The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., Part 92

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical
Number of Pages: 964

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The lives of the inmates are devoted to religion, to the suppression of pos- session, to virtue and to labor. They practice self-denial in eating and drink- ing, and whenever the signal is given by the ringing of a bell, no matter where they are or upon what they may be employed, they fall upon their knees and engage in prayer. Their diet is vegetables save when sick, drinking neither milk, spirits nor wine, and tea or coffee but once a day. They rise at 2 o'clock in the morning on ferial days, 1 o'clock on Sundays, and at midnight on fes- tival days. From these hours until 6 o'clock the lay brothers remain in the chapel, the choristers until 8 o'clock, when they receive a collation of the simplest character and proceed to the discharge of their several duties. A schedule of names hangs upon the walls of the monastery, assigning the duty of each for one week. To say more would be an unnecessary and ungenerous intrusion upon the lives of these pious men, who, centuries after the death of the founders of their Order, are faithful to the offices and principles by them inculcated.

To become a Brother does not necessitate prior communion with the Cath- olic Church. Any one of respectable character is received. The probationary term of postulants is not defined by any special period of time, though one is obliged to remain within the jurisdiction of the corporation two years before making simple vows. At the expiration of five years, solemn vows of the Order are administered, from which no one but the Pope can dispense the novi- tiate from his self-imposed obligation. At the close of six months' probation the applicant is furnished with the religious robe, consisting of a scapula and cowl of light-colored material for choristers, the lay members being attired in robe, scapula and cowl of black woolen cloth of the coarser quality. An average of about seven applicants are received annually, the major portion of whom remain.

Melleray Corporation is a comparatively new feature of religious life to America, and must be seen to be appreciated at its true value. The lives of the Brothers are characterized by a simplicity and freedom from worldly thoughts, that is indescribable. The influence exerted is wide-spread, pro- nounced and beneficial, entailing inestimable good, not only upon those directly interested, but upon the country at large. To exemplify a perfect life is the end sought ; religious faith and example, industry and discipline, the means employed. That these means have been exerted successfully, is clearly apparent in the high degree of perfection reached, not only in spiritual, but temporal affairs. Here are representatives of various nationalities united for one purpose, work- ing to one ultimatum, harmoniously, perseveringly, and leaving behind them, when the sandal and cowl are put off for the shroud and coffin, pleasant mem- ories of the good they have accomplished among the more worldly children of men.

The abbey is far from complete, though $150,000 has been expended in its construction to date. But the day is coming when the finishing touches will be perfected, and its consecration celebrated in masses of power and melody.

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

In addition to the improvements mentioned, the Order hold title to a total of 2,695 acres of arable ground, in the highest state of cultivation. Of these 1,800 acres are in the immediate vicinity of the abbey, 400 acres of which are in timber, the balance cleared. The remaining tracts are located in Table Mound, Iowa and Liberty Townships.

The corporation is governed by a mitred Abbot, assisted by subordinates, and now contains eighty-six members of the Order. The first to direct the destinies of the brotherhood was Father Francis Welch, who was followed by Father Clement Smyth, dying while Bishop of the diocese of Dubuque ; Father James O'Gorman, afterward Bishop of Kansas and Nebraska, also deceased, and Father Ephriam McDonnall, the present incumbent, up to the date of whose appointment the house was subject to the Mother House in Ire- land. The present Prior is Father Bernard, with Father David Sub-Prior ; Father Alberic, Procurator and Treasurer ; Father John Baptist, Librarian, and Father Columbian, Sacristan. In addition to these, the following priests are included among the members : Fathers David, Stanislaus, Andrew, Garrard, Malachy, Ripal, Augustin, Fidelis, Joseph and Michael.

Since coming to this country, about twenty-five of the brethren have died, the last being Brother John B. Murphy, whose death occurred in Chicago, on the 18th of February, 1880. The dead are interred in a cemetery adjoining the frame church above mentioned.

The value of the property of the corporation is estimated at upward of $500,000.

ZION REFORMED CHURCH.

