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 80
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The whites now became fully convinced that they were the victims of conspiracies to scare them away from their homes, and should they fail in this then they no doubt would resort to murder and plunder. But the
656
HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
vigilance and strict discipline combined with a cool determination to make the best of their situation, was the only thing to which they could at- tribute their deliverance. The Indians were then ordered by Captain J. W. Corey to depart from the camp, and from the manner in which he issued his command they fully understood what the result would be should they remain, so it was but a short time before the whole party were on their march to other quarters, taking with them the nearly lifeless body of Aunt Sarah, who lingered a few months and then died near what is now Four Mile township, where they encamped. Indian Mike made his escape.
The first election in this township was held in 1858, at which time the following officers were elected:
Trustees-Wm. Mathis, W. G. Madden, John Fisher.
Clerk-John S. Thornton.
Assessor-George Young.
The first meeting of the township board was held at the house of James Mathis.
The value of the real estate of the township as returned at the last assess- ment was two hundred and fifty-five thousand four hundred and thirty dol- lars; that of the personal property was sixty-six thousand six hundred and thirty dollars.
The present township officers are as follows:
Trustees-J. M. T. Cory, P. P. Surnstein, H. W. Clay. Clerk-L. Ladd.
Assessor-C. W. Dodds.
Justices of the Peace-J. W. Lee, C. Madden.
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.
This township is six miles square and corresponds with congressional township number eight, range twenty-two. Skunk river crosses the town- ship in a southwestern direction; it enters the township near the north- west corner of section three, and leaves it at the east side near the southeast corner of section twenty-four. About one-third of the township was orig- inally covered with timber, and owing to this fact, was a favorite part of the county at the time of the first settlement.
Trulinger's Grove, located in the south, and Lavish's Grove in the north were named respectively in honor of Eli Trulinger and Michael Lavish, two of the first settlers of the township. This township was originally a part of Skunk township, and became a separate organization in 1856.
The following is the official record of the court ordering the organiza- tion of the township:
Whereas, At the March term of the county court of Polk county, held at Fort Des Moines during the first week of March. 1856, the courts having become satisfied from the representations of the citizens of the congressional township number eighty, north of range twenty-two, west of the fifth principal meridian, that the interests of said township required that said congressional township should be organized for election, revenue and judicial pur- poses ;
Therefore ordered, That said congressional township and all the territory lying within the bounds of the same, shall be so organized, and be known and hailed by the name of Frank- lin.
And further ordered, That Moses McClary be, and hereby is, appointed constable for the purpose of giving notice of elections in the aforesaid township of Franklin. The first elec- tion shall be held at the house of Henry Jennings.
657
HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
This Henry Jennings, together with Ezekiel Jennings, Nathan Webb and Joseph Jones, was among the first settlers of the township. The first settlements were made during the year 1846. B. H. Woodward, John H. Robinson and Benjamin Robinson were also early settlers.
Franklin township is generally improved and thickly settled. The soil is fertile and generally well cultivated. In material prosperity it is rather above the average.
The following was the value of the personal property of the township as reported by the township assessor for 1880.
ARTICLES.
Number.
Value.
Horses
496|$ 23,975
Mules
41
2,798
Cattle.
1,608
25,485
Sheep
147
240
Swine. .
2,131
5,207
Vehicles.
47
1,238
Money and credits
8,950
Furniture
300
Other items
1,480
Total
4,470 $ 69,673
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.
In October, 1850, on the petition of Stephen Harvey, Lewis F. Randolph and others, it was ordered by the county court that a new township be or- ganized with the following boundaries, to-wit:
Townships number 79, of range 23, and sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 of township 80, range 23, and was named by L. S. Case, in honor of his native town and county in Ohio.
Two changes have been made in the boundaries of this township since its organization. The first change was made in 1858, when the township of Douglas was organized by which it lost all that part of its original terri- tory belonging to congressional township eighty. As constituted after the formation of Douglas township it consisted of one entire congressional township.
In 1878 Clay township was formed, and it again lost a strip two miles wide, running the entire length of the township. It is now six miles long and four miles wide, or just half as large as it was when first organized.
