USA > Iowa > Delaware County > The history of Delaware county, Iowa, containing a history of its county, its cities, towns &c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers > Part 41
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In the Spring of 1853, Jane and Eliza Scott, who had been visiting their parents, who lived near the old town of Delaware Center, above Manchester, were returning to Delhi, where they were employed. When they reached Spring Branch, about a mile above Bailey's, the stream was very high ; but, without realizing the danger, they attempted to ford it, as usual. The horse and wagon, with its occupants, were swept into the " Deep Hole," just below, and the horse was drowned. One of thegirls was swept by the current to the shore : the other was drawn into the eddy, where she was carried round by the circling waters, until her sister succeeded in reaching her with a pole, and drew her to the shore.
Both were much exhausted, and started through the snow and water, hoping to reach Bailey's cabin, at the ford. One of them did, but was so far gone when she reached there that she could not speak for a time. As soon as she had sufficiently recovered to tell her story, Mr. Bailey and his " hired man" started to find the other one, and found her about half a mile from the house, utterly exhausted, on her hands and knees, in a pool of water. She was insensible, and was so heavy withal that Mr. Bailey says it was impos- sible for two men to carry her. Fortunately, Mr. Lillibridge, who had heard the screams of the girls and had started on horseback, arrived at that moment, and they succeeded in lifting the insensible girl on to the horse, where Mr. Lil- libridge balanced her body in front of him, like a sack of corn, and carried her to Bailey's. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey, by unremitting exertions for several hours, at last succeeded in restoring the poor girl to consciousness, but it was a nar- row escape. Soon after, Dr. Acers, who was opportunely passing, was hailed by Mr. Bailey, called in and gave the necessary medical advice and assistance.
June 11. 1853, the constitution of " The Farmers' and Mechanics' Mercan- tile Association, of Delaware and Clayton Counties," was filed for record in the Recorder's office. It was preserved among some old papers in the County Treasurer's office, at Delhi, but no names are attached to it. This association was organized in 1853, at Yankee Settlement, by Rev. H. N. Gates, Daniel B. Noble. Mr. Seward and others. The object of the Association was to establish and run a store on the co-operative plan, selling shares at $10 each. Accord- ingly, the store was started at Yankee Settlement, now called Edgewood, under the name of " The Union Store." It did not survive long, however, and closed its doors at the end of its second year, having used up all its capital and $200 additional.
The first stone school house in Delaware County, was erected in 1853, near Bailey's Ford. Subsequently, some parties wanted the school house in another place ; others wanted the district divided. At last the stone school house was burned. the district was divided and peace reigned. The ruins of this house are still to be seen on the wayside, a short distance cast of Bailey's Ford.
The post office at Delaware Center (Acersville) was established Oct. 1, 1853.
At the election in April, 1854, Peter Case was elected School Fund Com- missioner. Mr. Case was an honest, upright man. He died in poverty, at Waverly, some years ago.
389
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
AN IMPORTANT LAND CASE.
The errors made by Mr. Porter, who attempted to subdivide the northern townships in the county, in 1837, gave rise to numerous disputes, much ill feeling and litigation. A single example will suffice to illustrate the principles involved.
The case of Moreland vs. Page is, probably, the most notable civil action on the early court records of the county. Moreland owned a quarter section of land in Section 4, Colony Township, and Page owned the land abutting on the north. Both parties entered their lands under the survey of 1837, but the lands in dispute were re-surveyed by Edward James, under authority of the Gen- eral Land Office, in 1852, and the dividing line between Moreland and Page was made to fall two and a half chains south of the original line. James was unable to find several monuments indicated by the survey of 1837, and that survey was characterized by both the Land Office and the Iowa Supreme Court as imaginary and fraudulent. Moreland brought action to recover the land sliced off by the second survey, which was commenced April 8th, 1854. The District Court found for Moreland, but Page appealed to the Supreme Court, which reversed the decision of the court below. Judge Isbell, summing up for the Supreme Court, said the lands in dispute were to be governed by the rules applying in case of a lost survey, wherein course and distance must yield to fixed monuments, that all ascertained surrounding monuments must have their due weight, and that the variations from the old survey between the monuments must be evenly distributed. The case was determined at the December term of the Supreme Court, 1855, at Iowa City. The case was afterward appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States, but was dismissed on the ground that that court had no jurisdiction.