Zion Reformed Church is located on Sec. 16, Cascade Township, four miles southeast of Worthington, and five miles northwest of Cascade. The first service by this denomination was held here May 25, 1853, by Rev. F. C. Bauman, in the Spring Valley Schoolhouse. No stated meetings for worship were held after this until August, 1863, from which time onward regular serv- ices were held in the above-named schoolhouse, by Rev. Bauman, who, on May 27, 1865, effected the organization of a church society with a member- ship numbering twenty-three, viz .: R. S. Long, Elizabeth R. Long, Mary E. McGee, Washington Zarr, Jared Ritter, Margaret Ritter, Christopher Boyer, Henry Boyer, Sarah Boyer, Margaret Macomber, Elizabeth Kissinger, Edward F. Kearney, Annie J. Kearney, A. J. Kearney, Thomas M. Randolph, Lucy Randolph, Rebecca Freese, John Kissinger, Elizabeth Kissinger, Joseph Cook, Elizabeth Boyer and Abram Kissinger.

W. Zarr was elected Elder; F. M. Randolph, Deacon. A building com- mittee was appointed, consisting of A. Kissinger, A. Ritter and W. Zarr.

The corner-stone of the church was laid with appropriate services Sep- tember 29, 1867. The building was pushed forward to completion, and dedi- cated October 4, 1868, Rev. J. Riale preaching the dedicatory sermon.

The cost of the church was about $2,000. It is a fine brick structure, 30x40 feet in size. The interior furnishing is plain, yet in neat taste, and well adapted for the comfort and convenience of the attending congregation. The church has a seating capacity of about 200, the seats being two rows of pews in the center and one row on each side, access to all the seats being furnished by the two side aisles. The pulpit is supplied with an elegant velvet-covered desk, with a lamp-stand on either side for use in evening services. The choir seats are found on a raised platform in the rear of the central pews.

Oh ming of (DECEASED.) DUBUQUE.

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

The present membership is about thirty, many additions having been made since the church organization, and the society has sustained several losses by death or removal.

Having been in existence long enough to become happily united as a har- monious working body, the society is now in a prosperous condition, and may with reason anticipate a continuance of that desirable state of affairs for the future.

The Pastors have been Rev. F. C. Bauman, Rev. George Rettig and Rev . J. A. Smith, the Pastor since 1877. While these are the only ones who have exercised the pastorate for any great length of time, great benefits were derived by the church from the earnest and self-sacrificing efforts of Rev. J. H. Bouser, who, by a series of meetings held in March, 1877, infused new life into the organization, and gave to the church membership more numerous accessions than at any other one period of its history.

The present church officers are: Pastor, Rev. J. A. Smith; Elders, A. J. Kearney and Jared Ritter ; Deacons, D. S. Long and Benjamin Boyer; Trust- ees, A. J. Kearney and B. Boyer.

JOHN'S CREEK M. E. CHURCH.

John's Creek M. E. Church is a neat frame building, size 30x40 feet, in Section 2, near the north line of Cascade Township. It was raised and inclosed in 1860, and finished during the following spring, being dedicated in June, 1861. The framework was done by Newell Austin, of Cascade ; the inside and finish- ing work by Henry Taggart, assisted by Chauncey Bryan and others. Estimated cost of church, $400. The leading members at the time of the church erection were William Preston and wife, William Redmond and wife, Joseph Pate and wife, Richard Baker and wife, William Morgan and wife, Thomas Baker, Will- iam Ganfield and wife, and Mrs. H. Rogers. The church belongs to Farley Circuit, of which the present Pastor is Rev. George W. Rogers.

PLEASANT GROVE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Pleasant Grove Catholic Church, four miles south of Epworth, and about seven miles southeast of Farley, is beautifully located on a height overlooking Whitewater Creek. It is in the heart of a fertile tract of country, and sur- rounded by thickly studded groves, which shade it from the scorching summer's sun and shelter it from the winter's piercing blast.

The Catholics in this district, who had previously formed part of the sur- rounding congregations of Mellary, Farley, Garry Owen and Cascade, having increased very much in numbers, and having made for themselves comfortable homes, united about the year 1874, and began to build the Pleasant Grove Church ; and from that time they became an independent congregation. While their church edifice was being erected, under the supervision of Father Hawe, the congregation, composed of about thirty families, assembled on Sundays at the old residence of E. H. Horsefield, to assist at the sacrifice of the altar. The church building which this small congregation commenced in the latter part of the summer of 1874, was speedily finished, and, by Christmas of the same year, was opened for divine service. It is a frame building, 30x60 feet, and cost $3,500. For neatness and for taste displayed in its interior, though simple, it is not surpassed by any in the county. At first sight it elicits the admiration of all who view it. Father Hawe was here for about one and a half

