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 61
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Olin Lodge, No. 90, A. O. U. W .- Organized January 17, 1877. Char- ter members : W. A. Seeley, J. A. White, G. W. Miller. H. Rummel, A. E. Carpenter. S. L. Easterly, James Dayton, J. W. Jamison, Daniel Starry. James Slife, E. R. Sealls. A. Barker. H. Benfield, A. Gearhart. P. H. Driscoll, T. B. Everett, Edward White, W. F. Duncan, J. C. Williams, J. H. Miller, A. Glick. The following were the first officers elected: H. Rummel. Master; E. R. Sealls, G. F .; W. A. Seeley. O .; A. Gearhart, Receiver ; James Dayton, F .; S. L. Easterly, Rec .; J. W. Jamison, Guide; J. C. Williams, P. M. W .; A. E. Carpenter, I. W .; A. Barker, O. W. The present officers are as follows : John Figeley, Master; E. Bedell, G. F .; A. E. Carpenter, O .: A. Gearhart. Receiver; S. L. Easterly. F .; T. J. Townsend, Rec .; W. F. Duncan. Guide ; G. W. Miller, P. M. W .: J. H. Miller. I. W .; D. Starry, O. W.
The Olin Temperance League .- This is an organization for the promotion of temperance. It holds its sessions at the Methodist Church, each alternate Tuesday. The exercises consist of discussions, essays. declamations, readings, music, etc. Its basis is the the .. Murphy Pledge." The present officers are : C. H. MeGrew, President ; Miss Phemie Robinson, Vice President ; Miss Car- rie Hull, Secretary ; C. L. Poster, Chorister.
Within a mile of Olin are three most excellent stone quarries. The stone taken from these is a soft. magnesian limestone (Niagara group; Upper Silu- rian), and is of the quality and texture as that of the celebrated quarries at Anamosa. There are two good lime-kilns in the immediate neighborhood. Good sand for building purposes is found on the margin of Walnut Creek, which empties into the Wapsipinieon at this point. Within the corporate limits is au excellent clay bank for the manufacture of brick.
The people of Olin are mainly from the Eastern States, and have brought their thrifty habits with them. There is little or no foreign population. Olin
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY.
has one of the best brass bands in the State, Henry Jeffries, Leader. The hotel is the Olin House. admirably kept by R. II. Jordan, proprietor.
[We are indebted to Prof. C. L. Porter for preparing the history of Olin. -EDITOR.]
CASTLE GROVE TOWNSHIP.
This township. according to the United States survey, is numbered 86 north, west of Range 4.
The larger portion of the township is high rolling prairie, interspersed with ravines and glades, which, by draining, make the very best of meadow lands. There are several ereeks running through the township, which afford excellent opportunities for stock-raising. There is quite a large body of timber in the northeast portion of the township, which, by economical usage, will furnish a supply for the needs of the inhabitants in this direction for a long time to come. The inhabitants of this township are a thriving, industrious and persevering people. The never-failing appendage of a thrifty Yankee farmer-a good barn -is frequently found on these prairies, though many of the inhabitants are descendants from the Emerald Isle. The citizens of this township, in common with the people of the other portions of the county, show their appreciation of good morals by erecting schoolhouses, in which the youth may be trained up to usefulness and kept from idleness. The monotony of the prairie is frequently relieved by trees which have been set out for shade and ornament. Altogether, the township is desirably and pleasantly located. The soil is fertile, and the healthfulness of the people most excellent.
The Castle Grove Post Office is situated near the center of the township, and James M. King is Postmaster. There are three churches in the township, two Protestant and one Catholic Church.
The Castle Grove Mill is in the northeast part of the township. and is owned by Levi Berlin. The mill was built in 1872, by Berlin & Stambaugh, at a cost of $10,000. There are two run of stone, and the capacity of the mnill is about one hundred bushels of wheat per day.
Among the early settlers of this township were Simeon Forman, Thomas Galligan, MeLaughlins, Kehoes, Hogans, Rearrieks, Starrs. Deischer. Heisey, Downer and others. There is no village in the township.
CHURCHES.
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, in Castle Grove, is situated in the northern part of the township. and was erected by the Roman Catholics in the year 1877, at a cost of about 820,000. Mr. John Kenan was the architect and Mr. M. Doyle, of Anamosa. the contractor. The edifice is a remarkably fine one and does honor to the members of the Church in Castle Grove. It is, without doubt. the finest church editiee in the State outside the largest cities.
