USA > Iowa > Jones County > The history of Jones County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., biographical sketches of citizens history of the Northwest, history of Iowa > Part 53
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On Wednesday, March 1, 1871, at the above place. Sheriff Crane and Deputies P. O. Babcock and S. D. Parks, with several assistants, made a con- certed descent upon five saloons, for the purpose of searching for whisky, brandy and other liquors condemned as beverages by the statute. The "raid" was successfully planned and as successfully carried out.
At each saloon, more or less " contraband beverages " were found and duly confiscated. The result was salutary, and the effect of its influence felt for a long time.
MARRIAGE INCIDENT.
The second marriage at Anamosa was that of a couple who ran away to get married. The young lady was the daughter of Clement Russell, who lived at Fairview. The young man was a tailor who happened to be living at Rus- sell's for a short time, and the young couple met, fell in love and resolved to be married. One Sunday morning they came on foot to Anamosa ( then only one house, belonging to G. H. Ford : the house, the one built by E. Booth. who sold it to Ford), and the Justice, Lathrop Olnistead, was there, and out in the
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road, ten rods or more from the house, Lathrop married them. The parents of the young lady were incensed, and the newly married pair took their departure for Illinois.
EDMUND BOOTH.
To write the history of Anamosa and omit the name of Edmund Booth, would be to do injustice to a man of rare intelligence, extended information. broad and liberal culture, with clear and concise opinions on all important questions, and one whose long public life of industry and usefulness has extended over the entire period from the time of the early settlement of the county to the present moment, and one whose voice. directly or indirectly, has been heard on almost every question affecting the administration of the public affairs of the county, and one whose unflinching integrity has secured for him the full and com- plete confidence of all who know him, and which has made him an oracle one very disputed point in the early history of the county. In fine, to write the his- tory of Jones County, particularly that portion pertaining to Fairview Town- ship, with the name of Edmund Booth omitted, would be as unsatisfactory as " the play of Hamlet with the Prince of Denmark left out."
A short biographical history is pre-eminently appropriate.
Edmund Booth was born at Springfield, Mass., on the 24th day of August. 1810. At the age of four years, he suffered an attack of that terrible disease, spotted fever, and, although his friends despaired of his recovery for a long time, the strong constitution inherited from his ancestors, who were of Eng- lish and Scotch extraction, enabled him to survive the fever, but not without the loss of hearing and left eye. For a time, he was almost wholly deaf, and at the age of eight, his hearing was totally gone, and be has been entirely deaf from that time. It is owing to this fact that the life of Mr. Booth is so remarkable. Despite the loss of hearing, he continued to be able to speak for a time, quite well, and still is able to artic- ulate so well as to be understood by those accustomed to hear him. It is with the pen, however, that he mostly makes known his opinions and purposes. His boyhood was spent on the farm at home. At the age of seventeen, he entered the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb at Hartford, Conn., and graduated there four years later, and was appointed a tutor in the Institution. Remained in the capacity of teacher seven years. In 1839. he resigned, and moved to this State. Next year, in partnership with Col. David Wood. a brother-in-law who had then just arrived, built the first house at Dartmouth, and the first frame house in the county. In the winter following, Col. Wood died. The lands on all sides being included in the Mill Company's claim, Mr. Booth moved to the prairie near Russell's, and secured forty acres for a farm.
In 1841, he was elected by popular vote County Recorder, receiving all the votes in three out of four precincts, those of the Fourth, Farm Creck, being given to John E. Lovejoy. Was elected a second time two years later, and a third time, two years after that. In the middle of the third term, he retired, the Legislature having so changed the law as to unite the offices of Recorder and Treasurer in one person. Was nominated to the dual office, but declined. In the spring of 1849, went with the great overland emigration to California. his family remaining behind. Succeeded in California, and returned early in 1854. Opened another farm in Cass Township, but resided in Anamosa. In 1856, the Eureka was established. as described elsewhere, and he has since been on that paper, at first as editor, and afterward proprietor. Mr. Booth came West with little save a trunk full of books and one of clothing, his prosperity being the
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result of industry and good management. Previous to the establishment of a post office (Pamaho, a mile west of Russell's), he was in the practice of going on foot to Edinburg, and afterward to Rome for mail. Always returned with hands and pockets full of papers, and was always a subscriber of leading Eastern journals until the establishment of the Eureka.