There were thirty-five cases on the docket at the June term of the District Court. Four of these were indictments for selling intoxicating liquors contrary to law. There were six applications for divorce from six suffering mortals who had found (or thought they had) the burdens of matrimony too heavy to bear. These were J. T. Curtis, Michael Bratt, Robert Kennedy, John Cowles, Elizabeth Michaels and James E. Henderson. At this term, D. Baker was District Attorney, and among the lawyers at the bar were A. K. Eaton, J. H. Peters, Z. A. Wellman, S. R. Peet and A. E. House, beside several attorneys . from Dubuque, among whom were B. M. Samnels and Wm. Vandever.
At the August election, 660 votes were polled in the county. For Governor, James W. Grimes had a majority of 83 over his competitor, Curtis Bates.
James Robinson entered land in Township 88, Range 6 (Prairie), and in the following year John S. Barry and J. F. McKay entered land in the same town- ship.
Sept. 4, Edwin Adams, a native of England, was naturalized by the County Court, which was thought by some to have been an illegal act, as it was alleged that the County Judge transcended his authority.
The town of Greeley, on the northwest quarter of northeast quarter of Sec- tion 29, Township 90-5, was surveyed August 28. 1854, by A. G. Noble, Surveyor ; Samuel Lough, proprietor. Plat recorded February 24, 1855. The first post office at Greeley was established October 30, 1854, and was called " Plum Spring." The name of the office was changed to Greeley in 1863.
Delaware Center, on south half of northeast quarter, Section 19. Township 89-5, was laid out November, 1854; John Acers, proprietor. This town was generally called Acersville by the people.
390
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Forestville, on northeast quarter of Section 22, 90-6, was surveyed by Joel Bailey, April 4, 1854 ; Daniel Leonard and Sarah A. Leonard, proprietors. Recorded July 19, 1856. The Forestville post office was established in 1851.
On Monday, May 2, 1854, delegates from the different townships met at Delhi to appoint delegates to the Ship Canal Convention at Dubuque. James Hardy was chosen Chairman, and A. E. Martin, Secretary. The following delegates were appointed : T. H. Bowen, South Fork ; Joseph Grimes, Colony; C. Sanborn, Oneida : S. F. Parker, Delhi ; L. A. Loomis, Delaware, and Jesse B. Bailey, of North Fork.
INCORPORATION OF DELHI.
In 1855, Delhi, the county seat, was a thriving village, and during this and the next year-in fact, until the Dubuque & Pacific Railroad was located, and it was certain that it would not pass through the capital of Dela- ware-Delhi was one of the most promising towns in this part of the State. The town had assumed such proportions, and its future was so promising that early in January the citizens petitioned the County Court for incorporation. The Judge ordered an election to be held on the 15th, to determine whether incorporation was desired by the voters. Wm. F. Tanner, William Phillips and George Sheldon were appointed Judges of the Election, which resulted in a unanimous vote in favor of incorporation. Another election was ordered to be held January 27th, to elect five persons to prepare a charter or articles of incorporation. Arial K. Eaton, Samuel F. Parker, James Wright, E. K. Griffin and Daniel Baker were elected, who prepared the charter, which was submitted and ac- cepted by the people at a meeting held February 28th. Arial K. Eaton was elected Mayor, succeeded by S. G. Van Anda, during whose term of office, the town organization was abandoned.
February 7th, Delaware Township was divided by order of the County Court, and Township 89 north, Range 6 west, was " set off into a separate township for political purposes, under the name and title of " Coffin's Grove," and the school house in Coffin's Grove was designated as the place for holding elections, and war- rant issued to Clement Coffin, a citizen of said township, according to law.
February 19th, Judge Benson resigned. A. K. Eaton was acting County Judge until April, when Frederick B. Doolittle was elected to fill the vacancy.
The town of Burrington was surveyed in the Spring of 1855. The survey commenced in 1854, I. N. Higbee, Surveyor. James Dyer, Ann Dyer, O. P. Reeves, Almeda C. Reeves, proprietors, relinquished streets and alleys according to law, February 25, 1856; recorded March 13, 1856. The first hotel built in Burrington was the old Clarence House, in 1855, by Thomas Toogood and Francis Bethell. Several other buildings were erected during the same year. (See Manchester).
At the election, April 2, 1855, the people of Delaware voted " for and against the Prohibitory Liquor Law, approved January 22, 1855. The vote was as follows :
Union ..
33 FOR.
28 AG'ST.
South Fork
71
10
Delhi.
