USA > Iowa > Henry County > The history of Henry county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 66
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Officers : J. H. Pickering, President ; Isaac T. Gibson, Secretary ; Henry Dorland, Treasurer ; Levi Gregory, Corresponding Secretary.
Standing committees for 1878-79: Committee on Finance, William Davis, Chairman ; Building Committee, W. S. Hockett, Chairman; Teachers' Com- mittee, Levi Gregory, Chairman; Committee on Library, Anna M. Gibson,
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Chairman; Committee on Books and Apparatus, Joseph Ozbun, Chairman; Auditing Committee, Moses Votaw, Chairman.
An idea of the method of government may be gained by the following reg- ulations :
"Motto-He conquers most who conquers himself.
"Entering the school as a pupil or teacher is regarded as giving a sacred pledge to make an earnest and faithful endeavor to comply with and sustain the following requisitions: Regular attendance; promptitude; decorum ; courtesy ; no unnecessary noise; no communication ; no immorality ; no games of chance. Students are not to visit each others' rooms during study hours, 7 to 9 P. M. They are also expected to be in their rooms for the night by 10 o'clock P. M."
The average attendance upon this institution is about one hundred scholars. There were one hundred and twenty-five during one term.
UNDERGROUND RAILROADS.
The most important event that ever transpired in the southeast corner of Henry County, and of which Salem was the cradle and her citizens the nurses, was the outbreak in 1848, between June 5 and 8, and caused by the hiding- away of slaves by the Salem people, the blacks belonging to Rural Daggs, of Clarke County, Mo.
Nineteen slaves belonging to Rural Daggs made up their minds they would escape, and knowing that the spirit of the freedom-loving Quaker people was in opposition to the chain and lash, they concluded to start for Salem and pray for succor and secretion.
The negroes got as far as Farmington on Saturday night, and by Sunday morning they had reached the Salem timber. The planters over the line having learned of the escape of the slaves, made up a small party and started in pur- suit of them. This fact coming to the ears of those who had shouldered the task of aiding the slaves to escape, the former advised the slaves to hide in the timber southwest of Salem. They did this, remaining there two or three days, during which time great baskets of bread and provisions were smuggled to the forest where lay the negroes, by the good people of Salem. Chief among those who fed the slaves were John H. Pickering and wife. The latter baked the bread and after nightfall her husband would carry it to the wood. " Auntie, why does thee bake so many loaves ? " the neighbors would ask. "Well, thee knows I have many in my family to feed," would be the evasive reply. And thus the secret did not leak out.
Perhaps all would have gone smoothly and the slaves accomplished a suc- cessful escape, had not three of the party been so indiscreet as to leave the shades of the forest, and show themselves within the borders of the town. Their presence was made known by some one living at Salem, who was in sym- pathy with the planters. The sympathizers met the planters below the town, and communicated the fact stated. The planters immediately returned to the vicinity where lived Rural Daggs, and started the report that the slaves were being cared for by the Salem people, and, that in order to capture the fugitives it would be necessary to raise a force of men, proceed to the town and surround it.
On their way to Salem, the planters entered the office of Esquire Gibbs, at. Hillsboro, and swore out blank warrants for the arrest of certain Salem people, on the charge of fostering, aiding and abetting the escape and seclusion of Rural Dagg's slaves.
The planters, armed with these warrants, rode into town, and forming them- selves into divisions, proceeded to the business of searching the houses.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
To this mode of procedure some of the citizens objected, while others freely threw open their doors and bade the planters enter and seek.
One of the objectors was Henry W. Way. When the planters came to his house he said to them, having set a ladder up to the window of the loft : "You may go up if you wish, gentlemen. There are three negroes hidden away in that loft. But mind you, it is risky business to make an attempt to carry out the search. The first man who touches a rung of that ladder is in danger of his life." And at the same time he drew a pistol and defied the crowd. "I am armed, gentlemen," he continued. " with enough of these little instruments to make just thirteen holes in your flesh."
The planters gave up their search of Mr. Way's house, and departed on their rounds.
Not being successful in their search for slaves, the planters now set out to carry into force that power and authority vested in them by the blank warrants. They arrested John H. Pickering, T. Clarkson Frazier, Erick Knudson, Elihu Frazier, Isaac C. Frazier, John Comer and a few others. These they confined in a hotel, where they were kept during the night. A strong guard was placed around the hotel, and about 10 o'clock the next morning the citizens were released on their own recognizance. Suits for damages were finally instituted, and the planters in time recovered judgment.
