USA > Iowa > Warren County > The history of Warren County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics &c > Part 36
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EARLY SETTLEMENT AND SETTLERS.
An account of the beginnings of things always interests ns. We see the presence of results, and history is neither more nor less than an effort to trace out causes, and to grasp the facts which have contributed to form and mold them. So it is in a community. We observe that a state or a county has attained a certain position, and we at once try to trace out the reasons for this position in its early settlement and surroundings, in the class of men by whom it was peopled, and in the many chances and changes which have wrought out results in all the recorded deeds of mankind. In the history of Warren county we may trace its early settlers to their homes in Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, and the shores of foreign lands. We may see the Friends, who fled from the Old Dominion or from North Carolina, to escape the blighting effects of human slavery. Stopping on their way in Ohio or Indiana, only to intensify their hatred of the peculiar system, they pushed out for the yet newer West, to build up homes for themselves in that sec- tion whither their early prejudices and their training drove them. Yet again, we inay follow the course of the hardy woodman of the "Buckeye" or the "Hoosier " State on his way west to "grow up with the country," trusting only to his strong arm and his willing heart to work out his ambition of a home for himself and wife, and a competence for his chil- dren. Yet again, we may see the path worn by the Missourian in his new experience in a land which to him was a land of progress, far in advance of that southern soil upon which he had made his temporary home, in his effort to adapt himself to new conditions. We may see here the growth which came with knowledge, and the progress which grew upon him with progress around him, and how his better side developed. The pride of Kentucky blood, or the vain glorying of the Virginian F. F. V.'s, was here
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seen in an early day only to be modified in its advent from the crucible of democracy when servitude was eliminated from the solution. Yet others have been animated with the impulse to "move on," after making themselves a part of the community, and have sought the newer parts of the extreme West, where civilization had not penetrated, or have returned to their native soil. We shall find little of that distinctive New England character which has contributed so many men and women to other portions of our State and the West, but we shall find many an industrious native of Ger- inany or the British Isles, and a few of the yet inore industrious and economical Frenchi-all of whom have contributed to modify types of men already existing here. With confidence that general results will prove that there is much of good in everything, and that a justice almost poetic has been meted out to the faults and follies, to the foibles and the virtues of the early settlers of this county, we may enter upon their story.
THE FIRST SETTLER.
Before the year 1843 the soil of Warren county had been given over to the red man, who sang his songs and danced and hunted over its surface, and caught the fish of its streams unmolested by the firm advance of the omnipresent white man who was then rapidly pushing the noble savage toward the setting sun. An occasional trapper, perhaps, found his way into the region, only to be repelled by its wildness and driven back to his home on the frontier, though it may have been scarcely less rude than the wigwam of the Indian. The hour had come, however, when a new civili- zation was to advance its flag here and to make these lands, then wild and uncultivated, blossom as the rose. At this time the Indians had disposed of all right, title and interest to their lands in this State, but this was in the reserved half-the Red Rock reservation, of which they were to hold possession three years longer, or until October 11th, 1845, at which time it was thrown open for settlement, and for that growth which we, scarce one generation later, are able to see, and know, and enjoy. But long before this county was open for settlement, long before Iowa had become a State in the Union, Warren county had a settler who had come to stay. In 1836, from a Vermont village, a young man, JOHN DENISON PARMELEE by name, hampered in his native woods, and hills, and mountains, began to obey the command-which was later formulated by Horace Greeley-" Go West, young man, and grow up with the country." He made the journey by degrees. In that first year he went to Massachusetts, the next to New York city, the next to the South, the next north again to Indiana, where he remained about one year, leaving which, he came to Iowa in 1840, as the agent of a company of traders in furs. His first location, as we learn from a letter written in 1841, while on a business visit to St. Louis, was "on the Des Moines river, about one hundred and fifty miles from its mouth," in what is now known as Wapello county. In describing it he says, "It is one of the most pleasant countries that can be found in the world, and, I think, very healthful." "The Des Moines river," he continues, "is the most beautiful stream that ever flowed. It is about as wide as the Con- necticut river, but shallow, with high banks, with gravel or rock bottom, and as clear as the streams that tumble from the mountains of Vermont. The country is well divided into timber and prairie for the convenience of the farmer." Inspired by the memories of the past, the old hearthstone,
