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 84
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
August, 1851, Dr. A. Y. Hull, a wide-awake, business, bustling speculative gentleman, joined Mr. Bates, and remained with the paper until May, 1851, when he retired. In June, 1854, Judge Bates was nominated for governor on the Democratic ticket (he died in 1879), and as that would necessitate field work, Dan. O. Finch became associate editor. Dan. was in his hey- day of life, alert, energetic, and a politician of no mean pretensions. The Star dropped out of sight and under the new regime, the title was, changed to Argus. Newspaper editing was not Dan's forte, and he retired the paper going into the hands of Tomlinson & Farner, who re-christened it as the Statesman. In, February, 1857 its name was again changed to Iowa State Journal, and Will Porter, Robert Hedge and H. C. Rip- pey were editors and publishers. In 1858 it passed to Stilson Hutchins and Geo. M. Todd, who re-christened it The Iowa Statesman, and waged war against abolitionists and Republicans. The name was changed to the Des Moines Times, but it turned up its toes after an ephemeral existence, in the summer of 1860. Prior to the decease of the Times, Mr. Hutchins went to St. Louis and started the St. Louis Times. In 1860 A. J. Stevens and W. H. Hoxie started an independent paper which they named the Commonwealth. The following year the paper was sold to J. B. Bausman and S. W. Russell, the venerable "Esquire," who is still working at the case with Mills & Co. In 1862 Col. W. H. Merritt purchased the material of the Times and also of the Commonwealth which had also suspended, and revived the Democratic paper and called it the Statesman. Three years after Col. Merritt disposed of the paper to Staub & Jenkins, who soon after transferred it to G. W. Snow, who died Sept. 20, 1870. Up to this time the paper had eked out a precarious existence. In 1870 the material of the office passed to Barnhart Bros. and W. W. Witmer, who changed the title to State Leader, which in 1872 passed to the control of Mr. Witmer. In 1875 a stock company was formed of which Mr. Witmer was made president and general manager. Since then he has been in control of the paper, its editor and manager; a portion of the stock being held by other prominent Democrats in Des Moines. It is issued as. an eight-column folio, daily, and ten page, six columns to page, weekly- both editions having a general circulation throughout the State, and the business of the office is in a prosperous condition, keeping pace with the growth of the city. The editorial staff consists of H. J. Philpot, associate editor; Charles H. Painter, city editor; George F. McCracken, reporter. Thus it will be seen the Leader was the direct lineal political descendant of the Star, though its genealogical thread was slightly disjointed in 1860.
Soon after the Star began to shine, the Whigs set about to eclipse it with an organ of their own. L. P. Sherman, brother of Hoyt, Gen. William Tecumseh, John and Charles, was induced to remove hither. He had been employed in the Cincinnati Gazette office where he was twelve years. He was an excellent printer and possessed the ability to make a good paper. He brought with him the entire outfit for the enterprise which was placed in one of the barrack buildings opposite the Star office, which was in the second story of a building next to Given's plow factory, corner of Third and Market. Mr. Sherman, familiarly known as "Lamp." named his paper the Fort Des Moines Gazette. . The first number was is- sued Jan. 1, 1850. It was a seven-column sheet and shows the typograph- ical skill and taste of a good printer. Lamp. says they got along very well except when the snow flew, then it would blow through the cracks of the
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
log walls and fill the type cases with snow and freeze up the ink and presses .. By setting kettles of live coals about under the press they man- aged to keep it thawed out so as to get out the paper. But over at the Star office they preferred to sit around grocery fires and swap yarns to keeping their own office running, and when publication day came they would come over and borrow the Gazette forms, take off the heading, put on that of the Star, and print their paper. Lamp. entered into his work with energy, and poured hot shot into the camp of the Locofocos, as he styled the Democrats, with great briskness. After working six months, paying expenses without recompense, Lamp. concluded he must have help. A citizens' meeting was called, at which it was agreed to assume one-half the liabilities of the office and furnish an assistant editor and outside busi- ness man. The assistant editor was Judge W. W. Williamson; the business man was Peter Myers, and Feb. 28, 1851, the name of the paper was changed to the Iowa State Journal, Peter Myers & Co. publishers. Aug. 26, 1852, when Winfield Scott was running for President, the paper petered out, and Lamp. retired permanently from the newspaper business.