But of the slaves. Only a few of them were ever captured, and it was partly on this ground that the damages were allowed.
During the excitement, a number of men on horseback rode into Salem to aid the citizens, but the final return home of the planters avoided bloodshed. Sheriff W. S. Viney was also sent for, and perhaps his coming helped quiet the ruffled spirits of the slave-owners.
There were some interesting incidents connected with this so-called " Under- ground Railroad."
A reward of $500 each was offered for the heads of Ely Jessup and Joel Garretson. These were supposed by the planters to have been the main insti- gators of the plan to escape. Jessup was secreted in a potato-hole, while Gar- retson was hid at his house.
Dr. Harris had in his possession a colored woman whom he desired to escape before the Missourians should have searched the houses. He, therefore, clothed her head in a long, drab Quaker bonnet, tied a veil over her face, handed her into his buggy, and drove through town unmolested by the entire band of planters, whom he passed on the way, they thinking the woman his grand- mother.
It is charged that E. Frazier, through the excitement, leaped on his horse and started toward Denmark on a dead run. A saddle belonging to Mr. Mad- docks, was hanging over a fence-post on the road he was obliged to pass. Fra- zier noticed the saddle was being swung round and round by the wind, and thinking the object was the head of a Missourian, he put the spurs to his horse and rode into Denmark crying, " Hell fire ! Hell fire !" This is vouched for by the Salem people as a fact.
The Denmark people, when they rode into town, had all, with the exception of one man, managed to trim their horses' saddles and bridles with red flannel. To complete the horse-uniform, this man doffed a vest he had borrowed, and, tearing the back of it into strips, bound them about the straps and girdle.
Among the arrested ones was Clarkson Frazier. When being marched to the guardhouse, he made a special request of Mr. Pickering's daughter to tell his wife to be sure and change the name of his child to that of its father
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(Clarkson) as he might never again see his family. In his excitement, he had forgotten that the child was a girl.
A short time previous to this date and the event already mentioned, a like attempt at escape was made by slaves, but the ending of the effort was closely akin to the one narrated.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Robert Russell, the stage-driver, whose route lies between Salem and Mount Pleasant, and who resides at the former-named place, has achieved a distinction which may here be recorded. He has driven over the route every day for the past sixteen years, and those trips have amounted to twice the dis- tance around the world.
Henderson and William Lewelling, of this place, started the first nursery, and their sprouts have been distributed to such an extent as to furnish the entire county with trees. Theirs was the sole supply-nursery for many years.
NEW LONDON.
Abraham C. Dover came to Henry County, from Illinois, in the fall of 1833, and established a claim on the present site of New London. The next year, he was followed by his brother, Solomon H. Dover. Others came, and soon the first Dover conceived the idea of laying out a town.
In the year 1837, the original town site was laid off by Benjamin Matthews, the first Surveyor in this section, and who was employed by the owner of the land for that purpose. The prospective town was called after its founder- Dover. Some time after the plat was surveyed, on which then stood four or five cabins. Jonathan J. King bought eight acres of land of Dover, including the town site, the name of which was then changed to New London, and made an addition to it.
In 1837, Abraham C. Dover was appointed Justice of the Peace, his securities being Jesse S. Burge and James Gray. They also furnished him the first case.
While coming home from Burlington, on the day of Dover's installment, his sureties fell into a dispute and finally wound up by fighting. They were arrested and brought before him whom they had " in penal sum, etc.," sworn to back, and were fined $1 each.
John H. Kincaid was the first Postmaster at New London, having heen appointed by James K. Polk in 1838.
Thomas Hedge kept the first store there in 1838. He soon contracted with two partners, and the firm became Dixon, Hedge & Sears.
In those days, the umbrella was in its infancy, so far as the supply was concerned in this part of the country, and as soon as the Indians laid eyes upon them, all who could afford it, had one. The common price for a rain-shedder was $20. It is averred that at one time Hedge held notes on the Indians to the amount of $20,000; but which sum was subsequently reduced by the Indian Commissioner to $18,000.
This store was a regular visiting-place for the Sac and Fox tribe, and Keokuk and Black Hawk were frequent callers, until the establishment of the trading-post at Agency City.
Hedge was fond of telling a story, illustrative of some of the peculiarities that possessed the people of that day.
