"History of Decatur County and Its People" Volume I

Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith, Supervising Editors

The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago IL, 1915.
 
Chapter XIX ~ Miscellaneous
Pages 208 - 227
Early Farm Methods

The following description of agriculture in the early days of the county was prepared by J. N. MACHLAN.

My parents erected a little cabin in the brush near the present site of the county bridge, on Little River, west from the Fairview School House, and called it home; e're long my father with a good team of horses and an old fashioned sod plow began to cut and turn the virgin soil preparatory to raising a crop. The plowman's necessary equipments for success were as follows: plenty of patience, a whip, a plow file, a heavy hammer and a hunk of iron, to use as an anvil on which to cold hammer the plowshare occasionally; the file to put the finishing touch on with; and the patience came in good play when he encountered a stone, a root, or some obstacle that jerked the plow, plowman and all clear out of the furrow. There were also numerous snakes to contend with, the rattle snakes, the bull snake, the hissing viper, the blue racer, the house snake, the garter snake, the green joint snake, the blue black joint snake and a few other species, besides the nasty lizzards (sic) that could be seen by the hundreds.

Now as the virgin soil had been turned bottom side up and time had arrived for corn planting, we proceeded to plant corn by one of the following methods; by axing it in, hoeing it in, healing it in or dropping by hand following the plow every third round and dropping the grain on top of the furrow, at such a place that the next furrow would barely cover it with its upper edge. This would produce what we called a crop of sod corn either good or bad according to the season and condition of the sod. Plenty of rain was generally essential to a good crop. It was also essential for the sod to be well rotted. Scores of snakes would be cut in twain with the plow every season, among which a great many rattle snakes became victims of the cruel plowshare. The early settlers did not have implement stores to which they could go and purchase farming tools, but were compelled of necessity to make them.

When the ground was in condition for harrowing, we set to work with three sticks of timber some four or five inches square and perhaps six feet in length and frame or bolt them together, which when joined, would be a good representation of the letter A, next with an inch and a half or a two inch auger we bored holes in the side pieces and cross section into which we inserted huge pegs made from good hickory or oak timber, then sharpened the lower end of the pegs and our harrow was completed. Our wooden harrow rotted down in the fence corner after many years of good service. A few years later, the sod tearer was invented, it was such a peculiarly constructed implement that to the writer it baffles description, therefore, we beg leave to not attempt it; however, it did pretty good work at that time.

Much of the virgin soil contained so many tough roots it was not uncommon to see a furrow of sod one-half mile long without a break in it. Some of the toughest roots were, the wild indigo, shoe string, blue stem, rosin weed and some times a patch of hazel or buck brush. The rosin weed above referred to produced a white gum which constituted the chewing gum of the young of the early settlers.

After a few months spent in the little cabin in the brush, we decided to venture out onto the broad, bleak prairie and erect another log cabin which we did in course of time. A well was dug which furnished water for the house, but for years our stock had to be taken across the prairie to some creek or spring to quench their thirst and as for ourselves when working in the field or on the prairie making hay, we have many times drank from a puddle containing many angle worms, crawfish and bugs, the water would often be warm enough for dish water.

Time rolls on and it becomes necessary to fence our farm; the father proceeded to the timber some eleven miles distant and splits rails and hauls them and a fence is built called a worm fence, which when completed is from seven to ten rails in height; but soon a new difficulty arose, more settlers were coming in, fires were started in the prairie grass; some were started by accident, some purposely and on quite a few occasions, campers have left fire where they had stopped for the night, the wind would rise and the fire would be scattered. Soon a conflagration would be raging across the prairies and perhaps hundreds or even thousands of acres would be burned over before the fire went out. In many cases the fires would burn all night. It was at such times that our rail fences would suffer destruction and how to prevent the loss we soon grasped an idea. The fires of course, would do most of the mischief in the spring, and at some convenient time we would plow a few furrows around the farm near the fence then perhaps two or three rods farther from the fence, we would plow a few more, the strip between we called a fireland.

At the favorable time, when the wind was not blowing (generally of an evening) father would say, "Well boys, this is a good time to burn out those firelands." Of course, this pleased the boys and after the day's work was done we equipped ourselves with small boards and brush to fight fire with and on some occasions we would take along from one to three barrels of water; in case fire should get into the fence. All things ready, we commenced firing along the side so the fire would have to burn against the wind, but it matters not how calm it was, when the fire was started the hot air rising creates a vacuum and the cold air rushing in to take its place would cause a breeze and sometimes the fire would get beyond control, despite our best efforts and sometimes we would not reach home until a very late hour in the night.

A weed, well known to early settlers, called the tumble weed or careless weed, which grew in great numbers on new cultivated land, the tops of which were almost spherical in shape and ranging in diameter from twelve to thirty-six inches, when assisted by a breeze would carry fire for some distance. They were so near round they would roll for miles without stopping when a stiff wind was blowing.