Evangelical Church, of Castle Grove Township. This church was organ- ized in 1855. The first minister was Rev. John Miller. Daniel High was the first Class-Leader. A church edifice was built in the year 1876, at a cost of 81,400. Present membership, twenty-two. Pastor in charge, Rev. Daniel 1 Fink. The first Trustees were Daniel Deischer, Henry Heisey, John Heisey, John Wint and Benjamin Rider.
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY.
The present Board of Trustees are Daniel Deischer, Benjamin Rider, John Heisey, John Kline and Madison Franks.
Castle Grove Baptist Church .-- This church was organized on the 5th of July. 1874. James Starr was elected Clerk and B. F. Searles and Jerome Scott. Deacons. The church edifice was dedicated September 26. 1876. The follow- ing Pastors have served the Church : Revs. J. W. Thompson. L. H. Thompson, W. C. Archer and J. G. Johnson, the present Pastor. There were twelve members at the time of organization, and there are now twenty-nine.
1 RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.
This township is east of Monticello and west of Washington, and is one of the first settled in the county. The south fork of the Maquoketa River crosses the southwest corner of the township, and by this means and numerous creeks, the whole is well watered. About one-third of the area is as fine prairie land as there is in the State, and the balance is timber-land. The prairie is in the northwest corner, and here the village of Bowen's Prairie is situated. Twenty years ago, this was a village of considerable importance, but the building-up of the town of Monticello caused the removal of business to that place. The fol- lowing heads of families are found at Bowen's Prairie Village: E. S. Blodgett, Cyrus Whittemore. William Whittemore, Widow Heims, Frederick Pennaman, N. C. Rowley and James Craig. N. C. Rowley is the Postmaster. There are two churches in the village and a German Church in the western portion of the township, about two miles south of Bowen's Prairie. We were unable to get the history of the Methodist Church at the village, or the German Church. when we were in that part of the county.
The timbered portion of the township is settled principally by Gerinans and Irish. A portion of the town of Cascade is in the northeast corner of the township, and an excellent water-power is here afforded by means of the north fork of the Maquoketa.
The Bowen's Prairie district constitutes one of the loveliest landscapes in the State, and, had the village secured a railroad would have been one of the most important towns in the county.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF BOWEN'S PRAIRIE.
BY BARRETT WHITTEMORE.
The following, by Barrett Whittemore, though somewhat lengthy, is so entertaining that we give it entire, knowing full well that every subscriber to the Jones County History will be delighted with anything from the pen of " The Old Schoolmaster of Bowen's Prairie."
" Bowen's Prairie originally included all that prairie region west of Cas- cade, which lies between the two Maquoketa Rivers, and east of Plum Creek, and including a part of the counties of Dubuque. Jones and Delaware, com- prising two townships of land, more or less. It derives its name from Hugh Bowen, who, in company with John Flinn, in the year 1836, first visited this locality ; and, being charmed by its beautiful scenery. fertile soil, salubrious springs, and other desirable attractions, they selected adjoining claims. That
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY.
of the former being well known as the " Bowen Farm," and the latter lying immediately west of it, and now owned by Ebenezer Little and Barrett Whitte- more. The favorable reports which these adventurers gave of the country stim- ulated others to visit this section, and the same year, Moses Collins and Joshua Johnston came and staked off elaims north of the two just named, and now owned by William Beatty and Robert Bunting's widow. Alfred Weatherford also arrived the same season, and, in the absence of Mr. Flinn, took possession of his claim, and, by intimidation, succeeded in holding it. About this time, Thomas S. Denson. Gillespie Laughlin, Charles Johnston and Franklin Dalby came and selected claims in the same neighborhood. all now or lately owned respectively by Joseph Hickman, William Brazelton, Philip Cline and Franklin Dalby. In the same year, the Delong family, consisting of father and mother, with their five sons, William, Parley, Perry, John and Jacob, and a daughter Susan, took possession of the Falls and the vicinity known as Cascade. They put up two cabins on the premises, one being situated about four rods west of the Falls and the other near the present site of G. G. Banghart's store. As there seemed, however, to be a prospect that their claim would be contested. they sold the water-power and the land lying east of the river, with a narrow belt 200 feet wide lying west of the river, to John Sherman, who afterward dis- posed of one-half his interest to Hugh Bowen. Near this time, Daniel Varvel and William Clark took possession of the present site of Monticello, where they built a commodious log house, and opened adjoining farms. About the 1st of January, 1837, Thomas Dickson. with his wife and two children, Elizabeth and William, moved to the prairie, laying claim to the premises now occupied by the Yousse family. After living on, and improving the same several years, he sold his claim to Benedict Yonsse, who has been a resident on the same some thirty-three years. In the same year, William Moore, Sr., with his three sons, William, Thomas and John, came and took up elaims south of the Yousse farm just mentioned. Two of the sons, William and John have lately died, and Thomas is still living on the original claim. The father, William Moore, a hale and hearty old gentleman. after leaving Bowen's Prairie, bought the Beardsley farm, some seven miles west of Monticello, where he lived until two years ago, when he died. I will illustrate some of the inconveniences of the good olden time, even extending to the important act of getting married, by relating the following incident : Mr. Moore, being a widower, and deeming it not good for man to he alone, sought a helpmeet, and suc- ceeded in finding one who was willing to accommodate him, provided the necessary preliminaries could be complied with. But here was a dilemma. Ministers and Justices of the Peace were not as plentiful as at present, and to obtain the services of either would be attended with delay, expense and trouble. A Justice, however, was found, in the person of Jacob Hamilton, then living at Whitewater, in Dubuque County ; and, being sent for, he came, but on his arrival, found himself in a different county, and, therefore, out of his jurisdiction. Here, then. was another difficulty to be surmounted. But necessity is truly the mother of invention.