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

years ; succeeded by Father Maher, who was here about the same length of time. He was succeeded by Father O'Donnell, a native of County Limerick, Ireland, studied at Carlow College, was ordained June, 1877, and died April 2, 1879, in the twenty-eighth year of his age. He was buried in Cascade. He was succeeded by Father Comerford, April 13,1879. Connected with this mission is Epworth, where a church has been commenced ; foundation laid November 9, 1879, and to be completed as early as practicable. Estimated cost, $5,000. The erection of this church is under the sole direction and care of Father Com- erford, who gathers, by donation from favorably disposed parties, the needed funds to prosecute the enterprise. The earnest work of the talented leader of this mission is inspired by faith in the future of liis church in this locality, there being, at the time of the building of this valuable addition to the church edi- fices of Epworth only three Catholic families in the place.

ST. JOSEPH'S CONVENT.

St. Joseph's Convent, the Mother House of the Sisters of Charity, located on Section 33, Table Mound Township, was founded in 1843, by Very Rev. Father Donohue, from Philadelphia. The colony, numbering five, had come to Philadelphia from Ireland, in 1833, and remained there ten years, the colony numbering nineteen when they came here in 1843.

The first building erected here soon after their coming, was subsequently destroyed by fire. The first structure erected afterward was the large rock building, devoted to educational purposes. The size of this building is about 80x50 feet, three stories high. Besides that, the priest's residence and numer- ous other buildings have been added at different times as needed. The three hundred acres of ground on which the buildings are erected is most nicely located, and, in its beautifully rolling surface, relieved by numerous native trees, nature has done much to make a lovely situation as a home for the Order.

The membership, from the original number of nineteen, has increased to about four hundred at the present time. In the earlier years of the Order here the education of youth was attended to directly within theinstitution. Of late years, this is done in branch houses of the Order located in Dubuque, Lyons, Clinton, Davenport, Burlington, Fort Des Moines, Iowa City, McGregor, Chicago, Elgin, etc., etc., the teachers for all these branch institutions being supplied from this Mother House, which, it will thus be seen, exerts a wide-spread educa- tional influence over the West and Northwest. The thorough work done here insures an excellent quality of instruction throughout all the branch houses. At the head of this institution is Mother Superior Clark, who has occupied that place from the founding of the convent.

On the death of Father Donahue, which occurred in 1869, he was succeeded by Rev. Father Hattenberger, who has most ably filled the position of Spiritual Director from that time to the present.

PRAIRIE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Prairie Presbyterian Church, Section 11, Washington Township, is a frame- structure 30x40 feet in size; erected in 1863, at a cost of about $900. The original members were : John Frew, Aliza A. Frew, Jessie Peirsen, May Peir- son, Alexander Foster, Margaret Foster, Joseph McGregor, Margaret Mc- Gregor, Robert Kennedy, Catharine Kennedy, Thomas McCurdy, Martha.

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

McCurdy, Lucinda VanKirk, Jane A. Mathers, C. Denlinger and Anna Den- linger. The organization of the church society was effected May 19, 1855, by Rev. A. H. Kerr and Rev. J. B. Hadden. The Pastors have been Rev. Jerome Allen, Rev. John B. Vawter, Rev. Merritt Harmon, Rev. George F. Le Clere, Jr., Rev. Gay and Rev. Lyons, whose pastoral connection with the church ended with the close of the year 1879. The present membership is thirty-six. The church is in a prosperous condition, and expects soon to have with them another settled Pastor, so that regular services will be held regularly as heretofore.

SPRING VALLEY MILLS.

"Spring Valley Mills"-Section 26, Cascade Township, F.G. Meyer, pro- prietor ; John D. Shaffer, miller-is a first-class mill, 36x48 feet in size, three stories high above the basement story, built in 1870; started into opera- tion in 1871, and has been running constantly since. Has two run of buhrs, with a capacity of 250 bushels a day. Is moved by a Grow turbine water- wheel. Does both custom work and merchants' work. Has the " new proc- ess " works, and, owing to the superior quality of flour manufactured, the mill has a wide range of trade, extending to Monticello, Worthington, Farley, Cas- cade, etc. The mill has all the late labor-saving methods of handling grain by improved weigh-scales, elevators, etc. The mill occupies one of the finest nat- ural sites to be found anywhere, and no pains have been spared to improve the. natural advantages. It has long been occupied by similar structures. A fine. paper-mill occupied the location from 1861 to 1869, then destroyed by fire. Before that, a saw-mill had for many years been located at the same place.

