USA > Iowa > Polk County > The history of Polk County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., biographical sketches of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 63
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Joseph Solenbarger, Sarah Solenbarger, Abner Rathbun, Betsy Rath- bun, Ezra Rathbun, Jonathan Rathbun, Benjamin T. Hoxie, William H. Meacham and wife. Mr. Solenbarger was chosen first class-leader of the society. Services were at first held in private houses and then in the court- house, and in course of time a church building was erected. In the erec- tion of the first church building the county aided by donating a lot as will be seen by the following order made by the Commissioners in January, 1848.
Ordered, That the first payment on lot No. 3 in block 21, made to the lot fund agent, by the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, be refunded to the said Trustees; and it is fur- ther ordered, that in case the Methodist Episcopal Church shall, within two years from the first day of January, 1848, build on the aforesaid town lot a meeting-house of the the follow- ing description, a deed shall be made to the said Trustees of said church in the name of the Board of Commissioners of Polk county, Iowa. The description of said house is as follows: the house shall be a frame or brick, and the size of the same shall be not less than 24x30 feet, so constructed and completed as to render it both suitable and convenient for the purpose for which it shall be designed.
While there was but the one church organization the court-house afforded good accommodation, but in 1851 there were several, and from the follow- ing order, made at that time by the Commissioners, we are lead to suppose there was some strife between the various denominations for the use of the court-room :
Ordered, That the court-house in this county be, and the same is free to all denominations, on the Sabbath of each week for the purpose of public worship, provided they can agree as to the time of holding their meetings, if not the Board will at its next regular sessions, take the subject under further consideration.
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
., The Methodists erected a frame church building on the lot donated to them by the county. The building stood on the same lot where the Fifth Street Church building is now located. It was a frame building. The building was replaced by the present brick structure in 1856, and during the first year after its completion the session of the annual conference was. held in it.
There are now four annual conferences in the State, the Des Moines con- ference extending from the east line of Polk county to the Missouri river, and from the south line of the State to the line of the Chicago and North- western railroad.
Next after the Methodists, and sometimes even before them, may always: be found the Baptists in all pioneer and mission work. Polk county and Des Moines afford no exception to the rule only in that the Presbyterian Church was planted some time previous to that of the Baptist, and Rev. Thompson Bird, the first Presbyterian minister of the county, preached in the county as early as 1848, while that illustrious Baptist pioneer minister, educator and philanthropist, Rev. J. A. Nash, did not begin his career in: the county till 1851. About one year prior to the coming of Dr. Nash, there was a meeting of a number of Baptists at the house of J. M. Reinecker,. on Walnut street, for the purpose of making arrangements for the employ- ment of a minister. Judge McKay, G. Berkley and Mr. Reinecker were appointed a committee on correspondence on the subject.
Shortly after this Mr. Nash, of his own accord, set out from his home in New York for the mission field of Iowa, and arrived at Fort Des Moines in January, 1851. He met with an enthusiastic reception from the people- of Des Moines, and especially from the small society of Baptists which had been recenty formed. Mr. Nash was then but a young man, yet he had made a most thorough preparation for his chosen life work, and was full of zeal and devotion for the cause. His first efforts toward the building up of a Baptist Church in Des Moines met with great favor, and not only in Des Moines but throughout this and the surrounding country did his labors meet with great success.
The same encouragement given to the Methodists was extended to the Baptists by the County Commissioners, who, in 1848, mnade the following order:
Ordered, That lot 7 in block 9, in Fort Des Moines be, and the same shall be, deeded to William McKay as trustee of the Missionary Baptist Church, on condition that a frame, brick or stone church not less than 24x30 feet be erected upon it within two years from January 1, 1848.
The conditions were not complied with and the society forfeited its right to the lots. Other lots were purchased after the arrival of Mr. Nash, and a church was erected, and from that time dates the establishment and spread of the Baptist denomination in Polk county and throughout Central Iowa. Dr. Nash has himself founded some twenty-five or thirty churches which are now self-supporting, and in a prosperous condition.
