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 63
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In the Summer of 1838, Barngrover & Moore brought a stock of goods to Rochester and opened a store.
Lewis D. Phillips also sold goods as an established business in 1838.
Joseph Crane established the first regular blacksmith shop in Rochester in the Fall of 1838. His first job was for Geo. McCoy.
S. B. Grubbs settled in Rochester in the Summer of 1839, and was the first resident physician in the town. Elisha Henry, a pretender to the science of medicine, also settled in Rochester in 1839, and previous to Mr. Grubbs, but was a better carpenter than physician. He moved to Pedee in 1840. Daniel Barber came with Mr. Henry.
Notes made by Nelson Swank in 1859 read :
Noble Barren settled in the county in 1840; he was a pretended physician, and as such dealt out to the sick freely during the day and followed his legitimate trade (shoemaking) during the night.
Mr. Barren is not remembered by the oldest inhabitant, but it is probable that he lived at Rochester, the only village in the county at that time.
October 15, 1839, Abraham and Jonathan Cline settled two miles east of Rochester, while Christian Cline settled two miles north. Schuyler and Philan- der Cotton came to the county in the Fall of 1839, and the following Spring, together with William Green, burnt the first kiln of brick in Cedar County. Simeon C. Bodfish, millwright, came to the county in the Spring of 1839. Andrew Wilson settled on Porter's claim in October, 1839. Charles Foreman and family, consisting of a wife and one child, from Greene County, Ohio, and Joel Foreman settled one and a half miles northeast of Rochester, on Stephen Toney's claim. Joel Foreman is dead, but Charles still resides on the old farm.
530
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
George P. Coffey, with his family, and John Chasteen settled in Rochester June 9, 1840. Nathan Howe with his family settled on his present farm in 1842.
When John Finefield came, November 16, 1844, Adam Graham kept a gen- eral store in a house facing east on the block where the Hardman House now stands.
Timothy J. Newton had a general store in the old building, now unoccupied, on the corner north of the old hotel building. George Coffey kept hotel near Graham's store for many years. He had a family, and lived in Rochester until his death. Nelson C. Swank was coopering, but on the death of Mr. Graham, he continued the store until his death.
S. A. Bissell was then Probate Judge and Justice of the Peace.
Dr. Meredith, who died at Cedar Falls, and Dr. Rickey, now of Keokuk, were the resident physicians at Rochester.
Dr. Henry, who died in California, had the ferry in charge, and was super- seded by John Dillon.
Willianı Green was then operating the mill on the creek, north of town.
Nicholas Stutzman began blacksmithing in 1844, and Noah Walters in the following year. Mr. Finefield opened a blacksmith and wagon shop in 1844.
The newspaper of Rochester will be noticed in a chapter devoted to the press.
The second hotel building was erected by John Foy, on Water street. This was purchased by Charles Swetland, who moved it to the southwest corner of Main and Third streets, where it now stands. It was last occupied as a hotel by Nathan Carey, and is now the residence of Lysander Raffenburg. At present, there is no hotel in this historic village.
The first religious meeting, conducted by Martin Baker, has already been mentioned. Religious services were continued in private houses and the school house for many years. They now have a church building, of the Christian denomination. Meetings are held, also, every alternate Sabbath by Rev. James Scull, in the school house; Rev. Bowers, of the United Brethren denomina- tion. preaches on the intervening Sabbath.
The school is now taught by Miss Ella G. G. Coney, of Atalissa.
The two-story brick store on the opposite corner from the old hotel building was built by William Baker. The brick building west of the hotel was built by Dr. Noah Green and Wm. McNaughten, and the store east of the hotel was built by T. J. Newton. All were built before the steam mill, although the pre- cise dates have not been obtained.
About 1853, a large three-story brick steam flouring-mill was built on the river bank in Rochester, by Dr. Noah Green (a son of William) and William McNaughten, who afterward carried on a flouring-mill in Wilton, where he died, and Mahlon Bailey, now in Kansas. Mr. Bailey sold his interest to Charles Swetland, and after several years James Cessford purchased the mill at Sheriff's sale. He operated it for some time ; then rented it to Mr. McNeal, and finally tore it down and removed the machinery to Clarence.
In 1871, some excitement was occasioned in the vicinity of Rochester by the supposed discovery of silver ore in paying quantities. Expert miners visited the locality ; assays were made and a report given that a good per cent. of silver existed in the ore analyzed. Companies were organized and leads opened ; shafts were sunk in Iowa Township and machinery procured, but the material raised proved valueless. It contained but a very small per cent. of silver ore-so small that it could scarcely be detected-and the enterprise was
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
abandoned. Several companies were formed, however, while the excitement was up, and a great deal of money was lost in the speculation. In fact, where one dollar's worth of silver ore was raised, a thousand dollars were sunk.
