USA > Iowa > Washington County > The history of Washington County, Iowa, its cities, towns, and c., a biographical directory of its citizens > Part 42
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WASHINGTON.
Joseph B. Rodgers, w. hf. of sw. gr. sec. 7; Michael Hayes, se. qr. and e. hf. of sw. qr. sec. 7; James Dawson, w. hf. of sw. gr. sec. 8; Jesse Botkin, e. hf. of sw. qr. and w. hf of se. gr. sec. 8; John Hendee, e. hf. of se. qr. sec. 8; Simon Teeple and Richard Moore, Commissioners of Washington county, sw. gr. sec. 17; James W. Isett, ne. gr. sec. 17; Wm. Conner, e. hf. of nw. qr. sec. 17; Wm. Basey, w. hf. of nw. gr. sec. 17; Nathan Baker, w. hf. of se. qr. sec. 17; Thos. Baker, e. hf. of se. gr. sec. 17; Jonathan Wil- son, w. hf. of sw. qr. sec. 18; James Delong, e. lif. of sw. qr. sec. 18; Jesse Ashby, w. hf. of nw. qr. sec. 29; Wm. B. Thompson, e. hf. of sw. qr. and w. hf. of se. qr. sec. 30; John Graham, w. hf. of sw. gr. sec. 32; James Daw- son, e. hf. of sw. gr. sec. 32; James McCully, e. hf. of nw. qr. sec. 33; James Dawson, w. hf. of nw. qr. sec. 33; Amos Moore, sw. qr. of ne. qr. sec. 33; Baalam Anderson, se. qr. and e. hf. of ne. qr. sec. 34; James Dawson, e. hf. of sw. qr. sec. 34.
THE FIRST REAL ESTATE RECORD.
This book is still in existence and is quite a novelty. It consists of a half quire of foolscap paper stitched together, covered with a sheet of com- mon brown wrapping paper. The first record bears the date of October 1st, 1839, the last is dated April 11th, 1840, hence the record of all the real es- tate transactions made in the county during the first six months was copied on less than six sheets of foolscap. The first custodian and presumptive man- ufacturer of this remarkable book was J. B. Davis, who appears to have been the first recorder. He appears to have been a good penman, used a good quality of ink and the book, considering the material of which it is com- posed, is in a good state of preservation.
FIRST MORTGAGE.
The mortgage, that formidable condensing instrument, so much used in later times by the lender to evaporate the borrower, seems to have been early introduced into the manipulation of Washington county real estate, and very appropriately has a place on the first pages of the history of real es- tate transactions. It was given by Matthew Moorhead to David Bunker
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
and covered the two parcels of land which the former had bought of the Government in September previous. It runs as follows:
" Know all men by these presents, That I, Matthew Moorhead, of the county of Washington, in Iowa Territory, for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred dollars, me in hand paid, the receipt of which I do hereby aeknowledge, have given, granted, bargained, sold, conveyed and confirmed, and by these presents do give, grant, bargain, sell, convey and confirm nnto David Bunker, his heirs and assigns forever as a good and in- defeasable estate in fee simple the following described lots or parcels of land situated and being in the said county of Washington in Iowa Territory, viz: The east half of the northeast quarter of section thirty-three, and the west half of the northwest quarter of section thirty-four, in township sev- enty-four, north of range six, west, to have and to hold said premises with all the appartenances thereunto belonging or in any wise pertaining, to the said David Bunker his heirs and assigns forever, to his own proper use, benefits, and behoof forever as a good and indefeasable estate in fee simple; and I, the said Matthew Moorhead, for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, do covenant with the said David Bunker that before and until the sealing and delivery of these presents, I, the said Mat- thew Moorehad, are lawfully seized in fee simple of the above granted premises, and that I, Matthew Moorhead do and will warrant and defend the same to the said David Bunker, his heirs and assigns forever against the lawful claims of all persons whatsoever.
"The conditions of the above obligation is such that if the said Matthew Moorhead shall well and truly complete the following payment, viz: The sum of one hundred dollars, on or before the first day of October, 1840, it being for a note of hand given by the said Matthew Moorhead to the said David Bunker, which becomes due about the first of October, 1840, for the snm of one hundred dollars, then the foregoing obligation to be null and void, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue in law. Given under my hand and seal this third day of October, A. D. 1839.
