USA > Iowa > Keokuk County > The history of Keokuk County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. : a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 66
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HISTORY OF KEOKUK COUNTY.
mine is very extensively operated, and with the excellent railroad commu- nication, since the extension of the Knoxville branch of the C., R. I. & P. railroad, promises to be the leading industrial feature of the county. The banks are located abont one mile south of Delta, and the coal is at present conveyed to the latter place in wagons, no side-track having as yet been constructed to the mine.
In 1850 the population of Warren township was 287; in 1856 it was 394; and in 1875 it was 707. At that time there were 144 dwellings and 148 families.
The following are the present officers of the township:
Justices of the Peace-Reuben Kinder and Abel Hawkins.
Constables-Hiram Alsop and J. H. Keister. Clerk-E. C. Hewitt.
Trustees-A. J. McNabb, Horace Brainard and Abner Utterback. Assessor-J. B. Jacobs.
THE TOWN OF DELTA.
Delta is located on section two, and was laid out in 1875. It is a beauti- ful site for a town, being situated on a high piece of ground, the country sloping toward the south forming a beautiful outlook. It is one of the best shipping points along the road, and the business men are among the most active and enterprising in the county. It contains a population of about five hundred, is regularly incorporated, having a full force of town officers and constitutes an independent school district which supports as good a graded school as can be found in this or any other county.
The following are the present officers of the corporation:
Mayor-J. H. Neas.
Recorder-W. N. Brown.
Treasurer-J. R. Stirlen.
Councilmen-Reuben Kinder, M. Whisler, F. W. Prentiss, J. G. Sharp, S. G. Boise and Jas. Bethard.
Street Commissioner -- David Smilie.
Marshal-D. Smilie.
The following is a brief history of the organization and progress of the Delta schools:
On the 10th of March, 1877. a special election was held in the indepen- dent district of Union and the independent district of Center, to decide the question of consolidating the two independent district into one. In the in- dependent district of Center, twenty-two votes were cast, twenty-one in favor of consolidating, one opposed.
On March 22, 1877, the qualified electors of the two old independent dis- tricts of Union and Center. met for the purpose of organizing the new in- dependent district of Delta. Simpson Ely was chosen president of the meeting and J. B. Beatty, secretary. There were eighty eight votes cast, resulting in the election of J. E. Stanley, C. C. Wilson, J. U. Brown, W. Wharton, J. A. Dunn and H. Brainard as members of school board. Upon the organization of the board, Dr. C. C. Wilson was elected president, A. H. Heber, secretary, Maxon Randall, treasurer.
May 12, 1877, another special election, on the question of bonding the independent district of Delta to the amount of $4,000, for the purpose of
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HISTORY OF KEOKUK COUNTY.
building a two-story brick school-house containing four rooms. Fifty-four votes were cast, forty-five in favor, nine against.
On May 29, 1877, block No. 2. in town of Delta, was selected by a com- mittee of the board as a site for the new school-building. It was after- ward purchased for the sum of $450. The school-house is sixty feet long, forty feet wide and two stories high. It contains four rooms; two thirty feet long and twenty-seven feet wide; two twenty-eight feet long and twenty-five feet wide. Besides these there are four cloak rooms or entries, two halls and a basement. The building is heated by stoves, well ventilated and lighted. Benjamin J. Bartlett, an architect of Des Moines, furnished the design and the contract was let to J. A. Myers, of Montezuma. Mr. Myers' bid was $3,940, the lowest one submitted to the board. The con- tract was signed August 1, 1877, and work commenced immediately after- ward.
On the 9th of September, 1877, school opened in the new building, with T. J. Andrews at principal. Mrs. T. J. Andrews as assistant in intermedi- ate department and Mrs. Ella Myers assistant in the primary department.
During the terin of eight months, 219 pupils were enrolled and an aver- age daily attendance of 114 was secured. The principal received a salary of $50 per month; the assistant in intermediate department $30, and the assistant in primary department $25. Average salary paid teachers, $35 per month.
On September 8, 1879, the second term of school opened with R. Burke as principal, S. A. D. Hamilton assistant in intermediate department, and Mrs. Ella Myers assistant in primary department.
Number of pupils in district between the ages of five and twenty-one years at beginning of second school year, September 8, 1879: Males, 96; females, 110; total, 206.
Total number enrolled during first two moths, -; average number be- longing during second month, 147; average daily attendance during second month, 140; salary of principal per month, $50; salary of assistants per month, $30 each; average salary per month, $36.66g.
Present school board:
President-I. E. Stanley.
Directors-J. V. Brown, Wm. Wharton, James Dixon, Jacob Kens- ler and G. W. Dunn.