An old lady from the head of Flint, one day rode to town on horse-back, removed the saddle from her beast and entered the store. Taking a huge pipe
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
from its hiding-place, she filled it, began to smoke, and then asked to see some " cheap caliker." At length she ordered a yard and a half wrapped up. She, at the same time, reached her hand into her bosom and drew forth a half dozen eggs. Calling for some other commodity in stock, she produced another half dozen eggs from the same locality as had come the former. This was repeated until, according to the tale as told by Hedge, she had produced two or three dozen eggs. Suddenly she said :
" Mr. Hedge, won't you throw in some thread with this ere caliker ?"
" I have no thread ; I am out."
"Then," she replied, producing some home-made thread, "I've some here I'll sell yer and ye can throw it in with my goods."
The first blacksmith-shop was built in 1838, by some one whom the New Londoners characterized as indolent-too much so to attend to his business. His name has passed from memory. He was succeeded by a man named Tilley.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
The place was incorporated in 1861, at which time there was a. population of 300 people. The first records contain the following:
" A number of the citizens of New London, having petitioned the County Judge, praying that said town might be incorporated as per plat and survey annexed, according to the statute of the State in such cases made and provided, on the hearing of said petition, after the requisite preliminaries had been done and performed, the Court granted their prayer and the said town of New London was declared incorporated. Whereupon, the citizens of the said cor- poration, on the 11th day of March, A. D. 1861, proceeded to elect by ballot, a Mayor, Recorder and five Trustees as officers of said corporation, due notice of the same having first been given. The officers chosen to conduct said elec- tion, Adam Miltenberger, James Cramer and John Edger, were qualified to act as Judges, and C. W. Smith and William Workman to act as Clerks of said election, all of whom were duly qualified to perform their several duties."
The result of the election was as follows: Mayor, Benjamin Matthews; Recorder, James Piper; Trustees, Hugh Gilmore, James Cramer, W. D. Walker, Thomas H. Brestor and William Allen.
The Postmaster at New London is Adison Chandler, who received his first appointment under President Lincoln, in 1861.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The first mill built in the place was by Broad & Hager, the millwright be- ing W. E. Tomlinson, of Shields & Tomlinson, owners of the present mill.
The capacity of the mill is 100 barrels of flour per day, and 1,200 bushels of corn. The property is valued at $12,000. The storage capacity is 5,000 bushels.
The first birth was W. L. Dover; the first death, Henry Blanchard ; the first persons married, Samuel Holland and Minerva Walter.
RELIGIOUS.
The earliest meetings held by the Methodists were in 1838, at the house of W. W. Steele, the Rev. Mr. Arrington preaching the first sermon. Afterward (1839), a log building was put up by Solomon H. Dover, Jonathan Kane, William Hardin and John E. Lynn, each man building one side of the church. The place was also used as a schoolhouse. A new church was erected in 1846. The congregation is small, yet doing good work.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
The Protestant Methodist society was organized in 1858, and for a number of years held meetings at places the most convenient to be had. In 1867, the society purchased the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in which meetings were held until the year 1873, when steps were taken to erect the church now owned and occupied by the society. The church was completed the same year, at an outlay of $4,000. The first sermon preached in the new sanctu- ary was by the Rev. J. L. Walker, of Illinois. The society now have a mem- bership of eighty, with a Sabbath school, the attendance upon which is about the same.
A Baptist society was organized at the old Presbyterian Church in the fall of 1855. The original members of this Church were Charlotte A. Snyder, Mrs. Mary Jane Benton, Jonathan Philpott and wife, and John Otto and wife. These few held meetings in the Presbyterian Church and at private houses, and in the spring of 1855, the society having increased materially in numbers, it was decided to build a church. This was made ready for occupancy during the winter of 1856-57, and the church property of the society was enhanced to $5,000. The Rev. Mr. Eggleston, who was ordained here, preached the first sermon in the church. The society ceased holding meetings in April, 1878. The Rev. I. H. Denton was the last minister.
The Campbellite or Christian Church was organized in 1848, and services were held by the society in the schoolhouse. The Rev. Alexander Pattison was the first Pastor. In 1849, the society built a church at a cost of $1,500. There is a Sabbath school in connection with the church. The Rev. R. J. Dillon is Pastor.
