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Biographical and Historical Record
The Lewis Publishing Company
1887
Miscellaneous

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Go to 1877 Biographies Index

EDUCATIONAL There is no subject connected with our progress and civilization in which our people have taken a deeper interest than in that of education. While our public schools, which constitute the basis of our progress and intelligence, have especially engaged the attention of our most enterprising citizens and legislators, they have also liberally encouraged the higher institutions of learning, as is shown by our numerous seminaries, colleges and universities. Iowa has education for her corner-stone, upon which she has reared an enduring superstructure. Education is the secret of the great prosperity of our State and the safeguard of our institutions. There is no excuse whatever for a person being uneducated in Iowa, for her counties are dotted over with numerous and excellent schoolhouses, while the school buildings in the cities are models of elegance and convenience, and these public schools are free to all, rich and poor, irrespective of race, color or religion. There has been manifested a constant and very general determination to bring the schools of the State to the highest degree of excellence, consonant with sound policy and the development of its material resources. The findings of the last census in educational matters, although hardly a revolution to our people, are yet not a little gratifying, as they enable the people elsewhere to realize something of the work being done in Iowa in educational matters. In respect to the number of school-houses Iowa is seen to be fifth, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois only having more. The same States have each more teachers than Iowa. Six States only surpass Iowa in respect of sittings in schools, of value of school property, of outlay for school purposes, and of number of pupils attending school. In respect of the extent of illiteracy, no less than twenty-five States have more persons over ten years of age unable to read and write. The first schools taught in Greene County were private or subscription schools. Their accommodations, as may be readily supposed, were not good. Sometimes they were taught in small log houses erected for the purpose. Stoves and such heating apparatus as are in use now were unknown. A mud and stick chimney in one end of the building, with earthen hearth, with fire-place wide enough and deep enough to take in a four-foot backlog, and smaller wood to match, served for warming purposes in winter and a kind of conservatory in summer. For windows, part of a Iog was cut out in either side and maybe a few panes of 8 x 10 glass set in; or, just as likely as not, the aperture would be covered over with greased paper. Writing benches were made of wide planks, or, maybe, puncheons resting on pins or arms driven into two-inch auger holes bored into the logs beneath the windows. Seats were made out of thick planks or puncheons; flooring was made of the same kind of stuff. Everything was rude and plain, but many of America's greatest men have gone out from just such school-houses to grapple with the world and make a name for themselves, and names that came to be an honor to their country. In other cases private rooms and parts of private houses were utilized as school-houses, but the furniture was just as plain. But all these things are changed now. A log school-house in Iowa is a rarity. Their places are filled with handsome frame or brick structures. The rude furniture has also given way, and the old school-books - the "Popular Reader," the "English Reader'" (the finest literary compilation ever known in American schools), and "Webster's Elementary Spelling Book" - are superceded by others of greater pretensions. The old spelling classes ami spelling matches have followed the old school-houses until they are remembered only in name. The school-houses and their furnishings are in full keeping with the spirit of the law that provides for their maintenance and support. The teachers rank high among the other thousands of teachers in the State; and the several county superintendents, since the office of superintendent was made a part of the school system, have been chosen with especial reference to their fitness for their position. It is impossil)le to find any reports of educational matters in this county prior to 1858, when the Seventh General Assembly passed "An act for the public instruction for the State of Iowa" and organized the present school system. By this act, which went into force March 20, 1858, each civil township was made a school district, and the number of districts and district officers were thus greatly reduced. By the same act the office of county