Treasurer- Jno. Schott.
Secretary-Warren Brown.
The only post-office in the township is at Delta, L. E. Stanley postmaster. The Chicago Lodge, No. 385, I. O. O. F., is in a prosperous condition, Messrs. Whisler, N. G., J. R. Stirlen, Secretary. The " Independent " is a spicy newspaper, and faithfully represents the local interests of that place. There are two churches, the Christian and Baptist. The former was organized in 1876, Horace Brainard, Martha Brainard, Dora Brainard, Haden Brainard, Thos. Hicklin, A. Scoonover, Ella Scoonover, G. W. Pence and Elizabeth Pence being among the original members. The church building was erected in the summer of 1876, at a cost of $2,200, and was dedicated the following winter by Prof. Carpenter, of Oskaloosa. S. Ely, J. H. Rogan, J. W. Garrett and B. M. Scott have been the pastors. The present membership is one hundred.
The Baptist church was organized in 1870. The original members were Isaac Wilson, Sarah Wilson, A. F. McDonald, Amanda McDonald, L. E.
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HISTORY OF KEOKUK COUNTY.
Hayes, Martha Hayes, David McDonald, Mary McDonald, Charles Mc- Donald, Nancy McDonald and Jacob Hawk. The church was organized by S. E. Nelson and M. Greyson. S. E. Nelson, M. Greyson and G. M. Valingham have been pastors. The present membership is about thirty.
There are two societies which have regular meetings, one literary and the other temperance.
Among the leading business houses the following are the leading ones: general merchandise, Stanley & Brother; dry goods, Reed & Son; agri- cultural implements, Prentiss Brothers; drugs and medicines, Rus Hogin; groceries, Cover & Brown; grain and live stock merchants, Mighell Brothers; Delta Coal Works, J. A. & G. W. Dunn ; physicians and sur- geons, J. D. Hamilton and E. H. Sheaffer; hotels, Centennial House, kept by J. K. Shipley, and Delta House, kept by J. H. Neas.
LANCASTER TOWNSHIP.
This township lies between the branches of Skunk river, and extends within six miles of the county line, both east and west, and is twelve miles in length. It was first known as Ridge precinct. In 1846 it was organ- ized as a township, taking the name of Lafayette. After the location of the town of Lancaster it was changed to the name of that town.
The first white settlers were: Obadiah Tharp, John W. Snelson, Presley Doggett, William Trueblood, James Robinson, B. F. Chastain, William McGrew, James M. and Jesse B. Mitts, George Wimer, J. B. Whisler, Amos Holloway, David Stout, J. G. Dement and Sam. Hardesty. Mr. Snel- son located on the present farm of Corbin Utterback, and for some time ran a ferry across North Skunk. A cabin was erected near his dwelling in which Mr. Whisler commenced selling goods, in the fall of 1844. Mr. Whisler afterward sold goods in Lancaster, and at his mill, four miles west of town. In 1845 Col. J. G. Crocker located near Lancaster, and in 1847 his son, the late General M. M. Crocker, received the appointment of military cadet at West Point.
This township is the largest and possesses the greatest variety of natural resources of any in the county. While it contains farming lands which are not excelled by any other in the State, it also has an abundance of tin- ber and excellent water power. It has always taken the lead in point of population, and when the seat of justice was located there it substantially controlled the politics of the county, and thus was the first precinct in point of influence, a position which it has not yet entirely lost. Lancas- ter, with its heavy democratic majorities, is still a power in political con- ventions.
The population in 1850 was 349; in 1856 it was 1,110; and in 1875 it was 1,454.
The first school in the county was probably taught by Henry Horse, in a log house which formerly stood on the Doggett farm, in the winter of 1844 and '45.
Among the first marriages was that of Mr. Jordan to Maria McGrew; and the first birth appears to have been a son of Augustus M. Mead. Ben- jamin F. Chastain organized the first church. in May, 1844. The first members were W. Snelson and wife, Jesse Gabbert and wife, Dr. Ragland, Nathan Ruth and B. F. Chastain. They had no house of worship, and their meetings were held at the residence of Mr. Snelson, on section three.
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HISTORY OF KEOKUK COUNTY.
The first sermon was preached by Tannehill, at the house of John Cox, in 1843.
