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 43
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October 20th, F. B. Doolittle reported progress in the purchase of the Poor Ilouse Farm, known as the " Clark Farm," and it was " Ordered that the matter of purchasing Poor House Farm be postponed until we learn, through the Agent of the Board, F. B. Doolittle, that the title of the Clark premises has been settled by the courts.
January 6, 1864, $1,000 was appropriated "for the support of the families of volunteers, and on the 7th, $50 was appropriated for the Sol- diers' Home at Dubuque. The poll taxes of all soldiers in the service were remitted.
June 8, 1864, the Committee on Paupers recommended the purchase of the Hefner farm for a County Poor Farm, at a price not to exceed $1,000, and F. B. Doolittle was appointed agent to carry the same into effect. The Com- mittee on Military Affairs reported 406 persons of the families of volun- teers in the county needing aid. June 10, the Clerk was authorized to draw $1,000 to pay for the Hefner farm in case Mr. Doolittle should make the purchase.
November 17. Messrs. Sanborn, Thompson and Stoner were appointed a committee to receive proposals for the purchase of a Poor House Farm, from which it appears that the Hefner trade had failed.
Mr. Jones completed a bridge across Honey Creek, near the present site of his woolen mills.
During this year, the farmers in the vicinity of Forestville began preparations for entering into the dairy business.
In 1864, the shipments from Manchester were as follows: Wheat, 80,156 bushels ; oats, 124,636 bushels ; barley, 3,570 bushels ; butter, 166,601 lbs .; hides, 37.831 lbs. ; live stock, 1,426,000 lbs .; wool, 11,177 lbs .; dressed hogs, 647,533 lbs. ; miscellaneous articles, 600,329 1bs.
On Friday, December 2, 1864, Morris Martin and George Crozier, of South Fork Township, got into a dispute about some oats, whereupon a quarrel ensued and the parties retired to the road to " fight it out." In the melee Martin stabbed Crozier twice, once in the arm and once in the left breast, entering the heart, causing death. Martin was arrested and had his preliminary examination before Justice Noble at Delhi. He was convicted of manslaughter at the Sep- tember Terin of the District Court in 1865, and sentenced to five years' impris- onment and $500 fine, together with costs.
405
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Population of Delaware County .- The following shows the population of the several townships in the county, exclusive of soldiers at the front, as shown by the census of 1864:
TOWNSHIPS.
No. DWELLINGS.
No. WHITES.
No. COLORED.
Colony
238
1,383
Elk.
145
809
1
Honey Creek.
175
892
2
Richland
130
718
Bremen
95
548
1
Oneida.
126
685
1
Delaware
268
1,419
Coffin's Grove
103
584
North Fork
126
682
Delhi
187
964
1
Miło.
96
539
Prairie
32
161
South Fork
287
1,497
Union .
129
715
4
Hazel Green.
68
413
Adams
80
459
Total
2,285
12,498
10
August 1, 1864, the Delaware Sportsmen's Club had a grand chicken hunt, which began at daylight, and lasted till dark, with an intermission of three hours for a dinner near Henry Baker's residence in Coffin's Grove. The din- ner was prepared by the wives of the hunters, and many other citizens of Man- chester were present at the dinner. The sum of the day's shooting was 599 birds. The sport ended with a supper to the huntsmen in the evening. The day was kept as an anniversary for four years, and was merged into the Harvest Home in 1868.
At the election in November, Lincoln's majority over Mcclellan was 671, increased to nearly 1,000 by the vote of the soldiers in the field.
Purchase of Poor Farm .- In 1865, the Poor House Farm still occupied the attention of the Board, and January 4th, F. B. Doolittle, Joseph Grimes and D. P. Baker were appointed to view the Horton or any other farm, and purchase the same for a County Poor Farm, if, in their judgment, the price was reasonable.
June 8th, the committee reported that a contract had been made for the northwest fractional quarter of Section 18, northeast quarter of southwest quar- ter of Section 18, in Township 88 north, Range 4 west, northwest quarter of northeast quarter of Section 23, Range 5, amounting to 2224 acres, for $2,000 to be paid on this by the 8th day of June, 1865. Payment was made, and Judge Doolittle requested to prepare plans and specifications for Poor House.
September 4th, an appropriation of $250 was made for the purpose of building an addition to the house then on the Poor Farm. The house was reconstructed with additions by Judge Doolittle, costing from $400 to $600.
