Flint River Township families

INGRAHM, CHAPMAN, MORGAN, SEXSON, LEFFLER, ARNOLD, DELASHMUTT, RIPLEY AND OTHERS

Posted By: Lloyanne Wallien (email)
Date: 1/16/2007 at 23:06:56

Garret, William. “Reflections of A Pioneer,” Burlington Daily Gazette, May 5, 1886, page 3.

FLINT RIVER TOWNSHIP

I remember that in the summer of 1836 one of our horses was missing, and one Sunday one or two of the men went to look for him and they let me go with them. We rode up through the town and out on the Casey prairie road by Mr. Compton’s cabin and by Mr. O’Neal’s and old man Ladd’s and west and south. The road was cut through the heavy timber, and soon after we reached the prairie we found a cabin and stopped to enquire as to the horse. Mr. Rodney Arnold lived in that cabin, which was not far from the east line of the township and south of the Mt. Pleasant road. Mr. Arnold and Colonel Chapman had a long lawsuit about this quarter of land, but Mr. Arnold finally won the suit. Mr. Arnold lived there many years. He was from Connecticut and died some years ago in Nebraska, but I believe was buried in Aspen Grove. He had one son, Joseph, (who died in town many years ago, of the small pox), and several daughters. We returned home by Mr. William Leffler’s and Major Smith’s then west of Mr. Arnold’s and north of the road and now just east of Leffler, lived Colonel W.W. Chapman. He was a son-in-law of Col. Arthur Inghram, and was at that time the prosecuting attorney, and was afterwards elected, in 1838, as our first delegate to congress from Iowa. In 1840, the democrats nominated General A. C. Dodge, and the whigs nominated Alfred Rich of Ft. Madison. Col. Chapman was an independent candidate, but may have declined or withdrawn before the election. Gen. Dodge was elected and was our delegate until we became a state. Col. Chapman sold out and removed to Wapello county, and from there to Oregon, where I understand he is now living at a very old age. Then south and a little west lived old Mr. Jacob Leffler and his son John, who was a bachelor. Their place is now West Burlington; they both died. Jacob Leffler was the father of Col. Isaac, Absalom, William, John and Shepherd, and was a very nice old man. Shepherd Leffler bought that place, built a frame house, married Elizabeth Parrot and lived there for years. The house is still there, in West Burlington, the residence of Mr. Thos. C. Scholes. In 1840 and 1842 Mr. Leffler and Mr. Chas. Madera were merchants, and I was their clerk. Mr. Leffler was a prominent citizen, a member of both Houses of the Legislature and four years Congressman from this district, and candidate for governor and was laid to rest a few years ago by the side of his wife in Aspen Grove. South of his place lived his brother William-- he was living there in 1836, think he made the claim, or bought it in the spring of 1835. He was a surveyor and did a good deal of surveying in early days here, at his house, in 1836, died. Dr. Cutler, one of our first physician. (sic)

North of Jacob Leffler’s, and west of Col. Chapman’s, was the claim of Daniel Strang, his cabin was north of the road, near a spring, but a few years later he built up on the road, north of Shepherd Leffler’s and resided there for some years, but sold out to W. W. Coolbaugh and A. W. Carpenter, and moved to Oregon, where he died a few years ago. Coolbaugh and Carpenter, sold to Mr. Reed, that place is now Leffler’s where the C. B. & Q. have their large shops and works. Little did Mr. Strang dream that such buildings and works would be on his claim. West of Mr. Strang’s claim was the claim of David Pierson, the oldest son of old man John Pierson. His cabin was south of the road, and east of the deep hollow, not far west of the schoolhouse in West Burlington, and south of his claim was a claim owned by Johnson Pierson, his brother or the old gentleman. A Mr. Hildreth purchased these claims and when Mr. Leffler was in Congress I believe he purchased that part on the road and Mr. James T. Kaster that part upon which Jos. W. Penny now owns and resides. Mr. David Pierson moved to Jefferson county, and from there back to Virginia, lived there several years and came back to Henry county, near New London, and from there to west of the fairgrounds, where he died and is at rest in Aspen Grove. West of Pierson’s, four miles from town, in the pint of timber, lived Col. Arthur Inghram, one of the prominent men in the territory. He had been a member of the legislature of Virginia, a colleague of Col. Isaac Leffler, who was from Ohio county, and Col. I. From Tyler county, and in 1836 they, with Mr. Hughes, were the judges in our county, and in the fall Col. Inghram was elected to the council and Col. Leffler to the House of the Wisconsin legislature, and at the session of 1837-38 held in our town. Col. Inghram was elected President of the Council, and Col. Leffler, Speaker of the House. In 1836 and 1837 I had the fever and ague, and in the summer of 1838 the bilious fever, and after that the fever and ague. Late in the fall Col. Inghram came in the store one day, and asked me what was the matter, and I told him and he told me how to cure it—said that about 15 or 20 minutes before the shake came on to drink a tea cup full of hot water and ginger—to make it strong with ginger, sweetened, and drink as hot as I could and stay in bed for the balance of the day. I did so, broke up the ague, and have not had a shake since, that is now over 47 years. Col Inghram died at that place, and it was sold to Mr. David Love, who resided there many years and died there. His son John owned a claim and built a house north and east of his father’s, married a daughter of old man William Delashmutt, lived there many years, and died there, and his widow and some one or two of the daughters still live there. The claims south of Arnold’s belonged to old Mr. Pierson, and west of these was the Lone Tree claim—the Rev. L. G. Bell, the first Presbyterian minister here, lived on that claim. He lived there several years, sold out to Rev. Abner Leonard, the father of Hiram, David and Revs. Isaac and Aaron. Father Bell moved to Fairfield, where he had a female seminary for some years.

