USA > Iowa > Monroe County > The history of Monroe County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion > 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
Any corporation in this State of an academical character, the memberships of which shall consist of lay members and pastors of churches, delegates to any synod, conference or council holding its annual meetings alternately in this and one or more adjoining States, may hold its annual meetings for the election of officers and the transaction of business in any adjoining State to this, at such place therein as the said synod, conference or council shall hold its annual meet- ings ; and the elections so held and business so transacted shall be as legal and binding as if held and transacted at the place of business of the corporation in this State.
The provisions of this chapter shall not extend or apply to any association or individual who shall, in the certificate filed with the Recorder, use or specify a name or style the same as that of any previously existing incorporated society in the county.
The Trustees, Directors or stockholders of any existing benevolent, char- itable, scientific, missionary or religious corporation, may, by conforming to the requirements of Section 1095 of this chapter, re-incorporate themselves or con- tinue their existing corporate powers, and all the property and effects of such existing corporation shall vest in and belong to the corporation so re-incorporated or continued.
INTOXICATING LIQUORS.
No intoxicating liquors (alcohol, spiritnous and vinous liquors), except wine manufactured from grapes, currants or other fruit grown in the State, shall be manufactured or sold, except for mechanical, medicinal, culinary or sacramental purposes ; and even such sale is limited as follows :
Any citizen of the State, except hotel keepers, keepers of saloons, eating . houses, grocery keepers and confectioners, is permitted to buy and sell, within the county of his residence, such liquors for such mechanical, etc., purposes only, provided he shall obtain the consent of the Board of Supervisors. In order to get that consent, he must get a certificate from a majority of the elec- tors of the town or township or ward in which he desires to sell, that he is of good moral character, and a proper person to sell such liquors.
If the Board of Supervisors grant him permission to sell such liquors, he must give bonds, and shall not sell such liquors at a greater profit than thirty- three per cent. on the cost of the same. Any person having a permit to sell, shall make, on the last Saturday of every month, a return in writing to the Auditor of the county, showing the kind and quantity of the liquors purchased by him since the date of his last report, the price paid, and the amount of freights paid on the same ; also the kind and quantity of liquors sold by him since the date of his last report; to whom sold ; for what purpose and at what price ; also the kind and quantity of liquors on hand; which report shall be sworn to by the person having the permit, and shall be kept by the Auditor, subject at all times to the inspection of the public.
No person shall sell or give away any intoxicating liquors, including wine or beer, to any minor, for any purpose whatever, except upon written order of parent, guardian or family physician ; or sell the same to an intoxicated person or a person in the habit of becoming intoxicated.
318
ABSTRACT OF IOWA STATE LAWS.
Any person who shall mix any intoxicating liquor with any beer, wine or cider, by him sold, and shall sell or keep for sale, as a beverage, such mixture, shall be punished as for sale of intoxicating liquor.
But nothing in the chapter containing the laws governing the sale or pro- hibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors, shall be construed to forbid the sale by the importer thereof of foreign intoxicating liquor, imported under the author- ity of the laws of the United States, regarding the importation of such liquors, and in accordance with such laws ; provided that such liquor, at the time of the sale by the importer, remains in the original casks or packages in which it was by him imported, and in quantities not less than the quantities in which the laws of the United States require such liquors to be imported, and is sold by him in such original casks or packages, and in said quantities only.
All payment or compensation for intoxicating liquor sold in violation of the laws of this State, whether such payments or compensation be in money, goods, lands, labor, or anything else whatsoever, shall be held to have been received in viola- tion of law and equity and good conscience, and to have been received upon a valid promise and agreement of the receiver, in consideration of the receipt thereof, to pay on demand, to the person furnishing such consideration, the amount of the money on the just value of the goods or other things.
All sales, transfers, conveyances, mortgages, liens, attachments, pledges and securities of every kind, which, either in whole or in part, shall have been made on account of intoxicating liquors sold contrary to law, shall be utterly null and void.
