USA > Iowa > Mahaska County > The history of Mahaska 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 > Part 35
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83
" The following occurrence happened at Washington:
" During that visit Mahaska would occasionally indulge in a too frequent use of ardent spirits. On one of these occasions he was exercising one of a husband's privileges on the ' Flying Pigeon.' The agent hearing the scuf- fle, hastened to their room. Mahaska, hearing him coming, lifted up the window sash and stepped out, forgetting that he was two stories from the ground. In the fall he broke his arm; yet so accustomed had he been to fractures and wounds that he insisted on riding the next day, over rough roads and pavements, a distance of at least two miles to see a cannon cast. A few days after he sat to Mr. King, of Washington, for his portrait.
"On his return to his country and to his home, Mahaska began in ear- nest to cultivate his land. He built for himself a double log house, and lived in great comfort. This, he said, was in obedience to the advice of his great father.
" Soon after his return to his home it was his misfortune to lose his favor- ite wife, and under very fearful circumstances: They were crossing a tract of country. Mahaska having reason to apprehend that hostile bands might be met with, kept in advance. Each was on horseback, the 'Flying Pigeon ' carrying her child, Mahaska the younger, then about four years of age. Turning at a certain point to look back to see what distance his wife was from him, he was surprised, his position being a high one, enabling him to overlook a considerable extent of country, not to be able to see her.
" He rode back, and sad to relate, after retracing his steps some five or six miles, he saw her horse grazing near the trail, and presently the body of his wife, near the edge of a small precipice, with her child resting its head upon her body. The horror stricken chief, alighting near the spot, was soon assured of her death. Standing over her corpse, he exclaimed in his mother tongue: 'Wan-cunda menia-bratuskunee, shimgan-menia-nanga- nappoo!' which, being interpreted means, 'God Almighty! I am a bad man! You are angry with me. The horse has killed my squaw.' At that moment the child lifted its head from the dead body of its mother and said: 'Father, my mother is asleep.'
" The inference was that the horse had stumbled and thrown her. The occurrence took place about four days' journey from his house. Mahaska, within that time, was soon returning to his lodge, bearing the body of Rantchewaime, with his child in his arms. He proceeded at once to dis- pose of the corpse. His first business was to gather together all the pres- ents that had been made to her at Washington, also whatever belonged to her, and to place them, with the body, in a rude box; and then, according to the custom of the Indians of that region, the box was placed upon a high scaffold. *
.
yours truly
4
275
HISTORY OF MAHASKA COUNTY.
" In 1833 the son of an Iowa chief of distinction, named Crane, was killed by the Omahas. A party of Iowas applied to Mahaska to head them in the pursuit of the enemy. He replied: 'I have buried the toma- hawk; I am now a man of peace.' He added: 'The treaty made with our great father provides for the punishment of such ontrages.' The party, however, resolved that they would punish the aggressors. They made an incursion into the enemies' country, and returned bringing with them six scalps. The customary feast was prepared, and all was made ready for the scalp dance; but Mahaska refused to partake of the one, or participate in the other.
"The murderers having been, on both sides, reported to the Government, Gen. Clark was directed to cause the Iowas to be arrested. This duty was assigned to their agent, Gen. Hughes, who called on the chief Mahaska, to whom he made known the order. Mahaska answered: 'It is right. I will go with you.' The offenders were arrested and conveyed to Fort Leavenworth. While confined there, one of the prisoners called Mahaska to the window of his cell, and looking him full in the face said: 'Inca (father), if ever I get out of this place alive, I will kill you. A brave man should never be deprived of his liberty, and confined as I am. You should have shot me at the village.'