West along what is now Agency road lived then and a few years later, Jeremiah Ralston, John Hollingsworth, Mr. Bross, Geo. Gearheart, William F. Johnson and his brother, B. B. Johnson and a few years later Edward Wallace. Of these Johnson resides there yet. West of Col. Inghram’s lived his son Thomas, who married a daughter of Jonathan Morgan, and along the road lived John Stormer, Jr.; his father, John Stormer, I think, lived north in the timber. Next house was old Mr. Jacob Feese’s; it is now the M.J. Delashmutt farm. On the north side of the road William Morgan, jr., son of Jonathan, lived, who married a Miss Sexson, and built near the road. West was Mr. Reed, a son in law of Jonathan Morgan, and he sold it to Robert S. Ohalfant, who built a good frame house, which is there yet; the place now belongs to Mr. Evans, I believe. West on the south side for years lived Samuel Moor, and south of him Jacob Wolf. On Agency road lived Henry Robinson and his two sons Moses W. and George W., the latter died. M. W. was quite a prominent citizen, being a member of the legislature and constitutional convention; also lived near there Mr. Gen. Patison; he moved to Tennessee. In 1836 most of the setters lived in and near the timber, and the road to Mount Pleasant ran nearer the timber than it does now. After leaving Colonel Inghram’s the main places on the road were Lewent’s Point, Quaken Asp Grove, New London, or Dovers and Birch’s and to Mount Pleasant. Near where Middletown now is, lived Mr. John Crawford, the father of the Crawford brothers, J. F. and R. C. Mr. J. K. Scott came there in any early day, and purchased land near Middletown. I think a Mr. Cummings, father of Dr. Cummings, also lived near there he may have lived in Danville township. Then along the timber lived David Fees (and is living there now), James A. Ogle. Jonathan Morgan, one of the first settlers and a prominent citizen, sold out [to] Samuel Bridges and moved to Oregon. Bridges sold to Carleton Hughes, who resided there many years and died in the old Morgan house, which is still standing. Then near Mr. Morgan’s was old Mr. Jacob Sexson, and his sons Enoch and Burris. Enoch married a daughter of Mr. Morgan’s and died there, and Burris moved to Nebraska. James Graham lived west of there for many years, and died there. Mr. John C. Sleeth moved out near there from town, sold out and started for Oregon, but I believe died on the road. Mr. Richard Morgan also lived near there and went to Oregon. Mr. Hughes lived down in the timber before he purchased the Morgan place. Mr. Zachariah Ward lived just west, and died there, and Mr. D. D. Reilly also lived near there, and his sons. D. C. and Michael. Then east lived for many years Mr. Lemon Burke, and old Mr. Springer lived on the Thos. Inghram place for some years. Samuel Lewen owned what was known as Lewen’s Point, but at an early day sold it to Mr. John McMakin and moved west, and Mr. McMakin lived there many years surrounded by his sons Joseph J. William T. and J. Lowery, all highly respected citizens, but died a few years ago, I think, at Washington, Iowa, and was buried in the Middletown cemetery, North of all these claims was heavy timber, but up in the northwest corner of the township was some prairie, and there lived some old settlers. Mathew W. Nenley, still living, is one of the oldest; and Chas. H. Snelson and his brother John, old Mr. John Wolverton, Sam’l and Hiram Cockayne, Hiram died, Samuel is living near Kossuth. Joe Johnson, Michael Myers, Peter Fenegel Samuel S. Nealley, the father of M. W., an older brother and also relatives of James W., who was one of the early settlers in town. This timber land along Flint was cut up into small tracts, owned by the farmers, who lived out on the prairie. A good many Germans, however, settled along in the timber. J. Adam Funk, and some one else (I can not remember his name) built a mill on Flint, sold it to Chas H. Snelson and it was known as Snelson’s Mill for years. Then east of Snelson (where Robert Grimes now lives) lived John Jones, an early settler, and the Bolick family—the old gentleman and his sons David, Amos and Caleb—some of them live there at this time. Then up on Flint lived some of the Beckmans, Welschmeier, and Sudbrock. About one or two miles above the Wapello Road Col. Leffler and his sons built a mill, and sawed lumber and hauled it to town, and near there lived Thomas Brown, and Peter Hall, and John Jackson, but Jackson moved above Mr. John Ripley’s a few years later. I knew him at an early day. And just beyond the bridge, on the Wapello Road, to the east on a little know lived Absalom Leffler, the father of Jacob Leffler, and they had a sugar orchard, but Mr. Leffler died about 1841 or 1842 and the family moved to the prairie place and sold to Mr. Hawksworth, the father of David and John. They came from England. And north of them, on the road, lived old Mr. McKimmey and old Mr. John Ripley, the father of Issac and David. David lives on the place now. Mr. Ripley was a prominent settler and a member of the Legislature and died at a good old age. He came from Virginia. Mr. Ripley’s sons purchased farms north of him, but sold to Mr. Crissinger. Near them lived Mr. John Jackson, Mr. Henry Hart and old Mr. B. Griffiths, and north Jeremiah Lamson purchased from Daniel Lewis and Mr. Chohick and sold to the Walker family and moved to Oregon. Mr. Charlse Walker lives on the place. Then above and east lived Stephen Robertson, now part of the Orndorff and Smiser farms; Mr. Robertson was one of the first settlers in Casey Prairie; Mr. William Bane settled up there in 1837 and still resides there. William Bester lived near Robertson, and over west Simon Witte settled in 1838 or ’39. In 1836 there was an Irishman living up on that branch or creek named Noddy or Naddy and the creek was named after him, but on the map it is called Knotty. Mr. Hugh McDonald settled at an early day near Franklin Mills. The father of J. Wesley, who lives up near Kossuth also Mr. Wiley Ballard, the father of John Ballard our late county treasurer, he lived close to Franklin Mills and died an honored and respected citizen.

