USA > Iowa > Des Moines County > Burlington > The semi-centennial of Iowa. A record of the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of Iowa held at Burlington, June 1, 1883 > Part 5
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REMARKS OF THE GOV., HON. BUREN R. SHERMAN,
Ladies and Gentlemen :- I have protested all day against doing any speaking, and will only make a few remarks. I came here to- day to enjoy the festivities of the day with you. I am not an old set- tler enough to be able to address you, and I have no speech to make. I am glad to-day to associate with you and refresh the memories of events of the first fifty years.
Prof. Theodore S. Parvin, of Iowa City, delegate of the State His- torical Society, briefly reviewed his coming to Iowa in 1838 as Private . Secretary of Robert Lucas, the first Governor of Iowa Territory, and paid a tribute to his purity, integrity and firmness of character.
ADDRESS OF GENERAL GEORGE WALLACE JONES, OF DU- BUQUE.
Grasping the hand of his old colleague, and holding it up, General Dodge said:
In early days the pioneers always estimated a workman by his chips. Here, ladies and gentlemen, is the hand that chipped Wis- consin out of Michigan; that chipped Iowa out of Wisconsin; that chipped for us six hundred and forty acres of land covering this orig- inal town at a mere nominal price; and to the same hand more than any other man or representative, we are indebted for our railroad grants.
Gen. Jones said :
Ladies and Gentlemen .- I thank you and all here for your cor- dial greetings, and for the kindness and hospitality always extended to me in your goodly city, and particularly upon this joyful occasion.
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I have been familiar with the site of Burlington since the year 1827. In early times, when we traveled principally by water, I was here very frequently, and made the acquaintance of some of your pioneers.
I have a distinct and most pleasant recollection of my first elec- tioneering visit to this city and county. I came as a candidate for your suffrage to elect me delegate to Congress from Michigan Terri- tory, in the month of September, 1835. I visited Augusta, Fort Madison and other neighboring precincts. I was here on the day of the election, in October, 1835, and of some two hundred or more votes polled there were but six against me.
I was also a candidate for delegate to Congress from Wisconsin Territory, in October, 1836, and was again honored with an almost unanimous vote by the first settlers of this county.
I will not refer to subsequent honors which many of you aided to bestow upon me, but will say that I labored faithfully, and I hope not without success, to promote your interests both under the territorial and state governments, and that I shall always be grateful to you.
The lateness of the hour, and the many gentlemen who are yet to follow me, forbid that I should occupy more of your time.
ADDRESS OF SOLOMON PERKINS, OF NORWALK, WARREN CO.,-THE FIRST SHERIFF OF DES MOINES CO., IA.
I am not in the habit of making speeches, but I will endeavor to tell you how I got into Iowa. I was born Feb. Ist, 1801. In No- vember 1832, I crossed the Mississippi at Oquawka. I wandered in my travels down to "Flint Hills", where I remained some three days, and then went out and staked off my claim, consisting of some 320 acres; this land had not been surveyed, and I stepped it off, putting up stakes at the corners. Then I went back to "Flint Hills. White, Doolittle and Mc Carver had built a ferry boat, and I helped to launch it into the river, and to put the oars on it, and I was one of the first to cross the river in it, being then upon my way back to War- ren county, Ill.
On the following first day of June, 1833, I returned to my claim to settle upon it. In April or May before, the soldiers had been order- ed to burn and throw down all the cabins on the Iowa side or the river, because the time for settlement by the whites had not arrived; but they did no damage to my claim because it was farther out, be- ing some five miles from Burlington; (Township 69 N. Range 3 w).
The next thing I did, was to build, with my brother-in-law, Joel Hargrove, another ferry boat, at what was called Lower Burlington. It made Mc Carver very angry at us, and he would threaten us. Har- grove being a Kentuckian, made sport of him, telling him, "he would not let any one hurt him", meaning Mc Carver. After running the ferry a short time, we sold out to Col. Redman, from Illinois.
The first merchants to locate in business at Burlington were Wm. R. Ross, Sullivan Ross, and Jerry Smith.
