USA > Iowa > Lee County > The history of Lee county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 84
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The charter of the Chapter was issued June 2, 1855.
658
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
The present officers, who were installed in November, 1878, are as follows : D. W. Swartz, H. P .; George E. Kilbourne, K .; S. S. Wiles, Scribe; R. H. Wyman, Treasurer; G. R. Parsons, Secretary ; Frank Allyn, C. of H. ; H. Banks, P. S .; E. M. Agnew, R. A. C .; John R. Carpenter, Third Veil ; J. H. Justice, Second Veil : A. V. Leopold, First Veil ; William Lowrie, Tiler. The present membership is 117, the largest Chapter in the State.
Damascus Commandery, No. 5 .- Was organized under dispensation from the Grand Encampment of the United States, December 15, 1863, naming Robert Farmer Bower, as Eminent Commander ; Henry K. Love, Generalis- simo, and George S. Gebhardt, Captain General. A charter was granted by the Grand Commandery of Iowa, dated June 3, 1866. R. F. Bower, was Eminent Commander until September 19, 1878, when he declined a re-elec- tion, and Henry W. Rothert was chosen in his stead. The other officers are : Guy Wells, Generalissimo; Dr. J. M. Shaffer, Captain General ; Dr. R. H. Wyman, Treasurer, and D. G. Lowery, Recorder. The present membership is eighty-three.
Free Masons' Protective Association .- Organized in December, 1872, for the benefit of families of deceased members. It has paid over to such, a total sum of $8,450. Present membership, 650. Present officers : H. W. Rothert, President ; Dr. R. H. Wyman, Viee President ; W. A. Brownell, Treasurer, and H. K. Pratt, Secretary.
Masonic Hall, in Keokuk, is located on the corner of Fourth and Johnson streets, in the building erected by Smith Hamill, the third story of which was built expressly for their use. The main hall is occupied by the two Blue Lodges and the Chapter. The Commandery has its own room on the same floor. The four organizations have expended about $5,000 in fitting and furnishing the various apartments, and it is claimed that, for beauty and perfect arrangements, the hall has no equal in the State.
I. O. 0. F.
Keokuk Lodge, No. 13 .- Instituted July 31, 1848, with seven members, five of whom were as follows : George L. Coleman, R. B. Ogden, J. W. Tay- lor, J. R. Randolph and Peter Eichar.
The early records of this Lodge were destroyed by fire, and the names of the first officers cannot be obtained.
The first lodge-room of the order was fitted up in the upper story of Jolin A. Graham's building, on Second street, near Main, for which was paid an annual rental of $600. In 1858, the Lodge took possession of the building now occupied, and which, eleven years afterward, was purchased, as elsewhere stated.
The present officers of Keokuk Lodge are: John L. Hardin, N. G .; Rob- ert C. Fry, V. G .; William C. Steely, R. S .; G. N. Vermillion, P. S., and W. H. Nicholas, Treas.
The one who has been longest a member of the Lodge is B. S. Mer- riam. Amount expended for sick benefits, $3,500. Present assets, $4,500. Membership, 110.
Puckechetuck Lodge, No. 43 .- Instituted October 9, 1852. Charter mem- bers : George B. Wilson, William A. Taylor, Thomas Swanwick, William Edwards, E. H. Wickersham, John Early, Ben Farnum, Peter Eichar and J. L. Curtis.
First officers : George B. Wilson, N. G .; Thomas Swanwick, V. G .; W. A. Taylor, Sec .; Peter Eichar, Treas.
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
Present officers : H. A. Heaslip, N. G .; Dr. J. C. Hughes, Jr., V. G .; C. A. Leech, Sec .; J. W. Delaplain, Treas .; I. N. Tichenor, Permanent Sec- retary.
Present membership, ninety. Assets of the Lodge, $4,500. Siek benefits paid since organization, $4,000.
There have been, all told, 361 initiations, and of the present membership, 19 have belonged to the Order over twenty years.
Herman Lodge, No. 116 .- Instituted in 1858. Charter members : Her- man Rothert, Henry Tieke, George Shaefer, William Horn, Henry Mollers, Benjamin Farnum, E. J. Leach, M. Martin, Samuel Rauh and Solomon Rauh, all of whom are still living.