Among the companies organized was the Rochester Silver Mining Company, which cousisted of Henry Hardman, President ; Raffenburg, Vice Presi- dent ; Adam Bair, Secretary ; Cordis Hardman, Treasurer; Oliver Jack, Will- iam Baker, John Baker, J. S. Smith and Jacob Hilton. They operated chiefly on the west side of the river and existed as a company about two years.
A few years since, J. H. Peabody and Brown & Bagg were merchants of Rochester. At present, Horace Wright has a grocery ; Samuel Wolcott, gro- ceries, boarding house and feed stable; Daniel Bagg, saloon ; Emanuel Weaver, saloon ; Adam Bair, Postmaster and druggist. Mr. Bair came to Iowa in 1839 ; to Cedar County in 1840, and has been in business at Rochester since 1853. Dr. Wright, physician ; John Finefield, blacksmith and wagon maker ; James Wilson Stuckenbrook, blacksmith ; Noah Walters, blacksmith.
Golden Rule Lodge, No. 24, A., F. & A. M., was instituted September 7, 1850. The first officers and members were as follows : Henry Hardman, W. M .; M. Phelps, S. W .; E. E. Edwards, J. W .; J. H. Leach, Treasurer ; M. B. Taylor, Secretary ; A. C. Barrack, S. D .; Jacob Wymer, J. D .; J. H. Creese, Tiler. As charter members, there were also Wmn. Hoch, Amos Witter, S. Searls and Silas S. Swan.
The first petition for membership bears the name of A. H. Armstrong. The first work done in the Lodge was conferring the third degree on Mr. A. L. Healy.
The charter bears the date of June 3, A. D. 1857 ; signed W. D. McCord, Grand Master ; T. S. Parvin, Secretary.
Golden Rule Lodge has conferred masonic degrees on upward of 120 per- sons, now scattered over the Western States and Territories.
Of the charter members, three still remain affiliated with the Lodge, viz. : Henry Hardman, E. E. Edwards and J. H. Creese-full of years and masonic works, waiting for the sound of the Supreme Grand Master's gavel to call them from labor.
The officers for the present year are J. G. Wyant, W. M .; L. P. Atkins, S. W .; G. Lincoln, J. W .; J. S. Smith, Treasurer ; O. Howe, Secretary ; A. R. Pedan, S. D .; A. Burnett, J. D .; D. Bagg, Tiler. The present officers are all young masons except one, J. S. Smith, an old war-horse of the Lodge, and to whom is due more than to any other one the perpetuity of the Lodge. The present number of members is twenty-three.
Adam Bair has been one of their members from almost the time of organi- zation.
Henry Hardman was made a mason in Golden Rule Lodge of Fairfield, Greene Co., Ohio, in 1827.
At one time, Rochester was the largest village in Cedar County, with fair prospects of continued prosperity. The river was then considered navigable and steamboats occasionally made their way up to Cedar Rapids. As water was the only means of transporting produce, except by laborious teaming, this was a valuable consideration, but when steamboats were unable longer to come up the river and when railroads began to be projected, many of the people left for Tipton and other places, dealing Rochester a blow from which it never re- covered.
532
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
CEDAR BLUFF.
The earliest settlers in this vicinity were the family of Jackomyer Baldwin, from Montgomery County, Indiana, who settled in Mason's Grove, Section 22, May 2, 1837. The family consisted of his wife, who now lives with her daughter, Martha M., now Mrs Frank Perkins, three sons-Frank (deceased), David (deceased), and Thomas, now in Oregon. Mr. Baldwin built a mill on a little run, in the grove, where he manufactured a considerable quantity of corn meal, to the great convenience of the settlers.
John Malic and George Parks, from Tippecanoe County, Indiana, came at the same time with Mr. Baldwin, and settled adjoining him. The latter lived in the vicinity for many years.
In April, 1839, Elias P. Chord, from Greene County, Ohio, built a cabin in the timber, on the claim, the title of whichi was disputed between him and Jack- omyer Baldwin, and out of which grew a protracted and bitter lawsuit. The Court decided against Mr. Chord, and a writ of ejectment was placed in the hands of the Sheriff, George McCoy, who, with a posse, proceeded to execute its commands. At the door of the cabin he was met by Mrs. Chord, pistol in hand, and he wisely concluded not to eject at that particular time. He waited until the family were all absent, when he razed the building and set fire to the pile. Mr. Chord afterward built out on the prairie, on the place afterward owned by John Stout. Mr. Chord was the first man to open a regular cooper shop in Cedar County.
