USA > Iowa > Lee County > The history of Lee county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 76
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Hon. Philip Viele, Prosecuting Attorney, drew the indictments. The per- sons indicted clubbed together and employed Judge Rorer, of Burlington, to defend them, which he agreed to do for $63, or $1 each.
When the cases came up for trial at the next term of Court, attorney and clients were present. Rorer picked up the first indictment, and after scanning it closely, moved it be quashed on the ground of informality. The Judge (David Irvin) recognized its insufficiency, and the defendant was discharged. Viele now came forward, took up each indictment as the case was called, and addressing the Court with his proverbial politeness, remarked, "same deficiency, Judge," using the same language while the remaining sixty-two cases were called. Long before he finished, the court-room was in a roar, in which Judge Irvin heartily joined.
The old Madison House was built by Gen. John H. Knapp, in 1836, and stood on Lot 153 of the town plat. Although not completed, it was so nearly finished that, at the earnest solicitation of the citizens generally, a grand ball was held on Christmas night, 1836. which all the dancing inhabitants attended. Gen. Knapp was unwell when the party convened, grew rapidly worse dur- ing the night and died in a day or two afterward. After his death, Joseph S. Douglass, who married Almeda Knapp, took charge of the house, which being the most commodious building in the town, was used as the first District Court room, and meetings of the Board of County Supervisors.
James Douglass (not related to Joseph S.) was the first Postmaster at Fort Madison, and kept the office where John Van Valkenburg, Esq., now lives. Douglass was killed in the explosion of the steamer Moselle, at Cincinnati, April 25, 1837. His daughter, now the wife of John Van Valkenburg, Esq., was born shortly after his death. Samuel Hearn, now deceased, but then liv- ing in what is now Des Moines Township, opposite St. Francisville, Mo., had the contract, and carried the mail from Flint Hills (Burlington) by way of Fort Madison to St. Francisville.
Capt. Edwin Guthrie was the first Justice of the Peace at Fort Madison. His first commission came from the Governor of Michigan Territory, then from Gov. Dodge, and next from Gov. Lucas, but all the time living and acting at Fort Madison. From Hawkins Taylor's sketch of Capt. Guthrie and his Court, the following extract is made :
I never knew what the Captain's religious sentiments were if he had any, but he drank no liquor, did not gamble, was always polite and manly, and moral courage itself. When trying a case, no man ever failed to get justice from 'Squire Guthrie, because of his poverty or unpopu- larity, and no man ever got more than justice because of his wealth or position in society. He hated slavery and loved justice and freedom. These qualities made him popular with all good men, but the very reverse with another class that were far too numerous at that day, as well as now. But the Captain loved to fish and shoot, above any man I ever met, and Sunday being a leisure day, he too often would slip down into the bottom below town, with his fishing-rod or gun to fish or shoot ducks and prairie chickens. This distressed the church-going people, so that at each time his commission was to be renewed, there would be gotten up a strong remon- strance against his re-appointment, that would be signed by the worst and best classes of
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society, if the whisky-drinking, gambling fraternity and the zealous churchmen are to be taken as the worst and best of society. But the middlemen always kept the Captain in office as long as he wanted it. The Captain was almost equal to Mr. Lincoln as a joker, often telling stories at his own expense.
While the Captain was Justice of the Peace, he also acted as Deputy County Clerk occa- sionally, when the Clerk was absent. On one such occasion, a man of the name of Jerry Tungate came into the office and called for " a pair of licenses" for a young man of the name of Mann and a Miss Brewer. Guthrie inquired into the case, and, to make the matter sure, he made Tungate file his affidavit that the parents of the girl had given their free consent to the match, when he issued the license and promised to go down and marry the parties, at 4 or 5 o'clock that afternoon. Brewer lived a few miles below town. At about 4 in the afternoon, the 'Squire took his dog and gun and started to the wedding, proposing to kill a few ducks on the way. Just as he got to the lower part of town, he saw Tungate coming up the road on a full run. The 'Squire, supposing that something had happened to put off the wedding, stopped ; but as soon as Tungate got within hallooing distance, he cried out : "Come on, come on; all right now. They've consented." When Tungate got his breath so as to explain, it came out that Brewer and his wife had refused to give their consent to the match, until Tungate produced the license, when, thinking that further opposition was useless, they gave their consent.