Four Mile Creek traverses the township from north to south about mid- way between the east and west boundary lines. The township is therefore well watered, and the belt of timber which skirts the banks of the stream has aided much in the development of the country. A small stream or tributary of Four Mile enters the township from the northeast, and empties into that stream in the north part of section seven. Except in the south part of the township the timber and broken land bordering along Four Mile is nowhere more than a quarter of a mile in width; the remainder of
658
HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
the land in the township is a beautiful rolling prairie, and consists of some of the choicest farms in the county.
Two railroads, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and the Keokuk & Des Moines, cross the southeastern corner of the township. Immediately on the line between this township and Clay is the station called Oakwood.
Saylor Station, on the Des Moines & Minnesota Railroad, and Altoona, on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific road, are both of easy access.
There are six school districts in the township, and the school-houses are located as follows:
Number 1 in the northwest corner of section 10; number 2 in the north- west corner of section 8; number 3 in the northwest corner of section 20; number 4 in the south part of section 15; number 5 in the northeast cor- ner of section 31; number 6 in the northeast corner of section 33.
The arrangement of road districts is the same as that of the school dis- tricts, and with one exception, the road leading directly to Des Moines, the public highways are parallel with the section lines.
The first election was held April 7, 1851, at which time the following officers were elected:
Trustees-George Ogilvie, Isaac Cooper, Frederick E. Elliott.
Clerk-Stephen Harvey, Sr.
Justices of the Peace-I. Cooper and L. S. Case.
The first assessor was elected in 1853; L. S. Case had the honor of being the first person elevated to the dignity and emoluments of that office.
The first official meetings of the board were held at the house of Isaac Cooper, section 21.
The first school-house was built in district number 4, which was at that time known as district number 2.
There are in the township six road districts, and last year there was lev- ied a road tax of three mills on the dollar.
The present township officers are as follows:
Trustees-S. S. Jones, Fred Powell, D. N. Chaffee.
Justices of the Peace-George Pears and S. D. Johnson.
Clerk-W. W. Acheson.
Assessor-G. W. Shope.
The M. E. Church was organized in 1869. The first members of the or- ganization were S. D. Johnson and family, William Johnson and family, A. J. Reeves and family, William Tomley and family, Mr. Laverty and family. The congregation assembles for public worship in the Tomley school-house, there being no church building. The membership at pres- ent numbers forty.
Union Chapel is a frame church building erected in 1875 at a cost of $2,500. This church is a most remarkable institution in that it has no members and has no debt. There is regular preaching by ministers of all denominations, United Brethren, Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist be- ing the leading ones. In erecting the church building Mr. J. F. Taylor took a leading part, himself contributing $800, and his son giving $300. F. E. Elliott also contributed $300.
The first claim in this township was made by either Isaac Cooper or John Thompson, on or about the first of September, 1845. Isaac Cooper built the first cabin and dug the first well, about the middle of October, the same year. The first prairie was broken by Wm. Cooper, in the spring
659
HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
of 1846, and planted to melons, pumpkins, and sod corn. The former were a great success, but the latter a failure.
The first. threshing machine in the county was brought in by Isaac Cooper, and the first reaper and mower by I. Cooper.
Among other settlers of Delaware township were George Ogilvie, F. Elliott, and L. S. Case and B. Davis, who came to the county in 1847. Stephen Harvey came the following year. He left Shelby county, Indiana, and made the entire journey to Iowa with a four-horse team in nineteen days, arriving in Polk county on the 22d of May, 1848.
The first marriage in this township was that of Archie Wheeler to Nancy Ogilvie.
The first post-office was at the house of Stephen Harvey, and was called Harvey's Point. This office and the one at Thomas Mitchell's were the only ones in the county east of the Des Moines river. The office was re- moved from Mr. Harvey's to Rising Sun in 1854.
I. Cooper & Co. erected the first saw mill, and the first plow made in the county by Buzzard & Fuller was worn out in Delaware township by Stephen Harvey.
The first Methodist Church organized in the township was at the house of S. Harvey, and the first United Brethren Church was organized at the house of Foster Elliott.
The first frame house built in Delaware township was erected in 1852 by Mr. Stephen Harvey.
CLAY TOWNSHIP.
