USA > Iowa > Lee County > The history of Lee county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 67
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ANTI-HORSE-THIEF ASSOCIATION.
ORIGIN AND OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY.
The Anti-Horse-thief Association is a body of men banded together for the protection of person and property ; to assist in the enforcement of civil law ; to aid the civil officers, and to see that thieves and rogues are brought to justice. It is neither the object nor the purpose of the Association to take the execu- tion of the law into its own hands, or to punish offenders; but to assist the officers of the civil law in the discharge of their duty. The Association is. made up of the best men in the country. It is a secret Order, and holds its meetings in secret. It has Grand and Subordinate Orders, the latter being sub- ject to the supervision of the former. The Grand Order meets once in each year to revise the work and transact all business connected with the Order. The Subordinate Orders are chartered by the Grand Order, or by the Grand Worthy President during vacation. The Grand Order is composed of the Worthy Presidents of the Subordinate Orders, who, by virtue of their office, are members of the Grand Order, also by delegates sent by the Subordinate Orders. The Grand Worthy officers are elected out of the Grand Order, and consist of a Grand Worthy President, a Grand Worthy Vice President, a Grand Worthy Secretary, a Grand Worthy Treasurer, and a Grand Worthy Marshal, who hold their offices for one year. Subordinate Orders have been organized in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Indiana and Nebraska.
The origin of this society dates back to September, 1863, and is thus explained by G. N. Ransom, G. W. P. A. A. H. T., of Cahoka, Clarke Co.,
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
Mo. : "In the latter part of the late war, men of both sides became more reckless and desperate in everything, especially in stealing horses, cattle, and in fact anything they saw that they wanted. Men would come from Iowa into Missouri and steal and take it back into Iowa, and the Missourians would fol- low, and when they got into Iowa, some person would tell them the best thing they could do was to get out of Iowa, and they, being of a timid disposition, would 'git,' and generally without the stolen property. And the Missourians would go to Iowa and do likewise, and the forming of the order did more to put down lawlessness of all kinds and bring about a good feeling between the two parties-that is, Northern and Southern men-than any other plan or means yet adopted, and to get up the best of feelings between Missouri and her sister States.
. "In September, 1863, Messrs. Daniel Shuler, David Mauk, John Wilson, James Day, H. L. McKee and Maj. David Mckee, of Clark County, Mo .; William Eaverhart, Jonathan Longfellow, S. Grant, William Beach and W. Matlick, of Scotland County, Mo., and James McGowen, of Upton, Iowa, met at Luray, Clark Co., Mo., and framed the first Constitution and By-Laws of the society, and then adjourned to meet at Millport, Knox Co., Mo., in Octo- ber following. At the Millport meeting, a number of the most influential men of Scotland, Knox, Lewis and Clark Counties, Mo., also of Lee, Van Buren and Davis Counties, Iowa, were present. After examining the Constitution and By-Laws framed at Luray, they were taken up, read and adopted section by section, when the Grand Order was organized. The grand officers elected were as follows : Maj. David McKee, G. W. P .; William Beach, G. W. V. P. ; William Eaverhart, G. W. Secretary; William Grant, G. W. Treasurer,
and H. L. McKee, G. W. M. Maj. David McKee served as G. W. P. for eight years, with credit to himself and honor to the society. H. L. McKee served several years, and the present incumbent has served some five years. The present grand officers are : G. N. Sansom, G. W. P., Cahoka, Mo .; John Ewalt, G. W. V. P., Labelle, Mo .; C. W. Gray, G. W. S., Acasto, Mo .; A. A. Hays, G. W. T., Cahoka, Mo., and John Neil, Rushville, Ill., G. W. M."
An association of this character has existed in Washington Township, in this county, since 1858. It embraced the best men of the township, and was the means of baffling a good many dishonest schemes. When the Association was formally organized, as above described, measures were inaugurated to secure the incorporation of the Washington Township Society as a Subordinate Order. It is in good working condition, and a valuable and never-failing aid to the civil officers. Its influence purges juries of dishonest and unworthy members, and in many ways it is an invaluable help in the suppression of crime, and in the arrest and punishment of criminals.
WAR HISTORY.
