 55 to 60 cents ; Rye, 40; Corn, 20; Oats, 182; Potatoes, 15; Beans, 50; Onions, 40 Hams, 8; Bacon, 10; Eggs, 10; Butter, 15; Tallow, 10; Lard, 10; Flour, per barrel, $5.00 ;; Buckwheat, $2.00 ; Salt, per bushel, 60; Corn Meal, 30; Dried Peaches, $2.50; Dried Apples, $1.25 ; Green Apples, $1.25 ; Hay, per ton, $2.50 ; Beef, per pound, 5 to 6 ; Pork, per pound, 5 to 6; Hides, dry 7, green 3.
The following Justices are named :
Polk Township-Wm. P. Dillon, David Sloper. Pioneer Township- Nelson Rathbun, David Platner. Cass Township-J. Baldwin, R. P. McCurdy. Linn Township-W. A. Rigby, A. Thompson. Center Township-R. M. Long, R. N. Taylor. Springfield Township-J. B. Huff, W. C. Hoskins. Rochester Township-J. Lindsey, J. D. Walker. Sugar Creek Township -B. W. Wall, A. C. Barrick. Iowa Township-D. W. Hoy, E. Schooley. Springdale Township -Thos. James.
In August, 1854, W. H. Hammond, known as "the tinner," opened a hardware store, while Crees & Starr occupied the old frame Friend & Culbert- son building with a stock of drugs and groceries. Much general improvement was made in this year, the size of Tipton having increased one-fourth.
In 1855, Shaw & Bagley sold out to Kiser, Crew & Turner, and bought the corner where now are located the buildings of J. L. Rowell and J. W. Tuthill. On this corner, in 1857, Harry and George Bagley and Alonzo Shaw built a three-story brick building, which was sold to McNamara, and subsequently destroyed by fire.
The Advertiser, January, 1855, contained the following notice :
I will present to any one about to be married by me, a valuable book. REV. WM. BAGLEY.
The next week appears the following :
I will make a present of a young pointer pup to each groom about to be married by me after this date. WM. M. KNOTT, EsQ.
The latter was then Justice of the Peace, and did not propose to let the ministry get ahead of him in the matrimonial trade.
Samuel Tomlinson built the brick store building next east of Block & Wallace, in 1855, and the building three doors east, now owned by the Co-op- erative Association, about the same time.
462
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
In 1856, Orson Childs built the briek building owned by Perrien Deau, and it was oceupied by E. Childs & Co., grocers.
The Dew Drop Lodge, I. O. G. T., was organized September 14, 1855.
Among the business men not yet mentioned, were L. B. Jones, blacksmith ; George Harrass, "Railroad Bazaar ;" John Weaver, grocer; I. N. McGee, tailor, of 1854. Carter & Fell, dry goods ; Mrs. Van Houton, milliner; Goe- wey, Dudley & Co., furniture ; Pittenger & Wheeler, general stock ; Warren Wate, baker; William Elliott, clothier and tailor, and James Myer, Jr. & Co., hardware, were business men of 1865.
In November, 1856, Manby & Ingman began as elothiers, in the new build- ing built by Sam Tomlinson. Casad & Gilmore opened their " Great Western Clothing Emporium " in September, 1856; and in 1857, bought out Manby & Ingman, and entered their present business room, where they have remained in the same business to the present date-twenty-two years.
In 1857, William Bagley built the briek building on the south side of Court square, and opened a furniture store.
Soon after, J. L. Ray & Co., general merchants, with L. D. Durbin, built the brick building on the west side of the block north of Court square.
Those were the days of Tipton's great prosperity, when hopes of rapid growth promised fair; but railroads to the right of them, railroads to the left of them, and everywhere except through Tipton, were a " damper " to the great expectations.
At that time, Tipton claimed as great a population as it now has. Then there were four hotels, and from the notice of business firms it will be seen that there was mueh business activity.
The new school house had been built and the Court House was in prospect. R. F. Carter had begun the millinery business in 1856; John H, Bierley and Henry C. Latham established a Jumber business the same year : George Tritch succeeded Samuel Tomlinson & Co. in the hardware business ; James L. Rowell established the jewelry store, which he has continued to this time; Reigart & McNamara, druggists ; F. P. & H. Dean, boots and shoes ; C. H. Millhouse, harness dealer ; Parsons & Muzzy, harness dealers-were all in business in 1857.
Many new and, then, elegant residences had been ereeted. The new jail was completed in 1857.
The Cedar County Mock Legislature was an institution of much prominence at this time. We find accounts of the staid and sober old citizens of to-day then mocking General Legislative proceedings with mueh mirth and hilarity.
A few years later, came the rumbling sounds of war.
The Tipton Guards had been organized in 1857; and the Union Home Guards were organized Saturday, July 18, 1863-J. W. Kynett, Captain ; J. D. Mitchell, First Lieutenant ; J. W. Casad, Second Lieutenant.
The Loyal League of Center Township was organized, and the "Hoss Marines " was the euphonie title under which an opposition company was organ- ized, whose Captain does not at this time feel overpoweringly elated when reminded of the exploits and prowess of the "Hoss Company" then under his command.
Later, Post No. 8 of the Grand Army of the Republie, the Soldiers' Aid Society and the " Union Glee Club " were prominent features of Tipton. A liberty pole, eighty feet in height, was ereeted in Court square, July 2, 1863.
Then eame the news along the wires of the assassination of President Lin- coln. Tipton was draped in mourning. The Advertiser appeared with black column and head rules.
