USA > Iowa > Van Buren County > The history of Van Buren County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c, a biographical directory of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics history of the Northwest, history of Iowa &c > Part 59
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Robert F. Meek & Brothers immediately commenced rebuilding, and, at a cost of $50,000, made of brick a structure 50x85, and four stories high. The machinery is propelled by water-power. The firm employ seventy-five hands. The capacity of the mill is a matter worthy of mention. There are 1.640 spindles in use, six sets of carding machines and two shearing machines. The
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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
mill hands turn out 22,000 yards of cloth every four weeks and from 1,600 to 1,800 pounds of stocking-yarn.
A pottery was started in 1866 by Parker & Handback. This firm con- tinued in business five years, when Mr. Wilson succeeded Mr. Parker and became known as the junior partner. The firm are now known as Handback & Wilson. In November, 1876, the pottery building was burned, at a loss of $1,200. It was rebuilt at once, the outlay being $1,300. The firm now employ ten hands and make 75,000 gallons of pottery per year. A new feature has been added recently. It is a tile-factory, with a capacity for turning out 6,000 feet of tile per day. The machinery throughout is run by steam-power.
THE BONAPARTE BRIDGE.
There are two bridges in the county of Van Buren over the Des Moines River, for the accommodation of the general public-that is, foot-travelers and teams. The larger of the two is at Bonaparte, it having 5 piers, 6 spans of 150 feet each, 23-foot truss and an 18-foot roadway.
This structure was commenced November 25, 1877. On Tuesday, January 29, 1878, the bridge was tested and formally accepted.
Word was sent to the farmers in the neighborhood that teams and men would be required to fix the approaches and test the strength of the bridge. The test consisted of twenty-two heavily-loaded wagons, averaging fifty hundred weight, besides horses, mules and men. The aggregate burden on each span was recorded at seventy-five tons, and in but one place did the settle exceed one-eight of an inch. The superstructure is 900 feet long. Each span weighs 60 tons. The bridge stands 35 feet above low-water mark and from the bed of the river to the top of the truss the distance is 60 feet. The capacity of the bridge is 11,440 pounds per lineal foot. The approaches of the bridge are protected by a wing-wall and two abutments. The piers are 10 feet by 30 at their base. The cost of the superstructure was $35,000.
The following gentlemen composed the executive committee at the date of acceptance : Isaiah Meek, Thomas Christy, Uriel Neal, A. Whitlock, T. W. Boyer and Dennis Haney.
THE CHURCHES.
The date of church organizations at Bonaparte does not run back far. The earliest move made in the direction of establishing churches was in 1853, when the Baptists, under the pastorate of Rev. William Sutton, began building a church, which was finished in the year 1857. Prior to that, however-1851- the same society had been organized at Mt. Zion, where they worshiped until 1853, when they removed to Bonaparte. The second Pastor was Rev. William Eggleston ; the third, Rev. Mr. Burkholder; the fourth. Rev. Mr. Inskeep ; the fifth was Rev. William Johnson ; the sixth, Rev. Mr. Trevitt, and the seventh, Rev. W. C. Pratt. At present the society are without a Pastor. They have one hundred and twenty-five members and a house of worship that cost $2,800.
The date at which the Methodist society of this place was organized is not known, neither are there any records of early work. For a time, however, the Methodists used the schoolhouse, where they worshiped until that building was burned down, when they rented the Baptist Church, which served them down to the year 1862, when they built a new church, at a cost of $700. The society numbers about fifty members. Who organized it is not known. Rev. Mr. Johnson preached for a while-the first-in the new church, but who led the
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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
flock in the olden day memory does not reveal. The Rev. Charles W. Shepherd is the present Pastor.
In 1869, the Presbyterian society was organized, and, in 1871, they built a $2,800 church, of which Rev. H. R. Lewis was the first Pastor. Next came Rev. H. K. Heighney, followed by Rev. James Welch, who is the present one. There are fifty members belonging to the Church.
