USA > Iowa > Clinton County > The history of Clinton County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns &c., biographical sketches of citizens > Part 77
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628
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
In 1858-60, a Horse-Thief Protection Society was organized to protect settlers from the incursions of illegal "horse-raising." Russell Perham was President, Stephen Lockwood, Vice President, and Dr. Henry Sheppard, Treasurer. Riders were appointed by couples, with authority to draw upon the Treasurer for any amount of money necessary to pursue thieves or seek stolen property. The energy with which these couriers did their work is attested by their following the thieves of James Walrod's horses 100 miles beyond the Missouri, at Council Bluffs, and not only recapturing the animals, but securing the arrest and conviction of the rascals. Many other valuable animals were recovered, and the organization proved a deterrent sufficiently strong to finally make horses as safe as any other property. Before the exten- sion of railways to the west side of the river, the market was so often glutted that farmers for a time lacked the stimulus of remunerative prices, and there- fore did not push their work with the same spirit that characterized subsequent years.
The first Methodist Church was in a little schoolhouse in the northwest part of the town, ncar the present place of Mr. J. O. Hinckley.
The first election was held at Reuben Riggs' house, and it is not at all probable that there was any repeating, unless the whole population consented. The first Sabbath school was held at Levi Decker's. He, Mrs. Decker and Gilbert Marshal and his wife were the first teachers. Instruction was not con- fined to religious topics, but savored of the primary school and kindergarten, the Bible being freely used as a text-book to teach children to read and spell.
For many years, there was scarcely any sectarianism. Neighbors joined heartily with each other in religious worship, without thinking of comparing shades of views. But their zeal did not wax cold. It was common to ride ten to twelve miles to prayer-meetings, on a buck-board. Meetings held under such circumstances, though not over from a dozen to twenty persons were present, could not well be otherwise than edifying. Among the pioneer cler- gymen were Revs. Hosmer, Kirkpatrick, Carpenter (Baptist), of Dubuque, and C. E. Brown, an earnest home missionary. The first Baptist Church and par- sonage were built of logs hauled five miles, and located on the above-mentioned Riggs' first claim.
Owing to the distance from market, household arrangements, for many years, were quite primitive, but none the less comfortable. Chills and fever, and a sort of dumb ague, were about the only diseases that annoyed the elders ; deaths were few, and the children, except for the maladies of childhood, almost uni- formly healthy. Venerable matrons relate with pride how successful some medical treatment proved in cases where the early physicians, Drs. Usher and Bell, were not obtainable. Even an epidemic of smallpox, in 1864, was weathered with scarcely any serious result. Such simples as Culver's Physic, or blackroot, stewed hops, for summer complaints ; white-root, for colds, butter- fly weed. and other "yarbs," were used with results that argued either from them, or the hygienic lives and hardy constitutions of the families of Brookfield and Bloomfield, notable low death-rate, especially among children. However, a most terrible and mysterious epidemic of cerebro-spinal meningitis, or spotted fever. has several times, during recent years, baffled alike the best medical skill and domestic nursing.
For a long time, tubs, spinning-wheels, pails and other utensils were home- made. Local blacksmiths made serviceable plows. Garments were both spun and woven at home. Nothwithstanding the tribute exacted by wolves and other vermin, the supply of pigs and chickens was ample to replenish the tables,
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
which were also frequently loaded with maple sugar and sirup and wild honey, which, with their dairy products, enabled the settlers to fare sumptuously every dav, though the pioneer dames relate with gusto how they often secured " white ' flour by grinding wheat in a coffee-mill, and sifting the grist an untold number of times.
Since the advent of three railways, the ancient "state of Brookfield" is being rapidly transformed from its primitive condition. Accessible and com- peting markets have totally changed the condition of things from the time when Albany, in Illinois, was the best point to sell produce. With excellent schools, increasing wealth, tranquil and friendly neighborhoods, and the clearest record of any portion of the county in criminal matters, the present and future of the northwestern part of the county need not fear comparison with any agricultural section of Iowa or the world.