superintendent of schools was created, and appropriations made in aid of teachers' institutes. From that time to this the record has been one of almost continuous iniprovement. The present condition of school matters is best shown by the following statistics, selected from the last printed report of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction: Number of district townships, 14 Independent districts, 16 Sub-districts, 145 Ungraded schools, 141 Rooms in graded schools, 21 Average duration, in months, 7.5 Male teachers employed, 76 Average monthly compensation, $37.22 Female teachers employed, 242 Average monthly compensation, $29 [Note: Women were paid $8.22 per month less than men.] The number of males in the county between five and twenty-one years of age was 2,936; females, 2,886; total enrollment in public schools, 5,179; average attendance, 3,081; average cost of tuition per month, per pupil, $2.10. Two of the 1B8 school-houses in the county are brick, the others frame. Their total value is $92,870; value of apparatus, $3,091; number of volumes in libraries, 882. During the year there was paid for school-houses and sites, $7,339.73; on bonds and in interest, $2,143.35; for other purposes, from school-house fund, $4,089.42; for rent and repair of school-houses, $3,375.44; for fuel, $3,564.30; for secretaries and treasurers, $1,226.26; for records, dictionaries and apparatus, $439.26; for insurance and janitors, $1,023.50; for supplies, broom, chalk, etc., $1,653.30; for other purposes, out of contingent fund, $4,785.05 ; for teachers, $40,360.93. A normal school, or institute, is held every summer during the long vacation at Jefferson. Professional conductors are employed for these, and much good has been accomplished by the better training of teachers. The permanent school fund in charge of Greene county amounts now to $41,024.58, all of which is loaned to farmers at 8 percent. The fund has suffered no losses from bad loans. The county owns now but eighty acres of land (in Willow Township), and this will soon be sold and proceeds added to the permanent school fund. AGRICULTURAL The surface of Greene County is gently undulating, consisting largely of prairie interspersed with groves, and with belts of timber along the streams. The soil is a loose, black loam of great fertility, generally from two to four feet in depth, lying above a yellow clay. The northern portion is high and rolling, forming a broad and beautiful terrace, from which, by the generally level surface common to prairies, the eye can range north and south a distance each way from twenty to twenty-live miles, and affording locations where beauty of landscape and grandeur of scene will enrapt the artistic eye. This terrace at a former geological age formed an ancient sea-beach, coinciding with the eskers and asers of Europe, but subsequently was overlaid with the fuvio-marine deposit now constituting the black prairie surface soil so rich in fertility. While beyond the Missouri the solid rock is reached at twelve to sixteen feet, here, in the borings for coal, the "drift" is found to be nearly eighty feet in depth. The agricultural products arc numerous, comprising all cereals, fruits and vegetables common to the north temperate latitude. The great staples are corn, wheat, oats, barley, flax and rye, with potatoes and the other usual vegetables of the garden. The fruits do well. There are large and productive orchards of the apple, pear, cherry and plum. Though the great fertility of the prairie soil makes it unfavorable for those kind of trees that grow very rapidly, their too great and succulent growth making them liable to winter-kill, yet, by growing those kinds whose growth, though slower, is rapid and form a firm wood called from this feature "iron clads," farmers are able to have large orchards of very valuable and luscious fruits. Of small fruits the strawberry, gooseberry, blackberry, raspberry, grape, etc., are grown in profusion. Cattle are grown at a great profit, and the industry is rapidly attracting more attention. The dairy industry, too, has during the last few years assumed great importance. The following are the most important agricultural statistics given in the State census for 1885, pertaining to Greene County: Average size of farm 139 acres Number of acres of improved land 189,214 Acres in cultivation 132,192 Acres of unimproved land 109,757 Acres in pastire 38,514 Rods of hedge fence 36,470 Rods of barbed wire fence 884,887 Rods of other fence 102,735 Farms managed by owner 1,456; by manager 25; by tenant for money rent 147; by tenant for crop rent 331 Acres of Indian corn 88,945; bushels harvested 8,145,497 Acres of wheat 7,644; bushels harvested 112,821 Acres of oats 30,030; bushels harvested 944,274; tons of straw 16,582 Acres of rye 1,796; bushels harvested 21,011; tons of straw 