USA > Iowa > Iowa County > The history of Iowa County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 87
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THE NAME.
CoNo was the name of an Indian who would not remain with his tribe after their removal to Kansas, but returning lived in the neighborhood, respected by all the whites for his honesty and peaceful life. After his death his remains were placed in a sitting position by the Indians, in an inclosure made of lumber sawed by William Greenlee with a whip-saw. His remains could be seen and were often visited by the friendly Indians. Several years afterward the whites covered the old brave's ashes with a mound which remains to this day. This wild man of the forest, after be- coming tame, worked for the neighbors. He helped in building the log por- tion of the present house in which Mr. G. O. Hutson lives; and occasion- ally his squaw, now very old, visits this log structure to look for and re-call memories of her departed companion. The squaw still lives in the neigh- borhood and all the farmers treat her kindly. May this township ever per- petuate the memory of the friendly Indian, who would not leave it while alive and whose remains rest in its bosom.
701
CONO TOWNSHIP.
GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION.
Cono township is bounded north by Benton county, east by Washington- township, south by the Iowa River, which separates it from Marengo and Honey Creek townships, and west by Honey Creek township, being sep- arated from it by the Iowa River. It is nearly the form of a right angled triangle with the base lying along Benton county line, the perpendicular along the western line of Washington township and the hypothenuse along the Iowa River. Cono includes all that portion of townships 81, ranges 11 and 12, described as follows: Beginning at the northeast corner of sec -- tion 4, township 81, range 11, and thence running west along the Benton county line to its intersection with Iowa River, thence in a southeasterly direction following the meanderings of the river on its north bank to the dividing line between sections 15 and 16, township 81, range 11, and thence- north to the place of beginning.
The area of Cono is much less than that of any other township in the county, it being less than one-half as large as Lenox, which is next in size. Lenox contains twenty square miles or 16,800 acres, while Cono has only nine and a half square miles or 6,080 acres. Cono though least in ex- tent and population is by no means inferior in natural resources and im -- provements already made. It has a wide belt of land along the north bank of Iowa River, which is unsurpassed for richness and fertility. This strip is about a mile in width and nearly eight miles in length and gently rises from the river bank till it reaches the gentle bluffs. It is not low and swampy as is so often found along the bottoms of large rivers, neither is it liable to frequent overflows.
The population, of course, is small, but those who have lived there for a. quarter of a century have no hope of finding a land more congenial to the- agriculturalist or stock-raiser. At the last general election, in 1880, there were forty-eight votes polled; only five legal voters were away from the. polls. There are 163 horses, 400 swine, 30 cattle, 3 mules and 19 sheep in the township. The realty amounts to $47,755 and the personalty to $11,- . 787.
Iowa River, which forms the southern boundary, is bordered with timber and there is also a small supply further up among the more uneven lands. There is a small creek flowing south into Iowa River through the east part of sections 2 and 11. The land is generally rolling except on Iowa River. The road which leads from Marengo to Belle Plaine passes through Cono. township, running along on the verge of the bottom and upland.
EARLY SETTLERS.
William Foster came as early as 1843 and settled on section 8, township. 81, range 11, and afterward went to Keokuk county. Andrew D. Steph- ens came about the year 1844 and settled on section 1. He originally came from Ohio. Isaac Craig came as early 1843 and took a claim in sec- tion 9, township 81, range 11. He did not live here long. John Adams. came as early as 1843 and took a claim in section 1. It is said that he was the first settler in what is now Cono township. He removed to Iowa City as early as 1846, but from all the information we have been able to collect, we are almost certain that he built the first house in the township and cov- ered it with sod. The floor was of puncheons. Robert Furnas came from:
702
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
Miami county, Ohio, in the year 1845, and in the fall of the same reached Keokuk county, this State. The next spring he went over into Johnson county and on the fourth day of July, 1846, commenced laying the found - ation of a cabin on the very section where he now lives in Cono township. In September, 1846, he brought his wife and four children from Johnson county and commenced living in his newly made log house. They lived. many years in this primitive dwelling, and entertained many a weary trav- eler and poor Indian. Often in the inclement weather of winter the friendly Indians would come and make their bed around the cabin fire. When on one occasion Mr. Furnas went to lowa City for supplies, a squaw came from the Indian camp on the river and remained with Mrs. Furnas till he returned. Win. Greenlee came from Miami county, Ohio, remained in Johnson county one year, and in the fall of 1846 settled on the northwest corner of section one, and there he still lives. J. W. Athey came from In- diana in the fall of 1846 and took a claim on section 8. ; He removed, to Marengo about twenty years ago, and two years later died there. . 'Squire Brown also came in 1846 and settled in the north part of section 8. He came from Indiana. Alexander Hutson came in the spring of 1847 and settled in section 6, where he lived many years. He died in the winter, of 1875 and was buried in Dayton cemetery. He was a native of Maryland. Elijah Trueblood came from Indiana in the year 1846 and settled near the center of section 3. He came from Indiana. He now lives just over the line in. Benton county.