The foundation work of the Presbyterian Church in Central Iowa was laid by Rev. Thompson Bird, who came to Red Rock in Marion county in 1848, and in the following year to Fort Des Moines. Although Mr. Bird preached in various parts of the county, it was in Des Moines where he was best known, and where his influence asa refined gentleman, ripe scholar and earnest Christian minister, was most felt. There are few if any other
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
persons who have done as much to mould the moral, religious and social sentiment of Des Moines as did Rev. Thompson Bird through his long and active career in their city. His decease occurred in January, 1869, and the funeral services were very properly conducted by Dr. Nash, who had been a co-laborer in the ministerial work for many years, and an intimate ac- quaintance of nearly a quarter of a century.
The Episcopal Church was first established in Central Iowa, and in Polk county at Fort Des Moines in 1855; Rev. Dr. G. W. Peet was the first rec- tor, and in 1857 the organization consisted of twenty-five members.
The first Congregational Church of the county was organized at Des- Moines in December, 1857. Rev. J. T. Cook was the first pastor.
The Christian Church was established in 1856, by Elder N. Summer- bell.
In 1855 the Lutherans designated Des Moines as the seat of a college, which they proposed to erect in the State. Upon the establishment of the college, Prof. Weiser, the President of the institution, organized a church of that denomination.
The organization of the first Catholic Church in the county dates from the year 1855. Father DeCailly was first located in Des Moines tempora- rily; he was succeeded by Father Plathe, who died in 1860, and was suc- ceeded by Father Brazil, the present incumbent of St. Ambrose Church.
Other churches were organized at Des Moines in later times, all of which will be spoken of in detail in the chapter devoted to the history of Des Moines.
With reference to the first preaching and church organization in other parts of the county, we find on investigation that William Coger, a Chris- tian minister, preached at an early day in the northern part of the county and Rev. Ezra Rathbun preached at the house of Mr. Dewitt, within the present bounds of Jefferson township. Mr. Rathbun also preached at a well-known place in early days called Osborn's school-house.
A Christian minister by the name of Jessup had regular preaching ap- pointments at the house of Aaron Pierson, in the northwest part of the county, as early as the summer of 1853.
Rev. William Corey settled in the north part of what is now Delaware township in 1849, He preached not only in his own neighborhood, known as Corey's Grove, but in the houses of the early settlers in various parts of the county.
A United Brethren Church was organized in the south part of the county in the Krysher neighborhood, in 1856. Rev. C. B. Jones was the pioneer preacher of this denomination in Polk county.
The house of Elijah Canfield, northeast of Des Moines, was a favorite place for religious services before the day of meeting-houses. Ezra Rath- bun, at that house, first expounded the gospel to the settlers of what was then Beaver township.
The first church organized in the north part of the county was the Methodist Church of Poik City, in 1848. The Baptists organized a church there several years later, and the United Brethren effected an organization® in 1851. The Congregational Church was not organized till in the year 1858.
The Evangelical Lutherans have built up a very prosperous church in the north part of the county in more recent times.
During the first ten years of the county's history there was probably not
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
a church building in the county outside of Fort Des Moines. Public relig- ious services were held at private houses until school-houses were erected, after which these buildings were used for religious services on Sundays and continue to be used thus in many neighborhoods at the present time. Though in later years some very neat church buildings have been erected in the county, as a rule they are built in the towns, and when religious ser- vices are held outside of town the school-house is used.
OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.
It has already been stated that the hardships and trials of the pioneers were calculated to make the first settlers of this county unusually friendly and sociable with one another. In those early times it was frequently the case that Mr. A. was out of provisions, and, having undergone the bitter experience of want, his heart melted toward Mr. X., whose ox team had just arrived from the far east, and immediately lights his cob pipe and saun- ters over to the place where the latter is encamped and inquires if there is anything he can do for him. X., in the course of a few years, gets comfort- ably fixed, and when Mr. W. arrives from Indiana he remembers the kind- ness of Mr. A., and, prompted by that philanthropy which is common to humanity, when humanity is called upon to assert itself, Mr. X. calls upon Mr. W. and renders all the encouragement and help he can. And thus was laid the foundation of a friendship, which, by the force of circumstances was strengthened from year to year. A., X. and W. are practically com- munists, for what one has that has the other also. They grind their coffee in the same mnill, hull their corn on the same hominy-block, and when the new man with money attempts to jump A.'s claim, X. and W. are on hand with the tar and feathers. In future years, when by rigid economy, indus- try and patience, each is comfortably fixed and surrounded with all the lux- uries of life, we would naturally expect to find a close bond of union between them, and while there is no vain show of friendship, no hypocritical display of attachment, yet the tie remains unbroken and is strengthened by age. When A. dies and is buried in the old graveyard the bond of friendship be- comes still more binding on the two remaining members of this confeder- acy. And thus, as time goes on, the early settlers of the county become more closely united, and thus it is that during recent years in many coun- ties have been formed Old Settlers' societies,
On the 26th of February, 1868, early settlers of Polk county to the num- ber of twenty-five, met at the city council rooms in Des Moines for the purpose of forming a permanent association. The ostensible object of the association was to perfect and preserve a record of the names of the first settlers, and also to prepare a record of some of the most interesting inci- dents which transpired at an early time.