101
54
North Fork
35
18
Colony
89
25
Elk.
56
8
"'oldwater
27
7
York ..
29
13
Richland
11
34
Delaware.
25
17
Coffin's Grove
24
1
Total
501
215
391
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Chelcy (Chelsea), a part of Section 33, Township 87 north, Range 4, was laid out April 25, 1855, by J. A. Marvin, Surveyor; Robert Hogg, Lyman D. Cross and John A. Squires, proprietors. It never throve, and the site of the town now yields excellent crops of corn.
In July, 1855, Dr. Albert Boomer, of Delhi, was appointed county agent for the sale of spiritnous liquors. He entered upon and discharged his duties, as appears of record. August 29th, William Cattron was appointed liquor agent and $300 placed in his hands for the purchase of stock. After about three months' experience, he resigned in disgust, as sickness among men and horses increased to an alarming extent.
The brick building known as the Harding Hotel was erected by Charles Harding in 1855-6.
A RAILROAD STRANGLED.
July 10, 1855, the articles of incorporation of the Delaware County & Pacific Railroad Company were filed for record. The corporators were Charles Harding, Frederick B. Doolittle, Arial K. Eaton, John W. Clark, Charles W. Hobbs, Zina A. Wellman, James Wright, John H. Peters and John H. Porter, and the company was organized for the purpose of "constructing a railroad, commencing at the east line of Delaware County, thence westerly on the best route through the town of Delhi to the Pacific Ocean."
In September, Judge Doolittle ordered an election to be held on the 22d day of October, to see if the people of the county would vote to subscribe for $200,- 000 of the stock of the company, and issue a like amount of county bonds, bearing interest, not to exceed eight per cent. per annum, to be met by a six mill tax annually. This tax at the end of fifteen years to be increased to one per cent., to provide for the payment of the principal. At the election, October 22, the people emphatically rejected the proposition by a vote of 708 to 260. The vote of Delhi was 190 in favor to 20 against. Delaware, Coffin's Grove, Richland and Colony voted unanimously against the proposition.
September 29th, the County Court ordered and decreed that Township 87 N., Range 6 W., be set off into a separate township for political purposes, to be called " Adams," to take effect on the first Monday of April, 1856. On the same day, Townships 89 north, Range 3, and 89 north, Range 4, were erected into a new township to be called "Oneida," the organization to take effect on the 1st day of April, 1856.
THE RAILROAD QUESTION.
The railroad question had now become one of absorbing interest to the peo- ple of the county, and during this and the next year, created much excitement and not a little ill feeling. Delhi was a lively, thrifty town, one of the important points and stopping places on the great stage road from Dubuque westward. Business was lively, money was plenty and everybody was prosperous. Of course, the enterprising citizens of the county seat understood that if the pro- jected railroad should not pass through Delhi, it would be necessarily fatal to their continued prosperity and they would have nothing left save their Court House and jail, but, singularly enough, for a time they did not seem to compre- hend the possibility of such an event. They appeared to think that a railroad through Delaware without Delhi, was like the play of Hamlet with Hamlet left out, and they did not awake from their delusion until it was too late. It is said that a committee of citizens of Delhi, of which Charles Harding was one, went
392
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
to Dversville to confer with the railroad officials in relation to the matter. The location of the road had then been definitely determined from Dubuque to Dyersville, but beyond that it was said that the question was still an open one, and it is also said that Delhi might still have secured the road by a liberal dona- tion. Judge Doolittle states that they offered $50,000, but that this was not considered sufficient and they could do no more. It is said, however, that, at the conference above mentioned, when they found that the road was perma- nently located to Dyersville, Mr. Harding and his associates coolly informed the officers of the road that "if Delhi couldn't have a railroad without having it from Dyersville, Delhi didn't want it at all." It does not seem possible that business men could take such a view of the matter, and yet it is gravely asserted that such was the position of the Delhi committee. Whether true or not, the people of Delhi soon discovered that their town was not to be on the line of the road, and during the Winter of 1855-56, a delegation of its citizens were in attendance upon the Legislature endeavoring to prevent the Federal grant of lands to the State to aid in the construction of the road from being turned over to the company by the State, unless the contemplated act should provide that Delhi and some other important towns should be stations on the road. The lobby agent of the road, however, defeated their efforts and Delhi and its pros- pects received a blow from which it has never recovered, although the completion of the Davenport & St. Paul Railroad to this point in 1872 has aided it some- what and is an important element in retaining the county seat at that point.