This township was organized in 1878. The following is the record of the county board:
WHEREAS, A petition has been presented to the Board of Supervisors, asking that a new township be created from Delaware and Beaver townships; and,
WHEREAS, It is deemed expedient for the public interest that such change should be made; therefore,
Resolved, That a new township be, and hereby 'is, created from Delaware and Beaver townships, and described as follows:
Beginning at the northwest corner of section 2, township 79, range 23, and running thence east on section line to northeast corner of section 5, township 79, range 22; thence south on section line to southeast corner of section 32, township 79, range 22; thence west on section line to southwest corner of section 35, township 79, range 23; thence north on section line to place of beginning.
The first election was held on the 9th of October, 1878, at which time the following civil officers were elected:
Trustees-T. E. Haynes, G. L. Kennedy and A. H. Hawkins.
Clerk-J. M. Steele.
Assessor-David Cree.
The first official meetings of the township board were held at the office of J. M. Steele, a hardware dealer in the town of Altoona.
The first school-house erected in the bounds of the township was on section 7, and was known as the Woodrow school-house.
There are in the township six school subdistricts, and one, that of Al- toona, independent district.
The real estate of the township is valued at $266,621.02, and the value of the personal property as returned by the assessor last spring $45,380.
There are six road districts, and there was levied last year a tax of three mills per dollar for road purposes, amounting in the aggregate to $936.
660
HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
The present township officers are as follows:
Trustees-T. E. Haynes, Homer Canfield, Robert Jamison. Justices of the Peace-J. H. Woodrow, Ezra Champion. Constable-A. Herrick.
Clerk-Isaiah Grant.
Assessor-B. E. H. Woodrow.
ALTOONA
is located on the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section eighteen, township seventy-nine, of range twenty-two. It is on the line of two different railroads, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and the Keokuk & Des Moines. It was laid out by W. H. Davis, E. M. Davis and D. B. Davis. The town has a population of about four hundred, and all the branches of business usually found in an enterprising and thrifty railroad town are well represented. There are two elevators now in operation and a third one in process of erection, one hotel, one livery stable, drug store, store of general merchandise, restaurant, grocery, lumber yard, agricultural implement store, blacksmith and wagon maker's shops, etc.
The public school building has been erected but for a few years and con- tains four rooms, but two of which are finished. The schools are usually in session during nine months each year. The enrollment last year was one hundred and twenty and the average attendance for the year just past was about eighty. The schools are graded and two teachers are employed.
There are three churches, Methodist, United Brethren and Christian. The latter was organized in July, 1867. The first members of the organiza- tion were Isaac Woodrow, Benjamin Woodrow, Lindsey Carr, A. C. Bon- durant, R. J. Ogden, with their families, numbering in all twenty-six. When the organization was first formed religious services were held at the Woodrow school-house. In 1872 a frame church building was erected in Altoona at a cost of $2,500. The building is 28x52 feet with baptistry and dressing-room.
There is in connection with this church a union Sabbath-school, which was organized May 9, 1869, and first met at the railroad depot. T. E. Haines is superintendent and Miss Emma Bondurant secretary. The mem- bership of the church is 115, of the Sunday-school, 70. The first Sunday- school in this township was organized during the summer of 1864 at the Woodrow school-house. It was kept up till 1870.
The town of Altoona is a neat and healthy place and a most desirable lo- cation as a place of residence for those who enjoy a quiet and orderly com- munity to dwell in, and where the advantages of schools and society are among the best.
As a shipping point Altoona exceeds in importance many towns which are much older and larger. During the year ending June 1st there were shipped from this point over three hundred thousand bushels of corn and one hundred thousand bushels of wheat, while the shipments of fat cattle and hogs were in like proportion. Among other produce shipped we notice one car load of cabbage, three of hay and nineteen of walnut logs.
The two lines of railway enter the township near the southwest corner and pass, in a northeast direction, diagonally across the township as far as Altoona. At the last named place they begin to diverge, the Keokuk road bearing east and leaving the township due east of Altoona; the Chicago
661
HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
road passes on northeast and leaves the township about one mile from the northeast corner. Altoona is very nearly in the geographical center of the township.
