USA > Iowa > Jackson County > The history of Jackson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., biographical sketches of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion history of the Northwest, history of Iowa miscellaneous matters, &c > Part 48
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98
"On the 10th day of the month, the party set out with their four red brothers who were to reveal to them mineral in such an abundance that it would so far eclipse Dubuque that but few would be left there to dally away their time in seeking for mineral in that region. The party consisted of Gy Morrison, Ben Beardsley, Leroy Jackson, Thomas Brazier, Jesse Harrison and W. A. Warren, with an outfit of two pack-ponies, together with mining tools and ten days' provisions. The day was almost like spring. We took our departure with the good wishes of the people, and not without some foreboiling as to our safe return, as it was well known the Sioux Indians and the Winne- bagoes were at war, and that we would be trespassing on Sioux territory.
" Our first day's travel took us to the falls of the South Fork of the Maquoketa, now Cascade. This beautiful sheet of water captivated us all, and most any of us would have been willing to give his interest in the contemplated mines for this beautiful spot, could we have ventured our scalps here alone. The night was spent, until a late hour, building air castles. The owners of fine flouring-mills, woolen-factories, saw-mills, in fact all kinds of machine- shops, all to be peopled by the improvement of these falls, while the rest of us were to have large farms, and build plank-roads to the Mississippi to convey the. products of our speculations to the little shipping-point of Dubuque. After the night's rest, and partaking of a hearty breakfast from a venison which one of the Indians had killed, we moved on our journey in a southerly direction. After traveling some twelve miles, mostly through heavy timber, we came to the North Fork of the Maquoketa, at a point where Canton now stands. Herc, too, was another place of admiration-falls equal to those we had just left, and a yet greater abundance of water.
"Some of the party's feet being sore, we concluded to remain here until the next morning, as there were several wigwams made of bark which would afford us good shelter and comfortable quarters for the night. Several fine fish were speared by the Indians, which Ben Beards!cy, our cook, prepared for supper, and all hands did justice to his cooking. Next morning, to our surprise, we found the ground covered with eight inches of suow. The Indians told us it was only nine miles to the place where our hopes were to be realized. The day was fair,.
B
414
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
but the thermometer had fallen to about 20° below zero, which had a tendency to cool our ardor.
" Harrison and Brazier gave evident signs of backing out. After discuss- ing the propriety of proceeding on our way or returning to Dubuque, a major- ity decided we should go on. Packing up again, we set out on our journey. and arrived about 2 o'clock in the land of promise, which was a point in Mon- mouth Township, now known as the Luncheon farm.
" Our red brothers commenced raking off the snow, and showed, to our delight, more than a ton of float material which they said they had picked up on the sides of the hills and out of the ravines.
" The sight of the mineral was enough to make us forget our sore feet and the bitter cold we had been suffering. All hands went to work staking off their lots except Jesse Harrison, who preferred rolling himself up in the buffalo robes. The excitement and labor of cutting and driving stakes had thoroughly warmed us, and all felt that we were more than paid, and that our fortunes were made. Returning to where we had left Jesse Harrison and our traps, we roused him up and explained to him the boundaries of our different claims. ' Well,' says Jesse, 'gentlemen, I suppose you have taken all you want ?' We readily answered 'Yes.' 'Then,' said he, 'I will take the balance.' We came to the conclusion that Jesse had the lion's share. After consulting and taking into consideration the sudden change of the weather, and the small sup- ply of provisions on hand, we concluded to hunt out a camping-place for the night, and start for Dubuque the next morning, and, when spring came, to return and make our pile.
"Our wishes were made known to the Indians by Mr. Morrison, who readily led the way to a camping-ground. The spot was reached in about two miles, on the Maquoketa River, where we had protecting rocks for shelter and plenty of down timber. A fire was built and supper prepared by Ben Beardsley.
" All were feeling jubilant when one of the Indians, who had taken a roundabout way to kill a deer, returned to camp with a small one on his shoul- ders. Giving the usual Indian grunt, he entered into conversation with Mor- rison. We saw from his gestures that something was wrong. All looked to Morrison for an explanation. He stated that there was a Sioux Indian camp of twenty warriors only a mile above us, and if they found us in company with the Winnebagoes we would all be killed, as the Sioux were at war with the Winnebagoes, and we were in the territory of the former.