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the kindness and the pleasant countenances of friends, and yet looking forward to the future for advancement, he writes in a tone of confidence, yet of regret: " It is certain that I should be glad to live in the neighbor- hood of my friends, but the prospects of a young man are so much better in this country that I have almost come to the conclusion that I shall spend my days, let them be few or many, in this country. On the banks of the lovely Des Moines, if I had my friends around me, then would I bid a long adieu to old Vermont, but there is still something that makes the name of old Vermont sweet to me: it is the home of all those who are near and dear to me." On the 27th of March, 1843, he writes from " River Des Moines" in relation to a change of location which he had made from his work in Wapello county, having, in the meantime, become connected with some Indian traders as a manager of their business, in which capacity he worked fromn 1842, and in the interests of which business he was making the change from Wapello to the territory now occupied by the capital of this great State. In this letter he says: "The Indians have sold their whole country, but retain possession of one half of it for three years more. This will cause us to remove our trading post one hundred miles up the river by the first of May and there remain for three years." He then pro- ceeds to explain where his new post is to be located, which was in the pres- ent widely known Des Moines, and only thirty-six years later must sonnd oddly to the ears of this generation. He writes: "Yon can see where I have located onr next trading post by looking at your map of the United States. We shall be on the north side of the Des Moines, directly opposite to the mouth of Raccoon river, which is a little more than one hundred miles above where we now are. The winter has been remarkably cold, with an immense fall of snow from one and one-half to three feet deep. Since the 12th of this month I have been to Raccoon river and have taken men and provisions for building our post on the ice. It is still cold winter weather, very good sleighing, and ice from twelve to eighteen inches thick on the river. It's equal to old Vermont. Its parallel was never known in this country." In this same letter he announces that he had married a month before. Thus John D. Parmelee was the first man to locate in what is now the city of Des Moines. He came in May to stay, but only for a short time, but, finding that his employers had neglected the little matter of pay- ing his salary, which then amounted to something over five hundred dol- lars, a very fortune of itself in those days, in the month of June, 1843, he therefore quit their service, and, as he himself writes in 1847, "took the place of consin Moses Barlow as a partner with Captain James Allen in building a saw-mill." "The work at that time," he says, "was but just commenced. I took charge of the work, completed the saw-mill that winter, and furnished lumber to build Fort Des Moines, and since that time have added to the building sufficiently for a grist-mill with four run of bnrrs, one of which we now have in operation, with a bolt-all of the best quality-and shall put in more as the country settles and requires it. Our frame is 45 x 35, and three stories high-as fine a building as any of that size that you can see in Vermont. * * Captain Allen was an officer in the 1st regiment United States Dragoons and was pro- moted last spring, at the commencement of the war (with Mexico), to be Lieutenant-colonel of volunteers and ordered to California, but was taken sick just at the time he was to start, and died at Fort Leavenworth. It has been very expensive work, as it was done at a time when this was an
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Indian country, and, of course, hands and provisions were hard to get. But it is in the flower of Iowa, and the garden of the world. I have a farm adjoining with 80 acres in cultivation and abont 140 under fence, but this I will have to pay Uncle Sam for when it comes into market at $1.25 per acre, though my claim includes 320 acres, half timber and the balance bottom prairie, all lying on the banks of the Des Moines, one of the pret- tiest rivers that flows, and only ten miles below Fort Des Moines, the prob- able place of our future seat of government, it being within eighteen miles of the center. The commissioners are at this time in the county for the purpose of locating."