" Attest: MATTHEW MOORHEAD.
" THOMAS BAKER.
"NATHAN BAKER."
"TERRITORY OF IOWA, "WASHINGTON COUNTY.
"Personally came before me Thomas Baker, clerk of the Washington Dis- trict Court, the above-named Matthew Moorhead, and acknowledged the signing and sealing of the above obligation to be his voluntary act for the purposes above mentioned. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the temporay seal of said court, at Washington, this 3d day of October, 1839.
THOMAS BAKER, Clerk.
The next instrument recorded is a bill of sale given by Daniel Powers to Allen Phillips:
"Know all men by these presents, that I, Daniel Powers, of the county of Washington, in Iowa Territory, for and in consideration of the sum of four hundred dollars, the receipt of which I hereby acknowledge, have bar-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
gained, sold and conveyed unto Allen Phillips a certain prairie team com- posed of five yoke of cattle, together with one prairie plow and five log- chains, which I, the said Powers, is lawfully seized of and have good right, and lawful authority to sell and convey the same in manner aforesaid.
" The conditions of the above obligation is such that if the said Daniel Powers shall well and truly complete the following payments, viz: The sum of two hundred dollars on or before the first day of September next, and also the sum of two hundred dollars on or before the first day of Octo- ber, 1841, for which I, the said Daniel Powers, have gave my notes to said Phillips, payable as aforesaid, then this obligation to be null and void, oth- erwise to remain in full force and virtue in law.
Given under my hand and seal this 14th of December, 1839.
his
" Attest:
DANIEL x POWERS.
mark.
"THOMAS BAKER,
"JOSEPH ADAMS."
The next is a record of the
FIRST REAL ESTATE TRANSFER.
The first real estate transferred was situated on English river, and con- sisted of a mill-site, the property of C. D. Haskell. The following is a copy of the deed:
"This indenture, made and concluded this 31st day of December, 1839, between Charles D. Haskell, of the first part, and Abraham Owens, of the second part, both of the Territory of Iowa and county of Washington, wit- nesseth : That said party of the first part, for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred dollars to me in hand paid by the party of the second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, has bargained, sold, released and confirmed nnto the party of the second part and his heirs and assigns forever, one equal, undivided third part of eighty acres of land, being heretofore known as Haskell's mill-site claim, on English river, in the county of Washington, and Territory of Iowa; and I do hereby sell and release, and forever quit claim, one equal third part of the above-mentioned land, together with one equal, undivided third part of the water privilege, spring, minerals and timber, and one-third part of the appartenances there- unto belonging, reserving the express right to cut and haul off timber for my farm when required, to his heirs and assigns forever; and to warrant and defend the same against all other claims, the United States excepted.
"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and date above written.
[Seal.]
" C. D. HASKELL.
" Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of-
" A. H. HASKELL,
" CLARISSA HASKELL."
"TERRITORY OF IOWA,
" WASHINGTON COUNTY. }
"This day personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a justice of the peace in said county of Washington, Charles D. Haskell, who is per- sonally known to me to be the real person whose name is subscribed to the
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
foregoing deed, and who then acknowledged that he signed, sealed and de- livered the same freely and of his own accord, for the use and benefit of the persons therein named.
" A. H. HASKELL, "Justice of the Peace."
It seems that these two men, Haskell and Owen, afterward formed a part- nership for the purpose of carrying on the milling business. Their capital stock consisted of $334.31, and the partnership bond called for the moderate sum of $30,000, from which it will appear that mill-sites on English river as well as town lots in Astoria were standpoints of great expectations in former times.
In 1840 Thomas and Nathan Baker conveyed to John Lyen eighty-five and seventy-two hundredths acres of land. The tract is now a part of the city of Washington, and the consideration was $400. The instrument is the last one found in the before-described first book of real estate transfers, and was acknowledged before Jolin Jackson, a justice of the peace, on the 11th day of April, 1840.
Having thus given some idea of the first real estate transaction, it will be proper now to give a brief account of the business of the county and the leading
TRADING POINTS.