When the soil had become well rotted and the corn big enough to need attention, we plowed it with a cultivator having but one shovel which was made from a triangular shaped piece of iron, with which it was necessary to plow two rounds to each row of corn. The cultivator was used in the field more or less until the silk made its appearance on the young ears of corn. The worst weed we had to contend with in the corn field in those days, was a species of smart weed, rarely seen except on new land. It grew down close to the ground and had a firm grip upon it. Hoes were extensively used in those days in the corn fields. Another advance step was taken in the method of planting corn, the cultivator referred to is used to draw a shallow furrow for each row of corn, the corn is then dropped into the furrow about every three feet, then covered either with a hoe or by cross harrowing. Three of us dropping and one furrowing off, planting as much as seven acres in a day.

The time had come when we were raising a little spring wheat, oats and flax. The method of threshing grain after it had been harvested with the cradling scythe and is well cured was to prepare a circular piece of ground usually from sixteen to twenty feet in diameter by taking a sharp spade and shaving off the surface until it is quite smooth and level; after this was done a pole some eight or ten feet high was set upright in a hole dug in the center of the circular patch of ground, to this pole usually two horses abreast are tied with long ropes and a lad mounted on one of the horses with a small gad, the grain had been evenly spread upon the prepared ground and the horses were started on a long tramp, tramping out the grain on the new tramping floor, a process that was very monotonous to the horses, and speaking from experience, the rider was very glad when the noon hour or nightfall had arrived. The grain during the tramping process was turned over with a forked stick and as soon the grain was tramped out the straw was removed and the grain gathered up and winnowed out, a fresh supply was spread upon the floor and the tramping process was continued.

The snowfall during some of the winters was very heavy. I believe it was in the winter of l866, we arose one morning and discovered that the snow had drifted to the eaves of the little cabin, our fences were all snowed under and our stock scattered hither and thither and our enclosures for stock were all under snow. After the snow fell the weather turned colder and the snow froze hard. We could drive in any direction across the prairie over high fences. We had just put out a washing before the snow and it was six weeks before we were enabled to find it all. Heavy snows were common but this one was the heaviest I ever saw. Our cabin was covered with clapboards, as was the custom in those days, and the snow would blow between them and sift down through the loft into our faces as we lay in bed during a snow storm. The last thing the good mother would do before retiring was to see if the five children were in bed covered up head and all so the snow would not lodge in our faces. It was a common occurrence after a snow storm had subsided, for someone of the family to ascend to the loft and scoop the snow out before it melted.

As we pass along it might be well to describe the bedsteads installed in some of the cabins. One method of constructing a bedstead was to place a log in the walls angling across the corner of the cabin at a convenient height into which pegs were set about six inches apart, a small rope was then procured and strung back and forth from the pegs in the lot to corresponding pegs in the walls of the cabin. A later method of construction was to procure two round poles to serve as side rails, set the pegs into them, fasten them to corner posts, nail on end rails then string the pegs with rope and the bedstead was completed. No cabin was complete without the fireplace, the hearth of which was laid of brick or stone and the chimney usually built of brick or stone, or wooden slats built up in mud or lime mortar. In our cabin, the hearth was made of flat lime stone under which the rats burrowed and made nests and reared their young, and as their disgusting habits are nocturnal, the saucy little rodents would emerge from beneath the hearth during the night, especially in the winter, and skip about the fire evidently warming themselves and eating such things as suited their taste. They would sometimes bite some of the family or anyone who chanced to be there during the night. My brother, who resides in Des Moines, was bitten on the great toe while asleep. A servant girl, who was employed to assist with the household duties, was also bitten whereupon she yelled out "murder," but as that was a common expression with some people in those days when they were frightened, hurt or alarmed, the family thought nothing of the expression, but someone proceeded to make a light to ascertain how badly she was bitten.

The various kinds of lights used in those days were, first the grease light, consisting of a saucer or pan containing grease with a rag placed in it with one end standing above the grease, which when lighted served to light the cabin. Next came the grease lamp, then the tallow candle. When the sod had become well rotted, watermelons, pumpkins and potatoes did quite well. Among the various kinds of potatoes grown were: the calico, white meshanic, California peach blow, long red and lady finger; the long red being the most prolific of any grown.

For several years after Iowa became a State, apples were hauled in from Missouri, many of them coming from what was known as the famous crab orchard. So called because the apple scions were grafted into the root of the wild crab. The first apples the writer ever saw growing, were in the small orchard of young trees planted on the old homestead. I think there were less than a dozen of them which were guarded very closely lest something befell them before they matured.

After the chaff-piling threshing machine was introduced, the threshing of grain was not so great a task as it formerly was, but as the straw carrier had not yet been invented, it became necessary to remove the straw and chaff from the rear end of the machine, either with horses or by some other method, any of which were very disagreeable, as the chaff and dust would fill the eyes, nose, ears and mouth, if you should fail to keep it shut; but being as it was, it was quite an improvement over the tramping floor method.