FOUR MILE TOWNSHIP.
In April, 1847, Four Mile township was formed. At the time of its or- ganization it consisted of township seventy-eight, of range twenty-three, north of the Des Moines river, and that part of Skunk township which was in township eighty of range twenty-three. It was ordered that the organization of the township date from July 1st, and that the first election be held at the house of Jacob Frederick.
By the formation of new townships this one has been cut down from time to time until now it does not contain more than one quarter of its original territory. The township is very irregular in its outlines, especially on the south where it is bounded by the Des Moines river. The east boundary, where Camp cuts out a notch, and the west side, into which Grant pro- trudes, are also irregular. So often has the township been cut down that it has at length lost the stream after which it was formerly named, the Four Mile, it emptying into the Des Moines at the southwest corner of the town- ship.
Spring Creek flows through the eastern part of the township but passes out before it reaches the end of its course, and after having passed through Camp township a distance of a mile or a mile and a half, empties into the Des Moines about a half mile south of the township line.
Over half of the township was originally covered with timber, large por- tions of which were very dense and bore a close resemblance to the prime- val forests of Indiana and Kentucky. Owing to the abundance of good timber this was a favorite locality during the first settlement of the county.
Considerable coal has also been found in this township, and there remains an inexhaustible supply of this important mineral. It was in this and Camp townships that the great oil excitement of years ago originated. The earth was penetrated for a distance of several hundred feet, but no oil being dis- covered the work was abruptly terminated. The whole enterprise was a gigantic swindle and there are many certificates of stock in those Four Mile oil wells still afloat in the county which could be bought at most any figures, on most any time.
RISING SUN
was laid out in June, 1854, by Lewis Barlow. It was located on the north- east quarter of section three, and the northwest quarter of section two, township seventy-eight, of range twenty-three. In 1857 there was a new town laid out to the north of the old town, by Henry Barlow.
The town prospered for a number of years after it was first laid out, and in 1860 it had a population of about three hundred. The building of rail- roads, however, which did so much to develop the material resources of the county, and build up new towns and advance old ones, through which the lines extended, put an end to the prosperity of Rising Sun, and its sun set long before some hopeful real estate dealers were ready to close the day's work.
In 1860 there were two church buildings erected in Rising Sun, one was a Methodist church and the other was a Christian church.
Among the business men of Rising Sun were J. B. Tiffin, Lewis Barlow, Thomas McCall, Ross Garrett and Jacob Fisher.
662
HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
The Rising Sun M. E. Church was organized in 1856. Rev. A. J. Bar ton and family, C. Leftwich and family, David Stewart and family were among the most prominent of the organizers of this church.
A frame church was erected in 1862 at a cost of two thousand dollars.
The pastor at present is Rev. Mr. Slusser. The membership numbers about seventy-five.
The Christian Church of Rising Sun was organized July 2, 1856. The first members of the organization were as follows:
J. B. Grimstead, William Sweeney, Jane Sweeney, Mrs. Mary Winter- rowd, Lewis Barlow, Ruth Barlow, Wm. Dawson, Eliza Dawson, Henry Barlow, Dr. Bennett and wife, T. E. Barlow and wife.
A frame church was erected in 1855, at a cost of seven hundred dollars. The present membership numbers one hundred and twenty-five.
The church was first erected about a mile south of Rising Sun, and re- mained there ten years, when it was removed into the village. The growth in membership has been gradual and substantial.
GRANT TOWNSHIP.
Grant township lies immediately east of Des Moines and north of the Des Moines river. It is bounded on the north by Delaware township, on the east by Four Mile, on the south by the Des Moines river, and on the west by Lee township. It is the smallest township in the county, contain- ing not more than one-third of a congressional township.
