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 61
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The first building was a carpenter shop, erected in 1856, by Edward Fowler, Isaac and John Heald ; the former being owner. It was located on the site of the school house, and was afterward moved away. In the Fall of that year, the depot was built. In 1857, A. B. Cornwall purchased the general store which had been started a short time before by Mr. Wallace. Four houses were built in 1857 by Mr. Downey ; one on Lot 2, Block 10, was opened as a hotel by Beech Downes, followed by E. W. Luster, and then Thomas Fern, as proprie- tors, after which it was used as a private residence and is now the grocery store of Harvey Watson. The other houses were one on Lot 7, Block 10, now occu- pied by V. R. Cornwall, one on Lot 10, Block 10, now the residence of James Crozier, and one on Lot 7, Block 12, now occupied by James R. Singleton. In the same year, John Loy built a house on Lot 4, Block 11, now owned by Edward Riley.
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
Mr. William Brisbine opened one of the first stores in Downey, and, with several intervals, is now in business there.
The store of James Crozier has been established about twelve years.
N. W. McCain opened a drug store about three years since, and added dry goods in 1877.
Mr. Kinkaid is still blacksmithing there. Mr. James M. Elliott lias had a blacksmith and wagon shop since 1875.
The carpenters at present are Thomas Tidd and Frank Longerbeam.
Messrs. Feltner and Work deal in lumber, stock and grain. The elevator which they use was built by Isaac Heald about ten years ago, and was then operated by J. C. Evans.
Daniel O. Goodrich deals in agricultural implements and timothy seed at the old depot.
The shoe shop of Jonas Hinchliffe is still continued.
The present physicians arc Mclaughlin and Gibbs, who have been practic- ing there since 1877.
SCHOOLS.
In the Winter of 1858-9, V. R. Cornwall taught school in the Fowler build- ing. In 1860, school was again held in the house now owned by Mr. Crozier. The teachers in 1861 were Z. Broadhead, assisted by Mr. Bail, in E Riley's house. In 1862, Miss Lizzie Ealey taught in the house of J. Johnson. Chas. O'Conner taught the Winter school, but was not paid by the School Board, as he had taught without certificate, and, February 24, 1863, was notified to dis- continue, " for keeping a disorderly school." At that time there were thirty- seven pupils.
The first school house was built about 1863, and March 5, 1866, a tax of 5 mills was levied for a school house fund. The school house was re-built in 1871, at a cost of $10,000, on the same site-Lots 4, 5, 6 and 7, Block 14. It is a two-story frame building of good appearance, having three rooms, although but one is now used, being taught by John Waters. There are about thirty-five pupils.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
RELIGIOUS.
The religious devotions at Downey were originally held in the old depot. Rev. Howe, of Iowa City, a Presbyterian minister, first preached there.
The Methodist Society was organized and their church erected in 1869. The church is located on Lot 3, Block 14, and was erected at a cost of $2,500 by John Work, William Purvis, Simeon Barnes and J. J. Roberts, Committee, under the pastorate of Rev. William Purvis, since deceased, of West Liberty. He was followed by Rev. Mr. Selby, of Iowa City. Next came Rev. M. Bol- ton, followed by Rev. Mr. Selby again. He was superseded by Rev. Mr. Scott, of Iowa City, the present Pastor.
The Baptist Church was erected at a cost of $2,000, in 1870, although the corner stone is dated July 4, 1869. It is located on the hill at the southeast corner of the village, and was built by A. B. Cornwall, Joseph King, C. F. Hoyt, J. M. Watson and the Pastor, Rev. H. G. Sangster, of Iowa City, Com- mittee. Rev. Mr. Sangster was followed in turn by Revs. A. C. Kelley, of Iowa City, and J. W. Conlce, a teacher near Downey. This Society has a mission station at West Branch, for which it has purchased a church, which was dedicated April 7, 1878, by Rev. Mr. Hiscox, of Iowa City.
Sabbath schools have been cstablished in connection with each of the churches, Henry Mosher being Superintendent of the Baptist and Daniel O. Goodrich of the Methodist school.
The village has never been incorporated, but acts under the township organ- ization. While it cannot anticipate a great increase in size, being situated between and near West Liberty and Iowa City, yet it has a large scope of excel- lent farming land surrounding it, from which an unusual amount of produce shipping is done ; and as its farmers leave their farms to rest from the life of labor, they will naturally find a home in the village on the beautiful hillside, where they are best acquainted and in the midst of life-long friends.