Delmar, the principal town in Brookfield. is built upon the original lands of S. S. Norton, E. P. Sparks, W. T. Willey and Amos Hurst. It was sur- veyed and platted by Ben C. Rich in October, 1871, who had the plat recorded in February, 1872, before which time there were several houses erected. There were originally thirty-nine blocks, comprising over six hundred and fifty lots in the town, but, subsequently, the number was reduced to twenty-five. The public road running north and south between Sections 9 and 12, 15 and 16, was the main street. The Davenport & St. Paul and the Midland completed their grades and tracks into the town within a few days of each other and began running their trains on the same day-December 1, 1870. Both trains arrived at the same time, and the Davenport & St. Paul, having the right of way, took the lead into Maquoketa. Tradition records that the place was named upon this occasion by the Midland conductor, taking the first letters of the names of six ladies on the train and combining them to make the word Delmar. It is also claimed that the railroad authorities named the station to continue the alphabetical order of those on the line. viz .: Almont, Bryant and Charlotte. The post office had previously been called Brookfield, the name of the aforesaid original township. The Davenport railroad had established their location for a station on E. C. Hinckley's land, half a mile south of town, but the managers of the Midland put in a " plug" side track and left a superannuated North-western car for a depot and named the infant town. The Sabula, Ackley & Dakota track was laid across Main street October 10, 1871, at which point the depot and side tracks were located. Delmar owed its existence more to the efforts of S. S. Norton in securing the crossing of the road at this point than to any other cause. It was doubtful whether the other roads would have made a town where Delmar now stands at all had the Sabula, Ackley & Dakota crossed elsewhere. In 1872 was when the town really began its growth. Pre- viously, the business had been limited to light shipments of stock and hogs, and the principal retail trade had been the thriving one of several saloons that had supplied wet groceries to the thirsty construction gangs on the new lines. In 1872, building and improvement was brisk. In 1874, an independent school district was organized, with W. M. Trout, M. W. Tipple and W. E. Roberts as Directors. In 1875, a two-story brick schoolhouse was erected, perhaps the finest in the State in any town of no greater population, at a cost of $5,000. The character of the school has corresponded with the building. The first school in the town was a select school conducted, in 1872. by Ben C. Rich and Mrs. Jennie E. Rich at their residence. Their school numbered eighteen pupils. During the summer of 1873 and the following winter, Miss Lizzie Shuley taught a similar school in Thompson's Hall. These
630
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
schools were succeeded by the first public school, in the summer of 1874, Miss Delia Hall being the teacher, in Amos Hurst's old store building.
The census of the platted town at the time of organizing the independ- ent district, in the spring of 1874, indicated a population of 317. The winter term of 1874-75 was taught by E. T. Taubman ; Miss Delia Hall again teach- ing in the summer. J. H. Orcutt was the first and present Principal of the Graded School, Miss Addie Coe as the Assistant.
The old schoolhouse of District No. 12, of the original township. has stood as a relie and used as a carpenter shop and barn, just north of the Sabula rail- road on Main street. William T. Willey's storehouse, built over twenty years ago, still stands as good as ever, in the northern part of the town, and bids fair to outlast several generations.
In the winter of 1874-75. a literary society was organized. meeting in the Hurst Building. It was very successful and was the nucleus of the Delmar Mutual Literary Association, under the control of which a literary society was run some time and a permanent library established.
The recent consolidation (August, 1879) of the S., A. & D. Railway with the Milwaukee & St. Paul bids fair to greatly benefit Delmar and surrounding country.
In October, 1872. Gen. Dan McCoy started the Delmar Journal, at first having the paper printed elsewhere. In February, 1874, the paper having been consolidated with the Preston Clipper, the office was removed to Delmar, and McCoy remained in charge till January, 1875, when F. R. Bennett took control, and ran the paper till the office was destroyed in the big fire of 1878. Previous to the fire, Mr. McCoy had started the Delmar Independent, which he still conducts.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1873, and a church built in the upper part of the town, which, during the present year, has been renovated. Rev. H. H. Green was the first clergyman. succeeded by Revs. O. L. Fisher, N. S. Green. I. C. Lusk. and the present earnest Pastor, W. L. R. Burnett. The church property is worth upward of $3,000.
The Presbyterian society was organized in 1877, Rev. George J. E. Rich- ards being the first and present Pastor. A large and comfortable church was built in 1878, in the central part of the town, at a cost of $2,500, and the prospects of the society are very flattering.
Delmar Lodge, No. 170, first met under dispensation November 5, 1873, in Masonic IIall, Ashton Block. where it has since remained. Its charter was granted June 4. and the Lodge fully instituted June 17, 1874. The first offi- cers were: B. C. Rich. W. M. ; George Herritage, S. W .; M. W. Tipple. J. W .; S. R. Gold, Treasurer : A. G. Thompson, Secretary : C. C. Smith, S. D. ; Harvey George, J. D .: C. W. Pitson, C .; E. C. Hinckley, S. Present offi- cers : J. N. Dodd, W. M. ; E. T. Taubman. S. W .; J. C. Spencer, J. W. ; S. R. Gold. Treasurer : J. B. MeLaughlin. Secretary ; C. C. Smith, S. D .; A. G. Thompson, J. D. : J. Klotz, S. S. : W. J. Norton, J. S. ; T. B. Rossner. T. Present membership, thirty-five.