First officers : Herman Rothert, N. G .: Henry Tieke, V. G .; George Shaefer, Sec .; William Horn, Treas.
Present officers : Jacob Agne, N. G .; Jacob Kortz, V. G .; Karl Wirtz, Sec., and Karl Schulz, Treas.
Rebekah Degree, Colfax Lodge, No. 4 .- Organized in 1868; re-organized in 1879. Present membership, 50, and rapidly increasing. Present officers : A. J. Mathias, N. G .; Mrs. D. E. Milward, V. G .; Mrs. J. M. Mace, R. Sec- retary; Mrs. H. W. Clendenin, Financial Secretary, and Mrs. O. Michaelis, Treasurer.
Puckechetuck Encampment, No. 7 .- Instituted June 13, 1849. Charter members : W. G. Anderson, John P. Reed, Frank Bridgman, W. H. Hill- house, William Dierdorf, J. W. Taylor, C. Kiefer, R. B. Ogden, G. L. Cole- man and P. Eichar.
First officers : C. Kiefer, C. P .; J. W. Taylor, H. P .; J. P. Reed, S. W .; R. B. Ogden, J. W .: G. L. Coleman, Scribe ; William Dierdorff, Treas- urer.
Present officers : A. J. Mathias, C. P .; F. Schmidt, H. P .; I. L. Brown, S. W .; H. L. Tiffany, J. W .; C. Shulz, Scribe; B. S. Merriam, Financial Scribe, and E. H. Wickersham, Treasurer.
The total number who have been received into the Encampment is 235. Present membership, 69. Total receipts since organization, $4,633.23. Expenditures, $4,541.58. Investments drawing interest, $1,000. Assets, $1,500.
Odd Fellows' Building Association .- Organized in 1869, with a capital stock of $15,000, in shares of $25 each, the issue restricted to Lodges and members of the Order.
Soon after its organization, the Association purchased the building on the corner of Main and Seventh streets. for $10,000. The building has since been greatly improved, and the large lodge-room in the third story is occupied by all the Lodges of the city, in common.
In 1875, an Odd Fellows' Library was organized, starting with about thirty old volumes, which number has increased to very nearly one thousand books and magazines valuable to the craft.
Odd Fellows' Protective Association .- Organized February 9, 1868, for the purpose of insuring the lives of Odd Fellows, on the mutual contribution plan. The present membership is 1,030, securing to families of members the full sum of $1,000 in case of death. The present officers are: Frederick Brinkman, President ; L. B. Cowles, Vice President ; John C. Fry, Secretary, and D. G. Lowry, Treasurer.
This Association has already paid to families of deceased members a sum total of $89,000.
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
KEOKUK VETERAN GUARDS.
COMPANY A, SECOND REGIMENT INFANTRY, IOWA NATIONAL GUARDS.
July 3, 1872, the Keokuk Veteran Guards were organized by members of Torrence Post No. 2, G. A. R .; Richard Middleton elected Captain ; John L. Day, First Lieutenant, and Ed. S. Carter, Second Lieutenant, and commissioned by Gov. C. C. Carpenter, to rank from July 4, 1872, and were armed with the Springfield B. L. rifles.
About June 1, 1875, the company recruited nearly to one hundred men, and elected D. B. Hamill, Captain; L. A. Berryhill, First Lieutenant ; James Hill, Second Lieutenant, and commissioned by Gov. C. C. Carpenter. George Hill, President; W. H. Carey, Secretary, and Hon. John N. Irwin, Treasurer. They securing Maj. A. Stickney, U. S. Engineers, in charge of U. S. Canal at Keokuk to drill them, and he in a short time, by his thorough discipline, brought them to be one of the best drilled companies in the West. They adopted a dark blue uniform with buff trimmings, the Iowa State buttons, and U. S. Army full dress cap, white pompon.