THE SCHOOLS.
Bonaparte has quite a school history. The first district schoolhouse was put up in 1844. Thomas Charlton was the first teacher in the village. The house stood until 1859, when it was burned down. However, in the mean time, schools were kept in the buildings at present occupied by Mr. Carr as a shop, and in what is now Mr. King's house. After the old schoolhouse burned, the district rented schoolroom until the Directors purchased the academy in 1871.
The academy in question was erected in 1865, 1866 and 1867, by the Bona- parte Academy Association, at a cost of $20,000. The Association used it as an academy from 1867 to May 26, 1871, when they sold it as above stated for the sum of $12,000. The Association was an incorporated body. The following lines are extracted from the beginning of the articles of agreement or incorporation : " We, Isaiah Meek, Thomas Christy, Joseph A. Keen, J. G. Vale, Benjamin Wagner, John T. Stewart, George W. Sturdevant and A. H. Leach, do hereby incorporate ourselves, and all other persons who may become members of the corporation hereby created, into a body corporate and politic, by the name and style of the 'Bonaparte Academy Association.'"
The purpose of this institution was "the promotion of literature, science and art." The articles of agreement further provided that the capital stock must not run below $10,000.
The first Principal of the Academy was E. P. Howe.
One year prior to the purchase of the Academy, the Bonaparte district became independent. The October, 1878, report showed that the total enroll- ment in all the departments of the school was 168, and the average daily attend- ance about 126. The school is divided into four departments. Annie E. Packer is the present Principal.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
Bonaparte is not an incorporated town. The officers embrace two Jus- tices of the Peace and a Constable. The first Justice was Samuel Reed, who lived two and a half miles from town; but the first in the village proper was R. B. Willoughby. A. J .: Myers was the first Constable. The present Justices are W. W. Entler and Joseph Perkins. Samuel Spurgeon is Con- stable.
The village Postmaster is J. P. Davis. When the place was introduced to a mail-route, Thomas Charlton had the honor of being the first Postmaster. R. Moffit was the first Postmaster at Lexington, just above town.
The first physician in the village was Dr. R. N. Cresap.
William Willoughby, son of R. B. Willoughby, was the first child born at Bonaparte. The first death was in the person of Mrs. Angeline, wife of Dr. Cresap.
The first marriage that took place was April 8, 1841, when James A. Kearn and Elizabeth Williamson were joined in the holy bonds of wedlock.
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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
SECRET ORDERS.
Of the Orders akin to secrecy in the village of Bonaparte, the Bona parte Lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 22, is the most ancient, its charter having been granted November 8, 1849. The charter members were R. H. Wyman, L. R. Beckley, John H. Bell, W. E. Kurtz and W. Cassiday. The charter officers were R. H. Wyman, N. G .; J. H.Bell, V. G .; L. R. Beckley, Secretary ; and J. B. Cave, Treasurer. The Lodge now numbers fifty members. They have a library consisting of 200 volumes.
The present officers are Joseph G. Whitely, N. G .; Jacob Mueller, V. G .; W. A. George. Secretary ; and Joseph A. King, Treasurer.
In connection with this lodge-room is the society known as the Farmington Encampment, No. 8, I. O. O. F. This Order was instituted at Farmington, July 8, 1852, by J. M. Tuttle, M. H. Cooley, C. H. King, George Green, James Myers, R. D. Barton, Joseph A. Smith, O. H. Brewer and John Folz.
The charter officers were J. M. Tuttle, C. P .; J. A. Smith, S. W .; M. H. Cooley. H. P .; R. D. Barton, J. W .; C. H. King, G .; J. Folz, S .; O. H. Brewer, Scribe ; J. Myers, Treasurer.
At Farmington, September 1, 1875, the Order was re-instituted, and, on October 20 of that year, a new charter was granted, with Herman Block, G. P., and William Ganes, G. S. The following were charter members : C. A. Gleckler, J. A. Campbell, George Whittally, B. F. Hill, D. E. Millard, E. H. Wickersham and M. H. Cooley.