It has already been remarked that quite a number of business houses for the sale of dry goods, groceries and general merchandise had been estab- lished in various parts of the county prior to the year 1846, when Iowa be- came a State; but up to that time, and for many years afterward, Burling- ton and Keokuk were the chief trading points for Washington county. Some trade was carried on at Muscatine, but this was chiefly confined to lumber. There was very little farm produce which needed to be marketed for a number of years, the home demand being sufficient to exhaust the supply. Brighton became quite a market at an early day, and through the exertions of a few men of capital and enterprise that town became famous far and near as a trading point. Hogs were sometimes killed and hauled to Burlington, prices ranging from $1.25 to $1.75 per cwt. At an early day the gentlemen already referred to, viz., Calvin Craven, Nicholas Day- ton and James M. Craven, embarked in a very hazardous undertaking, it being nothing less than buying stock and driving it to Chicago. Their first drove consisted of one hundred head of fat cattle. They crossed the Mississippi river at Burlington, and from there followed a direct route to the City of the Lakes, arriving there at the expiration of nineteen days. They butchered the cattle in Chicago and sold them on the hook at prices ranging from 2} to 3} cents per pound. The men made money by the operation-the total expense of the trip amounting to but $90.
Notwithstanding this fortunate venture trips of this kind were not of frequent occurrence, the market for what surplus grain and stock there was, being Brighton or Burlington as a general thing. The basis upon which operations of this kind were carried on in those days forms a marked contrast with the basis of such operations in this day of quick re- turns and small profits. The dealer bought up the stock and gave his note for the purchase price. After he had accumulated a drove sufficiently large
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
he started for the market, and this, owing to the great distance and the slow movements of the fattened stock, often required weeks for the round trip. There was indeed one circumstance which expedited business. In the language of one who knows, " The hogs were good travelers." After disposing of the drove and returning, the stock-dealer again made the round of his circuit and paid for the stock. If his venture proved a for- tunate one, he could pay all his bills and have something left as a compen- sation for his trouble; if not, some of the stock-raisers had to wait until the drover made another trip. The money which the drovers thus circula- ted through the country was pricipally bank bills on the State banks of Ohio and Indiana.
An incident peculiar to these times, illustrating the status of commer- cial operations, is related of a gentleman who may or may not have resided in Washington county, but the authenticity of the statements can be vouched for. Mr. M. was proprietor of a store where was sold a line of general merchandise. Mr. M. carried on quite an extensive trade with the farmers of that section, and was doing a flourishing business. However, as is gen- erally the case with establishments of that kind, there accumulated quite a large amount of old goods, out of style and out of date. Under these cir- cumstances, some merchants would have offered the old goods at " less than cost," or employed a loqnacions auctioneer to dispose of them to the high- est bidder-but not so with Mr. M. He proceeded as follows: It being a prosperous year with farmers, lie entered the field early as a hog-buyer, buying hogs of all sizes and descriptions; bought late and early, and bought continuonsly for a number of weeks, giving his note for the pur- chase-money, as was customary in those days. After he had bought all the hogs in the county which were for sale, and which were old enough to travel, the word was passed around that all hogs thus purchased should be delivered at the county-seat on a given day. The hogs came, filling the town and the region round about. Mr. M., in the meantime, had employed quite a force of medium-sized boys and vocal men, who, on the given day, were to take charge of the hogs and drive them to Keokuk, Mr. M. accom- panying them.