General Orders No. 2, dated Adjutant General's Office, State of Iowa, Des Moines, January 18, 1876, organized the Second Regiment Infantry, Iowa State Guards, of all companies in First Congressional District (Eighth Infantry, and attached the three Batteries) and ordered an election for field and staff officers held by each company on February 8, 1876. This company was the first in the field, nominating Gen. A. G. McQueen (late Colonel First Iowa Veteran Cavalry) and one of the original members of the company, for Colonel ; George A. Henry, of Keosauqua (late Captain Fourth Iowa Veteran Infantry), for Lieutenant Colonel; Abe Wilkin, Keosauqua (late Captain Second Iowa Vet- eran Infantry), for Major ; C. A. Leech, of K. V. Guards, for Surgeon ; L. S. Tyler (late Fifteenth Iowa Veteran Infantry). for Adjutant, and R. Johnston, Keosauqua (late Third Iowa Veteran Cavalry), for Quartermaster. Although the companies in north part of District put another ticket in the field, the above were all elected by a handsome majority, and commissioned February 18, 1876, by Gov. Samuel J. Kirkwood, N. B. Baker, Adjutant General of Iowa. Being the oldest organized company in the regiment, the Keokuk Veteran Guards were designated A Company. On invitation of the Burlington Centennial Celebration Committee, the Keokuk Veteran Guards were furnished transporta- tion on the C., B. & Q. and arrived in Burlington early on the morn of July 4, 1876, and quartered at the Starr House, and given a prominent place in the procession on that day. On the 5th, they participated in a prize-drill, and they claim, by public opinion, that they fairly won and were entitled to the first prize of $100; and it is said the first decision of the judges awarded it to them, but it was afterward changed and they were awarded the second prize, of $50, and as a sort of "peace-offering" they were ordered to the head of the column, and led the advance of the eight companies. After three days enjoying the hospi- tality of the patriotic citizens of Burlington, the company returned to Keokuk on the night of the 6th.
The Decoration Day Committee invited the Keokuk Junction Guards. and Eighth Regiment Infantry, Illinois National Guards, to participate, which they accepted, and in command of Capt. William Hanna, arrived in Keokuk May, 30, 1877; were met at the depot by Company A, Second Iowa National Guards, and escorted to the latter company's armory ; stacking arms, the visitors were taken to the Hardin House, during their visit in the city. At 1
661
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
P. M., the companies formed and took the advance of procession, headed by Wagner's Silver Cornet Band, and marched to Oakland Cemetery, where, from . the vault, they performed the last sad duty of escorting to the grave the remains of the late Col. S. M. Archer, Seventeenth lowa Veteran Infantry, paying the honors due the deceased and firing a volley over the grave; then marched to the National Cemetery, where nearly seven hundred " boys in blue" lie buried, who died in our hospitals during the war, and there the companies further participated in observing Memorial Day, both companies firing volleys at once.
After supper, both companies gave the citizens a fine exhibition drill for a half-hour ; returning to their headquarters, stacked arms, broke ranks and dis- persed in squads, A Company, Second Regiment, entertaining their visitors in their well-known hospitable manner, and at an early hour on the 31st, escorted hem to the cars, en route home.
Col. A. G. MeQueen having resigned in the spring, on September 1, Lieut. Col. George A. Henry was appointed Colonel ; Maj. Abe Wilkin, Lieutenant Colonel, vice Henry, promoted ; Capt. D. B. Hamill, of A Company, Major, vice Wilkin, promoted. Col. George A. Henry appointed Rev. Thomas Stephen- son, of Keosanqua, Chaplain, and D. W. Statsman, of Bonaparte, Assistant Surgeon, September 6.