Proceedings for the removal of the Encampment from Farmington to Bona- parte, were commenced December 18, 1877, and on February 5, 1878, the Encampment was moved to the hall of Bonaparte Lodge, No. 22, I. O. O. F. The committee on removal were W. W. Entler and Samuel Spurgeon.
The present officers of the Encampment are these: Samuel Spurgeon, C. P .; Jacob Mueller, H. P .; C. W. Wilson, S. W .; C. Hassler, J. W .; W. W. Entler, Scribe; A. W. Steadman, Treasurer.
The Masonic fraternity of this place number about seventy-one. The char- ter for Bonaparte Lodge, No. 73, F. & A. M. was granted June 2, 1856. The charter officers were : Oliver George, W. M .; John H. Bell, S. W .; S. F. Bradley, J. W.
At present, the officers are as follows : Dr. D. W. Stutsman, W. M .; Hugh Bell, S. W .; William Sivil, J. W .; R. F. Meek, Treasurer ; Robert Wilson, Secretary ; James Humphrey, S. D .; William Wilson, J. D .; E. W. Corwin, Tiler ; Joseph A. Keen, S. S .; J. W. Whitely, J. S. The Lodge has a library of 300 volumes.
There is also identified at this Lodge, the Lafayette Chapter, No. 61. The first meeting under the dispensation was hield November 10, 1870. The dis- pensation officers were George Beason, H. P .; Benjamin Walker, King ; and H. F. Greef, Seribe.
On November 2, 1871, the Chapter was chartered with these officers: George Beason, H. P .; H. F. Greef, King; Thomas H. Hopkins, S. ; J. - W. Whitely, Treasurer ; and R. D. Ryland, Secretary.
The Chapter now numbers thirty-four members, with the following officers : I. D. Pergrin, H. P .; William Sivil, King; George W. Jack, Scribe ; Julius Grecf, Treasurer ; Dr. D. W. Stutsman, Secretary.
489
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
BENTONSPORT.
In the year of 1839, John Bending, as President of the Company, and Charles O. Sanford and H. P. Graves as associates, laid out the town of Ben- tonsport.
This town had a healthy start, and the little neighborhood of people who had come to settle there were loyal, too, and did not forget or turn their backs upon the good old-fashioned way of celebrating Independence Day. In the same year the town was laid out, the hearts of the stalwart pioneers and their families, clubbed together and prepared for a grand Fourth of July celebra tion.
In connection with the other preparations, a barbecue had been determined upon, and when word to that effect went out, "everybody in the county and miles and miles outside " (to use the language of Mrs. John D. Sanford) began to fix up for the event, and when the time came, all were in attendance. Capt. James Hall was the orator of the day.
H. P. Graves and Alva White were keeping a store at this time-the first at Bentonsport.
John Burton and his mother kept the first hotel in the village.
The first shoemaker is said to have been A. W. Harlan, Sylvester S. Henry also claims to be first.
Moses Springston was the pioneer blacksmith.
McHenry & Slagle kept the first harness-shop.
The first wagons made here were by John and Marshall Cottle.
Seth Richards was the first Postmaster.
The first minister was a Cumberland Presbyterian named Williams.
A Mr. Conner was the earliest Constable.
The first Justice of the Peace was David Tade.
William Sample kept the first school.
Dr. C. W. Cowles was the pioneer physician.
H. H. Bucklin was the first lawyer.
The first child born in Bentonsport was Henry Sullivan.
The first death recorded was of a colored woman with a slave name, " Aunt Mournin." She was brought here as a slave by Shapley Ross.
Greef & Company were the first bankers, having conducted this business on a private plan for about six years past.
Bentonsport now has a population of 600 inhabitants. The place affords three general stores, one millinery establishment, one shoemaker, one black- smith, one wagon-shop, one tailor-shop, one stove and tinware and one butcher- shop, and four insurance agencies.
