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 78

Author: Union Historical Company, Des Moines, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Des Moines, Iowa : Union Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1074

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 78

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The first election was held on March 3d, 1871, at which time the follow- ing officers were elected:

Trustees-S. C. Beals, Peter Berggeiberg and Hector Mason.

Clerk-R. S. McConnell.

Assessor-E. W. Van Gundy.

The first official meeting of the township board was held at a school-house in district number five.

This was the first school-house erected in the township, and was built by Mr. Hardaroy.

There are no school subdistricts in this township, as there is no district township. There are nine school districts, all independent. During the year 1857 there was the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars raised for school purposes by taxation; this, together with the semi-annual apportion- ment of public school money, was sufficient for all the demands.

The equalized valuation of all the real estate in the township in 1879 was $242,188. The personalty returned by the assessor was valued at $57,- 037.

There are in the township nine road districts, and the tax levied for the improvement of roads amounted to five mills on the dollar, four of which might be paid in labor and one in cash.

The present officers of the township are as follows:

Trustees-S. C. Beals, David Maunch and John Hamminson.

Clerk-James Rappley.

Assessor-Frederick Maz.

The first settlements in the township were made chiefly by emigrants from Sweden, the population of the township yet being largely composed of people of that nationality.

The first improvements were made on sections two, thirty, thirty-one and thirty-two.

The first school-house was erected in the southwest quarter of section fourteen, and was afterward removed to district number five. The school- houses are now located as follows:

Number one in the southeast corner of section two; number two in the southwest corner of section three, near to and on the east side of Four Mile Creek; number four in the northeast corner of section nineteen, about one mile northeast of Ulm Station; number five in the northwest corner of section . twenty-two, one mile west of Four Mile Creek; number seven in the north- west corner of section thirty-one; number eight in the southeast corner of section twenty-eight; number six in the southwest corner of section thir- teen.

There are two churches; one located in the northeast corner of section eight, and one in the west part of section thirty-one.

The Evangelist Lutheran Church was organized in 1876. The three most prominent members of the first organization were Peter Johnson, O. Hal- varson, and T. Hervey. A frame church edifice was erected in 1876 at a

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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

cost of fourteen hundred dollars. The church was at first erected on the northeast quarter of section eight, and in 1878 was removed to Sheldahl.

The Lincoln township cemetery was laid out in August, 1878. It is located twenty chains north of the southeast corner of section twenty-eight. The trustees of the cemetery when first laid out were J. C. Beals, David Maunch and Lars Thompson.

Four Mile Creek flows entirely across the township, a little east of south, and somewhat east of the center of the township. With the exception of some scattering timber along Four Mile Creek, the township consists of an unbroken, undulating prairie. The surface is rather too level, but the soil is of great fertility, and when well cultivated produces abundant crops of cereals of all kinds, especially corn. Grasses also grow with great luxuri- ance, and stock-raising is followed with considerable success.

PALMER POST-OFFICE,

named in honor of a former member of Congress from this district, is located near the center of the township, about one mile west of Four Mile Creek, in the east part of section twenty-one.

ULM STATION

is on the Des Moines & Minnesota Railway, in section nineteen, at the ex- treme western limits of the township.

SHELDAHL

is the great Swedish town of Central Iowa, and although it is but about five years old, is growing so rapidly as to be a place of considerable import- ance. The larger part of the town is situated in Lincoln township, Polk county, but Story county and Boone county also claim a portion of it. It was laid out by J. S. Polk, of Des Moines, in October, 1874. That part of it in Polk county is situated on the northwest quarter of section six, town- ship eighty-one, of range twenty-four. It is one of the best way stations for the shipment of grain and stock on the line of the Des Moines & Min- nesota Railroad, and there is probably not a town in Central Iowa which has displayed more enterprise or enjoyed greater prosperity during the past year than this one.

As before remarked, the town is almost exclusively Swedish in its ante- cedents and characteristics, and the representatives of this nationality in Iowa are beginning to recognize its importance. It is now contem plated to locate a Swedish institution of learning at this point.

ELKHART TOWNSHIP.