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In the fall of 1834, I was elected the first Sheriff of Des Moines county. My first arrest was for the murder of a man named Comp- ton, by James Dunwiddy; my next for the murder of a man named Richardson, by Henry O'Hammel. Richardson had laid a claim above town, and had got several men to help him raise a house, while breaking prairie; after the house was raised, the men with Richardson at their head went to where O'Hammel was breaking prairie, and were following his breaking team with his gun loaded. Upon seeing Richardson and party, O'Hammel knocked the priming out of his gun, and put in fresh priming, calling the company to halt. The company stopped, when O'Hammel deliberately shot Richardson dead.
I served two terms as Sheriff; first, under Gov. Stevens T. Mason, of Michigan Territory; second, under Gov. Horner. I took the cen- sus of Des Moines county in August 1836, when there were 6257 souls in it.
I lived in the county some eight years. Afterwards I moved to War- ren county, Iowa, and was not in Des Moines county until now, mak- ing an absence of forty years. And now returning to my old tramp- ing ground what do I see? All is changed. I go down to the old ferry I used to run, and find it its stead a wonderful structure of iron, a bridge instead of a ferry. I view the surrounding country near by, and it is built up solid with stone and brick blocks. I can hardly re- alize that forty years can work such miracles. I inquire for my old friends and comrades, and I find that nearly all are gone; those I do find are changed; in place of the dark locks, they are gray.
It gives me pleasure to renew old friendships and revive old recol- lections at this celebration. I am more than ever impressed with the glories of our grand State of Iowa, and hope you will ever keep the early settlement of Des Moines county green in your memories.
REMARKS OF SUEL FOSTER, OF MUSCATINE.
Mr. President and Fellow Citizens :- This is a great day for Iowa. When we look back through the short time of one generation, and see what a great and good work we have done, we have cause for rejoicing.
We came here and squatted upon Government lands,some of us be- fore the United States surveyor had surveyed it into townships and sections. We had no laws recognizing any right or title to our houses and lands. By our own hands we made our primitive homes. We found it necessary to establish rules and regulations to govern and protect our ownership. Each neighborhood enacted its own "claim laws"; limited the quantity of land, usually to 320 acres; some neigh- borhoods 160 acres, for each settler, provided a book of records with the names and boundaries of claimants, and a committee to settle dis- puted rights Sometimes parties would refuse to abide the decision
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of the committee, and would appeal to the "shot guns" or rifle, us- ually more threats than shots.
The First Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Iowa at its ses- sion in this city, passed a law Jan. 15, 1839, recognizing the rights of property in the squatters home, and the decision of claim commit- tees. An execution for debt could be levied upon the claim.
But in this favored land, while we had less difficulties than many new settlements, we had the inconvenience of the want of a community; neighbors being few and far between. The laws and regulations of the General Land Office were such as embarrassed us, by bringing into market large quantities of land with few actual set- tlers, to occupy it, while large quantities were sold to non-residents; thus spreading the frontier settlements over wide acres, without roads, bridges, schools or churches, causing children to grow up without ed- ucation, or to be sent from home at great expense to be educated.
Home is the best school. It our people would give more attention to making it attractive for their children, we would have fewer drunkards, paupers, and criminals, a wiser and better government, and God would more abundantly help our State and Nation. The family is the most sacred place, and the laws should "regulate" fam- ilies by more severe penalties for improper conduct.
Three days ago, Mr. Bailey Davenport, son of Col. George Dav- enport, after whom Davenport is named, took me in his carriage south of the city of Rock Island, to the spot where Black Hawk was born, his old village ground near the mouth of Rock river. We ascended the bluff to "Black Hawk's watch Tower", from which we had a view of one of the most beautiful countries to be found in the West. Rock river is dotted with beautiful islands, which were cul- tivated by the Indians in corn and beans when they lived there. This was the spot which Black Hawk said the United States defraud- ed him out of.
Mr. Davenport believed that he and his brother George L. Daven- port, have the rightful claim of being the first settlers of Iowa. There was a large spring two miles above where Davenport is, and several other squatters had their eyes on it to make a claim to it as soon as the first of June should arrive. To make sure of being ahead of oth- ers, they crossed the Mississippi at two o'clock in the morning, took a small plow with them, and with the assistance of some other boys who drew the plow, they had land plowed and turnips sown before sunrise.