Negotiable paper in the hands of holders thereof, in good faith, for valuable consideration, without notice of any illegality in its inception or transfer, how- ever, shall not be affected by the above provisions. Neither shall the holder of land or other property who may have taken the same in good faith, without notice of any defect in the title of the person from whom the same was taken, growing out of a violation of the liquor law, be affected by the above provision.
Every wife, child, parent, guardian, employer, or other person, who shall be injured in person or property or means of support, by an intoxicated person, or in consequence of the intoxication, has a right of action against any person who shall, by selling intoxicating liquors, cause the intoxication of such person, for all damages actually sustained as well as exemplary damages.
For any damages recovered, the personal and real property (except home- stead, as now provided) of the person against whom the damages are recovered, as well as the premises or property, personal or real, occupied and used by him, with consent and knowledge of owner, either for manufacturing or selling intox- icating liquors contrary to law, shall be liable.
The only other exemption, besides the homestead, from this sweeping liability, is that the defendant may have enough for the support of his family for six months, to be determined by the Township Trustee.
No ale, wine, beer or other malt or vinous liquors shall be sold within two miles of the corporate limits of any municipal corporation, except at wholesale, for the purpose of shipment to places outside of such corporation and such two- mile limits. The power of the corporation to prohibit or license sale of liquors not prohibited by law is extended over the two miles.
No ale, wine, beer or other malt or vinous liquors shall be sold on the day on which any election is held under the laws of this State, within two miles of the place where said election is held; except only that any person holding a permit may sell upon the prescription of a practicing physician.
319
ABSTRACT OF IOWA STATE LAWS.
SUGGESTIONS TO THOSE PURCHASING BOOKS BY SUBSCRIP- TION.
The business of publishing books by subscription, having so often been brought into disrepute by agents making representations and declarations not authorized by the publisher, in order to prevent that as much as possible, and that there may be more general knowledge of the relation such agents bear to their principal, and the law governing such cases, the following statement is made :
A subscription is in the nature of a contract of mutual promises, by which the subscriber agrees to pay a certain sum for the work described; the consid- eration is concurrent that the publisher shall publish the book named, and deliver the same, for which the subscriber is to pay the price named. . The nature and character of the work is described by the prospectus and sample shown. These should be carefully examined before subscribing, as they are the basis and consideration of the promise to pay, and not the too often exag- gerated statements of the agent, who is merely employed to solicit subscriptions, for which he is usually paid a commission for each subscriber, and has no authority to change or alter the conditions upon which the subscriptions are authorized to be made by the publisher. Should the agent assume to agree to make the subscription conditional or modify or change the agreement of the publisher, as set out by the prospectus and sample, in order to bind the princi- pal, the subscriber should see that such condition or changes are stated over or in connection with his signature, so that the publisher may have notice of the same.
All persons making contracts in reference to matters of this kind, or any other business, should remember that the law as written is, that they can not be altered, varied or rescinded verbally, but if done at all, must be done in writing. It is therefore important that all persons contemplating subscribing should distinctly understand that all talk before or after the subscription is made, is not admissible as evidence, and is no part of the contract.
Persons employed to solicit subscriptions are known to the trade as can- vassers. They are agents appointed to do a particular business in a prescribed mode, and have no authority to do it any other way to the prejudice of their principal, nor can they bind their principal in any other matter. They can not collect money, or agree that payment may be made in anything else but money. They can not extend the time of payment beyond the time of delivery, nor bind their principal for the payment of expenses incurred in their business.
It would save a great deal of trouble, and often serious loss, if persons, before signing their names to any subscription book, or any written instrument, would examine carefully what it is; if they can not read themselves call on some one disinterested who can.
STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE OF IOWA (CENSUS OF 1875.)
No. of
No. of
No. of |
Acres
Acres
Acres
Spring Wheat.
Winter Wheat.
Indian Corn.
Oats.
Value of
COUNTIES.
of Im-
Unim-
under
Products
proved
proved
Culti-
No. of
No. of
Bushels
No. of
No. of
No. of
No. of
No. of
No. of
of Farm
in
Land.
Land.
vation
in 1874.
Acres.
Harv'i'd
Acres.