This civil township corresponds with congressioual township number eighty-one, of range twenty-three. It was originally a part of Skunk town- ship which included the northeast quarter of the county. Skunk township gradually lost one portion of its territory after another until it was finally used up, and a number of new townships, less in extent of territory, greater in wealth and population, and known by names much more pleasing to the refined ear, appeared in its stead. Among these was Elkhart, which was orginized during the summer of 1851.

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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

It was about the last official business which the old Board of County Commissioners transacted, to subdivide the county into new townships, and the wisdom of their action is demonstrated in the fact that those outlines became the basis of all future action in that direction.

The settlement of this township begins in the spring of 1846, when J. C. Cory came from Indiana and settled there and may be recorded as the first to settle within its limits on section thirty-six. He met Jno. Fisher at Iowa City who accompanied him but took his claim in Douglas town- ship. That following fall I. W. Cory came, and among the early settlers were W. K. Woods, Abe Byers, Jerry Cory, Jr. and Sr., Lemuel Venamon and family and a little later S. C. Miller, C. W. Gurnea, who laid out the town of Ottawa in that township, James A. Woods, L. T. Fowler, John Delawyer, A. S. Wood and James Hutton. The first election or official meet- ing was held at a large rock that is now within the present limits of Douglas township in the northeast corner. At that time the townships were not laid out. This was in 1848, and there were but few present. The next meet- ing was held at the house of Jerry Cory, Jr. J. W. Cory was elected jus- tice of the peace. The first child born was a daughter of Jerry Cory, May 27, 1849. The first death was a little daughter of J. W. Cory in 1846. The first physician was Dr. Jessup. The first marriage was J. B. Cory to Sarah Smith. The first preacher was Jerry Cory. The first school building was made of logs, on section thirty-six of this township. The first teacher, King Fisher. The township was named by Jerry Cory for the county he came from in Indiana. This township contains more flat land than any other one in the county. The only timber is in two groves, one called White Oak and the other Cory's Grove; part of it is yet poorly improved, but at the same time there are many good and well improved farms within its limits. Ohio, Indiana and the Northern States are well represented among the settlers, and also Norway.

Mr Gurnea was, for a number of years, a member of the Board of Super- visors, he having first been elected when the township system went into effect. Lavish Grove, one of the first settlements in the north part of the county, is in the southwest part of the township; it was named after Michael Lavish, one of the first settlers in that region.

White Oak grove is located north and west from Lavish grove. It is at head waters of a little creek of the same name which rises in section seven- teen, and flows northwest into the Skunk river. Cory's grove is a beau- tiful and extensive belt of timber south of the center of the township; through this timber flows a little stream called Swan Creek. At the north- east limits of this grove the creek spreads out and forms, especially during the rainy season, a small lake which is known as Swan Lake. This grove spoken of was named in honor of Rev. Mr. Cory, who settled there at a very early day. In the extreme southeast corner of the township is another small stream called Byer's Creek, which flows northwest and empties into the Skunk river. There is also considerable timber along the banks of this. stream.

The surface of this township is more diversified than that of either of the townships which border upon it. Skunk river passes diagonally across it, and the presence of this river always indicates deep gorges and high bluffs. The river enters the township from the north and passes almost directly south through section three; it then makes an abrupt turn to the east and flows almost directly east till it reaches the southeast corner of section two, when

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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

it turns to the southward, and its course, during the remainder of the dis- tance through the township, is southwest. It leaves the township at the southwest corner of section twenty-five; but a small portion of the town- ship lies east of the river, and that, with the exception of two sections, is somewhat broken, and covered with timber. The north part of the terri- tory west of the Skunk river and a large extent of country in the southwest equal to about one-fourth of the township is a beatiful prairie and is becom- ing well settled and adorned by extensive improvements.

ELKHART

was laid out by J. W. Cory in October, 1853. It was located on section 2, township 80, of range 23. This town was laid out a little south of the limits of Elkhart township as now constituted. There are no vestiges of this little town now remaining, except Elkhart post-office which was many years ago moved about a mile and a half further north and located in the town of Ottawa.

