USA > Iowa > Fayette County > The history of Fayette County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 39
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The first letter received at the new settlement was written by Simeon B. Forbes, who was living where Elgin now stands, to his brother-in-law, William Wells, in 1849, and was addressed to the latter at "Knob Prairie." The mes- senger was Thomas Wells, who carried back the answer addressed to Simeon B. Forbes, " Shin Bone Valley."
In May, Henry F. Smith and Stephen Bailey settled near "Knob Prairie." Smith built a cabin on the southwest corner of Section 9.
In July, Gabriel Long and Joshua Wells located in the vicinity.
Oliver A. Brown settled in Township 94, Range 9, in May of the same year.
Thomas Woodle, Thomas Douglass and Thomas B. Sturgis came and selected claims near the geographical center of the county, on and near Section 13, Town- ship 93, Range 9, in 1849, and near " Gamble's Grove," and returned for per- manent settlement in the Spring of 1850, when M. V. Burdick, Peter Osborn, John Hanna and Phineas F. Sturgis settled near them.
In the Spring of 1849, Harvey Light and Erastus A. Light made a settle- ment on Section 13, Township 93, Range 8, where Lima now stands, and built a saw-mill that year, also a sort of grist-mill or corn-cracker, and commenced grinding corn the next year.
THE DROWNING OF YOUNG ROSIER.
Early in June, 1849, several young men, among whom were Stephen Bailey, -- Sackett, - - Toombs, - Ryan and - Dickson or Dickinson, went to the cabin of William M. Rosier, on Section 32, Town 95, Range 8, and desired him to go down to the Volga with them on a fishing excursion. He had a fine pair of horses and they said they wanted his team to haul their fish home. He declined to go that day, but said if they went, he would come down the next day and haul up their fish, and this arrangement was agreed upon. Accordingly, the next day young Rosier drove down to the Volga where he found the party just at night, encamped in an Indian wigwam, that stood on the banks of the stream, near Padelford's ford, which was near Culver's old trading house.
The next morning he was drowned, and the following is the account given by his companions. Of course there were no other witnesses :
They were fishing with a seine or net, it seems, and after setting it the next morning, it was suggested that one of the party should go up stream and beat down with a pole to drive the fish into the net. One after another declined to go because they could not swim, until young Rosier said he would go-he could swim. He went, they said, and in wading down stream stepped into a hole, sunk and never rose. They threw a rail toward him, but he did not rise. Instead of making an effort to get him out, his companions started off to find a man to help, and it was some time before his body was recovered, which was done by dragging with the seine. They put his body in his wagon and drove home to his cabin, but Henry Smith followed, had the body brought back to his house (as they said they were intending to dig a hole near his cabin and bury him there), where he received a decent burial.
George N. Rosier states that his brother had several hundred dollars in silver and gold, but that none of it was found after his death. Whether he had it in a belt around his person when he was drowned or whether it was concealed in
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his cabin has never been known. It is said that Ryan was afterward seen to have a belt full of silver and gold while at work harvesting near Padelford's that Fall. It is also stated that when the cabin built by Rosier in 1848, and occupied by Jacob Hoover, after his death, was torn down, the workmen found a mortise in one of the timbers supporting the puncheon floor, that might have been made and used as a " safe " for his money, by the unfortunate young man. Public opinion was divided on the question whether Rosier was drowned acci- dentally-the prevailing impression favoring that construction-but that some one who knew where his money was kept stole it after his death, there can be but little doubt.
THE FIRST CELEBRATION.
The first celebration of the anniversary of the American nation, in Fayette County, so far as is known, was at Knob Prairie, July 4, 1849. The liberty pole, a fine "hickory elm," was cut in the grove 25 or 30 rods southwest of the southwest corner of the original plat of West Union. The ground embraced within the public square and Elm street south of it, was broken that Spring, and the liberty pole was erected on the knoll about 230 feet south of the spot where soon afterward the southeast corner of the Public Square of West Union was established; near it the speakers' stand was erected, and a little way south of it was a fine spring.
Stephen Bailey was the President of the day, Simeon B. Forbes, Reader of the Declaration, and Samuel Wilson and Rev. Joseph Forbes were the Orators.