Situated as it is, between the two forks of Skunk river, the best water power is easy of access, and this was early utilized by the erection of mills. These mills have always been a help to the development of the resources of the entire county, and have had a good reputation in this and adjoining townships. To aid in the settlement of that portion of the county, and afford ready communication with other places, there was early a need felt for good roads. A county road, commonly known as the Ridge Road, was early projected, and ever since has been regarded as the leading highway of the county. Although several railways have been projected across the township, none so far have been successful. The Ottumwa road, after nu- merous failures, now promises to be built at no far distant day, and when built will contribute much toward bringing out the large store of undevel- oped resources which abound in great variety. Owing to the size of the township it has an extra force of civil officers. For the present year they are as follows:
Justices of the Peace-W. H. Hubbard, B. C. Moore, S. C. Harris.
Clerk-H. B. Jacobs.
Assessor-S. W. Brunt.
Constables-J. H. Richardson, J. H. Batt, J. M. Swearingen.
Trustees-Josiah Utterbach, F. M. Wertz, E. Bralliar.
Owing to the fact that so much of the history of this township is inti- mately connected with the county-seat contests, and while the county-seat was at Lancaster, the history of that town was the history of the town- ship, the facts will be grouped as far as possible in the following short ac- count of the
TOWN OF LANCASTER.
In 1846, knowing, as he did, that the effort to remove the county-seat to some point between the two Skunk rivers would probably prove successful, Mr. J. B. Whisler, who has before been referred to, bought a quantity of land in section 30, put about forty acres under cultivation, removed his store there, and called the place Lafayette. This done he executed a bond for a deed to the county for the land at Congress price, in case the county- seat should be removed there. The locating commissioners selected the place for a county-seat and removed it to Lancaster. The county offices were removed to the latter place in October, 1846. Prior to that time, and a short time after the vote on the removal of the county-seat, the commis- misioners made the following order, which was the first act in the laying out of the town of Lancaster:
"Ordered by the board that the county surveyor be requested to appear at Lancaster, situated on the northeast quarter of section thirty, township seventy-five, range eleven, prepared to survey and plat the said location under the direction of the board of commissioners, on the 13th day of August, 1846."
The land was accordingly laid out into town lots, and the town platted and recorded in August, 1846. Soon after the plat was recorded there was a sale of lots, and Lancaster immediately became a city of great future prospects. Some of the great men of the State, and some whose voices have been heard in the councils of the nation, began their professional ca-
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HISTORY OF KEOKUK COUNTY.
reer at this same town of Lancaster. Here the first paper of the county was published, the "Lancaster Friend," and here were adjudicated some of the most important law cases which have come up before the courts of the district.
The following men of business flourished at Lancaster during the days of its prosperity: J. B. Whisler, Whisler & Mitts, W. A. Jordon, S. Johnson, Malcom & Powers, J. Robinson, James McGrew, J. W. Snelson, Jesse ('Neil, J. & G. Wimmer, Stapleton & Son, W. Bowman, N. Prime, J. Bucher, E. Clapp, E. Stout, John Crisman, S. Jacobs, J. B. Cole and H. Stevens.
The following phyicians flourished there: C. S. Stapleton, Drs. Clifton, Allen, Dorr, Davis, Alexander, Wright, Roop, Bell, Janes and others.
Among the prominent attorneys were the following: J. A. Williamson, E. T. Burton, G. W. Stapleton, S. A. Evans, J. M. Casey, John Johnson, A. J. Hill, M. T. Moore, J. T. Axtel, G. Wilkinson, J. L. Paschal, and others.
All branches of business were represented, and Lancaster in the days of its prosperity was a neat and enterprising town. One of the greatest mis- fortunes which occurred in the days of its prosperity was the fire which destroyed a large part of the town. At present there is very little of Lan- caster left.
. The lodge organized in 1855 and two churches are all that is. left of its former glory. There are one or two stores, a blacksmith shop, postoffice and one very successful physician.
The Christian Church was organized in 1848, the original members being Win. Trueblood and wife, J. W. Snelson and wife, Thos. Cobb and wife, Asa Cobb and wife, W. H. Brunt and others. A brick church was erected in 1854 at a cost of $1,000. The present membership is fifty-four.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1852; S. A. Evans and wife, Mrs. Jesse O'Neil and Miss Mary O'Neil were among the orig- inal members. John Orr and Samuel Hestwood have been among the pas- tors in years gone by. In 1869 the congregation purchased the first story of the Masonic hall building and fitted it up for church purposes at a cost of $400. The present membership numbers about twenty-five. Besides Lancaster there are two other postoffices in the township, Hayesville on section 28, and Monhattan located on section 34, in township 74, range 11.
CLEAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.
A part of the township was in the second purchase of Indian territory in Iowa and settled in the spring of 1839 by Dr. Washington Mealey and John Mealey as the first white parties. Their claims are now the property of Samuel Singmaster, one of Iowa's most successful stock feeders and horse breeders, as he has now on hand twenty-one imported Clydesdale and Nor- man stallions.
