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 58
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A church building was erected and dedicated in the Summer of 1861, Rev. H. M. Stanley, of Lyons, Iowa, officiating. This was the first church building erected in the town, and has been occupied to some extent by all of the denomi- nations.
Organized with six members, through the eighteen years which have passed, there have been as regular members about 175 persons, and, with short intervals,
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
the pulpit has been regularly supplied. Rev. S. J. Mills was the first Pastor. He remained for about four years, and was followed by Rev. Chas. W. Tread- well, Rev. A. K. Baird and Rev. E. B. Cousins.
Rev. T. H. Candor was called to the pastorate April 22, 1878; was. ordained and installed May 16, 1878, and at this date is Pastor of the church.
The officers of the church at present are; Pastor, Rev. T. H. Candor ; Elders, W. P. Hills, M. D., and Allen Elijah ; Trustees, W. B. Hanna, John Greig and Wm. Shcarer.
Shortly after the organization of the church, a Sabbath school was com- menced, and has continued to the present time. Mr. Milton Scott is its Superintendent.
United Presbyterian Church .- The congregation which, soon after its organization, became the United Presbyterian Church, was organized at the house of Robert Safley, at Onion Grove, November 19, 1860. According to the appointment of the Chicago Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, the organization was perfected by Rev. John McCorkell, of Elgin, Ill., assisted by Robert Smyth and Robert Davidson, Ruling Elders of the con- . gregation at Mount Vernon, Iowa.
The church began with ten members, Robert Safley, William Chisholm and David Clancy being duly elected its Ruling Elders, and Hugh Ferguson, Robert Safley and Peter Monroc its Trustces. In 1862, as a congregation, they changed their church relation, connecting themselves with the United Presbyterian Presbytery of Le Claire.
Rev. J. S. Buchanan was the first Pastor, taking charge in July, 1866, and continuing until 1871, when he was followed by Rev. J. B. Galloway, the present pastoral incumbent.
The present membership is fifty. Ruling Elders, Robert Safley, David Claney, Robert Anderson and Andrew Nicoll; Trustecs, John Claney, J. B. Allen and David Lemmon.
Evangelical Lutheran Church .- This church was organized November 2, 1861, by Rev. J. G. Schaeffer, with a membership of ten persons and officers, as follows : Elders, Wm. Flannagan and Caspar Decker ; Deacons, P. S. Gortner and John Decker. The Pastors have been Rev. W. II. Wynn, J. C. Baird, J. Helscll, J. Zimmerman, S. B. Hyman and the present Pastor, R. H. Nye, who has a congregation of thirty-nine communicants.
The whole number who have been members of this church since its organi- zation is seventy-nine. Their first meetings were held in the Presbyterian Church, where they continued until the completion of their present house of worship, in 1865, and which was built at a cost of $4,535.53. It is a frame structure, 26x45 feet, and presents a ncat and tasty appearance, quite in accordance with the very worthy people who worship within its portals.
The Sunday school was organized under the pastorate of Rev. J. C. Baird and immediately after occupying the new church. The first accessible record bears date September 21, 1873, at which time there were six teachers and fifty-two scholars, with Rev. S. B. Hyman as Superintendent and P. S. Gortner as Assistant Superintendent ; Wm. L. Leland, Secretary and Librarian ; Mrs. George W. McLeod, Treasurer. The present number of teachers, seven, with thirty-five scholars.
Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first Methodist minister who preached in Clarence was Rev. T. C. Woodford, a superannuate of the Iowa Annual Con- ference, residing in Tipton, about the 1st of November, 1862, and who was invited here by the Lutherans. Clarence was first made a regular appointment.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
by Rev. J. W. Kynett, who was then supplying the Pioneer (now Mechanics- ville) work. Mr. Kynett first preached here on the 23d of November, 1862. His text was the twentieth verse of the fourth chapter of First Corinthians. This was the first sermon preached for the Methodists-the first sermon, by Mr. Woodford, being preached for the Lutherans. Mr. Kynett remained in the work until the 15th of February, 1863, but did not form a class. He was followed by Rev. John Scoles. The next year, Rev. C. F. McLain was placed in charge, and he was followed by Rev. J. L. Paine and G. R. Manning. R. G. Hawn succeeded them, and Clarence was made an independent work in 1868, and W. A. Allen placed in charge. During this conference year, a church edifice was erected. It was dedicated by Rev. Dr. Hatfield, assisted by Revs. Allen and Miller, October 10, 1869. Since then, the Pastors, in regular suc- cession, have been as follows : C. A. Hawn, J. A. Kerr, E. L. Miller, J. H. Rigby, J. F. Wilcox and the present Pastor, Rev. J. T. Spry.