Bushels
Harv't'd
Acres.
Bushels
Ilarv't'd
Acres.
Bushels
Harv't'd
Dollars.
Appanoose.
161059
161083
77789
1049
64871
61880
387316
$1611937
134767
156921
125188
9606
10838
Alamakee ..
2385243
109388
937639
21325
13756
21146
23819
6876
89235
181
1964
9225
905920
Audubon.
15986
394655
12776
442929
10
97
51253
17947
25174
969777
788
33233
1415769
281376
141293
184153
Adams.
65150
43735
435014
7
174
83182
55680
27550
1402128
3951
159739
695318
Adair
66265
37031
162737
3500
30860
Buena Vista .
33118
27010
15514
228231
4455
828171
Benton.
29,518
53911
239108
99106
1313066
7888
2791
156937
83244
67069
7
15490
445070
2664995
Boone.
280
3328921
201828
71810
108612
32505
11
1595752
Butler.
149493
58908
124877
429257
57907
779167
20
84
46151
10101
401620
38685
1018453
Bremer
145967
47001
104510
48878
644795
700
1270878
1026641
13827
421719
28754
14259
150881
518571
1209785
Black Hawk ..
213025
181256
1144620
89361
1108021
56592
1939590
16804
157240
61291
812312
1811250
17431
538196
556209
1898424
Buchanan
19056
37059
71418
48831
2615949
Clay
39919
Cherokee
5463S
28974
33375
17481
45112
31693
153159
401507
8797
180120
9459
315215
4436
98766
123343
Cass ..
110864
45301
92785
40123
6762091
190106%
3545
115595
35019
Crawford
5805S
283414
15262
21000
321894
40582
9079
176281
17957
648658
1284899
Cedar .
218869
41417
166485
40467
640541
26
295
78221
2815921
2902
99158
20213
483357
Cerro Gordo.
52930
675837
2606149
Clayton
212291
309895
48618
28199
415163
1247
265413
7199
228097
178622
9512
290855
151908
57337
86883
1805125
1010345
21030
37918
89297
1471263
3001338
20624
591617
Clinton
12
669895
2081793
Chickasaw
96504
94772
74104
68683
428
643519
16821
514279
23,04
702059
3049019
40162
3
63
Carroll
59065
93691
309744
39159
26756
340161
3
20
50487
217090
16014
550041
11744
446300
3238
107577
894656
Clarke.
78803
451365
7
Calhoun.
26996
26618
17968
11010
100GS1
55
39066
1580260
12337
367643
7054987
150038
116003
10
150
10656
351120
2993
73182
Davis
Decatur
115751
87172
131597
95275
5378
30993
71169
5379
56405
62127
2115569
1763140
13643
345707
221613
8211
344551
1603090
Dubuque
187831
98561
146214
817
12239
50484
10555
1024541
143665
49240
634135
25115
643322
Des Moines
1720
67118
102924
1702391
2307938
1636132
58165
Delaware
472029
97618
10615
113396
9212
62305
161357
60401
71725
8088
117310
287392
Dickinson
15770
5701
25822
5
50
56150
1690$35
20577
632113
1772992
29850
Dallas
3183
44455
2103
3:282
1693314
11961
132435
445848
15334
Emmet
57765
114625
29256
9989
8387
3911
1510
7
186
57652
2484898
9937
2197
14273
335124
1519
3241
1502047
147098
25586
Floyd .
32130
Fayette ..
110708
179504
62067
941439
26162
6424-18
1296480
15461
487729
15214
1367377
98156
133758
60779
46
968
Franklin
69859
43 46
31096
863670
37091
704407
Fremont
65590
455909
21066
758983
1503127
115907
9532
146059
198832
103039
135108
13229
Grundy
47926
67384
206901
841
16625
73845
777106
1703985
328679
5419
40175
Green
59010
9766J7
1482582
11786
179645
401948
1046066
87259
49838
52323
257700
1593977
Guthrie
47220
76992
19391
27489
393514
2
22
44
783037
783027
4227
620905
Hardin
128831
39930
360
38902
120948
1669134
4145
153505
792461
Humboldt
29114
97765
38464
2+013
497251
41304
1379961
10982
3569 15
1066627
36906
Howard.