Isaac Cooper was called to the chair and Peter Myers was appointed sec- retary.
On motion a committee of five was appointed to draft a constitution. The following named gentlemen composed the committee: Demas Robin- son, J. A. Nash, J. M. Griffith, G. W. Cleveland and Hoyt Sherman.
Hon. George G. Wright and Dr. J. A. Nash were appointed a commit- tee to prepare a biographical sketch of Dr. T. K. Brooks, then recently de- ceased. The biographical sketch prepared by the committee in accordance with this plan, appears in another part of this work. .
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
The old settlers then present agreed to attend the funeral of Dr. Brooks, in a body, and to wear the customary badge of mourning as a mark of re- spect for the deceased.
The next meeting of the association was held on the 2d of March, 1868. The committee on preparation of constitution submitted a report, which. was adopted.
The following named persons paid each one dollar to Hoyt Sherman, the. treasurer pro tem:
W. W. Williamson, Isaac Cooper, J. M. Griffith, J. A. Nash, H. Grif . fith, P. M. Casady, David Morris, F. Nagle, Thomas Boyd, J. S. Cook, John Hayes, R. L. Tidrick, C. S. Spofford, S. F. Spofford, Madison Young, R. W. Sypher, Ezra Rathbun, William Baker, Thomas McMullen, W. A. Galbraith, G. W. Cleveland, William Deford, Hoyt Sherman, Mrs. M. K. Sypher, J. B. Bausman, P. Myers, H. H. Saylor, R. P. Peters, Mrs. S. F. Spofford, Thomas Mitchell, Thompson Bird, and J. C. Jordan. These thirty-two names represented some of the earliest and most influential set- tlers of the county and formed a nucleus around which gathered in a few months a majority of the old settlers then living. The following is a copy of the constitution adopted:
"PREAMBLE
"WHEREAS, The repeated providences which have called away some of the first settlers of Polk county admonishing us that the whole number will soon be gone; and whereas the most interesting and important items of early history are recorded only in the memories of the early settlers, and unless gathered up and written soon will be lost forever, therefore,
"Resolved, That we, the settlers of Polk county previous to the first of January, 1856, and now present, do form a brotherhood of the early settlers of Polk county, Iowa, and in furtherance of this project now adopt the fol- lowing constitution:
"ARTICLE I.
"This brotherhood shall be called The Association of Early Settlers of Polk county.
"ARTICLE II.
"The officers shall be a President, ten Vice-Presidents, Recording Secre- tary, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer.
"ARTICLE III.
"SECTION 1. The President shall preside at the meetings of the Association, preserve order, and in case of an equal division upon any question, give the deciding vote. He shall call special meetings of the Association when necessary, and also when required to do so by five members.
"SEC. 2. In case of the absence of the President the senior Vice-Presi- dent shall perform his duties.
"SEC. 3. The Recording Secretary of the Association shall keep a true record of its proceedings, and shall keep a register called the Early Set- tlers' Register, and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him.
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
"SEC. 4. The Corresponding Secretary shall receive and read to the As- sociation and answer all communications addressed to it; and shall also perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him.
"SEC. 5. The Treasurer shall have charge of the finances of the Associa- tion, and collect and disburse all moneys, and render an account on the expiration of his term of office, and hand over all money, books and papers to his successor.
