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 45
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The retiring editor of the Republican, in his valedictory, said : "The county printing has amounted, during sixteen months, to less than one hundred dollars, a portion of which has been paid in county warrants, which we were compelled to sell at 20 per cent. discount to meet eur engagements and liqui- date debts necessarily incurred in carrying on the office."
Up to this time the papers had been firm advocates of Republican princi- ples. The Independent Press-commenced two years in advance of the forma- tion of the Republican party at Chicago by the adoption of a national platform -advocated, independently, non-extension of slavery, the preservation of the Union, despite the aggressions of the slavocracy, and protection from mob vio- lence of citizens of the several States, in their persons and property, by the Government.
The Monroe County Sentinel was established on the remains of the Repub- lican January 4, 1860, by J. T. Young and T. B. Gray, as an advocate of the Douglas wing of the Democratic party. Mr. Gray retired from the firm April 18, 1860. Mr. Young remained in charge until May 11, 1861, when Mr. Gray returned and Mr. Young retired as editor, although he retained the pro- prietorship. July 27, 1861, the firm of J. T. Young & J. H. Denslow, editors and proprietors, was formed. This arrangement lasted until November 2, 1861, when the Sentinel breathed its last. In his valedictory, Mr. Young remarked : " To-day's issue ends the life of the Sentinel, and my labors as one of its con- ductors. The reason for this course may be understood by all-the hardness of the times and scarcity of money. Cannot keep a sufficient stock of cash on hand to buy paper and pay other expenses incidental to the publishing business."
The Jeffersonian Blade was begun in Albia, under the management of James Noffsinger, January 26, 1860, as a Republican journal. May 7, 1861, Noffsin- ger retired and a firm consisting of George Hickenlooper and Aaron Melick took possession of the concern. The last issue of the Blade is dated October 15, 1861.
The Albia Weekly Gazette was started by Melick & Young, November 9, 1861, notwithstanding the foregoing expression of opinion, and was continued
391
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
by the firm until January 4, 1862, when Mr. Melick retired. Mr. Young published the Gazette until April 19, 1862, when it ceased to be. This paper absorbed the remains of the Blade at the time of its institution. The editor ceased his labors in the journalistic field to commence those of the tented field. He served with distinction in the Union army, and has since been elected Sec- retary of State, which position he still holds.
The Weekly Albia Union was established by M. A. Robb, May 20, 1862, in support of the administration. Mr. Robb remained editor until the 7th of August, when he retired from the newspaper field to enter the Union army. M. V. Brown became publisher, and George W. Yocum editor of the paper August 14, 1862. The political policy of the Union remained unchanged. March 12, 1863, G. W. & B. F. Yocum became editors and proprietors, the former doing most of the editorial work. The latter succeeded as editor May 14th, when G. W. Yocum again took the pen, but remained engaged in the profession only until June 28th. The Yocums retired from the paper May 25, 1865, when Val. Mendel purchased the office. August 25, 1870, C. M. Clapp became editor and partner with Mr. Mendel, which arrangement lasted until in 1872. In September, 1871, Cary L. Nelson took an editorial position on the Union, and became the acknowledged writer for it after Mr. Clapp retired. The paper is now conducted by Mr. Nelson, and is owned solely by Mr. Mendel.
The Albia Republic, a Democratic paper, was started by A. C. Bailey, August 27, 1868. It was continued until November 17, 1869, when the material of the office was sold to J. W. Ragsdale and C. W. Hills.
The Spirit of the West made its first appearance in Albia, December 1, 1869, Ragsdale & Hills, editors and proprietors. The paper was a Radical Republican sheet. February 2, 1870, C. W. Hills retired, and E. B. Wood- ward became the associate of J. W. Ragsdale. June 22, 1870, Mr. C. McConnell succeeded Mr. Woodward, and a silent partner took an interest in the concern, also, under the firm name of Ragsdale, McConnell & Co. October 26, 1870, the firm was again changed to Ragsdale & Brown, the former acting as principal writer. April 5, 1871, the Spirit became the property of I. S. Carpenter and C. C. Berger. December 20, 1871, B. F. Yocum succeeded Mr. Berger. January 24, 1872, Mr. Yocum retired, leaving Carpenter sole owner. April 3, 1872, B. F. Elbert associated himself with the former. June 26, 1872, James Haynes became editor. January 16, 1874, J. C. Peacock & Co. became publishers, who ran it six weeks, when the office was sold to William H. McConnell and others (not named), who removed it to Kearney Junction, Nebraska where the Spirit entered into and controlled the Daily Times of that place.