Thinking there might be profit in sheep raising, we purchased a flock of two or three hundred, with a guarantee from the owner that none of them were more than four years old, but soon they began to die of old age and we discovered we were beaten in the deal, however, we kept on trying. We had plenty of range, but they must have a shepherd, which lot usually fell upon the writer, and permit me to say it was a very monotonous, lonesome occupation watching sheep on the broad prairie, and not a human being in sight for hours at a time. For years we were compelled to lot the sheep at night near the cabin, to prevent the wolves from killing them, but even then they would get among them and kill the lambs.

One day while the writer was tending the sheep a short distance from the cabin, a wolf came into the flock and seizing a lamb by the back of the neck and trotted off with it. I waved my stick that I usually carried vigorously in the air and yelled with the force I could summons, the wolf dropped the lamb and I took it to the cabin, but it was so badly injured it only lived a few days. Our flock increased and the extremely old ones died off and we had better success for a while. In our flock was a large fellow with curled horns; he had been teased quite a little and had become quite mischievous.

On a certain occasion, by accident the sheep became imprisoned in the smoke house; some member of the family had closed the door, not knowing that he was in there. The servant of the kitchen, who was commonly called an old maid, went to the smoke house for something to serve for dinner meal and on opening the door, the sheep made a dive for her, running between her feet, carrying her for a long distance, bleating as if in great agony, while the maid was screaming and trying to alight from his back. The situation seemed a critical one as the sheep did not know how to unload his burden and the maid feared trying to let loose for fear of getting hurt in the attempt, but finally by some kind of maneuvers they came out of the fracas none the worse for wear, save being a little frightened.

Another advance had been made in the corn cultivator which then had two shovels instead of one and a row of corn was plowed every round of the horse and plowman, which was quite gratifying to the farmer. But while this was true, new and additional weeds were added to the farmers' list of pests among which were the milk weed and the black eyed swan, both of which are with us unto the present day. The black eyed swan was introduced into this country as a garden flower by some English people.

Time rolls around and the rats under the old hearth having increased in numbers and boldness, as well, they became almost unbearable and father set traps and caught quite a number of them. The cabin all being in one room, we could watch them by the light of the fireplace from all quarters of the room and I must say it was amusing to see father spring out of bed, on hearing the trap spring, and kill the rat, set the trap again and retire, sometimes only remaining in bed but a short time when he would spring up and repeat the operation. Someone prescribed a remedy for getting rid of the saucy rodents; it was as follows: Catch a rat, singe it over the fire and turn it loose and the rats would all take a leave of absence. Father caught the rat but his heart failed him when it came to the singeing process and the rat never got singed. So much for rat trapping around the old fireside.

Other improvements had been made to facilitate corn planting. A farmer a few miles distant had purchased a two horse planter for about $75 and we could hire it for about 15 cents per acre. The ground when ready to plant was first marked off with a kind of sled, the first one to appear made two marks at a time, in a few years someone made an improvement on the marker and it made three marks at a time. About this time we thought we would cap the climax. We made two wooden axles that would fit our wagon wheels, one short and one long one, coupled them together and made four marks at a time, which was easy on the team and by this improvement, forty acres could be marked off in a few hours. The ground being marked, two persons, a driver and a dropper, a team of horses and the new corn planter, would plant from ten to fifteen acres per day. The most common variety of corn planted those days was the bloody butcher, although more or less white corn was grown.

A threshing machine had been introduced with a short straw carrier attachment known as the Buffalo Pitts, which was quite an improvement over the old chaff piler. In connection with the Buffalo Pitts thresher was introduced a system of tallying the number of bushels of grain threshed. It consisted mainly of a board attached to the side of the machine where the grain came out. It had a number of one-fourth inch holes in it arranged in rows into which pegs were moved for each bushel of grain threshed. The board would tally up to one thousand bushels, when it became necessary to commence again at the first.

By this time Osceola had a railroad. The Leon merchants had their goods shipped to Osceola and hired them hauled in wagons across the country. Engaged in the hauling of goods was a MR. HUGHES, MR. GOINS, MR. LINDSEY and others, all of whom were residents of Leon. MR. HUGHES was engaged at a certain time in hauling shingles. One day while enroute for Leon with a load of shingles his horses became frightened and ran away, scattering shingles along the highway for some distance. MR. HUGHES received the name "shingle sower".