SPRINGDALE.
The settlement of this vicinity was made chiefly by members of the Society of Friends. In 1849, John H. Painter began improvements in the northeast corner of the township, in the northcast quarter of Section 1. Mr. Painter had previously lived in Iowa Township, and did not move to Springdale for a year after he began improvements.
In 1850, Ann Coppic settled on thic east half of the southeast quarter of Section 1. There she built a frame house, which she still occupies. She after- ward married Joseph Raley, who died April 1, 1878, aged 87 years. Her house was the first in that part of the township, where she is the oldest settler. Her son Edwin was hung at Harper's Ferry, for participation in the John Brown raid to free the negroes, fuller mention of which is elsewhere made.
Levi Leland, the old temperance lecturer, who improved the place where D. B. Morrison now resides, settled on the southwest quarter of Section 2, in 1850. After a few years he moved West, and is now in Oregon. His wife and family are old residents of Tipton. Moses Varney settled in the Fall of 1850, on the west half of the northeast quaarter of Section 10, where he built a house and lived with his family for some time. He now resides in Springdale, on the southwest quarter of Section 1.
Levi Fawcett came the same ycar to the southwest quarter of Section 12, where he lived with his family. He died in 1859, and his family now reside in Johnson County.
515
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
Dr. H. C. Gill came to Springdale in 1850, and began the practice of medicine, which he has continued to the present time. Dr. Gill purchased the location of this present residence and built in 1852. In 1851, Benjamin Ball came and built the house now owned by J. T. Carson, on the southwest quarter of Section 1, owned for many years by Jesse Bowersock. John Heald settled at Hickory Grove, and Eli Heald where Israel Heald resides. Within the next two years there was a rapid increase in this settlement. Many of the primitive houses were built in a very rude manner (the lumber having to be hauled from Muscatine) with what was called a balloon frame, the boards being put on up and down ; they were sometimes occupied for months without battening or plastering; the occupants suffered much from the intensely cold winds, which prevailed unobstructed in those early days. The only barns were formed by planting forked sticks in the ground, with poles for rafters, and covered with slough hay, the sides being sheated with the same material or straw, by lcaning up poles and piling the hay or straw upon them. Often the sides were formed by stacks of hay or straw.
The first goods were sold in 1851, by Louis Schofield and Thomas Winn, who built a store on the southeast corner of the sontliwest half of the southeast quarter of Section 1, and opened a store. Mr. Winn was Postmaster. Mr. Schofield remained but a short time, and after about ten years the store was continued by Wilson Heald and Elias Macy. The former is still a resident of the township, while the latter is living in South America. Mr. Winn died at Newport, R. I., within a few years.
About 1853, Jesse Bowersock built a store room on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of Section 1, on the site of the present store of Elwood Macy and Thomas Fawcett, having previously kept a store on his farm, the . northwest half of the northeast quarter of Section 6, Iowa Township, where he settled in 1844. After several years, Mr. Bowersock removed to West Liberty, thence to California. £ Heald & Macy's stock was transferred to Thomas James and Ignatius Hook. The latter is now in Texas. James Smith and Ed. Manfull bought them out. Mr. Smith's interest was soon sold to Jonathan Maxson. Then Thomas Townsend, who died in Texas, and Joseph Gue, who is now near Omaha, Nebraska, operated the store, and were followed by Joseph Steer, proprietor, with John A. Gill, manager; then followed John C. & Samuel Chambers, then Macy & Smith.
The present proprietors of this store which has been a prominent feature of Springdale from its beginning, are Messrs. Elwood Macy and Thomas Fawcett. The former was the Representative to the last State Legislature from this County.
The first blacksmith at Springdale was Eli Heald, about 1853. He was followed, in 1856, by Ed. Manfull, who, in turn, was succeeded about ten years later by Sol. Heald. He sold to Samuel Morrison, who still continues in that business and in wagon repairing.
George Randall at present operates another shop.
S. J. Lundy has a steam machine shop and has patented a gang plow which will soon be manufactured.
The carriage manufactory of D. Schooley is located here; it has been in successful operation about fourteen ycars and does as fine work as can be found in Iowa, with a capacity of about $10,000 per year. He has large, roomy shops and his carriages have a reputation for durability and elegance not surpassed.
Among the present business interests of Springdale, are the following : General stores-A. Raley & Co., Mather Bros. (also drugs), Macy & Fawcett.