Josiah Swab came to the county in company with Mr. Chord.
In April, 1837, William Mason, a prominent man among the early settlers, made a claim on Section 21. From Mr. Mason, the grove received its name, " Mason's Grove." His son John still lives in the vicinity.
The earliest settler on the west side of the river, in Cass Township, was William Kester, who died there in 1840 or '41. He came there as early as 1837, with his sons, James, William and John, and daughters, Cynthia and Elizabeth.
Henry Nickolson, who came with the Baldwins, did the first plowing on the west side of the river, for a Mr. King, on the farm owned by Willard Ham- mond.
Among other early settlers, before 1840, were Alexander and Frank Moffett, with their father, who died there, and sisters, who became Mrs. Jacob Hard- acre and Mrs. Wm. Neeley ; also, John Stout, on Section 36; Reuben Long, on Section 31; William Walters (1839), on Section 36; Jacob and John Hard- acre, on Section 36-all of whom are still living in the county.
In the Fall of 1836, Joshua King made the first claim at Gower's Ferry. He sold to Ross McLoud, he to Staten, he to Gove & Cone.
As near as can be ascertained, Christian Gove afterward became a partner of Conlogue and - Goodell, and was interested with thein in a "whisky shop " which they kept on the west bank of the river, in 1838. They were also accused of being counterfeiters.
William Frazeur states that he helped build the first ferry boat used there, for Abner Arrowsmith, in 1838. It was then called Washington Ferry.
In 1839, James H. Gower and Willard Hammond bought the claims of many "squatters " in Cass Township, and Mr. Gower settled on Section 33, on the east side of the river; while in 1841, Mr. Hammond came from Hampton, Illinois, and settled on Section 32. Mr. Gower built additions to the house for- merly owned by Mr. Arrowsmith, on the site of Cedar Bluff, and opened a store. He also bought the ferry of Conlogue & Gove, and had a post office
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
established at his store. Mr. Gower received his goods chiefly from St. Louis, via Muscatine.
Steamers occasionally came up Cedar River. The "Maid of Iowa," belong- ing to the Mormons of Nauvoo, Illinois, came up, and a large quantity of corn was purchased from Mr. Gower, for which he never received compensation. Of this boat, Mr. Beeson, now of Johnson County, being well acquainted with the river, acted as pilot.
Mr. Gower soon after began pork packing. He paid $1.00 per 100 pounds, in store goods, for dressed pork. After a few years, Mr. Gower discontinued his store and moved to his farm, on the west side of the river, where he lived in a house near the end of the bridge, known as the "Norton house." Mr. Gower moved to Iowa City in 1844 or 1845, where he lived until 1877, when he removed to Lawrence, Kansas, where he is now in the banking business.
In the Spring of 1841, Robert Gower, from Ohio, settled on Section 33, on the west side of the river, with his family, including his sons-James, Alexan- der, Sewall and Albert.
Mr. Robert Gower was a surveyer, and laid out the village in July, 1851, for Charles W. Gower. The land on which it was located was entered by J. H. Gower, in the name of C. W. Gower, Allen and Willard Hammond. It was transferred to J. H. Gower, then to Robert Gower.
Mr. Robert Gower purchased the ferry from his brother.
A note written at the time of the survey says :
Red Cedar River is navigable for steam and other boats at all seasons of the year when free from ice. It possesses at this point superior facilities for damming and bridging, and the settle- ment in this vicinity requires both.
The village is located on the corner of Sections 27, 28, 33 and 34, Town- ship 81, Range 4 west.
The ferry was continued in succession by Mr. Gower and Daniel Moffatt, in 1865, who after one month sold to John Snyder; then, in 1873, it passed to John Jacobs, who sold to Henry Herbert, the present proprietor.
Mr. Robert Gower, after whom Gower Township received its name, was a public spirited, highly estcemed man, prominent in many county and local actions, and a member of the Second Constitutional Convention. He died in April, 1874. His son, Sewall, now living on the old farm, is the only one remaining of the family.
James H. Gower was a Representative to the State Legislature at an early day.
As stated, the first house on the site of Cedar Bluff was built by Abner Arrowsmith. Mr. J. H. Gower madc additions to this house, and when he left, in 1844 or 1845, the village was deserted until 1850, when Eli Shawver moved there from Tipton, and built a dwelling house and store room near the river. When any benefits from the navigation of Cedar River were despaired of, Mr. Shawver moved his store upon the hill, where he also built a residence.