"SEC. 6. The officers who shall be elected at this meeting shall hold their respective offices until the term set for the annual meeting, which shall be on the day and month of the extinction of the Indian title in Polk county. All officers to be thereafter elected annually by ballot, or in such manner as the Association shall direct.
"ARTICLE IV.
"SECTION 1. After each annual election the President shall appoint an exec- utive committee, consisting of five members, whose duty it shall be to pro- vide for the annual festival, and the committee shall take charge of and regulate all matters pertaining thereto.
"SEC. 2. The President shall at the same time appoint a committee of three members, whose duty it shall be to select a suitable person to deliver an address before the Association on the day of the next preceeding annual festival.
"ARTICLE V.
"SECTION 1. All persons now resident of Polk county, and who have been residents of said county prior to January 1st, 1856, or who married persons who were residents as above, are eligible to membership.
"SEC. 2. Names of persons proposed for admission shall be handed in in writing, and be announced to the Association, whereupon the President shall appoint a committee of three members to examine into the qualifica- tion of the applicant, which committee shall report at the same meeting if possible. If such report be favorable the Association shall vote upon the question of his admission, and the applicant shall be rejected if one-third of the members shall vote against him.
"SEC. 3. Every member shall sign this constitution and pay to the treasurer one dollar at the time of doing so, and one dollar annually there- after, and such assessments as may from time to time be made.
" SEC. 4. All persons who were residents of Polk county on or before Jan. 1, 1856, and who have since been residents of other parts of the State may be elected honorary members in the same way already provided for the election of members.
"SEC. 5. All persons who have been residents of Polk county for fifteen years shall be eligible to membership on the terms as mentioned in article V, Sec. 3.
" ARTICLE VI.
" Any member may be expelled for such cause as two-thirds of the mem- bers present may deem sufficient.
" ARTICLE VII.
"SECTION 1. There shall be an annual festival of the society to be held in
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
Des Moines on the 12th of October each year during the continuance of the society. If the day above fixed shall fall on Sunday the festival shall occur on the Saturday previous or the Monday following as the committee may determine.
"SEC. 2. Every member and honorary member, and the wives of such, and the widows of pioneer settlers are entitled to be present at the festival, and no other persons are so entitled except on vote of the society. Any member may bring a daughter or other female relative in lieu of his wife. "SEC. 3. There shall be an annual public address before the association on the day of the festival to be delivered by such person as may be selected by the committee appointed for that purpose.
"ARTICLE VIII.
". "SECTION 1. The President shall appoint a standing committee of one from each township in the county to report to the Recording Secretary the names of old settlers who have died or left the county and to gather incidents and reminiscences connected with the early settlement of the county to be entered on the records of the society.
"SEC. 2. The Corresponding Secretary shall address kindred societies in this and adjoining States, giving particulars of the proceedings at the annual festivals, and soliciting replies of the same nature to be read at the next festival.
"SEC. 3. Whenever practicable the members of this society shall attend in a body the funeral of any deceased inember and as a token of respect wear the usual badge of mourning.
"SEC. 4. The Recording Secretary shall provide a book known as the ‘ Pioneer Register,' in which shall be registered the name, age, nativity, occupation, settlement and death of each member when death shall occur, and he shall also as far as may be in regard to such pioneer settlers as have deceased or become non-residents.
"SEC. 5. The constitution shall not be amended except by an affirmative . vote of three-fourths of all the members of the association present, and unless said proposition for amendment shall have been before the society in writing at least at one meeting previous to any action upon it.
"SEC. 6. It shall be the duty of every member to furnish within six months from the time of his admission a brief memoir of his life, jottings down of his personal experience in pioneer life and other matters pertinent to the object of the association, which memoir shall be delivered to the Recording Secretary and be by him filed away as the property of the asso- ciation."
The first officers of the association were as follows: President, Thomas Mitchell; Vice-Presidents, Isaac Cooper, John Hughes, J. D. McGlothlen, Peter Newcomer, J. C. Jordan, Thompson Bird, F. Nagle, H. H. Saylor, Thomas McMullen, Benjamin F. Frederick; Recording Secretary, R. L. Tidrick; Corresponding Secretary, Hoyt Sherman; Treasurer, B. F. Allen.