The first marriage in Cono township was John Gwin to Caroline Wil- son in the spring of 1848. They were married at the log cabin of Robert Furnas by Andrew Meacham, a justice of the peace. The first white child born here was 'Henry Clay Greenlee, son of William and Esther Greenlee, in the year 1848.
«. " Rev. Kellogg, a Methodist Protestant minister, at Robert Furnas' house, held the first public religious services in the neighborhood. This, was in the fall of 1847, and the congregation, both men and women were bare- foot.
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The first school-house was of logs, built by the neighbors in 1848, and was 16x18 feet. Josephus Talbott was the teacher; for his services he re- .ceived $15 per month and was paid by subscription. He died a good many years ago at Marengo ..
John Adams did the first breaking of land in the township. For the space of six weeks during the summer of 1851, the Iowa River was out of its banks and no crops could be raised on those bottom lands.
There are two cemeteries, one on the line between sections 5 and 8, the .other on section 6. The former is called the Athey cemetery, and contains about 150 graves. The one on section 6 is called the Dayton cemetery, and · contains about 200 graves.
ORGANIZATION.
By official order, March 3d, 1856, Cono township, with the boundaries as heretofore given, was organized, and the first election was held at the brick school-house, on the first Monday of April, 1846. At this election, which took place on the 7th of April, the following officers were elected: Trustees, Robert Furnas, William Furnas, R. M. Merrifield; justices, Alexander Hutson, S. T. Coats; constables, F. B. Merrifield, Robert Pear- son; clerk, David Furnas; assessor, J. W. Athey.
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703
CONO TOWNSHIP.
The present officers are:
Trustees-Robert Furnas, L. G. Myers, F. B. Merrifield. Justices-Isaac Brown and S. A. Crawford.
Constable-Charles Bucker.
Assessor -- Daniel Myers.
Clerk -- W. J. Sayers.
The first entries of land were in 1846, as the following shows:
ORIGINAL ENTRIES.
'Squire Brown, July 10, 1846; w hf ne qr and se qr ne qr section 8, town- ship 81, range 11.
Judson W. Athey, July 10, 1846; nw qr nw qr section 8, township 81, range 11, and se qr ne fr qr section 6, township 81, range 11. His son now owns and improves this land.
William Greenlee, February 1, 1847; nw fr qr nw qr section 1, township 81, range 12. Mr. Greenlee still lives on this property.
Robert Furnas, February 8, 1847; nw qr sw qr section 1, township 81; range 12. Mr. Furnas still lives upon and improves this farm.
Elijah Trueblood, July 7, 1848; w hf and ne qr sw qr section 3, town- ship 81, range 12. Mr. Trueblood still owns and improves this farm.
William Alvey, July 18, 1848; ne qr se qr section 8, township 81, range 11. Mr. H. Sinks now owns the above described property.
Richard B. Groff, October 12, 1848; s hf se qr section 4, township 81, range 11. Mr. Henry Sinks now owns this land.
SCHOOLS.
There are two school districts, both provided with good brick houses, : and good teachers. One situated near the northwest corner of section 9, called Pleasant Valley school, is taught by Mary E. Myers. The other situated in the southern part of section one, called Dayton school, is taught by Salome Sullenbarger. The average number of months of school during the year is seven and a half; the salary per month is $25; the number of persons of school age is eighty-nine; the average daily attendance is forty- nine. The average cost of tuition per month for each pupil is $1.09. The two school-houses are valued at $2,600, and apparatus used in the school rooms, $265.
DAYTON.
This town was laid ont an a most beautiful tract of land surrounded by country unsurpassed for productiveness and loveliness, by William Green- lee, June 27, 1857. It was located in the sw qr section 1, township 81, range 11, and named Dayton in honor of William L. Dayton, who was the nominee of the Republican party for vice-president of the United States with John C. Fremont in the year 1856. At one time this place bore promise of becoming quite a town. The post-office was kept here for a long time, but now there is nothing to show that there ever was a town more than could be seen in any other good farming district.
704
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
A DRIVE TO THE COUNTRY.