Another step forward was taken and the two-horse cultivator was being introduced to the farmers. We bargained for a Blackhawk walking cultivator, with the firm of Richards & Close, whose ad appeared in the Decatur County Journal of that time. The plow was delivered at our gate at the old homestead by the MR. HUGHES referred to, while enroute to Leon. The plow I believe cost $35 and was the first two-horse cultivator the writer ever saw and pardon me for saying, it gives me pleasure still to look at the old cultivator, the principal parts of which are in good condition, and with some repairs it is still used by its purchaser in north Leon, to cultivate garden truck or anything that needs cultivation.

Going back now to the days and nights in the little cabin where things had been moving along quietly for some time with a new house maid assisting with the indoor work; until one night the family was startled by an unusual noise in the house, a light was struck and we discovered that the maid of all work had taken her departure. A member of the family was dispatched to search for the missing maiden, after a brief search she was found a few rods from the house taking a ride on father's old shaving horse. She was escorted back to the cabin and persuaded to retire again and on being told of her conduct, the following morning, she was horror stricken. It was a bad case of insomania (sic) and for a long time afterward the family was often startled in the night by her queer actions.

In the early days of Decatur County, considerable hay and grain was stolen. Movers and travelers going across the country would often steal their horse feed and take rails from the fences and make fuel out of them. One farmer, however, got even with a mover. He had missed some rails from his fence and mounting a horse, went after him and overtaking him before he reached Osceola, made him pay 50 cents each for the rails he had burned. The farmers would often see them in the act. The writer on one occasion caught some young well dressed fellows stealing hay. I asked what they did that for and they asked me to set a price, which I did. They said that it wasn't any too much and paid the price and drove on.

Good blooded horses were very scarce, but at the same time there were a good many good, serviceable horses on the farms, among which were the Canadian horses, as they were called, that were excellent all service animals.

The first hogs were the well known hazel splitters or razor backs that were allowed to rove the prairie at will, and you might imagine yourself among the brush or in the tall prairie grass, with a salamander in your hand searching for a hog to butcher or one that might have a family of pigs to care for, it was not uncommon to fail in finding a young litter of swine until they were several days old. As to cattle, they were just cattle and a conglomeration of colors and kinds. They all had horns and most of them good long ones. There were some excellent milchers (sic) and some expert kickers among them.

Now, one more happening in the cabin on the old homestead and we will bring these very incomplete sketches to a close. One very cold winter day as the family were seated about the old fireplace, a muffled rap was heard at the door, someone of the family went to the door, pulled the string that lifted the wooden latch, the door swung on its hinges and there stood a gentleman of perhaps thirty summers, who asked permission to come in and warm. The privilege being instantly granted he was proffered a chair by the fire which he soon occupied, and immediately began to slip off a pair of new boots, which seemed rather tight for him, but after a few hard pulls he succeeded in getting them off. It was not long, however, until he was warm and contemplated resuming his journey. He seizes one of his boots, gives it several vigorous pulls, but as his feet had swollen while sitting by the fire, he fails to make the boot go on for the time being, but he soon mastered the situation; he called for some soft soap, which was soon given him, after which he proceeded to grease his heels thoroughly, the boots went on and although the gentleman was from Missouri, he didn't have to be shown, and we learned another Yankee trick.

~ J.N. MACHLAN.


Railroads

In the year 1870 the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company was organized to build a railroad from Burlington west. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company soon took over a controlling interest in this road, and since this time has been under this ownership. The greater part of the line east and west through Iowa was built in 1871 and at the same time a line was built from Chariton to Leon, under the name of the Chariton Branch. To obtain this branch line the localities through which it passed had to raise considerable money. Over eighty thousand dollars was raised in Decatur County. Garden Grove Township gave $25,000, while Center gave $50,000 and the right of way between Garden Grove and Leon. At Leon the road stopped for eight years. In 1879 it was extended south as far as Bethany, Missouri, and in the following year a branch was built from a point in New Buda Township, now called Togo, through Mount Ayr, in Ringgold County, to Grant City, Missouri. This was done under the name of the Leon, Mount Ayr & Southwestern, but really by the Burlington company. New Buda voted a 5 per cent tax, which yielded $27,000, and Davis City also voted a tax, besides the private subscriptions which were obtained. The Bethany Branch has been extended to St. Joseph, Missouri, and farther southward since.

The Humeston & Shenandoah Railroad was built in 1879 and 1880. The ^Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska Line extended its road to Van Wert, in Decatur County, and then turned over the line from Humeston to Van Wert to the Humeston & Shenandoah Company, which company then built on to Shenandoah. Franklin and Long Creek townships voted aid in the form of taxes, with the understanding that the road should be built through the center of the townships. However, the road extended along the northern border and the townships which had voted the money opposed the collection of it. Franklin won out, while Long Creek paid only enough to cover court costs. This line is now owned by the Burlington System.