The first paper-mill built in the State of Iowa was at Bentonsport, by Green Brothers, in 1852. The concern was run until 1874, when it was closed up, and the machinery taken to Blue Rapids, Kan.
In 1843, Hitchcock & Noble built a flouring-mill and a saw-mill on the bank of the river. A new flouring-mill was built in 1854 by James A. Brown, which serves the community at present. The building is of brick, four stories in height. It has three runs of buhrs. The saw-mill was run until 1866, when it was stopped.
An oil-mill was put up in 1865 by James A. Brown, which served until 1867. This was the first linseed-oil mill built in Southern Iowa. It did a prosperous trade down to the year mentioned, when it was converted into a
L
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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
woolen-mill by Brown & Moore. They continued the manufacture of cloth until 1876, since which time the mill has stood idle.
The first flatboat loaded with produce that ever went out of the Des Moines River started from Bentonsport. The boat was owned by Hugh W. Sample.
THE SCHOOLS.
The school district of Bentonsport is an independent one. It is not within the memory of man where the first school was taught-other than that it was in a log cabin-neither the date in which teaching began. The district struggled along, however, using a building here and there, until 1870, when the Directors pur- chased the academy for school purposes, for which it is still used.
This academy was an individual enterprise, and erected in 1851, by John D. Sanford, H. F. Greef, James A. Brown, Seth Richards and Dr. C. W. Cowles. It cost them $3,000, and they sold it for $1,000. The district had used it before the date of purchase. The first Principal of the academy was John W. Allen.
The number of scholars enrolled in this district is ninety-one, there being thirty-five in the first department and fifty-six in the second. This, as shown by the November, 1878, report.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
Bentonsport is an incorporated city, having become so under the Iowa code of 1851. The first Mayor of the city was George Green. The Councilmen were James A. Brown, M. O. Cresswell, C. E. Newlon, G. W. Marley and W. N. Bragg. The first meeting of which the records tell, was held January 21, 1854.
The present city officers are: William Gregson, Mayor; and Joseph Mont- gomery, A. C. Rehkoph, Alexander C. Harlan and John F. Stewart, Aldermen.
SECRET ORDERS.
Bentonsport Lodge, No. 47, A., F. ยง. A. M. met under dispensation, June 9, 1854, and on June 5, 1855, the charter was granted.
The charter officers were : William Quaintance, W. M .; W. N. Bragg, S. W .; Benjamin Walker, J. W .; H. A. Rehkoph, Tiler ; F. Hancock, Secre- tary. James Johnson and B. F. Sims were members.
The Lodge numbers fifty-five members. The names of the officers follow : I. D. Pergrin, W. M .; J. F. Stewart, S. W .; R. Walters, J. W .; Julius Greef, Treasurer ; N. G. Brown, Secretary ; G. W. Jack, S. D .; H. Hart, J. D .; W. H. Carter, Tiler.
Des Moines Valley Lodge, No. 238, I. O. O. F. was instituted May 18, 1872, and charter granted October 20, 1873. The charter members were : Stephen Newson, Frank Eberhardt and John Drake. The officers under the charter were : C. Heinz, P. G .; Jacob Leffler, V. G .; and James Leffler, Secretary.
The present officers are : J. M. Tracy, N. G .; John Grinsley, V. G .; Joe Montgomery, Treasurer; and William Gregson, Secretary.
THE CHURCHIES.
The people of Bentonsport began to incline religiously as early as 1841, when meetings were held about in the houses. Mrs. Sanford says: " The first people who knocked at the door when they came to church were around in 1844."
491
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
The first church organization was in 1843, when the Congregational society was cemented under the leadership of the Rev. Harvey Adams. Their first regular Pastor was Rev. Erastus Ripley. The denomination erected their church in 1856.
This society had the first church-bell, and conducted the first Sabbath school in the place. It was a union school, yet under Congregational leadership.