The following paragraph bearing date of September 24, 1857, by Clinton Edwards, then editor of the Iowa Weekly Visitor, published in Marengo, happily sets forth the appearance of this section at that time:
" The other day, in company with B. F. Crenshaw, Esq., we took a ride into the country. Going upon the north side of the river we saw some splendid farms under a fine state of cultivation, among others those of F. Merrifield, Squire Miller, William Johnson, A. Hutson and William Fur- nas were beautifully situated-the dwellings being all near the bluff, while acre upon acre of rich prairie lying between the bluffs and the river are de- voted to agricultural purposes. On a large portion of it the waving corn looked clean, healthy and heavily laden. Such crops as will be produced on the farms we have passed, both on the other and this side of the river, ' maketh the heart glad.' At Dayton, we noticed several large and fine farms. In that place, beautifully located on an elevated prairie, are quite a number of nice dwellings, three stores and an excellent steam saw mill, belonging to Furnas & Hutson, which is doing an excellent business. Cross- ing the river we found our friends in the thriving village of Koszta all ' active and kicking.' Koszta is a nice little place, and can boast of an intelligent and moral class of citizens, and, withal, a finely settled country around it. We came home on the bluff road and are safe in saying that no country in the world can beat our own for fertility of soil, beauty of location or any- thing else. Arriving at home, we felt as if the ride in the fresh open air over the beautiful variegated prairies had done us a great deal of good."
BIOGRAPHICAL.
A THEY, MILTON J .- Sec. 8, P. O. Marengo. Was born in Parke county, Indiana, September 24, 1844, and in 1845 his parents left him with relatives and came to Iowa, settling in Iowa county. In 1847 he was brought to Iowa by an uncle and returned to his parents. In 1853 his mother died. In 1861, when only seventeen years old, he started for St. Louis and enlisted in the Union army, in company H, Third Missouri in- fantry volunteers, and immediately went into active service, participating in thirty-five battles and skirmishes, the most important being the battles of Wilson Creek, Pea Ridge, Port Hudson, Little Rock, Helena, Lookout Mountain, Buzzard's Roost, Macon, Augusta, Chickamauga, Atlanta, Siege of Vicksburg, Port Gibson and Corinth. In 1864 he re-enlisted as a vet- eran, and served until the close of the war. Was discharged at St. Louis, January 8, 1866. After his discharge he immediately returned to Iowa county and lived with his brother on their father's estate-their father hav- ing died in 1863. In June of the same year, he sold his interest in the es- tate to liis brother, but continued to live with him until the latter's deatlı in 1871. In March, 1875, he married his brother's widow and they are now living on the old homestead. Mrs. Athey's maiden name was Nancy M. Elliott. She was born in Black Hawk county, Pennsylvania, August 8, 1844. She was first married to Alfred Athey, in 1859, by whom she had six children: James W. (born May 11, 1861), Chrystea Ann (born May 27, 1864), Susan (born January 29, 1866, and died June 3, 1866), Quilla (born June 10, 1867), Edward (born April 27, 1869), and Mary (born December 27, 1870, and died July 13, 1871). By her second husband she has one child, Alice Bertie (born June 17, 1876).
705
CONO TOWNSHIP.
B ROWN, EBENEZER S .- Sec. 6, P. O. Luzerne. Was born in Rich- land county, Ohio, in December, 1830, and in the spring of 1841 came with his father to Iowa, settling in what is now Pleasant Valley township, Johnson county. There he lived until 1853, when he began life for him- self, going to Benton county, where he entered 240 acres of land and began to improve his first farm. In 1856 he married Martha J. Hoizington. Be- sides improving his farm he followed breaking prairie for eight years. In 1862 he traded his farm in Benton county for one in Cono township, and in 1866 he rented his farm and took the homestead in Johnson county. His father dying the next year he remained on the homestead. In 1875 he, being surrounded by the Amana Society, sold to them and bought another farm in Cono township, moving in the spring of that year. He now owns two farms in this county containing 418 acres. He has eight children: Eliz- abeth (wife of I. M. Macy of Brooklyn, Iowa), John R. (married and living in Cono township), Mary, Lucinda, Alexander, William, Ann and Joseph. Himself and wife are members of the Evangelical Church. In politics he is a Republican, originally a Whig.