There were no newspapers then to report and preserve the details of the pioneer celebration, but Mr. Dutton and others who were present, declare that the day was celebrated in " good old-fashioned style," and it is to be presumed that the occasion was enjoyed quite as heartily as later and more elaborate cele- brations have been. During the day, Gabriel Long and Solomon Bishop arrived at the new settlement.
Benjamin Iliff, in some reminiscences, written January 14, 1868, for the Historical and Pioneers Association, gives the following account of the celebration :
But hearing that the few settlers in the county proposed to meet on the ground now occupied by the county seat, to celebrate the 4th of July, I determined to be one of the jolly company. Arriving on the ground, found two or three ox teams, some fifteen or twenty men, and a few ladies (then commonly called women) who were trying to shelter themselves from the burning sun in the shade of the wagons. Some kind of an elevation was there for a speakers' stand, but no shelter from the sun. We were called to order, I believe, by Mr. Bailey, who was the Presi- dent of the day ; listened to the reading of the Declaration of Independence by Mr. S. B. Forbes, and a few short speeches, from whom I do not recollect. Our accommodations for being seated while the speaking was going on was in no way limited, we had the entire West Union Prairie, beautifully carpeted with the verdure of Summer, on which we all sat to hear what our speakers had to say. There was no disturbance, except by two surly mastiffs. who patroled the winding alleys among the audience, each seeming to say "I am monarch of all I survey, my right there is none to dispute." But just as the speaker had reached the point of interest in his subject the two dogs had bred a quarrel, and a hint by way of a kick from one of the audience brought on a deadly conflict in the canine family. Many of the audience sought refuge in the distance. Such is life. After the battle was over, we listened to the finishing of the speeches-saw some old friends with whom we had met in other days, and had a very pleasant time conversing about the future prospects of this new country.
A painful accident happened a few days previous to this gathering, which was the drowning of the young Mr. Rosier, in the Volga, which was the subject of much conversation on this occa- sion, and many sad countenances might be seen while we listened to the painful recital.
WEST UNION.
About the time of this celebration, William Wells conceived the idea of laying out a town on Knob Prairie, and had decided to call it West Union,
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because he liked the name of Union, and added " West " to it because there was a West Union in Ohio, his native State.
Soon afterward, during the month of July, Jacob LyBrand and Jacob W. Rogers, also from Monroe, Wis., visited this locality, made arrangements with Mr. Wells, with whom they were acquainted, for the purchase of a two-thirds' interest in sixty acres, on which the new town of West Union was to be located, and for founding the town. After perfecting the preliminary arrangements, Ly Brand and Rogers went back to Wisconsin, but returned to West Union on September 7th, following, with a stock of goods, which were put into Wells' cabin, and the first store in the county was opened.
Mr. Rogers brought his family, his wife and child, with him. Soon after their arrival, in September, the town of West Union, located on the northeast quarter of Section 17, Township 94 north, of Range 8 west, was laid out. The surveying was done by Erastus A. Light.
Early in October, Mr. Rogers commenced building the first house on the town plat, on Block 17. It was built of hewed logs, 18x26 feet, one and one-half stories, and was finished and occupied by Mr. Rogers and his family December 25, 1849. The roof was covered with long shingles, and lumber was hauled from Elkader for the floors.
Although the town was surveyed in September, 1849, the proprietors dis- covered that it was necessary that it should be surveyed and platted by a County Surveyor, to comply with the laws. Accordingly, early in the next Spring, the town was re-surveyed. Fayette County was not organized, and, consequently, the work was done by the County Surveyor of Clayton County, to which Fayette was then attached.
The point of beginning from which to make future surveys may be found at the southeast corner of the Public Square, where a stone is planted for the corner. The plat is certified by John M. Gay, County Surveyor of Clayton County, April 29, 1850, and sworn to by the proprietors, William Wells, Jacob Ly Brand and J. W. Rogers, proprietors, before Robert R. Reed, Notary Public, June 28, 1850, filed for record the same day, and recorded June 29, 1850. Again filed for record June 8, 1858, and recorded December 11, 1858.
The proprietors appropriated the Public Square, 400 feet square, to the use of Fayette County for public buildings, provided the county seat should be located in West Union ; and if the county seat should not be located at West Union, or be removed from it, then said square to be for the use of the village.