The Star was alone in its effulgent glory until February, 1856, when Thomas H. Shepherd and A. J. Stephens, a banker, started a paper named the Iowa Citizen. In February, of the next year, Mr. Shepherd retired, and was succeeded by W. H. Farner, who had politically flopped over to the Free Soilers, and J. M. Dixon, the well-known now "blind editor," was associated with him. In August of that year the paper passed into the control of James C. Savery, and Mr. Farner retired, leaving Mr. Dixon sole editor, until December 7. John Teesdale purchased the establishment, and Mr. Dixon was retained as associate editor. February 15, 1860, the name of the paper was changed to Iowa State Register, and May 8th of that year Mr. Teesdale published his valedictory, and was succeeded by Frank W. Palmer. Two years later, January 13, 1862, the first number of the daily was issued. In 1866 Mr. Palmer sold the paper to Mills & Co., who retained Palmer and Dixon as editors. The latter, however, became blind, and was compelled to vacate his chair at the old round table, which he had occupied with much ability for eleven years. December 6th, 1870, the paper passed into the possession of R. P. and J. S.Clarkson (" Ret"), who have since controlled it and made it one of the leading papers of the West. Its staff is " Ret," editor in chief, D. C. O'Reagan, night editor, A. R. Kimball, city editor, R. P. Clarkson, business manager.
Marvelous in comparison are copies of the Gazette of January 1, 1850, and the State Register of to-day. Then mails were few and far between. News from Washington forty days on the way. Four columns made up the compliment of advertisements, paid for in truck and dicker, and gutta percha promises, never fulfilled. Railroads and telegraph were in the far off future. To-day the Register reflects the news from the ends of the earth. Its broad pages and long columns furnish news and miscellany each day equal to a book of large size. Thirty compositors are busy putting in tppe the daily news of the busy, bustling world. The old hand press of 1850, with its capacity of 240 sheets an hour, is superseded by a Hoe double cyl- inder, throwing off six thousand sheets each hour, and sixty-five persons complete the working force of the establishment. The Clarkson boys are evidently to "the manner." born. By close application, push and pluck, they have advanced their business to extensive and profitable proportions, complete in all its departments.
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
March 11, 1869, R. G. Orwig established the Bulletin as a daily an weekly. It was Republican in politics, pungent, lively, and smart. In 1870 it was sold to Mills & Co.
December 31, 1870, the Review was started as an hebdomadal sheet, by Stewart, Waterman & Speed.
In 1872 a corporation was formed, with George W. Edwards, president, George A. Stewart, secretary, known as the Republican Printing Company, and May 18th of that year the Review was sold to this company and the Daily Republican started. In January, 1873, a new corporation, known as the State Printing Company, was formed for the purpose of printing auxiliary or "patent insides" for other papers throughout the State. In October, 1873, the Republican passed into the control of this company, and the title of the paper was changed to the State Journal. In April, 1874, the paper passed into the hands of G. W. Edwards, and on October 25th, of the same year, it was sold to J. E. Williams, John G. Blair, and R. G. Pierson, who continued the daily until October 23, 1875, when it was suspended. August 10th, following, the paper passed into the hands of Mr. Blair, who has since continued its weekly issue.