The Des Moines, Osceola & Southern Railroad, which was at first known as the narrow gauge, was projected and constructed by Osceola parties, aided by subscriptions along the line. The company was organized at Osceola in 1880 and the actual work of construction was begun in the spring of 1881. In 1882 the road was built south from Osceola to Decatur City, in Decatur County. There it stopped for some months, the officers of the company apparently undecided which way to go. Decatur Township contributed over twenty thousand dollars in tax, besides the subscriptions. The following year the road turned at a right angle and came to Leon, arriving October 1, 1883. Leon gave $30,000 and also the right of way to the south line of Eden Township. In the spring of 1884 the line was started south again and completed to Cainesville, Missouri. Eden Township gave $6,000 and Hamilton Township $11,000 and the right of way. This line later passed into the hands of a receiver and then was taken over by the Burlington System, which owns all the railroads in Decatur County at present.


Grand River Outlaws

In all the realms of human fancy it is impossible to conceive of a more desperate band of incendiaries, cattle thieves and insurance fraud promoters than that which for years infested the regions adjacent to the little Town of Grand River, in Decatur County, Iowa.

Even the Cantril band of grave robbers was not more daring in its movements, more diabolical in its plans and more devilishly shrewd in putting those plans into action than what were called Frank GREENLAND'S barn-burners and horse-killers who held sway for perhaps ten years until finally run to earth by men who represented insurance companies in Iowa and other states. Now the band is broken up. GREENLAND is under indictment for shooting two horses and has also been convicted of cattle stealing and is now serving a term at Fort Madison. Other members of the gang, among them Dick PRAY, the chief lieutenant, confessed after awaiting until the statute of limitations made them immune from prosecution. The terrorism which hovered over Grand River in a cloud has been dispelled, and the frauds, unique and cunning, have ended. Here in brief is the system employed by the gang:

Members would purchase horses for a couple of dollars each. They would remove good animals from their barns and place within the plugs. The barn would be mysteriously destroyed by fire, the insurance companies would be forced to pay for the barn and for the destroyed animals, and the good horses would then be sold at the highest market value in some distant point. Still further it developed, when Dick PRAY took the witness stand, that these men would knock horses in the head, singe the hair on the neck and faces with matches, place the carcasses near barbed wire fences and collect insurance for the supposed lightning struck animals.

In one case, it came to view, two horses were tied to a tree, knocked in the head, dynamite was exploded in the branches, and the insurance companies paid $190 on the alleged victims of lightning. And that on horses which cost less than $5 apiece.

In the territory around Grand River, the gang numbering perhaps a dozen, ruled with absolute power. No one dared oppose or speak against the methods employed. Whenever a resident had the courage to say what he thought, his barn or other property would mysteriously catch fire. The power of the gang was endless. And thus for several years it pursued its course of burning, destroying and collecting until hundreds of dollars were filched from the treasuries of the insurance companies. Within the year 1901 alone thirty-three horses were destroyed by the fire or lightning and the insurance was collected for them, notwithstanding the fact that suspicion pointed an accusing finger at some of the owners.

To I. N. CORBETT, of Des Moines, the claim adjuster of the State Insurance Company, more than to any other is due the credit for unveiling the mystery and dispersing the band. In 1901 GREENLAND'S barn burned and with it nineteen head of horses. The State Insurance Company claimed that fraud had been used. It refused to pay the $4,000 insurance. The case was taken into District Court and judgment was given GREENLAND for that amount. Mr. CORBETT redoubled his labors. For three years he searched for evidence against what he believed to be the gang at the bottom of the work. Finally the statute of limitations having intervened, members of the gang confessed, and in October, 1904, Judge TOWNER set aside the judgment. Judge TOWNER'S decision in setting aside the judgment was a masterpiece. It scored members of the band in a manner delightful to the residents of Grand River district.

After the night of September 8, 1901, when GREENLAND'S barn burned with the nineteen head of horses, Mr. CORBETT was sent to the scene to look over the situation before the money for insurance was paid. The first suspicious sign that struck CORBETT was the fact that the horses had been buried before being examined. He secured a veterinarian and went to the spot where the horses were interred, with the intention of digging up the carcasses and inspecting them. By looking at their teeth the veterinarian was expected to tell the age and sex of the animals.

Fancy the surprise when out of the nineteen horses exhumed but one had teeth. The other eighteen were headless. This looked like fraud to CORBETT, and after a little further investigation he recommended that the claim not be allowed and thus resulted the law suit. Since then it has developed that the highest price paid for any animal in that barn was $11 and the lowest $1. That was the value of the $120 horses. Later it became known that the night before the fire GREENLAND had taken all of his good stock out of the barn and had hidden them nearby. In their places he put nineteen plugs.

The number of other fires convinced the insurance companies that crime was afoot, so CORBETT was kept on the trail for the next few years. He was known to the gang and his way was not replete with success by any means. In his search for evidence he traveled considerably over the Middle West. Finally, in October, 1904, the men confessed.