If there is any one thing more than another of which the people of the Northern States have reason to be proud, it is of the record they made during the dark and bloody days of the war of the rebellion. When the war was forced upon the country, the people were quietly pursuing the even tenor of their ways, doing whatever their hands found to do-making farms or cultivating those already made, erecting homes, founding cities and towns. building shops and manufactories-in short, the country was alive with industry and hopes for the future. The country was just recovering from the depression and losses inci-
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
dent to the financial panic of 1857. The future looked bright and promising, and the industrious and patriotic sons and daughters of the free States were buoyant with hope-and, looking forward to the perfecting of new plans for the insurement of comfort and competence in their declining years, they little - heeded the mutterings and threatenings of treason's children in the Slave States of the South. True sons and descendants of the heroes of the " times that tried men's souls"-the struggle for American independence-they never dreamed that there was even one so base as to attempt the destruction of the Union of their fathers-a government baptized with the best blood the world ever knew. While immediately surrounded with peace and tranquillity, they paid but little attention to rumored plots and plans of those who lived and grew rich from the sweat and toil, blood and flesh of others-aye, even by trafficking in the offspring of their own loins. Nevertheless, the war came, with all its attendant horrors.
April 12, 1861, Fort Sumter, at Charleston, South Carolina, Maj. Ander- son, U. S. A., Commandant, was fired upon by rebels in arms. Although basest treason, this first act in the bloody reality that followed was looked upon as mere bravado of a few hot-heads-the act of a few fire-eaters, whose *sectional bias and hatred of freedom were crazed by excessive indulgence in intoxicating potations. When, a day later, the news was borne along the telegraph wires that Maj. Anderson had been forced to surrender to what had at first been regarded as a drunken mob, the patriotic people of the North were startled from their dreams of the future-from undertakings half completed-and made to realize that behind that mob there was a dark, deep and well-organized pur- pose to destroy the Government, rend the Union in twain, and out of its ruins erect a slave oligarchy, wherein no one would dare question their right to hold in bondage the sons and daughters of men whose skins were black, or who, perchance, through practices of lustful natures, were half or three-quarters removed from the color that God, for His own purposes, had given them. But they " reckoned without their host." Their dreams of the future-their plans for the establishment of an independent confederacy, were doomed from the inception to sad and bitter disappointment.
Immediately upon the surrender of Fort Sumter, Abraham Lincoln, Amer- ica's martyr President, who, but a few short weeks before, had taken the oath of office as the nation's chief executive, issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 volunteers for three months. The last word of that proclamation had scarcely been taken from the electric wires before the call was filled. Men and money were counted out by hundreds and thousands.
The people who loved their whole government could not give enough. Patriotism thrilled and vibrated and pulsated through every heart. The farm, the workshop, the office, the pulpit, the bar, the bench, the college, the school- house-every calling offered its best men, their lives and fortunes in defense of the Government's honor and unity. Party lines were, for the time, ignored. Bitter words, spoken in moments of political heat, were forgotten and forgiven, and, joining hands in a common cause, the masses of the people repeated the oath of America's soldier-statesman : . " By the great Eternal, the Union must and shall be preserved ! "
The gauntlet thrown down by the traitors of the South in their attack upon Fort Sumter was accepted, not, however, in the spirit with which insolence meets insolence, but with a firm, determined spirit of patriotism and love of country. The duty of the President was plain under the Constitution and laws, and above and beyond all, the masses of the people, from whom all political
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
power is derived, demanded the suppression of the rebellion, and stood ready to sustain the authority of their representatives and executive officers.
April 14. A. D. 1861, Abraham Lincoln. President of the United States, issued the following
PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, The laws of the United States have been and now are violently opposed in several States, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed in the ordinary way : I therefore call for the militia of the several States of the Union, to the aggregate number of 75,000. to suppress said combinations and execute the laws. I appeal to all loyal citizens to facilitate and aid in this effort to maintain the laws, the integrity and the perpernity of the popular government, and redress wrongs long enough endured. The first service assigned to the forces, probably, will be to repossess the forts. places and property which have been seized from the Union. Let the utinost care be taken, consistent with the object. to avoid devastation, destruction or interference with the property of peaceful citizens in any part of the country : and I hereby command per- sons composing the aforesaid combination to disperse within twenty days fromt date.
I hereby convene both Houses of Congress for the 4th day of July next, to determine upon measures for public safety which the interest of the subject demands.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
Wy. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. President of the United States.