The Presbyterian Church was organized on March 8, 1856, with the fol- lowing members : Thomas Donnell, Ruth A. Donnell, Thomas H. Antrobus, Elizabeth E. Antrobus, Valentine Shearer, Mary Shearer, Sarah C. Shearer, Hiram Dicus, Lucy A. Dicus, Rhoda J. Wilson, Emily Wilson, Joseph W. Wilson, Harriet Wilson, W. B. Porter, F. P. Law, Maria Ritchie and Sarah M. McBride. At that time, Hiram Dicus and Valentine Shearer were elected Ruling Elders. The Rev. J. B. McBride preached for the congregation every alternate Sabbath until January, 1860, during which time twenty-four were added to the membership by certificate and ten by profession. After many trials, the Church was re-organized in the fall of 1868, when Thomas H. Antro- bus was elected Ruling Elder. In the spring of 1874, the society decided to begin building a church, and the result was that by May 9, 1875, a house of worship was completed, at a cost of $6,000, and on the date named dedicated, free of debt. The Rev. W. G. Craig preached the first sermon. At that time, the society had twenty-five members-twenty-one females and four males. On the Sunday after the dedication, the pulpit was supplied by the Rev. Thomas L. Sexton, who has continued as Pastor until the present time. The church mem- bership is sixty-eight. A Sabbath school has been in operation since the dedication year of the church.
In 1846, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized, and, two years later, a church was built. The society disbanded in 1867, and their church-building was sold to the Protestant Methodists.
EDUCATIONAL.
New London was organized as an independent school district in the year 1857. No records were kept, and the names of the first officers cannot be given. The present officers of the Board are George Van Beek, President ; William T. Cabeen, Secretary ; William Workman, Treasurer.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
The first school in the place was taught in a building put up for the Meth- odist Church, in 1839, by Solomon H. Dover, Jonathan Kane, William Hardin and John E. Lynn, each man building one side. The structure was of square logs. The first teacher here was Jonathan Roberts. The public schoolhouse was begun in 1856, and completed in 1859. N. R. Cook was the first teacher. The structure is of brick, and cost $4,500. The Principal at present is J. H. Griffin, assisted by Miss Olive Hine. The scholarship attendance is 125. In addition to the public school is a union schoolhouse and an academy, both devoted to the interests of affording education facilities to local scholars.
NEW LONDON LODGES.
New London Lodge, No. 28, A., F. ยง A. M., was opened under dispensation on the 3d of February, 1851. The officers were : W. D. McCord, W. G. M .; Jacob Hare, S. W .; Jacob Burkey, J. W .; P. F. Anderson, S. W .; Moses F. Shinn, Secretary ; Samuel Hutton, Treasurer; Henry Swineheart, Tiler. The Lodge received its charter on June 4, 1851, when the following were made officers : P. Yeoman, W. M .; P. F. Anderson, S. W .; Samuel Hutton, J. W .; Joseph Burkey, L. W .; Jacob Hare, Secretary ; W. R. Crain, S. D .; James Robertson, J. D .; William Barrister, Tiler. The present officers are: W. H. Hampton, W. M .; Munroe Swift, S. W .; John A. Douveman, J. W .; R. H. Peterson, Treasurer ; W. T. Cabeen, Secretary; M. B. Gladman, S. D .; H. T. Wilson, J. D .; C. L. Kincaid, Tiler ; Ledorus Swift, S. S .; Mark Ly- man, J. S .; A. R. Brown, Chaplain. The Lodge membership is seventy- seven.
Charity Lodge, No. 56, I. O. O. F., was instituted October 26, 1854. The charter members were Charles Hendershott, W. C. Hobbs, James Telfer, Benjamin King and J. H. Philpott. The officers were : Charles Hendershott, N. G .; W. C. Hobbs, V. G .; J. H. Philpott, Secretary; Benjamin King, Treasurer. The present officers are : A. H. Gabbert, N. G .; George Shane, V. G .; James Telfer, Treasurer ; J. L. Shields, Secretary. The membership is forty-five.
TRENTON.
In the spring of 1836, Michael Crane, from Illinois, came here and made the claim where Trenton now stands, and laid out a village and called it Lan- caster, after the place of the same name in Pennsylvania. The following year, Samuel Brazleton, Col. Parker and George Miller bought the claim, had it resurveyed and relaid out, and at the suggestion of the Hon. James C. Green, named it Trenton, after the capital of New Jersey. Some two or three years later, George Miller purchased the interest of Col. Porter and Gen. Brazleton, and became sole proprietor.