The part taken by Mr. Booth in conjunction with the Eureka is related elsewhere. The leading editorials have mostly been from his pen, and he has ever spoken with no uncertain sound. At the outbreak of the late civil war. Mr. Booth placed himself squarely and unequivocally on the side of loyalty to the General Government, and bravely battled for the preservation of the Union, doing as effective service as any one on the battle-field.
His leaders compare, many of them, favorably with those of the leading metropolitan papers of the country.
Mr. Booth, now sixty-nine years old, is hale and hearty, and is as bravely battling in the warfare of life as at any time heretofore. His industry, skill and unfaltering perseverance, make him a glorious example of a true and genuine specimen of a Western man.
- MONTICELLO TOWNSHIP.
This township, named after the home of Jefferson, is one of the northern tier of townships of the county, east of Castle Grove, the northwest township. The South Fork of the Maquoketa River enters the township near the northwest corner, runs diagonally across, and leaves the town- ship some two miles north of the southeast corner. The Kitty Creek, a stream of considerable importance, enters the township from the south and unites with the Maquoketa near the city of Monticello. By means of these two streams and others flowing into them, the township is well watered, and water-power, for mill purposes, furnished the inhabitants.
Along the Maquoketa there is a generous supply of good timber, about one- fourth of the area of the township being timber-land. There are also a number of flourishing artificial groves in different parts of the township. The balance of the surface is mostly of the very best prairie land, and well settled and improved by intelligent and industrious farmers. The farmhouses are good. and the township makes a fine display of large and commodious barns. At sundry places is found an abundance of stone, and a number of quarries opened. which supply the wants of the people for ordinary uses, though the quality of the stone is muehl inferior to that furnished by the quarries near Anamosa. Dimension stone is usually obtained at the latter quarries. The farmers have supplied themselves with the modern improvements in husbandry, and a nuin- ber of cheese-factories and creameries are in a flourishing condition in different parts of the township.
The following were among the early settlers outside the city of Monticello. the metropolis of the township: David Ralston, John Stevenson, F. M. Hicks, Z. Farwell, Robert A. Rynerson, A. Il. Marvin, W. HI. Walworth, John Clark, Chauncey Mead, George George, William Clark, Curtis Stone, John White, Asa C. Bowen and others.
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY.
EARLY HISTORY.
The following in reference to the early history of Monticello is largely com- piled from the writings of' John Blanchard, editor of the Monticello Express. and from the " History of the City," written by M. M. Moulton, Mayor of Monticello for the year 1869, published the same year by G. W. Hunt, editor of the Express at that time.
The fall of the year 1836, forty-three years ago, Daniel Varvel and William Clark made the first settlement upon the present site of Monticello. Young and hopeful, they had pushed far away from the settlements to the outer verge of civilization, to make their fortines and found for themselves new homes.
The scene spread out before the sturdy pioneers was one of surpassing love- liness. It was that of a fertile wilderness, instinct with beauty and pregnant with promise. The wide prairies " stretching in airy undulations far away." their sunny ridges and fertile slopes glowing beneath the brilliancy of the autumn sky, the beautiful Maquoketa and the smaller, but not less beautiful Kitty Creek, gliding beneath the overshadowing bluffs, and bordered with forests, upon the foliage of which the early frosts had spilled their golden stain. It was as the Garden of Eden lapsed into primeval wilderness and solitude, with no man to till the soil. Those were among the times of frontier life that characterized the settlement of this vast region between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Those times that tried men's souls are, for the most part, passed away. The trail of the Indian no longer marks the native prairie, and the smoke of the wigwam is no inore seen along our bluffs. No more will the twang of the bow-string or the erack of the rifle startle the solitude of the wilderness ; for a new race and a greater civilization have come in. We question if it entered into the anticipations of the pioneers. Varvel and Clark. that before they passed the prime of life, they would see spring up in that primitive wilderness a flourishing little city, with busy streets, imposing business blocks, . elegant private residences, railroads, telegraph, mills, and all the elements and evidences of an enterprising and growing community.
