Myrick, Eli (1833-1908)

MYRICK

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 12/6/2016 at 21:53:01

The Advocate-Tribune newspaper, Indianola, Iowa, Thursday, Dec 14, 1905, front page
History of Warren County, by Geo. A. Epps of Palmyra

ELI MYRICK
Eli Myrick was born in the state of Ohio in the year 1834; in the year 1844 he came with his parents to the territory of Iowa, stopping in Washington county late in the evening on the 11th day of October 1845. Just 353 years after Columbus first saw the wild and savage shores of America, and one year, two months and seventeen days before Iowa was admitted into the union of states, his father, Elias Myrick, Henry James, and William Freel camped for the night one mile northeast of where the town of Palmyra was afterwards located. They arose on the morning of the 12th of October and could see the smoke curling from the Indian wigwams. After some days spent in viewing the “Three River country” they staked off their claims and returned to Washington county where they remained until April 1846, when they moved their families to their new homes. Elias Myrick’s house was built one mile north of Palmyra near where Mrs. Craig now lives; Henry James located one half mile east where his son, Stephen, now lives; William Freel staked off his claim near where G. W. parson now lives. Eli Myrick, the subject of this sketch, was twelve years of age at that time, and has vivid recollections of the wild prairies, the brush patches, the hazelnuts, the wild crab apple and wild plum, which grew in abundance. The deer and elk were plentiful; the groves and timber lands were stocked with wild turkeys and there were prairie chickens and quails in great abundance, so that the pioneers were well supplied with wild meat, but bread, the staff of life, was sometimes a luxury in those days. In the summer of 1845 the supply of meal was running low, the waters were high, South river, Middle river and the Des Moines river were out all over the bottom lands. The Myricks, James and Freels cut dead elm logs and made a raft, upon this raft they placed a wagon and rowed across South river; a yoke of cattle was made to swim the stream; they were hitched to the wagon and William Freel returned to Washington county where corn was procured and converted into meal. In those days Fraziers axle grease was unknown; pine tar and lard were mixed and used to lubricate the spindles; the tar bucket was hung on the coupling pole behind the axletree, in crossing a stream of water Mr. Freel put the tar bucket in the wagon, it was upset and when Freel got back home with the meal the bread, when baked, was slightly perfumed with tar. In the early fall of the year 1847, the Myricks cut and stacked about seventy tons of prairie hay; this hay was made from what was called blue stem grass, the hay was stacked a few rods west of where the north and south branches of Turkey creek unite in section thirty two, about twenty feet from the stack a furrow was ploughed forty feet away, another furrow was ploughed and when the frost had killed the grass the space between the furrows was burned to protect the stacks from prairie fires, but later on the prairie fires came and with a high wind the flames leaped the burned space and consumed the hay. G. A. Epps owns the land where the hay was burned and, although fifty-eight years have come and gone, cinders formed from the burning hay are to be found to this day. When we consider the fact that in 1847 inventive genius had not brought forth the improved hay machinery of today; the mower, the tedder, the hay rake, the loader and the stacker of today had not been dreamed of. The old fashioned scythe, the wooden hand rake and wooden pitchfork were the implements for making hay in 1847. It did not require barns or sheds to house the farmers’ tools of that day; the ax, the maul and wedge, the hoe, the mowing scythe, the reap hook or grain cradle, the hand rake, the sod plow and single shovel plow were implements with which the husbandman forced the sweat from his brow. In answer to the question what did the young people in those days do for amusement, Mr. Myrick said that what we call a social or party was called a frolic. When he was a young man he said that they would often go twenty miles to attend a frolic, and that a good fiddler was away up in “G” and much sought after. He said that he remembered that at one time Paris Henderson, accompanied by a young lady, the daughter of Samuel Haworth from near Ackworth, attended a frolic at his father’s house; the lady afterwards became the wife of P. P. Henderson and the mother of Ex-Judge John Hancox Henderson, of Indianola. Later on when school houses came in vogue they had spelling schools, singing schools and religious meetings. “Old Hatch” was a great singing master, he would travel for many miles and teach classes how to sing the buckwheat notes. He says that the Indians would often enter his father’s house when his mother was cooking dinner, they would go to the fireplace lift the pot lid and if the contents of the pot suited them they would stay for dinner. When dinner was ready the did not wait for an invitation to dine but would take seats at the table and help themselves without waiting for grace to be said. In the month of October 1854, Mr. Myrick and Miss Elizabeth Long were married. Seven children were born unto them, four sons and three daughters; one of the daughters died years ago. Anderson and Asa Myrick live in Richland township; Dr. Lisle Myrick lives in the eastern part of this state, and Perry Myrick lives in South Dakota; one daughter, Mrs. Henry Cain, lives at Hartford, the other daughter, Mrs. Love, lives at Albia. Mr. Myrick commenced the labor of life as a carpenter. In the sixties he spent two years near Denver, Colo., but he finally settled down on the farm where he now lives, one and a half miles northeast of Palmyra, where he owns 120 acres of fine land with good house and barn. He does not work the farm himself, but rents it to others. About thirty-five years ago Mr. Myrick invented and manufactured a corn planter; the writer used one of the planters for a number of years and it gave good satisfaction in its day before the check row was born. Mr. Myrick was born and schooled in the democratic party, but with the many changes which have occurred in party fealty we have lost trace of his political faith. He is not a live member of any church; he is a member of the Masonic lodge of Hartford, he is a live member and takes great interest in the principles of the Masonic fraternity.