1,260 Acres of barley 200; bushels harvested 4,126 Acres of buckwheat 305; bushels harvested 2,926 Acres of broom corn 23; tons of product, 7 Acres in sorghum 303; gallons of sorghum syrup 23,321 Acres of potatoes 1,170; bushels raised 83,027 Acres of onions 7; bushels raised 2,893 Bushels of beets 2,093 Bushels of turnips 8,843 Bushels of peas and beans 1,497 Acres of tobacco 108; pounds of product 563. Acres of planted timber 996 Acres in natural timber 9,075 Cords of wood cut in year 3,284 Number of bearing apple trees 31,815, bushels of fruit, 19,401 Bearing plum trees 2,082; bushels of fruit, 776 Bearing cherry trees 3,128; bushels of fruit 520 Other trees in bearing 790 Trees not in bearing 63,245 Acres in vineyard 60; pounds of grapes gathered 5,703 Vines not in vineyard 15,820; pounds of grapes 50,180 Stands of bees 615; pounds of honey 7,165 Acres of clover 338; tons of hay 177; bushels of seed 32 Acres of Hungarian seed 42; tons of hay 98; bushels of seed 14 Acres of millet 2,051; tons of hay 3,143; bushels of seed 41 Acres of timothy 14,268; tons of hay 11,061; bushels of seed 3,070; tons of hay froni wild grass 53,173 Acres of flax 659; bushels of seed 4,193 Gallons of milk sold or sent to factory 41,946; gallons of cream sold or sent to factory 134,328; pounds of butter made, not at factory 538,433 Pounds of cheese made, not at factory 2,464 Thoroughbred cattle 168; grades 1,917 Work oxen 2 Milch cows 10,870 All other cattle 20,263 Cattle slaughtered or sold for slaughter 4,355 Total horses 7,961; sold for export 183 Mules and asses 227; sold for export 11 Poland-China hogs 16,940; Berkshires 5,814; Chester Whites 1,029; Duroc-Jerseys 147; Essexes 53; other improved breeds 1,079; total hogs 49,406; slaughtered or sold for slaughter 27,713 Merino sheep 121; Gotswolds 581; Leicesters 36; South-Downs 111; total 2,286; slaughtered or sold for slaughter 279; number of fleeces 2,141; pounds of wool 12,026 Common chickens 105,395; improved breeds 10,291; other domestic fowl 17,750; dozens of eggs 332,316. GREENE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY The Greene County  Agricultural Society was organized and incorporated in 1869. The incorporation began May 22 of that year and is to continue 100 years. It is a stock company, capitalized at $100,000, though of course but a small portion of this was ever paid up - no more, in fact, than necessary to purchase and fit up grounds. The latter include forty acres on the northwest corner of section 7, township 83 north, range 30 west, and are located about one mile northwest of the public square at Jefferson. Any person owning one or more shares is a member of the incorporation and entitled to one vote for each share. The officers of the association include sixteen directors, elected annually on the first Saturday in January in each year, and a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer chosen from the board of directors. Fairs are held every year, either in September or October. The grounds are valued at $B,000 and have on them very good buildings and an excellent half-mile track. The directors for 1870 were: B. F. Robinson (president) W. S. McBride (secretary) J. N. Harrington (assistant secretary) Albert Head (treasurer) Thomas Roberts William Anderson J. N. Coulter G. V. Roberts Joseph Coombs Q. L. Kephart A. C. King A. King James Harker Samuel Rhoads R. E. Witt Daniel Vader The fair was held in October that year. For 1871 the principal officers were: President, Alpheus King Vice-President, R. E. Witt Treasurer, Mahlon Head Secretary, G. B. Dean The fair was held September 26, 27 and 28, and the total receipts were $728. Officers for 1872: President, A. King Vice-President, Dr. G. H. Grimmell Treasurer, Mahlon Head Secretary, G. B. Dean The fair was held September 4, 5 and 6, and the total receipts were $486. A "horse fair and stock sale" was held on the grounds June 20 and 21, under control of the officers of the society. Officers for 1873: President, A. King Vice-President, G. H. Grimmell Treasurer, Mahlon Head Secretary, G. B. Dean The fair was held October 2, 3 and 4, and the total receipts were $475. The premiums awarded amounted to $545. Officers for 1874: President, A. King Vice-President, R. E. Witt Treasurer, Mahlon Head Secretary, G. B. Dean Marshal, M. E. Marquis The fair was held September 30 and October 1 and 2; the total receipts were $524, and the premiums awarded, $448. Officers for 1875: President, Albert Head Vice-President, Richard E. Witt Treasurer, Mahlon Head Secretary, G. B. Dean Marshal, Miles E. Marquis Assistant Marshal. John H. Dawson The fair was held October 13, 14, 15 and 16; receipts were $432.98; cash premiums, $265.10. Officers for 1876: President, Richard E. Witt Vice-President, Alpheus King Secretary, G. B. Dean Treasurer, Mahlon Head Marshal, M. E. Marquis