In looking over what I have written, I remember some I have missed: Just east of Mr. Crawford’s Mr. Leonard Abney lived, a very worthy citizen and a very devoted and enthusiastic Methodist, and at camp meetings would get very warm and excited. I believe that Robert Allen and James Allen lived just above Mr. Ripley’s and sold their farms to the Ripley boys—David and Lewis. There also lived up near there Mr. Richard Parks and his brother one was the father of our fellow citizen Jno. S. Parks, of Gardner, Peterson & Co., and I believe Jerry Lammon purchased their places, also Mr. John Adam Funck moved to the country and lived for a few years up on Flint river; also old man Knohuer, also lived near Robertson’s. The Fouts family—I can remember only Ben—and an old citizen, named Daniel Wells, lived on Flint, near Mr. Hull’s, and old Mr. Shonk lived at the top of Flint Hill—I have forgotten his given name. Also on Flint, near the bridge, lived a family named Wirt. One studied medicine and was a doctor; John C. Farmer married a daughter and moved to Minnesota, and John Amons, the old hatter, married a daughter. I had almost forgotten one of the oldest and most prominent settlers in Flint River, James D. Spearman. His claim was up east of Charles Spelson’s and he was the bidder for the settlers of the township at the land sales. He moved to Henry county, and one of his sons was the sheriff of that county for a number of years. My old and valued friend, William F. Johnson, in his younger days, was very fond of sport and kept a pack of hounds, and was often out and up Flint Creek after deer of foxes and in the prairies after wolves, and sometimes over the river in the bottom, and Burrus Sexson was generally along, and sometimes persons from town were of the party.

Flint River has the honor of having the delegate to Congress, from Iowa, first prosecuting attorney in the county and one of the judges in 1836 and member of the Wisconsin legislature in Col. Arthur Inghram, who was president of the council.

Quite a number of the settlers in this township came from Virginia, now West Virginia—the Inghrams, Delashmutts, Lefflers, Col. Chapman, Ripleys and others—some from Kentucky and Tennessee. Some of them settled in Illinois first and then moved to the Black Hawk purchase and made worthy citizens. Quite a number of these early settlers moved further west, some to Oregon, but a good many are resting in the cemetery at Middletown and in Aspen Grove, in our city. WM. GARRETT