The State making no appropriation for the support of its militia, the Com- pany remained quiet until the spring of 1878, when, by the untiring energy and perseverance of the active officers and men of the National Guard, the Legislature made a small appropriation, and the officers of the Regiment in Keokuk and active members of A Company called a meeting and recruited some fifty men, and, on April 25, elected H. G. Boon, Captain; and, a few nights after, H. H. Maquilken, First Lieutenant, and L. A. Renand, Second Lieutenant. They were commissioned by Gov. John H. Gear. Of the fifty men, twenty-five were born in łowa. The Company adopted the name of " Keokuk National Guards," and now have the finest full-dress uniform (dark- blue coat, trimmed with gold lace, three rows State buttons ; light-blue pants, gold stripe ; epaulets dark-blue, white fringe, with leather-bound cantle ; Roman helmet, white-and-blue plume, gilt ornament in front, with figure 2 in center, crossed rifles on left side ; white web-belt, with silver Company letter A on belt- plate) and the best material in its ranks of any company in Iowa, composed, as it is, of some of our leading merchants, attorneys and energetic young men of the city ; and should receive a more liberal encouragement from the citizens, for every military company that ever went from Keokuk, either into the army dur- ing the war, or visiting other cities since, has reflected great pride upon the city, and, in no small degree, advertised her name abroad, as well as aided in making the fame of many of her most honored citizens, alive and deceased.
MISCELLANEOUS.
GAMBRINUS.
The first brewer in Keokuk. was William Schowalter, who began business in a small way, in 1850, on Main street, between Twelfth and Thirteenth. He continued in the business until 1855, when he died.
George Landenschlaeger, came next, and built a frame brewery at the south end of Third street, near the river. When the street was opened, his building was moved to Fulton street, between Eighth and Ninth.
662
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
Peter Haubert established the " Keokuk Brewery," on Fourteenth street. between Main and Blondean, about 1852. It is now owned by Peekstein & Nagel.
In 1855, A. Vockrodt built a stone brewery at the foot of the bluff, in Reid's , Addition, which he owned and operated as an ale-brewery, at the time of his death, in 1877. In 1857, Messrs. Jacob Baehr and John Leisy, brewers from Cleveland, Ohio, came to Keokuk and rented Vockrodt's premises. Soon after. they began the erection of the present " Union Brewery," on the corner of Johnson and Thirteenth streets.
About the same time. Anschutz & Mantz built the Mississippi Brewery, still operated by Anschutz & Son, on the bank of the river above city limits.
After the death of Schowalter, his brewery was rented by Joseph Kurtz. This he operated about three years. when he removed to a frame building, which stood on the site of the present briek brewery on the plankroad, which was built in 1866. The expense of sinking an artesian-well, involved him to such an extent that he was compelled to suspend business. The water from this well proved unfit for making beer. but it possesses medicinal qualities of considerable value.
The brewery interest is at present represented by Peckstein & Nagel, Ans- schutz & Son, and Mrs. Leisy, under the old firm name of " Leisy Brothers." The Union Brewery, owned by the latter, is one of the largest in the State. and is superintended by H. Nicholaus.
MILLS.
The first flouring-mill erected in Keokuk was built by Ross B. Hughes. about 1846. and stood on the river bank immediately in front of the present passenger-depot of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. It was a two- story frame, with stone basement, known as the Keokuk City Mills. James F. Death operated it, when farmers, at a distance of 100 miles, brought their wheat in wagons, and received for it 373 cents per bushel. This mill was burned down.
The Imperial Mills, now owned and operated by B. F. Hambleton, was built in 1850, by E. & H. K. S. Omelvenny. They ran it until April, 1853. when they sold to James F. Death. who in turn sold to Ross B. Hughes, but he was unable to meet the payments, and Death resold, in 1855, to W. H. Austin. In April, 1857. Austin sold to George L. Coleman and Ed. A. Foote. The next year. Austin, with C. H. Albers, bought it back, and retained the ownership until 1864, when " Citizen" Andrew Brown became proprietor. J. M. Billings and C. F. Davis were the next purchasers, in 1866, and sold, in 1869, to Robertson & Albers, and C. P. Hanna. Mr. B. F. Hambleton has been interested in the mill since 1874. and sole owner since 1876.
The building is of stone, three stories high, with five run of buhrs, and a capacity of 140 barrels per day.
The Eagle Mills, on Twelfth street, were erected in 1873, by Wills & Yen- awine, who are still owners and operators. The building is of brick. 30x55 feet, three stories high, and basement of stone, with three run of buhrs. These mills do both merchant and enstom work, and have a capacity of fifty barrels per day.
SAMPLE & M'ELROY'S IRON WORKS.