463
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
After peace was restored, the people of Tipton settled down to their stores and trades, and their prosperity since has been even and continuous, marked by but few occasions of special importance. Railroad matters-regarding whichi, Tipton folks are inclined to be cautious and skeptical-are referred to in another chapter.
Tipton received a severe blow in 1870, from
A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
On Sabbath evening, April 17, 1870, Tipton was visited by a disastrous conflagration, which totally destroyed one central corner, leaving the buildings in ashes for almost half a block on either street, among them the finest in the place.
The fire started at 9 o'clock, in the livery stable owned by Hcaton & Boyn- ton, and occupied by Hamilton & Merriam, situated on the north side of Fifth street, near the middle of the block, and directly in the rear of MeNamara & Co.'s three-story brick, which occupied the corner, fronting Cedar street. Between the brick and the livery stable stood a small, one-story frame building, owned by Millhouse & Snyder, harness makers. North of the brick corner was J. L. Rowell's frame building, one room of which was occupied by his jewelry store, and the other by Miss T'illie Miller's millinery store. The Palmer House came next, a three-story frame, with one store room occupied by the boot and shoe store of J. L. Masterson. These, with a barn and outbuildings, belonging to the hotel, were all destroyed.
The fire originated in the rear of the liay mow of the livery stable, and was first discovered by Mr. C. S. Hamilton, who immediately gave the alarm, and all the horses-including Ansel, a valuable thoroughbred-were saved.
The fire soon communicated to the hotel stable and to the harness shop, on the east. These buildings, being all of wood, burned so rapidly that all hope of saving the hotel was abandoned, and the crowd began removing the goods and furniture from all the buildings in danger.
The block west was in great danger of being burned, and all goods were removed from the buildings ; but the progress of the fire was stayed when the buildings on that corner were consumed.
The losscs were as follows :
Hotel, owned by Amos Stanley, $8,500; insured $1,250 each in the Union and State Companies, of Des Moines. Goods of Mr. Stanley, $600 (this was the ninth building and third hotel of Mr. Stanley's lost by fire within four years, and the only one insured). McNamara & Culbertson's building, $5,000; insured for $2,000, on McNamara's share only. McNamara & Lytle, stock of drugs and medicines, $4,000; about one-fourth saved, in a damaged condition. Heaton & Boynton, livery stable, $1,500. Hamilton & Merriam, livery stock, $2,000; insured $800. James L. Rowcll'a building, $1,500; insured for $800-stock all saved. Millhouse & Snyder, shop, etc., $250. J. L. Mas- terson, loss and damage to stock, $1,000; insured $3,000. Mrs. Mary Palmer, loss on furniture, $600. Masonic Lodge, $1,500. Miss Miller's stock, $100. J. T. Culbertson, F. P. Dean, William Dean & Co., and Casad & Gil- more, loss by removal of goods, from $50 to $300 each. S. V. Landt, furniture, stored over Mastcrson's store, $300. William M. Wilcox, boarder at hotel, $200. Total, according to these estimates, $26,550; of which, $6,100 was covered by insurance.
Although some were very much crippled, financially, most of those who suf- fered by the fire were able to resume business ; and the ugly blot is now entirely erascd by the elegant brick blocks which cover that locality.
ยท
464
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
The first organization and incorporation of Tipton took place in 1852. It must have been under special charter, although no records of this incorporation are to be found, from the fact that the councilmen never met to organize.
The Advertiser of July 22, 1854, says :
We are now on the second year of our town incorporation, and as yet, nothing has been done by the Councilmen, not even as much as to organize themselves to do business. We suf- fered the incumbency of one set of town officers for about fourteen long months without even organ- izing. At our last town election, we changed hands on our Board of Town Supervisors, and hope we have profited by the bargain, but as yet we have no assurance that they will do any better than the old ones as they have not organized.
From the Advertiser of Wednesday, Ang. 15, 1855, the following is taken :
At the first meeting of the new Town Council of Tipton, held last Monday, J. W. Cattell was elected President, and George Bagley, Clerk. At a meeting on Saturday evening, Messrs. S. S. Daniels and Spicer were appointed a Committee to prepare a revised charter.
This was probably Tipton's first active Council.
In November, 1855, the people voted against the adoption of a city charter, for Tipton, but voted favorably two years later.
The town of Tipton was incorporated January 27, 1857, subject to an act of the General Assembly, approved January 27, 1857. An election was held February 28, 1857, to determine whether the voters would accept and act under the special charter as before stated. Joseph K. Snyder was appointed Judge of said election, and Geo. Bagley, Clerk. The record does not show whether the election resulted in the adoption of the charter or not. but several citizens are inclined to the opinion that it was adopted, as town officers were elected the following April.
In 1865, the old charter was abandoned and Tipton was incorporated under the general law of the State relating to incorporations.
The following quotations are made from the Council records of May, 5, 1865:
On motion, a Committee of two were appointed to circulate a petition for signatures of those in favor of abandonment of the present charter, and an organization under the general incorporation law. Committee, Messrs. Parsons and Smith.
At the next meeting, May 9th, 1865, a petition signed by fifty-six legal voters of Tipton was presented and read, requesting the abandonment of the present charter and coming under the " Act for the Incorporation of Cities and Towns." It was therefore
Resolved, And directed, that a special election be held at the Court House in said town of Tipton on the 2d day of June, 1865, between the hours of 1 o'clock P. M. and 5 o'clock P. M., at which election the question of abandoning the charter of said town and coming under the gen- eral law for the incorporation of cities and towns, should be decided.
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