Under the pastoral labors of Mr. Spry, a neat and commodious parsonage was erected, in 1877, and the church handsomely repaired.
The first District Conference held in Clarence convened June 10, 1878, Bishop Peck presiding. All the Methodist Episcopal Ministers of the Daven- port District were present, besides a number from adjoining districts.
The congregation has an aggregate membership of about one hundred and twenty, and a prosperous Sabbath school of one hundred and fifty scholars. E. B. Simmons is its Superintendent.
First Wesleyan Church of Dayton Township .- This house of worship was erected in 1869, at a cost of $1,800, furniture included. The class out of which this church organization has grown was formed September, 1856, with fourteen members. The church organization dates from the 1st of March, 1872, with the following officers :
President, Perez Frink ; Vice President, M. Springsted; Ira Brink, Treasurer ; J. M. Kent, Secretary. The present Directors are Jacob Rogers, HI. W. Frink and H. C. Frink.
The present Pastor is Rev. F. F. Blair.
Catholic Church .- Under the direction and management of Rev. Father Murphy, of Toronto, a small Catholic Church edifice was erected in Clarence in the Summer of 1877. Father Murphy preaches to his people here every four weeks.
EDUCATIONAL.
The present graded school building was erected in 1868, at a cost of $9,000, including grounds. It is a wooden building of two stories ; four large school rooms, two recitation rooms and one music room, a small library and some modern apparatus. The building was built after a plan proposed by W. B. Hanna, and, in many respects, is a model of convenience, although Mr. Hanna is not a practical architect. The building was erected by A. D. Young, con- tractor and builder, now of Vail, in Crawford County. The only objection to the building is that it was built from lumber not properly seasoned, and the failure of Mr. Hanna to make provisions to deaden the floor. An admirable feature is a large hall, intended for a play hall. In time of rain or bad weather, when scholars cannot go out on the open ground, this is a great advantage. " It is true," says Mr. Stubbs, the Principal, " that it is sometimes like Bedlam turned loose, but as thie scholars of the different rooms have recess at one time, the noise is not so objectionable."
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
W. T. Stubbs is the Principal in charge of the school, a position he has held for eight years and one term. Mr. Stubbs was educated at Hallowell, Maine, and is an educator of industry and experience. He is a close student, and uses every accessible means to keep pace with the demands of the educational interests of the county. Unfortunately for him, and perhaps for the educa- tional demand of the county, his eyesight failed when pursuing an academic course, and he was obliged to abandon the course upon which he had entered. His aids are: Miss Bessie Smith, of Tipton, grammar department ; Miss Maggie Walker, of DeWitt, second primary ; Miss Lizzie Murphy, of London, first primary. Miss Smith will be succeeded next term, commencing in Sep- tember, by Mrs. Sarah Miller, of Tipton, an old teacher at Clarence.
The average daily attendance of scholars during the last Winter was 165.
SOCIETIES, ETC.
Euclid Lodge, No. 177, A., F. g. A. M., was chartered June 6, 1866, the following being the charter members : Wm. Flanagan, Thomas Coates, James Huff, M. K. H. Reed, W. N. Hoag, John Dickinson, J. McClure, Moses Polley, O. L. Stout, H. W. Phelps.
The first regular communication after the charter was granted was held June 23, 1866. The following officers were duly elected :
Thomas Coates, W. M .; James Huff, S. W .; Abner Piatt, J. W .; M. K. H. Reed, Treasurer ; R. Owen, Secretary ; D. Wayne, S. D .; J. Kittridge, J. D .; A. S. Brunson, Tyler ; L. W. Phelps, S. S .; W. M. Hoey, J. S.
When the Lodge was first organized, it met in the second story of the build- ing now occupied by A. Thom as a hardware store. The members worked there about three years, when they moved into their present commodious hall, which is all free from debt and handsomely furnished. The cost of the hall was $2,000. The Lodge now numbers forty members. It is in a prosperous condition, and meets every Monday evening before the full of the moon.
Clarence Total Abstinence Society .- This society was organized in March, 1878, and was the outgrowth of a temperance reform movement, commenced in February. Toward the last of that month (February), C. W. Phillips, of Rich- mond, Ind., an influential temperance worker, was invited here to deliver a series of lectures. Under his labors, about 400 persons signed the Murphy pledge, and donned the blue insignia of good faith and honest determination.
Following this revival, steps were taken by Mr. J. W. Beatty and others to organize a total abstinence society, which movement was crowned with success. In the beginning of March, the organization was perfected, and the following gentlemen were elected as officers of the society :
J. W. Beatty, President ; H. W. Blair, Vice President; L. Lockard, Sec- retary ; A. C. Blair, Treasurer ; Rev. J. B. Galloway, Chaplain.