In September, 1876, The People was started, J. F. Thompson, editor, as the advocate of Peter Cooper for President. It was issued as a daily several months. and in 1879, turned up its toes, a victim of many vicissitudes, in which the redoubtable Porte C. Welch took a losing hand, and was succeeded by the State Tribune, December 17, 1879, a weekly paper started by a stock company as the organ of the Greenback party, with P. P. Ingalls as editor. :
In the winter of 1858-9 Wm. Duane Wilson removed the Iowa Farmer, a monthly publication, from Mt. Pleasant to Des Moines, and changed it to a weekly. A few months after it was sold to Hiram Torrey, who changed the name to Pioneer Farmer, and in a few months it was again sold to W. Simmons, who soon tired of paying expenses without income, and sold to Mark Miller, the veteran pomologist, at that time the Western editor of Downing's Agriculturalist. Mr. Miller changed the title to the Iowa. Homestead, and soon after sold to H. W. Pettitt, a versatile genius, who made it an attractive sheet. He died in 1866, when the paper passed into the possession of Mills & Co., who soon after sold to Mr. Wilson, and he again became the possessor. In September, 1873, it was purchased by Dr. George W. Sprague, who changed the title to Homestead and Western Farm Journal, who conducted it until July of the present year, when it was sold to Ex-Lieutenant-Governor B. F. Gue.
In January, 1866, W. S. Peterson removed the Temperance Platform from Dubuque to Des Moines. It was a weekly issue, devoted to total abstinence and prohibition. In 1868 it was sold to the Grand Lodge of Good Templars, and the title changed to Temperance Standard, with S. M. Holt, W. H. Fleming, editors. The next year it was sold to Mr. Holt and removed to Marshalltown.
In 1875 the Iowa State Record was started by Fuller, Heartwell & Orwig, as a weekly paper, "to supply a long-felt need," which, in a few months, joined the innumerable caravan of disappointed hopes and unrealized ex- pectations. The material was sold to the State Journal office. The press was a notable one, as being the identical press set up by Hon. Schuyler Colfax for his South Bend Register, and was the first set up in that city. It is in good condition to-day.
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
October 7, 1871, Conrad Beck started a German paper entitled the Staats Anzeiger, which February 14, 1874, was sold to Col. Joseph Eiboeck, a genial and talented gentleman, who is now its editor.
In 1870 H. M. Bishard started Plain Talk, a small weekly paper on the East Side, devoted to local news of that locality. The paper is still con- tinued.
In January, 1872, T. G. Orwig established the Industrial Motor, a small weekly issue, devoted especially to mechanics', new inventions and patent rights.
In July, 1872, H. S. Hyatt removed to Des Moines the Iowa Progress, devoted to the resources and industries of the State, which at the end of one year was removed to St. Louis.
In May, 1875, to combat the prohibition element then prevailing in politics, the Herald of Liberty was started by Col. Eiboeck, which after a few months was suspended and January 21, 1880, was followed by the State Independent, as the organ of individual liberty in thought and action.
July 16, 1874, the Patron's Helper made its appearance as the organ of the Patrons of Husbandry, or Grangers, so facetiously called, N. W. Gar- retson, publisher. In November of that year it was sold to George W. Jones, and was discontinued in 1877.
September 18, 1879, appeared the first number of the Mail Car, a sprightly weekly paper, devoted to society news, light gossip and miscel- lany, with H. R. Persinger, publisher.
February 14, 1880, Perry Perkins established the Prohibitionist as the advocate of doctrines indicated in its title, and to avert the keen lance thrusts of Col. Eiboeck's Independent.
This completes the history of such newspapers as have had sufficient ex- istence to give them a name and place in history. Perhaps the quaint and humorous Tac Hussey will consider this a condign consignment of his spicy New Broom, which swept cobwebs from the dull and prosy brain for nearly two years from November 25, 1869.
In May, 1875, J. P. Bushnell started the Commercial and Railway Ga- zette, devoted to the resources and industries of Iowa and Northwest, as the official organ of the State Immigration Board. August 19th, of the present year, it was merged in the Iowa Homestead and Farm Journal, and made a special department of that paper, with Mr. Bushnell as editor.
The record of newspapers has been made up by reference to old settlers and resident parties who were connected with the press in those days, so that the dates are largely dependent upon memory.
