REV WILLIAM E REED, b 25 Feb 1826

REED, MCKEAN, TAYLOR, HODGES, HOUGH, EATON

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 9/17/2004 at 18:57:54

The career of this gentleman has been one of more than ordinary interests, and he is recognized as one of the most intelligent and well-informed men of Fairfield Township, whose history he has written up in good style, and which is highly prized among those it most nearly concerns. He was born in Mercer County, Pa., Feb. 25, 1826, and after leaving the common schools, entered Cannonsburg University, of which he was a student eighteen months. He came with his parents to this county in 1842, when a youth of sixteen years, and at that time there were comparatively few settlers within its limits, and game was plentiful. About that time occurred the Winnebago War, and he joined the soldiery in 1846. In March, 1848, he was with the dragoons who moved the Winnebagoes to Todd County, Minn. After returning from this expedition he taught school in winter and worked on the farm in summer.

In the apring of 1850 Mr. Reed started overland for California, and, after a journey of four months, entered the mines. He remained on the Pacific Slope until 1851, then returned home via the Isthmus, landing at San Juan from the first steamer of the Vandebilt line which cross Lake Nicaragua. At Virginia Bay he hired a boat to San Carlos, and was captured by the natives. He escaped and was retaken, but the United States Consul exerted his influence to effect his release. Then, shipping to New York City, he made his way first to Galena, Ill., and later to his home in this county.

Our subject now commenced working as a carpenter, and subsequently became greatly interested in religious matters, and for a period of seventeen years officiated as a minister of the Baptist Church. His voice finally failing, he was obliged to abandon this work. He assisted in the organization of the Republican party in Iowa, of which he still remains a warm supporter, and has held the various township offices.

William Reed, the father of our subject, was born near the Natural Bridge in Virginia, March 1, 1792. He served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and was promoted to Sergeant. After coming to this county in 1842, he lived here fourteen years, then returned East to Mercer County, Pa., and died there Nov. 2, 1864. He was married in early manhood to Miss Margaret McKean of that county. She was born Sept. 15, 1794, and departed this life Aug. 15, 1842.

The the parents of our subject there were born seven children, only three of whom are living. Jane Ann became the wife of Benjamin Taylor, of Maryland, and they live in Mercer County, Ill.; they have no children. Nancy C. married John L. Hodges, of Indiana, became the mother of seven children, and Mr. Hodges died in the insane asylum at Independence, Iowa; William E., our subject, was married May 16, 1852, to Miss Samantha L. Hough, of Broome County, N.Y., and who was born April 14, 1834; they have four children living, namely: Minnie, Alva, Charles and Melvin. James, a photographer, died in Kansas, in 1884; Ellen was an accomplished music teacher, and died in Dakota, April 16, 1888; Minnie was also a teacher before her marriage; she is now the wife of Eldon E. Eaton, of Iowa, and they live near Dell Rapids, Dak.; they have two children - Leslie and Michael. Alva and Charles are in Dakota. Melvin is at home with his parents.

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The following interesting history of Fairfield Township, was prepared as a Centennial History, by a committee of which Mr. Reed was a member.

What is now known as Fairfield Township is Congressional Township 84 North, Range 4, east of the 5th P.M. The work of subdivision was let to Col. Thomas Cox, and subdivided into sections by John McDonald, Surveyor, in the year 1837. Under the Territorial Government of Iowa, the east half of it was attached to Van Buren and the west half to Maquoketa Townships, for political purposes. The first Justice of the Peace under this government within its limits was, Ephraim Nevil, and the first Constable was Enoch Nevil.

It was erected into a Civil Township in 1846, by seven legal voters. The first offers were as follows: Justices of the Peace, William Reed and B.F. Hull; Constables, N.M. Reed and J.M. Jones; Clerk, Walter Henry; Trustees, J.B. Rowley, John Scarborough and S.A. Richardson.

The name Fairfield was nominated by Benjamin F. Null and agreed to by all present. Fair, as an adjective, means, beautiful, handsome, pleasing to the eye, favorable, open to access. Field means space for action or operation. Fairfield - the best place for man to settle for ease and comfort with all the conveniences about him to enable him to become healthy, wealthy and wise.

