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 62
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"As horse-racing is one of the established institutions of the day, it may not be inappropriate to trace back its history to the first grand horse-race on Bowen's Prairie, and probably in Jones County, tending to show, if nothing more, the respectability of its origin, its felicitous results, and its tendency to elevate and refine the moral sentiments of the community at large. This event happened on the 18th day of August. 1839. The competitors were Charles Johnston and Alfred Weatherford; the day, the holy Sabbath ; the wager, a gallon of whisky ; distance to be run, eighty rods ; terminus, a stake- and-ridered fence. At the word " go,' both parties started off at a commenda- ble pace. but, as they neared the fence, the said Johnston, valuing his head at
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a higher figure than a gallon of whisky even, held up, and thus saved a skull he was not prepared to break. But his competitor. Weatherford. was not to be thus defeated ; he could see in the stake-and-ridered fence ahead something which would make him happy for a week, so for the fence he went with all the madness of a Calmuck Tartar. His horse, however, once in his life, seemed disposed to exercise his own rights, to-wit, that of life and limb, and when within some twenty feet of the decisive leap which would have mingled horse, rider and fence in one indistinguishable ruin, suddenly stopped. The momen- tum, however, carried the rider most effectually not only to but into the desired goal, completely demolishing both rider and fence. The conflict was over. the race won, and the whisky most cheerfully forthcoming, the loser declaring his entire satisfaction at the result, and proposing to repeat the contest. saying he had one more gallon he would be happy to dispose of with similar results. Whether the race was repeated. deponent is not informed.
" On the 24th of August, 1839, a meeting of the citizens of Jones County was held at the center of the county, to obtain an expression of their wishes in regard to the county seat. On the 16th of September, 1839, Edmund Booth called here on his way to Fisherville. It is none of our business to inquire what his business was, or why, in a reasonable time afterward, he led to the altar the accomplished sister of Mr. Walworth. On the 13th and 14th of November, 1839, Joseph E Green raised his hewed-log house. on the premises now owned by Francis M. Hicks, being attracted to that locality by its bountiful spring of water and beautiful scenery, and on the day following, a dwelling-house was raised by a Mr. Michaeljohn. a Scotch- man, near the late residence of Andrew Gordon. On the 27th of the same month, Hugh L. Johns raised a blacksmith-shop some twelve rods east of the house of Barrett Whittemore.
" On the 21st of January, 1839, an act was passed appointing Chauncey Swan, John Ronalds and Robert Ralston to meet at Napoleon, on the 1st day of May, 1839, and locate the seat of government of the Territory of Iowa, resulting in its location at Iowa City, in the county of Johnson. On the 17th of January, 1840, the city of Dubuque was incorporated. On the 13th of March, in the same year, ground was broken on the public square of Iowa City for the foundation of the State House, Barrett Whittemore being plowman. On the 15th of June. 1840. the official census of Jones County was taken by Hugh Bowen, as follows: Males, 290; females, 185; total, 475. About the 20th of June in this year, the citizens of Bowen's Prairie, including Monticello and Cascade, met at the house of Moses Collins for the purpose of taking measures to protect their claims at the coming land sales, from the iron grasp of land speculators, and to reconcile conflicting claimants, so as to avoid counterbidding at the sale. A resolution to that effect was drawn up and signed by twenty- five persons. William Collins and Barrett Whittemore were appointed to act as bidders for all purchasers in this vicinity, and George H. Walworth for the same purpose in the south part of the county.
" On June 22, 1840, the land sales for this region commenced. George L. Nightingale was Auctioneer, and Thomas MeKnight, Receiver. Two townships were sold daily, occupying about one hour. The remainder of the day was devoted to receiving money and issuing certificates. On Thursday following, June 25, Richland Township was offered. Only two sections were sold, amounting to 81,600. This amount not only drained the purchasers of their ready cash, but a considerable amount of it was borrowed at 25 to 30 per cent interest. The remaining claims were left unsold for the want of means to
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purchase with, thus subjecting the claimants to the risk of losing their claims. The risk, however, was not wholly on one side. Woe to the audacious spec- ulator, who, in those days, failed to recognize the equitable rights of the oceu- pying claimants. During the hours of sale, the auction-room was surrounded by an organized band of determined men, ready to inflict summary vengeance on any who should dare to raise the bid of an actual settler. or who should bid on land elaimed by one. It must be acknowledged that the stand taken by the settlers could not have been legally sustained, and might, in certain contingen- cies, have provoked a conflict between the settlers and the Government. But the settlers were willing to ineur that risk, and circumstances rather tended to lead to the impression that the Government officers were inclined to avoid, if possible, such a conflict.