BROWN, JOHN A .- Farmer and stock-raiser, Secs. 9 and 10, P. O. Ma- rengo. The subject of this sketch is a native of Parke county, Indiana, and there resided until nine years of age, when he accompanied his parents to this township, and here he has been raised and educated. After leaving school he engaged in farming and this has been his occupation through, life. He is the owner of 352 acres of well improved land, situated four and a half miles northwest of Marengo. Has a fine residence and out- buildings. August 14, 1862, Mr. B. enlisted in company G, Twenty-eighth Iowa infantry, and served until June, 1865, when he was honorably dis- charged. October 19, 1864, he was wounded in Cedar Creek battle, and confined in the hospital for eight months. On the 25th of October, 1866, Miss Caroline Sinks became his wife. They were married in this county. By this union they have seven children: Mary E., Eva C., Henry B., Wil- liam E., Clarence, Louis M. and James W.
F URNAS, ROBERT-Sec. 1, P. O. Koszta. Was born in Miami county, Ohio, May 22, 1813, where he lived on the homestead until 1845, his father dying the year before he reached his majority. He rented the homestead and farmed it for eleven years, his mother living with him. In 1837 he married Mary Jane Fowler, of Darke county, Ohio. In 1845 he came West, stopping in Keokuk county, Iowa, and in the following spring, came to Johnson county, and rented a farm two miles south of Iowa City. In September, 1846, he and his brother-in-law, William Greenlee, came to Iowa county prospecting, and while there bought a claim, the farm on which he lives in Cono township. After laying the foundation of his cabin, he went for his family and immediately returned and occupied, for a short time, a cabin that was on a claim bought by William Greenlee, moving in- to his own unfinished house on Christmas Day. He had to saw the lum- ber for flooring and doors with a whip-saw. It was late in January of 1847 before he had his cabin finished so as to protect his family from the cold, the snow, rain and winter winds blowing through the cracks before they were " chinked and daubed." When he bought his farm there was not a furrow broken on it, and now he has 120 acres under cultivation and 38 acres of timber, with a pleasant and substantial residence, and com- modious barns and outbuildings. Having lived on this same farm for thir- ty-four years, himself and wife have experienced many hardships and de-
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HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
privations. For fourteen years the only market towns were Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, where he sold his wheat and pork, usually taking from five to eight days to make the trip with oxen. The hauling was done in the winter, and during that time he was almost a stranger to his family. The price of produce was very low. At one time he delivered at Iowa City twenty-four bushels of wheat for what he would now call a very ordinary bedstead. When he first settled in Cono township the Indians were very numerous, and during the cold days of winter they would frequently fill his cabin, crowding his wife and children from the warmth of the fire-place. He has six children: Rebecca (wife of Isaiah Hixson, who died in 1870), Rachel (widow of Aaron Lewis, now living in Marengo; her husband died in the army at Vicksburg, Virginia), William M. (a farmer whose farm adjoins the homestead), Elizabeth (wife of M. Montgomery of Garrison, Iowa), Pheba A. (wife of J. T. Kimball of Iowa county) and John F. (married and lives with his parents on the homestead).
G REENLEE, WILLIAM-Sec. 1, P. O. Luzerne. Was born near Point Pleasant, Virginia, November 28, 1812, and when nine years. old went with his parents to Ohio, and two years after from there to Ken- tncky, where he lived until his majority. In 1832 he went to Miami county, Ohio, residing there for nine years. September 17, 1835, he mar- ried Esther Furnas, and the fall of 1845 he started for the West, coming to Johnson county, Iowa, and renting a farm two miles south of Iowa City, where he lived until the next fall. Then came to Iowa county and pur- chased land, now the farm on which he is living. The land, then wild and unbroken, is now one of the best farms in Iowa county, consisting of 340 acres. He was the first man that manufactured lumber in Iowa county, beginning with a whip-saw, and the saw that he used at that time he still preserves as a relic. He was also proprietor of the first saw mill in the county, the mill being a circular saw propelled by horse power, saw- ing about 1,000 feet per day. In 1860 he platted the town of Dayton, which at that time promised to be a place of some importance. At one time the Indians were so numerous they were an annoyance, and the gov- ernment was petitioned for their removal. An agent was sent to remove them as peaceably as possible. Mr. Greenlee was was employed to help remove them to Kansas, he being well acquainted with them greatly aided in a peacable removal. He has had ten children: Robert (who died from the effects of a wound received in the battle of Battle Creek, Virginia, just at the expiration of his service), Nancy A. (wife of A. A. Talbot, of Car- roll City, Iowa), Mary (wife of C. C. Furnas, of Luzerne, Iowa), Rachel (wife of Dr. J. Patty, of Carroll City; Iowa), William R. (of Belle Plaine), Henry, Columbus, Sadie (wife of John Stewart, of Carroll City, Iowa), Edward and Flora.