"Unfortunately for Mahaska, that Indian succeeded in making his escape from the prison. He forthwith went in pursuit of the object of his re- venge. Mahaska was found encamped on the Nodaway, about sixty miles from his village. . His pursuer and party attacked him with guns, toma- hawks and clubs, and slew him. After he was dead, one of the party remarked that 'he was the hardest man to kill he ever knew'. This was in 1834, Mahaska being then about fifty years old. The tidings of Mahaska's death soon reached his village. One of the murderers escaped and songht refuge among the Ottoes; but on learning the cause of his visit to them, they shot him in their eamp. The other, with the utmost indifference, returned to the village of the murdered chief. Young Mahaska, now the successor of his father and principal chief of the nation, on hearing the news of his father's death, and that one of the murderers had returned to the village, went immediately to his lodge, killed his dogs and horses, and with his knife cut and ripped his lodge in every possible direction. This last act, especially, is an insult, to which no brave man will submit. Having hurled this defiance at one of the murderers of his father, and expressed his contempt for him under every possible form, he turned to the assassin, who had observed, in silence, the destruction of his property, and looking him sternly in the face, said: 'You have killed the greatest man who ever made a moccasin track on the Nodaway; yon must, there- fore, be yourself a great man, since the Great Spirit has given you the vietory. To call you a dog, would make my father less than a dog.' The squaw of the murderer exclaimed to her husband, 'why don't you kill the boy?' He replied, ' he is going to be a great brave; I cannot kill him.' So saying he handed the young chief a pipe, which he refused, saying, ' I will leave you in the hands of the braves of my nation.' To which the inflexible murderer replied, 'I am not going to run away; I'll meet your braves to-morrow.' The Indian knew full well the fate that awaited him. He felt that his life was forfeited, and meant to assure the young chief that he was ready to pay the penalty.
18
276
HISTORY OF MAHASKA COUNTY.
"The next day a general council was convened; the case was submitted to it; the unanimous voice was 'he shall die'; it was further decreed that young Mahaska should kill him, but he declined, saying, ' I cannot kill so brave a man', wherenpon he was shot by. one of the principal braves. His body was left on the ground to be devoured by wolves, as a mark of the disgust of the tribe, and of their abhorrence of the assassin of their chief.
" It is customary among the Iowas and the neighboring tribes, for their wives and children of the deceased to give away everything which had belonged to him and his family. This enstom was rigidly adhered to on the occasion of Mahaska's death. IIis squaw went into mourning and poverty. The mourning was kept up for six months, and consists, in addition to the blacking of the face, in much wailing and in the utterance of long and melancholy howls. At its expiration, the tribe present the mourners with food and clothing and other necessaries of savage life. One of Mahaska's widows, however, named Mis-sor-ah-tar-ra-haw, which means the 'female deer that bounds over the plains', refused to be comforted, saying her husband 'was a great brave and was killed by dogs', meaning low, vulgar fellows. Mahaska was six feet two inches in height, possessed great bodily strength and activity, and was a man of perfect symmetry of person, and of uncommon beanty."
COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
But to return to the commissioner's court. On Tuesday morning, May 14, 1844, the commissioners chose the following as the
FIRST GRAND JURY.
James Vance, George Argabright, John Rose, Aaron D. Bowers, Richard Parker, Adam Cline, Michael S. Morris, Osee Matthews, George W. Jones, Jefferson Chitwood, William Bean, James Higgenbothem, Wellington Nosman, James Comstock, Adam Storts, William Welch, John Shelledy, Harmon Davis, John B. Stewart, Brantly Stafford, Jacob Crane, Alexander May, and John Vance.
PETIT JURY.
John Newel, Samuel Peters, John D. Baldwin, Thomas Brooks, Alfred Seevers, William Bovel, Robert Hammond, Thomas Fancher, Jacob Nor- dike, James Seevers, William D. Brown, James Ross, Alfred Hood, Solo- omon Barber, Pleasant Parker, Green T. Clark, John P. Majors, Joseph H. Benedict, Thomas Williams, Isaac Barker, Wesley A. Freed, Thomas Wilson, Robert Curry, jr., and Benjamin Thomas.
On the same day the county was divided into the following elective pre- cincts, viz:
1, White Oak Grove; 2, Muchakinock; 3, Oskaloosa; 4, Harrisburgh; 5, North Fork; 6, Skunk River; 7, Black Oak Grove; 8, Lake Prairie; 9, White Breast; 10, Cedar; 11, West Half Poweshiek; and 12, East Half Poweshiek. The record shows that in the preparation of documents the commissioners were compelled to adopt an impromptu seal, and they selected for the time, the " eagle side of a dime." In that day we find that " corner groceries " enjoyed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness at a cost of twenty-five dollars per year, and in the same proportion for a shorter time.
277
HISTORY OF MAHASKA COUNTY.
The town of Oskaloosa was laid out by David Stump, county surveyor, and a day appointed in June for the public sale of lots. On account of the opposition made by the Six Mile Prairie settlers the lots sold very low, and after several had been sacrificed, the commissioners stopped the sale. The remaining lots were sold by M. T. Williams, at private sale, ranging in price from five to fifty dollars. M. T. Williams, as lot agent, was required to give certificates of purchase, with the conditions that the com- missioners should not be called upon to make deeds until the board should obtain a title to the same from the United States.