The change wrought by the elimination of the criminals was remarkable. Before Grand River and vicinity had been in a state of lawless disorder, saloons ran without license, and shooting scrapes and destruction of property passed without trial because there could be found no witnesses who had the temerity to speak what they knew. In natural order, the country around settled down after the apprehending of the desperadoes and has been peaceful ever since.


Pioneer Reminiscences

The article following is from the pen of C. B. JORDAN, now a resident of Oklahoma. In this story he finds exception to many things which have heretofore been legion in the history of the county:

Speaking of the first term of court, of which Daniel MOAD was clerk, I will never forget seeing him use the county seal for the first time. There was no frame or lever about the seal, simply the brass circle. He smoothed a piece of a log in the woodpile with an axe and placed the paper thereon, then placed the brass piece only containing the letters thereon, then struck it with the axe to make the impression.

Much of the election of relocation of the county seat I remember distinctly. The general advertised understanding up to within forty-eight hours of the date of the election was that two points only were to be voted on; one was the point at Decatur City, then there was a strong element who were going to vote for a point at the center of the county; and about forty-eight hours prior to election day John VANDERPOOL, William ONEY, Hiram J. STANLEY, Doctor THOMPSON and my father, John JORDAN, all being interested east of Little River, counted noses and they believed that they could defeat both the other places by a little quick work, and locate the county seat on the high prairie east of Little River, so they selected three of their number with good horses and saddles and ordered them to see every voter east of Little River and east of range 25, south of Little River, between that and election morning and tell them about this game, and swear them not to let anyone west of the same lines know a thing about it, but to go up early the morning of the election and vote for a point named Independence. Decatur City did not hear of it until the next day. My memory is that it carried by eight votes over all others.

Now to Lamoni. I left that country in the year 1875, and Mr. BANTA, as president of the colony, accompanied by Mr. DANCER, as vice president, purchased the first land of me, as agent of the land that the church bought, they having made purchases of other agents who had no authority to sell, and returned to Leon expecting some deeds to have been there, but not one deed had arrived. Then they came to my office, and I assured them if they bought land of me that the deed would come, except in case the owner had died since my authority. The third day after they gave me some money two deeds arrived by mail, and they were so well pleased they made my office their headquarters until I had sold them something over one hundred and ten thousand dollars worth. I found them a nice set of men. I think the Joe SMITH of Mormon reputation has been in my office several times. Mr. BANTA delighted in being called a Mormon.

Now as to changing the name from Independence and from South Independence to Leon. I was at that meeting, and George L. MOORE, at that time a merchant in partnership with Seth RICHARDS, was empowered fully by the meeting to select some suitable short name, and he selected Leon. The present generation do not know how awkward that name seemed to be at first.

The first house, built by Thomas H. EAST, was built before the town was located and was just immediately south of the present Methodist Church, between that and the alley, if there is an alley there. The schoolhouse that Mrs. Delilah LOE thinks was a mile east of town, in 1853, was in the east edge of Leffler's Addition; if my memory is right, the teacher's name was HASTINGS. Along about those years there was a school taught in what was known as the old BLAIR schoolhouse building, by Josephus C. PORTER, who nearly scared me to death for whispering to my girl. But the first school was taught in a loghouse on what was known later as HURST'S Store Corner, by Humphrey FULLERTON, a brother of Mrs. F. F. THOMPSON, and one term by Carrington S. PORTER.

It has been stated that Charles B. JORDAN, of Enid, Oklahoma, started the abstract books, and the clerical work was performed by Albert HALE. I wish to state that the real blank books that were up to date were bought and commenced at a date (which I have forgotten) by George BURTON and J. Barr MORRISON. About the same date and unknown to either party Albert HALE and W. E. DAWSON purchased a set of blanks of another book firm, all of the blank books arriving in Leon at about the same time. If either had known of the other's action there would have been but one set purchased. Soon the former firm disagreed and quit work; soon thereafter I bought BURTON'S interest, without consulting Mr. MORRISON. About the same day William H. ROBB bought Mr. MORRISON'S interest, without consulting Mr. BURTON, so unknown to each other the firm of JORDAN & ROBB was established. Later I purchased Mr. ROBB'S interest.

I worked steadily along for three years in my books, employing Albert HALE to complete the last record book. I paid him $5 per day. It took twenty days in which to complete them up to date. You will find that set of books mainly in my handwriting. After a time DAWSON and HALE did not hitch good, and Mr. DAWSON coaxed me to buy Mr. HALE out, which I did, and later I bought Mr. DAWSON out. This set of books were mainly in Mr. HALE'S handwriting, but I never used them, as they were not up to date.


Christmas Fifty Years Ago
By an Old Timer

The Christmas spirit is doubtless the same today that it was forty years ago, though manifested in different ways of feasting and serving.