The compilation of the record of the Star and its successors has been difficult, as no files are extant except the State Journal, published by Will Porter. There being few book binderies in the State, the papers were not preserved. Judge Bates consigned the files of the Star, Argus and States- man to a barrel, which when search was made for them years afterward were found the nest of mice and utterly destroyed. The Gazette and State Journal were carefully preserved and bound, thus be- coming of almost incalculable value. The importance of pre- preserving files of newspapers was illustrated in 1862, when the Ninth General Assembly changed the law respecting the right to dower. The law was enacted to take effect on and after its publi- cation in two newspapers, one of which was the Des Moines Times. By
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
some oversight the certificate of publication of the law was not made to the Secretary of State, and the law did not therefore go into effect until July. Subsequently actions were begun to recover dower, under the law, vesting between the time of the publication and July. In many cases the amounts involved were large and the time was highly important. It was therefore, necessary to prove the publication in the Times, but not a copy could be found, although five hundred dollars was offered for one contain- ing that law, so completely had the paper become annihilated. The loss was a serious one throughout the State.
· The historian of these pages does not pretend here to record the frequent uprising of newspaper ventures which so soon were done for; the wonder is what they were begun for. Their names are legion-probably no city in the West can show a larger record.
Three monthly period icals have been published here:
The Iowa School Journal was started in 1859, as the organ of the State department of Public Instruction by Mills Bros. In 1872 it was sold to C. M. Greene, who in 1875 sold it to W. E. Crosby, who removed it to Davenport.
- In 1866, Mills & Co. started the Western Jurist, a law magazine with W. G. Hammond, now law chancellor of the State University, as editor, which has become one of the best and leading law journals in the country.
In 1874 Dr. J. E. Hendricks started the Analyst, devoted exclusively to :
mathematics, and which has become a popular and standard publication among the leading mathematicians of the world.
In 1866-7 the first city directory was published by Mills & Co., and was compiled by L. F. Andrews, the veteran journalist of the city. This was followed by another in 1869, since when it has been regularly published by J. P. Bushnell.
CIVIC SOCIETIES.
Independent Order of Odd Fellows-Fort Des Moines Lodge, No. 25, instituted April 26, 1850, with Madison Young, C. C. Van, Marshal Towns. ley, B. F. Allen, I. J. Cole, and Granville Holland, as charter members. Their first lodge room was over Holland's store, the lodge having furnished a portion of the means to erect the building on Second street near Market.
Capital Lodge, No. 106, was instituted June 5, 1857, with H. H. Grif- fith, Will. Tomlinson, M. L. Devin, P. Van Horn, John P. Haskins, and W. Rhemsburg, as charter members. Its hall is at the corner of East Sixth and Sycamore. This lodge has a library connected with it.
Jonathan Lodge, No. 137 (German), was instituted in 1865. Its first . meetings were held in Cooper's Block, on Court Avenue.
Rebecca Degree Lodge was chartered in 1871, with W. W. and Mary R. Moore, S. H. and Mary Haskell, W. F. and Mary M. Thomason, Lamoine and Gertrude C. Mott, George and Pauline E. Sneer, George C. and Mary J. Jeffries, D. V. and Henrietta N. Cole, as charter members.
Ebenezer Encampment, was instituted March 15, 1853, with W. W. Moore, P. M. Casady, C. C. Van, Peter Myers, R. L. Tidrick, D. V. Cole, and Alex. Bowers, as charter members.
Free and Accepted Masons-Pioneer Lodge, No. 22, was instituted Jan- uary 16, 1850, with J. E. Jewett, Benjamin Coffeen, W. T. Marion, John W. Rush, T. G. Burbridge, J. J. Davis, and J. S. Dicks, as charter members.
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
The first person admitted to membership was Madison Young, February 22, 1850.
. Capital Lodge (East Side) was instituted June 15, 1857, with J. M. Grif- fiths, J. A. Williamson, J. W. Stanton, H. H. Griffiths, Stewart Goodrell, and. T. K. Brooks, as charter members.
Corinthian Chapter, R. A. M., No. 14, was instituted June 14, 1856, with Scovill White, J. E. Jewett, John Youngerman, C. P. Luse, A. Y. Hall, J. M. Griffiths, A. Morris, W. T. Smith, and J. H. Given, as charter mem- bers.