" At this date. Alfred Weatherford sold his elaim to Francis Gehon, and moved to Missouri. . Mr. Gehon sold to a Mr. Malony. who, in 1847, sold to Ebenezer Little. ITis son is the present owner and occupant. . During this season, 1840, John Bvers, then a lad of some ten summers, came to the Prairie, taking up his residence with Hugh Bowen, with whom he lived till about the time of his marriage to Mary Ellen Graham. a daughter of David Graham, formerly of Bowen's Prairie, and now a resident of Anamosa. Mr. Byers lived for some years in independent circumstances on his farm near Langworthy, and. with his estimable lady, still retains the cordial respect and good will of numer- ous friends of his earlier days. He now lives at Great Bend, Kan.
" On the 19th of October. 1840, the first schoolhouse on Bowen's Prairie. if not in the county. was raised, being a private institution of Barrett Whitte- more's, and situated a few rods east of his present residence. For some nine years, this building was used alternately as a schoolhouse. a church and a court room. Previous to this, quite a number of settlers had located in Cascade and vicinity, including John Rafferty, Mahlon Lupton, Asa Leek, Lyman Dillon, Robert and George Snowden, Peter Summers, and others whose names are not recollected. Elon Rafferty, son of John Rafferty, still lives on or near his original homestead.
" On the 28th of January. 1841. John O'Sullivan raised his first dwelling- house on the premises now owned by his son.
"On March 22, 1841, the District Court was held in Edinburg, probably the first session held in the county. Thomas S. Wilson, of Dubuque, was Judge, Hugh Bowen, Sheriff. and William Hutton, Clerk. In the lack of out- side accommodations, the court-room was used as a substitute. In the evening was held a political discussion. in which Lewis A. Thomas, a lawyer from Dubuque, and George H. Walworth were speakers; Charles P. Hutton also participated, after which was had an organization of the Whig party. This year, William Tibbetts arrived with his family, and settled on the premises where he resided until a few years ago, when he moved into Monticello. During his residence, he has been elected to various county and township offices, prom- inent among them that of Justice of the Peace.
" On the 3d of February. 1841, Charles Johnson moved to Missouri, but subsequently returned, and, about the year 1850, moved to California, where he still resides.
"In 1841, John McGinty and family moved to Bowen's Prairie, occupying a honse belonging to Franklin Dalby, where he resided some two years, when he removed to his farm, two miles east of Caseade.
" June 21, 1841. a school was opened by Barrett Whittemore on Bowen's - Prairie. being the first school taught in Jones County, north of the Wapsipinicon,
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and continuing in session, with two short vacations, until the 4th of March. 1842, constituting a term of thirty-five weeks, or 175 days; tuition, 83 per quarter ; children under 7 years, 82.50 ; whole attendance. 29: average. 15. Books used were MeGuffey's First, Second and Third Readers, Webster's Elementary Speller, Smith's, Pike's, Daboll's and Smiley's Arithmeties. There were eighteen writers, eleven in written arithmetic, two in geography and one in grammar.
"On the 27th of June, 1841, Rev. Ira Blanchard, a Baptist minister, resid- ing in Castle Grove Township, held a religious meeting in the schoolhouse and made appointments to preach every fourth Sabbath after. At his second meet- ing, on the 24th of July following, some seventy-five persons were present. considered then the largest collection of persons ever assembled in Jones County ; some of the hearers residing fifteen miles distant.
"About the 1st of January, 1842. a post office was established at Cascade : L. A. Styles, Postmaster. On the 19th of February following, was held the first temperanee meeting in this vicinity. at a house owned by Arthur Thomas. of Cascade. Some twenty persons were present, twelve of whom signed the pledge. Two weeks afterward, a second meeting was held and a Temper- ance Society formed ; William Collins was elected President, Asa Leek, Vice President, and William Hutton, Secretary. Temperance meetings were fre- quently held afterward in this vicinity, awakening considerable interest in the cause, but instigating the enmity of the rumsellers.