The Reform Weekly Leader was begun in Albia, as a duplicate issue of a paper established in Oskaloosa eight years before that date, March 12, 1874, under the management of Porte Welch. The paper advocated "no special interests," but was "open to the discussion of all political, social and ethical questions in a legitimate and high-toned manner." Its motto and announce- ment were, "First New Party Newspaper established in the United States- Sober Men for Leaders, and Honest Men for Office." April 2, 1874, Mr. Welch sold his Oskaloosa office to M. G. Carleton. April 18, 1874, Mr. Welch sold his Albia office to R. Tell Coffman, who became editor, also. J. M. Humphrey was associate editor. November 6, 1874, the Leader dropped its motto and became a Democratic paper. Mr. Humphrey retired from the associate editorship. The Leader was issued for the last time January 13, 1875.
E
392
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
The Albia Reporter was begun by. G. N. Udell and G. C. Miller, April 10, 1875, as an Independent paper. It was a gossipy quarto sheet, of forty col- umns. It soon supported the Liberal-Democratic ticket. The paper was issued but fifteen weeks.
The Industrial Era is the outgrowth of the Iowa Democrat, published sev- eral years ago at Fairfield, Jefferson County. Flint & Kent bought out the Democrat in 1873, and soon after I. T. Flint purchased Mr. Kent's interest in the materials, and established the Era as a Grange paper. In September, 1875, the paper was brought to Albia, where, in December of that year, W. P. & S. M. Campbell obtained control and issued it as a Democratic paper. Jan- uary, 1878, George C. Fry and F. A. Mann took the office, and are now pub- lishing the Era as a Greenback advocate. Tom Leonard is local editor.
The Melrose Plaindealer was established at Melrose, February 24, 1876, by O. H. Wood, as an Independent paper. The office was moved to Albia, May, 1877, and the name changed to that of the The Monroe County Plain- dealer. It was then Democratic in politics, with Mr. Wood still editor and proprietor. In January, 1878, it suspended publication.
The Iowa Plaindealer was first issued at Albia June 4, 1878, O. H. Wood, editor ; W. P. Campbell, assistant editor. It is a temperance paper.
EDUCATIONAL.
While the question of how to get a living was the foremost one in the minds of the pioneers, the less direct though none the less important one of how to educate their children was not overlooked. Almost cotemporaneous with their own dwellings, they began the building of such school houses as they could, crude and primitive in the extreme, for such only would their appliances admit, and put together without regard to externals.
These same pioneer school houses will, in the future, be a theme for the artist-quite equal in every way to those supplied by the peasantry in the old world-with their quaint, simple fashions and unperverted lives. The eye of the connoisseur delights in those realistic representations of still life-the white- haired old grandfather, whose toil of years has only brought him his cottage and bit of land ; the still hard-working "gude wife," with bent body and withered but cheerful old face ; the next generation just in the prime of labor, rough, uncouth and content to have for recreation a pipe and a mug of ale ; and the children, with rosy cheeks and stout limbs, dressed in the veritable costumes their grandmothers wore before them. And no wonder such a picture pleases and charms the jaded senses of the worn-out worldling. But even that is not more fresh and unaccustomed than this log shanty, with its one small room, a window of but few panes of glass, and possibly a dirty floor; and with rough- hewn benches ranged round the walls for seats, over which the pupil made a fine gymnastic flourish whenever he felt it necessary to reach his teacher, with his forefinger firmly planted on the knotty word or sum that puzzled him.