The following is the report of the agent for 1845, upon the sale of the above mentioned lots, as taken from the commissioners' records:
Whole number of lots sold.
192
Whole amount for which they sold.
$4,032.30
Whole amount received as first payment.
529.55
Whole amount of notes taken ...
3,502.85
I have paid to Treasurer, in notes
3,092.49
$ 410.36
Of which amount I have collected.
352.75
Notes yet in my hands.
57.81
Add to this the whole amount received by me.
882.30
in any way, which amounts to
.940.11
Deduct from this the amount disbursed, which is
859.87
Leaves in my hands the sum of.
80.24
Deduct from this the notes of agent calculated in the above.
92.75
Amount due agent. .
All of which is most respectfully submitted.
M. T. WILLIAMS, Agent.
January 8, 1846.
It will be seen by this that the lots were sold mostly on credit, only one- eightlı being required in cash, and the remainder in notes. The highest price paid for any one lot which we noticed on the record was fifty-six dollars. Lot 5, block 19, where the Downing House now stands, was sold Inne 9, 1844, to Harmon Davis, for $41. At this time (1878) it is prob- ably worth, unimproved, about $8,000, or $133} per foot front.
The legislature, by their act of organization, appointed another election to be held in August of this same year (1844). The county seat question entered largely into the contest, the Six Mile Prairie settlers making strenuous efforts to have it removed. Tickets were nominated according to the views of the candidates upon the seat of justice, and the result was a large majority in favor of Oskaloosa, which forever settled the question of county seat in Mahaska county, save that the Six Mile Prairie people were deeply chagrined, and for a time strongly refused to vote for any candidate who lived in the vicinity of Oskaloosa.
FIRST COURT.
The first court ever held in Mahaska county was in July, 1844. The judge was Hon. Joseph Williams, of Muscatine, who was judge in the second judicial district of the Territory of Iowa. The names of the jurors have been already mentioned. The court was maintained at the expense
12.51
278
HISTORY OF MAHASKA COUNTY.
of the United States government, and had both Federal and local jurisdic- tion. There was but little business demanding attention at this term of court, and perhaps might have been attended to in a single day. But as the most important business was drawing the fees, it continned in session an entire week, adjourning from day to day. The court was held in an unfinished log house, owned by Win. D. Canfield and located within the present limits of Oskaloosa. The building was not floored, but a joist was laid across one end, and some loose planks thrown upon cross pieces fur- nished a rostrum for the judge and clerk; a plank placed upon two flonr barrels supplied the lack of a desk. Thus enthroned the court was opened. The grand jury sat in a hollow abont a quarter of a mile north of the square, in the prairie grass. A few minutes session in the morning found them taking a recess till afternoon, when an adjournment till the fol- lowing morning would seenre another day's fees. The attorneys in attend- ance, so far as we have been able to learn, were W. W. Chapman, Major Thompson, U. S. attorney, Chris. W. Slagle and Geo. Atchison (both of which latter now live in Fairfield), John W. Alley, of Red Rock, and Henry Temple, of Oskaloosa, now of Cass county. Those attending court were compelled, at night, to spread over the prairies in quest of lodging, as Oskaloosa at that time could scarcely accommodate a corporal's guard.
We make the following extract from the official records:
Monday, July 15, 1844, being the third Monday of July, the day appointed by law for the commencement of the July term of the District Court for the county aforesaid, at Oskaloosa, the established seat of justice in said county, the Hon. Joseph Williams, judge of the second judicial district, failing to appear, the court was adjourned. from day to day, by the sheriff, in pursuance of an order of the said judge, until the third day.
The judge arriving on Wednesday, July 17, Wm. Thompson, Esq., was appointed United States attorney pro tem, and C. W. Slagle, district at- torney pro tem. The records show eight civil and four criminal cases on the docket. One jury case was tried, and the grand jury brought in four indictments as follows, to-wit:
UNITED STATES VS. Indictment for assault with intent to inflict great bodily injury.
A. W. BLAIR.
UNITED STATES VS. WILSON STANLEY. UNITED STATES VS. Indictment for intent to inflict great bodily injury.
Indictment for selling liquor to the Indians. Bail, $200.