In July, 1836, there was not a cultivated field in all that region now known as Trenton. The first people who came were, Hon. James C. Green, James McPheron, J. H. McPheron, George Miller, Joseph, Jacob and Perry Morrison, Isaac Jordan, J. and B. B. Allender, Absalom Leeper, John Kephart and A. Updegraph, besides those whose names follow in other connections. Of all these persons, James C. Green is the only one now left in the township.
In 1836, there was but one house in the vicinity, and that was uninhabited. The village of Trenton was laid out on May 27, 1837.
Timothy Gaskell kept the first store.
Samuel Morrison was the first Postmaster.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
The first doctor was William Finley ; and A. Updegraph was the first Jus- tice of the Peace. Hon. James C. Green was the first and only Notary ever in the township. He was also the second Justice.
The first hotel in the place was kept by James Connor.
The village now has a population of one hundred and fifty inhabitants. It supports three dry goods stores, one grocery, one hotel, three physicians, three carpenters, and four blacksmith-shops.
For a number of years past, Joel Turney has had in successful operation a. wagon-factory. He built this up by his industry, and now employs fifteen hands, turning out about two hundred vehicles yearly.
There is but one church here-the Presbyterian. The society was organ- ized thirty years ago ; and, twenty-five years ago, they erected their first church. A new church was put up ten years ago, which has served since.
The educational accommodations of Trenton are worthy of comment. The beginning of the school facilities was in 1839 or 1840, when a log building served the district. Soon afterward, a brick house was put up. In 1868, an effort to erect the present schoolhouse was a successful one. About $6,000 were expended, and a large, fine building was the result.
There is a lodge of Odd Fellows here, the style of the Order being Trenton Lodge, No. 57, I. O. O. F. The charter members were: John Creal, N. G .; Hon. James C. Green, Isaiah Beem, Andrew J. Wilson. The Lodge now num- bers fifty members. The officers are: Thomas Jay, N. G. ; David Golson, V. G .; Henry Hipwell, Sec., and Andrew J. Wilson, Treas.
HENRY COUNTY INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE.
The village of Trenton can boast of an enterprise of which there are few duplicates. This is the "Henry County Institute of Science."
The Institute is for the purpose of promoting the literary tastes and desires of the villagers. They hold literary meetings the first Saturday in each month. The building occupied by the society was erected in the year 1869, by George Miller, at a cost of $6,000. He died at midnight, between the years 1869 and 1870, having donated the building for the purpose named, one month prior to his death. The Institute now has 1,010 volumes in the library, and at the regular meeting held the first Saturday in January, an order was passed appropriating $150 more for books, nearly all of which have been added since 1870. The library is open to the public twice a month. Sarah M. Green is the Librarian. The first President of the Institute was Hon. James C. Green.
The Institute is controlled by a Board, consisting of five Directors, the names of whom are Francis McCray, Hon. James C. Green, William Buker, Robert Brown and Abner Lane. The Institute was established under a gen- eral act of incorporation.
The building is a large, square structure, two stories in height, built of brick, and well lighted. The arrangement of the rooms is simple, yet gives ample accommodation to the members of the Institute. Entering the building from the front door, one is led through the hallroom to a hall with a broad staircase running to the grand library-room. This contains cases of books, a case of specimens and curiosities, statuary, hanging portraits, landscapes, etc., beside tables and ample seating facilities. The Institute is well patronized, and is the pride of the village.
The lodge of the I. O. O. F. is located in the library-room of the building.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
ROME.
The first settlement of Rome began in the year 1836, when a Mr. Thomp- son located a claim near the present town site, on the northern side of Skunk River. In the year 1846, William Scott laid off the original town site on the west bank of the river.
William Scott and James Strong kept the first store.
The first blacksmith-shop was kept by a Mr. Knight, in 1842.
The first hotel was put up by William Scott, in 1837.
A land speculator named D. C. Whitwood, knowing the proposed route of of the C., B. & Q. Railroad, came here in 1856, and bought 160 acres of land on the north side of town, twenty-five acres of which he laid off into lots. It. was his intention to start a town here, and he named the locality Chicanqna -- the Indian name for Skunk River.
In 1866, O'Laughlin & Baker purchased of Whitwood the land originally purchased by the latter, and in that same year the locality known as Chicau- qna was incorporated with Rome, both as one town.
The first election at the village was held the first Monday of March, 1856, resulting in the election of James Galagher, Mayor ; P. L. Gilson, Recorder; Dr. John Elliott, Treasurer ; and Robert Gentle, John Pencil, Peter O'Laugh- lin, B. Dodd and John Tracy, Trustees.
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