" This was a bombshell we little expected, and almost a panic of terror seized us at once. Jesse Harrison, who was at all times ready to take things easy, had rolled himself up again in his blanket and lay toasting his feet at the fire, now was the first to spring to his feet to get the particulars. The matter was fully explained by Morrison, and also the risk of being scalped by the Sioux if we should be caught in company with the Winnebagoes. The Indians prepared to leave immediately, and every man to take care of himself.
" The departure was so sudden and unexpected that we did not get them to give us any directions how we should proceed in order to return to Dubuque without retracing our steps, and none of us thought we could do that. The prospect of our escape was discussed, and Morrison, to whom we all looked for an opinion, said if we were caught, we should all be killed. This was not con- soling to any of us.
" The night was a bitter cold one, and to leave camp and start out into a trackless wilderness, without any knowledge of the country, was something we
415
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
did not deem best to do, notwithstanding the danger of remaining where we were. The situation had now become anything but a pleasant one. None of us but would have been willing to give all our interests in the anticipated mines of Maquoketa to be once more safe in Dubuque. Thomas Brazier, being the senior of the party, was the first to advise. He said we were all young men, and, if anything should befall us, there would be no one to suffer ; but, in his case, it was very different. He had a very large family depending on him for support. He advised that the fire should be put ont, and that we should try to make our way to the Mississippi, in which Jesse joined, saying he also had a helpless mother and sister to provide for.
" The difficulty of finding our way in the night, and especially in a country which we knew nothing about, was a strong objection urged against this propo- ition, and the probability was that the Indians would take our trail, overtake us, and, in our benumbed and wearied condition, would make easy prey of us. So we resolved to stand our ground, and, if attacked, to make the best fight we could. We then went to work with a will, rolled logs together, and made what we considered pretty fair breastworks. We collected a sufficient quantity of wood to keep up a good fire all night. Having fixed our guns and pistols and partaken of a hearty supper, with a shelving rock for shelter and our wooden breastwork in front, we made our camp comfortable. We all retired to rest, leaving Ben Beardsley as a sentinel. At 1 o'clock, Ben was relieved by Gy Morrison. We had by this time come to the conclusion there was not much danger, anyhow, and that if the Indians should come, we could whip them out.
" Ben had concealed in his side-pocket a quart of brandy that a friend had given him on leaving Dubuque. The company all being awake, Ben presented the bottle, which none refused, and, by the time the bottle was partly empty, we concluded we would rather have the Indians come than not, as we could make holes in some of their blankets. The night passed until daybreak, when all hands had become weary, and the camp was in perfect stillness. Suddenly, we were aroused by the discharge of guns and the most terrific yells ever heard. Every man was up and to his arms. We could hear nothing, neither was anything to be seen. Our minds were very suddenly changed, and we were not so anxious to see the Indians as we had been, but would gladly have preferred. they would keep their distance. The sun was rising, and no Indians in sight. We had come to the conclusion that they had gone off to get help to get us out of our fortification. In this we were deceived. In looking up the river, we saw about twenty braves, in single file, marching toward our camp. What to do had to be decided at once, for they were within three hundred yards of us. Gy, being familiar with their habits, and able to speak their language, was appealed to for advice. He watched their movements until they were within one hundred yards of us, when he decided they meant no barm, and went out to meet them. After shaking bands with Gy, they all came into camp, and we had a general hand-shake. Jesse Harrison was most conspicu- ous in his friendliness from our party. Finding some of the Indians could speak a little French, he made use of every word he had ever learned in that language, in making himself agreeable to them. They partook of a hearty meal with us, relishing the coffee as much as if it had been fire-water. We had no longer any doubt of their friendship, and Mr. Brazier thought it was good luck that we had met them, for the weather had become cloudy and threaten- ing, and we should have had great difficulty in finding our way back. They volunteered to place us on a trail leading to the Mississippi, where we would find
416
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
a plain trail to Dubuque. We packed up and left our camp about 10 o'clock A. M., and kept to the south side of the river, passing the ground that Maquo- keta is now laid out upon, and crossed the Maquoketa just below the forks. On the opposite bank, we found three warriors with three squaws and papooses. A wigwam covered with bark was set aside for us, with a good fire placed in the center, and everything was cozy. A lot of boiled corn, with venison and wild turkey, was placed before us in a camp-kettle. Tired and hungry, we thought it the most delicious meal we had ever tasted. After a good night's rest, and partaking again of their hospitality, we left all of the effects we could possibly spare with the squaws and papooses. We took our departure for the Missis- sippi, striking the main Indian trail at or near where Andrew is now located. Here the Indians left us, after taking a smoke and some venison. They informed us we would find two white men at or near where Bellevue is now located. Being entirely out of provisions, it was important we should reach the white man's shanty. We proceeded in good cheer, and many a joke was cracked over our fright at Rock Camp.