The next building was a house for a hotel, by Daniel Riegle. This was the first hotel in Cedar Bluff, although Robert Gower had kept travelers on the west side of the river. Mr. Riegle was succeeded in turn by L. D. Cleghorn, George Moore, David Lisk and James M. Long. The hotel burned down in 1875, while under the management of Mr. Long. It was rebuilt by William Herbst, who now conducts it.
About 1861 or 1862, Mr. Ziba Howard, purchased the store of Mr. Shaw- ver, and after two years sold out to Joseph Graham, who closed out his business in 1870. After one year, James M. Long opened a store, and Washington
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
Ackerly established a grocery. This he sold to Frank A. Baldwin, who con- tinues the trade.
As stated, Mr. Long's store and hotel were burned in 1875.
Mr. S. W. Andre has kept a general store during the last year.
In 1866, there were but ten houses in the village. At present there are the following business interests, besides those already named: Carpenters, William Fankhauser, since 1866, and Daniel Fredericks; saloon, Emanuel Achenbach ; blacksmith, Samuel Coffman.
The first physician was Dr. Davis, about 1846 ; he was followed by Dr. W. C. Dodd, who still resides there. E. M. C. Neiman was also in practice there at one time.
The first drug store was kept by J. M. Long. G. Lewis Stempel carries on that business at present.
POST OFFICE.
The first office was established here June 24, 1841, with James H. Gower, Postmaster. The office was called Cedar River, being the third office in the county, and was supplied from Tipton. A regular station being established on the Iowa City & Galena Mail Route, with Alonzo Shaw, mail carrier. It is now a station between Iowa City and Mechanicsville; Ed. Seitsinger, mail carrier. July 3, 1849, the name of the office was changed to "Gower's Ferry." The office was kept successively by Robert Gower and Sewall Gower, on the west side of the river. It was changed to the east side in 1859, with David Baldwin as Postmaster, and the name changed to " Cedar Bluff." J. M. Long succeeded him, and was followed by the present Postmaster, F. A. Baldwin.
After the post office was moved to the east side of the river, another office was secured on the west side called Gower's Ferry, with Robert Gower as Post- master, followed by L. F. Blatsler. This office was again consolidated with the Cedar Bluff office when the bridge was built at that point.
SCHOOLS.
The nearest school to which the settlers might send their children, in 1842, was located on the Philip Metz farm. Pupils attended here and boarded with John Blaylock. The school was first opened in that year by George Smith, afterward County Judge. After two or three years, J. H. and Robert Gower hired Mr. Lambert to teach in a log cabin on the west side of Cedar River, on the Kester place. School was continued there every Winter until the school house was built, near the site of the present school house, on the Gunsolus place. The new school house was built in 1876, and is a good frame building. At present the teacher is Miss Clara Dodd.
There is no school house in Cedar Bluff, although a good district school has been established one mile east, since about 1856, and is now taught by Miss Safley.
RELIGIOUS.
There is no church building at Cedar Bluff. Services have been conducted there from a very early day, irregularly, in private houses, and latterly in the school house. Among the early preachers there were, Martin Baker, Lorenzo D. Cleghorn, S. A. Bagley, William Bagley and William B. Foote, all of the Christian denomination. There were also Rev. Mr. Hinkle, of the Mormon ; Rev. Mr. Bowman, of the Methodist Church, and many others. The Methodist Class was organized by Rev. William Lee, of Tipton. In 1877, Rev. Mr. Miller preached regularly. Rev. Mr. Snyder has preached since in the school house
535
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
Four miles east, the Lutheran denomination have a church, which was built. in the Spring of 1867, and in which Rev. Wm. Lee preaches occasionally. It was first supplied by Rev. Altman, and has been usually supplied by the Lutheran Pastor, from Tipton.
In 1877, a large iron bridge was erected over the Cedar River at this point. and, being the only one in this county, it has increased the business at Cedar Bluff, and conduced greatly to its prosperity. There are now about one hundred inhabitants in the village. It has an excellent location, and is in the center of an unsurpassed farming district.
PEDEE,
INCLUDING A SKETCH OF IOWA TOWNSHIP.
It is the opinion of George Frain, who settled in Iowa Township in 1838, that its first white inhabitant was Clement Squires, who, with his wife and two children, settled two miles south of Rochester in the Spring of 1837. He was a man of bad reputation, and removed to the South in 1840.