The Jail in use at that time was a little log house on Elm street, near the upper square belonging to Henry D. Davis. Davis was a shoemaker, and used the Jail as a shop, as well as rent- ing it to the county. At that time, the two hardest cases in Fort Madison were Jim Clark and Joe Morehead, both big, rough, drunken, dangerous fellows, and all the time in some sort of a scrape, and often in jail : in fact, to be in jail suited them well, for it gave them board at the county's expense, and they could go in and out as they pleased.
On one occasion, when Morehead was boarding at the Jail, he cut up into all sorts of shapes, entirely destroying the stock of leather that Davis had on hand. The next morning, when Davis went to his jail shop, Morehead showed him the pieces as cut up, and inquired what sort of shoes he could make out of them. But Davis had no remedy. He could not prove that Morehead had destroyed his leather, and if he did, he had no business to use the Jail as a shop.
As before said, 'Squire Guthrie was no favorite with the rowdies. One day, Jim Clark came and demanded a writ of ejectment against Joe Morehead. Guthrie had committed Clark to jail for some offense, and, a few days later, he had committed Morehead, and when the Constable put Morehead in, Clark went out, and demanded of the same Justice who committed them both a writ of ejectment against the new-comer for "jumping his claim," a squatter phrase of that day. Guthrie ordered Clark off, telling him to go back to jail where he belonged. Clark went off and got from one of Guthrie's enemies the necessary fee, when he went back and tendered the money, when the 'Squire again refused to issue the writ, and ordered Clark off, when Clark stepped outside of the door, swearing terrible oathis and threatening what he would do then and there if the writ was not issued at once. For the purpose of carrying out his threat, he commenced unbuttoning his coat, when the 'Squire took up a good hickory club well selected for defense and the enforcement of the law, and with both hands belabored Clark until he hallooed " Murder ! murder !" By the time help came, he was completely covered with cuts, bruises and blood. Guthrie was arrested for assault and battery, and taken before 'Squires Briggs and Ross, some five or six miles in the country, for trial. The trial lasted sev- eral days, and was prosecuted with much bitterness by the enemies of Guthrie, and defended with great earnestness by his friends. Judge Viele prosecuted, and Henry Eno defended. The court acquitted Guthrie, deciding that the statute administered was not recognized by all the courts, but that its application, as administered, and under the circumstances, was admissible and appropriate, and well calculated to be useful. Guthrie had no further trouble with the roughs ; they found out that the " Yankee " would fight, and they were fully satisfied.
One of the earliest lawyers in Fort Madison was Alfred Rich, a native of Kentucky. He was young, but had studied law in that State, and had been admitted to the bar. He had formed an attachment for a young lady, the daughter of a prominent citizen; but the parents refusing their consent to the match on account of his poverty, he came to the Black Hawk Purchase, arriving in Fort Madison in 1837. He was without means or decent apparel. Old Leonard Parker took an interest in him, and he opened a school with some ten or twelve towheads for his pupils. He was a quiet man, but the neighbors took note of him.
Some time after Rich's arrival, the New York Land Company brought an ejectment suit against one Blevins, who had squatted near Montrose. The Company had their own attorney (Austin). David Rorer, of Burlington, was the nearest accessible lawyer, but the Company had also retained him.
