Total Eclipse. Bentonsport. 1869

TUCKER, FEGTLY, KECK, APPLETON, MONTGOMERY

Posted By: Fred Rucker (email)
Date: 5/11/2006 at 23:00:23

Total Eclipse from Bentonsport:

Memory Is Clear

Editor The Star-News-So many are writing the Star-News of seeing the eclipse of 1869, that I have seen seeing it over and over for the past week.

It stands out more distinctly today than any other event in my long life of seventy-seven years.

I was visiting friends in the picturesque and the "then aristocratic" town of dear old Bentonsport, in Van Buren county, Iowa. The town nestles under the bluffs on the Des Moines river.

My friend's brother, Sloan Keck, was then one of the owners of the flouring mill there and he invited Miss Myra Appleton, his sister Emma, and myself to go with him to the top of the mill, taking our smoked glasses, through which to see the eclipse.

The view from the mill, built on side of the stream, was of itself a rare one. Looking to the West and north the winding river with its hills on either side, covered with forest trees. The town, beginning at the James Brown ranch, and residence. The long streets running parallel with the river, beginning there and ending up at the "Depot," just below the "Capt. Payne Hill." As the moon crept over the sun, we watched it darken the woods to the northwest; silhouetting the buildings all along the bluff east of the town. There was an old Academy, the Tussey house high up on the hill, the "Grandma Hancock" home and the three churches with the sunshine still on their spires lying against the darkening bluffs. The homes of the Rehkops, the "Sandfords", the "Greefs," the "Greens", Capt. Hancock, the Braggs, the Mason's Hotel, Senator "Billy" Mason's old home, the old Stone house where the Kecks lived and on up to the highest bluff to Capt. Payne's house.

I do not wonder that Bigelow Payne is a gifted writer. His home when a child was surely an inspirational one. I saw him last when he was about two years old.

By this time we were using our smoked glasses. In the swift coming darkness the cows and pigs were running down the hill from the wooded pastures, the chickens were making unusual noise and haste in going to roost, and "Cal" Montgomery ("Gully" for short, a nickname) came whistling up the stairs with a lighted lantern. Then Oh! The corona around the darkened sun. Can one ever forget that sight!

We looked long at the dark shadow as it crept south and east over what had seemed like fairy land while the shadow was over us, at the river and valley afar off. Quietly we found our way down and out on the street again.

KATE E.F. TUCKER

Source: Pasadena Star-News newspaper article ( by Kate Fegtly Tucker on the Total Eclipse from Bentonsport.