The Delaware Agricultural Society was incorporated at Delhi in 1855, and held annual fairs for several years, until the war, commencing in 1861, inter- rupted its operations.
BROOM CORN.
In 1855, James H. Bowen. then of Albany, New York, marked out Iowa as a locality for raising broom corn equal to the Mohawk flats, and in that be- lief, secured the services of Samuel Dickerson, of Schoharie County, New York, to inaugurate the business on his traet of land near Hopkinton. He procured the best machinery that could be found, including the "Emery Horse Power," for seraping, and sent the requisite seed at once. The first erop was raised in 1856, and worked up the Fall and Winter following. Mr. Crosby began about the same time, in the northern part of the county, in the same business. Mr. Bowen continued cultivating brush and manufacturing until 1859, when Thomas Cearnes embarked in it. In the meantime, Mr. John Tower, an experienced manufacturer, had been employed by Mr. Bowen, and from him Messrs. McLeod, Phillips, Willard, Fields and some others learned the art of making brooms.
In March, 1856, S. P. Mosher and others petitioned the County Court for the erection of a new township, to be composed of Congressional Townships 88, Range 5, and 88, Range 6, and to be called Pleasant Valley. The Judge granted the request, but thought the name " Milo " would suit the people better than the name they asked for, and so ordered.
MURDER IN DELHI.
On the 10th of March, 1856, murder flashed its red hand in Delhi. It was the result of professional jealousy between physicians and the ungovernable passions growing out of it. Drs. C. C. Sharp and Joshua F. Stout were prac- tieing physicians of Delhi. A condition of acrimonious bitterness existed
393
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
between them, especially on the part of Sharp, who apparently cherished a vin- dictive animosity against his professional rival, which culminated in a fatal assault on the 10th. Dr. Sharp entered the store of Edmund Davis, where Dr. Stout was sitting quietly, and, after some very abusive language addressed to his rival, stabbed him twice in the chest with a dirk knife. Stout died on the 16th from the effects of his wounds. Sharp was arrested on the 19th, by Dep- nty Sheriff S. F. Parker, on complaint of Dr. Acers, Stout's brother-in-law. The murderer was tried, convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary, from which he afterward escaped and fled to Tennessee. Sheriff Parker followed and dis- covered him, obtained a requisition upon Gov. Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, who granted the necessary papers, arrested the fugitive and returned him to his quarters. Subsequently, Sharp was pardoned by Gov. Grimes.
A post office was established at Burrington, April 8, 1856, but the Post- master General refused to call it Burrington, because that would be so nearly like Burlington, and at the instance of Judge Dyer it was called Manchester. O. P. Reeves was appointed Postmaster.
May 7, 1856, J. A. Marvin, a school teacher, at Rockville, had some trouble with one of his pupils, a stout, muscular young lady, who imagined she could manage the school for him better than he could do it himself. She thought she could manage him, also, and undertook to " thrash" him or turn him out, but was worsted and was whipped herself. She entered complaint against him for assault and battery and he was arrested, tried, convicted and fined, but was com- mitted, as he preferred the jail rather than to pay his fine. He made applica- tion for a writ of habeas corpus, but was denied by the County Court and finally concluded to pay his fine.
In the Spring of 1856, several Congregational families, among whom were Rev. J. H. Kasson, Rev. H. N. Gates, Daniel B. Noble, L. O. Stevens and F. W. Dunham, located a settlement, called the Stafford Colony, on and near- Section 11, Township 89, Range 4, and called it Almoral (see Almoral).
The Dubuque & Pacific Railroad was completed to the east line of the county, at Dyersville, in 1856, by Magill & Co., contractors, and was of great advantage to the people, whose market for grain and stock was brought thirty miles nearer than Dubuque. This was a year of great prosperity, not only in Delaware, but everywhere throughout the Great West. The heavy immigration of 1854 and '55, which still continued, created an excellent home market for all kinds of produce, and the hardy pioneers, who had paved the way for all this prosperity, were beginning to receive some reward for their years of toil and privation. Money was plenty, labor was in active demand at good prices, towns were grow- ing, farms improving and even beggars were getting rich. During these years of flush times and business activity, three-fourths of the land in Delaware was entered.
At the August election, 891 votes were polled and in November, John H. Peters was elected a Delegate to the Third Constitutional Convention from the counties of Delaware and Dubuque.