115823
12016
20902
9998
297381
3974
90944
200001
Harrison .
94818
171018
337451
61871
72287
36115
23918
582803
9916
307912
10210
340268
734409
Hancock
10162
341615
143701
4889
70006
84
1200
44720
1620192
3462
69140
9005
Hamilton
63966
39935
20676
294682
2067
786677
57899
1:53
48816
Henry.
182030
52050
9041
113203
20441
5108
168262
89105
50249
670731
52762
Ida .
7292
Iowa
9194
110831
15026
180220
62672
2415670
6514
3108
13393
358221
1765670
48815
2301
191041
89357
Jackson
193290
1581SS
142401
48410
670217
36
1080
108465
550000
€2518
2713830
455
14000
7482211
2005049
142401
43515
193019
491
11756
319071
Johnson
211021
71257
7912
53962
1665518
1274
521156
45306
771 12
17760
522197
1750091
666779
3158178
23052
100
2447875
Jasper
278881
179752
216949
79926
1107170
100217
4525859
532239
Jones.
208907
63298
Jefferson.
140681
462478
1900524
15267
86090
31
464824
2916838
167389
66979
409
65423
18260
1896416
Keokuk
208125
125590
16237
164904
6192
55061
1695510
98999
66739
14005
446123
1530140
Kossuth,
31550
149672
33278
3€8528
148
1363
75697
3327282
15582
447603
48793
28835
1919728
183832
78692
10798
340
Lee .
13380
10351
13139
5143
Lucas.
72621
15400
200407
9781
119777
2190306
27857
59863
11817
279069
105306
108952
59757
1631518
Lyon ..
15872
88837
13954
153587
$1
329
47022
1902530
12665
318811
342164
12766
1030554
281118
62649
8132
76712
54
2645
10396
8177
13789
S2651
Linn ..
Louisa.
151007
52922
175655
52178
636597
12
160
91773
22670
Mitchell.
126384
70176
100066
19:64
189939
1388
91133
16267
49642
3439923
2184658
585648
6792
175755
2590052
Mahaska
232398
122190
150368
65534
31562
1083811
411961
14078
395532
11274
83775
3768209
542662
1665739
1591878
Marion.
199369
82779
205
2697
153214
16646
496248
10937
335746
2195785
Mills
141512
45136
529663
189
2212
99837
84630
3833063
53001
Madison
24385.
2181346
312961
32
188709
543
595 43
1533976
6528
232039
161998
137979
2953630
1003509
Monroe
102215
37553|
628314
25
Marshall
223735
91730
8743
78206
484
117303
11638
69893
101413
112538?
263
5584
69494
241081
1709030
45575
1738916
285103
11512
938362
Monona ..
52212
47552
56278
15331
21
200
67699
2808256
13611
39814
183811
818338
2304
463245
2368278
Muscatine
178945
21577
48832
Montgomery.
129699
66475
417665
104633
32375
50607
416471
629
54760
1715973
13287
405562
O'Brien
33626
32070
86026
1381
551539
63
8
166
39251
1441467
5322
201035
1747906
Osceola ..
26131
14904
6379
106052
53931
31-106
151526
1072127
191542
18190
3107
Polk ..
207689
14651
8769
74751
17279
20829
Pochahontas.
21928
56811
140450
21
2510
69581
35572
19219
376S6
563389
394
77197
3272010|
1390
12188
431811
2140023
Pottawattomie
124630
30774
419489
90679
475
89.31
229263
2511
40-194
112666
Powesheik
208989
48697
33269
171589
588971
63
47258
1750038
89748
3571103
5278
168081
1252629
156782
175471
57312
762826
20235
2239013
11416
333565
2393022
Page
Plymonth
58233
115494
22659
51912
41379
353792
1220
442706
71386
9758
346507
1293463
Palo Alto.
33628
10
18517
32225
160
10097
175778
4161
120137
434128
Ringgold.