We have quoted thus fully from the words of this first settler of Warren county, in order to show the manner of man he was, and to give in his own language, thus intelligibly and graphically, the history of those earliest days. It will be observed that we have not here a rude boor, driven ont from his fellows by crime or melancholy, nor a hunter or fisherman, too indolent to- work, as is the case with many of the pioneers in other regions, but we see an intelligent, industrious man, who felt the lack of all those blessings which adhere to older civilizations, but was yet strong enough to break away from them, and to launch his barque upon an undiscovered sea. A inan who was ambitious to make his own future, and thus contribute to making the future of the region in which he was the pioneer. It will be gathered from these extracts that he proceeded at once to work, that he built a mill-among the first necessities of pioneer days-that he cultivated lands,. that he furnished materials for building forts-in short, that he was the forerunner of that thrift and industry and content which have made the. county great and populous and wealthy, as well as intelligent, and pro- gressive in all the arts of a higher civilization. Warren county was, there- fore, settled by a man who was as worthy to be among her citizens of to-day, and to lead them, as he was then worthy to be the only one. The. forerunner who carried civilization into the wilderness was of such a cast, of such a nature, of such strength and industry, of such ability and such a character, that the best of to-day might yet follow where he would lead, confident that he would work for the upbuilding of the county, and that nothing of dishonor would come to them through their leader.
It would be interesting could we but go back, even in fancy, to the con- dition of affairs when Mr. Parmelee first saw this county, in 1843. Could we but have seen the sublimity of this great and fertile region, where but few, even of the red men, were then living; could we but imagine what were the thoughts, hopes, ambitions, purposes of this pioneer as he recalled the rocky hills and mountains on his native New England, and compared them with these prairies, waving with naught but the luxuriant growth of wild grasses, the noble forests on these water-courses, all fulfilling the nat- ural conditions of comfort and wealth for man, and only waiting his advent to blossom as the rose with the productions of a civilized race, we might have seen, as he saw, that here, "wild in woods, the noble savage ran," with all that there could be of nobility in his untaught, or rather ill-taught, and treacherous nature, and that suddenly as the face of the white man was seen in the forest, surveying its unimproved wealth, and preparing the way for a mightier and greater people, the taciturn, grunting savage heard the unwonted sound of laughter in regions where that melody might not have been heard since the long-forgotten days of the mound builders, and he prepared to move further afield, away from his aggressive and more
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
powerful brother. The sound of the axe and the crash of falling timber spoke of new life and animation. For the new-comer in all this wild region there was in every bubbling spring a music sweet as the voices of children. The ripple of the lonely river, flashing against its sides, gave prophecy of towns to spring up amid the sterner sounds of daily toil for a rich reward, in which all natural forces must become tributary to man's well-being.
It is a matter for regret that the name of John D. Parmelee has not been permanently connected with the county, and it would have been little enough to have at least named a township or a town in honor of this pioneer, who so well deserves to be known and remembered. It has, appar- ently, been the policy of men from the beginning of time to neglect those among whom they are situated, and to bestow the honors they have to give npon some far-off or some distingnished individuals who neither know or care anything for them. This man was not a transient settler, but remained until 1860, when the position of the county was assured. While we cannot but repeat the regret that his name is not linked with that of the county so that his history might be known of its citizens, we hope we may be able to give him the meed of praise which is his due, and rejoice that the pioneer of Warren county is so worthy of her later as well as hier earlier days.
This, then, was the first settler, and around him and his improvements naturally grew up the first settlement in the county.
No more settlers came in 1843 or 1844 to remain, although quite a num- ber of men must have been here to assist in building the mill. Some of the work was perhaps done by the dragoons from Fort Des Moines. There was, however, one inan who assisted in the work of building the mill in 1843, who, though he did not remain from that time, has yet been a citizen of the county continuously since April, 1845. This man was William Mason, who came from New Jersey early in 1843, stopped for a time in Wapello county, and then drifted westward in search of adventure. He went to Fort Des Moines, and assisted in cutting the shingles for the dragoon building there, and in the work of raising the new mill on Middle river. After this he returned to his friends in the eastern portion of the State, when, as before narrated, in April, 1845, he again came to this county, and staked ont his claim for the farm upon which he now resides, although he could make no improvements until the following October, when he began the work of making the home which he has occu- pied for more than thirty-four years. Mr. Mason ploughed the first furrow ever made in the county, and a few weeks since, when the writer saw him, he was still plowing. Mr. Mason planted the first apple trees, as well as the first peach trees, which latter were in fine bearing up to the season before the hard winter of 1855-6, during which they were killed, and since which time this fruit has proven that this county was not its natural home.
