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 70
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The principal shipments at Miles from July 1, 1878, to July 1, 1879, were 80 cars of hogs, 15 cars of cattle, 52,950 pounds of butter, 40,465 bushels of oats and 1,170 bushels of wheat.
MILES CREAMERY.
The Miles Creamery was built 'by a joint-stock company in the spring of 1879, and was put in operation June 2. It has, therefore, been running but sixty days at time of this writing, and has scarcely established itself as yet. The building and machinery were built at a cost of $2,200, for the manufacture of butter. The churning and pumping are done by steam. Milk is purchased from the surrounding farmers at 50 cents per hundred weight, and the butter- milk returned to them. The creamery is at present making about fifty-five pounds of butter per day, which is placed in firkins for shipment. The com- pany have rented the building for a term of years to John Stewart, of Anamosa, a dairyman of considerable experience, and who took a gold medal for his but- ter at the Centennial Exposition, in 1876. John Nietert is the Superintend- ent in charge of the creamery.
FIRES.
The most serious visitation of the fire-fiend to Miles was March 29, 1879, which resulted in the destruction of three buildings and most of their contents.
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
The fire started in the harness-shop of Walker & Dunham. The losers were: George Gotshall, stock of drugs, and building ; George F. Lane, store build- ing ; Walker & Dunham, stock of harness and tools ; J. W. Miles, building and bank fixtures.
POST OFFICE.
The post office at Miles was established in 1871, with E. S. Hathaway as first Postmaster. He was succeeded by the present occupant, T. J. Allen, in April, 1873. Miles has one mail per day, east and west, by the C., M. & St. P. R. R., and three times per week to Van Buren. The office contains a money-order department.
EDUCATIONAL.
During the latter part of 1852, the settlers in the vicinity of what is now Miles determined upon an effort to form a school district. O. H. Legg and E. S. Hathaway got R. B. Wykoff to draw up a petition for the organization of a district, which petition was granted. There were then but three children in the district of school age, being Gurden and George Hathaway and Marion Legg. The following season a board shanty was erected for school purposes, on the east end of O. H. Legg's land, and in this the first school was taught by Miss Marcia Miles. Mr. James Miles had moved into the district in the mean time, and there were then eight children in the neighborhood. This shanty was only used about one year, when a more permanent building was erected at the cross- roads, which was succeeded, still later, by the building now occupied by Mr. Miles as a barn. The district was known as Subdistrict No. 5, Van Buren Township.
This district held an election July 20, 1872, for the purpose of organizing an Independent School District. Three Directors were elected : W. S. Kel- logg, T. J. Allen and William Bryant. By a vote of the electors assembled, the name chosen for the district was the Independent District of Shoo Fly. This barbarous name was changed, in March, 1877, by vote of the electors, to that of the Independent District of Miles.
In 1875, the accommodations of the District Schoolhouse proved inadequate for the number of children of the district, and the question of building a new schoolhouse was agitated. For the winter of 1875-76, the building now occu- pied by Rev. O. Emerson as a dwelling was rented by the district for school purposes, and in this building the school of Miles was graded by the Principal, Mrs. A. R. Darling, who taught the public school as well as some select pupils that vear.
March 9, 1875, the electors, at their annual meeting, voted a tax of 8 mills on the taxable property of the district, for the purpose of building a .new schoolhouse. Nothing further was done, however, until 1876, when, at the annual meeting, it was voted that the School Board be authorized to issue 10 per cent bonds to the amount of $3,000, for the purpose of erecting a school building. The building was contracted for by E. B. Brain, at $3,750, and completed in the fall of 1876. It was seated in September of that year. The new school building is a substantial two-story brick, with a department on each floor. The teachers are William Wright and Miss Jennie Buttolph. The Principal is paid $85 per month, and hires his assistant.
The old schoolhouse was sold at auction March, 1877, according to law, and bid in by F. M. Miles for $102, who has converted the building into a barn, as has been already mentioned.
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
For the purpose of erecting this commodious school building, it became necessary to issue bonds of the district as follows: $2,000 in September, 1876; $1,400, November, 1876, and $550, August, 1877-an aggregate of $3,950, drawing 10 per cent interest. These have all been recalled and refunded by the issue of $4,000 bonds, bearing 7 per cent interest, a rate which evinces a confidence in the prosperity of Miles which must be gratifying to the friends of the district. The 7 per cent bonds were dated July 1, 1879, and have all been sold. School is sustained during nine months of the year.