The Great Flood .- This year is remarkable for another flood, higher, even, and more destructive than that of 1851. The water was very high in March and about the 19th, trains were delayed for three days.
June 27th, occurred one of the heaviest rain storms ever known. A heavy rain fell in the afternoon, after which the clouds partially lifted. The rain
406
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
came on again in the night, and lasted till toward daybreak. This rain washed out the culverts between Earlville and Dyersville, and the dam gave way at Green's mill on Honey Creek. The next night another storm came on, even greater than the other. The water swept the wagon bridge at Manchester from its foundations, but as it had been fastened by cables to trees, by Thomas Too- good, on the west bank, it was kept at home, but worth only the plank which covered it. The flood tore away the embankment of the railroad bridge, just below, leaving the rails and ties held together by the spikes over a chasm four rods across. The Acers mill, north of Manchester, was swept bodily into the river, and the dam at Forestville was torn out. The bridge at Hopkinton was swept away and the saw-mill moved from its foundation. The loss of fences. hay and crops all along the river and its tributaries was also very great.
The water at Bailey's Ford was two feet higher than in 1851, and the Maquoketa at that point made a new channel for itself for some distance above the present bridge. The west landing of the ford used to be where the river now bends at that place.
David Moreland, one of the earliest settlers in the colony, died April 27. 1865, at the ripe age of seventy-seven years four months and three days.
January 1, 1866, the Board granted permission to the citizens of Delhi to erect a monument in memory of deceased soldiers.
The Manchester Manufacturing Company, James A. Ainsworth, Nixson Denton and Henry Anderson, corporators, filed for record articles of incor- poration December 12, 1866.
Judge Clement Coffin, the first settler at Coffin's Grove Township and the the second Judge of Probate of Delaware County, died July 28, 1867.
The Manchester Library Institute, J. G. Strong, President; J. P. Rule, Secretary, was incorporated February, 1867.
The Manchester Pottery Company, J. H. Stevens, President ; L. Webb, Vice President ; T. A. Farrington, Secretary, incorporated May 18, 1867.
The Live Stock Enterprise Insurance Company, of Manchester, incorpo- rated March 25, 1868. Ray B. Griffin, President; H. G. McCann, Vice President ; S. G. Van Anda, Secretary ; W. H. Board, Treasurer.
In April, 1866, a joint stock company was organized at Delaware, called the Delaware Cheese Company. William M. Hefner, President ; A. A. Enos. Vice President ; J. A. Garfield, Treasurer ; and J. W. Kingsley, Secretary. A large building, two and one-half stories high, 24x40 feet, was built, and the manufacture of cheese was commenced in June following, and continued to operate until about 1872, when the building was converted into a stable.
June 31. 1866, Mr. James S. Wilson, a resident of Manchester, discovered that his pocket had been picked of $30, and, suspecting a man belonging to or in connection with one or the other of two shows, then exhibiting here, namely, " Yankee Robinson's Consolidation," and "F. J. Howe's Circus," of being the guilty party, at once secured an officer and had the man arrested. His pals and associates at once attempted a rescue, when a general fight ensued, many of the Mayor Loomis
citizens were quite badly hurt and excitement ran high. promptly ordered out the militia, a company of about thirty veterans, who immediately repaired to the scene of conflict, fully prepared to teach the ruffians a wholesome lesson, but the appearance of the militia was all that was necessary and the arrests were made without further opposition. The chief rioters, how- ever, escaped during the excitement, but were afterward re-arrested.
The Western Tubular Well Company, of Manchester, incorporated Decem- ber 20, 1866. Il. W. Phillips, I. P. Adams, J. B. Freclove, J. P. Roe, S. M.
407
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Hoyt, W. H. Tuthill, J. M. Still, G. R. Edmonds and Charles Hoyt, corporators.
In 1869, the sum of $1,500 was appropriated by the County Board to build an addition to the Poor House.
In June, 1869, on petition of citizens asking for an election to re-locate the county seat, it was ordered that at the next general election the question should be submitted whether the county seat should remain at Delhi, or be re- moved to Manchester. The election resulted, for Delhi, 1560 ; for Manchester, 1197.
In 1870, by an Act to amend Article 11, of Chapter XXII, of the Revision of 1860, approved April 14, 1870, the Board of Supervisors was reduced to three, which number might be increased to five or seven by vote of the people. In September, the existing Board ordered that the question, "Shall the num- ber ef Supervisors be increased to seven ?" be submitted to the people at the next general election. The proposition was negatived by the people, 874 to 698.