Delmar Lodge, No. 49, A. O. U. W., was instituted Feb. 17, 1876, with the following charter members : J. F. Moreland, E. C Hinckley, L. W. Par- ker, H. J. Burgess, Henry Parker, C. W. Pearson, I. S. Hinckley, E. H. McGinty. E. H. Eyer, M. M. Trout, L. H. Macomber, S. S. Norton, O. E. Deeds, F. T. Hess. ,The Lodge first met at Westover's Hall, but, subsequently, arrangements were made with the Masonic Lodge, by which both occupy rooms in the Ashton Block. The present officers are: Robert Sadler, M. W .; C. C.
631
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Smith, F. ; E. C. Hinckley, O .; L. W. Parker, Financier; I. S. Hinckley, Receiver ; E. T. Taubman, Recorder ; John Nusz. I. W .; H. B. Smith, O. W .; T. B. Rossner, S. S. Norton, L. W. Parker, Trustees. Present member- ship, eighteen.
Elwood is a village on the S., A. & D. Railroad, where a post office was established in 1872, Mrs. O. H. Rythe, Postinistress. It is one of the most thriving places of its size in the county, owing to the rich country surrounding it, and the enterprise of Messrs. Claus C. Ruus and F. P. Wilcox, and the immense creameries of Messrs. Clark & Beard.
OLIVE TOWNSHIP.
Olive Township was organized in October, 1842. The boundaries as then designated have been previously given. Its present territory includes nearly all of fractional Townships 80 and 81 north, Range 2 east. It is bounded north by Berlin Township, west by Spring Rock Township, south by the Wapsie, which is the county line, and east by Orange Township.
Among the early settlers in this township were Hiram Brown, Charles Dut- ton. Sr .. Lorenzo. Charles, Jr., Leroy and Jerome Dutton, his sons, Lyman Alger, Joseph Alger, E. F. Owen, William Scott, Bennett Warren, Mr. Edgar, D. C. Curtis, Josiah Hill, Abram Hendrickson and others.
The Dutton family came early into the township. Their total possessions were about $60 in cash and a few household effects. They purchased a pair of cattle, and the first season broke about ten acres of prairie and sowed white winter wheat. This crop was harvested and hauled to Davenport, through sloughs and mud-holes, the load having frequently to be unloaded to get out, and was sold for 30 cents per bushel, one half in store pay, and a part of the balance in cash articles, which meant groceries. The store pay was calico and similar dry goods. In 1849, they hauled pork to Dubuque and sold for $1.75, three-fourths store pay and the balance cash.
J. S. Stowrs, Esq., opened a law office in De Witt in 1844, building the first building for such an office erected there, a brick one, and he relates that his first fee was a load of pumpkins which were drawn to him by Mr. Names. and his second fee a load of wood drawn to him by Mr. James Kirtley. Find- ing it necessary to eke out his income, he resorted to school-teaching, and, in 1846, he says, he opened the first school in Olive Township. There was no schoolhouse, few school-books and those of every variety, such as had been brought by the settlers from their various starting-points. When he arrived at the place, he found the School Director making ready for his coming. The building was an old log-house and the Director was boring holes in slabs for seats and into the logs to drive pins, upon which a board was laid for the desk. A stone chimney in one end served for heating purposes. Being an attorney and having been Probate Judge in the county, Mr. Stowrs commanded munifi- cent wages, and he was paid $12 per month and boarded around. The chil- dren were eager to learn, and, despite these disadvantages, improved the time. He also organized a Sunday school, Rev. Mr. Emerson coming down and giv- ing it a start, but Mr. Stowrs says that the day school was the most successful, the Sunday school interfering with the fishing.
In 1839, there was a trail known as Boone's Trail, over which a man named Boone drove cattle from Missouri to Galena, by way of Maquoketa.