" The parties could all walk over the line into Dubuque County, and then all would be right. So, shortly after, having made the necessary arrangements for a foot-tramp of some three or four miles. a party of five, including the important personage of Justice, with Thomas Dickson and wife as witnesses, set out on foot, and in due time reached the desired locality, just within the pre- cinet of Dubuque County. And here, under the blue canopy of heaven. sur- " rounded by the forest oaks. the knot was tied, the blessing pronounced, and
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the parties dispersed ; and this is the history of the first wedding on Bowen's Prairie, just forty years ago.
" The United States surveys of the public lands in this vicinity, were made in the years 1836-37. As many claims were taken and improvements made previous to these surveys. some of the claimants were much annoyed by the Government lines passing through their improvements, thus frequently, essen- tially interfering with private boundaries established by the claimants them- selves. A small inclosure was liable, in certain contingencies, to fall on four different sections, frequently placing the building on one section and the improved land on another. To the married man, this was of comparatively minor importance, as he would have the ability to purchase whatever he wanted. But these contingencies often made sad havoc with the poor settler's anticipa- tions, whose means were frequently limited to the purchase of forty or, at most. eighty acres. A compromise in such cases was frequently made by accommo- dating neighbors. but selfishness, then as now, was not an uncommon element in the human heart.
" The 16th Section, being reserved for school purposes, and placed under the control of the State, was liable to be kept out of market for a series of years. and, when offered for sale, was put up with such limitations in regard to price, as was deemed most advantageous to the school fund. Therefore, should a settler have made valuable improvements on such lands, he was liable to be subjected to pay a higher price per acre for his lands than he would have been had such land been under the control of the General Government. The cutting and using of timber on such lands, except under certain restrictions, was declared by law an indictable offense.
"On the 1st of January, 1838. Barrett Whittemore first took up his perman- ent residence on Bowen's Prairie, and commenced improving the premises now occupied by himself, and including the farm immediately east. now owned by J. Hickman, consisting of 100 acres of prairie and 80 acres of timber. His first domicile was a log cabin 14x16 feet, built some three rods north of his present residence, and into which he moved on the 19th day of May in the same year, entering into a temporary partnership with T. Dickson. and boarding with him.
" On the 28th of February, in this year, John Gillman, a Methodist minis- ter, held the first religious meeting on Bowen's Prairie and probably the first in the north part of the county. He preached here regularly every three weeks afterward, during his stay on this circuit.
"On the 24th of April following, a most melancholy event transpired on the prairie, filling the whole community with gloom, and the family immedi- ately interested with unspeakable anguish. The circumstances were these : We had finished our out-door work and chores, glad to enter the house to sit down and enjoy the cheerful fire blazing upon the hearth, which the cold, bleak northeast wind and rain rendered peculiarly grateful to our chilled bodies. Darkness had set in. rendering the out-door desolation doubly so. Suddenly we were aroused by a knock at the door, and the entrance of two of our neizh- bors, who informed us that a boy was lost. Alfred Denson, a - remarkably bright and amiable lad of six years, and the light of the household, had wan- dered from the house and was lost, either on the cold, bleak prairie, or in the still more dismal forest. The instant the information was communicated, we felt that the poor boy's fate was scaled. If he had wandered into the thick woods, he might possibly survive until morning, but if, as we feared, he had - . strayedont into the wide, unprotected prairie, we felt that his sleep that night ' would be . the sleep from which there is no awakening.'