The society have no regular Pastor now.
The date of organization of the Methodist society is not known, beyond the fact that, in the early days, Bentonsport, like all other places, was visited by various itinerant ministers, and it is not at all unlikely the seed was planted as far back as 1840.
The society built their first church in 1857. The flock of the fold, which is quite numerous, is watched over by the Rev. Charles W. Shepherd.
The first Pastor of the Presbyterian Church was Rev. William Harsha. The society was organized in 1853. two years after the Church erected an edifice. in 1851. There is no Pastor now.
There was a Universalist society formed at Bentonsport in about 1858. and a church-building was erected. The prime mnovers in this cause were Henry Clay Clinton. H. F. Greef and William Quaintance. The pioneer Pastor was Rev. Mr. Ballinger. The society was continued but a few years, when it disbanded.
The Universalist Church is now occupied by the Seventh-Day Adventists, who established a society in the summer of 1878. Rev. Mr. McCoy. a missionary. is the Pastor.
VERNON.
By crossing the ferry from Bentonsport, one is landed on the levee of the little village of Vernon. This town was laid off June 12, 1837, by Henry Smith. John Smith. S. C. Reed and Isaac Reed. It was for a time called South Bentonsport.
John Allender had the first store at Vernon, and Henry Smith kept the first hotel.
The first Postmaster was John M. Estes.
John Allender was the first miller.
Andrew Ewings had the first blacksmith-shop.
The first Justice of the Peace was James Rabb.
Dr. G. S. Bailey was the first physician.
The first teacher in the place was John M. Estes.
Samuel Clark was the pioneer minister.
A daughter of Dr. Bailey has the honor of being the first child born at Vernon.
The first marriage was between Dortha Smith and a Mr. Les Prouse.
John Smith was the first to die within the precincts of Vernon.
The village now has three dry goods stores. one general store, one drug store. one hotel. one shoe-shop, one harness-shop, two blacksmith-shops, and supports two lawyers and a physician.
There is a flouring-mill at Vernon that owns quite a scrap of history. The mill was put up in 1845 by George C .. Ed. and John M. Allender. It was used as a grist-mill until 1851. when the high water washed a channel through and left the old mill on an island. In 1852, the mill was brought to the shore. It was repaired, and, in 1857, George C. Allender started it as a woolen-mill.
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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
It was successfully used for a few years and then allowed to stand idle until the fall of 1878, when a Mr. Gillett secured a contract to manufacture woolen for the Government, and began putting the old mill into condition to manufacture.
George C. Allender and Freeman, in 1858, built a flour-mill which has served until the present time, with some changes in ownership. Freeman transferred his share to John D. Sanford in 1861, and Allender & Sanford was the style of the firm until 1870, when Allender sold to Benjamin Kyes. The latter sold to William Moore in 1875, and Sanford went out in the same year, transferring to B. O. Nelson. The latter sold to Doudy, who, in the fall of 1878, released his hold and Whiting took it. The mill firm is now Whit- ing & Moore.
Vernon had a pottery as early as 1848, James Clark coming to the place and starting a log kiln and mud oven. In April, 1852, R. M. Dixon and J. Calinbourn came and put up a new shop and the next summer a new oven. In November, of 1852, Calinbourn was drowned in the river. Dixon run the pottery alone until 1868, when he took as a partner J. C. Grinsley. This pot- tery was the first in the county. It has been a very successful enterprise. The capacity of the factory is 240,000 gallons per year.
THE SCHOOL.
The first school at the village of Bentonsport was taught in John M. Estes house in 1852. In a few months, a brick schoolhouse was erected which stood until 1869, when a new one was built. It has served until the present. The school district is independent.
RELIGIOUS.
The structure used for the Methodist Episcopal Church of Vernon-the only church here-was erected, in 1852, for a dwelling-house by Able Choate, and was converted into a church in 1856. The Rev. I. P. Teeters was the first Pastor.