On Friday evening, January 6, 1871, Edward Kennedy, a respectable Irish farmer, living alone a few miles west of Hopkinton, was shot while he was preparing his supper, by John Duncan, who had been at work for some months for a Mrs. Cook, who lived not far from Kennedy's. No suspicion of foul play seems to have been entertained by the neighbors until the following Tuesday, when, upon investigation, the old man was found lying on the floor of his house, dead. Duncan had gone, but he was suspected, followed and arrested. At the next term of the District Court, at Delhi, in April, 1871, Duncan was indicted for the murder and transferred to Buchanan County for imprisonment and trial.
In January, 1871, the new Board, consisting of Ferdinand W. Dunham, Joseph Chapman and J. Salisbury, assembled at Delhi, elected Mr. Dunham Chairman, and superseded the larger body advantageously to the county.
THE NEW POOR HOUSE.
In July, 1873, the Board of Supervisors entered into a contract with N. W. Austin for the erection of a large and commodious brick building on the Poor Farm, for a house for the poor. The contract price was $4,100, and the house was to be completed by the 1st of November following, and was done at that time, but some changes and improvements had been made, and the actual cost of the building was $5,028.50. To make room for it, the old house was moved to the rear and converted into a barn. It is a large two-story and basement brick building, affording a comfortable and pleasant home for those persons so unfortunate as to become public charges. The people of Delaware may well be proud of their Poor House and Farm.
Gilbert D. Dillon, the first Justice of the Peace of the county and one of the clerks of the first elections held in Schwartz's Precinct, in 1839, died December 20, 1874. Mr. Dillon was born in Ulster County, New York, January 3, 1800.
The Delaware County Railroad Company was incorporated January 18, 1875, Richard Boon, J. M. Holbrook, Charles T. Fleming, Benjamin Thorpe, Charles Harger, Ancil E. Martin, Henry Harger and John M. Brayton, cor- porators.
The question of re-locating the county seat was again submitted to the peo- ple at the annual election in 1876, but Delhi retained it by a vote of 2551 for Delhi ; 1013 for Nottingham, "known as Earlville;" for Earlville, 35; Earl- ville, 24.
408
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
In the Fall of 1876, the Fish Commissioner of the State deposited several thousand fish in the Maquoketa, of several species, such as, bass, croppies, perch, drum-fish, etc. The care taken by the State in preventing the destruc- tion of fish during the spawning season must soon result in stocking the streams of the county and State with an abundance of fish, adding materially to the resources of the State.
THE NEW JAIL .- In 1877, the question of providing additional jail room was forced upon the county authorities. The old jail had become insecure, and had not sufficient rooms or cells. On the 28th of June, a contract was made with David Armstrong, of Independence, for the erection of a new jail building. at a contract price of $4.898.35. The site selected was a short distance west of the brick building used for county offices, on the public square. Work was commenced about the 1st of July, and the building was completed in 1878, at a cost of $5,158. It is a square stone building, built of the fine stone quarried in the vicinity, two stories high. and contains six cells, three on the first floor and three on the second. On the first floor is a room for an office, and there are two sleeping rooms for the jailer on the second floor. The stone, gratings and bunks were from the "lock-up" under the old Court House, in Chicago, the ruins of which were taken down two or three years ago.
The year 1878 is remarkable for its mild Winter. No snow fell to remain. and wagons were used all Winter. The Spring, however, was somewhat cold and backward, and May 12th and 13th heavy frosts were destructive to small fruits, tomatoes, etc.
THE COUNTY SEAT CONTESTS.
In the Spring of 1869, the people of Manchester gave notice, as by law provided, that they would apply to the Board of Supervisors for an order sub- mitting to vote at the election of that year the question of removing the county seat from Delhi to Manchester. Petitions were circulated in every township, asking for the order, and when the Board met in June, the petitions were can- vassed and a fair majority found asking for the vote. When this had been se- cured. the people of Manchester raised a subscription, pledging about $12,000 toward the crection of buildings in case they should secure the county seat, and also pledged suitable grounds for the purpose. But before the time came for entering on the campaign, an unfortunate complication arose among the citizens of Manchester as to where the buildings should be located, and many became in- different as to the result. The Delhi people entered the campaign with great energy, backed by the influence of the Davenport & St. Paul Railway Company, whose officers employed the columns of the Strawberry Point and Monticello papers in which to make their own arguments against Manchester. Copies of these papers were distributed among the voters of Honey Creek, Elk, Union, Hazel Green and Oneida Townships just before election, and their perusal tended materially to steady the feeling that Delhi was endeavoring to work up against the change. The election, which followed in October, resulted in the defeat of Manchester by a majority of 367. At the commencement of this struggle, the people of Earlville and Delaware also entered the field with their towns as candidates for the county seat, but not having a sufficient extended peti- tion their claims were terminated by the canvass of the Board in June.