The Otter Creek Mission Circuit was established by the Methodist Episcopal Church, in 1849, by the Conference of which Rev. G. B. Bowman was Presid- ing Elder, but no appointment was made, and it was left to be supplied by the Presiding Elder, who secured the services of Rev. John Hinman for Circuit Preacher. Mr. Hinman preached his first sermon in West Union in 1849, probably in September, at the house of H. F. Smith, it is said. Of this meeting, probably, the following incident is related :
PIONEER CHURCH GOING.
In September, 1849, shortly after Benjamin Iliff settled on Section 7, Township 95, Range 8, he heard that there was to be a religious meeting at Mr. Smith's cabin, at West Union. Mr. Iliff was anxious to attend, but was at some loss to know how to manage. He could not think of leaving his wife and two small children at the cabin alone, the nearest neighbor being four miles away. If he went with the oxen and wagon and took them with him, there would be nobody to take care of the cows and young cattle at home. But where there
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was a will there was a way. Mr. Iliff was determined to " go to meetin'." He hitched up his team, put his wife and children in the wagon, hitched his horse, " Old Nance," behind the wagon, and the cattle, so lately coming from Wiscon- sin in that way, very readily fell into the procession, and away they all went to meeting at West Union, where the family enjoyed a good time and the stock found rich pasture, returning home, after the meeting was over, in the order in which they came.
It was only a little incident, but it gives an insight into pioneer life and customs. What citizen of Eldorado, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight, would think of going to West Union to church, driving a yoke of oxen attached to a wagon in which his family should be seated on some straw, with his horse led by a halter and his cows and young stock bringing up the rear ? And yet, the sturdy pioneers of 1849 enjoyed it, and entered into the worship of Almighty God with quite as much earnestness and sincerity as characterizes much of the religious worship in these modern times. They did not "go to meetin' " to show their new bonnets or Spring overcoats, nor were they too proud to ride in an ox cart. They went to attend to the spiritual necessities of their being, and cared very little for external show.
The first quarterly meeting was held near Otter Creek, at the house, it is said, of George Smith, about three miles east of West Union, about June 1, 1850. The first quarterly conference was composed of Rev. G. B. Bowman,. Presiding Elder ; Rev. H. S. Brunson, Rev. John Hinman, Rev. Eli Elrod, Benjamin Iliff, J. W. Foster, James Robinson and G. P. Slayton. It is possi- ble that this was the second meeting, and that the first was held in September, in 1849.
In October, 1849, Jacob W. Rogers went to Quasqueton, where he sold his horse and buggy to Denton M. Davis, the owner of the mill at that place, for $130, in grain, flour and pork, and returned to West Union, forty-five miles on foot. During the Winter of 1850-51, he went to Quasqueton with a team for a load of grain, and on his return it was so cold that he was obliged to walk beside the wagon the entire distance to prevent freezing. In spite of his efforts, how- ever, when he reached home about 10 o'clock at night, his nose, ears, face and hands were frost-bitten, and it was several weeks before he recovered from the effects of his journey.
AUBURN TOWNSHIP.
In 1847, Fayette County was included in Hewitt Township, Clayton County. The first township created in Fayette County was by order of the County Com- missioners of Clayton, Oct. 1, 1849, as follows :
Ordered, that, whereas, a petition having been presented from Fayette County, signed by David Smith, John Downey and others, praying to be set off into a township, with the follow- ing bounds, viz .: Township 95, Range 9; north half, Township 94, Range 9; west half, Town- ship 95, Range 8, boundary of said township, be and hereby is received, and the first election at M. B. Earle's, at a newly commenced village known by the name of Auburn, and that the Clerk is hereby requested to notify them of the acceptance of their petition, and also with such instructions as he may deem proper.
The Commissioners appointed no Judges of Election for the new township, and there are no records to show that the township was organized at that time.
WEST UNION TOWNSHIP.
The following order of the Clayton Commissioners appears of record October 3, 1849:
Ordered, that, whereas, a petition has been presented this day by William Rogers (Wells ?) and others, from Fayette County, asking to be set off into a township, with the following bounds, viz .: Township 94, Range 8; east half, Township 95, Range 8, be and hereby is received, and
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that said township be called West Union, and that William Cavanaugh, Aaron South and William Felch be and hereby are appointed Judges of the first election to be held at William Wells', or at West Union, if house prepared, be and hereby is received, and the Clerk is hereby instructed to notify them of the reception, and with other instructions as the Clerk thinks proper.