Under the rules and regulations adopted for the government of the club, elections for officers are held every three months-in March, June, September and December.
On Saturday evening, June 8, 1878, the society met and elected its second Board of Officers. Mr. Beatty was re-clected President ; Rev. T. H. Condor was chosen Vice President ; George McLeod, Esq., Secretary ; Miss Dovie Fer- guson, Treasurer, and Rev. R. H. Nye was elected Chaplain.
The society meets semi-monthly. The meetings are devoted to literary entertainments, social intercourse, discussions and the advancement of the cause of temperance. The society is in a prosperous condition and doing a work of usefulness.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
The honor of selling the first goods at Clarence belongs to Hoey & Bone- steel, who, after the freight and ticket office was moved up to the town plat, opened a small stock of groceries and provisions in a part of the car.
Friend & Culbertson, of Tipton, opened the first general store, in 1859. They occupied the building now occupied by C. Peterson as a boot and shoe store.
Messrs. Gilbert & Foote also commenced a general merchandising business in the Fall of 1859, opening out in one end of the building now called the Hecht & Reed warehouse.
Fish & Gere came at nearly the same time, and opened out in the building now known as the Phelps warehouse.
The Smith Brothers, of Tipton, opened a branch hardware store in the Girard Building, now occupied by George E. Smith as a drug store. They were the first to commence this line of business in Clarence, establishing themselves here in the Spring of 1860.
In 1860, Friend & Culbertson built a new store room on Lombard street, the building now occupied by Hecht & Polley.
Fish & Geer erected a building on the corner now ocenpied by E. B. Sim- mons, the same season. That building was destroyed by fire in the Summer of 1865.
M. M. Cummings opened a general store-dry goods, boots and shoes, gro- ceries, drugs, etc., etc .- in 1860. His building was located on the corner now occupied by Snyder & Co. It was a rough, shanty-like building, and was destroyed by fire, about nine years ago.
From 1862 to 1871, the business of Clarence was exceedingly prosperous. The effects of the great fire in Chicago, in October, 1871, were felt here to some extent. However, the business men have no reason to complain for want of patronage or scarcity of money. The surrounding country is occupied by industrious, ener- getic farmers, who raise a large surplus of grain and stock, for which a ready cash market is always found through the shipping facilities offered by the C. & N. W. Ry.
GENERAL BUSINESS SUMMARY.
Dry goods-Hecht & Polley, Snyder & Co., E. B. Simmons and W. B. Hanna are heavy dealers in dry goods, notions, groceries, etc. Variety stores -O. E. Campbell, Miss S. E. Neeley and Mrs. S. S. Crocker keep a general supply of millinery goods and notions. Grocers-Tiffany C. Carson is a gen- eral dealer in all kinds of family supplies. Drugs-George E. Smith and Messrs. Blair & MeLenan. Hardware-A. Thom and J. W. Beatty. Meat mar- ket-H. P. Grim. Jewelry-J. L. Esher. Harness shop-Robert Porter. Boots and shoes-C. Petersen, William Overhoff, H. Hall. Dentists-Dr. T. D. Sturtevant, Dr. Shuck. Physicians-Dr. Thomas Coates, Dr. E. D. Yule, Dr. William Hills, Mrs. Dr. Williams. Attorneys-F. C. James, Fer- guson & MeLeod, T. J. Garrison. Banking and exchange-Bent & Cottrell (P. Bent, W. G. D. Cottrell) do a general exchange business ; they commenced operations July 20, 1870; their exchange on Chicago averages $35,000 per month ; their present very handsome brick banking house was erected in 1871, at a cost of $7,000. Hecht & Polley also transaet a general brokerage and exchange business ; they commenced selling exchange on Chicago about 1862 or 1863. Livery stable-J Morrison. Stock dealers-L. Phelps & Son, M. K. H. Reed. Butter and egg dealer-T. O. Manning.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES, ETC.
The largest manufacturing establishment is the carriage and wagon shop of Messrs. Crocker & Wilcox-Silas S. Crocker and Albert Wilcox. Mr. Crocker is a practical wagon maker, and commenced that business in this village in 1860, and was the first to commence either wagon making or blacksmithing in Clar- ence. His shop stood on the lot now occupied by the Post House barn and stable. About three years of the time that elapsed from 1860 to the present, Mr. Crocker was ont of the business and employed by Mr. C. M. Gilbert, merchant and grain and stock buyer. In 1875, Mr. Crocker and Mr. Wilcox formed a partnership and opened a shop on Ames street, a little west of the railroad buildings, where they still carry on the business. In ordinary times they employ five men. They manufacture lumber and spring wagons, carriages, etc., that have a good reputation for strength, durability and excellence of mechanism.