In 1874, the Manchester people again resolved to essay their strength. Petitions were circulated as before, but when the Board canvassed the petitions and remonstrances, it was found that the latter embraced more than half the
409
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
voters of the county, which was also the case with the petitions. The Board decided that the petition was insufficient, and declined to order a vote.
The following year (1875), the Manchester folks were up and ready for another contest. Earlville and Delaware, likewise, entered the arena. For a time, Manchester devoted her labors mainly toward thwarting the efforts of Earl- ville and Delaware, and at the April meeting of the Board the petitions of both towns were oversloughed by the Manchester remonstrance. Having thus cleared the ground, Manchester went in to win if possible. Every nook and corner of the county was canvassed by agents, bearing either a petition for Manchesterfor a remonstrance against the order, and when the Board met in June, the papers were carried in, the Manchester people in full confidence that they had an easy victory. But when they presented their petitions, they were met by the entire bar of Delhi arrayed against them, who excepted to some three hundred names on the petition as having also signed the remonstrances. The exception was allowed by the Board, when the Manchester committee presented substantially the same names anew in a document known as a " re-petition," and asked to have them counted as part of the petition. On this application ensued the severest legal collision ever witnessed in the county, nearly the whole bar of the county having something to say regarding the question, which had by this time roused every neighborhood to a white heat of excitement. The Board voted to disallow the re-petition, but the Manchester committee asked for and obtained a ruling that remonstrants might appear in person before the Board, and have their names changed to the petition. That night, a meeting was convened at Manchester, at which a large number of citizens placed themselves and vehicles at the disposal of the committee. The western part of the county was blocked out, and early next morning every available team was started out to collect and carry the " re-petitioners " to Delhi. By 3 o'clock in the afternoon, ninety- two men were presented before the Board, each making affidavit of his desire to be counted on the petition. Another such a day's work would have won Manchester the victory, but one member of the Board became dissatisfied with his previous action, and so stated to the Board, thus canceling the ruling under which Manchester was at work, which ended the appearance of voters in person. The summary, as made up by the Board, showed a majority against Manchester. In August following, the Manchester people removed the case by certiorari to the Supreme Court, but only obtained partial redress, the order for the vote, which they sought to have granted, not being entertained by either court.
Late in the Winter of 1876, the community of Earlville again concluded to make a sally, and once more the county was canvassed for petitioners. Man- chester was awaiting the result of her appeal to the Supreme Court, and made no opposition, while Delhi and Delaware did but little. The Earlville people were successful, and the Board ordered the vote. As Manchester had done in each application for the county seat, Earlville offered $10,000 to assist in erecting buildings. The campaign was conducted with much courtesy and good feeling on all sides, but when election day came it seemed as if every community was anxious to throw a stone at Earlville, for the majority against her was an enormous one.
The political consequences of the county seat struggle of 1875 may be briefly stated as follows, first premising that the Board of Supervisors have much power over the preliminary details involving the order for a vote on the county seat question : Each locality gives much care to the selection of the Supervisor, feeling that to have a preponderance in the Board is to be well prepared for the election. In the Republican convention of 1876, the western
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
townships, headed by the Delaware delegation, secured the defeat of Jesse B. Bailey, whose name was before the convention, but their candidate was beaten at the polls by George Staehle, the Democratic nominee, upon whom the eastern townships united almost to a man. The Republican nominee for Sheriff was also defeated in the same fashion.
At the election in 1877, the western townships retaliated by uniting upon and electing James Le Gassick, Supervisor, and Charles E. Bronson, State Senator, both being nominees on the Democratic ticket.
HARVEST HOME.