One of the first Christmas entertainments within my recollection was held in the old Methodist Episcopal Church, where the Carnegie Library now stands. The tree was not a graceful evergreen, but a wild crabapple from the backyard of Ira B. RYAN'S home on West Commercial Street. The children covered its branches with bright colored paper and strands of popcorn.

Aunty PATTERSON made tissue paper snowballs with which to adorn it.

The teachers made silver paper baskets, which were filled with nuts and candy for each scholar. Of the program I remember that Jennie BLODGETT directed the music; I. P. MARTIN made a speech about the use of profane language. Uzz THARP and Heck SANFORD sang a comic song. Pretty little Alice DILSAVER recited in trumpet tones, "Hang Up the Baby's Stocking." Dan PORTER picked a fandangle (I think that was what he called it) on a guitar. Rosy-cheeked, blue-eyed Emma and Ollie GILLHAM, looking like big "chainy" dolls, sang a song about a lost kitten. Then J. L. YOUNG, representing Santa Claus, distributed the presents. The most popular little girls received sugar apples and china dollheads (dolls had no bodies in those days).

The larger girls received bottles of choice perfumery, such as musk and bergamot. The big boys received bear-shaped bottles of hair oil and candy hearts bearing sentiments of affection, the latter creating much merriment, being read by Santa Claus before they reached their owners.

On the top of the tree was a huge turkey for Rev. G. P. BENNETT.

But the crowning event of the holiday week was the annual "festible" held in the old brick schoolhouse. Every man, woman and child that could raise the necessary four bits attended. Long before dark the crowd began to arrive. The tables extended the entire length of the room and were filled with every product the village and countryside afforded.

In those days we had no smothered or fricasseed chicken, but great platters of fried and roasted fowls; no veal loaf or jellied beef, but stacks of old-fashioned roast beef, home-cured ham and plenty of crisp, juicy turkey. No salads, olives or celery, but pickles galore, cucumbers, beets, mango, pickled eggs, piccililli and cold slaw. No patties, but each plate was supplied with a little jelly tart.

For dessert we could boast no sherbet, ices or frappe, but oceans of preserves, pies and cakes. Stem glass dishes were passed back and forth containing crabapple, tomato, ground cherry, plum, wild strawberry, watermelon and citron preserves.

The pies were equally as varied, gooseberry, blackberry, elderberry, squash, pumpkin, grape and vinegar.

Beside each plate was a goblet filled with float, ornamented with a bit of currant jelly. Conspicuous among the viands were Mrs. Uriah BOBBIT'S and Mrs. S. C. THOMPSON'S sugar-coated rusks, Mrs. J. B. LUNBECK's and Mrs. S. H. GATES' golden crulls, Mrs. S. W. HURST'S white mountain cake adorned with a bouquet of artificial flowers, Mrs. L. H. SALES' big fruit cake, Mrs. I. N. CLARK'S cake trimmed with red gum-drops, Mrs. UDELL'S pyramid cake formed of forty-two small cakes, Ms. CRAIGO'S fine marble cake, Mrs. HILDRETH'S white-frosted cake with the date, "1869," outlined in red sand sugar.

In place of carnations and roses the center of each table was decked with baskets of Aunt Rhoda HAWKINS' feather flowers of brilliant hues.

The baskets were made of crystallized alum and glittered and sparkled under the blinking candles, making a veritable Jack Frost scene.

How merry everyone seemed as they marched around viewing the tables. There was no changing of plates; everything to eat [illegible]. How "smelly" the coffee and the baked beans and mashed potatoes when the lids were lifted from the big tureens!

Hettie ROGERS, Ada KIRK, Anna GARDNER, Ester SANGER, "Doc" WARNER and Wesley SILVERS poured the coffee — not in little china shells, but in big heavy cups that held nearly a pint, and that completed the serving. After supper we had some singing led by Jabez DAWSON; then the young folks played "Needle's Eye;" Billy BOONE, Wade WOOD, Billy SMITH and Cass SALES got "choosed" the oftenest. While Kittie GIVENS, Hattie LINDSEY, Emma VAUGHN and Hila FISHBURN were the belles of the evening — perhaps on account of their beautiful curls, the kind that curled naturally — around a hot poker. Among the little misses that caused much envy by the prettiness of their dresses were Katie FINLEY, in bright Scotch plaid; Emma ELSWROTH, in flowered Marseillaise; Helen DAWSON, in red alpaca, and Etta McCLELLAND, in blue wool delaine trimmed with cloverleaf tettin'. There were many little boys present, but none attracted more attention than little Harry and Orra LONG, in velveteen sailor suits, with red sashes tied military fashion.

Next came Aunt Jane MILLER'S big cake containing a gold ring. The cake was cut in many pieces, each piece selling at 10 cents. Sam ELLIS drew the ring and gave it to Mollie MILES or Emma SCHAFFER — I have now forgotten which. Then a cane was voted to the laziest man, and a cake to the handsomest lady; Albert HALE carried off the cane, and Mrs. E. J. CLOSE won the cake. The big "festible" netted over one hundred dollars for the schoolhouse organ, and thus closed the holiday season of 1869, which probably for good fellowship and real enjoyment is not far surpassed by the more elaborate festivities of the present day.