SQUIRES' MILLS.

Squires' Mills-Section 35, Iowa Township, two miles north of Epworth, S. F. Squires, proprietor; J. D. Burrell, miller-was built about 1855, by John Bruner, and operated by himself and sons until 1869, then pur- chased by Metcalf and Squires. The present proprietor bought out the inter- est of his partner in March, 1873, and has conducted the business ever since. The mill does both merchant and custom work, making a specialty of the latter .. The size of the mill is 36x56 feet, two-and-a-half stories high above the base- ment. Is moved by water power, using the Grow & Tyler latest-improved' convex turbine wheel. Has two run of buhrs, and, by using only one of these, has a capacity for grinding about one hundred bushels of wheat a day, or twice that amount of feed. Owing to a superior quality of work, the mill has a range of trade covering an extensive scope of country, reaching, in many cases, past the territory of other mills. . The amount of custom work is limited only by the capacity of the mill, which has an unqualifiedly first-class reputation for doing a very superior grade of work.

BOTSFORD MILLS.

Botsford Mills, Section 35, Iowa Township, two miles north of Epworth, was originally known as the Bruner Mill. Was erected by John Bruner in 1864, and operated by him until 1870. It was then bought by Abel Bots- ford, father of the present proprietor, A. M. Botsford, who has owned and oper- ated the mill since the death of his father, in September, 1872. The mill is.

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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.

two stories high above the basement ; is 40x50 feet in size ; has two run of buhrs. Capacity, 200 bushels a day. Is a water mill; machinery moved by a Grow & Tyler wheel. The construction of the mill is first-class in every particular, the original ideas of the owner, a number-one practical miller, being embodied in the construction and management of his mill. The mill has a very fair range of trade, doing both custom and merchant work-principally the former.

SOUTH DUBUQUE MILLS.

South Dubuque Mills located in Rockdale, and formerly known as the Rockdale Mills. The first mill on this site was a log structure, built by Thomas Lowis, some time previous to 1834. The mill was operated by him till 1838, then purchased by Pratt, Manson, Waters & Bell, each buying a one-fourth interest. This mill was soon after replaced by a frame building, 30x60 feet in size, four stories high, and operated by the above firm for a few years, Mr. Bell then disposing of his interest to Pratt & Manson, who carried on the business up to 1868, when Adam Twaites bought Manson's interest. In the same year Twaites sold his three-eighths interest to Meyer & Deggendorf for $13,500. Shortly after, Twait bought Pratt's interest (after Pratt's decease) at auction, for $11,000. About this time, Thomas Watters bought half the interest of his father's estate, i. e., one-eighth the mill, for $4,200. It was then operated under the firm name of Twaites & Co., until 1875, when A. W. Hosford purchased Adam Twaites' interest for the sum of $9,000, and the business was carried on under the firm name of Hosford & Waters until 1879. Soon after Hosford's entering the firm the centennial flood (4th of July, 1876) swept away the town with the exception of the mill, the only building left on the flat, damaging the mill to the extent of about $3,000, and causing the loss of thirty-nine lives. The last of December, 1878, the mill, together with the stock that it contained, was destroyed by fire. After this the interest owned by Meyer and Deggendorf and by Thomas Watters' estate, was purchased by Thomas Watters, Jr., making him a five-eighth interest. It was then rebuilt, the name changed to South Dubuque Mills, and has since been in continuously active operation. It is a substantial stone structure, three stories high, with mansard roof, leaving a good attic. The motive power is furnished by four Grow & Tyler turbine wheels. Each of the three run of buhrs is furnished with a wheel by itself; the fourth wheel runs the machinery, so that each part of the mill is independent of the others. The mill is, in all its appointments, probably much the finest establishment of the kind in the county ; is connected with Dubuque by telephone, so that it has every facility for receiving as well as for executing orders ; and the energetic firm of Watters & Hosford will certainly add to their machinery whatever science may discover or skill may produce, that will in any way enhance the very high reputation of the South Dubuque Mills, now under their charge.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ABBREVIATIONS.

Co. ....

.company or county

I. V. I. ....... Iowa Volunteer Infantry dlr ..

.. dealer

I. V. C. .Iowa Volunteer Cavalry

S. or Sec .. Section

st. .street

....

P. O ...... Post Office I. V. A. Iowa Volunteer Artillery

DUBUQUE.