OTTAWA.

was laid out in 1856 by James H. Gray and Aaron Hartsinger. It is lo- cated on sections 26, 34 and 35, in township 81, of range 23. This town was a place of considerable importance years ago, it being located on an important mail route leading west through Peoria City. Many years ago Ottawa was described as being a town containing a hotel, post-office, black- smith shop and a mill, owned and operated by one McClarey. The de- scription of Ottawa twenty years ago would be a good description of it to- day, except, probably, that some of the houses may have fallen down and been replaced by new ones. It seems to be a law of municipal growth in the western country that railroads and towns go together. There may be some exceptions, but they are by no means numerous.

Over half of the land in this township is under cultivation.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

This township lies in the northeast corner of the county and corres- ponds with congressional township 81, of range 22. This was also origi- nally a part of Skunk township, and then was a part of Elkhart. During the early part of the year 1856 the County Judge ordered the organization of a new civil township out of the congressional township 81, of range 22, and appointed John K. Hobaugh as constable to attend the preliminary work of organization. Peoria City, which had already been laid out, was designated as the place for holding the first election.

The election was held on the 3d day of March, 1856. David Randall, Aaron Pearson and George Hobaugh were elected trustees.

D. G. Merrihew was elected clerk.

John B. Elliott was elected clerk.

The first official meetings of the township board were held at Peoria City.

At the time the township was first organized the county was but sparsely settled, the improvements being chiefly confined to the northeast portions of the township, where the first settlements were made in 1852. At that time Aaron Pearson, Elkanah Pearson and Abel Pearson settled on sec-

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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

tions 2 and 12, on the east side of Indian Creek. They were from Henry county, Indiana, and came in June.

John K. Hobaugh came in 1853, and located on section 1, in the ex- treme northeastern part of the county. He was born in Logan county, Ohio, in the year 1820. At the age of fifteen years he was apprenticed to a shoemaker, and after having learned the trade followed it on his own ac- count till the year 1845, when he removed to Indiana and engaged in farming. In 1853 he emigrated to Iowa, and located on section 1, where he still resides. He was elected justice of the peace when Washington township was organized in 1856, and held the office for five years, when he resigned because the duties of the office conflicted with his business. He was elected from Washington township as a member of the Board of County Commissioners in 1862, and held that office for two years. In 1863 he was elected school treasurer, and held that office for six years. Mr. Hobaugh has been one of the most prominent citizens of the Indian Creek country from the very first.

G. W. Hobaugh settled in section 1, in 1853; he was also from Indiana, Grant county.

In 1854 James Randal and David Randal, from La Grange county, In- diana, located on section 10.

The first marriage in that neighborhood was that of Isaac N. Alderman to Elizabeth Pearson in 1853. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Mr. Cory at the house of Aaron Pearson. The first birth was that of Sarah Jane Alderman, daughter of Isaac N. Alderman and Elizabeth Alderman, the first couple married there. The first deaths were those of Zenas Pear- son in September, 1853, and G. W. Hobaugh in October, 1856. They were buried in section 2, where a cemetery had been laid out in 1853, which is still used for burial purposes. Seth Pearson died in 1856, and was also buried in this cemetery.

In January, 1854, John K. Hobaugh went to Keokuk with three teams and brought back three loads of dry goods and groceries, and sold them out on section 1, township 81, of range 22. This was the first attempt at merchandizing in the township.

A saw mill was erected on Indian Creek, in section 12, during the year 1855.

There is one district township composed of the entire civil township which is subdivided into eight subdistricts.

The total valuation of the real estate of the township as returned by the assessor last year was $201,750, and that of the personalty was $71,065.

There are eight road districts and there was a levy of five mills on the dol- lar for road purposes; the whole amount realized for this purpose last year was $1,364.07.

The present township officers are as follows:

Trustees-Simeon Bell, Thos. Stilwell and John Kopp.

Assessor-Charles Zilm.

Justices of the Peace-Elkanah Pearson and J. R. Myers.

Clerk-Asaph A. Knowlton.

PEORIA CITY

is located on the northwest quarter of section one and the northeast quarter of section two. It was laid out in June, 1856, by John K. Hobaugh and

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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

Aaron Pearson. This village bounds on the Story county line, and was laid out at the time settlements were first made in that part of the county. Mr. J. K. Hobaugh with a number of his relations were the first residents of the place. From the fact that Peoria City had a population of two hun- dred, two years after it was first laid out, shows that the settlement of that part of the county was very rapid.