18100
58329
16679
8606
23209
325
10026
6641
142957
2979
1145937
4€859
96616
Scott .
235515
50373
19123
78851
125
1762
35613
9118
255007
1115782
Story
148649
43874
1857 12
47698
762315
40
99337
2GC58
330897
618
59071
2226316
15915
3041873
8
53180
39326
20
51273
1783177
528868
Shelby
11273
343265
1033743
Sioux.
39824
367391
47230
22029
33515
2251
Sac
22,09:1
317944
47201
251286
17674
689536
71676
573026
31336
24179
6780
32038
4591
45096
166980
Taylor.
102861
235515
11056
15116
110004
10
8662
279716
3035
6599
238880
79442
Tama
255182
206813
241
3068
8718
90222
Union
211941
48260
1419680
269657
908476
9.013
1437807
2842859
384469
2316105
57005
33216
73251
12571
Van Buren
153674
99528
45826
113263
10586
141188
53
21063
6127
187748
624260
Wayne ..
147766
66795
7155
58808
10928
960
121854
1130930
50211
12596
353698
1439586
Warren ..
191265
167178
117689
158737
10375
42175
76316
143
1236
65625
1823622
2405187
13212
S6396
1361376
Winnesheik
246110
131670
250169
112175
654679
61
910
80280
3561365
8391
281510
8216508
2208392
Woodbury
24307
2265252
44179
57097
1813465
27185
977316
Worth ..
48927
33097
15213
32151
218873
490371
45937
23032
146-17
410187
122291
3072
91647
298209
Washington
225176
55652
3530
4.145
161557
396506
Webster.
97238
61744
157884
2035264
Winnebago.
70310
41616
469879
30551
1439
391051
11193
73265
2832211
15701
28713
453320|
5
917911
7-191
207-193
733342
Wright
17589
30625
35516
12121
8039
162281
11
270
32397
1374
52425
1327
45109
140219
Wapello.
150209|
63191
28957
13629
17368
196166
10099
4131
135176
288685
135173
281821
157535
1617
16159
57035
2143791
11570
293590
1455319
Totals,
12627850 8410435 9354903 3690711 42669731
69188
759277
4700176 |1362845421 982994
29144352 $131536747
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
GEOLOGY.
As it was necessary to create a world before man could be introduced, so is it proper to speak first of the formation of the material substances which com- pose the territory now known as Monroe County, before we proceed to write of the entrance of man upon the scene.
In the general history of the State which is given in this volume, will be found a somewhat elaborate description of the geology of Iowa, from a scientific standpoint. It remains for us to limit the circuit of our work in connection herewith to the actual boundaries of Monroe County. We shall attempt to popularize a most interesting but not generally studied theme, and endeavor to explain, in simple form, what is too often rendered obscure to the uninitiated in scientific methods, by technical terms and expressions. Since those who wish to do so can turn to the general chapter and learn of the geologic structure of the State, let us now bring to a focus the more practical ideas relative to the subject of the recent or superficial formations of Monroe County. This is designed to be only a short popular treatise, so as to interest every man and woman of good observation who shall peruse it, and to call their attention, at least, to the surface formation of the earth, so that in a few years there may be hundreds of observers of interesting geological facts where there is but one at the present time.
That geology commends itself to us as a truthful science will be very readily elucidated by a simple statement of a fact within the comprehension of all.
To illustrate : A certain kind of rocks are called Archæan or Laurentian. These are the most ancient rocks known to geologists; at one time they were supposed to be destitute of fossils. In all the systems of rocks, they occupy the lowest, and consequently the oldest, position ; but in whatever part of the earth found, they are always recognizable by the geologist. So the Devonian rocks are distinguished. by certain fossil fishes that are found in them, and in them alone. The Carboniferous rocks are known by certain fossil mollusks; the Cretaceous, by certain reptiles that occur in no other formation ; and so every geological period has its characteristic fossils, by means of which the formation and its comparative age may always be accurately determined.
The geologist will always know the coal-bearing rocks from any other class ; and this knowledge ought to be possessed by every one interested in explora- tions for coal.