In the fall of 1839 Thomas Henderson and D. N. Henderson, his second son, crossed the Mississippi at Burlington, and wending their way along the Indian trails (for there were no roads) for three days and landed on the farın now owned by Martin Sanders, about three miles from the then boun- dary line. The Indians visited them daily in a log shanty where they camped, passing the shanty without a door, no one near, and did not dis-
565
HISTORY OF KEOKUK COUNTY.
turb anything, for they had not then contracted the bad habits of the whites.
Thomas Henderson returned to his home in Warren county, Ill., and left his son, D. N. Henderson, to work on his claim while he boarded with Dr. Mealey and John Mealey, who both lived in the same house, he then being only a youth. His history is closely interwoven with the history of the township and a short account of his varying fortunes will be appro- priate, as a history of Clear Creek township without D. N. Henderson in it. would be like the play of Hamlet with Hamlet left ont. During the former part of the winter the Mealey families were each blessed with a new comer and D. N. had to wade in the snow into Washington county to bring some lady friends to welcome into the world the young Hawkeye. On one of these trips he had to wade in the snow while Mrs. Wasson, Mrs. Temple and Mrs. Middleton waded in the snow after him. He returned to I linois. during the winter of 1840, and while absent John Baker and Win. Shock- ley made claims, and in the following spring Thos. Henderson returned and settled on his claim. James Junkin settled on the farm now owned by C. Ramsey. Baker and Shockley settled on claims now owned by John Suman and John Vogle. In the same spring William Grimsby settled on a claim on which is now located the town of Talleyrand, Wesley Goss, Harvy Stevens and L. B. Homes all taking.claims on government land not surveyed; and in order to protect claims it became necessary to have an organization and make a code of laws in which all who signed the code pledged their property, lives and sacred honor to stand to and abide the. decision of any committee chosen to settle any claim difficulty. All the citizens signed the pledge and things moved on with scarce a jar to mar the happy familes. All the first settlers had families, except L. B. Homes, and he courted and married Miss Anderson the second year after settling on his river claim, and they had one child, and she is at this writing the wife of Theodore Robison of Sigourney. About this time John Crill, Sr., and his two sons, David and John, settled on claims on Skunk river, and after living there two years sold to Robert Alexander and Michael Hornish, who came from Richland county, Ohio, and they and their families formed a nucleus with Wesley Goss as a kind of exhorter to form a Methodist church .. Soon after a tin peddler and next a Methodist preacher made their advent in Clear Creek, and Rev. Samuel Sturgeon, an Associate Reformed preacher who preached every four weeks on Sunday at Thos. Henderson's house, he and his wife being both members, and D. N. sung David's Psalms, for he was then orthodox. Fears were entertained as to the propriety of allowing the Crills to settle on their claims, and a youth by the name of Mealey burned a cabin on their claim to prevent their settlement, and L. B. Homes was charged with being accessory, which upon investigation proved not to be correct. The Black Hawk purchase having been made in 1842 the whites were allowed to settle on this land. D. N. Henderson had bonght a claim of W. J. Hutchinson at the place where the Black Hawk mill now stands, and L. B. Homes, who had a desire for a mill-site, determined to- jump the claim. They both repaired to the location on the evening that the Indian title expired, and at midnight with their friends armed with. guns and knives, Homes took possession of the house which Hutchinson had built, and Henderson's party built a log heap so near the house that it caught fire and the house had to be torn down. They then compromised
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HISTORY OF KEOKUK COUNTY.
and Homes bought Henderson out. Some of the boys were fined fifteen dollars, but D. N. Henderson escaped.
The township soon settled up with good, sober citizens, for there was not a drop of liquor of any kind sold or used in Clear Creek for several years after it was settled, and peace and happiness reigned supreme. Sun- day-schools were organized, and no sect seemed to be strong enough to attempt to persecute. But finally the Methodists got the lead in church matters, and, as usual, they began to lay down rules of moral conduct for all classes. But the others, although in the minority, refused to follow the dictates of the Methodists, and would once in a while trip the fantastic toe, and thus two sets, both orthodox Christians, edged off, and would have been at open war had it not been for Mr. Grimsley, Thomas Henderson and George Gray. Difficulties then arose, and some left the church with disgust, and some were turned out. But a few held fast to the faith, and revived again, and built a log church at the place now known as the Hornish Graveyard, as Michael Hornish donated three acres to be under the care of the Methodists, and to be a public burying ground for all who wished to occupy the same. Their church has had its ebbs and floods, sometimes in prosperity and at others in adversity, and at this date they have a frame house, in which they hold their meetings in Talleyrand; but their members are but few, and very little life is manifested in their devotions.