Dr. John W. Rawls, from DeKalb county, Indiana, located in that neigh- borhood in June, 1854; he was the first physician who located there. In the spring of 1861 Dr. Rawls returned to Indiana.

Religious services were held at the house of Aaron Pearson in 1853, conducted by Dr. Jessup of the Christian Church.

The northeast corner of this township is traversed by Indian Creek, while Skunk river cuts of the southwest corner. With the exception of narrow belts of timber along these two streams, the township is an unbroken prairie; the surface is undulating and the elevation of the land is proba- bly greater than any other portion in the north tier of townships. The large body of rich alluvial farm land, lying between Indian Creek and Skunk river, is rapidly filling up with a thrifty class of farmers. Stock raising is engaged in very extensively, and this portion of the county is famous for the number and quality of stock annually shipped to the eastern markets.

SAYLOR TOWNSHIP.

This township was one of the first of the county to be organized, in fact, it was one of the first voting precincts prior to the organization of any civil township.

As at present constituted it is composed of that part of the congressional township number seventy-nine, of range twenty-four, which lies east of the Des Moines river. The present township of Saylor does not at all corres- pond with the township, as at first formed. When it was originally formed in 1847, it was made up of that part of congressional township number seventy-nine, of range twenty-four, which lay east of the Des Moines river, and the south half of congressional township eighty, of range twenty-four. In 1870 the people who resided in the south part of the township, petitioned the Board of Supervisors as follows.

" We the undersigned, legal voters, residing within that part of congres- sional township number seventy-nine, range twenty-four, east of the Des Moines river, respectfully ask that that said territory be made and consti- tuted a separate civil township, and called Lincoln."

The Supervisors granted the prayer of the petitioners and ordered the or- ganizing election to take place on January 1, 1871. This would have left the north half of congressional township number eighty, of range twenty- four with the old organization and name; but at a subsequent meeting of the Supervisors it was ordered that the south half retain the old name and that the north part, together with some territory from Madison township, be formed into a new township to be called Crocker, and the name Lincoln was given to a new township organized further north. This arrangement was doubtless made in order that the name Saylor might continue to be ap- plied to the township which contained the original claim of John B. Saylor, the gentleman for whom the township was named.

. As at present constituted Saylor township contains somewhat more than one-half a congressional township.

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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

The Des Moines river forms the western boundary of the township, and from this reason the west boundary line is a very irregular one.

Saylor Creek rises in the south part of Crocker township and flowing in an almost direct southern direction, about midway the township, empties into the Des Moines river near the northeast corner of section twenty-one. About one mile from the east boundary of the township is a small body of water, called Canary Lake; this is the source of a small stream which flows west and empties into Saylor Creek near the point of its affluence with the Des Moines. The stream is called Dailey's run.

· A large portion of this township was originally timber land, large quan- tities of this timber still remaining in its primitive grandeur. The surface of the country is considerably broken, and in the location of the roads there seems to have been little effort to follow the section lines.

As an agricultural country this township is vastly inferior to many others in the county, but although in this one item of material resource the town- ship is inferior, the lack is fully made up by the variety of material re- sources.

Coal has been mined to a considerable extent, and that portion of the soil which is not suitable for cultivation affords the best of facilities for grazing. Several years ago it was reported that oil wells had been discov- ered within the bounds of this township, and the excitement occasioned by the prospect of this new source of wealth was very intense. In a short time the excitement subsided, and of late years nothing more is heard of the Polk county oil wells.

The county farm, insane hospital, and poor-house, are located in this township. The farm originally belonged to John Yost; it consisted of one hundred and twenty acres, and was bought by the county for four thousand dollars. An adjoining tract of land was subsequently bought consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, thus making the farm to consist of two hun- dred and sixty acres. The farm is pleasantly located, and since it has be- come the property of the county has been put under an admirable state of cultivation. It is well adapted to the benevolent purposes for which it was bought.