The geologic history of Iowa is but a page in the general history of. the continent of North America. This continent has been demonstrated to be the oldest portion of the earth, notwithstanding the misnomer, "New World." It is new only in civilization. The geologist reads is the rocks evidences of age
A
324
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
that are far more reliable than those which are placed on perishable scrolls by the pen of man. The oldest groups of rocks are not found in Iowa, but are visible in the Canadas. The first system, underlying all others, in this State, is the Azoic, seen only in a small section of the northeast portion of Iowa. Next come the Lower and Upper Silurian, the Devonian, the Carboniferous and the Cretaceous systems. Of the earlier formations we shall say nothing, as allusion to them necessitates a far more extended article than we desire to prepare.
The scope of this paper extends back only to the Carboniferous system, at the period known as the Subcarboniferous group. In plainer terms, this refers to the limestone which underlies the coal formations, and brings the subject at once to the visible formations in Monroe County. This county is rich in coal deposits, and a glance at the method of creation will be both interesting and instructive.
FORMATION OF LIME BEDS.
Limestones have mainly been formed in the bottom of the ocean; the older and purer kinds in the deep, still sea ; the more recent and less pure in a shal- low and disturbed sea. When the great limestone deposits were made in the Mississippi Valley, a deep salt ocean extended from the Alleghany to the Rocky Mountains, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. This was the age of mollusks (shell fish), and the sea bottom swarmed with them. Many of the rocks seem to have been wholly made up of conglomerate shells. In this age of the world there was no creature living with a spinal column or a brain ; but corals, a low order of radiates, as crinoidea, several varieties of mollusks, crustaceans, called trilobites (somewhat corresponding to the river crawfish), and some lowly worms ! These were the highest development of animal life when the earlier limestone rocks were being slowly formed.
This Silurian age was succeeded by the Devonian, characterized as the age of fishes, during which were deposited the Hamilton and Carboniferous lime- stones. Then came the Subcarboniferous period, during which were deposited the limestone beds of Monroe County. These were formed in a comparatively shallow sea, a fact proven by numerous ripple marks in the rocks, also by their sandy composition in some layers, and farther, by an occasional thin layer of clay intervening between the strata of rocks. These were uneasy times on the earth's crust, when it was given to upheavings and down-sinkings over large areas. Then it was that the whole northeastern and eastern part of the State was upraised.
THE GREAT COAL BASIN
was formed west and south throughout Iowa, reaching into Missouri and Kan- sas, and perhaps into the Indian Territory and Texas. Over this vast area there stretched a vast, dismal swamp.
On this vast marshy plain grew the rank vegetation that was in the future to be pressed into coal. It was a wilderness of moss and ferns and reeds, such as can be found nowhere on earth at the present time. Prof. Gunning, in speaking of it, says: "To the land forest of coniferas and cycads, and the marsh forest of scale trees and scal trees and reed trees and fern trees, add an undergrowth of low herbaceous ferns, and you have the picture of a primeval landscape. Blot from the face of nature every flowering weed and flowering tree, every grass, every fruit, every growth useful to man or beast ; go, then to the Sunda Islands for the largest club moss, to the East Indies for the largest tree fern, to the damp glades of Caracas for the tallest reeds, to the Moluccas
325
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
for their cycad, and to Australia for its pine, to the ponds and sluggish streams of America for their quillwort, and place them all side by side over a vast marsh and its sandy borders, and you will faintly realize your picture of a prim- eval landscape. Dwarf the cycad and the pine, lift still higher the tapering column of the tree fern, multiply by two the bulk of the reed and by three the club moss, lift the quillwort from the water, and to its long, linear leaves add a fluted stem eighty feet high, and you would fully realize a carbon- iferous landscape-realize it in all but its vast solitudes. Not a bird ever perched on spiky leaf or spreading fern of a coal forest. No flower had opened yet to spread fragrance on the air, and no throat had warbled a note of music. Such poor animal life as the carboniferous world then possessed left its imprint on wave-washed shore and in the hollow stems of fallen trees."
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.