By the time the winter had set in, Varvel and Clark were comfortably lodged for the season in a log cabin, prepared to bid defiance to tempest and frost, to savage and wild beasts. The entire winter was spent in lonely and monotonous seclusion : but as both were experienced and ardent hunters. and game plentiful, it is to be presumed that their situation was not without its com- pensation. We venture to say they were not likely to forget their first winter's experience in what is now the rich and flourishing county of Jones, then an inhospitable and wild region.
Mr. Varvel was a native of the State of Kentucky, and Mr. Clark of Ohio. Both men worked for some time in the lead mines in the vicinity of Dubuque, before locating here. Early in the following spring, 1837, Richard South set- tled here, his wife, who accompanied him, being the first woman who came to soften the rude hardships of frontier life with domestic comfort and home-feel- ing that only woman's gentle presence can bestow.
During the summer following. T. J. Peak. B. Beardsley, James MeLaugh- lin and Thomas Galligan moved hitherward, settling in this vicinity. The first breaking was done this year. Mr. Varvel being the first inan to upturn the virgin soil of the rich prairie land in this section.
During the summer of 1838, T. J. Peak was married to Miss Rebecca MI. Beardsley, this being the first marriage solemnized in the young colony, and
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the first in the county. In that early day, circumstances and conditions were far from favorable to these who would a-marrying go. Obstacles were to be overcome, such as the devotees at the shrine of Hymen, in these later times of easy marriages-and equally easy divorces-little dream of. In this case. the ardent bridegroom was compelled to journey to Sugar Creek, in Cedar County, a distance of sixty-five miles, to procure a license. Mr. Peak is an honored citizen of Monticelle still, and both he and his excellent wife now rejoice in the results of their early labors.
On the 7th of December. 1838, a preliminary meeting was held at the house of Barrett Whittemore, of Bowen's Prairie, to consider the best method of securing a regular county organization. The object of the meeting was not, however, accomplished until the 24th of January, 1839.
In the same year, 1839, occurred a noteworthy episode in the his- tory of the settlement, or, as Artemus Ward would have said, "two episodes." We refer to the birth of twins in the family of Mr. Richard South, already mentioned. The children were of opposite sexes, healthy and promising, and their advent was considered, under all circumstances, a happy emen, auguring a rapid growth and gratifying prosperity for the little colony. In this year, also, the first eentract for carrying the mail between Dubuque and Iowa City, via Monticello, was secured by Hon. Ansel Briggs, who afterward became the first Governor of Iowa upon its admission to the sisterheed of States. By this route, settlers occasionally received intelligence from the outside world, but the place had net yet attained the distinction of a post office, and the mail was dis- tributed directly from the pocket of the carrier.
In the year 1840, Daniel Varvel was married to Margaret E. Beardsley. This was after the organization of the county. Near the same time, Edmund Booth was married to Miss Mary A. Walworth. There were but three marriages in the county during the year, the third being that of a Mr. Dawson.