Seventy-five thousand men were not enough to subdue the rebellion ; nor were ten times that number. The war went on, and call followed call, until it. began to look as if there would not be men enough in all the Free States to crush out and subdne the monstrous war traitors had inaugurated. But to every call for either men or money there was a willing and a ready response. And it is a boast of the people that. had the supply of men fallen short. there were women brave enough, daring enough, patriotic enough. to have offered them- selves as sacrifices on their country's altar. Such were the impulses. motives and actions of the patriotie men of the North, among whom the sons of Lee made a conspicuous and praiseworthy record.
The readiness with which the first call was filled. together with the embar- rassments that surrounded President Lincoln in the absence of sufficient laws to authorize him to meet the unholy, unlooked-for and unexpected emergency- an emergency that had never been anticipated by the wisest and best of America's statesmen-together with an underestimate of the magnitude of the rebellion, and a general belief that the war could not and would not last more than three months. checked rather than encouraged the patriotic ardor of the people. But very few of the men, comparatively speaking, who volunteered in response to President Lincoln's call for 75.000 volunteers for three months were accepted. But the time soon came when there was a place and a musket for every man. Call followed call in quick succession, until the number reached the grand total of 3,339,748, as follows :
April 16. 1861. for three months. 75,000
May 4, 1861. for five years
64.748
July. 1861, for three years
500.000
July 18. 1862, for three years
600.000
August 4, 1862, for nine months
600.000
June. 1863, for three years.
300.000
October 17. 1868. for three years
300,000
February 18. 1864. for three years
500,000
July 10, 1864. for three years
200,000
July 16, 1864, for one, two and three years.
500.000
December 24, 1864. for three years.
300,000
Total
3.889.748
The toesin of war was sounded. and meetings were held all over the North to consider the situation and devise ways and means to meet the President's call. The first meeting in Fort Madison was held on the evening of Tuesday,
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
the 18th day of April. Fred Hesser was chosen to preside, and W. W. Winterbotham and John H. Knapp were selected as Vice Presidents. M. Ashby and George H. Albright acted as Secretaries.
R. W. Albright, J. M. Beck, W. H. Davis, A. T. Shaw, G. W. Walker, R. McFarland, H. C. Semple, D. G. Scroggs, John Van Valkenburg and John A. Nunn were appointed a Committee on Resolutions.
The Committee retired, and, during their absence, the meeting was addressed by John H. Winterbotham on the condition of the country.
The Committee, after a brief absence, returned and reported the following resolutions :
Resolved, 1. That in times like these, when the very existence of the Government under which we and our fathers have lived in happiness and prosperity is threatened, and when con- spirators, rebels and insurgents are waging war against the constitutional authorities of the country, it beliooves all good citizens who are true to their common country and to liberty to take an open and decided stand for the supremacy of the Constitution and the laws.
2. That, as the painful fact is evident that our country is in danger, it will aid us not to lay the cause of our perils at the door of any statesman or political party ; our duty is now to protect and preserve our Constitution ; crimination and recrimination will not do this. Therefore, forgetting the past, and resolving neither to criminate or accuse those whose political opinions and views of public policy differ from ours, we will co-operate with all patriotic citizens of all parties who love their country and are prepared to stand by her in this hour of necessity.
The third resolution indorsed and adopted the resolutions and sentiments promulgated by the Assembly of the State of California, which were in full accord with the sentiment then prevailing throughout the North. The resolu- tions were unanimously adopted. Speeches were made by J. M. Beck, Dr. Davis, J. A. Goodrich, T. S. Espy, Judge Viele, D. G. Scroggs, J. Van Valken- burg and J. H. Knapp.
John H. Knapp, W. H. Davis, R. Lange, W. W. Stevens and M. Ashby were appointed a committee to accept volunteers.
The same issue of the Plain Dealer, P. Staub, publisher, Dr. A. C. Roberts, editor, from which these proceedings of the patriotic people of Fort Madison are transcribed, had the following sensible, elear-headed editorial :
"TRUE PATRIOTISM.