The present Board of Directors is composed of H. Fleming, George F. Green and T. J. Allen ; O. W. Hynen is Secretary, and J. W. Miles Treas- urer.
Select School .- During ten months of the year, Mrs. A. R. Darling con- ducts a select school, consisting, for the most part, of a Normal and Commer- cial Class. This school is kept in Agricultural Hall. Its purpose is to fit young men and women for business or for teaching. It has been well sus- tained, and has done good work in educating youth from all parts of the county.
Teachers' Association .- The first local Teachers' Association in the county was organized in November, 1877, upon the call of Mrs. A. R. Darling and was conducted with good success during the year following. The organi- zation was called the Miles and Preston Teachers' Association, and met alter- nately at these places, accomplishing no small success in the improvement of teachers of these places and vicinity.
TEMPERANCE.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union .- An auxiliary Union was formed at Miles May 4, 1877, at the M. E. Church. The first officers were: Mrs. A. E. Allen, President; Mrs. E. Fish and Mrs. G. F. Green, Vice President; Mrs. F. A. Hanover, Secretary, and Miss N. Tibbals, Secretary. This organ- ization holds weekly prayer-meeting and monthly meetings. The present officers are : Mrs. E. Fish, President ; Mrs. G. F. Green, Vice President ; Mrs. A. Caton, Secretary, and Miss Ola Fish, Treasurer. The W. C. T. U. were instrumental in bringing to Miles Messrs. Hoofstittler and Rowell, the celebrated temperance organizers, who remained here one week in the latter part of January, 1878. As a result of their stay and lectures, 689 persons signed the pledge in Miles, and the
Miles Temperance Reform Club was organized with ninety-nine members. The following were elected as the first officers : H. J. Davis, President ; J. P. Truesdale, Vice President ; F. A. Hanover, Secretary ; George F. Green, Treasurer ; M. S. Allen, Josiah Davis and G. F. Green, Executive Committee. The object of this Club was declared to be to more effectually cultivate a friendly and social relationship between those who have heretofore been in the habit of using, to a greater or less extent, intoxicants, and to mutually aid, encourage and assist those who have signed the pledge and desire to lead a better life, and to aid, by all honorable means, the temperance cause. The pledge of member- ship reads thus :
" We, the undersigned, do hereby pledge ourselves to forever abstain from all that will intoxicate, and to do all in our power to aid, encourage and influ- ence others to reform, and to promote by all honorable means the temperance cause, and to cheerfully conform to, in letter and spirit, the Constitution of the Club ; that this pledge intends to and does prohibit the use of wine, cider, bitters, or any mixture whatever that will intoxicate."
8.1miles
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
The Club has been well sustained. They rented and have entire use of what is known as Union Hall. This has been fitted up with a stage, curtains and scenery, affording excellent opportunities for Club entertainments and meetings. The hall was, for a time, kept open daily as a reading-room, but that project has been abandoned. It is now used only for the weekly meetings and whatever other gatherings the Club may allow its use for. The membership of the Reform Club is confined to males, though the ladies are received as visitors and take an active part in entertainments, music, etc. They are sim- ply denied the right of suffrage and the privilege of paying taxes, a consistency in which the Club has advanced beyond the state of civil society in Iowa-"No taxation without representation." The present officers are : L. T. Kimball, President ; James Wait, Secretary, and George F. Green, Treasurer.
Juvenile Temperance Society .- The people of Miles take more interest in the Society of the little folks than in any other of their temperance organiza- tions, and claim to be doing as much good through this agency as any other. The Society is under the supervision of the W. C. T. U., though it has its own organization. The Juveniles were organized in April, 1878, and have meetings on the last Sabbath of each month in the M. E. Church. These meetings consist of exercises by the little ones, including singing and recitations. From the proceeds of an entertainment, they have purchased a banner not surpassed in richness or elegance by any other in the county. The present officers are : Mrs. Lucius Kimball, President; Miss Minnie Kimball, Secretary, and Miss Jennie Smith, Treasurer.
WOMAN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
There are in and about Miles quite a number who are members of Congre- gational Churches, and a project is now on foot for the organization of a Church of that faith in the village. Rev. Gaylord, a Congregational minister, has been preaching in Miles occasionally during the summer of 1879, and probably before the eye of the reader, a society will have been organized in Miles.