" We followed the trail which led down Baker Hill, crossing both creeks and the south bluff of Mill Creek, coming upon the Mississippi where Bellevue now stands, which, at that time, was covered with large oak-trees but no under- brush.
" Proceeding up the river we found the wigwams and council-rooms of Black Hawk in perfect order, being opposite where the cattle-pens on the railroad are stationed. The dirt that was thrown up for embankments is to be seen to this day.
" We took possession of the council-room for our quarters, where we spent the night without anything to eat, the whole company being in not a very pleasant mood. The next morning, to our delight, we saw Mr. William Jonas driving a yoke of oxen. He invited us to come to his cabin, which was but a mile distant. Arriving there, we found a good fire and abundance of provis- ions, consisting of bread, venison, turkey, potatoes and the best of coffee. We helped ourselves, and a meal was seldom better relished than that breakfast by
us. Mr. Jonas informed us that another party had located a half-mile below where Bellevue now stands, and they two were the only ones then located in what is now called Jackson County. Our offer of pay to Mr. Jonas for his kindness and hospitality being declined, we departed for Dubuque, a distance of twenty-five miles, which we accomplished just before sundown. Much inquiry was made as to the lay of the country just explored and the prospect for mineral, but the word was 'mum,' for we were all of the opinion that we had found the spot, and only awaited spring to develop the finest mineral dis- trict yet discovered. We told them of our narrow escape and bravery. Spring came, and Morrison, with some of the rest of us, started for our claims, but everything was so changed by the season that we were unable to find the spot, and we returned to seek our fortunes in Dubuque.
" It was years before I could identify the spot. Chancing to stay over night with Mr. Luncheon, I thought the ground looked familiar, and removing the bark from an old tree, I found the initials of Gy Morrison and Thomas Brazier cut in the same, where they had made the tree a corner to their lots. This ground has since been prospected, but no mineral has been traced to a body."
417-
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
THE WINTER OF 1842-43-INCIDENTS.
Since the settlement of the Territory, there has been no winter in this lati- tude to compare, in length and constant weather, with the one mentioned above. The ground was blanketed with a heavy snow in the fall, and was not uncov- ered until the following spring. The pioneer reveled in the fruits, or, more properly, the spoils, of the chase. The snow was crusted so that it would carry the weight of a dog or a fox, but the deer broke through at every leap, and the otherwise fleet-footed creatures were easily captured. In that day, passing through the timber was a much freer and easier matter than now. The prairie fires, by their annual visits, had kept down all the underbrush, and the groves were almost like large parks.
From the diary of Hon. George F. Green, we learn that the first snow of this remarkable winter fell November 24, and continued until the 5th day of April. During all this time, there was good sleighing, except the last week in January, when a warm fog laid bare the hilltops in places. It may easily be guessed that 130 days of constant sledding was improved by the pioneers. Many were the forty and fifty mile visits made, and sleigh or sled rides enjoyed. Still, we doubt not the time of spring was not unwelcome, after so long a season of Norwegian weather.
The Mississippi closed at Sabula November 22, 1842, and did not break up until April 13, 1843. This shows it to have been ice-bound 142 days.