516
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
Boots, shoes, tobacco and cigars-Edward Sexsmith. Flour, pumps, etc .- M. V. Butler. Furniture and undertaking-S. E. Thomas. Millinery-Mrs. Libbie Gill. Meat Market -- Elzy Maxson. Harness shop-J. Zwickey. Car- penter shops-Townsend, Thomas & Son, Henry Wesley. Physicians-Dr. H. C. Gill, Dr. H. C. Darner. Dilworth Schooley, carriage manufacturer. H. C. Gill, Justice of the Peace and Notary Public. William Mather, Postmaster.
The first mail facilities for this region was a hack line in 1850, running from Davenport to Iowa City, operated by George Albin, and afterward by Joseph Albin. This line was run by them for about twenty-one years. The latter carried the mail from his 11th to his 32d year, and now resides in West Branch.
One great impediment which the early settlers encountered, was the soft and miry condition of the sloughs in many places. They were bottomless, so far as was known at that time; most of them were without channels, and the water spread out over the entire bottom. When there were channels, the only bridges were of poles and went down stream with every heavy rain, and had to be hunted up and carried back by hand, as teams could not get to them.
The Cold Spring Cheese Factory is operated by a stock company under the name of G. P. Smith & Co., Joseph Hall, Nathan Satherthwaite and Lindley Holloway, being the other partners. It was organized in 1873, and two large and well-arranged buildings containing two 600-gallon vats, were erected near the southeast corner of the southeast quarter of Section 2.
Mr. Smith has manufactured cheese on his farm for many years, but since the decrease in the market price of other farm products, many farmers in this vicinity have purchased a large number of cows, from ten to seventy-five each, and give support to the chcese factory. The farmers furnish milk ; a salesman and treasurer, at present, Mr. Ira L. Spencer, is appointed to sell and report the product of the factory. The proceeds are paid to the patrons proportion- ately, after deducting two cents per pound, which goes to the proprietors of the factory for manufacturing. For milk, the patrons were paid about eighty-five cents per hundred pounds during 1877, and about twelve cheeses were manufac- tured per day. The amount will be greatly increased the present year. J. O. Spencer is the cheese maker in charge.
SCHOOLS.
The first school house was built in the Fall of 1852. on the northwest cor- ner of Section 12, and school was first taught there by Mahlon Oliphant. An addition was afterward built, and two teachers employed. In 1867, the pres- ent two-story frame school or seminary building, 48x52 feet, was erected at a cost of $8,000. Although this institution is conducted under the auspices of the Independent School District, it has been formed into the Springdale Sem- inary, with the following instructors : H. H. Hiatt, A. B., B. D., Principal and Superintendent ; Kinsey Wilson, Grammar Teacher; Ella M. Carlton, Intermediate Teacher ; Mary A. Thomas, Primary Teacher.
The following constitute the Board of Directors : John Michener, Presi- dent ; Dr. H. C. Gill, Treasurer; and George Heppenstall.
The rates of tuition range from $3.20 to $8.80 per term, according to sea- son and department. There were 176 students during the past Winter. Grad- uates-William Worrall, 1876; Kinsey Wilson, Ella Ellerman and Charles Maris, 1877.
The course of study is such that two years in the higher room will prepare students for the Freshman Class of Penn College, Oskaloosa, Iowa, without further examination.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
An arrangement has also been made with the Iowa State University, at Iowa City, by which students may prepare themselves to enter the first or sec- ond sub-Freshman year of its course without examination, and with Cornell College, at Mt. Vernon, Iowa, so that students may prepare themselves for that institution by completing the studies required, and receiving a certificate of recommendation.
Besides the regular course of study, each student may avail himself of a practical business education in bookkeeping and penmanship, without additional expense.
There is a good library in connection with the school, and a literary society which meets weekly.
Boarding can be obtained at reasonable rates, and students are in attendance from many neighboring villages.
Students whose conduct is exemplary, and who complete the course of study, are furnished a Diploma of Graduation, signed by the Principal and Board of Directors.
RELIGIOUS.
As previously stated, the Friends constitute the principal element of popula- tion in this vicinity.
In 1850, an Indulged meeting was organized in J. H. Painter's house, and a Preparative meeting was begun in 1851.