The first post office was established here in 1841, and William Clark was appointed Postmaster. Monticello was particularly favered in the matter of mail facilities, considering its tender age, there being a weekly mail from Dubuque to Iowa City, the latter at the time the capital of the Territory of Iowa. The seat of government was located there in 1839, by the commission- ers appointed by the Territorial Legislature to make the selection. It was in 1841 that Mr. James Skelly moved into the settlement. During the year 1839, the famous highway known as the "military read," was surveyed, built and bridged, and put into excellent condition. entirely at the expense of the national Government. (The completion of the work took one or two years.) During the year 1844, Frink & Walker, the great stage firm, put on a four-horse daily coach between Dubuque and Iowa City. In the year 1849, the first doctor, W. B. Selder, of Indiana, came and settled in Monticello. The first schoolhouse was erected in the year 1849, the lumber being hauled from Dubuque, and the house built by five of the leading citizens, to wit: Daniel Varvel. John Stevenson, Joseph Clark, Dr. W. B. Selder and George Gassett. Of these, Stevenson and Gassett are dead, Dr. Selder lives at Webster City, and Daniel Varvel lives in Woodbury County, Iowa. The first blacksmith-shop was started in 1852, by a Mr. Dunlap. From that date to 1854, the settlement grew apace. Men of intelligent foresight and enterprise were added to the rapilly increasing popu- lation. The county, which, in the year 1838, had but 241 inhabitants, in 1854 numbered 6,075. In the year 1853, Monticello may be said to have begun its existence as a separate and distinct community, though previous to this time. it had become a village of some nere and considerable promise. The credit of
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organizing, i. e., first platting the village into town lots, laying off streets. etc., belongs to G. H. Walworth and Daniel Varvel.
The village at the time of which we write, was located along the military road, considerably east of the site at present occupied by the business portion. D. S. Dewey moved to Monticello from Waukegan, Ill., this year, and con- menced the erection of a dam and saw-mill. adjoining the site now occupied by the East Monticello Grist-Mills. This year, also, A. Holston built the Monti- cello House, and John W. Moore opened a small store. The original plat con- tained sixty-three lots, Mr. James Finton, now deceased, becoming the pur- chaser of Lot No. 1. The price of lots at the time was but a small portion of what is now asked and received. During the year 1855. T. C. West erected a building for the sale of dry goods, groceries, and such general merchandise as is required in a country store. In the summer of the same year, John Tabor was made the first Justice of the Peace, he receiving his commission from the County Judge. In this year. also, Dewey's saw-mill was burned. In 1856, D. C. Quimby was appointed the first Notary Public. In 1857, the first wagon-shop was started by Frank Reiger. Changes were going on continually and the town was rapidly growing in importance and repute. The year 1858 was one of the most memorable in the history of the embryo city. It was during this year that the question of building the Dubuque & South Western Railroad was first brought before the enterprising, wide awake, and far-secing business men, to whose industry and intelligent forethought Monticello owes much of its present prosperity and importance. The most liberal and substantial support was accorded the important project, and through the energy and spirit of the people along the route through the county, it was pushed actively forward, so that the work was actually begun in the same year in which the enterprise was first suggested to the people. As will be readily supposed, the inauguration of such an enterprise, and the sure prospect of the speedy opening of a public thoroughfare of such inestimable value and importance gave a wonderful impetus to the town. Immediately, a new addition to the town was sur- veyed and platted, called the Railroad Addition. Lots were taken with astonishing rapidity and at figures largely in advance of former prices. New buildings were erected in all directions: a lumber-yard was started by J. L. Davenport : work was begun upon East Monticello Flouring-Mills. by Mr. Dewey, already mentioned; the township was organized into a school district, under the school law of the State; Monticello Lodge. No. 117. I. O. O. F., was instituted; activity was the order. "go-ahead" the watch- word, pride in the town and perfect faith in its future, the prevailing senti- ments of the day.
The year 1859 was signalized by the completion of the railroad to this point. Trains, however, did not commence to run regularly across the bridge until the next year, the first freight being delivered in the month of January. 1860. in the shape of several car loads of lumber. This event was rendered additionally noteworthy by the arrival of a class of emigrants whose introdne- tion could very easily have been dispensed with. We refer to the rats which were brought from Dubuque in those freight cars, the first of that long-tailed. "troublesome species of the genus " varmint" ever seen in Monticello. The main part of the old school building was erected that year. Fred Gras-meyer started the first tin-shop in the basement of a dwelling-house on Main street, Peak & Hogg opened a dry-goods store west of the railroad and near the depot. The first grain warehouse was erected this year by E. B. Kinsella & Bro. C. E. Wales also came on and opened a dry-goods store in company with William
This achittenure
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY.