Capital Council, of R. and S. M., No. 9, was instituted June 17, 1867, with Lewis Kinsey, Absolom Morris, H. H. Griffiths, J. M. Griffiths, S. M. Good, J. H. Dykeman, J. B. Miller, J. E. Fleischman, R. W. Sypher, Charles Linderman, and Hiram Robinson, as charter members.
Emanuel Consistory, A. . A ... A ... No: 2, was organized in 1867, with Joseph M. Griffiths, Henry H. Griffiths, Wesley Redhead, S. M. Good, Isaac N. Thomas, John A. Elliott, Charles Linderman, J. B. Tiffin, Charles A. Mosier, Thomas A. Boyd, and Thomas W. Calberts, as charter members.
Des Moines Commandery, K. T., No. 4, was organized in 1857, with John Scott, Solomon McCain, A. Morris, E. F. Hooker, J. Y. Hopkins, and Thomas Thompson, as charter members. In 1866 its title was changed to Temple Commandery.
· Home Lodge, No. 370, was instituted under a dispensation January 12, 1876, and chartered June 11, 1876, with Wm. Brunton, C. S. Binkley, L. E. Ayers, D. E. Perkins, J. R. Crawshaw, H. Cunningham, James Allen, S. Steward, Wm. Langley, J. Steward, and D. W. Johnson, as charter mem- bers.
Eastern Star Degree Lodge, of Home Lodge, was chartered December 12, 1871. Its membership is composed of the wives and daughters of A. F. and A. M.
North Star Lodge, F. A. & Y. M. (colored), was organized in 1872, and re-organized in 1875. Its first officers were J. S. Carter, S. B. Smith, E. Morton, J. Long, and A. W. Berney.
Knights of Pythias-Myrtle Lodge, No. 9, was founded February 22, 1871, with M. T. V. Bowman, W. W. Moore, S. M. Good, L. Voight, C. T. Hewitt, W. A. Abbott, G. B. Wicks, Chris. Bathman, Charles Weitz, Con- rad Youngerman, L. M. G. Barnett, Louis Harbach, W. L. White, George Vincent, and George A. Mc Vicker, as charter members. It was re-organized in March, 1875.
Capital City Lodge, No. 29, was organized March 22, 1876, with W. P. Bentley, James C. Savery, J. S. Clarkson, George H. Bugbee, C. S. Wil- son, S. M. Elliott, W. S. Grimes, J. L. Keyes, Galusha Parsons, H. L. Skin- ner, J. S. Runnells, and Wm. Foster, as, charter members.
Ancient Order of United Workmen-Des Moines Lodge, No 18, was organized March 15, 1875. The objects of this order are to promote the interests and welfare of its members, to render assistance and protection in times of sickness, and insurance in case of death.
. Capital Lodge, No. 14, was organized February 8, 1875, on the East Side, with the following charter members: Samuel M. Good, John O. Skinner, George F. Walker, John A. Bryan, Charles H. Ward, William Hadgley, Wm. H. Shaw, Samuel Green, Josiah F. Kennedy, Clarence B. Jones, Graves B. Hammer, Isaac Brandt, George Garver, Samuel M. Elliott,
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
Homer C. Paige, Wm. H. Fleming. This lodge has a library connected with it.
Temperance Organizations-Through the personal effort of Judge M. D. McHenry a division of the Sons of Temperance was organized in 1856, and it was given the title of Golden Rule, No. 81, being the same as that of which he was a member in Kentucky. This order has been nearly sup- planted by the Independent Order of Good Templars.
January 29, 1877, Des Moines Lodge, I. O. of G. T., was organized on the East Side by Hon. George W. McCrary, now Judge of the U. S. Circuit Court, with Samuel A. Ayres, John Davis, Jas. C. Cooper, Wm. Osborne, John B. Hardin, E. A. Snyder, E. E. Kimball, N. B. Cooley, Freeman Tis- dale, J. H. Armstrong, Win. Riddle, Martha A. Cooley, Ann Tisdale, Row- ena Foster, as charter members.