As auxiliary to the Woman's Board of Missions of the Congregational Church at large, the Woman's Missionary Society was formed at the house of Rev. O. Emerson Nov. 15, 1877. The first officers were : Mrs. O. Emerson, President ; Mrs. M. S. Allen, Vice President ; Mrs. J. S. Davis, Secretary, and Mrs. G. F. Green, Treasurer.
The Society meets in town at the houses of the various members once each month, and the lady at whose house the meeting is held provides a missionary tea. The funds raised are forwarded to the parent Society.
The membership now includes twenty-four ladies. The present officers are the same as those given above, save that Mrs. C. Davis is Secretary.
ASSOCIATIONS.
The Library Association of Miles originated from a desire to establish a series of sociables for the young people. There were no church sociables at that time, and Mrs. A. R. Darling, then Principal of the public schools, pro- posed to the pupils of the Grammar Department that a social society be formed to give entertainments, and, with the funds and donations they might receive, purchase a school library. It was afterward determined to make it a town library, and a committee was appointed to take the matter in charge, and make all necessary arrangements. This committee met and Mr. O. W. Haynen and
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
Mrs. Darling were appointed a committee to draft a Constitution and By-Laws. The following preamble shows very clearly the object of the Association :
"We, the subscribers of these Articles. feeling the great necessity of moral, mental and general literary improvement, associate ourselves together for the promotion of the same under the general incorporation laws of the State of Iowa, and adopt as the fundamental laws of our. Association, the following Articles of Incorporation."
The Association was duly organized in January, 1877, with O. W. Haynen, President ; J. W. Miles, Treasurer ; F. A. Hanover, Secretary, and a Board of six Directors, a Book Purchasing Committee of five, and a committee of seven on Evening Entertainment. The corporation period is twenty years. Capital not less than $100, which may be increased to $1,000. Enough yearly member- ship tickets were soon sold at $2 each, to purchase 200 volumes, and the library was formally opened on the 1st of February. George Gotshall was appointed Librarian, and held the office until the fire in March, 1879, burned the build- ing, when the library was placed in charge of E. B. Legg. The library now numbers 400 volumes, valued at $650. Part of the money for the purchase of the books was raised by giving sociables and other entertainments, with an occa- sional lecture. The present officers of the Association are : O. W. Heynen, President ; A. C. Heynen, Secretary ; J. W. Miles, Treasurer, and the Execu- tive Board of six.
The Literary and Social Society was organized in November, 1878, as a secret organization, i. e., visitors were not admitted. Meetings were first held in private houses, but subsequently in Union Hall. The Society was composed of both sexes and the object of their meeting was for social and literary improve- ment. The officers were: Charles Reid, President; Miss Jennie Buttolph, Recording Secretary ; Mrs. A. R. Darling, Corresponding Secretary. We append several of the topics discussed by the Society during the winter, in which much interest was taken :
1. " Is there more to approve than condemn in the life of Oliver Cromwell ?".
2. " Which is the more pernicious character, the flatterer or the slanderer ?"
3. " Is it better to be a good listener than a good speaker?"
Congregational Society .- At an informal meeting held at the Agricultural Hall, in Miles, Jackson Co., Iowa, August 15, 1879, for the purpose of organ- izing a Congregational Society, the following business was transacted :
Present-Mr. and Mrs. G. F. Green, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord, Mr. and Mrs. Emerson, Messrs. O. W. Heynen, Charles Car- ratt, Carl Watkins, C. C. Maxim, A. C. Heynen.
On motion, Rev. Gaylord was called to the chair, and A. C. Heynen instructed to act as Clerk. Meeting then opened with prayer by Rev. O. Emerson. After a few explanatory remarks by the Chairman as to the object of the meeting, it was voted to form a temporary organization.
Nominations of the following named gentlemen were then made to act as Trustees, and duly elected : George F. Green, J. S. Davis. O. W. Heynen, S. B. Wells, F. M. Miles ; J. W. Miles, Treasurer; A. C. Heynen, Clerk.
It was then voted that the newly elected Trustees be instructed to make it their business to arrange with the M. E. brethren for the use of the church for every alternate Sabbath, as soon as they thought best. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
M. E. Church .- The Methodist Church at Miles was formerly a class at Mount Algor. About ten years ago, it was removed from that point to .the schoolhouse at what was known as Miles' Corners. It was then a part of
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
Prairie Vernon Circuit. Now the name Miles is given to the circuit, which includes Miles, Almont, Vernon Prairie and Teed's Grove. A parsonage for the Pastor in charge of this circuit was erected in Miles in 1874, at a cost of near $1,500.