" During the year 1842, the Delong family sold their lands in Cascade and vicinity to the following purchasers : Caleb Bueknam, since deceased ; G. G. Banghart and John Taylor, the present occupants. Most of Mr. Buck- nam's original purchase is now merged in the village of Caseade. Mr. Bang- hart has been a prominent merchant in Cascade for nearly the whole period of his residence there, some thirty-seven years, occasionally assuming the duties which the county or township imposed on him. He was elected County Com- missioner of Jones County soon after its organization, performing his duties with credit and ability. John Taylor was a native of Rockingham County, N. H., whenee he emigrated to New York at the age of sixteen, thence to Wisconsin, subsequently to Dubuque, and thence to Jones County, as above stated. Soon after his arrival. he was elected Probate Judge of Jones County, which office he held for three years. In 1844, he was elected as Delegate to the Convention for framing a State Constitution, and has been repeatedly elected as State Representative, serving in that capacity six or eight sessions in all. It is not necessary to speak of him as a neighbor and citizen, what the writer could say would be deemed a cold compliment by those numerous recipi- ents of his bounty, by the desolate bosoms which have been cheered by his sympathy, and by alienated hearts which have been reconciled by his timely and wise counsels.
"June 17 and 18, 1843, witnessed the arrival on the prairie of Otis Whitte- more and wife, with a brother-in-law. John II. Eaton. He soon after laid claim to his old premises on Bowen's Prairie, which he commenced improving and on which he resided some twenty-four years, when, nine years ago, he moved to Monticello, where he now resides. He took a prominent part in building the Congregational Churches both at Cascade and Bowen's Prairie. Abont the year 1854, he opened a store on Bowen's Prairie, and, for several years, supplied most of the inhabitants with dry goods and groceries. In 1860, he was elected a Representative to the State Legislature. He has always been a stanch advocate of temperance, freedom and the moral reforms of the day.
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" In 1854, Phillip Cline arrived on the Prairie. and purchased the premises known as the Cline farm, where he continued to reside for some thirty years, when he moved to Nebraska. He was a native of Virginia : moved thence to Ohio ; thenee to Illinois, and finally to Bowen's Prairie. He has seen a large family of children grow up under his eare; several have died; one still resides here. The others are eligibly situated with homes of their own. His oldest son, William, influenced by the glaring reports from California, about the year 1850, joined the crowd of adventurers, and, after an absence of three years, returned, not as too many are foolish enough to do, with an elephant on his foot and a flea in his ear, but did the more sensible thing of returning with a pocket full of rocks. Surely this double present of a husband and a fortune must have been somewhat bewildering to any young lady, and we must not be much surprised if his fairy-bird was not an exception. Be that as it may, he is now living in very comfortable style in an elegant mansion, with his wife and children, with an abundance of rich aeres surrounding him, and I presume, hardly dreams that some twenty-six years have glided away since the enactment of the drama just described.
"William Brazleton moved to the Prairie in the year 1845, and first set- tled on the premises now owned by A. R. Doxsee, and upon which he resided until the year 1849, cultivating and improving his farm, and burning briek. Ile erected the first brick house built in this vieinity, being the one now owned and occupied by the widow of Robert Bunting. IIe subsequently moved to Independence, Buchanan County, where he opened a hotel and ran it with profit to himself and satisfaction to the traveling publie. Believing the locality an unhealthy one, he sold out and returned to the Prairie, and purchased the farm on which his son now resides. By availing himself of all the modern improvements in husbandry, and in building and household conveniences. he rendered his premises an inviting resort for all lovers of scientific husbandry. He now resides near Monticello, and, having been successful in accumulating a competeney suffisent to release him from the necessity of physical toil, it is to be hoped that he will still continue to be, as he has been, the defender of an honest appropriation of the revenues."
It will be noticed that some of the above points are elsewhere referred to, but only so much as to fully corroborate what is written .- [ED. ]
Bowen's Prairie First Congregational Church .- This church was organized March 23, 1853; Rev. E. Wright, of Anamosa. preached on the occasion. The following persons were admitted to membership at the time of organiza- tion : John White and wife, Lucian Rice and wife. Edmund Blodgett and wife, Otis Whittemore and wife, Barrett Whittemore and wife. and Fanny S. Flint.
April 2, 1853, the Church met and agreed to accept the Rules and Articles of Faith of the Dubuque Congregational Church. In May following, four members were added to the Church by letter. There have labored with this Church in the Gospel ministry : Revs. T. H. Canfield, S. C. Cady, J. Searles, 1. Russell, W. Apthorp, C. S. Thompson. N. Closson and the present Pastor, Rev. Harvey Adams, one of the " Jowa Band." The communion service was the gift of Mrs. James Bowen.
