AUGUSTA.
   The village of Augusta is pleasantly situated on the Skunk River, in the southeastern portion of Augusta Township, in Sections 23 and 24. The surrounding country is what may be properly termed a rolling prairie. It is well watered, by not only the river once navigable, but also by numerous brooks and many cool springs. The soil is rich, and produces corn in great abundance, which is really the main support of the township. However, very fine winter wheat is also raised, the last crop being the largest known in many years. The neighborhood is rich in gray-lime, sand and flint stone. Numerous quarries are now in operation, and large quantities of lime are burned. The events hereinafter recorded, will explain how the village originated; who were its prime benefactors, and who the pioneers of the vicinity. John Whitaker was born the 21st day of March, 1795, in Washington County, Va. When five or six years old, his parents moved to Tennessee, where he remained, working at farm labor until the war of 1812, when he enlisted in the army of the United States, at Tazewell, Tenn. He was under Gen. Jackson, at the battle of Horse-Shoe, on the Tallapoosa River. Samuel Houston, subsequently Governor of Tennessee, hero of San Jacinto, President of Texas, and after the admission of Texas into the Union, Senator in Congress from Texas, was Lieutenant of the company Whitaker served in at the battle of Horse-Shoe. Having served out his term of enlistment, he was discharged near Pensacola, Fla., and returned to Tennessee. He married there soon after the war, and was engaged in farming, until he had a family of five children, when he moved to Indiana about 1827, where he remained one year, and then went to Illinois, remaining there four or five years. In November, 1832, the same year of the treaty of Fort Armstrong, which gave the whites that part of Iowa which lies along the Mississippi and extends fifty miles west of it, called, in those days, the Black Hawk Purchase, he came to Iowa, landing where Burlington now stands, but which was then called Flint Hills. He found there, two or three small log cabins, and perhaps a dozen people in all. The ground was generally covered with brush and timber. The Indiana had not yet vacated the country to the whites; and in a short time after he arrived, a party of regular soldiers were sent by Gen. Scott, and drove the new-comers east of the Mississippi. Whitaker returned to Flint Hills in February, 1833, and was allowed to remain in Iowa. He went from Flint Hills to where Augusta now stands, erected a log cabin, and was the first settler claimant of what now constitutes the town plat of Augusta. He made his settlement there, because he thought that Skunk River, at that point, furnished a good location for a mill-site. After the cabin was built, he returned to Illinois, and moved his family to his new home. During the summer of 1833, he built a log-cabin storehouse about one mile from his dwelling, toward Flint Hills, and in November, of the same year, he brought from St. Louis a stock of dry goods and groceries, and put them in the building where the late Jesse Weber, of Burlington, acted as clerk during the winter of 1833-34. Indians were still numerous about his premises; but he says they were strictly honest and among his best customers, paying for what they got in peltries and furs. In the mean time, settlers had been coming into Iowa rapidly, and Burlington and Fort Madison began to show the appearance of small villages.
   Levi Moffet was born in York State, in the town of Oppenheim, Montgomery County, May 10, 1800, from there he went to Orangeville, Columbia Co., Penn., living there many years. There he was married to Elizabeth Keck, January 29, 1824, by William Scott. The family was increased until it included five children. In 1834, Levi Moffet traveled West, prospecting for a location suited for the erection of a mill. In company with a man named William Smith, Levi Moffet worked on a dam near La Harpe, Ill., expecting to erect a mill there. He then returned to Orangeville for the purpose of organizing a colony to locate in Illinois. The undertaking was successful, and Mr. Moffet purchased a flatboat, which was loaded with furniture, mill machinery, bought in Ohio, tools, provisions, and thirty barrels of Orangeville whisky. When the entire party had taken quarters on board the flatboat, it consisted of the following men and their families: Levi Moffet, George Coltson, Mr. Drake, Z. Lotos Moffet, Jesse Wilson, Lott Moffet, Peter Barb, Mr. Gideons and Mr. Hosford. Besides these there were in the colony, Robert Chestnut, carpenter, and Fred Kessler, millwright, employed by Levi Moffet, also Mr. Lee, Cibby Bauers and Dr. Farnswsorth. The flatboat with its cargo started down the headwaters of the Beaver River in the spring of 1835. At the mouth of the Cumberland River, in Kentucky, while attempting to effect a landing, the boat sprung a leak, which necessitated the unloading of almost the entire cargo. Here the goods and emigrants were transferred to a steamboat bound for St. Louis. Robert Chestnut and Fred Kessler, however, remained in charge of the flatboat, which was repaired, and by them brought to the mouth of the Ohio River, where the balance of the goods were loaded on a steamboat, and passage on the same secured by the two men for St. Louis. The flatboat was left to the mercy of the waters. In St. Louis, the entire party was re-united, and lived for about one week in an abandoned stone-cutter's shanty on the bank of the Mississippi. From this point the colony went by boat to Warsaw, Ill., where they separated, branching out into Illinois, mostly settling near La Harpe. Upon his return to the dam built before leaving Illinois, Levi Moffet was not satisfied with the locality, and decided to look further. Hearing of the Skunk River, he started out with Fred Kessler to inspect that section of country, which resulted in the purchase of John Whitaker's mill-site