The township was organized October 1, 1870. Sometime during the summer of 1870 the Board of County Supervisors were petitioned to form a new township out of said territory. The petition was granted and the township called Grant. It was moreover ordered that on the day fixed by law for the regular annual election, October 1, should occur the first elec- tion in the township. Barlow's school-house was the place designated for holding the election. It was ordered that at said election there should be elected two justices of the peace, three trustees, one clerk, one assessor, two constables and three supervisors of roads; and that the people have the right to vote on all questions, and for officers, State and national. It was or- dered that the warrant provided for in section four hundred and fifty-five, Revision of 1860, should be directed to Calvin Thornton, a resident of said township, who should have power to perform all duties required by said section. The order directing the organization and naming of the township will be seen to have been very technical; there was some opposition to the measure by certain members of the county Board, which at that time con- sisted of seventeen members, and the wording of the order was more tech- nical than usual, in order that no flaw might be found whereby the action might be overthrown.
The first settlement made in Polk county, outside of the city of Des Moines, was probably that of Peter Newcomer, who located within the bounds of this township. When the county was thrown open for settle- ment that portion of it comprehended in the limits of Grant township was soon thoroughly prospected and the choicest of claims taken. It may be said to be the oldest settled part of the county.
The two lines of railroads leading east from Des Moines pass across the township. Four Mile Creek crosses it from north to south.
By reason of the fact that it is located so near Des Moines, and also be-
663
HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
cause the soil is fertile and easily tilled, this township is densly populated; the soil is in a splendid state of cultivation, and the improvements are most elaborate.
The organizing election was held April 10, 1871, at which time the fol- lowing officers were elected:
Trustees-M. H. Bishard, J. H. Finch, L. D. Sims.
Clerk-J. H. Dean. '
Assessor-Calvin Thornton.
The first official meetings of the board were held in the school-house in district No. 1, known as the Barlow school-house.
The equalized valuation of the real estate of the township is one hundred and ninety-seven thousand four hundred and eighty dollars; that of the per- sonality twenty-one thousand seven hundred and fifty five dollars.
There are in the township three school districts, also three road districts; the total amount of road tax levied last year was four hundred and thirty- eight dollars and thirty-seven cents.
The present officers of the township are as follows:
Trustees-M. W. Marks, Allen Larison, Resin Wilkins.
Clerk-James M. Henderson.
Assessor-James Lamb.
Justices of the Peace-D. Prentice, T. McConkey.
DES MOINES.
ITS ORGANIZATION.
Since the sketches of the early history of the county were printed, the writer hereof has come in possession of the original manuscript of the pro- ceedings of the meeting of the pioneer settlers to organize a Claim Associ- ation, to protect themselves against speculators and claim jumpers. Al- though not strictly a part of the history of Des Moines, it is so closely connected with it as to be almost inseparable, as the persons identified with it were nearly all residents of " the Fort," and as it was the first step toward the organization of a local civil government, they are given a place here that they may go on record.
Though plain plebeians, the doctrines and principles they enunciated were founded in justice and equity. Subsequent developments proved the wisdom of their actions and tested their determination to protect "their lives, their property and their sacred honor." It will be seen this meeting was held the second day after the government title expired to the territory hereabouts. It is probable all those present at this meeting had already " staked" their claims.
" Proceedings of A Claim Meeting Held at John B. Scott's Trading House Near Fort Des Moines, Rac Coon Forks, Iowa Territory, Oct. 14, 1845, on tuesday.
" On motion The Meeting organized By Calling W. H. Meacham Chair- man and J. M. Thrift Secretary.
Resolved, we appoint A Committee of Five to Draft Resolutions Expressive of the object of this Meeting and present them on Thursday Evening next.
Resolved, the Following named persons be appointed Said Committee:
JOHN SAYLOR. H. H. LEWIS. G. B. WORDEN. WM. HALL. JOSIAH SMART.
664
HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
Resolved, the Said
Committee meet at the place above named on Thursday, at Ten oclock, A. M. Resolved, that J. M. Thrift was appointed Secretary of Said Committee.
Resolved, we meet again on Thursday Evening at Six o'clock P. M. at the place abov naimed.
Resolved, this Meeting Adjourn til Thursday Evening at Six oclock P. M. Chairman. W. H. MEACHAM.
J. M. THRIFT, Secratary.
" The Committee met on Thursday the 16, 1845, day of Oct. Mr. Wm. Hall being Absent, Wm. F. Ayers was Appointed In Sted.
" The Committee, Taking in Consideration the Rapped Emagration to this cuntry think it It Proper to Form the Following Buy Laws, to Viz:
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