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
Blevins came to Fort Madison in great distress. There were two lawyers against him, and he had no counsel. He came to Parrott in his trouble. Parrott hit it : "Ill bet that little school-teacher is a lawyer ; let's go and see him." They invaded Rich's school and made known their errand. He admitted that he had studied law. Then would he undertake Blevins' case ? " How can I?" said Rich. "I know nothing about the Territorial statutes; I haven't a law-book, and no clothes fit to go in a crowd." Parrott told him Austin would allow him to look at his law books, and it made no difference about the clothes. So Rich consented. It was now 11 o'clock, and the trial was set for 1. School was dismissed and the trio proceeded to Austin, who extended to Rich the customary courtesies of the profession, and he went to work preparing his case. Austin was smart, and looked for fun when the case would be called. The trial was at 1 o'clock in the old Madison House. The crowd gathered. Austin and Rorer were on hand ; and so was Rich, ragged as a scarecrow, but deep in Austin's books, and paying no attention to any one else. The prosecution presented their case briefly, and waited for Rich to win it for them by his blundering and failure, but they were mistaken. In five minutes they knew they had caught a Tartar, and in an hour the logic and eloquence of Rich had carried everything before him. He was master of the field, with a verdict for his client.
The argument of the ragged school-master was strong and brilliant in itself, but its unexpectedness added greatly to its effect. There was no restraining the enthusiasm of the crowd, as Rich warmed to his theme, and, by his eloquence, kindled in his hearers a furor of interest.
But the most grotesque feature of it all was Gen. Jesse B. Browne, the original. There he stood, a turban upon his head, a blanket wrapped Indian fashion about his stalwart frame-a veritable king of men-and tight as a brick. He had gone there because he was tight, and because the crowd was there. As Rich proceeded, Browne grew interested. He didn't like the New York Land Company, and his sympathies were all with the schoolmaster. As one warmed, so did the other; and at last Browne would stand quiet for a time and listen to Rich with his face all ablaze, then turn to the crowd and roar, " Hear him ! -- it! Just hear him!" And then he would yell to be heard a mile. "Gen. Browne," said the Court, "I fine you $5 for contempt." " Fine and be d-d," screamed Browne; "you owe me $200, and it's the only way I'll ever get it," and he whooped again. The "whoops " were repeated, and so were the fines, till the sum reached $40, which was duly credited on the note Browne held against the " Court."
Rich was a man of mark henceforth. He was elected to the Legislature, and. in 1841, gave Gen. Dodge a close race for Congress. The memory of his eloquence in the courts and on the stump will remain until the last old settler is under the sod. His health failing him, he went to Cuba, but receiving no benefit from the change, returned to Kentucky, and died of consumption at the residence of his mother, in Kenton, August 11, 1843.
Nathaniel Knapp, proprietor of the Washington House, one of the two first hotels at Fort Madison, was killed at Bentonsport, Van Buren County, in the fall of 1838. He and a man named Doyle, from Rushville, Ill., had gone there on some business connected with the Court. They arrived in the even- ing, and, first engaging a bed, went out " to have a time with the boys." Late in the evening, Isaac Hendershott, a resident of Burlington, arrived at the hotel, and, there being no unoccupied bed except the one engaged by Knapp and Doyle, he was assigned to it, the landlord thinking that the two first named would make a night of it out. About midnight, Knapp and Doyle returned to
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the hotel, and, taking a tallow candle, proceeded to their room, when, finding it occupied, the former demanded what he was doing in that bed, at the same time threatening violence and acting as if feeling for a pistol. Hendershott sprang from the bed, seized his sword-cane, drew it, and at one thrust ran it through Knapp's body in the vicinity of the heart. His victim sank to the floor, still holding the tallow candle, and, with the exclamation, "Doyle, I'm a dead man," dicd instantly. Hendershott made his escape, and was seen no more until the next spring, when he came up the river on a steamboat, and, while stopping at Fort Madison, was terribly beaten by a number of citizens headed by Tom Fulton, a relative of the Knapp family. At the next term of the Van Buren County Court, he appeared at Farmington to answer, but learn- ing that an indictment had been found, which he seemed not to have expected, he suddenly left and was never seen afterward. It is stated that he died at Lexington, Mo., while on his way to Mexico.
The first wedding in Fort Madison was in the winter of 1835-36. The par- ties to the contract were Enoch Gilbert and Augusta, the eldest daughter of Nathaniel Knapp.