These are the picturesque features for the artist's pencil. And what "learn- ing " there was, must have been a " dangerous thing." for it was certainly "little : " the grading was far from exact; the system was a kind of hit-or- miss affair ; but, nevertheless, it was " school," and from the first there was a deeply rooted prejudice among the Iowa settlers in favor of schools. School for week-days and a meeting house for Sunday ! this same little pen of a house served the two purposes. And could anything except the groves themselves-
393
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
" God's first temples "-be nearer to nature as a tabernacle than was this, where some chance circuit preacher would have for his congregation every man, woman and child in the entire settlement-except one very old lady who was too infirm to go, as was the ease once in this county. None of those hypercritical listen- ers there, you may be sure, who gauge the preacher by his "intellectuality," his " magnetism " or his "culture." It was the Word preached-welcome, pure and life-giving always-and not the preacher, which these listeners crowded to hear. If he but had the good Methodist zeal, then he was sure of devout hearers. He did not need to have "traveled," except upon his lone circuit over the prairie ; nor did he feel it necessary to use his pulpit in the interests of politics-if he knew his Bible he was qualified; nor did his flock feel called upon to put their hands into their pockets and contribute toward sending their Pastor on a Summer vacation to the sea-side or to Europe. All these improve- ments have come in with better churches and more advanced ways of thinking. That was the old way, and a direct contrast to the new.
Now, nothing which the architect's taste can devise is too good for school house or for church. Look at the plenitude of tidy, commodious buildings in every county. and not designed for double service, either, but dedicated solely to the use of the school ma'am, who hereabouts is thoroughly skilled in her profession. She has had, aside from such education as her means have en- abled her to obtain, good, practical drill in the normal institutes. She not only knows her text books, but she knows how to teach. And then, the ingeniously devised school books, in which every point of information is adjusted to such a nicety that they are rather works of art and books of entertainment than but the dull means to a desired end.
The little flocks of children who run along the country roads in their bare feet and sun-bonnets, and chip hats, do not have to squirm and twist their uneasy legs all day over a page in the English reader which they cannot under- stand. They begin their morning's work with a chorus, which puts them all in good humor to start with. Then they come to timed classes, at the tinkle of the bell ; they are entertained and diverted as well as instructed at every step. Before there is any possibility of restlessness, they go through a five-minutes round of calisthenics which puts a wholesome quietus upon their muscles and their mischief. Wise play is so mixed with teaching that they never really dis- cover which is which until they find themselves ready to teach school them- selves in turn.
This is the case of the present compared with the labor of the past. And in this way is the generality of education secured. The ways are smoothed. the tediousness beguiled and the deprivation supplanted by an affluence of aids.
In 1854, Gov. Grimes, in his inaugural message, said: "The safety and perpetuity of our Republican institutions depend upon the diffusion of intelli- gence among the masses of the people. The statistics of the penitentiaries and alms-houses throughout the country show that education is the best preventive of crime. They show also that the prevention of these evils is much less expensive than the punishment of the one and the relief of the other."
So, with all our new-fangled methods, our ornamental, well-ventilated and well-furnished school houses, our accomplished instructors with modern notions, we are not extravagant. We are simply taking from the expenses of crime and pauperism and putting it into enduring and beautiful shape. We are helping to sustain the government by rearing up in every town and in every country neighborhood a generation of enlightened and intelligent people, cosmopolitan
394
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
in the sense of schools, if not in that wider cosmopolitanism which comes alone from actual contact with the great world.
The following statement is compiled from the last annual report of the County Superintendent of Schools, J. M. Porter :
Number of distriets in township. 8
Number of sub-districts. .
93
Number of independent districts
33
Total number of school districts
134
Number of ungraded schools
91
Number of graded schools.
2
Number of male teachers
74
Number of female teachers
109
Average compensation per month, to female teachers
26 50
Number of male pupils between 5 and 21 years of age.
2,806
Number of female pupils between 5 and 21 years of age.
2,596
Number of pupils enrolled. 3,935
Total average attendance 2,575
Average cost of tuition for each pupil per month
$1 37
Number of frame school houses.
87
Number of brick school houses
3
Number of stone school houses.
1
Total value of school buildings.
$67,300 00
Total value of apparatus
897 00
Number of volumes in libraries
468
SCHOOL HOUSE FUND.
Total receipts during the year $12,539 15
Paid for school houses and school sites. 3,748 52
Paid on bonds and interest. 5,213 19
Amount on hand.
3,513 39
CONTINGENT FUND.
Total receipts during the year.
$ 7,512 22
Paid for repairing school houses. 2,973 20
Paid for fuel 1,020 06
Paid secretary 224 60
6,254 24
Paid for records and apparatus.
10 54
Paid for various purposes.
680 11
Amount on hand
2,323 07
TEACHER'S FUND.
Total receipts.
$30,665 97
Paid teachers.