In treating of this neighborhood, or of any other, in those early days, the reader must bear in mind that none of the present artificial organiza- tions of townships, or even the county itself, were then in existence, so that a neighborhood extended for many miles. Then this Parmelee neigh- borhood included what are now Richland, Palmyra, and Allen townships, of this county, and Allen and Camp townships, in Polk county. We shall treat of those men only who contributed to this county.
Moses Barlow and his brother came from Vermont in 1843, but did not remain, returning the same year.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
George Leslie came from Indiana in 1843, assisted in the building of the mill, claimed in the early days what is now known as the Rees farm, in Richland township, and lived in the county until a few years ago, dying at Hartford, at a good old age. He was a genial soul, the favorite of the children, to whom his bachelor ways were ever winning and pleasant. He remained a bachelor until, perhaps, as late as 1863, and died seven or eight years ago.
Joseph and James White assisted in the mill work in 1843, but returned to their old homes soon thereafter, and we can trace them no further.
The next accessions to the new settlement were mainly in the neighbor- hood of where Carlisle now stands.
In 1845 Simpson Hargis came from Indiana, to which State he had emi- grated from Kentucky, and settled on the farm npon which Mr. William Buxton now resides. He remained only until 1852 or 1853. Anthony Smith came the same year, from Ohio, and lived on some land belonging to Parmelee, situated about two miles east of where Carlisle now stands. He was a cousin of Parmelee's wife. He died in the same neighborhood, previous to the late war. Hiram Niday came from Indiana the same year, and settled on what is commonly known as the "Goldsberry farm," but did not remain long. William Stumbo came from Indiana this year, and settled on what is now known as the " Persons farm," most of which is in this county, although Mr. Stumbo's residence was just over the line in what is now Polk county. Uriah Dotson came from Virginia in 1845, and settled in what is now Richland township. The Myricks came from Indiana about the same time, and settled in Palmyra township, where those still live whom death has spared.
In 1846 the neighborhood was recruited by the arrival in Richland town- ship of the following: Amos Freel, George Freel, the Phillipses, William Reynolds, nicknamed the " Buffalo Bull," and the Whites, all from Indiana; by Old Man Winpigler, Jerome Davis, Thomas Ward, Asahel Ward, Will- iam Rowe, John Parkinson, Austin Howard and the McMahans from Ohio, and Riley Driscol, from Burlington, this State. In the Carlisle neighbor- hood we find this year Mordecai Disney, a blacksmith from Indiana, prob- ably the first in the county. Daniel Moore came from Louisa county, this State, abont the same time, and settled on what is now the George Yount farm. Mr. Moore had come to the State from Cumberland connty, Penn., originally in 1832, when the first settlements were made in the State at Burlington. He still lives near Carlisle, and has not only seen the growth and development of Warren county, but that of the State of Iowa as well. Mrs. Moore also came to the State with her parents in 1832, from Hocking connty, Ohio, and settled in Louisa county. In this year, 1846, also came Dr. Spears, the first physician in the county. Whithier he came or where he went we have been unable to discover. He remained, however, only two or three years.