" True patriotism does not exhibit itself in outbursts of passion and denunci- ation, nor does it stop to inquire into the right or wrong of the country- whenever the flag is insulted and disgraced it is ready under any and all cir- cumstances to rush to its support. Therefore, however we may condemn the source of the war and the sad policy that brought it about, the Government must and will be supported by the people, and the flag sustained. Our duty is to our country. Whatever the people will in this country under the Constitu- tion is the law, and the officers of the Government are the servants of the people, and must render to them a strict account of their stewardship. This is true patriotism under a republican form of Government. In a crisis like this, the people must curb all passion and all partisan feeling and let the fire of true patriotism glow in their hearts; and, whoever, in times like these, lets passion and hatred rule in his heart and control his tongue or pen, however much he may swear he is true to his Government and just to his country, is not a true patriot, but a turbulent breeder of sedition, if not (which is alto- gether probable) a cowardly poltroon.
" With a calm and true patriotism, then, that rises above party feeling and neighborhood broils, that countenances a wide range of opinion (which is per- fectly consistent with the honor and safety of our free institutions, and which
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
cannot be restrained with safety to them), let us all join, heart and hand, in the noble effort of arresting our country from anarchy and everlasting disgrace."
" To hallowed duty, Here with loyal and heroic hearts Bind we our lives.' "
Guided by such resolutions and such patriotic advice as above quoted, volunteering at once commenced, and it was not long before one company was filled and ready for the fray.
THE FIRST OFFERING.
The first soldiers to represent Fort Madison, in the war for the Union, were eight brave Germans, who, anxious to be first to the front, and fearing that the company being organized at home would be too late to enter the one regiment apportioned to Iowa under the first call for troops, went to Burlington, and succeeded in getting into Capt. Mathias' company, which had been accepted as one of the ten to form the First Iowa Infantry. The names of these eight are as follows: Henry Rose, John Koehler, Adolph Lotz, George Schlapp, Robert Scholtz, David Sequin, August Soechtig and Frank H. Westermann. West Point added two to the number in the persons of Anton Heinricks and William Stockmann.
The organization of a company was commenced at Fort Madison, under the following volunteer agreement :
" We, the undersigned, able-bodied men, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, do hereby volunteer our services to Gov. Kirkwood, and obligate ourselves to be in readiness to march in defense of our country as occasion may require, subject only to such regulations as may hereafter be enacted by the Government for the regulation of volunteers. Mat. Ashby, William Harrison, Demoine Wilson,
George W. Walker,
Charles E. Staub,
Edmond Smith.
J. Durfey,
Frank M. Smith,
E. F. Cowles,
W. C. Hersburger,
William Smith,
S. M. Wellever,
J. D. Huff,
J. S. Mason,
Thomas Pumroy,
W. H. Woodcock,
W. W. Stevens,
F. Buthe,
J. D. Corielle.
W. Buckholtz,
A. D. Root,
Jasper Schmelzle,
Jefferson ~ cott,
John Walgamuth,
W. B. Phillips,
J. B. Morrison,
W. H. Davis,
Charles E. Gibbs,
W. G. Ray,
W. W. Morrison.
W. H. McKee,
Charles Webster,
J. H. Lowery.
On the night of the 27th of April, the people of Fort Madison again met in council, Judge Edward Johnstone was called to the chair, and W. G. Ray was appointed Secretary. Extracts were read from the great war speech of Stephen A. Douglas, and also the letter of Archbishop Hughes to the great war-meeting in New York, which elicited great applause.
On motion of F. Hesser, a committee of five was appointed to raise relief funds for the families of volunteers. The committee consisted of Edward John- stone, A. T. Shaw, R. A. Russell, F. Hesser and Charles Brewster.
W. H. Davis, W. W. Stevens and George W. Walker, were appointed a committee to raise additional volunteers; and on motion of Dr. Shaw, a com- mittee of five, consisting of Peter Miller, Dr. Claypole, Charles Doerr, John W. Winterbotham and R. McFarland, was appointed to raise funds to defray the expenses of the volunteers prior to their being accepted by the Governor of the State.
On motion of Dr. Claypole, a committee of one from each Ward was ap- pointed to wait on the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of Fort Madison to request an appropriation in aid of the families of volunteers, who were mus-
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
tered into the service. This committee consisted of Dr. Whinnery, First Ward ; B. Hugel, Second Ward; F. Hesser, Third Ward; and John Wilson, Fourth Ward.