21,523 66
Amount on hand. 9,142 31
Number of teachers receiving certificates of first grade. 53
Number of teachers receiving certificates of second grade 64
Number of teachers receiving certificates of third grade. 37
Number of certificates granted.
156
Number of applicants rejected. 28
184
Amount received by County Superintendent for services from October
1, 1876, to October 1, 1877.
$ 800 00
EARLY FISCAL BUSINESS.
The monetary affairs of a new county are never carefully recorded; and hence it is that no very intelligible transcript of Treasurers' reports can be made. The first settlement made with a retiring Treasurer of this county, as shown by the Commissioners' minutes, did not take place until January, 1847. Mr. Templeton was the first Treasurer, and held the office, if records do not lie, for one year.
Average number of months taught.
6.67
Average compensation per month, to male teachers
$37 00
Paid treasurers.
Number of applicants examined.
395
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
January 5, 1847, we find this entry, which is incomplete, since it does not show a receipt from the county for the balance; it must be inferred that the Board failed to record the fact :
T. G. TEMPLETON to MONROE COUNTY, Dr.
1845. To amount County and Territorial Taxes $146 71
1847-January 5. By amount orders given up. 118 34
$28 37
At that time the account of the 'Treasurer who succeeded Mr. Anderson was rendered, Mr. Anderson had settled with the county on the date of his res- ignation, November 2, 1846, as is shown in the following statement, recorded at that time, two months prior to the adjustment of Mr. Templeton's account :
CHARLES ANDERSON, Treasurer.
1846. Dr. Cr.
September 29th. To amount County and Territorial Taxes. .$250 04
$21 90
November 2d. By orders delivered up as vouchers .. By amount tax lists delivered up unpaid. 228 14
$250 04
Balance due Anderson as fees for collecting. ........... . $1 09
The next settlement with the Treasurer was made January 5, 1848 :
JOIN WEBB to MONROE COUNTY,
1846.
Dr. Cr.
To amount of taxes not accounted for January 1, 1848. .$168 80
By amount of county orders given up.
$103 48
By amount paid.
18 70
$122 18
Balance due county. $46 62
These statements are given merely as curious and interesting bits of record, not because they have in themselves anything of positive importance.
A CONTESTED ELECTION.
One of the most interesting events in the early political history of Monroe County is that of the stealing of the poll books of the election in 1848, which resulted in a contest over the seat in Congress from the First District, to which this county was then attached, and the unseating of William Thompson, of Mt. Pleasant.
The case became a bitterly contested one, because of the high party feeling which existed at the time. The acrimonious spirit did not subside for years, and even as late as during the war, cropped out in certain quarters, notwith- standing the revolution which had taken place in party lines and measures. It is the purpose of this sketch to record, in permanent form, and from an en- tirely unbiased stand-point, the facts of that controversy as they are gathered, expressly for this work, from the original returns, newspaper reports and per- sonal narratives.
At the time of the occurrence of the events written about, the county of Monroe was composed of all the territory from the west line of Wapello County to the Missouri River. The unorganized counties of Lucas and Clarke were defined in a manner preliminary to permanent establishment, the latter, however, being entirely unsettled by white men. The former contained not more than eight or ten families.
396
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
It is necessary to revert to historic events of an earlier date, and in other localities, to explain the proceedings recorded hereafter. The Mormons, who figure conspicuously in this chapter, had suffered overthrow in their stronghold at Nauvoo, Ill., in 1846. The misdeeds of the leader, Joseph Smith, had resulted in the violent death of that head of the sect, and the ascension to power of Brigham Young. The latter saint and ruler had decreed that the society should separate into numerous bands and travel westward in search of freedom. The exodus of the Latter-day Saints began in the year 1846. Iowa was the scene of unwonted activity occasioned by the flight of the refugees from the law. Some bands moved through the State on the line of the forty- second parallel ; some went through the southern tier of counties, and some passed over the territory now composing the range in which Monroe is located. The ultimate destination of all of these parties was Kanesville, or what is now known as Council Bluffs. Many of the Mormons did not reach the river in 1846, nor even in 1847. Hundreds camped in Marshall County during that year, and scores of the poor wretches died from actual starvation. Women were confined in the open country during the long, cold season, and filled unmarked graves. The suffering of those people in all the camps, during the Winter of 1846-7, will never be described by human agency, and can be but faintly realized by the comfortably sheltered readers of this brief sketch.