Next above the Davenport claim on the river shore was the claim of Dr. Emerson, who was surgeon at Fort Armstrong on Rock Is- land. He was from St. Louis, and had brought a slave with him to Fort Armstrong. Qn the removal of the garrison to Fort Snelling in the summer of 1836, he left his slave to keep his claim to a half section of land in this free Territory, then a part of the Territory of Wiscon- sin. His slave was Dred Scott, about whom arose the famous "Dred Scott Decision," I had the pleasure of seeing this distinguished per-
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son myself in 1837, when he was living in his shanty on Dr. Emer- son's claim.
At the close of the exercises at the grand stand a motion was made and unanimously carried, for a vote of thanks to General Dodge for the able and courteous manner in which he had presided on the oc- casion, and three cheers were then given for this gallant veteran and splendid specimen of the true American gentleman.
In acknowledging the compliment, the General said it was the hap- piest day of his life, and that he never felt so rich as at that very mo- ment.
EXERCISES AT THE WEST STAND.
HON. A. G. ADAMS, PRESIDING.
ADDRESS OF HON. A. G. ADAMS.
Ladies and Gentlemen :- We meet to-day to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the first settlement of this territory; to take by the hand friends who, in the good old days, shared with us the joys and discomforts of the pioneer life, and bid them welcome to our homes and firesides.
The name of Black Hawk Purchase, by which this territory was well known, has been forgotten, as well as the names of landmarks and neighborhoods. In fact, most everything of olden time has been lost sight of except the faces of our old friends, many of whom are with us to-day.
In the midst of our pleasure and happiness to-day, let us not for- get those who are unable to be with us, or those who sleep their last sleep. Contrasting the past with the present, we see what wonderful changes have taken place; what great progress has been made in everything connected with life.
Who of those days with the most fanciful imagination could have conceived the great progress that we have seen in our State; changes that are wonderful to contemplate. From the Indian wigwam to the palatial mansion, from the log school house with puncheon floor, log seats and desks to the best public educational edifices in the world, from the out door councils of the red men to the most beautiful and ornate legislative and judicial structures.
Who can fortell the progress of the next fifty years?
Burlington is truly historic ground, having been one of the two capitals of Wisconsin, the first capital of Iowa with the Old Zion church state house; the place where councils were held with the Sac and Fox Indians, and their trading post, the county seat of Des Moines, the mother of counties, one of only two counties in this ter- ritory in the year 1836; the home of Mason, Coolbaugh, Starr, Grimes, Warren, Browning, Breckenridge, Hall and many other distinguish- ed and honored citizens, who contributed much toward the growth
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and prosperity of our grand and noble State. Our time being very limited and there being so many of our old friends that we want to see and hear, we shall be compelled to limit the time of each speaker to five minutes.
I have now the honor and pleasure of introducing to you the elo- quent and honorable Mr. Belknap.
ADDRESS OF HON. W. W. BELKNAP, OF KEOKUK.
Fellow Citizens of Burlington :- I had no idea until my friend told me of it last night that I was to say something to-day, and while I thank him for his recognition, I must say how gratified I am in be- ing with you on this day, made historic by its associations, and one which in coming years when a renewal of these scenes occurs will be alluded to as the beginning of a significant commemoration. The changes which have made their mark in the history of your city and of the State since I landed at Keokuk thirty years ago, are a marvel and a wonder to any one who will recall the past.
From point to point communication was so slow that the present swift movement by rail could be hoped for, but never expected. The stage coach since then has become a thing of the past, and its slow movements are only known like a tradition. I well remember when in 1855 the road which connects this city with Chicago was opened, and in Marion hall the eloquence of Douglas and the strong words of Cass, in celebration of the event, spoke of the energy of the achieve- ments, and foretold in language which seemed like exaggeration, the results of invention and the triumphs of science in the future. But their words, prophetic as they were only, touched the borders of re- ality, for beyond the prospect of their highest hope have great results been reached. In this matter of travel alone, in the progress of the land, increased speed is but a type of its continuous development in other periods. Thirty-five years ago the lines of iron through New York were not continuous. Men had to sail from Buffalo across the lake, for there was no road then as now upon its margin. There was none around Lake Michigan, Chicago had to be reached by water; thence to La Salle the traveler could choose between stage- road or canal, and thence the Illinois river took him to St. Louis, six days or longer from New York. But since then beyond all prom- ise has progress been made. The States are ribbed with roads, and the burden which the traveler of those days bore in the slowness of travel, becomes a pleasure to us in these days of constant movement. And by this progress this city has made its population thousands, and the State approaches millions. We have a State worthy of every tribute that can be given her. Rescued from savage hands fifty years ago, it has advanced in all material improvement beyond the predictions of prophecy, and stands proudly among her sisters, causing at times their envy, but captivating their regard. Her little battallion of a few hundred men sent to the Mexican War in 1846,
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were, though small in number, as gallant and brave and as full of pat- riotic zeal, as were the 80,000 who took up arms when rebellion tried to break the bonds of Union, but the contrast between the numbers on the rolls showed the extent of the march of the State in wealth, population and strength. Her gallant sons have fought and fallen in historic fields, and have raised the State to a career of patriotic prog- ress, which cannot end with years but only with centuries.