John Cox was the first settler. His log cabin was put up in 1837, by Hugh Neiper and Alex. Frazier, who came near being poisoned to death, supposed to be from drinking coffee with a spider boiled in it. However, they reached Bellevue after three days weary travel, and were restored to health by Dr. Moss. In the same year Leonard Hillyard, Joseph and Morris Hillyard and Ephraim Nevil moved with their families into the northwest corner of the township. Here death asserted his power over the lords of creation, and made his first exhibit in this township by laying his cold icy fingers upon Elizabeth Hillyard, the mother in Israel of the new settlement, and honored her with filling the first grave dug in the township. Here the first connubial celebration took place between William Watkins and the widow Maxwell, whose husband was killed in the Bellevue war. Here also the first child was born in the township, who was Maggie Cox, now thirty-eight years old. Here the first sermon was preached, by Bishop Morris, brother to the first deceased. The second sermon was preached by the Rev. John MacIntyre. When the settlers gathered for worship the men brought their guns along to protect themselves and families from the Indians and wild beasts. They set their guns outside the door. The preacher thought he would reprove them for their impiety, and took his text, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy." Just as he had announced his text, a black bear came from the woods and made his way to the river, (named after himself, Maquoquetois - black bear) to slake his thirst. The dogs gave the alarm and the men snatched their guns and made pursuit, and poor Bruin, for his audacity in disturbing public workship, was made to forfeit his pelt; and his flesh went to satisfy the craving appetites of the would-have-been hearers of the truth, had it not been for the bear. Here also the first religious service was performed at a funeral, conducted by J.B. Rowley, at the funeral of Betsey Hillyard, wife of Morris Hillyard. The first school was taught by J.B. Rowley in 1843.

The next settlement was made by Mr. John Halrayd, who is now the oldest settler in the township. He left Liverpool April 13, 1840 (the very day of the Bellevue war) and settled in the southeast part of the township. After suffering all the privations and hardships incident to a pioneer's life he lost seven of his children and a nephew, by a steamboat explosion when his family was coming to him from England. Mr. Halrayd and Henry Newry were the first to enter land in this township. They entered eighty acres on the 8th of September, 1845.

A class was formed for religious services in 1851, and in 1853 the Summer Hill schoolhouse was built and a cemetary laid out, and the first one to be buried there was a son of James Elwood. The third settlement was made by William Reed in 1842 at the mouth of Rock Creek. Death visited here as everywhere else, and in less than one month the mother and her two grandsons were numbered among the dead. They were interred in Hill Cemetary by husband and son with only the members of the family present. The first sermon was preached here by the Rev. J. Farrier, a clergyman from Galena, the congregation numbering seven. After this the place known as North Bend was settled, and a school was taught there by J.W. Butler. In 1850 a class for religious services was organized, and in 1854 a Sunday-school was organized and has been continued through the summer season ever since, and is now in a prosperous condition. A Congregational Church was organized in 1855 under the name of Rock Creek, and in 1859 a Baptist Church under the name of North Bend.

The fourth settlement was made in 1845 by B.F. Hull, S.A. Richardson, L. Wright, William Haylock and others. The first marriage took place between Nelson Kimbal and Hannah Staloop.

Luther Cleveland, who was a soldier in the War of 1812, resides in Fairfield Township. This township furnished two soldiers in the Mexican war, and about fifty in the late Civil War. Of these nine either were killed or died in the service, viz: Hugh Carnahan, William F. Thompson, Harrison Day, Matt Fritz, Welcome Martin, Cyrus W. McKee, Benjamin Jones, C.B. Cowing and William H. Daugherty.

The educational facilities of the township are equal if not in advance of her compeers, having grown from one small school taught in a log hut, to eight districts with splended large schoolhouses, well equipped. The township has not now within her limits a doctor or lawyer. Such could not live without following some other occupation, for the inhabitants are generally peaceable and healthy, which may be attributed to two causes. First, there is not now, nor ever has been, a saloon within her limits, no one being found so base as to try to destroy the soul and bodies of his fellowmen, and so the baser passions are not inflamed which gender strife and contention, which distract the mind and weaken the body, inviting disease. But the peaceable citizens of Fairfield desiring to make all wrongs right have few lawsuits, the moral principles of manliness ruling in the realm of thought, they have no need of such professional gentlemen.

Christianity had an early birth, being introduced with the first year's settlers, and although the followers were few they bore the standard of the cross through all the privations and hardships of pioneer life until it became honored and respected among men, and believed on by the many so that more effort has been put forth to unfurl the banner of the gospel in Fairfield than in any other township in the county.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)