The first birth, of which any record can be obtained, was John H. Doug- lass, son of Joseph S. and Almeda Douglass, born June 20, 1836.
John H. Knapp is authority for the statement that a Miss Jennings was the first school-teacher. She was a Quakeress, and, with her family, removed to Salem, in Henry County, at a very early day. Rathburn taught the second .. He was half white, quarter Indian and quarter negro.
Albert Rich opened his school in 1837.
The first store was opened by Walsh & Pise in 1834. The next year, John Box, John H. Knapp and Jacob Cutler opened stores. The customers of these first merchants were at that time principally Indians, whom they credited until " annuity-day." The Indians rarely neglected to pay their debts ; but it must be recorded that old Muck-a-tan-wish-e-ke-ack-ke-ack (Black Hawk) left an unpaid bill of twelve or thirteen dollars in the hands of Judge Cutler, which his son, Otway, still preserves as a memento of the old days.
The first horse-mill was built by John H. Knapp.
The first steam-mill was built by W. Hawxhurst, who turned out the first flour in February, 1845.
The first hotel deserving the name was the Madison House, built by John H. Knapp and finished in the winter of 1836.
The first church was the Presbyterian, organized in March, 1838.
The first frame house was built by John H. Knapp, and still stands on Lot No. 151, northwest corner of Broadway and Front street, to which place it was moved after the Government survey of the town into lots.
The first brick house was built by Rev. J. A. Clark, the Presbyterian minister. This house, now owned by Hon. Joseph Hollman, stands on the. southeast corner of Sixth and Walnut streets.
The first well was dug when the fort was erected. It still furnishes an. unlimited supply of good water.
The first brewer was Garvasius Santo, established in 1844.
The first Postmaster was James Douglass.
The coldest day was January 6, 1843, of which the editor of the Lee County Democrat said : "The quicksilver in our thermometer was frozen, being indica- tive of seventy-two degrees below the freezing-point."
The first celebration of the Fourth of July at Fort Madison, was held in 1838. Extensive preparations had been made, and the settlers gathered in large
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
numbers. A special invitation was sent to Black Hawk, and he was present, the lion of the day. At the dinner-table, he was complimented with the follow- ing toast :
" Our illustrious guest, Black Hawk. May his declining years be as calm and serene as his previous life has been boisterous and full of war-like incidents. His attachment and friendship to his white brethren fully entitle him to a seat at our festive board."
In reply, Black Hawk arose and said : "It has pleased the Great Spirit that I am here to-day. I have eaten with my white friends. The earth is our mother ; we are now on it, with the Great Spirit above us ; it is good. A few winters ago, I was fighting against you. I did wrong, perhaps, but that is past ; it is buried ; let it be forgotten. Rock River was a beautiful country. I liked my towns and my corn-fields, and the homes of my people ; I fought for- it-it is now yours; keep it as we did ; it will produce you good crops. I thank the Great Spirit that I am now friendly with all my white brothers ; we are here together ; we are friends; it is His wish and mine; I thank you for your friendship. I was once a great warrior ; I am now poor. Keokuk has been the cause of my present condition ; but do not attach blame to him. I am now old ; I have looked upon the Mississippi River ; I have been a child ; I love the great river ; I have dwelt upon its banks from the time I was an infant ; I look upon it now. I shake hands with you, and, as it is my wish, I hope you are my friends."
RELIGIOUS INTERESTS.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Presbyterian Church was organized March 26, 1838, under the Schuy- ler County (Ill.) Presbytery, with the following members : James G. Edwards (editor Fort Madison Patriot) and wife Eleanor T .; Sarah S. Prince Joel C. Walker, Rebecca A. Parmer, Catharine R. Walker, Mary A. P. Doug- lass, Nancy F. Webster, Harriet Knapp, Martha Stewart, Mary Edwards, Isaac Vandyke, Eliza J. Vandyke, Zillah Ann Kyle, Elizabeth G. Walker and Cath- erine G. Viele (wife of Hon. Philip Viele). Isaac Vandyke was chosen Elder. James G. Edwards, having been dismissed from the Jacksonville, Ill., Church, as ruling Elder, was accepted as such . here. The first Pastor was Rev. J. A. Clark, sent by the Home Missionary Society, June 1, 1838. Shortly after, Mr. Clark, with a part of the members, withdrew and organized under the New- School branch of the Church, when those who remained re-organized as the Old-School Church.