We learned, incidentally, from William Y. Earle, of Maquoketa, of his suc- cess in hunting prairie chickens during the winter of which we have been speaking. He tells the following ludicrous incident of his getting game to market :
Mr. Earle's two sons were spending the winter on an island above Dubuque, engaged in cutting wood. One of the boys came down to his home, in Maquo- keta, during the latter part of December, for some articles needed. The father, having 100 prairie chickens dressed, ready for market, on the evening of the last day in December, hitched a horse into a rude jumper, and, with his son, started for Dubuque, having the prairie chickens in a large sack hung across the jumper, and also a pillow-case full of doughnuts, which Mrs. Earle had prepared as a treat for the wood-cutters. The pioneers traveled all night, and just after daylight stopped at the house of an Irishman, about two miles this side of Dubuque, for the purpose of getting warmed, as the night had been quite cold. The horse and jumper they left hitched near the door, and had not been long in the cabin when they heard screams of distress from the daughter of Erin at whose house they were stopping, and a great commotion amongst a lot of perhaps twenty hogs at the cabin door. The porcines had scented the doughnuts and chickens, and had opened their way to the portable pantry without ceremony. One antiquated pachyderm, with the thoughtful- ness for self characteristic of the species, had a death-grip on the rent pillow- case and was strewing the doughnuts along the path leading to her abode. Others of the company proceeded to amputate the legs of resistless chickens, and were feasting on royal fare. The lady of the house, with the assistance of its owners, rescued the fragments of the property, most of which was secured in untouched condition.
Marketing to Dubuque, at an early day, was not a lucrative business. Money was difficult to get-in fact, almost an impossible article. We are told an anecdote in illustration of this point, which is spicy enough to bear record- ing
418
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
Mr. Wendell, the father of C. C. Wendell, of this county, was accustomed frequently to take a wagon-load of "truck " to Dubuque, to sell, but somehow never succeeded in bringing much money with him on his return. His wife could not understand this, and told him she did not think he was a good trades- man, that she was pretty sure that she could do better than he had been doing, etc. It so happened that, not long after these sentiments were uttered, on a morning the old gentleman had set for starting on a marketing trip, he was too ill to leave the house. The two-horse wagon was well loaded with farm and dairy products, and Mrs. Wendell considered this a providential opportu- nity for her to display her commercial qualifications. She determined to go to Dubuque herself with the load.
Taking with her her son, above mentioned, who was fourteen or fifteen years of age, they reached Dubuque about noon of the second day. Produce for cash was a very slow sale, and cash was what the old lady wanted. By the close of the third day they had parted with all their truck except a quantity of buckwheat they had brought along. For this they could get nothing. They brought it back a few miles out of town, and left it there with a settler whom they knew, until they could take it in the next trip. After an absence of about five days. the mother and son reached home, and instead of having a purse full of money to show, as the old lady had hoped, she was obliged to confess that she could not pay her bill at the last lodging-place and had to promise that her husband would settle when he went to market again. So, it proved that the selling price of a wagon-load of produce was not sufficient to board two horses and two persons for five days, at transient rates.
It is needless to say that Mrs. Wendell's anxiety to do the marketing for the family took a less violent form, and that she left such trips to her liege . lord ever after.
A BRIDEGROOM'S DISAPPOINTMENT.
During the fall of 1839, preparations were made in what is now Maquoketa, for a wedding. Mr. Lyman Bates was about to bid farewell to the solitude in which he had come to the frontier, and secure for himself a partner who should share the hardships of his home and enjoy the hoped-for luxuries of coming years. It matters not in what latitude Hymen's vows are taken, an instinct which seems universal prompts the votary to appear in his best " bib and tucker." Mr. Bates had provided for himself a complete outfit, suit of clothes and boots. These were carefully hung away in his boarding-house for the appointed day.
One evening, not many days before the wedding was to take place, two young men rode into town upon a pair of gray horses and asked to stay over night. They were kept at the house where Mr. Bates was stopping, and, on the following morning, said they were going West to look at the country with a view to settling. Mr. Bates, having business at Canton, rode with them that far. On his return home he discovered that his wedding suit was gone, including the boots. He concluded they had disappeared into the valises which the travelers carried with them. Pursuit seemed useless, and he resolved to make the best of it. A few days afterward, a couple of men came to town in search of a pair of stolen horses of the same description as those on which the young men had been mounted. Bates informed the pursuers in what direction the thieves had gone, and also related the story of his individual loss. The horses were recovered at Iowa City, where they had been sold, and it was learned that the young men had also offered the clothing for sale there, saying they had bought it at auction and were not fitted, etc. They did not succeed, however, in converting the dry
419
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
goods into money, and Bates never again saw his wedding suit. On the day appointed, he stood up with his bride in greater happiness than style. His heart was none the heavier on account of the large patch over his knee, nor was his step any slower from the holes in the toes of his boots. We doubt not his married life has never been clouded by the little incident connected with its beginning.