In that year, the Society of Friends built, near Springdale, the first meet- ing house in the township, and it is said to have been the first in Cedar County. The house was built of gravel, with a cement roof, and answered as a place of worship for a number of years. There were only a few families at that time, and the worshipers often came to meeting in the middle of the week just as they left their work-barefooted, and without coats or vests ; and it was no un- usual thing for families to come in a wagon drawn by oxen. Such were some of the characteristics of those early days.
A new church was erected in 1857, on the northwest corner of the south- east quarter of Section 1. Here this society has continued, in the even tenor of its way, to the present time. Their brotherhood is strong, and there is ex- tended over all the county, in matters of local legislation, the influence of that modest integrity for which the Friends are proverbial.
The Methodist society held meetings and effected an organization in the school house, soon after its erection, although sufficient support was not received to build a church until 1875.
The church is a frame building, costing about $2,000, and is located on Lot 4, near the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of Section 12.
Rev. J. Freer was the first regular Pastor, and after two years was fol- lowed by Rev. S. B. Maltbie, the present Pastor, who officiates there and at West Branch.
Sunday school has been conducted in connection with the church since its erection, Elwood Macy being Superintendent in charge.
INSURANCE.
Springdale has a Mutual Fire Insurance Company, with about $400,000 worth of property insured among the surrounding farmers.
The following are extracts from the regulations of this society :
WHEREAS, We now organize, this the 23d day of January, 1872, by adopting the following Articles of Association. witnesseth, that George J. Maris, J. C. Chambers, H. C. Gill, John T. Carson, George Woolley, John Leonard, Elisha Todd, and all other persons who may become
·
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
members of said company, are hereby associated by the name of Springdale Fire Insurance Company.
The object of said company being to insure buildings, as well as household furniture and other personal property in buildings insured, against loss or damage by fire or lightning. The company to have perpetual succession, except as provided in Article 15th, and assumes the rights, privileges and liabilities provided by law for Mutual Fire Insurance Companies.
The first officers of the company were: For President, to serve two years, John C. Cham- bers ; for Vice President, to serve one year, H. C. Gill; for Secretary and Treasurer, G. J. Maris ; for Directors for two years, Elwood Negus and Joseph Hall ; for Directors for one year, George Woolley and A. B. Cornwall.
ART. XII .- This company shall not do business beyond that part of Cedar County west of Cedar River and Graham and Scott Townships, in Johnson County.
SEC. 10 .- The fees for insurance shall be as follows, viz .: For membership, $1.00; for policy, 50 cents, and one mill on the dollar on the amount insured.
The present offieers are : President, Lawrie Tatum ; Secretary and Treas- urer, Win. Mather.
DROWNING.
Thursday evening, July 5, 1877, six boys, from the vicinity of Pedee, went swimming in Cedar River, one and a half miles above Rochester. Two of them, Justus Brown, aged 20 years, and Albert Worrall, aged 13 years, were drowned. The young men were highly esteemed in the vieinity by all aequaint- ances, and diligent search was made on Friday and Saturday for their bodies and the body of Worrall was found on Saturday. Among the two hundred present and engaged in the search, was Nathan E. Smith, a merchant of Springdale, who, in attempting to eross the river, although a good swimmer, beeame suddenly exhausted or stunned by the hot sun, and sank beneath the water. Efforts were inade to reseue him by those near by, but without sueeess, and a third life was lost. On Sunday, about one thousand people, from all parts of the county were at the river, and after searching all day, the body was found three-fourths of a mile below, on a sand bar. Justus Brown's body was afterward found. Mr. Smith was a son of Gilbert Smith, was 40 years old, of which time twenty-five years had been passed in Springdale Township. He left a wife and two little boys. He was a partner of Mr. Elwood Maey, mer- chant at Springdale, and at the time of his death was Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors.
Springdale Township was organized in 1853. Formerly, all of Cedar County on this side the Cedar River was ealled Iowa Township. Springdale Township, when organized, included two-thirds of what is now Gower Town- ship and for some two years after, when Gower was organized. The first officers were, Justices of the Peace, Thos. James and Joseph Chase; Constable, Levi Coppie ; Trustees, Moses Varney and Samuel Macy ; Clerk, Emmor Rood; Assessor, J. H. Painter ; Supervisors, A. B. Cornwall, John Heald, Jos. K. Quaintanee, Jas. Frame and Wm. Thompson. This election was held in April, 1853, at the Springdale post office.