632
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
His usual crossing-place on the Wapsie was on Section 5, Township 80 north, Range 2 east. The first ferryman was an old pioneer of the name of John Shook, who had a small flat-boat which would just take on one team and which was run by a rope. R. I. Jeneks succeeded him, whether by purchase or by entry of the landings, is not certainly known. He named the ferry Buena Vista, after that celebrated battle had been fought. He also succeeded in securing a post office here, which was called Buena Vista, which has since been removed to Roth- stein's Mill, but still bears the same name. Jencks sold out the ferry franchise to George Atherton in 1849, and a few weeks later he sold out to Dr. Amos Witter, a gentleman who was emigrating to California overland, but when he had reached this point had wearied of his journey. He afterward died in the service as a Brigade Surgeon. Dr. Witter sold out to a man named Edgar, some time pre- vious to 1854. J. E. McArthur succeeded him and ran the ferry until 1858, when he sold to James Merritt, and, in the spring of 1859, he sold to Jerome Dutton, who continued to operate it until the spring of 1865, when the land on the Clinton County side was sold to J. W. S. Robinson and James Dumphy, Mr. Dutton still owning the lands on the Scott County side, and the ferry was dis- continued. This had been one of the most profitable ferries on the Wapsie for many years, and particularly during the Pike's Peak excitement in 1859, but the erection of the Rothstein bridge destroyed its value. Lyman Alger also had a ferry in this township for many years and is one of the first settlers of record to whom license was issued to keep a ferry across the Wapsie. The Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad also temporarily operated a ferry for the transfer of passengers on the stage-route until the railroad was completed across the river.
This township is mostly level and has considerable bog or swamp land, but drainage and cultivation is bringing nearly all of it into arable fields. Much of this land was held out of market as mineral lands until 1850 to 1855, as there were considerable deposits of bog-iron ore, but never found in paying quantities.
There are several good quarries in this township, and, on the farm of William V. Cruson, there was opened this year a limestone quarry which is producing a fine quality of lime.
There are several peat-beds in the township, and, in 1867, an attempt was made to manufacture peat on the farm of John A. Boyd. The quality of the peat made was excellent but the enterprise was not a financial success.
In 1860. the total vote polled in the township was 140, and before any draft was ordered seventy-nine men had volunteered into the service, mostly in the Second, Eighth and Twenty-sixth Infantry, and the First and Seventh Cavalry. This was conceded to be the banner township in the State.
After the close of the war, a Post of the G. A. R. was organized and maintained for a number of years.
A large representation in the present population is of Norwegians, an industrious and thriving people. They have a Lutheran Church in the south- eastern part of the township and have recently erected a very fine church edifice. They also have a parsonage and sustain a Pastor, who preaches to them in their native tongue.
About one or two miles south from the Norwegian Church, the German Lutherans also have a church edifice and parsonage. Their Pastor, in addition to his ministerial duties, also teaches a German school. The oldest church organization, however, in the township, is a Free-Will Baptist Church, which used to worship in the old log schoolhouse, mentioned before, and which
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
now worships in the Alger Schoolhouse, and whose spiritual shepherd is Rev. D. C. Curtis.
A post office was established in 1858. Joseph D. Fegan was deputized to go there and establish the office. No one could suggest a name. Mr. Fegan said " Is there no creek or anything?" "Yes, Calamus Creek." "Then let it be Calamus." The creek takes its name from the great quantities of "sweet. flag" growing in it.
Probably no occurrence ever occasioned greater excitement throughout Olive Township, and, indeed, throughout the whole surrounding country, than that of the murder of Mrs. Esther Alger, the aged wife of Lyman Alger, both of whom were among the earliest settlers in the township as well as in the county. Mr. Alger had accumulated a large property, and was in the habit of loaning money to quite an extent, and frequently had quite considerable sums of money in the house. To obtain a large amount supposed to be in the house at the time of the crime, it is conjectured, was the object of its commission. Mrs. Alger was an aged lady of seventy-two years, and her husband a year her senior. They lived alone, except a grandson, Judson Curtis. On the evening of September 25, 1872, Mr. Alger had gone to the schoolhouse, a short distance away, to attend a prayer-meeting. Judson had gone over to his. father's barn, about forty rods distant, and the old lady was left alone at home. She was evidently busily engaged in some household duties about the door, having her sun-bonnet on. While thus engaged, she was shot down and, afterward beaten to death with some blunt instrument, supposedly an ax. Judson heard the shot fired, and, running to the house, found the dead body of his grandmother lying in the path near the door, the house opened, and the trunk where the money was kept rifled. He gave the alarm at the schoolhouse, and the people hurried to the scene to find that one of the most brutal of murders had been committed, almost in broad daylight. Between $1,000 and $1,500 were taken from the trunk.