While writing on the church subject, we will give the church history of each denomination.
The Associate Reformed Church never organized in Clear Creek town- ship. They only had occasional preaching, and finally organized in Wash- ington and Brighton.
The Seceders held occasional meetings at Mr. Junkin's house in the early settlement of the township, but never made a permanent organization, and united with the Seceders of Washington county, and built a church three miles east of Talleyrand, many of its members residing in Clear Creek township, among whom are (and were) Thomas Jeffrey and family, and E. Kinkade and famly; and as the two last named churches have united under the name of United Presbyterians, they still hold their meetings at the old Seceder Church, east of Talleyrand. in Washington county; and prominent among its members are John Jeffrey, Samuel Ford, A. H. Ford, Nathan Garrett, Moses Hons, William S. Balston, and their families. They never proselyte, and never receive any into their church who are not well versed in the ritual, and of course they have but little trouble with their members.
At the time that Lee split the Methodist church the United Brethren or- ganized a church at the Greenlee school-house, Mr. Cligren and Frederick F. Lyons as pastors. It continued for several years and finally disappeared. The Baptists organized a church at the Shinbone school-house in the year 18-, and have continued to this writing, and have a church in Talleyrand with a membership of -. They have a good frame house, with a steeple and bell. Prominent among their members are A. N. Herich, William Johnson, Uriah Johnson, S. E. Johnson, Dan'l Rand, Austin Conely, John Shockley, David Marquis, J. M. Sanders, Thos. Cowdery, and all their wives; and Mrs. Jenks and Mrs. Powers, widow ladies.
The Catholic church is a substantial brick building, two miles northwest of Talleyrand. Its members number --. Theirs is a strong organization, and outside of the church but little is known of its workings. It is well
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HISTORY OF KEOKUK COUNTY.
sustained by its members, among whom are Paul Pfeifer, Frederick Berg, John Vogle, John Seeman, Peter Quier, Jacob Conrad, and many others who seem to be zealous in the cause they have espoused.
The Presbyterians built a church at Talleyrand, but the church finally went down and was sold.
The German Methodists organized a church at Talleyrand, and erected a building, which is still used by them.
The Adventists held a series of meetings in 1869, and created quite an excitement. Mr. Cornell, a Campbellite, held a discussion with them, and seemed to get ahead in the debates; however, they prospered for a time, but of late they seem to have about disappeared.
In 1859 a barn belonging to Mr. Singmaster was destroyed by fire. Cir- cumstances led the people to suppose that the fire was caused by an incen- diary, and the suspected party was taken by a number of Mr. Singmaster's neighbors and barely escaped being hung. He was afterward indicted by the grand jury, and being convicted was sentenced to the penitentiary. Clear Creek township is known to the real estate dealer as township 75, range 10; and in 1850 had a population of 242; in 1856 the population was 678; and in 1875 it was 1,270.
It is not as level as the township north, nor considered as good for agri- cultural purposes as Richland, but owing to the fact that lumber was of easy access it has always been a favorite region for emigrants. The present officers are:
Justices of the Peace-D. N. Henderson and George Starr.
Constables-P. Heisdaffer and John Briar.
Clerk-E. F. Henderson.
Trustees-T. Stuckland, John Englendinger and N. Wehr.
Assessor-John Hornung.
Talleyrand, the only town in the township, was laid out in March, 1857. It is located near the center of the township, on sections 13, 14, 23 and 24 .. It, for its size, has the usual number of stores, shops, churches and physi- cians, all of which are in a prosperous condition.
GERMAN TOWNSHIP.
This township is composed of township 76 and over half of 75, range 11 and contains a larger population, except Sigourney, than any other in the county. In 1850 there were 239 inhabitants, in 1856 there were 806 and in 1875 there were 1,532. This township is inhabited almost exclusively by Germans, who are well situated and are contented and industrious. Neither the Democratic nor the Republican party has ever been able to. control the vote of this township, and consequently this is the chief battle- field during the heated contests for the election of county officers. Al- though the people of German township are not owned by any political organization, they never forget their enemies nor forsake their friends in time of need. Mr. Snakenberg and Casper Klett were among the first set- tlers of this township, the former still living near where he first settled and the latter dying a few years since. He was born in Saxony in 1813; came to Iowa in 1835 and to Keokuk county in 1839, and became the leading citizen of German township. He had thirteen children, ten of whom are living. B. T. Moore came to the county in 1853, and since that time has followed
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