In 1858, the two branches re-united, and have continued since to occupy the church-building of the Old-School branch, which was erected in 1844, at a cost of $6,000. At the time of re-union, the Old-School branch had a mem- bership of 52, and the New-School, 23. The present membership is 160, with an average attendance of 100 children in the Sabbath school.
While the two branches of the Church were separated, the Pastors of the New-School Church were Revs. J. A. Clark, M. G. Cass and Timothy Lyman ; and of the Old-School, Revs. Mason, King and Mason. Since the re-union, Revs. Taylor, Noble, Kennard, J. G. Patterson, and Rev. George D. Stewart, D. D., have filled the pulpit. Dr. Stewart is the present
Pastor.
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
METHODIST CHURCH.
From a history of the Methodist Church in Fort Madison, prepared in 1860, by Rev. H. W. Thomas, D. D .. now of Chicago, but at that time its Pastor, the following extract is made :
The earliest official efforts to plant Methodism in Iowa, date back only to 1835. For the first few years, the appointments were confined to the margin of the Mississippi, and the gates of Methodism at its first entrance upon the field were at Burlington. and, as the minutes have it. "Du Buke." With the increase of settlers and the extension of settlements, the work spread, and in 1839, it was thrown into a separate Presiding Elder's District, of which Rev. H. .Summers was Elder, and eleven preachers assigned thereto. At that time it was connected with the lllinois Conference, but on the formation of the Rock River Conference in 1840. it was con- nected with the latter. The first report of the "lowa Distriet" to that Conference, showed a membership of 1,570 whites, and four colored. That year it was formed into two districts. with eighteen preachers. In 1844, the General Conference established the lowa Conference. embracing the work in the then Territory of Iowa, and which was at that time composed of thirty-eight preachers, embraced three districts and twenty-nine charges, and inelnded & mem- * * bership of 5.403, and sixty local preachers. *
There was occasional preaching in this city by M. E. ministers, as early as 1839. In 1841. it formed part of a large circuit. and. in 1842. the present house of worship was built. In 1843, it was set off as a station, and has continued so ever since.
The following is a list of ministers who have labored in this charge since it became a station: D. B. Nichols. 1844-45: Samuel Clark. 1845-47: I. I. Stewart. 1847-48: L. B. Dennis. 1848-49: William Hulbert. 1849-50; M. F. Shinn. 1850-51: F. C. Crawford. 1851-52: E. Lathrop. 1852-53; J. Q. Hammond. 1853-54; William Simpson. 1854-55: N. Wilber and D. Hutch- inson. 1855-56 (each 6 months): I. P. Teter. 1856-57; D. H. Sargent, 1857-58: H. W. Thomas. 1858-60. During Dr. Thomas' administration, the church, which time had rendered unsightly and uncomfortable, was thoroughly repaired and refitted. J. G. Thompson. 1860-61; A. C. Williams. 1861-63: W. P. Watkins. 1863-64: J. H. Lucas. 1864-66 (18 months): James W. Latham. 1866-67 (18 months): William Reineck. 1867 (7 months): G. W. Byrkit. 1867-68: E. L. Schreiner, 1868-70: J. W. Cheney, 1870-72; John Burgess. 1872-78 (7 months): J. T. MeFarland, 1873 (5 months): C. P. Reynolds. 1873-75: J. R. Noble, September. 1875. until the spring of 1877. Rev. B. F. Karns, the present Pastor, began his ministrations in the fall of 1877. and is now in his second year.
When Mrs. Claypoole. a valued member, died. she left by will $500. to be applied to the purchase of a parsonage. This sum was placed at interest for several years, when. with other contributions from members of the Church, the dwelling on the southeast corner of Fourth and Market was purchased for $1.200. The Church has at this time. a membership in the neighborhood of one hundred and fifty. A flourishing Sabbath school is also maintained.
CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
This Church was organized in 1838, by Elder John Drake, John Box. H. C. McMurphy and William Leslie. The church edifice was erected in 1853. at a cost of between $3,000 and $4,000. (There was a small church previous to that time). Dr. Eads was officiating as Pastor, when Dr. Bacon came to Fort Madison in 1851. After Dr. Eads. Dr. Bacon preached for ten years, and has continued to officiate on the Lord's Day services and at social meetings with more or less regularity ever since. Notwithstanding the society now only numbers about fifteen or twenty members, services have been held every Lord's Day since its organization.
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Hope Episcopal Church was organized March 25, 1854. Rector, Rev. Will- iam Adderly ; Wardens, Hon. Edward Johnstone, William Thurston ; Vestry- zen, W. W. Coricll, Henry Cattermole, James Cattermole, J. W. Albright, W. G. Albright, James M. Layton, Anthony Smith.
Rectors in succession : Rev. William Adderly, from 1854 to 1864; Rev. R. F. G. Page, from 1864 to 1868; 1868 to 1870, no report; from 1870 to 1872, Rev. James A. Woodard. The Church is now without a Rector and regular services.
" Fort Madison Parish," says one of the Mrs. Albrights, quoting from memory, "was first organized by Bishop Kemper, of Wisconsin, about the year 1845. The first Vestrymen were Dr. Spaulding, H. T. Reid (now deceased), Col. Parrott, Gen. Roberts and Mr. J. W. Albright. The parish was first known as St. Peters, and the first stationed minister was a Deacon from Nash- otah, named Leach. The parish was never incorporated, and after Mr. Leach left, the Rev. Mr. Batchelor, of Burlington, came and officiated at various times. In 1851, Rev. Mr. Adderly came from Burlington, and preached in the Court House every other Sunday. The present church edifice was built in 1856-57, and was consecrated by Bishop Lee, the first Bishop of Iowa, in Sep- tember, 1857, and incorporated under the name of Hope Parish."
CATHOLIC CHURCHES.
The first Catholic priest to visit Fort Madison, was Father J. G. Allemann, who came in 1840. At that time he was the only priest within a hundred miles, and his chief work was in gathering together the scattering Catholic families, and wherever the number was sufficient, in organizing and establish- ing churches. He was a generous, kind-hearted man, willing at any time to divide his last farthing with any one who might ask assistance. The first Catholics to settle at Fort Madison were Joseph Hellman, Harmon Ding- man, Henry, John and Joseph Schwartz, Henry and Bernard Tieken, Liboris Nelle and Henry Becker. The families of these, with one or two others, were organized into a church by Father Allemann, and a small brick church, sixteen feet square was erected. This, among the first brick houses built in Fort Madison, still stands near the upper church. In 1844, a larger church was -erected under the management of Father Allemann, in size 30x50 feet, to which Father Hattenberger made an addition in 1854, since which no change has been made. In 1846, some fifty to seventy-five families had arrived and attached themselves to the Church, which number, in 1865, had increased to nearly three hundred, and it became necessary to provide a more commodious place of worship. The plan of the present church, on the corner of Fourth and Vine streets, was prepared by - Walsh, a St. Louis architect, at a cost to the Church of $1,000. The plan adopted involved an outlay of $110,000. The building was erected and inclosed in the course of five years, under the direction of Father Weikmann. The inside finishing was under the auspices of Father Meis. The new church is 65x135 feet, with seating capacity for an audience of 2,500. The spire rose 220 feet in the air, in which were placed three bells, weighing 4,500, 2,600 and 1,300 pounds, respectively, costing over $3,000. The organ cost $4,000. On the 3d day of July, 1876, a furious hurricane swept over the town, and in the space of a few minutes a ruin was wrought in the magnificent church which it has required $30,000 to repair. The people were well-nigh discouraged, but Father Meis, with a vim and an
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