The Des Moines & Minnesota Railroad enters this township at the ex- treme southwest corner, and after making an abrupt curve to the east, follows a course almost directly north, passing through the east tier of sec- tions.

SAYLOR STATION

is the only shipping point along the line of the railroad in this township; it is located on section twelve, about two miles southeast of the old town of Saylorville.

SAYLORVILLE

was laid out by John B. Saylor in 1850. The town was located in the center of section three; a new town was laid out by Mr. Saylor in 1855, adjoining the old town, and called New Saylorville. On account of the location of the railroad some two miles east, and the establishment of a station, the town of Saylorville has been going back during the past few years.

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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

METHODIST CHURCH.

A class was organized in 1848, of which Elijah Crawford was the leader. Among the early Methodist pioneers were John B. Saylor and John Cree; prayer meetings were held for years in the cabin of the former. A little later Hamilton Cree and his two sons, J. M. and S. W. Cree, were instru- mental in sustaining a church organization. James O'Bleness, J. W. Scholey, Wm. Birch, David Mckibben, J. C. Gregg, and others now living in Crocker township, were zealous christians in those early days. A church was erected in Saylorville in 1858, each member of the organization doing his share of the work, and is yet a standing monument of their energy and skill.

The organization is still kept up, but not with the zeal of early days, for modern ideas have crept in and destroyed a part of individual effort which was so characteristic of early Methodism. Not one mentioned above is now living in the township; all have moved away or gone to reap their reward, which awaited them in the beyond.

WALNUT TOWNSHIP.

This township lies north of the Raccoon river, and extends from the west boundary of the county to within about a mile of the limits of the city of Des Moines. In addition to the Raccoon river, which forms its southern boundary, it is traversed by Walnut Creek. The two branches, Walnut Creek proper and Little Walnut, form a junction about a mile and a half from the north boundary. Jordan Creek is a small stream, entirely within the bounds of the township, and flows in a southeastern direction and emp- ties into the Raccoon in section fifteen.

The township was at first a part of Des Moines township and continued to be a part of it until March, 1860, when it was organized into a separate township. Jefferson township at that time extended much further south than at present, and the county court was petitioned to attach to Des Moines that portion which lay south of the north line of congressional township number seventy-nine, and that after said portion of Jefferson should have been attached to Des Moines, the court divide Des Moines into three new townships. The petition was granted, and one of these new townships was Walnut.

When first formed it was much larger in extent than at present, as it in- cluded within its bounds the whole of the present township of Webster. Joseph H. Mott was appointed constable for the purpose of organizing the township, and Mott's school-house was designated as the place for holding the first election. In June, 1878, the original township of Walnut was di- vided, and Webster township was formed.

As at present constituted, it extends from Raccoon river, on the south, to a line running due east from northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section thirty, township seventy-nine of range twenty-five. It now is somewhat less than a congressional township.

The first settlers who were actual residents were B. F. Jesse and Samuel Shaw, from Clay county, Missouri, in the Spring of 1846, and John Jordan at the same time from Platte county, Missouri. Hon. J. C. Jordan came in the early fall of the same year, also from Platte county, Missouri. Another, who at this early day was living on his claim, was Jacob Lyons,

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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.

whose place was what is now known as the Crow farm, on Walnut Creek. He came from Indiana, and has since removed with B. F. Jesse and J. Jor- dan, to Oregon.

Hon. J. C. Jordan located a claim near the west part of the county, be- tween Raccoon and Walnut. His claim was in section sixteen, township seventy-eight, range twenty-five. The lumber which he used in the erection of his house he procured at the Parmelee mill. Mr. Jordan in the course of time acquired considerable property and the reputation of being one of the first citizens of the county. His rude cabin, constructed of logs and green boards, has long since been replaced by a commodious and elegant residence. For some time after locating on his claim, Mr. Jordan's nearest neighbors were in Dallas county. A Methodist preacher by the name of Raynor preached in Mr. Jordan's house as early as 1849.

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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 78

Author: Union Historical Company, Des Moines, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Des Moines, Iowa : Union Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1074

Author: Union Historical Company, Des Moines, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Des Moines, Iowa : Union Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1074