H IXSON, I .- Sec. 1, P. O. Belle Plaine. Was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1827, and when six years old went with his parents to Athens county, Ohio, where he lived until he attained his majority. In 1849 he married Mary Ann Carter and purchasing a farm in Athens county, lived there until 1866, when he came to Iowa and settled in Cono township, Iowa county. He bought 540 acres of partly improved land. Since then he has increased his farm to 700 acres and also owns two other farms in Iowa county, containing 620 acres, making in all over 1,300 acres. Besides being an extensive farmer he feeds and ships cattle to Eastern markets. He has been three times married and by his first wife he
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CONO TOWNSHIP.
had seven children: Mary (died in infancy), Alice (dying in childhood), Reuben W. (a graduate of Davenport Commercial College and now engaged in the commission business at Chicago), John (died December 11, 1880; he was an attendant of the Blairstown Academy for sometime, and a short time previous to his death was attending the Iowa City Academy and Commercial College at Iowa City), Warren V., Elmore E. and Emma F. His second wife was Mrs. Rebecca Hollopeter, daughter of Robert Furnas, of Iowa county, and his present wife was Elizabeth B. Bryson, of Morrow county, Ohio.
HUTSON, ALEXANDER -Sec. 6, P. O. Luzerne. Was born in Bal- timore county, Maryland, October 9, 1796, and there lived until 1842, when he came to Johnson county, Iowa, and rented a farm on Old Man's Creek, seven miles south of Iowa City. He resided on that place until the spring 1846, when he went to Iowa county and purchased the claim on a large tract of land, in what is now known as Cono township. He entered the most of the claim he purchased and afterward sold all but 276 acres. All the improvements on his land when he purchased it were 20 acres bro- ken and the logs laid up for a cabin, which he finished in the fall and moved into it in the spring of 1847. There were only two cabins beside his own in Cono township at that time; those of William Foster and A. D. Stephen. The next spring he broke 20 acres more and enclosed all he had broken, i. e. 40 acres, with a rail fence. He continued his improve- ments yearly until all his tillable land was broken and fenced and he had built him a good house, barn and sheds and had planted an orchard, shade and ornamental trees, which now beautify the place and supply his family with fruit. In 1851 his grain was reaped by the first reaper brought into Iowa county and the only reverse that he met in a thirty years residence on the same farm was the burning of his entire crop by prairie fire that same year. In November of 1822 he married Lucy A. O'Dell, of Balti- more county, Maryland, by whom he had ten children: James L. (of San Juan county, California), Franklin A. (of Boone county, Iowa), George O., Henry C. (of Tama county, Iowa), Mary (wife of Dr. John M. Furnas, of Belle Plaine, Iowa) and Walter J. (of Boone county, Iowa). Two died in infancy and one, the oldest daughter, at the age of nineteen. One son, Joshua E., died in the Union army while stationed at Bird's Point in Mis- souri in 1854. Mr. Hutson was a wheelwright by trade, which he aban- doned when he came West. He died at his home in Cono township, March 6, 1875.
S INKS, HENRY-Sec. 9, P. O. Marengo. Was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, ten miles north of Dayton, November 22, 1817, where he lived with his parents until his majority. His father being a farmer he worked on the farm during the spring and summer months and attended a school during the winter. October 11, 1837, he married Ursula Hollings- worth. Before her marriage Mrs. Sinks and her brother had inherited a farm of 160 acres, her husband buying her brother's interest. They settled on the farm and lived there until 1854. In his younger days he learned the trade of shoemaking. After buying the farm he was obliged to work hard to procure the money to pay his help and contingent expenses, corn at that time being worth only twelve cents per bushel and all farm produce sold at low prices. His means being limited and believing in paying as he went, after a hard day's work he would work at shoemaking at night and
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HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
by thus working early and late, laid the foundation of his success. In 1854 he sold his farm in Ohio and came to Iowa, settling in Iowa county, five miles northwest of Marengo, on a farm consisting of 400 acres. He has been a hard working man all his life and is deserving of the comforts he now enjoys. His residence and barn are second to none in the county and all his buildings and their surroundings show neatness and taste. He has - eight children living: Caroline (wife of John A. Brown, of Iowa county), Emily (wife of Elam Yount, of Omaha, Nebraska), Mary (wife of Alonzo Simmons, of Marengo, Iowa), Rosanna (wife of T. W. Owen, of Iowa county), Amanda J., Lewis R., Cecelia O. and Eldora, living at home.
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