Besides being a good practical mechanic, Mr. Crocker is an inventor of no mean order. Within the last year he has obtained patents for the following : Nut lock, patent No. 194,133, August 14, 1877 ; fence post, patent No. 196,- 337, October 23, 1877 ; wagon-bolster plate, patent No. 201,333, March 19, 1878 ; foot baths for horses, patent No. 284,482, June 4, 1878. On some of these, Mr. Crocker is already realizing handsomely. The foot bath for horses is said to be an excellent invention, and one that commends itself to all practi- cal horse men. Besides these above named, Mr. C. has secured a number of others of value and importance.
S. Wilson is manufacturer of barrels, casks, etc., since 1876.
James Beech is a manufacturer of baskets of all kinds. He commenced the business in 1876.
The manufacture of what is known as the Scotch iron harrow is carried on quite extensively by Messrs. Curley & Scheffer, who have been engaged in the business for about three years.
John Brinsky engages in the manufacture of wagons, harrows and other farm implements, and does a general business as blacksmith.
Jay Snyder manufactures wagons. carriages, etc., and does a general repair business.
Carpenters, Contractors and Builders .- James Drake, Jack Neeley. John Pike (the best feeling man in Clarence), John Vanderpool, F. Frink and - Jeffries. Besides these, the name of N. W. Rogers deserves mention. Ile was a natural mechanic-could turn his hand to anything-made many inventions, and was one of the first carpenters to settle in the village. He came here about 1864-5, and many of the houses, stores, barns, etc., bear evidence of his handi- work. He was a master workman ; but there was a greater, and, falling into ill health in March, 1877, he gradually declined in physical vigor. In April, 1878, he went home to his parents in Canada, where he died about three weeks after his arrival. The news of his death was received with sadness by the peo- ple of Clarence, among whom he had lived so long, and by whom lie was uni- versally respected.
Milling Interests .- Cessford & Chappell's steam flouring-mill was erected in 1868, at a cost of from $8,000 to $10,000. It has three runs of stone, and is supplied with all the modern apparatus. It is now under the exclusive man- agement of Ferguson Chappell.
Agricultural Implement Dealers .- This branch of business is well sustained. The oldest dealers now engaged in the business are G. D. Evans & Son, who
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
commenced the business in 1865. They are also local agents for the American Express Company. H. F. Juckett also deals in this line of goods, as well as lumber, coal, wood, etc. He commenced business in 1877.
Grain Elevators .- There are two grain elevators in successful operation. M. K. H. Reed operates what is known as the Old Omo Elevator, which was erected about 1868. The building was first used as a warehouse by Friend & Culbertson, of Tipton ; then by Messrs. Hecht & Reed, then by A. S. Omo, who remodeled it and rehabilitated it as an elevator.
The Mink Elevator is operated by Allen Elijah. It was first built and operated by William N. Hoey as a warehouse. In 1866 or 1867, it passed into the ownership of James Huff & Co., who converted it into an elevator, and sub- sequently sold it to T. & B. Mink, who still own it, but it is operated by Elijah, under lease. Horse power is used in both of these elevators.
There are several other warehouses in the vicinity of the railroad track, which, at one time, were in active operation, and through which many hundreds of thousands of bushels of grain were shipped to Chicago and other markets.
Poultry Packing, Etc .- Among the other men of enterprise, whose names deserve especial mention, is L. P. Thompson, who is largely interested in buy- ing, packing and shipping poultry. Mr. Thompson commenced this business about 1873. He fitted up buildings for this especial purpose, and during the poultry packing season, from the 1st of December to the 1st of March, his poultry yard and house bustle with activity. He buys poultry from all parts of the country, receives it by wagon and car loads, dresses it, freezes it, packs it and ships it to Boston and other Eastern markets by car loads. He receives in return, as the market demands, fresh oysters and codfish in car lots.
Besides his investments in this line of business, Mr. Thompson deals largely in fine horses, buying and shipping by rail to the East. He is noted, from one end of the country to the other, as a horse dealer. He is now the owner of two blooded stallions-Brougham, by Rysdick's Hambletonian, and Sterling, the last a beautiful bay, of fine proportions.
HOTELS.