HON. S. P. ADAMS, attorney and counselor at law, corner Main and Sixth streets, Dubuque. Is a native of Medfield, Norfolk Co., Mass .; Feb. 5, 1817, when only 2 years of age, his parents removed to Maine, where he remained ten years ; in 1835, when 18 years of age, he went to Waltham, Mass., to learn the machinist's trade, at which he worked, with the exception of about two years spent at school and in the study of medicine, until 1842, when he went to Lowell, Mass .; there he worked at his trade and studied medicine, and later, attended medical lectures in Boston, Brunswick, Me., and Pittsfield, Mass., graduating at the last-named place in 1845; having turned his attention from the medical profession, he began the study of law in Lowell, and was admitted to the bar in Middlesex Co. in 1849. Mr. Adams represented Lowell in the State Legislature in 1845, and was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1853, and of the Legislature in 1857; in the early part of that year, he resigned the office of Representative and came west to Iowa, and located in Dubuque, and continued the practice of law until he was appointed Provost Marshal for the Third Congressional District of the State with rank of captain of cavalry; he held his position until the close of the war; in 1866, he was appointed on a commission to lay out a reservation for a band of Chippewa Indians, 215 miles north of St. Paul, Minn .; since that time, he has been engaged in the practice of his profession in Dubuque; during the last six years as attorney of the Chicago, Dubuque & Minnesota and Chicago, Clinton & Du- buque Railroads. Mr. Adams has been twice married; in 1844, to Miss L. E. Stetson, of Scituate, Mass., and in 1853, to Miss D. R. Taylor, of Lowell, Mass.

HON. AUSTIN ADAMS, Judge of the Supreme Court of Iowa, Dubuque ; is a native of Vermont, and was born at. Andover, Windsor Co., May 24, 1826; his parents were both natives of New England ; he commenced life as a farmer boy, being trained to habits of economy and industry, qualities which have been invaluable to him in all his subsequent life. After closing his studies in the common schools, he, in his 14th year, entered Black River Academy to complete his preparatory studies, and, in his 19th year, entered the Sophomore Class of Dartmouth College at Hanover, N. H., from which he graduated. Being of a studious disposition, his taste inclined to the legal profession, and his desire for it was increased by frequently attending the courts and listening to the arguments of the advocates. After leaving college, he accepted the situation of. Principal of the Academy at West Randolph, Vt., employing his leisure time in studying law. He afterward attended the Harvard Law School, and was admitted to practice at Windsor, Vt., in January, 1854, being examined by the Hon. Jacob Collamer, since United States Senator, and, before that time, Postmaster General in Taylor's Cabinet. After his admission to the bar, he formed a partnership with ex-

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :

Gov. Coolidge for a short time. The State of Iowa being fast settled up, in the fall of 1854, he joined the western tide of emigration, and located in Dubuque, and deter- mined to make it his future home. He engaged in the practice of his profession, and soon became one of the leading members of the bar in this State. In October, 1875, he was elected Judge of the Supreme Court of Iowa for a term of six years. Politi- cally, he has always been identified with the Republican party, but has taken no active interest more than to perform his duties as a citizen. He has been for some years Regent of the State University of Iowa, and in his own city was, for a time, President of the Board of Education. In 1857, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary New- berry, a daughter of Rev. Samuel Newberry, a Presbyterian clergyman.

GEORGE HENRY ADE, of the firm of Ruegamer & Ade, butchers and ·dealers in fresh and salted meats, No. 1216 Iowa street, Dubuque; was born in the city of London, England, Feb. 14, 1830 ; he grew up and served apprentice at butch- ering business, for which his father paid £70 for him to learn the trade; he used to serve the Queen's residence, Buckingham Palace, with meat, and he also served the Duke of Wellington, he remembers distinctly of doing so when a meeting of the Em- perors was held there; he emigrated to America in 1854, and came to Dubuque Co., and, after a brief experience in farming for six weeks, he began working at his trade in Dubuque, and the following year, 1856, he went into partnership with his present partner, John Ruegamer, and they have carried on the business for twenty-four years, and are one of the oldest firms in the city without change. Mr. Ade has been twice married; his first wife was Miss Annie Court, a native of Somersetshire, England ; she died in 1867, leaving one son-Charlie ; his present wife was Miss Emma Court, also a native of Somersetshire, England ; they have one son-Harry.

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The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., Part 92

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Number of Pages: 964

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical
Number of Pages: 964