Merriam. In August of this year, the first attorney, A. J. Monroe, Esq., settled in Monticello. He is now City Attorney.
The prosperity of the town was now assured-changes were frequent and the population rapidly increasing. In 1864, Bradstreet's Addition was laid out and platted. July 7, with fifty-nine lots : Turck's Addition, platted October 6, with forty-six fots. During this year. M. M. Moulton built the first exclu- sively brick building, 503 First street. In 1866, Varvel's Addition was platted, with twenty-eiglit lots, making in all 275 lots in the city.
On the 17th of September, 1867, Monticello was incorporated as a city, under the general incorporation laws of the State.
OFFICIAL ROSTER.
1867-Mayor, S. Y. Bradstreet ; Recorder, F. J. Tryon ; Treasurer, C. E. Wales ; Marshal, E. L. Gregg. Councilmen-S. R. Howard, N. P. Starks, P. O. Babcock, J. L. Davenport, C. E. Wales.
1868-Mayor, S. Y. Bradstreet; Recorder, C. W. Gurney ; Treasurer, S. R. Howard ; Marshal, H. G. Buel ; Street Commissioner, L. H. Warriner ; City Attorney, M. W. Herrick. Conncilmen-P. O. Babcock, M. R. Gurney, S. G. Frost, S. R. Howard, Fred Grassmeyer.
1869-Mayor, M. M. Moulton ; Recorder, C. W. Gurney ; Treasurer, I. L. Simington ; Marshal, D. F. Magee ; Street Commissioner, Simon Chamber- lin ; City Attorney, A. J. Monroe. Councilmen-S. R. Howard, John O. Duer, G. W. Condon, A. W. Hibbard, H. H. Starks.
1870-Mayor, M. M. Moulton ; Recorder, C. W. Gurney ; Treasurer, I. L. Simington ; Marshal, D. F. Magce: Street Commissioner, S. Chamberlin ; Assessor, G. S. Eastman ; City Attorney, A. J. Monroc. Councilmen-John O. Duer, A. W. Hibbard, L. Palmer, G. W. Condon, S. R. Howard.
1871-Mayor, George W. Lovell ; Recorder, C. W. Gurney ; Treasurer, M. L. Carpenter; Marshal, S. Jewett; Street Commissioner, L. II. Warriner; Asses- sor, G. S. Eastman ; City Attorneys, Monroe & Moulton. Councilmen-S. R. Iloward, L. Palmer, John Gibson, S. Y. Bradstreet, W. II. Proctor.
1872-Mayor, G. W. Lovell ; Recorder, M. W. Herrick ; Treasurer, John 0. Duer ; Marshal, D. F. Magee; Street Commissioner, S. Chamberlin ; Assessor, G. S. Eastman ; Weighmaster, John Feehan ; City Attorneys, Mon- rue & Moulton. Councilmen-H. D. Sherman, Otis Whittemore, F. J. Tryon, W. H. Proctor, John A. Chandler.
1873 -- Mayor, C. E. Wales : Recorder, 1I. M. Wright ; Treasurer, John O. Duer; Marshal, P. J. Wright; Street Commissioner. J. S. Fuller; Assessor, G. S. Eastman ; City Attorney, A. J. Monroe; Weighmaster, W. Hogg. Councilmen-W. II. Proctor. William Schodde, Matt Noyes, B. Stuart, Cyrus Langworthy.