Eureka Degree Temple, No. 4, I. O. of G. T., was organized October 18, 1858, with Isaac Brandt, Geo. O. Chambers, T. W. Gill, John H. Looby, Wm. Rhemsburg, M. E. Rhemsburg, Sarah A. Rhemsburg, Isabella, Francis and Jennie Owens, as charter members.
Union Lodge, I. O. of G. T., No. 263, was organized on the West Side, May 7, 1863, with A. W. Rollins, D. D. Skinner, Ed. B. Stillman, George D. Ingersoll, Thos. E. Keeney, George A. Sells, George A. Mc Vicker, W. H. M. Smith, W. A. Saylor, C. W. Rhoades, Frank Mix, Ed. C. Rus- sell, Mrs. C. E. Lanstrum, Mrs. Mary Smith, Mrs. Sue Rogg, Mrs. M. A. Peters, Mrs. R. Leyner, and Mrs. Kate L. Turk, as charter members.
The Des Moines Reform Club, West Side, Capital City Reform Club, East Side, and Prohibition Club, West Side, were organized in 1878-79.
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union was incorporated under State law in 1880, although it had a prior organization for one or two years.
Legion of Honor .- El Dorado Lodge, No. 25, was organized on the West Side July 1, 1879. Its objects are a system of co-operative mutual insurance in case of sickness or death. Charter officers: Worthy Presi- dent, P. H. Bristow; Worthy Vice-President, Geo. H. Gardner; Chaplain, F. J. Cressey; Recording Secretary, W. A. Agard; Financial Secretary, T. L. Johnson; Treasurer, Augustus Smith; Usher, C. H. Turner; Doorkeeper, J. M. Laird; Sentinel, C. D. Shreves; Trustees, G. M. Walker, H. R. Heath, John O. Mahana. This lodge started with seventy-one charter members.
Excelsior Lodge, No. 24, was organized on the East Side, July 1, 1879, with the following charter officers: Worthy President, W. A. Haskell; Worthy Vice-President, W. L. Reed; Recording Secretary, T. H. Smith; Financial Secretary, A. C. Stephenson; Treasurer, L. E. Ayers; Chaplain, J. A. Boyer; Usher, ; Sentinel, Oscar Clark; Doorkeeper, R. W. Russell; Trustees, Leander Bolton, R. W. Russell.
Miscellaneous Associations .- Des Moines Turner Society was organized July 12, 1857, and August 8 of the same year was admitted to the North American Turnerbund. The charter members were: George Neidhardt, Ferd. Sandber, John Raible, Gotleib Utz, Gotleib Munzenmeier, John Her- man, J. F. Kappes, Christ. Hartleib, Louis Stutz, Fred. Harbach, And. Sexauer, Christ. Wetlig, Wend. Miehl, Charles Neckerman, Fred. Sinn, Henry Heers, Chas. P. Reinig, Fred. Reinig, Hobert Water, Franz Ibler. The object of the society is the cultivation of the more perfect man, physi- cally and mentally. Monthly meetings are held for mental exercises, com- prising music, lectures, debates and the discussion of all living questions.
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HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.
Special attention is given to the maintenance of a Germano-American day, and Sunday free non-sectarian school. A system of benefit insurance is also one of the objects.
The Library Association was organized December 17th, 1866. On the 2d of May, 1876, it was transferred to the care of ladies and it took a new lease of life. Its rooms are on West Fourth Street, near Court Avenue.
Saux Tribe, No. 2, Improved Order of Red Men, was organized in Octo- ber, 1871. This order is the oldest in the Union, dating back to 1771. Its motto is: "Freedom, friendship and charity."
The Caledonian Club was organized September 10, 1872, with George R. McIntosh, George E. Lillie, John Sneddon, L. M. Squair and John Burn- side as the first officers. It was incorporated in 1873.
St. George's Society was organized by Thomas Brooke January 5, 1874, with T. M. Knight, T. D. Hulme, J. Fellows, J. Dixon, S. Lowe and Thos. Brooke as its first officers.
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