Although some arrests were made, and diligent efforts put forth to discover the perpetrators of the crime, it is still an unsolved mystery.
CALAMUS.
Calamus, a post office and small village on the C. & N. W. Railway, was platted in 1860, by R. S. Dickinson, who owned the land on the north side of the railroad, and Milo Smith, who owned that on the south. It was replatted in 1865. James Keith opened the first store here, a small stock of groceries and notions. R. S. Dickinson and his son A. L., in 1861, built the first store of consequence, and opened a large and complete stock of general merchandise, and engaged in grain-buying. Two or three years later, R. E. Houck opened a small store, and has continued in trade there since, building up a successful business.
The following persons represent the present business interests of Calamus : H. Brezee, boots and shoes ; S. Brehm, meat market ; Buck & Martin, wagone makers ; James Brown, harness-shop; Leroy Cushman, barber ; Damon Brothers, general store; Robert Daschler, general store; R. E. Houck, gen- eral store; John Hand, Northern House ; Mrs. Hoover, Farmers' Home ; J. W. Libler, groceries and lumber; M. W. McCartha, hardware ; George Mor- gan, blacksmith ; D. Merritt, livery ; E. F. Owen, Justice ; F. H. Richards, blacksmith ; Mrs. E. Smith, millinery ; William Scott, hardware; Chester Stroud, boots and shoes ; S. B. Walker, Postmaster, drugs and furniture.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Calamus was incorporated in 1876, and E. F. Owens was elected the first Mayor. His successors have been F. Buck, in 1877, and J. C. Bowman, in 1878 and 1879.
The United Workmen have a flourishing Lodge here of forty-five members, known as Loyalty Lodge. No. 76.
The Methodist Episcopal denomination has a neat church edifice at Calamus. The society was organized January 1. 1868, and, soon after, erected their church-building. They are supplied jointly with Grand Mound.
For audaciousness and recklessness, the financial operations of John W. S. Robinson. of Olive. stand pre-eminent in the county. Robinson came to the county in 1865, and purchased the old Dutton farm at the Buena Vista Ferry. He commenced improving it. rapidly bringing it under cultivation, cutting off and marketing the timber, laboring industriously himself. He soon began to preach, calling himself a Disciple. During the campaign of 1868, he was an active Republican, and made many speeches in different parts of the county. He was of fine presence, a ready speaker and a companionable man. He became very popular. through the section where he lived, with all classes, par- ticularly with the poor, to whom he furnished employment at liberal wages, and had made an extensive acquaintance throughout the county. He soon began to enlarge his sphere of operations, made additional purchases of land, and also rented land quite largely, having at one time nearly one thousand acres of corn, besides other crops. He purchased a section or more of wild land near State Center, broke it all and sold out in smaller farms with crops on. He was reputed to have cleared nicely by this transaction. "No pent-up Utica con- fined his powers." He bought property at Calamus, erected a fine residence. and was the great power there, a leader in finance, politics and society. He purchased real estate in Clinton, which he announced was for the site of a resi- dence at no distant day. The area of his operations rapidly increased until his name was a familiar one in business circles throughout the county, and he had the unlimited confidence of all. for his paper was always backed with "ample real estate security." He became an extensive purchaser of real estate, buying farm after farm, as well as large tracts of timber land. One of the latter pur- chases was made of William Scott, of Buena Vista, for some $500. He told Seott that he was going to Clinton, and would take the deed down to have it recorded, and would bring the money back with him. This he did, but it developed at last that the $500 was raised upon a note with the forged signature of Scott, and indorsed by Robinson. He would borrow money in sums of $50, $100 and $200, for a few days, which were always paid with great promptness, fre- quently being returned the following day. These transactions were, doubtless, for the purpose of gaining a reputation for promptness and integrity. But the final movement was the forgery of titles and other documents of record. By obtaining access to notarial seals, he had obtained impressions of them upon various needed blanks, and he then forged satisfaction pieces to mortgages upon farms he had owned, and made new loans, and then forged deeds to property of which he held possession by lease, and even carried his transactions to such a bold extent as to forge deeds to farms upon which the owners resided ; and it is stated that he made a loan from Lyman Alger, secured by a mortgage upon a farm of which he (Alger) himself was the owner. With his abstracts of titles and his mortgages, he effected loans to a large amount, it is said, aggregating more than $50,000, in various parts of the county, mostly in De Witt, Clinton and Lyons, the shrewdest financial institutions and individuals being the victims of his villainy. But his chef d'œuvre was a loan of $30,000. for which
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