The First Congregational society was formed September, 1853, to co-oper- ate with the Church in building a house of worship. The foundation was laidl the first of October, and the church completed and dedicated the following June. The cost of the edifice was $1,300, three hundred of which was donated from the Church Building Fund. This church has a fine bell. the cost of - which was partly donated by Asa Bowen, Otis Whittemore and others; $100
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was raised by means of a bell-festival. Otis Whittemore donated the ground upon which the church was built, and also donated the grounds for the parson- age and half an acre of land for cemetery purposes, near the church. The cemetery has since been enlarged.
This Church had for many years one of the finest choirs in this part of the State. There were at one time sixty members in the choir. At the outbreak of the war, a number of the young men became volunteers, and the following were among the number : Alfred Hines, killed at the battle of Pea Rulge : Edgar Heims. died in camp at Helena, Ark .. and Frederick Blodgett. died at Memphis, in hospital. He was an only son of Edmund S. Blodgett. On receipt of the news of the death of the above, the orchestra of the church was draped in mourning for many days. Much of the work of erecting the church edifice was done by Mr. Otis Whittemore, who was the leader of the choir for many years. Mr. Whittemore also donated the grounds on which the M. E. Church at Bowen's Prairie was built.
SCOTCH GROVE TOWNSHIP.
The first settlement in this township was made in 1836 or 1837, and. con- sequently, Scotch Grove is one of the very carliest settled districts in the county. The first settlers were Scotch emigrants from the Selkirk settlements, in British America, on the Red River of the North. They are said to have traveled the whole distance in ox-curts of the most antiquated style of construc- tion. The hardships and privations incident to their journey-nearly a thou- sand miles-were numerous, and such as must have tried the very souls of these hardy pioneers to an extent that entitles them to the everlasting respect of all who now enjoy the advantages of this rich and populous district of the county of Jones. The indomitable will and courageous spirit of these early settlers have stamped their impress upon the character of the district in which they located. that will continue to be felt for a long time to come. The hono" that is justly their due has never been paid to them, and the passing notice we give to them is by no means commensurate with their just deserts.
The first settlers were John and Alexander Sutherland, Joseph Bremner, Alexander McLlain and David McCoy. After these came Ebenezer Suther- land, Donald Sutherland and Donald Sinclair, who came in about 1838. Donald Livingston came in 1840. and settled near what is now the poor farm on the west side of Scotch Grove. About 1843, M. H. IIutton, and. some- what later, L. J. Dreibelbis and Mathew Dawson settled in the township. In 1841, John E. Lovejoy, who had settled in Clay Township in 1839. came into Scotch Grove. and is still a resident, though he has at times been a resident of other portions of the country for a time, and was, for three years and a half, Consul to Peru, under the appointment of President Lincoln.
At the time of the first settlement, there were no houses between the mili- tary road and Canton. The nearest market was Dubuque, and the nearest mill at Catfish Creek, and was a very poor excuse for a mill at that. The places now called cities were almost without inhabitants. Maquoketa had a few set- tlers about it, and Dubuque was a mere hamlet. A few accessions were made occasionally until 1850, when some pioneers arrived from Indiana and Pennsyl- vania, and the spies having sent back a favorable report, others followed thick and fast, and now the township is thickly settled. Taken as a whole, it may
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Barrett Whilemon
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HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY.
be said that this township is unsurpassed for beauty of location by any in the county, and but few, if any, in the State. The South Fork of the Maquoketa waters the township on the north. along which there is good timber. Mineral Creek waters it in the southeast, and another small stream runs through about the center. The soil is a black, sandy loam, yielding abundantly to the culti- vator, though it requires care and attention to develop its full resources. The inhabitants are, as a rule, a moral, temperate and industrious people. During the late civil war, Scotch Grove was among the first in the county to send vol- unteers to the front, to fight for the preservation of the Union, and she con- tinued equally patriotic throughout the long struggle.
The small village of Scotch Grove is on the Davenport Branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, in the west part of the township. H. D. Hanna has a general store, and is also the proprietor of a flourishing creamery.