And in meeting to-day to honor this fiftieth Anniversary of the ris- ing empire, we realize the patriotism of the people, and gladly recall the motto which will belong to Iowa forever .- "The affections of her people, like the rivers within her borders, flow to an inseparable Union."
ADDRESS OF HON. CALEB F. DAVIS, OF KEOKUK.
Mr. President, Ladies' and Gentlemen :- I am not one of the "Old Settlers" of Iowa, and presume I am captured by your vener- able President, because I live in a city named for one of the oldest settlers, "Keokuk". I will make no apology, as others have made, that they had no expectation of being called upon, and were taken by surprise, then take a manuscript from their pocket, and read care- fully a prepared speech.
I have given some attention to the presentation of the faces and history of the early settlers in this part of our State. I have a pho- tograph of Keokuk, the Indian Chief, copied from a daguerreotype presented by the "Chief" in person to John Burns Esq., of this city; also one of "Black Hawk" copied from a painting made by Catlin in a log cabin, owned and occupied by Isaac R. Campbell, in 1838, at "The Point" where the city of Keokuk now stands. Keokuk was a man of peace and friendly to the whites. Black Hawk was a warrior, and ever ready to fight the pale faces.
"Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war;" while Black Hawk was distinguished in war, your venerable President is no less distinguished in the arts of peace; thus far there is a likeness, yet truth demands me to say that Black Hawk had much more hair on his head.
I came to Iowa, landing by steamboat at Keokuk, thirty-four years ago, then a very young man; the truth of which you will readily con- firm from my present youthful appearance. I was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store, the.senior member of the firm being Gen- eral Arthur Bridgman. That name calls up memories of the early history of Iowa and Burlington, when General Bridgman, with George Patridge, now of St. Louis, Ward Lanson, now of Fairfield, and others were among the first merchants of the State at Burlington.
Mr. Bridgman and Mr. Lanson are present to-day.
I well remember the difficulties of transportation in those days. The merchants of Burlington traveled by stage coach (Frink and Walker line) to Keokuk on their way to St. Louis, and in low water all freight for this point from below had to be transferred at Keokuk.
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I remember a remark of one of your oldest citizens and best mer- chants, Col. John S. David, while waiting for a boat at Keokuk, and talking about the advantages of the respective towns, that "Burling- ton is a very nice town, but located just forty miles too far up the Mississippi river."
We of Keokuk are glad to join with you in this celebration to-day, and with other visitors to your beautiful city, listen to the talk of the few remaining grand old men who were in at the birth, and who aid- ed to rear the State, and place upon our flag one of the brightest stars in our galaxy. We bear willing witness, and are indebted to you, citizens of Burlington, for your cordial reception and bountiful hos- pitality.
ADDRESS OF COL. J. C. PARROTT, OF KEOKUK.
Unexpectedly called upon for a few remarks, and not addicted to speech making, I will merely relate some little incidents which took place in this district at a very early day.
I had the honor (for honor I call it), when I was young to be con- nected with the Ist U. S. Dragoons, of which regiment the honored father of the President of this celebration was Col. Henry Dodge. He was stationed with the headquarters of the regiment at Fort Leaven- worth. A detachment of said regiment was sent to what was known as Camp Des Moines, on which ground the town of Montrose now stands. I came there in September, 1834, and was one of a party who went up to Salem, Henry county, to quell some Indians who were thought to be hostile by a white settler at that place; but we found the Indians peaceable and almost starving, took them down to camp, and sup- plied them with rations sufficient to last one week; but the Indians were so hungry that they consumed all the provisions in one day.