August 1st, 1864, the people of Manchester arranged for a match at shoot- ing prairie chickens. Sides were chosen, one squad being composed of George E. Toogood, Thomas M. Hunt, W. H. Board, M. Cotton, J. E. Harker, N. Trenchard, A. M. Sherwood, V. Burrington, S. W. Stevens, James E. Green,and the other of D. R. Lewis, H. M. Congar, H. N. Cornish, Wm. Houghton, Holles Houghton, Thos. Dodson, S. M. Smart, W. J. Doolittle, J. M. Watson and M. Plimpton. Five hundred and ninety-nine birds were killed, but the referee succeeded in making the result a tic. The next year, the programme was improved upon by the addition of a picnic dinner, near Henry Baker's residence, in Coffin's Grove, and the annual hunt and picnic was a pleasant annual holiday with the people of Manchester until 1868. Owing to the extreme wet weather of 1868, whereby most of the young chickens were killed, the festival was omitted that year. In 1870, the programme was again amended by making the annual meet a harvest home, and the people of the whole county were invited to join. The festival was held at Coffin's Grove as before, Saturday, August 6th. The responses to the toasts were made by A. S. Blair, E. C. Huntington, Rev. R. Norton, G. S. Bidwell, Col. Van Anda, C. S. Crosby, E. O. Clemans and Prof. J. Piper : F. Emerson, Esq., presided. So satisfactory was the holiday to those who attended, that it was decided to make the harvest home an annual feature, and on that day officers were chosen as follows: President, Joseph Grimes ; Vice Presidents. A. Parliman, A. A. Strong, S. Emerson, S. T. Oviatt, J. P. Ball, J. Le Gassick, T. Marks, E. O. Clemans, J. F. McKay, J. S. Barry, Thos. Robinson, C. L. Flint, Thos. Wragg, P. II. Warner ; Treasurer, Thos. Toogood; Secretary. L. L. Ayers.
The following year (1871), the harvest home was held at Bailey's Ford, in the grove just west of the Magnoketa, and was attended by at least 3,000 people. In 1872, the place of holding the harvest home was transferred to the grove on Spring Branch, owned by M. Brayton, near the cold spring which supplies that stream with half its volume of water. The railroad track runs half a mile north of the grounds, and in that year, through the courtesy of W. P. Johnson, General Passenger Agent of the Illinois Central road, a harvest home station was established, enabling the whole population of Man- chester and Earlville to attend. This courtesy Mr. Johnson has annually extended to the harvest home, the subsequent festivals being held on the same grounds. The harvest home annually draws thousands of people from all parts of the county, some of whom meet to renew old associations, some to flirt, others to talk politics, but for whatever purpose they assemble it is a pleasant holiday, the fame of which brings yearly guests from far-away cities to drink from the crystal spring that bubbles up from the rocky ledge, enjoy the leafy shady of the oaks, and consume a bountiful dinner from the well-filled basket in some farmer's wagon, flanked with watermelon and sweeet cider.
H. D. Wood is President of the Association for 1878.
411
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE LAWS OF EARLY TIMES.
Ray B. Griffin, Esq., of Manchester, has in his possession a copy of the Statute Laws of the Territory of Iowa, enacted at the first session of the Leg- islative Assembly of the Territory, A. D. 1838-9, printed by Russell & Reeves, Dubuque, in 1839, on the cover of which is written, " Wm. Eades, Esq., County Commissioner Delaware County, I. T." This rare volume contains " An act to regulate blacks and mulattoes," approved January 21, 1839, which provides " that no black or mulatto person shall be permitted to settle or reside in the Territory, unless he or she shall produce a fair certificate, from some court within the United States, of his or her actual freedom," and give bond in the penal sum of $500, conditioned that such person shall not become a charge in
the county in which such bond shall be given ; also, for good behavior.
Upon
failure to give such bond, it was made the duty of the County Commissioners to " hire out such negro or mulatto for six months, for the best price, in cash, that can be had." Persons hiring, harboring or engaging a negro or mulatto who had not complied with the provisions of the act were subject to a fine of not less than five or more than one hundred dollars. Section 6 of this act pro- vided for the delivery of blacks or mulattoes to persons claiming them, upon sat- isfactory proof of ownership. In less than twenty-five years from that date, the title of property in man was washed out in blood, in these United States, and Iowa was foremost in the work of preserving the Union from the assaults of the slave power.
HUNTING GROUNDS OF DELAWARE.
Game was abundant in Delaware County. Deer were frequently seen in droves of from a dozen to forty, and it was easy to kill one or two in an after- noon. Black bears were common, and a few elk were scattered over the prai- ries. Wild turkeys were plentiful. Hon. Eliphalet Price, in some sketches lately published, says that this part of Iowa had been neutral ground for a good many years, and that the game had been driven in that direction from all quar- ters, and had increased rapidly, undisturbed by the Indian's arrow or the white man's rifle.
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