JNO. P. MAJORS. UNITED STATES VS. Indictment for larceny.
JOHN GEORGE.
.
On motion of Wm. Thompson, Alfred Lotspeich, Esq., was admitted to practice at the bar as an attorney and counselor at law and solicitor in chancery.
On motion the temporary seal of the court was declared to be the eagle side of a twenty-five cent piece of American coin.
The jury trial above mentioned was that of James Hall, appellee, v. Joseph Koons, a suit of forcible entry and detainer, caused by a conflict of claims. Court adjourned on Saturday, July 20.
279
HISTORY OF MAHASKA COUNTY.
In the following year, July 28, 1845, by this same court, was issued the first set of naturalization papers granted in this county.
For the following sketch of Hon. Joseph Williams we are indebted to the pen of W. M. Donnel:
As Judge Williams was a somewhat noted character, more particularly for eccentricity than for legal attainments, though we believe he had the reputation of being a good Judge, we deem it proper to give a brief sketch of him.
With regard to his history we know but little, either previous to the time at which we are writing or sinee -- at that time he was about fifty years of age and had worn the Ermine many years. In a territorial act fixing the terms of the District Courts, approved Jannary, 1839, we find his name as appointee over what was then called the 2d District, composed of the coun- ties of Louisa, Muscatine, Cedar, Johnson, and Slaughter. He was a person of remarkable good conversational powers, and delighted in telling anecdotes. His musical talent was much above the average, both vocal and instrumen- tal. Often, after delivering a temperance lecture full of eloquence, and inter- spersed with humorous passages, he would sing a favorite song called "Lit- tle Billy Neal," with an effect seldom surpassed, calling up an applause of such hearty boisterous delight as has seldom greeted a star actor. He was master of most musical instruments, but for drawing tunes out of that sweetest toned of all, "the fiddle and the bow," he was particularly distin- guished in this attainment. In addition to his vocal talent as a singer, he possessed that wierd, mysterious power of using his voice as a ventriloquist, and could imitate the cry of various kinds of animals so correctly that the uninitiated could not fail being deceived. He would sometimes imitate the squalling of a belligerent cat, to the great alarm and mistification of the ladies, who could neither discover the brawler, nor learn from whence the noise came.
At this point we beg leave to introduce a couple of anecdotes bearing upon his notoriety as a musician: Many years ago, on the occasion of a convention at Iowa city, in the interests of a proposed railroad from Musca- tine to that place, Judge Williams and Le Grand Byington were in violent opposition to each other upon some points of which we are not informed, nor does it matter, so far as the interest of this sketch is concerned. After the convention, a young amateur in the art of drawing, produced a carica- ture representing Joe Williams seated astride an enormous bull, playing a clarionet. The bull was on the railroad, with tail erect and head down, paw- ing up the dirt, and prepared to combat the further progress of a locomotive which was close upon him, upon which was Le Grand Byington as engineer, and from the whistle of which ascended the words, " Music hath charms, but cannot soothe a locomotive."
On another occasion, being that of an election of supreme judge and United State senator, by the state senate, Judge Williams was before the democratic caucus for the judgeship, and Geo. W. Jones (sometimes called Nancy Jones, and known as a dancing master) for the senate. Their com- petitors of the same party were S. C. Hastings, formerly president of the territorial council, for the judgeship, and Hon. T. Wilson for the senate. The last named gentlemen were at Iowa City just previous to the time of election, laboring earnestly with the members of the senate to secure their choice. But at the caucus, which came off during the night preceding the day of election, it was decided to elect Williams and Jones.
280
HISTORY OF MAHASKA COUNTY.
The following additional particulars of this incident are from a letter of Mr. Babbitt, published in the Annals of Iowa for October, 1870:
After the adjournment of the caucus. all hands were invited by Jones, Dodge, Williams, and other successful candidates, to partake of an oyster supper and free whisky. at a saloon near by, which invitation was pretty generally accepted, and at which the defeate? candi- dates partook freely of the last refreshment named. About 12 o'clock the party broke up and the members retired to their rooms. The defeated candidates, Wilson and Hastings, were very much excited over their defeat, so much so, that they walked from room to room, bewailing their fate and declaring that they had been repudiated by the Democracy. A friend attempted to console them, telling them that they were not repudiated, but that other Democrats had more friends in the caucus than they, whereupon Wilson exclaimed, "If I had been beaten by a high-minded, honorable man, I could have stood it without a murmur; but to be defeated by a dancing-master, ruins my reputation forever." To this speech Hastings responded as follows: " Wilson, you have been defeated by a high-minded, honorable man, a gentleman, a dancing-master, I congratulate you, but for me there is no consolation, for, by - the fiddler beat me.'