In the same Spring, Thomas Lingle and family (including his sons Solomon, John and Jacob and his daughters Kate, Betsy, Lydia and Susan, of whom Jacob, Lydia and Susan died while there) settled about Section 14. After a few years he moved to Big Grove, north of Iowa City, thence to Dubuque, Iowa. As to the advent of Robert G. Roberts, authorities are at variance. While the Indians stated that his daughter Eliza was the first white woman to cross the Cedar River at Rochester, it is claimed that he first went to Muscatine County in August, 1836.
Mr. Frain was told that Mr. Roberts returned to Cedar County and Iowa Township in the Summer of 1837, and purchased his claim from Clement Squires for $20.
Be that as it may, these were the first settlers of Iowa Township and that portion of Cedar County west of the river.
Their nearest grist-mill being in Illinois, their coffee-mills served to grind buckwheat. In 1837, Messrs. Roberts and Lingle built a horse grist-mill for grinding corn and buckwheat. They made the stones out of some prairie boulders which they found in the neighborhood. This mill was patronized by pioneers who lived thirty miles further west.
The houses of the early settlers were made of logs in or near the timber, and covered with clapboards, or "shakes," three or four feet long, which were made from a conveniently sized tree that would split and drive easily. The clapboards were fastened down with weight-poles extending the entire length of the cabin or house-one weight-pole being necessary to each row of clapboards. The weight-poles were kept in place and at the required distance from each other by knees-small pieces of timber. The lower end of the first knees rested against an eve or log-pole; the first weight-pole against the upper end of the knees ; then came other knees and other weight-poles, and so on until the roof was completed. Sometimes, and in a majority of cases, not a single nail or piece of iron, for latch or anything else, would be used about a pioneer's cabin. The doors were hung upon wooden hinges and were fastened with wooden latches, or, may be, with a pin; the latch was raised from the outside with a string, and, among the early settlers, the "latch string was always out," and everybody was welcome.
Tobias and James Stoutenburg, alias James Case, a relative, and Hugh Warren, a brother-in-law, and blacksmith, settled in the Fall of 1838. Except
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY.
the last named, these were men who had left their Michigan homes, as it was reported, to avoid the odium of a bad reputation ; and it was, perhaps, fortunate that they remained but one year.
Mr. George Frain, now of Rochester, settled in Iowa Township in July, 1838. Mr. Frain was the first to raise apples and other fruit from his own cul- ture in Iowa Township; he also burned the first kiln of brick in the township and tanned the first leather in the county. He afterward moved to Rochester.
Mr. Peniwell and relatives settled opposite Rochester, one and a half miles distant, and the Friend family settled in their cabin in 1838. Jacob Scott, Jacob Weimer, E. J. Hilton and wife, Sylvester Hilton, - Beaver and Sam- uel Farr settled here in the Fall of 1839. David Allen and family, consisting of a wife and three children, from Fayette County, Ohio, settled on the claim made by Hugh Warren, about the 1st of April, 1840. His sons, Jeremiah and James S., settled ncar lim. William Graham settled there in the Spring of 1840.
Ebenezer A. Gray and wife moved to Iowa Township from Ohio in May, 1839. His father, Thomas Gray, came at that time, and remained only a short time and then returned to Ohio. His brother-in-law, William Maxson, with his sons, Jonathan (now Postmaster at Liberty), Kurts and Thaddeus, farmers, came with them. Mr. Gray's children, at that time, were Amanda, Thomas and Ann.
After three years, Mr. Maxson moved to a prairie farm in Springdale Township.
Mr. Gray built a log-house, 12 by 16 feet, near the site of his present com- fortable residence, and has continued to reside there, with his family, to the present timnc, and is the oldest resident of the township.
Before all these settlers, and, probably, before Cedar County had any other inhabitants, an Indian trading post was established one mile above the site of Rochester, on the opposite side of the river. It was operated by a Frenchman named Coté, but was owned by other parties. They kept a keel boat moored ncar their trading house, which they used for transportation purposes-for bring- ing up goods and taking down the furs and such other commodities as they bought from the Indians. This was, probably, the first boat ever introduced on Cedar River by white men. This old trading house was occupied in 1838 by a preacher named David Burns.
During that year, William C. Long came out and viewed the country, and in the year following moved his wife out, together with his father and mother, Robert and Eliza Long, and his brothers, Evan B. and Parker Long. They arrived at Martin Baker's, December 5, 1839, intending to move into the old trading house, but as it had just burned down, they lived four weeks in another small building on the east side of the river. They then moved into Iowa Town- ship and lived with Jasper Scott.
July 5, 1840, Evan B. Long died, and the death of his mother, Eliza, occurred soon after, so that Robert and his son Parker went to Indiana in that year.
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