claim, including a fractional quarter-section of land. The transaction took place in May, 1835, and William Smith, of La Harpe, was a partner in the claim. After an absence of nine days, Levi Moffet and Fred Kessler returned to La Harpe, and moved the goods and the family to Skunk River; William Smith now joined the party. Arriving at their destination May 12, 1835, work was immediately begun by Moffet, Smith, Chestnut and Kessler on a dam and saw-mill, which was soon in running order. In one corner a one-stone run was placed to grind corn and wheat, and this was the first mill in Iowa. At this time, Mr. Edwards, Basey, Alexander Robertson and John Haynes lived in the vicinity. As soon as the existence of a mill became known, settlers came from all directions, which fact induced Levi Moffet to lay out town lots on the claim owned by William Smith and himself. In 1837, William Smith sold out his interest in the mill and claim to Levi Moffet in consideration of the sum of $5,000. The same year, Moffet built a regular independent flouring mill. As soon as the village of Augusta was founded, John Whitaker moved his prairie store into the town, where he continued to sell goods for eight years. In the fall of 1838, Levi Moffet purchased of the Government the land included in his claim. In 1840, a few Mormons came from Nauvoo, Ill., and purchased a mill-site, and built a saw-mill, but only remained a short time. The mill passed into various hands, and, in 1878, was carried away by high water. In 1844, Moffet & Jones built and launched a steamboat to run on Skunk River, and named it "Maid of Iowa." Mrs. Moffet died March 29, 1838, and on June 17, 1840, Mr. Moffet married Mrs. Antionette Roff, of St. Louis. During the last four or five years of his life he suffered much, and died March 31, 1857, of apoplexy. His oldest son, Joseph, succeeded the departed pioneer in business. After leaving Augusta, John Whitaker made several changes of location, but now resides in Fort Madison, and rather than be idle, keeps a store in the front part of his dwelling. Mr. Moffet's family still live in Augusta. The founder of the village of Augusta is said to have been a man of fine personal appearance, intelligence and education, very social, fond of telling a good story, and always prepared for an argument, particularly if of a political nature. Mr. Whitaker is a splendid specimen of Iowa pioneers; he is about six feet three inches tall, and when in the prime of life weighed about two hundred and fifteen pounds. He has always been noted for his generous hospitality, truth in all things, and strict integrity. He was first entitled to a vote in 1816, and commenced his politics as a Democrat, and has remained such ever since.
   The covered bridge which spans the Skunk River, was built in 1858, by Des Moines County in conjunction with a private company, and made a toll bridge, which it has since remained, although several efforts have been put forth to make it a free public institution.
   The first school in Augusta Township was taught by Alex. Hilleary, in a log schoolhouse built on Section 13, in 1836. The graded system was introduced by demand and unanimous vote of the people, in 1877, after it had been decided to build a new schoolhouse, and the taxes had been levied therefor. The new two-story frame schoolhouse was erected in 1878, and when opened the new system was introduced. Previous to the introduction of the graded system and for the past twenty years, the school was held in the old frame schoolhouse familiarly termed "the hill." The first teacher of this school was W. P. Morrett. The present teachers are F. Funck and W. P. Morrett.
   The first church was built of brick by the Methodists, in the eastern part of Augusta Township. The first sermon was preached in Levi Moffet's house. The Methodist parsonage was sold to satisfy a deed of trust on the church, which is now on the Burlington Circuit and visited once in two weeks by Rev. Tuttle.
   The first death in the township was that of Mrs. Randall Smith, in 1835. July 9, 1835, Mary Whitaker, daughter of John Whitaker, was married by a Methodist preacher named Brown, to William Sawtelle, a young settler farmer of the neighborhood, which was the first marriage in Augusta Township.
   Joshua Holland, appointed Postmaster October 2, 1846, was the first one we have any account of in Augusta. Since August 6, 1862, Mrs. C. Cameron has held the office of Postmistress.
   The Hiram Lodge, No. 7, of A.F. & A.M., was instituted under dispensation April 25, 1844, and chartered January 8, 1845. The first officers were: W. A. Weston, W.M.; C. S. Whitney, S.W.; A. C. Graves, J.W.; Isaac Butterfield, Treasurer; J. F. Hutchinson, Secretary; P. Jackson, S.D.; Levi Moffet, J.D. The present officers are: Millard Rogers, W.M.; Martin Thompson, S.W.; Joseph Fry, J.W.; Daniel S. Carter, Treasurer; Walter Bryant, Secretary; A. H. Colby, S.D.; John Cline, J.D.
   The Augusta Literary and Debating Society was organized February 6, 1879, by William Stewart and C. D. Cameron, with a membership of fifteen. The following officers were elected: Henry Hill, President; F. Funck, Vice President; William Stewart, Secretary; Harvey Stewart, Treasurer.
   The Augusta Red Ribbon Club was organized July, 1878. The first officers were F. M. Johnson, President; Charles Schultz, Treasurer; W. P. Morrett, Secretary. New officers are elected every three months. At the last election the original officers were re-instated. The Club has now a membership of two hundred.
   The village of Augusta has two general stores, one hotel, two blacksmith-shops, one flouring-mill and one physician.
   The present township officers are H. A. Hills, Justice of the Peace; Franklin Shay, Justice of the Peace; Robert Hean, Jr., Constable; Alfred Walker, Constable; H. A. Hills, Township Clerk. Trustees-—W. S. Cline, Raymond Harty and J. W. Moore.
   Augusta has never been incorporated as a town.

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