There is not a saloon in the Township. The inhabitants are mostly from Ohio, with just enough of the Yankee interspersed to give variety. A strong temperanee interest is manifest throughout the Township, and being the second township in the county, in point of population, its influence for the suppression of intemperanee is often effeetual. The present population of the township is about 1.500.
The first settlers of this township were noted for being strong Abolitionists, and many fugitives from bondage, fleeing from Missouri. made this a point on their way to freedom.
SPRINGDALE TOWNSHIP
521
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
CENTREDALE.
When the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad was completed, a station was established at the farm of Joseph Ball. At that time, the district school was located near there, and a shanty was built in which to board the railroad workmen.
Among the earliest settlers near Centredale were John Ball, 1850; James Ball, 1852; John S. Smith, 1854, and son, R. B. Smith. Isaac E. Schooley came to Iowa in 1853, and occupied liis present farm, two miles southeast of Centredale, in 1855. Richard Fawcett and others came in 1853. On com- pletion of the railroad, the school house was used as a depot, and a grain eleva- tor was built by John Ball, who deals in grain, coal and lumber. A post office has been established, and a store, which has been operated by Benjamin Pearson for the past two and a half years, occupying the old school building, while a new depot has been erected. Centredale has also a blacksmith shop, and school house, which was last taught by Miss Mary Tipton. George J. Lamborn is the village plasterer.
The Society of Wilbur Friends have a church one mile north of Centredale.
DURANT.
Durant is located on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, twenty miles west of Davenport, in Farmington Township, in the southeastern corner of Cedar County, on the south half of Section 36, in the midst of a gently undulating, fertile prairie.
The earliest civilized inhabitants of this vicinity were David and George Walton, with their father, David W., who has since died there. They settled about three miles west of Durant, in May, 1836, and still reside on their farms, being the oldest settlers of Cedar County. Harrison Gray (1838), George, Paul and John Hanson, and their father, were early settlers across the county line, three miles south, in Muscatine County ; while about 1853, Mathew Brown, James Young, John Burr and J. H. Pingrey settled about one mile south. Mr. Young and Mr. Pingrey still reside there, the latter having 1,000 acres in Mus- catine County and 3,000 in Iowa.
George Wetherholdt settled in 1854, one and a half miles northeast, in Scott County.
March 11, 1853, Joseph Weaver, having formed a dislike for his profession (law), came West and entered a portion of his present farm ; commenced improv- ing in May, 1854, and moved there April 3, 1855. Mr. Weaver says : " There were then no people on the east side of the township, and only a few families on the west, namely, those of George Herr, David Walton, George Walton and Peter Daum, all of whom lived in the timber at the southwest corner of the township."
In October, 1855, Mr. Weaver shipped the first wheat (600 bushels) from Durant, on a construction train. This he sold at Davenport for $1 per bushel.
P. M. Christ settled near Mr. Weaver about the same time. He died in 1875.
When the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad was surveyed through the southeast corner of the county, Benjamin Brayton, with a Mr. Taylor as silent partner, both civil engineers on the railroad, entered the south half of Section 36, and in 1854 laid out and platted the village. But when others decided to establish a village at Fulton, they sold this land, and it was soon
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
after repurchased by Mr. Brayton, in company with Ebenezer Cook and Geo. B. Sargent. One-third interest was disposed of to Gen. John A. Dix, and another one-third interest to Thomas C. Durant, of Union Pacific Railroad fame. The village was named after the latter gentleman. They owned a large portion of the village, through Hiram Price, trustee, until in 1877, when their last interest, of about one hundred lots, was sold. The lots are 64x150 feet. A fractional block was given to each, the Episcopal Church and the school district.
Durant was recorded June 27, 1855, under the proprietorship of George B. Sargent ; and again, with modifications, September 10, 1855. The first build- ing in Durant was a shanty erected in 1854, on the site of the large vellow warehouse in the western part of the town, on Lot 10, Block 12, by Mr. Thompson, the contractor of two miles of railroad through Durant, as a boarding house for his workmen.
The first settlers were from New Haven, Conn. The second building was erected in August, 1855, by Clark M. Loomis, on Lot No. 1, in Block No. 15, one story high. He occupied it but a short time, when, his wife being out of health and homesick, he returned to New Haven, where he is now engaged in the publication of a musical monthly magazine. The building was afterward used as a cabinet maker's shop by I. N. Gilbert, beer saloon and for various other purposes, and then moved to Lot 5, Block 2, and is now occupied as a dwelling house.
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