Years before that, however, the faithful had worshiped in the houses of eiti- zens who kindly donated space for that worthy object, and the members of the society increased until the Church in question was prepared to accommodate the congregation. The present Pastor is Rev. Charles W. Shepherd.
BIRMINGHAM.
John Harrison, the proprietor of Birmingham, laid the place out in June, 1839. The place has grown to contain perhaps seven hundred inhabitants. and. although a railroad never belted this town with any other, there is a deal of business done here. There are three stores here, each doing a general line of business. The place is an incorporated city. The first charter was dated June 1. 1856. The first meeting was held June 3. The first officers were : President, Joseph Talbott. Councilmen-J. B. Spears, J. N. Norris. E. Pit- kin. Recorder, Robert Porter. Treasurer. George Parker. A second charter was granted June 1, 1869, with H. Clay Clinton, Mayor; Robert Porter, Recorder : Joseph Graham. S. A. Bogle, C. C. Pleasant, F. B. Huffman and J. N. Smith. Councilmen. The present officers are : Samuel Wilson. Mayor ; Robert Porter. Recorder ; Joseph Graham, Treasurer ; George Deahl, Marshal ; F. Eichelberger. H. Barnes. D. MeMillen. George Clinkenbeard and Newton Calhoon, Councilmen.
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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.
A man named Berry was the first settler in the town, although Dr. I. N. Norris passed over the land where the city now stands when that plat was all grass-grown. That was in 1839. James Steel kept the first hotel here. The man Berry referred to was the first blacksmith.
The first physician was William Miller, and H. C. Clinton was the first lawyer.
A daughter of Dr. Norris was first to be born, while the first death was of a child of Titus Moss.
Jacob Lawton was the first Postmaster, and carried the mail to Winchester.
THE SCHOOLS.
The school district of Birmingham has been independent since 1860. Dr. Norris taught the first school here, in 1838-39. The term was worried through in a log hut, which soon gave way to a frame schoolhouse. In 1872, a public schoolhouse was erected, and the district is now a prosperous one, employing four teachers.
There is a public academy here, too. It was built in 1857, and styled the " Birmingham Collegiate Institute." The enterprise was started by the Rev. Mr. McArthur, a United Presbyterian. He raised a stock company. This company at length sold the building, Rev. G. P. Bergen taking it in the inter- est of the Presbyterians, who later sold it to Prof. J. W. Wolf, the present owner. The institution is a very successful one, having half a hundred schol- ars on an average throughout the year.
THE CHURCHES.
There are four churches at Birmingham. The Presbyterians and Method- ists came in 1839. Rev. Joel Arrington was the first minister who came here. He was a Methodist, and in the service of the Missionary Society. He preached in the old log schoolhouse first in 1838. He was an eloquent man, and won a wide reputation in those early days. The society of Methodists was formed in 1839. They worshiped in the log house until 1847 or 1848, when they built a frame church. That served until 1857 or 1858, when it was vacated and a larger church built.
The Rev. Solomon Coles organized the Presbyterian society in 1839, the first meeting being in a barn. A church was built in 1850, and, in 1854, a new one was erected to take the place of the first one, that had been sold for a barn. The building is still standing.
The United Presbyterians, at first called the "Seekers." established their society in 1839. They built a church in 1848. Rev. Mr. Vincent was the first Pastor.
The Free Methodist society was organized in 1874, by the Rev. Mr. Douty. The church was built in the same year.
Next to the village of Bonaparte, Birmingham is probably the most impor- * tant town in the county of Van Buren for extensive manufacturing.
The plow and wagon factory of Shott & Hope is situated here. The works were established in 1866, under the name of Shott & Brown, after which the firm became known as Moss, Shott & Brown. Then Moss went out. Finally, Brown sold his interest, and the firm became Shott & Hope.
In 1856, D. C. Cramer & Co. (Cramer, Moss & Cramer) built a woolen- factory. It was not put into operation, however, until about 1861. The factory was run successfully until 1870.
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