Very soon after this order of the Commissioners, an election was held at the house of William Wells. Mr. South, one of the appointed Judges of Election, was absent, and the election was held before another could be appointed. No records of this election are known to be in existence, but it appears that Gabriel Long was elected Justice of the Peace.
ELKADER TO WEST UNION.
January 8, 1850, on petition of Horace Bemis and others, for a road from Elkader to West Union, and thence by the most eligible route to intersect the road from Dubuque to Fort Atkinson, granted ; and William Wells, Oliver A. Brown and James Partch appointed Viewers.
The first Post Office in the county was established at West Union January 29, 1850, Jacob W. Rogers, Postmaster. The petition for the establishment of this office was sent in August or September, 1849, before the town was laid out. The next office was at Douglass (Auburn) May 28, 1850 Daniel McDuffie, Postmaster.
In the Spring of 1850, Daniel Cook built the second building, which was the first store on the town plat of West Union. It was a small building that stood very nearly at the south end of the building, now known as the " Stewart House," on Lot 5, Block 13, south side of Elm street. Cook also commenced building a hotel at the corner of Elm and Vine during the same year.
Pleasant Valley Township or precinct was established by the Commissioners of Clayton County April 8, 1850, comprised of Townships 94 and 95, Range 7. Polling place, house of John Conner; Judges of Election, Benjamin Dimond. John Conner and Joseph Forbes.
On the same day the Commissioners ordered a road survey from McGre- gor's Landing to West Union, and appointed Simeon B. Forbes, Jolin Thomp- son and Matthew Thompson, Viewers.
An election is reported at the house of George Rowley for the organization of Pleasant Valley Township, held, probably, immediately after the above order of the Commissioners. although they had ordered the voting place to be at house of John Conner. At the election it is said that C. Sawyer, Geo. Rowley and Matthew Conner were the Judges, and Geo. Rowley was elected Justice of the Peace for Township 94, Range 7, and Charles Sawyer for Township 95, Range 7, but there are no records to substantiate the report.
TOWNSHIP ELECTION.
The first election of which any records remain, in West Union Precinct or Township, of Fayette County, then attached to Clayton, occurred on the first Monday in April, 1850. The original poll book and tally list of this election was preserved among the papers of the late William Wells, Esq., and furnished by his son, Hamilton C. Wells, for this work.
Poll book for an election held at the house of William Wells, for the precinct of West Union, in Fayette County, Iowa, on the first Monday in April, 1850, for the purpose of electing the necessary officers for said precinct. Voters : Henry F. Smith, Henry Jones, Thomas Smith, Jacob F. Smith, Samuel Rice, Louis Kerr, Jacob Oorv, John Kerr, George Smith, Gabriel Long, Joshua Wells, William Wells, J. W. Rogers, George Neff, Joseph Deford.
Tally List .- For School Fund Commissioner-Eliphalet Price, 13 For Justice of the Peace-Jacob W. Rogers, 7; William P. Kavanaugh, 13; Henry F. Smith, 2; Gabriel Long. 4. For Constable-George Neff, 12; Henry Jones, 13. For Trustees-William Wells, 10;
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William Root, 11; George Smith, 11. For Treasurer-Gabriel Long, 10. For Town Clerk- Henry Jones, 10 ; John Kerr, 3. For Supervisors-Samuel Rice, 10; John Kerr, 7; William P. Kavanaugh, 11; Joshua Wells, 4; Thomas J. Smith, 7; Jacob Cory, 1; William Root, 1; Solomon Bishop, 1.
We do solemnly certify that the above named persons have received the number of votes opposite their names.
JACOB W. ROGERS, GEORGE NEFF, WILLIAM WELLS, - Judges of Election.
JOSHUA WELLS, \ Clerks. GABRIEL LONG. S
Rev. James Davis, a United Brethren preacher, with his family came to the county in August, 1849, and settled in Dover Township, but in the Spring of 1850 removed to Lightville (now Lima), having rented Harvey Light's place, his son William cutting out the road from West Union to Lightville. During the Summer, Mr. Davis built a log cabin about a mile below Light's Mill, on the south side of the Volga, on Section 19, Township 93, Range 7 (Illyria Township). The only other house in the vicinity was that of Andrew Hensley, built the previous year. Mr. Davis died April 11, 1854, and in 1856 his widow married Rev. John Brown, the pioneer preacher of this region, well known as a United Brethren preacher in Delaware, Clayton and Fayette Counties. Mrs. Davis was his third wife. Mr. Davis was among the earliest minister, to settle in Fayette County, and is said to have preached the first ser- mon in Dover and West Union Townships.