This chapter, however, has to deal with but one division of the Mormon party. Those who passed through this tier of counties reached Lucas County in the Winter of 1846-7, and located a few miles southeast of the present town of Chariton. There rude huts were erected and the party sojourned for several months. Subsequently they passed on to the river, where they also tarried for & time. They were the first white "settlers " in Lucas County.
A portion of the band of Mormons did not remain in Lucas that year, but pushed westward, in hopes of gaining the place of rendezvous designated by Young. Their hopes were blighted, however, for the weather was so inclement that they could not proceed. They did not reach a point beyond Clarke County. Three men, John Conyer, James and John Longley, became separated from the party and lost their way. They concluded to encamp for the Winter (of '46-7) where they were, and constructed a log hut. In this they lived, and attached to it the name of " Lost Camp," a title by which the locality is still known and pointed out. In the Spring, these men found other Mormons but a few miles from them, in the same county. The village of Kanesville became the head- quarters of the faithful to the creed of the Golden Book, and was the resting- place of the weary bands. There they recruited their wasted forces and prepared to encounter fresh terrors in the slow march across the plains to Salt Lake City.
It was thus that the year 1848 found a settlement of white men in the terri- tory attached to Monroe County for election and judicial purposes, and it was by virtue of their forced residence in Iowa that the Mormons became, under the general statutes, legal voters in the State. Had it not been for the expulsion of the saints from Nauvoo and the unusually early Winter which followed their exodus; or, had it not been for the accident of circumstances, this somewhat singular history could not now be written.
The August election, 1848, was an important one to the people of Southern Iowa, as has already been observed. The office of Representative in Congress was to be filled, and the two parties in contest, Democrats and Whigs, were violent in their determination to win the prize. The Whigs were gaining strength, and it was all-essential that the county of Monroe, then a Democratic region, should give a full vote and large majority to overcome the Eastern vote.
397
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
The investigation of old records impresses one with the fact that politicians of the old school, in the early days, were intensely shrewd ; possibly no more so than those of to-day, but the methods of working were very different then, and it may be that the apparent boldness was the result of a lack of means to "cover up the tracks." At all events, it seems to one who carefully looks at the matter, that more summary ways and means were then in vogue than could be successfully employed now.
The opposing factions in 1848 were exceedingly jealous of one another. Every possible opportunity was improved to win the day. Because of this vigilance, perhaps, the Argus-eyed Democracy discovered a grand chance to effect the defeat of their hated rival. The Mormon vote was not only desirable, but was available ! Happy thought! Golden possibility !
The writer here deems it best to cite one of the authorities used in working up the succeeding portion of this narrative. A sketch of the events in ques- tion was prepared by the late John B. Gray, the pioneer of Monroe, and pub- lished in the Albia Union, May 26, 1864. From that paper we take certain data but are compelled to omit the article as it appeared, because of its intense partisan character. The fact that it is partisan causes the writer to give the statement of facts there made as the statement of a gentleman of honor (respected by all who knew him, because of his character), but still as the opinions of one who felt strongly on the subject at the time of the occurrence.
It was ascertained by the Democrats that there was no doubt about the legality of the Mormon vote, and, what was fully as important to them, that the Mormons were all good Democrats. Having gained this information, the next step required was to erect a polling precinct at Kanesville, in Pottawattamie County, where the Mormons were assembled. The Board of County Commis- sioners, on the 3d day of July, 1848, issued the following order :
Ordered, by said Board, that that portion of country called Pottawattamie County which lies directly west of Monroe County, be organized into a township, and that Kanesville be a pre- cinct for election purposes in said township, and that the election be held at the Council House in said village; and that Charles Bird, Henry Miller and William Huntington be appointed Judges of said election ; and that the boundaries of said township extend east as far as the East Nish-na-bat-na.
This public announcement of the plan warned the Whigs of their danger. Greek met Greek. It was known that the Board, then consisting of Andrew Elswick, William McBride and George R. Holliday, and Dudley C. Barber as Clerk, were Democratic. The latter officer made out the poll-books and sent them to the new precinct. Both parties sought the field of battle, and for a time the Mormon element became the favorites of the politicians, since they hold the held the balance of power. The Mormons at home in Nauvoo were Democratie in sen- timent, and the Democrats were confident of their co-operation in the time of need.
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