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.836
ELI MYRICK
Eli Myrick, deceased, was one of the honored pioneers and highly esteemed citizens of Warren County, his home being on section 29, Palmyra Township. He was born in Athens County, Ohio, December 15, 1833, and was a son of Elias and Lydia (Jackson) Myrick, both natives of Maine, where they were reared and married. From that state they removed to Athens County, Ohio, and subsequently went to Lake County, Indiana, whence they came to Iowa in 1845, locating first in Washington County. Coming to Warren County, the father entered four hundred and forty acres of land, which he commenced to improve and cultivate and his family joined him here in 1846. In this county he and his wife reared their family and spent their remaining days.
Eli Myrick accompanied his father on his various removals coming to Warren County in 1846. Here he grew to manhood and acquired his education in the common schools. In early life he learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade and later engaged in contracting and building, erecting many structures in Palmyra, Hartford and the surrounding country during the fifteen years he carried on that business.
In September, 1854, Mr. Myrick was married in Marion County, Iowa, to Miss Elizabeth Long, who was born in Kentucky but was reared in this state. They made their home for a time in Palmyra, later removed to Indianola and from there to Des Moines, working at his trade in all of these places. He finally returned to Warren County and located on a farm near Palmyra, where he continued to make his home throughout the remainder of his life. He owned one hundred and thirty-one acres of land and successfully carried on farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of hogs.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Myrick were born the following children: Anderson, a farmer living near Hartford, Iowa; Perry, a farmer of South Dakota; Eliel G., a physician of Montrose, Iowa ; Asa P., a farmer and breeder of fine horses, living in this county; Jane, the deceased wife of John F. Wellons, of Warren County; Lavena, wife of Henry Cain, of Hartford; and Iva, wife of S. C. Love, who is station agent and telegraph operator at Wyeth, Iowa.
By his ballot Mr. Myrick supported the men and measures of the Republican Party. He served as road supervisor and was officially connected with the schools but never cared for political honors. He was a prominent Mason, belonging to Hartford Lodge, No. 83, of which he served as worthy master for three years, and he was officiating at a Masonic funeral when he died suddenly on the 21st of June, 1908. His death was widely and deeply mourned for he had many friends throughout the county which had been his home for almost sixty-three years. He took a prominent part in its develop­ment and upbuilding and he justly deserved the high regard in which he was uniformly held. His estimable wife is a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Palmyra and like her husband has a host of warm friends in the community which has so long been her home.