CHURCHES AND RED RIVER EMIGRANTS. 1
The Scotch Grove Presbyterian Church is situated on Section 22 of the township and near the center of the county. The original county seat was located in the southwest corner of this township and named Edinburg, near which the society laid out its burying ground and intended to build its church. When the township was named Scotch Grove, in 1831, the name of the Church was changed to correspond. Its present location, nearly east of Scotch Grove Station, is four miles northeast of the historic Edinburg. This Church was organized in 1841, by Rev. M. Hummer, of Iowa City, then the capital of the State. It first members were Highland Scotch families from the Red River settlement of Lord Selkirk, in British America, a rival of the Hudson Bay Company. They had gone to this place in 1810, and had suffered considerable hardships from the jealousy of the Hudson Bay Company. from the severity of the climate and the depredations of the grasshopper. and had been disappointed of the services of a Presbyterian minister, which Lord Selkirk had promised them. One of their number, Alexander McLain, had gone to Duhuque about 1835, and invited them to follow him, and he came with them to the Maquo- keta timber, where many of them took up claims. James Livingstone, Alex- ander Rose and Angus Mathieson went to the Upper Grove, near Hopkinton, while James Mathieson, the McIntyres and the Campbells went on to the other side of the Mississippi, opposite Bellevue. The first company came to Jones County in 1837, while Indians were still roving in the neighborhood, which were not removed by the Government to Kansas until 1846. The families who came in the first company were John Sutherland and his large family of boys, Alexander Sutherland and family, Joseph Bremner, David McCoy and Alexan- der McLain. Next year, four families arrived, Donald and Ebenezer Suther- land, Donald Sinclair and John McLain. In 1840, Donald Livingstone, David Esson and John Livingstone came, making in all about seventy-five persons. They traveled in ox carts, such as are still used by the Pembina half-breeds in the Red River country. They are made without any iron, and are generally drawn by one ox, whose harness is made of untanned buffalo-hide.
The first death in the settlement occurred in 1839, and was that of Mrs. Isabel Sutherland, the mother of Donald, Alexander and Eben Sutherland and Mrs. McIntyre. For two years after the Church was formed, there was no preaching except the occasional visits of Methodist ministers. John Suther- land and Donald Livingstone were the first Elders. In 1843, Rev. Samuel - Cowles, of West Point, Lee Co., 130 miles distant, visited them on his way to
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the Presbytery at Dubuque, and promised to preach for them as often as he eould on his large circuit through Linn Grove and Marion. Those were the days of large eireuits, and of ministers with saddle-bags instead of satehels. Mr. Cowles was an earnest, able and pious minister, whose visits were welcomed by old and young. He preached to these scattered Churches about five times a year for seven years. He died in 1868. In 1850, Rev. F. A. Pratt preached for one year, and his wife tanghit select school in the house of E. Sutherland. He is still living, without a charge. in Mankato. Minn. In 1851, Rev. James Gallatin, one of the famous Gallatins of Pennsylvania, originally from Geneva, Switzerland, eame just as the brethren had finished a new frame church (which stood in the middle of the graveyard in old-country fashion ), and preached the first sermon in the new church and continued to labor faithfully on that elarge and at Maquoketa for five years, when he was suddenly removed by death, and was buried on the east side of the church, where a modest gravestone tells of his cherished memory. He chose to serve his country friends, although frequently called as a minister by the Churches of Dubugne and Muscatine. He was suc- ceeded, in 1856, by Rev. James L. Wilson, who continued their Pastor for sixteen years. During his ministrations, in 1861, the second church was built, which they now occupy. This church cost over $2,000, and was built without aid from abroad. It is furnished with a fine bell, and has the modern addition of an excellent organ. The Rev. John Rice, a graduate of Glasgow College, and of the Reformed Presbyterian Seminary, in Paisley, Scotland, has supplied this charge for the last six years.
This Church has been the mother of several of the same denomination in the county, namely, Wayne, Betliel, Onslow, Anamosa and Center Junction. and a former Pastor held stated service at Canton, Ozark and Caseade. The present membership is 74, but 288 persons have been members of this Church. Besides those previously mentioned, the following have been Elders : David MI. Cook, James Clark, Mathew Dawson, Robert B. Mccullough, John Bentley, Dr. Hugh MeKean, S. IIazen Clark, Lyman B. Hoyt, Thomas Lyons, William Clark, David Sutherland and Dr. Alexander McKean. The following have been Deacons : Donald Sutherland, John Gibson, Phillip Kuhns. John and William A. Sutherland, Donald Sutherland, Jr., William H. Bolton, William and Robert Sutherland and Angus Sinelair.
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