But we hardly dare to close this sketch without relating an instance of his peculiar power as a ventriloquist It occurred during the first term of the District Court at Knoxville. Most of those attending court there boarded at Babbitt's, and it so happened that one night that the little board- ing house was so full that it was barely possible for all to find sleeping room. The Judge, with lawyers Knapp, Wright, and Olney, were supplied with beds in the lower story, whilst the jurors and numerous other attend- ants found room to stretch themselves on the loose upper floor, using blan- kets, coats and whatever else they had provided for beds. When after much ado they had all got settled down for a nap, they were suddenly startled by the terriffic squalling of what appeared to be a couple of Tom- cats in mortal combat in the room. Instantly all hands were up and in search of the supposed disturbers, but no cats could be found, and the sur- prised boarders returned to their beds without any very satisfactory conjec- tures as to the whereabouts of the nocturnal brawlers. But they had hardly composed themselves again for rest. when the loud and boisterous growling and snapping of a couple of be ligerent bull-dogs, apparently in their very midst, brought them all up standing. And then followed an uproar such as language could convey but an indistinct idea of, the dogs maintaining the combat with mingled growling, barking, and whining, and the men endeavoring with all the noise they could make, to oust them from the room. How they came to be there was a wonder indeed, but the evidence of their presence was too unmistakable to admit of a doubt, even in total darkness. Presently the fight ceased, and with that the general uproar abated. Then came a solution of the mystery. The judge and lawyers could no longer restrain their merriment at the expense of the frightened and mystified lodgers up stairs, but let it come in a gush of laughter that quickly reminded some of the company that the judge was a ventriloquist, and had undoubtedly just played them one of his mysterious tricks. But so far from being offended at it, they took a sensible view of its ludicrous- ness, and all joined heartily in the laugh.
Judge Joseph Williams above referred to should not be confounded by young readers with M. T. Williams, the clerk of the first court, and cur- rently known as Judge Williams. This latter gentleman is not eccentric, nor a great fiddler, nor a ventriloquist. The only analogy we think of is in his temperance proclivities and his ability to tell a good story.
M. T. Williams is justly regarded as one of the oracles of Mahaska county. His duties as first clerk of the county brought him in contact
281
HISTORY OF MAHASKA COUNTY.
with its pioneers and territory in such a manner as to afford him a more thorough knowledge of the very early history of Mahaska, than any other man now living. Sometimes Mr. Williams is induced by his friends, pub- licly, or in a small circle, to narrate his early experience and reminicences which he can do in a most irresistible manner. The judge is not fond of making a speech, not for the reason which kept "Single Speech Hamilton" in the background, but from an unassuming and retiring disposition, and a probable under estimation of his own abilities, for the judge can make a good address. This peculiarity, the modesty of Mr. Williams, is illustrated by the following anecdote:
In an early day when he was running for County Clerk and without any opposing candidate, he was, after much persuasion, induced to go out with a campaign speaker from abroad, to hold a meeting in a school house in one of the border townships. While on the way the stranger asked Williams how the Whig ticket was going to run in the county?
"Oh, I gness all right, unless it be the clerk," said M. T.
" Clerk! why, what is the matter with that? are you not popular, Will- iams?"
" No, not very, I guess. Some of the Democrats are finding fanlt."
"Well, who is running against you?"
"Oh-well-ahem-oh-there is not anybody else running in particu- lar."
Of course the Jangh was on the agitated independent candidate, with no apponent in the field.
Mr. Williams has served two terms in the Iowa legislature, beginning with 1854 and 1862. He was one of three commissioners appointed to locate the capital of Polk county, in 1846. One of these did not appear, and another was taken sick while on the expedition, so that the act of locat- . ing Des Moines City was substantially the work of Mr. Williams alone. He was a trustee of the State Insane Asylum for six years, from 1868 till 1874, and in this position rendered the State good service. We are in- formed by one who knows, that to a plan of Mr. Williams', the visitor to the beautiful grounds of that institution is indebted for the fine avenue and serpentine drive by which the asylum is approached-an external adorn- ment which commands the admiration of the explorer above all things else there to be seen.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.