Dr. Claypole, J. A. Nunn, R. A. Russell, Peter Miller, S. Winterbotham, Dr. Whinnery, J. P. Harper, I. R. Atlee, J. W. Winterbotham, J. C. Atlee, and almost every other housekeeper present, offered to open up their houses to one or more volunteers until they were accepted.
Enthusiastic Union speeches were made by Messrs. Casey, Winterbotham, Shaw, Claypole, Hesser, Davis, and others. The ladies present sang the "Star Spangled Banner,' and after three rousing cheers for the Union, the meeting adjourned until the next Thursday evening.
At a meeting of he Mayor and Board of Aldermen, on the 15th of May, at which were present Mayor Giligan and Aldermen McHenry, Dinsmore, Bricker, Bendlage, Kiel, Shulte and Herminghausen, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted :
1. That the sum of $2,000 be and the same is hereby appropriated for the purpose of fur- nishing, taking care of and supplying the wants of the volunteers who have lately enlisted from this place, and tendered their services to the Executive of this State for the purpose of defending our Government, and that said sum or any part thereof be used and disbursed by F. Hesser, C. Brewster, H. Cattermole, H. M. Salmon and B. Hugel, on the part of the town, and the Mayor, Aldermen Kiel and MoHenry, on the part of the Board of Aldermen, of this city ; and it is understood that the fav fring application is to apply to all and every necessary expense, whether credited or to be credited, that has been, or may be, for the welfare of the aforesaid volunteers or their families until cherwise provided.
2. That the Mayor is hereby authorized and instructed to issue in such amounts as said committee shall find most convenient, the above $2,000 in corporation cash notes, bearing ten per cent interest, due in one year from date, but redeemable at any time sooner, at the will of the Board, and receivable for all cash corporation taxes.
3. That the above notes shall be known as " Fort Madison War Notes."
Attest : G. H. ALBRIGHT, Clerk.
P. GILIGAN, Mayor.
And so the good work went on. While one part of the people were offer- ing to sacrifice their lives in defense of the Government, the other part were making provisions to secure the families of such as volunteered, against want in the absence of their natural protectors.
The first company organized in Fort Madison took the name of the John- stone Rifles, in honor of Hon. Edward Johnstone. It was officered as follows : Captain, J. C. Harper ; First Lieutenant, J. W. Sample ; Second Lieutenant, W. W. Stevens ; Orderly Sergeant, G. W. Walker.
But the enlistment of volunteers did not rest with the completion of the organization of this company. It continued as long as men were needed, and until almost every able-bodied man was numbered among the fighting boys in blue.
The people in other parts of the county were equally active in the cause of the Union, and war-meetings were held in almost every schoolhouse in the county.
On the evening of Saturday, the 27th of April, the people of West Point and vicinity met together for the purpose of consultation, and to determine how they could best render service to the imperiled cause of the country. John G. Hardy acted as Chairman, and J. P. Peters and M. E. Mckibben served as Secretaries. A. J. Fridley, Gen. Hollman, A. G. Leech, W. B. Stewart and John Codner, were appointed a committee to draft a series of resolutions expressive of the sense of that community on the condition of the country. The meeting then adjourned until the next Wednesday evening.
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
The resolutions reported by the committee were in full sympathy with the resolutions adopted at the Fort Madison meeting, and already quoted.
In Marion Township, the people were wide awake and full of patriotic ardor. . The first war-meeting in that township was held at Wilcox's Schoolhouse, and was attended by every man that could get there. Edward Courtright pre- sided, and S. F. Dunlap acted as Secretary. The following spirited and patriotic resolutions were adopted :
1. That the seceding States are not in any way justifiable in the course they have taken, and that we. as legal citizens of the Federal Government, will not counte ance their proceedings, either by lending them aid, comfort or sympathy with their course.
2. That we will sustain the Federal Government in carrying out the Constitution and upholding the laws of the land.
3. That it is the duty of every man to support the present admifostration, either by aid or sympathy, irrespective of party, so long as it proceeds constitutional ?- '
4. That those who openly or secretly advocate the cause of the Zeding States are danger- ous to the neighborhood in which they live.
5. That we, as neighbors, desire to live in peace, one with another, and for the furtherance of this object we will drop party ties, and say nothing calculated to embitter one against another.
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