In 1847 the accession was not so great, but included Newton Guthrie, who settled in Richland township, and on the same farin npon which he still resides. He is one of the leading citizens of the county, and has been called to fill many important official positions. He came from Indiana. In the same year came Dr. O. Plumley, from Vermont, and settled in the neighborhood of Hartford. John White and John Pearson also came this year, from Indiana, and were the first members of the society of Friends to settle in that neighborhood. This society contributed largely to the early
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY,
settlement and growth of the county. Into the Carlisle neighborhood Nicholas Beezley came this year. His first stopping place during the win- ter of 1847 was on the farmn now owned by William Watts. The following February he moved on what is now the ".William Stumbo farm," just north of Carlisle, and built a hewed log house about twenty rods east and fifteen rods south of Mr. Stumbo's present residence. Mr. Beezley died in 1851. John Hargis came from Indiana during this year, although he was origi- nally from Kentucky. He built in April, near the site of his present dwelling.
In this year occurred the first death in the neighborhood, that of Daniel Landon. He was buried at Hartford.
As before narrated the mill was built in 1843, as a saw-mill, for the par- ticular purpose of furnishing lumber for building the Des Moines barracks. The intention was, however, to make it a grist-mill also as soon as the pop- ulation and productions of the county should demand it. The first run of burrs was put in in 1847. It was for grinding both corn and wheat, but nothing but corn was ground until after the harvest of 1848, simply because there was no wheat to be ground. ` There was no elevator at that time, so after the wheat was ground it was carried to the upper story of the mill and fed by hand throngli a spout leading to the bolt on the burr floor. People came from far and near, attracted by the reports of the completion of the mill, with their grists, so that for weeks before it was ready for work Mid- dle river bottom was dotted over here and there with hungry and patient men waiting until it was ready to do their work that they might return with flour and meal to supply their almost famishing families and those of their neighbors, thus enduring the hardships of camp life in those early days in order that they might be able to secure the simple necessaries of life, de- void of all luxuries. These same men, while Daniel Moore was putting up the bolt and burr and fixtures, refused to let him quit his work in order to gather his corn, which yet remained in the fields, but went themselves and gathered it for him. The nearest mills to this point were then located at Oskaloosa, and the completion of this one obviated the necessity of a jour- ney of seventy-five miles through river bottoms which really had no bot- toms, and over roads which were then not surveyed, and were little more than a trail through the woods and over the prairies. This, then, was a last resort, and the name and fame of Parmelee's mill was known far and wide, and Parmelee himself was probably the best known man in the whole State west of the Red Rock reservation. Some time in 1847 the fort at Des Moines was abandoned, as the necessity for its existence had ceased, and the stores there accumulated were sold out at auction. This, though, was of rather doubtful advantage to the great majority of the settlers, from the fact that it took money to buy supplies, and money was the one commodity which did not then exist in this region in quantities sufficient to " supply the wants of trade," as has been the wail of many an incipient political economist, even for the past few years.
The first physician in this neighborhood, as already mentioned, was Dr. Spears, who cast his lines with the settlers in 1846, but only for a short time. He is said to have been a man of respectable attainments. The next was Dr. Huff, who came from Indiana, in 1848. Squire Guthrie says he started on his westward way as a blacksmith, but ere the journey of six hundred miles was completed he had blossomed out into a physician. He lived near Hartford. The next immediately following was, probably, Dr.
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Ault, who lived at or near Dudley and came early in 1849. He remained, however, but a short time. After him, the next physician was, probably, Dr. W. H. Ward, who had come from Crawfordsville, Indiana, in the early part of 1849 to Des Moines, where he remained only a short time when he went to Dudley, Uncle Jerry Church's latest town at that time. When Dudley was drowned out in the flood of 1851 and removed to the present site of Carlisle, also laid out by Mr. Church, Dr. Ward went with the town and remained in it until 1862, when he removed to Des Moines, where he has long been one of the leading physicians.
Of Jeremiah Church we shall have more to say as we progress in this work for he contributed much to the early history of this county. He came to Des Moines in the winter of 1845-6, remained until the next winter, when he laid out the town Dudley just over the line in Polk county, and was its first merchant, and, perliaps, the first merchant in all this region. He then laid ont Carlisle in 1851, and contributed much to its early growth, and remained in the county from time to time until his death in November, 1874.
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