THE IOWA BAND.
Many of the citizens of this part of the State have heard of what was known in the West as the Iowa Band, and in the East as the Andover Band. This consisted of eleven graduates of the Andover Theological Seminary, who came West just after completing their course in this Congregational institution in 1843, and scattered through the Territory of Iowa. William Salter, one of the earli- est ministers of Jackson County, was one of the eleven. . It was agreed that at the end of twenty-five years, they would write each a sketch of his individual career, which should be edited by one of the number and published. This was done in 1868, and in the volume then issued, it was stated that their attention as a band had first been drawn to Iowa by the publication of a letter written by Rev. Oliver Emerson, of Jackson County, in an Eastern missionary journal in 1842, of the Bellevue war. This circumstance led them first to look upon Iowa as a missionary field, and is a good illustration of the power of trifles-how small a thing may divert the channel of a dozen useful lives, and exert a power- ful influence upon the future of a State.
VOSBURG'S HUNTING YARN.
On one occasion, in an early day, Col. Warren, of Bellevue, paid a visit to William Vosburg, in the southwestern part of the county, and had the pleas- ure of hearing from him the following "yarn," which was introduced by Vos- burg's stepping to the bed and taking from under its head strips of buckskin with an occasional button on them. He presented them, saying, "Look at these, Colonel ; these shreds were once as good a pair of buckskin pants and hunt- ing-suit as were worn on South Fork. They were mine, and no boy was ever prouder of a suit than I was of them." "But," says the Colonel, " Bill, how came the suit in this condition ?" " Have you never heard ? Then I will tell you. About three weeks ago, I took my ax and dinner-basket and went to the South Grove to chop wood and make rails ; it was a cold day, and I had to work to keep myself warm. I had been in the habit of taking my gun with me, but that day I had left it at home. About 3 o'clock in the evening, I heard some dogs yelping as if they were after game. Looking in the direction the sound came from, I saw a large buck making directly to where I stood. As he approached me, there was no doubt in my mind that he was for sheltering in the top of the tree I had just chopped down. Taking my ax and squatting in the tree-top, I waited patiently for his approach, which was but a few moments. He bounded in, within three feet of me. I don't know which was the most surprised, the buck or myself; although I was looking for him, I did not expect to meet him in a fighting mood. I at once comprehended my danger ; hampered by the tops of the tree, there was no chance to run ; the buck facing me, with hair erect, ready to spring upon me, I made a pass at his head with my ax, which he dodged. Now my only alternative was to close in with him ; he was a powerful, six-pronged buck. I sprang and clinched his horn with one hand, and with the other caught him by the jaw. I had been counted a good
420
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
boxer and wrestler and but few boys could handle me, but this was the first set-to I ever had with a buck. After a good many lunges, we cleared the brush and were on open ground. I was now willing to play quits with him, and so loosened my hold, thinking he would be glad of a chance to make his escape. I soon found my mistake, for he took this as a showing of the white feather and came at me again with renewed vigor, and apparently determined to make short work of it. Dodging his bound at me, I renewed my hold on the horn, and this time with the other hand I got him by the nose. It was now life or death with me, and, after struggling for some time, both of us becoming more or less exhausted, I concluded to throw him, which I did, both falling together : in this the buck had the better of me, for he made strings of my pants and hunting-shirt, besides scratching my skin, with his feet. The buck having no disposition to get up, and preferring to fight it out with his feet, gave me an opportunity of loosing my hold from his horn, being my first opportunity to get my knife, I made one plunge with it at his throat, cutting the jugular vein. This took him by surprise and he sprang to his feet. I had to drop the knife to again clinch the horn. We had it, round and round, I cannot tell how long ; I knew from the way the blood spurted that if I could hold out, I had him con- quered. He fast grew weak, and I pulled him round until I could reach my knife, with which I spared no time in cutting the other jugular vein, and in a few moments he gave up the ghost. After witnessing the dying struggles of the buck, I took a glance at myself; although badly cut up, I had no danger- ous wounds. I left him and hastened home. On arriving in sight of the house, all hands came to the door to know what was the matter; blood and strings were about all I had to cover me. The first thing I called for was water and clothes. After washing and dressing myself, I related the story as I have told it to you. The buck was got in that evening, and to-night, for your supper, you partook of some of the venison."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.