The church building, which is a neat white frame, surmounted by a taper- ing spire, was built in 1875, and cost between $3,000 and $4,000. The ministers in charge of this congregation, since 1870, have been Revs. S. Y. Harmer, J. C. Lusk, J. T. Spry, W. N. Chaffee and R. W. Coats. A Sabbath school is sustained, of which O. W. Heynen is Superintendent.
The Steward of the Church is E. S. Hathaway. The Trustees are J. N. Viall, William Cuttell, E. S. Hathaway, J. B. Smith, G. Crawford, O. W. Heynen and William Bryant.
The ladies of this Church have a Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, which is auxiliary to the Western Branch of the M. E. Missionary Society, and to which they contribute their funds. The officers of the Society are : Mrs. E. Fish, President ; Mrs. C. Swaney, Mrs. C. Harrington and Mrs. B. Walker, Vice Presidents ; Miss Ola Fish. Secretary ; Mrs. S. J. Smith, Cor- responding Secretary, and Mrs. A. Caton, Treasurer.
Centennial Lodge, No. 349, I. O. O. F .- The Centennial Lodge antici- pated the centennial year by about six months, being organized July 25, 1875, with the following charter members : J. N. Viall, W. R. Pittman, H. J. Davis, Henry Braase, J. G. Caton, O. H. Legg and A. E. Allen. J. N. Viall was first Noble Grand, and A. E. Allen, Sec. The Lodge have met since their organization in their well-furnished ball over H. J. Davis' store. There are now twenty-eight members, who meet in Lodge every Tuesday even- ing. The Past Noble Grands since organization are J. N. Viall, H. J. Davis, W. R. Pittman, A. E. Allen, J. W. Waite and J. G. Caton. The present officers are: W. S. Kellogg, N. G .; Henry Braase, V. G .; A. E. Allen, Sec .; H. J. Davis, Treas.
Miles Lodge, No. 45, A. O. U. W .- The Workmen Lodge of Miles was organized January 27, 1876, with the following officers : W. R. Pittman, M. W .; George Joannin, G. F .; T. W. Darling, P. M. W .; E. B. Brain, O .; G. A. Gotshall, G .; J. D. Overholt, Fin .; J. W. Miles, Receiver ; E. B. Legg, Recorder ; George Buzza, I. W .; George Cawthorn, O. W. For a time, the Lodge met in Union Hall, but removed to the same hall occupied by the Odd Fellows, May, 1877. The Lodge contains twenty-eight members; they meet on Thursday evenings. The present officers are: Henry Braase, P. M. W .; C. Carratt, M. W .; W. S. Kellogg. G. F .; D. H. Gottshall, O .; H. J. Davis, Recorder ; F. M. Miles, Fin .; J. W. Miles, Receiver ; D. H. Cook, Guide.
PRESTON.
We are to look upon Preston as it draws near the close of its first decade. We see a typical Western .town. The people are proud of their enterprise, jealous of their rivals, and determined to be second to no competitors. The citizens are what might be termed clever and cordial. Shoddy aristocracy has no foothold here. The friendless man, if he comes to Preston, is in clover, for if he deserves friends he will have them, and without number.
The young city owes its existence to the Sabula, Ackley & Dakota Rail- road, of which road the first train entered the place December 3, 1870. This was then, for a time, the western terminus of the Iowa Branch, now extended to
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
Marion. The plat of the town was made in the fall of 1870. This consisted of 136 acres, being the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 29, and a part of the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 28, Van Buren Township. The land was purchased by the railroad construction company and Z. De Groat, at an expense of near $7,000, the previous owners of the land being Amos and Gillett and Chris Farley. Mr. De Groat's interest was at first an undivided one-third.
As the plat was made, Main street is on the section line between Sections 28 and 29. When the town was laid out, an old deserted dwelling was the only building on the spot. About seventy-five lots were sold the first year. In 1877, Z. De Groat bought out the interest of the construction company in the unsold lots. About two hundred lots have been sold up to August 1, 1879, and Mr. De Groat holds about two hundred more.
The place was named in honor of Col. I. M. Preston, of Cedar Rapids, who was connected with the road at the time it was built.
In 1875, an election was held to decide whether the town should apply for an incorporation. The project of incorporating was defeated by 7 votes. The present population is estimated at four hundred to four hundred and fifty.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
There were no settlers in the vicinity of the site of Preston until 1836. During that year, Andrew Farley came here from Galena and made a claim south of, and including a portion of, the present town plat. In the following year, Christ Farley came, and quite a number of others, so that, by the close of 1837, most of the land was claimed. E. P. Weed was the first claimant of most of the land on which Preston is now located.