The first hotel erected was known as the Clarence Hotel. It was built by Messrs. Bray & Baker in 1859. The only other buildings erected on the town site, previous to this, were the warehouses along the railroad track and the Friend & Culbertson storehouse. A man named Reed, of Louden, was the contractor and builder. For several years, it was the only hotel in the village, and passed through many changes of management before it was abandoned as a hotel and made to give way before more extensive hotel structures. During its management by J. Hart, in 1863, the first child born in the village put in an appearance within its walls. The boy was named Clarence, after the village of his birth.
The next hotel was the Pacific House, which was first called the American. The first part of it was erected by A. Bloomburg, in 1864-5. Mr. Bloomburg made a contract with J. Wear to build an addition to the part already erected, so as to increase its accommodations. When the addition was completed, Mr. Wear took possession and opened it as the American House, in the latter part of 1865. About 1869 or 1870, Mr. Wear sold out to C. M. Gilbert, and Henry Houghton became the manager. Houghton was succeeded by Alfred Day, a good hoteler. After that, there were two or three changes before the present proprietor, Capt. Lyon, assumed its management.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
The Post House was first commenced by Mr. S. S. Crocker for a family residence, in 1860. In 1861, Mr. Crocker sold the house and grounds to James Huff, who made a two-story addition and used it as a dwelling. In 1868, Huff sold out to E. E. Post, who immediately built a two-story addition and opened it as the Post House. In 1870, he made another addition of three stories, which afforded ample room and accommodations for hotel purposes. Mr. Post still continues as " mine host."
MECHANICSVILLE.
In the year 1850, the present site of Mechanicsville was claimed by Joseph Stratton. Subsequently, it became the property of George Weaver, who, in turn, sold his interest to John Onstot. In 1855, the latter gentleman, in com- pany with Daniel A. Comstock, who obtained, and for a short time held, a certain proprietary share in the realty, platted the original village of Mechan- icsville. The territory embraced in the survey amounted to sixty acres, and lay to the extreme west of what is now the town. Comstock did not remain long in association with Mr. Onstot, but speedily relinquished his rights and removed to a distant point, leaving Mr. Onstot the sole owner of the village site.
During the year 1857, David Dorwart became proprietor of a tract of land situated east of the original village, but not immediately adjoining the eastward boundary of the same. An unplatted parcel of about forty rods in width lay between the village and the Dorwart purchase (which was at that time, termed the " Iroquois " tract), and was owned by John Onstot. Mr. Dorwart com- pleted an arrangement with the Chicago & North-Western Railway, shortly after the "Iroquois " land came into his hands, whereby forty acres of the tract were to be platted as a village site, the railroad corporation receiving as its compen- sation every alternate village lot. In order to unite the two plats and secure the harmonious development of both, Mr. Onstot at once surveyed the strip of land intervening between his own village and the new site, which embraced about twenty acres, thereby extending the general plat so as to include one hundred and twenty acres all told. The railroad company then located the depot on its present site, instead of upon a point suggested originally in the first plan. Thus, the village plat was made, and as then made it still remains. Eighty acres of the claim cost the proprietors $6.00 per acre, and the remainder was secured at the government price-$1.25 per acre.
The name of the town was proposed by Mr. Onstot and was derived from the character of the original settlement inade at the west end of the town. The first settlers were artisans, the owner himself being a carpenter by trade, and the character of the occupants of the little cluster of houses was such as to render the name at once appropriate and significant.
The first buildings erected were, as above stated, upon the Onstot plat, and were built in succession respectively by John F. Cole, A. Keith, Heman Moss, S. C. Wilson and Garrett Onstot in the fall of 1855. The first structure was burned many years later, but the second oldest house still exists and is now occupied, in a thoroughly renovated condition, by the Rev. Father McCabe, of the Roman Catholic Church. Two others of the old landmarks also stand, to mark the work of the pioneers.
Dr. Pierce was the pioneer physician of the place.
The first store was opened in the Spring of 1856, by Daniel F. Comstock, who engaged in the usual general merchandise trade, peculiar to a new country.
Dr. Abger opened the first drug store in 1857.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
The mechanical trades were first represented by John Onstot, as carpenter, and Sam McWade, as blacksmith, in the first year of the existence of the village. The year following, 1856, Mr. Shattuck and his son-in-law, Phil Hyde, began work as shoemakers. In 1860, W. A. Landalıl opened a shop of the same kind, and is now in business here, being the oldest slioemaker in continuous residence in the town. T. Patterson was the first tinsmith, and A. H. Bell the first jew- eler to open shops of their respective kinds in the village. The first cabinet maker was James Daton; the first harness makers were John and William Ramsey ; the first wagon maker was Abner Barnes ; all of whom began work soon after the founding of the town, but of the precise date, no record of suffi- ciently authentic character to warrant quotations now exists.
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