Decatur County Immigration Society

In September, 1869, an organization was effected which was called the Decatur County Immigration Society. The officers of this association were: President, H. C. BECHTOLD; vice president, G. W. BAKER; treasurer, S. C. THOMPSON; secretary, H. KOMPE; assistant secretary, W. W. ELLIS. A constitution and by-laws were adopted and quite a sum of money was subscribed towards paying the expenses of the association.

One of the principal objects of the association was the publication of a newspaper called Die Wage, to be printed in the German language, to induce Germans to settle in the county. The editor, H. KOMPE, guaranteed that it would bring 200 Germans into Decatur County. Although the association did not, through lack of means, accomplish all it desired, yet it proved that the projectors of the plan were enterprising and had the interests of the county at heart.


Decatur County Agricultural and Live Stock Association

The first two or three fairs in Decatur County were held in the years before the war, but none were held during the progress of the struggle. After the war was over the society was revived and fairs were held regularly.

In 1875 a reorganization resulted in the formation of the Decatur County Agricultural and Live Stock Association as a stock company. The capital stock was fixed at $6,000, with $10 shares. The property owned by the association consisted of eighty acres, finely improved for fair and racing purposes. It was located one mile north of Leon and was purchased from U. L. SHAFER and J. B. LUNBECK.


The Decatur County Historical Society
By Heman C. Smith

The Decatur County Historical Society enjoys the distinction of being the second county society in the State of Iowa to be organized, and hence has been spoken of by the Iowa Journal of History and Politics as being "a pioneer among local organizations." (Iowa Journal of History and Politics, Vol, V, No. 3, July, 1907, page 433.)

The society was organized in 1901, only a few weeks after the organization of the Lucas County Historical Society at Chariton, Iowa, which was the first organized in the state.

The organization of the Decatur County society was due, to an extent, to the influence of the Hon. Charles ALDRICH, deceased, in this May. As I remember it, it was early in the spring of 1901, while on a visit to Des Moines, that we paid our usual visit to this grand old man in Iowa history, as was our [habit] while in the City of Des Moines. And in talking over matters pertaining to the preservation of things historical.

We asked him why it would not be a good plan to organize county societies to work in conjunction with the state department. He at once told us of the organization of the Washington County Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and gave us a copy of the constitution adopted by that society, and he further urged us, at as early a date as possible, to perfect the organization of Decatur County.

Acting upon his suggestion, but delaying the matter somewhat, we organized, but, as before said, shortly after Col. Warren S. DUNCAN, now also deceased, had called together some of his friends and organized the Lucas County Historical Society. We called in four of our friends whom we thought would be interested in historical work, and organized ourselves by adopting the constitution of which you are all more or less familiar.

It is a noteworthy fact that the entire membership, as represented at the first meeting, was given office. The writer was elected president; E. L. KELLEY, Jr., secretary; Miss Carrie JUDD, assistant secretary; R. C. KELLEY and Israel A. SMITH, curators. At meetings held subsequent to this there were admitted to membership Mrs. F. M. SMITH, Miss Mabel HORNER and Dr. J. B. HORNER.

Unfortunately for the cause of accuracy in getting the history of our early organization, our records have become lost or destroyed, we fear having been destroyed in the fire which destroyed the Herald office in Lamoni. The few organizers of the society were earnest, and they organized with the full intention of doing systematic and earnest work in the way of interviewing early settlers in the county, and getting a record of events which live only in the memory of the older settlers, and which are lost to us as these settlers pass away without being interviewed or enabled to write. But unfortunately for the work of the society, fate ruled that the membership was to be widely scattered, and at one time while the president was doing church work "on the far eastern coast of Maine, the assistant secretary was teaching in the far-away Philippine Islands, while the secretary and one of the curators were doing educational work in Iowa City, and the other officer at work in Nebraska.

It was early appreciated that for the society to do its best work the organization must be county wide, and hence, a meeting held at the home of Doctor HORNER, the president was authorized to enroll as members any whom he deemed proper to become members. This authority was given him with a view to his making visits to Leon, Decatur City, Pleasanton and other places in the county to extend the organization.

It was while acting under this authority that the president called a meeting in Leon of June 1, 1907, to arouse interest in Leon, and at which some thirty-odd members were enrolled, the newly enrolled members at once entering into business session and electing a new corps of officers.

After the society had been organized some three years, at the invitation of Dr. Benjamin F. SHAMBAUGH, editor of the Iowa State Historical Society, the Decatur County Historical Society became affiliated with the state society, its certificate of auxiliary membership being dated August 3, 1904, we believe.
 
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