The first schoolhouse near this point was about three-fourths of a mile west, and known as District No. 8, of Van Buren Township. This building was not erected until some time subsequent to 1850, the pupils from this region, previ- ous to that time, attending a school one and three-fourths miles to the northeast. The first school in No. 8, Mr. C. Farley informs us, was taught by Marcia Weed.
A second schoolhouse was erected about 1860, on the same spot as the old one.
THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PRESTON
was organized August 14, 1872, by a vote of the electors of No. 8 of the town- ship subdistricts, with L. B. White, S. F. Vinton and Alva Mclaughlin as Directors.
The old schoolhouse proving inadequate to the needs of the district, Specht's Hall was temporarily rented as a schoolroom, and measures were taken for the erection of a building which should be a credit to the town and accommodate all the children of the district for some months to come.
Bonds to the amount of $4,500, bearing 10 per cent interest, and payable at the option of the district, were authorized May 3, 1873. The building was erected and the first story completed and furnished at an expense of $7,176.87. It is a handsome two-story brick building, containing two rooms on each floor. The building is surmounted with a cupola and bell, which summons the youthi of Preston to their task during nine months of the year. The rooms of the second floor have not yet been completed. but will be when the needs of the district demand it.
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
The bonds bearing 10 per cent interest were refunded in March, 1879, at 8 per cent. The old school building was sold to Alva Mclaughlin for $200. It has been moved into town and converted into a dwelling-house.
During the winter session, as high as one hundred and fifty pupils have been in attendance. The summer term shows a much smaller roll, and requires but two apartments. Miss Mary Galloway is Principal, and Miss Beppie Reid is Assistant. The salaries paid last winter were: Principal, $60 per month ; Intermediate, $40; Primary, $30.
The present Board of Directors are : L. B. White, President ; Levi Hal- royd, Z. De Groat. Asher Riley is Treasurer, and Z. De. Groat, Secretary.
POST OFFICE.
The post office was established in the spring of 1871, at which time J. F. H. Sugg was appointed. He was succeeded, in 1875, by Z. De Groat, who resigned two years later, and the present occupant, H. V. Hicks, received his appointment at that date.
The money-order business at this office approximates to $300 per month in orders issued, and $750 in orders paid. The railroad supplies a daily mail east and west.
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
Preston is a shipping-point for a considerable territory. The country to the north as far as Andrew, and for a number of miles to the west find in Preston an excellent market and a good point to trade.
From the books of the railroad company, we glean the following as the principal shipments from this station, from July 1, 1878, to July 1, 1879 : 151 cars hogs ; 8 cars cattle; 67,490 pounds butter; 49,363 bushels oats ; 11,586 bushels wheat. It should be added that the wheat crop for the year 1878 in this vicinity was almost a failure, and that the shipments were not to exceed one-fourth the usual amount.
The principal business interests in Preston are as follows : General stores, Elliott & Reid, Alva McLaughlin, Frederick Rhodevolt ; hardware, R. M. Essick, D. S. Swaney ; drugs, H. V. Hicks & Co .; agricultural, De Groat, Specht & Thill; lumber dealer, Henry Thill; grain and stock dealers, Z. . De Groat and Henry Specht; bankers, Bartholomew & Riley (established in 1871 ; correspondents in Chicago, Preston, Kean & Co .; in New York, National Park Bank); boots and shoes, C. H. Hollywood, H. Ehrensberger ; job print- ing, H. V. Hicks & Co .; wagon-making, Frank McGuire, Day, Hobart & Sul- livan ; harness-making, Frank McManigal ; butter and egg depot, I. N. Pol- lans ; hotels, De Soto House by J. S. Pryor, and Specht Hotel by H. Specht ; physicians, T. W. Mitchell, J. F. H. Sugg, H. V. Hicks, J. S. Caswell, F. W. Schule ; attorney, A. L. Bartholomew.
FREEMASONS' MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATION OF IOWA.
This Association secures to its members an insurance of $1,000, upon the mutual plan, and is not different in its method of working from some six or eight other Masonic Associations operating in Iowa.
The Association was organized at Preston in March, 1877, and was incor- porated on the 3d of April following, by Z. De Groat, J. F. H. Sugg, A. L. Bartholomew, A. B. Wright and M. C. Schofield, with a paid-up capital of
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
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