November 1. 1849. S. S. Vail and Seba Armitage, under the firm name of S. S. Vail & Co., commenced the foundry and machine business in their own
663
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
shops, erected on the west corner of Sixth and Blondeau streets, doing all kinds of foundry and machine work, and was known as the Keokuk Foundry.
In March, 1850, Aaron Vail was taken in as partner, without changing the style of the firm. In 1856, they erected new shops (wooden) corner of Ninth and Johnson streets, on leased ground, the old location having become untenable, owing to the grading of the streets, and moved into them, at same time chang- ing the cognomen from Keokuk Foundry to "Buckeye Foundry." In 1862, Seba Armitage sold out his interest, and the firm name was changed to S. S. & A. Vail. In the spring of 1863, Aaron Vail, on account of failing health, sold out his interest to S. S. Vail, who alone conducted the business until the fall of 1863, when Seba Armitage again purchased an interest, and the firm became Vail & Armitage. In the fall of 1864, B. W. Davis bought an interest, and the firm became Vail, Armitage & Co. In the spring of 1865, S. S. Sample bought B. W. Davis' interest, the firm name remaining the same. During the same year, the entire stock and implements of the Pennsylvania Foundry was purchased and merged into the Buckeye Foundry. In 1868, they erected the present brick building occupied as a machine shop. In 1870, S. S. Sample purchased S. S. Vail's interest, and D. W. McElroy a portion of Seba Armitage's, and the firm name became Sample, Armitage & Co .; and during the same year the present brick building was erected and occupied as a foundry, the old wooden structures being now entirely superseded. In 1872, S. S. Sample purchased the interest of Seba Armitage, and the firm name became Sample, McElroy & Co.
In 1873, the boiler-making department was added, as also was begun the manufacture of semi-portable steam engines. In 1875, Perry P. Armitage pur- chased of S. S. Sample an interest, and until present date no further change has been made. The present buildings consist of a two-story brick machine- shop, 90x36 ; boiler-shop, 50x36; and foundry-building, 52x103, two stories, and necessary small buildings, and ground occupied is 200x140 ft.
MECHANICAL ENTERPRISE.
The first locomotive ever built in Iowa was turned out of the shops of the Des Moines Valley Railroad at Keokuk, in October, 1875. Every part, from the massive wheels to the smallest steam-cock, was made under the supervision of M. Sellers, Master Machinist of the road. The weight of the locomotive was twenty-four tons, and the cost $17,000.
Sellers was crushed to death near the shops in Keokuk, in the summer of 1878.
THE ICE GORGE OF 1832.
The winter of 1832 was noted for the great ice-gorge at Keokuk. . The winter had been an unusually severe one, and the ice, when broken up by a sudden rise in the river, was thirty-four inches thick, and piled to such a height that the trees on the opposite bluff could not be seen by a person standing on the Puck-e-she-tuck levee.
Five thousand pigs of lead piled on the shore near Campbell & Brishnell's warehouse were buried in the mud by the weight of the ice and was not recov- ered until the next June. Their storehouse was partially turned over, and all the houses on the levee more or less injured.
Four hundred cords of wood were carried away from the levee, where the C., R. I. & P. depot now stands, and entirely lost. The keelboat Ophelia, belonging to Isaac R. Campbell, was lifted to an angle of forty-five degrees, and remained in that condition until the ice melted. An elm tree three feet in
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
diameter, standing in front of Smith's log grocery, was cut half off by the iee. The water rose fourteen feet in one hour, and an iron bridge, such as now spans the river at this point, would have been swept entirely away by the immense weight.
There was another iee-gorge, about 1843 or 1844, that was about equal to the one described above. The ice piled up as high as thirty feet. It broke the moorings of the steamer Settler Otter, and played all sorts of fantastic tricks with the boats and houses that came in its way. The foree and weight of the ice were irresistible and terrible to behold.
A REMINDER OF OLD TIMES.