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY.
" Dark and dreary and nncomfortable as was the night, the citizens were aroused, and started out with the resolution to do what they could. But the night was intensely dark ; we were destitute of lanterns, and were obliged to depend on torehes to guide us in our travels, and these were comparatively use- less on account of the strong wind and rain. We expected to get lost our- selves, but this did not deter us. Our first design was to search the forest in the vicinity of the child's home, and to build fires in different places. if possibly the child might discover some of them ; they also might be guiding-stars to the searchers.
" There was a timber road leading into the forest, which we thought possi- bly the boy might have taken, and, examining it particularly with the light of our torches, we discovered his traek leading into the forest. This encouraged us to proceed. thinking now we had ascertained the direction he had taken. We were also the more encouraged in regard to the safety of the boy, as, if we should not find him that night, he might obtain a shelter which would save him from perishing. Soon, however, we found another track of his retracing steps, and leading baek into the prairie. On this discovery, we were thrown into con. fusion in regard to the course we should take. We knew not whether he would abide by the road, and thus reach the open prairie, or whether, in the dark- ness, he might have left it and still be wandering in the forest. We, however. followed it, and again discovered his track near the northeast corner of Hugh Bowen's field, and some 100 rods out into the open prairie. Here we took rails from the fence, and built a large fire, which could be seen all through the settlement. We built the fire also, partly, as guide to the child, if he should be fortunate enough to see it, and partly as a pilot to ourselves.
"Hoping that possibly he might, in his wanderings, have reached some of the neighbors, we visited those living on the north side of the prairie, to wit : Moses Collins, Charles Johnston and Franklin Dalby. Not discovering any further trace of the child, we proceeded thenee westerly on a neighborhood road, became bewildered, losing our track and course. We then commeneed shouting, and obtained a respouse from the elder Mr. Dalby. We groped our way to his residence, and deeming it advisable to hunt no further before day- light, we encamped by the fire for the night.
" For two succeeding days, the whole community, including Caseade and Monticello, comprising some thirty persons, made a systematic search through the timber, north and south of the settlement, and the prairie between, but without success. and it was not until the fourth day afterward that the lifeless body of the boy was discovered nearly covered up with tall slough-grass. some eighty rods north of the present residence of T. W. Little, and nearly two iniles distant from his home. IIe doubtless perished on the first night of his wanderings. The sympathizing neighbors immediately collected and assisted as best they could in performing the last rites of burial. There was no minis- ter to officiate. A little band of sineere mourners bore the child to its last resting-place, there to rest in peace until the resurrection morn. And this marks the era of the first death and burial on Bowen's Prairie.
"On the 26th of May. in the same year. Williams Collins first visited the prairie, taking up a claim on the north side-now more familiary known as the Collins farm. He soon afterward moved to the prairie with his wife and two sinall children-Mary and Ann. The elder one, Mary, is living in Delaware County and is the widow of the late Dr. Moses Perley. Mr. Collins was a native of Kentucky, and first came up the Mississippi River about the year 1827, landing at Galena, and thence proceeding to the Blue Mounds, in
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY.
Wisconsin, where he resided some six years, when, in 1833, at the first settlement of Iowa, he came to Dubuque and commenced mining on Catfish Creek, some two miles southwest of Dubuque. Thence he moved to Durango, where in Jan- uary, 1835, he married Kezah Hogan. a daughter of David Hogan, with whom, as above stated, he moved to Bowen's Prairie. I do not feel justified in closing his history just here. Born in Kentucky, he possessed in an eminent degree that frankness, hospitality, that stern independence, that delieate sense of honor. which marks the true Kentuckian. His wife, also, was a model woman, remark- able for her intelligence and grace, and for all those noble qualities of mind and heart which characterize the true Christian lady. She died suddenly on the 30th day of September, 1842, leaving a family of five helpless children and a broken-hearted husband. During the gold excitement, Mr. Collins went to California, where he remained fourteen years and then returned to Bowen's Prairie. After remaining here some five years, he moved to Warrensburg, Johnson County, Mo .. where he died some years ago.