Upon arriving at Keokuk, Mr. M. concluded that the St. Louis market was preferable to the Keokuk market, so he chartered a large boat, after dismissing all his employes except a few who were in his secret, put the hogs on board, and, having given final instructions to the remaining em- ployes, dismissed them and himself set sail for St. Louis. Upon the return of the first delegation of drovers, there was some little uneasiness on the part of Mr. M.'s note-holders. The former persons could give no satisfac- tory account of Mr. M., and it was whispered among the latter that he had lost heavily by the transaction. After a few days the rest of the drovers returned, and upon being questioned appeared to know as little of Mr. M. as those who had preceded them. Soon it was whispered around that Mr. M. had failed, and most likely would not return. One by one came the per- sons of whom Mr. M. had bought hogs and turned in their notes for goods at the store, and soon the crowd became so numerous that they could not be waited on by the force of clerks then employed; more clerks were em- ployed, and Mr. M.'s establishment was so thronged that it resembled a rush at a savings bank in time of a panic. All styles of dry goods and clothing, which had lain on the shelves for years, were bought up with avidity, boxes, containing groceries which had not been opened for months,
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
were soon emptied and were heaped up in the rear of the building; all kinds of cutlery, hardware, agricultural implements, jewelry, musical in- struments and toys were carried off by the wagon-load. In short, there was a pressing demand for everything and anything which farmers could eat, drink or wear, both useful and ornamental, and at the end of a week Mr. M.'s entire stock, including all the old goods which had long been a drug on the market, was disposed of, and the shelves bare. At this su- preme moment Mr. M. returned with a large stock of new goods and his pockets full of money. He pretended to be greatly surprised when he found his store-room empty and manifested great feeling when informed of the reports which were afloat; he even threatened to prosecute the parties who originated the story of his insolvency. Mr. M., however, took no steps to discover the names and location of his traducers; he even re- gained his accustomed urbanity, and it was a matter of surprise to many how quickly Mr. M. rallied from the fit of gloom and despondency which seized him on his first return. Mr. M. continued to buy stock for many years thereafter, but his patrons never made another run on his store.
There were persons in every settlement who made a business of freight- ing, making regular trips to Burlington and Keokuk, while stage lines were operated to and from the principal cities for the accommodation of the public.
The journey was often long and wearisome. The sloughs were not bridged, and in the spring it was no uncommon thing for a passenger on the stage to make his journey on foot and carry a rail with which to help pry the stage out of the mire. This was "high-toned" traveling and from this may be imagined what sort of a journey was that of a lone settler and an ox team.
Washington was quite a pioneer town itself then, and accommodations were limited. It is related that on one occasion the boarders at a certain honse had rather a late breakfast. It happened in this wise: The landlord had noticed that his larder was running low, but he was in hourly expecta- tion of supplies. One evening the pantry was bankrupt, but the host was in hopes his team would come with provisions before morning. But "hope deferred maketh the heart sick" at every dawn. The landlord looked wist- fully across the prairie in vain. Finally he mounted a horse and rode to a house down the road, where he secured a little meal and half a side of bacon from a settler and started for home. The half-dozen hungry board- ers sat in front of the cabin pining for the flesh-pots of civilization, and soon their spirits arose and "their mouths began to water, for away to the south came the plucky landlord, riding like a Jehu, and holding aloft the half-side of bacon as a sign of relief."
The towns which had been laid out being so small, and the means of transportation to them being so limited and irregular, they were unable to supply, regularly, the now increasing demand from all around them, and settlers in these parts thonght themselves happy if they were not compelled to go on far beyond there to Keokuk or Burlington to obtain the necessa- ries of life.
In order to secure many of the necessaries of life they were often under the necessity of going to Burlington and Keokuk to supply the wants of their pioneer homes. After stores and trading points began to be estab- lished in this county, the merchants for many years were in the habit of
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
going to these distant points on the river to purchase their stock of goods and bring them through by wagon transportation.
Occasionally a number of families in a community would club together, make out a list of what they needed, and send off to the trading post as many men and teams as necessary, or as could be obtained, to procure and bring home supplies for all; and thus to a great degree they worked together, and to one another's interest as one great family.
In this way, also, they took turns in going to mill, to the stores, for the mail, etc., and when a cabin was to be raised, or a neighbor assisted in any way, all within reach or liearing turned out with one accord, quite willing to lend the helping hand, and enjoy in common the feast and frolic that was sure to accompany all such gatherings.
In this isolated condition, pioneer life here, as elsewhere, was one of stern realities and serions trials, especially for the sick and aged ones, while so far removed from points of supply, and almost completely cut off from communication with the outside world. If a stranger from any distance came into the new settlement he was treated with unusual cordiality, and questioned with unabating zeal with regard to the great world-inatters without; and if he saw fit to accept the urgent invitation of the settlers to share their humble hospitality in welcome for many days, he might rest assured that he must pass through that long siege of innocent questioning by the inquisitive settlers, from which he would often derive as much pleasure and profit as they.