Since that time what immense changes have come over this com- monwealth, the early settlers can only realize; what changes will take place in the next, fifty years, our children and grand-children will have to note. For your kind consideration I thank you.
ADDRESS OF COL. BARLOW GRANGER, OF DES MOINES
Mr. President and Fellow Citizens :- It is indeed a pleasure as a citizen of the present Capital to be one of this vast assemblage in this lovely and prosperous city, where was our first Capital. In the summer of 1848 I first came to the State, and was glad to get a passage in a rickety hack, drawn by a pair of crip- pled old horses, to the Upper Des Moines Valley. A comparison with the present means of travel is unnecessary.
In 1849, was established the first newspaper, at the present Capital, then Fort Des Moines. The material was hauled in wagons by ox teams from Iowa City, then the Capital; and the party in charge, 4
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team and all, were lost three days on the prairie where Grinnell now is. The first paper was printed in a log cabin, one of the old Fort buildings. The publication was considered a great undertaking at the time. To-day at the same place we have a wonderful city and newspapers and printing offices too numerous to mention. Then, remnants of Indian tespees were in existence, and parties of Indians occasionally visited their old homes and shed tears over the graves of their ancestors. Near Iowa City a flag was kept floating over the grave of a favorite young Chief. Our friend Sarpy still had his trad- ing house in Iowa, Kanesville now Council Bluffs, was the rendez- vous for the Mormons, their starting point for "the promised land."
Comparing then with now, if the spirit of progress has moved majest- ically onward, making this dreamy vision of the past a dull reality, what finite mind can comprehend the possible realities of the next fifty years? With the proposed "Tri-Centennial Railroad" complet- ed, and Kamchatka and Patagonia connected by the iron band, our people exchanging visits and products with the people of Brazil, what next? A trip around the world in some conveyance propelled by electricity, perhaps! Had some visionary predicted, when this was the Hawkeye Capital, that away in the Indian wilds, where the Des Moines and Raccoon join their waters, would be our own grand city, and a magnificent Capitol,a splendid specimen of architectural beauty erected for the public business of the State, our old friends would have given loud expressions of disbelief. Yet we have them. The feasibility of a railroad connecting North, Central, and South Amer- ica has been discussed, and perhaps a company is already formed hav- ing that object in view, calling their proposed road "The Tri-Cen- tennial" If taking ships by rail, or any other way, across from Ocean to Ocean, is practicable, it must be equally practicable to build a railroad through Central America, rough as her mountains may be. If this be done, (visionary as it may seem, it is not impos- sible), need we now attempt to figure out the condition of our own garden of the world, placed as it will be on the main line, when this good city of Burlington holds the Centennial Anniversary of the set- tlement of Iowa.
ADDRESS OF HON. PHINEAS M. CASADY, OF DES MOINES.
Ladies and Gentlemen :- My feet touched the soil of Iowa for the first time at Burlington in May 1846. The citizens then had the reputation of being enterprising and hospitable. They have deserv- edly enjoyed that reputation from that day to this. By the arrange- ments for this celebration, and the hospitality extended to the vast multitude here assembled, they are entitled to the continuance of that good reputation, and to the thanks of all the people of the State for their efforts in making the Semi-Centennial Celebration so great a success.
As one of the evidences representing the great change, and the
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rapid growth of Iowa, I will state that the Senator representing Mar- ion, Jasper, Polk and Dallas counties, and the country west to the Missouri river, and north to the State line, in the Second and Third General Assembly, resided at Des Moines, then a village of one hun- dred and fifty people, now a city of thirty thousand inhabitans, the Capital of the State, with a Capitol building nearly completed. In no spirit of boasting, but as an historic fact, I had the honor to be that Senator.
ADDRESS OF RICHARD SPENCER, ESQ , OF BURLINGTON.
Ladiesand Gentlemen :- I did not suppose that our worthy chair- man was going to impose upon this large assemblage by calling on me to address you. I had hoped that we should be permitted rather to listen to the first settlers who laid the foundation of civil society here, to the pioneers who toiled and suffered, to establish political institutions and social order in this goodly land fifty years ago. I feel that I am out of place, being neither a pioneer, nor yet a public speaker, and in no way fitted to do justice to this interesting occa- sion.
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