At the meeting before referred to, in March, 1868, it was decided to hold a festival during the last week of that month. A committee of arrange- ments for that purpose was appointed consisting of P. M. Casady, G. W. Cleveland, S. F. Spofford, F. Nagle, and R. W. Sypher.
A committee of three consisting of R. L. Tidrick, W. W. Williamson
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
and Madison Young, was appointed to secure a suitable person to deliver an address on the day of the festival.
A committee of one from each township whose duty it was to report names of old settlers who had deceased or removed from the county. The committee consisted of the following:
F. Nagle, Saylor township; George Beebe, Madison; J. D. McLain, Jefferson; W. R. Close, Valley; J. C. Jordan, Walnut; Ezra Rathbun, Des Moines; James Smith, Bloomfield; J. D. McGlothlen, Allen; M. McCall, Camp; Eli Trulinger, Beaver; B. F. Frederick, Four Mile; S. M. Dyer, Delaware; Wm. Justice, Douglas; J. K. Hobaugh, Washington; J. H. Gray, Elkhart; B. F. Birge, Franklin; J. M. Griffith, Lee.
The objects contemplated by the appointment of this committee could not be accomplished without considerable labor and some expense; it was also necessary that the committee act systematically and in harmony. It is needless to state that these very laudable and desirable objects were but partially obtained; but what was done in that direction has afforded the writer much useful and authentic information.
The festival was not held in March, as at first contemplated, but in the following October. It was held on Capitol Square. The programme was as follows :
Prayer, by Rev. Mr. DeForest.
Oration, by Dr. J. A. Nash.
Paper, by J. M. Thrift.
Picnic dinner, of which about four hundred guests partook. After din- ner there were toasts and responses and incidents related. New members joined the association, swelling the number to one hundred and fifty-six. The officers elected were: President, Thomas Mitchell; Recording. Secre- tary, R. L. Tidrick; Corresponding Secretary, Hoyt Sherman; Treasurer, B. F. Allen.
The second annual festival was held in October, 1869. Among the records of the association we find the following account of it:
"Be it remembered that on this, Saturday, the second day of October, 1869, the society of early settlers met at the capitol square in the city of Des Moines, and held their annual festival. This has been the rainy sea- son; continued raining every few days from May to the first of the month. On first day of this month it rained all day, and the rivers are very high. Both Court Avenue and Walnut street bridges gone out, and the river has to be crossed by ferry boat. The society went to-day to the depot of the C., R. I. & P. R. R. and were taken across the river and returned in the cars of the said road. Owing to the rains of the day previous and very bad roads, worse than ever known before, there were very few out, except from the city and near by. The day was clear and pleasant, and we had a pleasant meeting. Toasts and responses and basket dinner."
The following officers were elected for ensuing year: President, Thomas Mitchell; Recording Secretary, R. L. Tidrick; Corresponding Secretary, Hoyt Sherman; Treasurer, B. F. Allen.
The third annual festival was held at Capitol Square September 10, 1870. After the exercises the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Thomas Mitchell; Recording Secretary R. L. Tidrick; Corresponding Secretary, Hoyt Sherman; Treasurer, B. F. Allen.
The fourth annual festival was held Sept. 16, 1871, at the Driving Park Association grounds, at which time the following officers were elected for
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D.JUSTICE (DECEASED)
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
the ensuing year: President, Thomas Mitchell; Recording Secretary, R. L. Tidrick; Corresponding Secretary, Hoyt Sherman; Treasurer, B. F. Allen.
There appears to have been no annual festival in 1872. In 1873 the fes- tival was held at the grounds of the Driving Park Association, when the same corps of officers were re-elected. Since that time there have been no annual festivals, and the interest of the members has gradually diminished. There has been no record made on the books of the Association since 1873, and we are led to suppose that there has been no formal business meeting since that time. A few of the members, however, still assemble on the sad occasions when death takes away one of their number, as will be seen by the following notice recently published in the Register:
" Funeral Notice-The ' Old Settlers' are requested to meet at Bush's drug store on Monday afternoon, at half-past one o'clock, for the purpose of attending the funeral of the late Mrs. Celia Smith, from the residence of Mrs. Saylor, on High street.
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