1874-Mayor, C. E. Wales; Recorder, R. P. Smith ; Treasurer, C. Lang- worthy ; Marshal, William Joslin ; Strect Commissioner, J. S. Fuller ; Asses- wor, G. S. Eastman ; City Attorney, A. J. Monroe; Weighmaster, S. Calkins. Councilmen-S. R. Iloward, T. J. Peak, John McConnon, Volney IHickok, George Stuhler.
1875-Mayor, G. W. Trumbull ; Recorder, George II. Jacobs ; Treasurer, ". Langworthy ; Marshal, P. J. Wright; Street Commissioner, S. Calkins ; Assessor. G. S. Eastman ; City Attorneys, Monroc & Herrick ; Weighmaster, J. G. Wood. Councilmen-B. F. Groesbeck, G. W. Garlock, John McCon- Lon, T. J. Peak, F. J. Tryon.
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY.
1876-Mayor, H. D. Sherman ; Recorder, F. B. Bonniwell ; Treasurer. Theodore Soetje ; Marshal, M. M. Moulton : Street Commissioner, Norman Starks ; Assessor. N. W. Austin : City Attorney, M. W. Herrick ; Weigh- master, J. G. Wood. Councilmen -- A. R. Doxsee, T. A. King. John MeCon- non. S. R. Howard, H. L. Servoos.
1877-Mayor, F. J. Trvon; Recorder, C. W. Gurney ; Treasurer. Theo- dore Soetje ; Marshal, M. M. Moulton ; Assessor, N. W. Austin : Weigh- master, J. G. Wood ; Street Commissioner, W. King ; City Attorney, M. W. Herrick. Councilmen -- John McConnon, H. L. Servoos, T. A. King. W. A. Holston, C. A. Whiting.
1878-Mayor, G. W. Garlock ; Recorder, C. W. Gurney : Treasurer. L. Palmer; Marshal, M. M. Moulton ; Assessor, N. W. Austin ; Weighmaster. J. G. Wood: Street Commissioner, W. King; City Attorney, M. W. Herrick. Councilmen-B. D. Paine, S. Kahn, H. H. Starks, S. Y. Bradstreet, Isaac Rigby.
1879-Mayor, B. D. Paine : Recorder, J. R. Stillman; Treasurer, G. L. Lovell; Marshal. M. M. Moulton: Street Commissioner, Ed. West; Assessor. F. Burnight; Weighmaster, J. G. Wood: City Attorney, J. Q. Wing. Conn- cilmen-S. E. Sarles, John McConnon, Fred Grassmeyer, W. A. Holston. F. J. Tryon, N. W. Austin.
MONTICELLO IN 1879.
The flourishing little city of Monticello is situated near the geographical center of the township of the same name, at the junction of Kitty Creek and the South Fork of the Maquoketa River, and also at the junction of the Dubuque & Southwestern and Davenport & Northern Railways. (The above roads have recently been purchased and are now operated by the C., M. & St. P. Company.)
A portion of the city is situated on the east side of the Maquoketa. and called East Monticello. The Monticello Flouring-Mills, together with a small number of dwellings, constitute the principal part of the city east of the river. The site of the town on the west side is a remarkably delightful and pleasant one. The surface is comparatively smooth and unbroken, just enough of undulation to relieve the monotony of an entirely level surface. Fine farming country stretches out in every direction from the town, and, with the water- power furnished by the above streams, the advantages of the city are such as to warrant a belief that its growth will continue for some time to come. The " Diamond Creamery " of H. D. Sherman & Co., situated here, supplies a long-felt want to the dairy interest of the farmers in this vicinity, and demon- strates by its growing importance that the people of an agricultural district cannot afford to neglect this class of manufactories. Other manufacturing interests are attracting attention. and some are already in operation. The city is supplied with most excellent water from an artesian well. 1.192 feet deep. and hydrants are found at all principal points. The water is pumped from the well by a steam-engine, and carried to a reservoir nearly one hundred feet above the railroad on the hill west of the town, and thence is conducted to all part- of the city. With a well-organized fire company and an inexhaustible supply of water, the danger from the ravages of fire can be but slight.
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