The young and growing settlements along English river in the north part of the county were less advantageously situated in regard to trading places, post-offices, and mills, than the settlements in the central and southern por- tions of the county. The condition of affairs there is graphically portrayed by Wm. E. Hawthorn, a gentleman who for over a quarter of a century has been one of the leading citizens of the county and for about forty years has resided in the north part of the county:
"Until 1841 there was not enough grain and other provisions raised to supply the settlers of the neighborhood; the principal supplies having to be brought from Burlington, a distance of sixty miles. The settlers having to depend on ox teams it took about a week to make the trip. In 1840 there were but two teams of horses in that section of country, one owned by John R. Hawthorn, and the other by Wm. A. Seymour. We also had to go to Skunk river to mill, which took from two days to one week. In 1843 N. McClure started the first grist mill on English river, and before that many families depended principally on hand mills, one owned by R. B. Davis and one by John Holland, and a cast iron mill owned by John Diehl, all of which were free for the use of neighbors to grind corn, buckwheat, and wheat. Often the coffee mill and tlie grater were used to grind meal and Graham flour. Most of the settlers manufactured their own clothing and many tanned their own leather and made their own shoes. A supply of tobacco was raised at home and pressed, John Holland having a press for that purpose. Money was scarce and much of that not very good. About all the good money which could be raised was saved up to enter land. Wages were from forty to fifty cents per day; rail making fifty cents per hundred; corn was worth from six to ten cents per bushel; wheat from twenty-five to thirty-five cents; cows ten dollars per head; a yoke of work oxen from forty to sixty dollars; prairie breaking two dollars per acre, which was done with oxen, three to five yoke to the team. Yatton post-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
office was established in 1841, N. P. Cooper being the first post-master and the mail, which was carried on horseback, wes received once a week; prior to that time we had to go to Washington or Iowa City for our mail; the " rate of postage was twenty-five cents for a single letter."
TRAPPING AND HUNTING.
The sports and customs of the early settlers were not so numerous and varied as at present, but they were no less enjoyable and interesting.
Hunters now-a-days wouldbe only too glad to be able to find and enjoy their favorable opportunities for hunting and fishing; and even travel linn- dreds of miles sometimes, counting it rare pleasure to spend a few weeks among the lakes and on the wild prairies and woodlands, in hunt and chase and fishing frolics, where not half so good hunting and fishing sport was furnished as was in this vicinity twenty-five or thirty years ago. There were a good many excellent hunters here at an early day, too who enjoyed the sport as well as any can at the present.
Wild animals of various kinds were found here in abundance during the time of the early settlement. The prairies, and woods, and streams, and various bodies of water, were all thickly inhabited before the white man, and even for some time after the white man came.
Serpents were to be found in such large numbers and of such immense size that some stories told by the early settlers would be incredible were it not for the large array of concurrent testimony which is to be had trom the most authentic sources.
Deer, turkeys, ducks, geese, and various other kinds of choice game, were plentiful, affording freely and at the expense of killing what are now considered the choice and costly dishes in the restaurants. The fur animals, also, were abundant, such as the otter, beaver, mink, muskrat, raccoon, pan- ther, fox, wolf, wild-cat and bear.
Deer and elk were quite numerons on these prairies for some time after the first settlements were made. These various kinds of game afforded not only pleasure, but profit, for those among the early settlers who were lovers of hunt and chase; and skillful hunters were not scarce in those days in proportion to the number of inhabitants. Many interesting incidents and daring adventures occurred in connection with these hunting excursions, which the old settlers who still remain seem never tired of relating, and we here propose to insert a few of these reminiscences, related in the language of the actors of them.
A gentleman who formerly lived on South Skunk, near the forks of the river, says that in early days the grass and weeds along the river were so tall and the wolves and rattlesnakes so plenty that it was necessary to pro- ceed with great care, and it was not prudent to even start out to hunt the cows without being provided with a large club or other weapon of defence against these noxious animals. "Often," says he, "have I gone through the Skunk river bottoms in search of my cattle with a large club in one hand and a bowie-knife in the other, the wolves howling on either side and for miles not out of the hearing of the rattling and hissing of snakes:" Mr. Adams informs us that he once stopped over night with two old batch- elors, who were living in Washington county, that during the day had killed two hundred twenty-five rattlesnakes, and who were not in the least damaged in their numerous encounters save as to their appetite; the re-
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