In the Fall of 1850, after Mr. Davis had moved into his new cabin, his sons William and Ambrose D., the former about 17, and the latter six or seven years old, started to go to the river about a quarter of a mile distant, fishing. Ambrose, the little shaver, was carrying the bait and was several rods behind his brother. when he came to a very large basswood tree that had blown down. Will- iam had passed around it, but Ambrose clambered over it. While standing on it, he noticed a peculiar depression in the bark toward the top of the tree, and running along until he came to the place, he, broke through and fell into the tree, which was hollow, and the wood had decayed and fallen away from the bark. In fall- ing, the boy's feet struck something inside that frightened him. The tree was so large that he couldn't get out alone, and he yelled. William came running back, fearing that a snake had attacked his little brother, and lifted him out of the trap into which he had fallen. Upon further examination, the boys found a two-gallon jug about half full of whisky, a nice Indian tomahawk, three fish- ing spear heads-made of iron and about twelve inches long-and a large stone pipe, cut out of some kind of red stone and nicely polished, and the fragments of a blue blanket. The boys carried the articles to the house, and Ambrose says his father thought that they had been deposited by Indians who had got drunk, wandered off and forgot where they left them. From appearances, they had been hidden in the old tree several years before, and the more probable explanation is that the redskin who left them there took a dose of lead, laid down suddenly and died, leaving his estate to be settled by the Davis boys.
THE PRAIRIE BANDITTI.
It was not to be expected that Fayette County, now rapidly filling up with a hardy, enterprising and energetic population, should entirely escape the notice of the dreaded gang of Prairie Banditti that had, for some years, been the terror of the honest settlers, but which, in 1850, had lost its power in a great measure. This band was admirably organized, reached and had its agents in every class of society, who, if they did not actually commit crime, aided and
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abetted those who did, and assisted them to escape from the penalties of the law, when, by some untoward accident, any of them were detected and arrested. In the zenith of its reign of terror, this band numbered among its members Jus- tices of the Peace, Constables, Sheriffs, etc. It is not the purpose of this work to recount the many outrages committed by that band, some of which were in this county, for evil deeds, generally, live longer in tradition than good ones, hence, history should be devoted mainly to the preservation of the latter, and only brief mention will be made of this matter in this work.
Fayette County was not headquarters for the leaders of the gang, but that they had emissaries and assistants here, there can but little doubt. Among those who were connected with the gang more or less directly, in the more southern counties, were the Leverichs. and it is said that Chauncey Leverich, who came to Fayette County early in 1850, if not in 1849, was a member of that family, and it was generally supposed that he was connected with the gang, and knew more about their operations than he chose to tell. He was in West Union in 1850, and on the 22d of February, 1851, William Wells sold him, "for twenty- five dollars, to be paid in one fanning-mill," Lots Nos. 1 and 10, Block 13, in the village of West Union, upon the condition that the said Leverich should "erect a two-story building, 20x34, and to have said building enclosed by the 1st day of July, A. D. 1851." This was designed for a public house, and was built on the site where the Descent House now stands, but Leverich soon after sold it and went to Clermont. Leverich was not unpopular, but people feared while they liked him. Leverich left here in the Fall of 1853, went to Minne- sota, laid out the town of Austin, and was killed in 1854, by a party of fellows who wanted " more whisky."
Following is a copy of a notice received by William Wells from the Com- missioners of Clayton County :
To WILLIAM WILLS: You are hereby notified that the Board of County Commissioners, at their January meeting, appointed you. with Oliver A. Brown and Horace Bemis, Commissioners to view a route for a road, asked for by petition, running from Elkader westwardly, on the most eligible route. to West Union, in Fayette County, near the head of Otter Creek ; thence, on the most eligible route to intersect the road leading from Dubuque to Fort Atkinson, and that you meet at Elkader, on the 7th day of May, 1850, to enter upon the discharge of your duties, with power to employ County Surveyor, chain-men, etc.
By order of the Board.
Garnavillo, 12th Jan., A. D. 1850.
Attest. ROBERT R. READ, Clerk Co. Com. C. C., I.
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