When the railroad was completed to Dyersville in the Winter of 1856-7. M . O. Walker, the proprietor of the Northwestern Stage Line from Dubuque to St. Paul, commenced running from Dyersville, via Burrington and Forestville, to Strawberry Point, West Union, etc. The Western Mail Stage Company running a line of mail and passenger coaches from Dubuque via Rockville Delhi, Bailey's Ford, Coffin's Grove to Quasqueton and Independence, also changed the eastern terminus of its line from Dubuque to Dyersville. This company had previously promised the people at Burrington, that it would put a
394
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
stage line from Dyersville via Burrington direct to Independence, over a more direct route than the mail stages were compelled to travel. but the promise was not fulfilled. During the Winter, through the influence of Judge Dyer and others. and the active efforts of the leading men at Burrington, parties at Dyers- ville and Independence were induced to organize a new stage company, and in the Spring of 1857, the " People's Line " of stages commenced running from Dyersville to Independence by way of Burrington ; the people along the line volunteered to make the way passable, by filling up or bridging the sloughs, ete. The new line at once drew the travel from the old mail route throughi Delhi. and very soon the Western Stage Company withdrew its coaches from that route and placed them on the Burrington road to run in opposition to the .. People's Line," and transported the mail over the mail route by single wagons. The "People's Line " run about a year and suspended, and soon after- ward, the completion of the railroad sent stage coaches into permanent retire- ment. although the Northwestern Stage Line made Manchester its southeastern terminus for some time after.
March 2, 1857, Congressional Township 87 north, Range 5, was set apart as a township for political purposes and called Hazel Green.
At the April election. the question of licensing the sale of spirituous or intoxicating liquors was submitted to the people. The majority against the measure was 443.
The town of York, located on northwest quarter of northeast quarter, and northeast quarter of northwest quarter of Section 9, Township 90 north, Range 5 W., was laid out by Geo. W. Stewart and Clarissa M. Stewart, proprietors ; W. R. Stewart, surveyor, May, 1857.
Nottingham (Earlville), on Sections 35 and 36, Township 89 north, Range 4 W., was laid out October, 1857, by the Iowa Land Company-R. B. Mason, President. Plat filed October 22, and approved for record in December. The post office at Nottingham is called Earlville, and there appears to have been an effort to change the name of the town to correspond, although no record appears, but in 1861, by order of Judge Bailey, the name was changed again to Not- tingham.
Almoral, on Section 11, Township 89 north, Range 4 W., was laid out Novem- her 23, 1857 ; James H. Kasson and Mary S. Kasson, proprietors; F. W. Dunham, surveyor.
The Delhi Seminary filed articles of incorporation for record June 8, 1857. The corporators were James Wright, Z. A. Wellman, F. B. Doolittle, Albert Boomer, John Porter, Andrew Stone, B. Thorpe, W. R. Cox. E. A. Gilmore, Lewis Beal, J. H. Spellman, E. C. Taylor, Elisha Brady and James M. Noble.
The Almoral Institute, corporators, J. H. Kasson, L. O. Stevens, Joseph Dunham. W. G. Strickland, H. N. Gates, Elijah Gates, John A. G. Cattron and David Roland ; articles of incorporation filed for record December 1, 1857. Limited to twenty years.
June 30, 1857, the Great Northwest Railway Company filed a petition in the County Court, asking that an election be ordered to see if the county would vote to aid in the construction of that road across the county. This was a company originating at Delhi, growing out of the Delaware & Pacific scheme, it is said. for the purpose of throttling the Dubuque & Pacific Road, which had left Delhi out in the cold. The idea of the bold projectors of the scheme appears to have been to make Galena, Ill., the castern terminus, thence by way of Tete de Morts and crossing Delaware from near its southeast corner to the northwest, passing within three-fourths of a mile of Delhi. Mr. Avers, in his " Early
395
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Times," remarks : "It would have saved Galena the pre-eminence it then enjoyed, if its people had taken hold of the project." This company asked that the county loan its credit for $250,000 to aid in constructing the line across its territory. The County Judge, Doolittle, ordered an election to be held on the first Monday in August at the general election, upon the following issue :
Will the county of Delaware loan the credit of said county to the Great Northwestern Rail- road Company to the amount of $250,000, by issuing and delivering county bonds of said county to this amount to said railroad company, for the purpose of aiding in the construction of that portion of said road which shall be located through the county aforesaid ?
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