Capt. James W. Campbell, of Fort Madison, has in his possession, as a reminder of old-time business transactions at Keokuk, a note given to his father. Isaae R. Campbell, by the Indians whose signatures it bears, in settlement of book accounts. An attempt was made to collect the amount of the note. but in consequence of a "shrinkage of values " and scarcity of money, the attempt was fruitless. The note is here preserved :
One day after date we or either of us promise to pay to Isae R. Campbell & Co., or bearer, the sum of one thousand and seventy-six dollars, for value received of them. as witness our hand and seals this fifteenth day of August, eighteen hundred and thirty-seven, at Keokuk. Wisconsin territory.
Witness :
KEOKUK, P. his mark. [L. S. ] PAW SHIPA HO. X. his mark. [L. S.] Www PAw Lo. X. his mark. [[ .. S. ] APANOSE. X. his mark. [L. S.] PAP NAW SY, X, his mark. [L. S.] NAN AW E Quer. X. his mark, [L. S. ] NAW PAY SHAW CAN. X. his mark. [L. S. ] NAM WAY ACC. X. his mark. [L. S. ] WA PAY Co Casut CAK. X his mark. [L. S. ]
MAYORS OF KEOKUK.
January, 1848, W. A. Clark: April. 1848, Justin Millard : 1849. Uriah Raplee. He resigned in September, 1849. and John A. Graham was elected to fill vacancy: 1850 and 1851. John A. Graham: 1852, 1853 and 1854. B. S. Merriam : 1855. D. W. Kilbourne: 1856. Samuel R. Curtis : 1857. Haw- kins Taylor: 1858. H. W. Sample: 1859. William Leighton : 1860. William Patterson : 1861. J. J. Brice : 1862. R. P. Creel : 1863. George B. Smyth : 1864. J. M. Hiatt : 1865 and 1866. William Patterson : 1867. William Tim- berman : 1868. John A. MeDowell: 1869. A. J. Wilkinson : 1870. William Timberman: 1871 and 1872, H. W. Rothert: 1873. Daniel F. Miller. Sr .: 1874 and 1875. Edmund Jaeger: John N. Irwin, the present Mayor, has held the office since April. 1876, and his third term is now nearly expired. J. B. Paul is the Mayor elect.
TOWNS. WEST POINT.
The present town site of West Point is said to have been claimed by one Whitaker. in 1834, who sold out to John L. Cotton and John Howell, in 1835. They sold again to Abraham Hunsicker, who laid out a square, with one tier of lots on each side. Cotton built a log cabin near the northwest corner of the
665
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
square, and opened a small store, and the place was known as "Cotton Town." In the spring of 1836, the town site was occupied by three or four small log cabins. Early in May of that year, William Patterson, Hawkins Taylor, A. H. Walker and Green Casey arrived on the Black Hawk Purchase, from Illinois. They were all Kentuckians by birth and education, and, being pleased with the location, purchased the claim of Hunsicker, and proceeded to lay out additional lots. The name of West Point was given it at the suggestion of the officers of the garrison at Fort Des Moines (Montrose), who agreed, if allowed to name the town, to purchase a number of lots.
The new proprietors held a publie sale of lots in September, 1836, the average price being about $40.
The following sketches of the early history of West Point are selected from Hawkins Taylor's letters to the Annals of Iowa :
At that time (1836-87), there were but three or four log shanties on the town plat. John L. Cotton had the only store. The house was abont 12x16, made out of peeled hickory logs, the split part inside, and rough boards nailed over the cracks : no ceiling, and the roof steep enough to please any Hollander. The stock in trade was one barrel of "red-eye," said to be of approved quality ; about a dozen pieces of calico, and as many more pieces of domestics, some fancy articles, sugar, tea, coffee and tobacco, all amounting in value to perhaps $200. At that time, there were not twenty acres of ground fenced in sight of West Point. A good deal more was broken up and planted ; but the first object of the settlers was to get in their corn and then fence their ground.
Within a few days after our purchase, my associates returned to Illinois, leaving me to put up a frame house for each of us, 18x32 feet, one story high. I had not a foot of plank to use in any of them ; the studding was rails straightened ; the siding, split boards, and the floors puncheons. The front doors and window-sash were brought round from Pittsburgh, and bought at Fort Madison.
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