" On the 24th of May, 1838. the Delong brothers raised a saw-mill some two miles above Cascade, being the first saw-miil built in this vicinity. On the 12th of June following, the Territory of Wisconsin was divided by act of Congress, to take effect on the 3d of July following, that portion west of the Mississippi River to constitute the Territory of Iowa. On the 11th of Sep- tember, 1838, the first general election in Jones County was held at the house of Barrett Whittemore. for the purpose of electing a Delegate to the legislative Assembly of the Territory of Iowa. Eleven votes were cast. Mr. Whittlesey. a candidate from Cedar County. was present. On the 7th of December follow- ing, a meeting of the citizens of Jones County was held at the house of Bar- rett Whittemore for the purpose of taking the preliminary steps toward the organization of Jones County. Hugh Bowen was Chairman of the meeting and William Hutton, Secretary. On the 24th of January, 1839, the county of Jones was organized by act of the Legislature, to take effect on the 1st of June following; also on the same date, January 24th, an act was passed appointing three Commissioners to locate the county seat of Jones County. The names of the Commissioners were : Simeon Gardner, of Clinton County ; Israel Mitchell, of Linn County, and William H. Whitesides, of Dubuque County, who were instructed to meet at the house of Thomas Dickson, of Bowen's Prairie, for that purpose, on the second Monday in March, 1839. On the day appointed, Mr. Mitchell arrived, and, after waiting two days and the others failing to make their appearance, he returned without accomplishing his mis- sion.
" On the 1st of January, 1839, an act was passed providing for the estab- lishment of common schools. February, 1839, marks the era of the first settle- ment of Fisherville, some two miles above Anamosa, on the Buffalo, by George H. Walworth and Gideon H. Ford, for the purpose of building a saw-mill. Hon. Timothy Davis, of Dubuque. was also a partner in the concern. A hewed-log house twenty-four feet square. was erected for the accommodation of the firm. Shortly after, two younger brothers of Mr. Walworth, to wit, C. C. Walworth and J. D. Walworth, arrived and formed a part of the household. On the 16th of April, 1839, Harrison Bowen, a brother of Hugh Bowen, arrived with his family from Ohio, taking up his residence with his brother. Joseph Berryhill, a half-brother of Mr. Bowen, arrived at the same time. On the 23d of May, in the same year. the engineers appointed to survey the military road from Dubuque to Iowa City, passed through the prairie, locating the road substan- tially where it now runs; $20,000 were at first appropriated by the General
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY.
Government for surveying. bridging. grubbing and opening the same. Subse. quently, $13,000 additional were appropriated for the same purpose. Out of this appropriation, a Mr. Reed, of Fairview, was paid for building the first bridge across the Wapsipinicon at Anamosa. In the same year, 1839, James L. Langworthy, of Dubuque, also took contracts for bridging, grubbing, and opening the road, paying 83 per mile for running a furrow to indicate the local- ity of the road. July 3. 1839. witnessed the raising of Walworth's mill. at Fisherville. Runners were sent some eighteen miles for hands to raise. Thirty were obtained. This was probably the first heavy raising in Jones County without whisky. Strong coffee, richly prepared with sugar and eream, was used as a substitute. As the raising occupied two days, all hands encamped for the night on the ample floor. As a pastime during the evening, an inter- esting discussion on banking was held, George H. Walworth being in favor and James L. Langworthy opposed. to the institution.
"On the 24th of July, 1839, the first political caucus in Jones County was held, at the house of Clement Russell, for the purpose of nominating Territorial county officers. George H. Walworth was nominated for the Assembly. On the 5th of August, was held the second general election in Jones County, forty. two votes being cast in Bowen's Prairie Precinct. The candidates for Repre- sentative were Israel Mitchell and George HI. Walworth. The latter was elected. Hugh Bowen was elected Sheriff. I will relate an incident, said to have transpired in this precinet at this election, tending to illustrate the accom- modating spirit of Justices in those days, as well as the sensitiveness of candi- dates for office when their fitness for duties was called in question. During the day of election, it was noticed that a certain candidate was for some length of time in close consultation with a certain Justice of the Peace. There appeared to be great earnestness on the part of the candidate, as well as a disposition to listen on the part of the Justice. Something was up, that was evident, an a.x to grind, if nothing more. At length an inkling of the state of things was revealed by a favored few, who pretended to know how matters stood. The said candidate, whom we will call Daniel, had heard it whispered that he was incompetent for the office, in fact. that he couldn't spell his own name correctly. This, if true, would surely have been a damaging accusation. But the said candidate was determined that such a glaring slander should be refuted : that obstacle, at least, in the way of his election, should be removed. He would pro- duce an affidavit, signed by his own hand; that the accusation was cruelly false ; that he did know how to spell his name; that he had done it and could do it again ; that he never spelled his name Daniel ; that he was prepared to produce documents to show that he always spelt it Danill. Having, of course, satis- fied the legal voters on this point, it is presumed they governed themselves accordingly, accepting his statement of the case that he did spell his name with a double instead of a single '1.'
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