Assistant Marshal, John H. Dawson The fair was held October 12, 13 and 14. Receipts, $489.05; premiums awarded, $355.15. Officers for 1877: President, Richard E. Witt Vice-President, Alpheus King Secretary, G. B. Dean Treasurer, Mahlon Head Marshal, John H. Dawson Assistant Marshal, M. E. Marquis The fair was held September 13, 14 and 15. Receipts, $390.70; premiums, $326. Officers for 1878: President, John Gray Vice-President, G. A. Cady Secretary, Alpheus King Treasurer, G. B. Dean Marshal, Harvey Partridge. The receipts of the fair were $448.25. The premiums were scaled 50 per cent. Officers for 1879: President, Richard E. Witt Vice-President, G. A. Cady Secretary, A. King Treasurer, G. B. Dean Marshal, Harvey Partridge The receipts of the fair were $718.50; premiums awarded, $407.50. Officers for 1880: President, A. Head Vice-President, G. A. Cady Secretary, Alpheus King Treasurer, G. B. Dean Marshal, Harvey Partridge The fair was held September 15, 16 and 17, and was favored with a large attendance. The premiums amounted to $338.25, and the receipts to $594.77. The premiums and all other obligations were paid in full. Officers for 1881: Same as previous year. The fair was held September 14, 15 and 16, and was financially unfortanate. Officers for 1882: President, G. H. Grimmell Vice-President, O. W. Park Secretary, G. B. Dean Treasnrer, John Gray Marshal, William Wilson The fair was held August 29, 30 and 31. Officers for 1883: President, G. H. Grimmell Vice-President, William Wilson Treasurer, John Gray Secretary, G. B. Dean Marshal, Samuel Beard The fair was held September 20, 21 and 22. Officers for 1884: President, G. H. Grimmell Vice-President, William Wilson Secretary, Samuel Jay Treasurer, John Gray Marshal, Samuel Beard Officers for 1885: President, G. H. Grimmell Vice-President, William Wilson Secretary, J. M. Rhoads Treasurer, A. M. Head Officers for 1886: President, G. H. Grimmell Vice-President, Samuel Jay Secretary, A. M. Head Treasurer, Z. A. Church The fair was held September 17, 18 and 19. The society receives annually $200 from the State. This amount is of great assistance in making the fairs financially successful. RAILROADS The Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad Company, organized to build a railroad across the State of Iowa, laid its track as far as Boone in the autumn of 1868, and the next season the line was completed to the Missouri Iliver. Jefferson and vicinity contributed several thousand dollars and eighty acres of land to secure railroad connection with the rest of the world. John I. Blair, of New Jersey, was the president of the company. The whole line, 354 miles in length, was leased as soon as completed to the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company for ninety-nine years at a certain per cent of the earnings. The road has 24.52 miles in Greene County, assessed at $10,000 per mile, or $247,551.05. The townships crossed, and the mileage in each, are: Junction, 5.93; Grant, 3.49; Jefferson, 2.62; Jackson, 6.29; Scranton, 5.39; Kendrick, 80. The stations are Grand Junction, Jefferson and Scranton. The first is seven miles east of Jefferson, and the last is eight miles west. Jefferson is 369 miles from Chicago, 231 miles from Clinton, 150 miles from Cedar Ilapids, 98 miles from Missouri Valley, and 119 miles from Council Bluffs. The Keokuk, Des Moines & Fort Dodge Railroad was built in 1869 as far north as Fort Dodge, and received no tax or bonus in this county. That portion of the road below Des Moines was afterward sold to the Rock Island Company, and the remainder became the Des Moines & Fort Dodge Railroad. This has since been extended north to the Minnesota State line. The townships crossed in this county, and mileage in each, are: Washington, 6.646; Junction, 9.740; Paton, 6.608; total, 22.99 miles, assessed at $4,000 per mile, or $91,960. The stations are Rippey, Grand Junction, Dana and Paton. The Des Moines & Northwestern Railroad was Iniilt in 1880, under the auspices of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad Company, which has since operated it. It is a narrow-gauge road, and extends from Des Moines to Fonda, 114.9 miles. In aid of this road Jefferson Township voted a 5 per cent tax, Grant 2 per cent, Franklin 5 per cent, and Hardin 5 per cent. The total mileage in this county is 27.6, assessed at $1,200 per mile, or $33,120. The townships crossed, and mileage in each, are: Franklin, 6.1; Grant, 4.3; Jefferson, 2.7; Hardin, 1.2; Bristol, 7; Highland, 6.3. The stations are Cooper, Jefferson and Churdan. The total railroad mileage in the county is 75.11; assessment, $372,511.05. PUBLIC BUILDINGS The first court-house was used until 1870, when the present building was erected. It is a two-story brick and cost $37,OO0, and is a very creditable court-house - one of the best in Northwestern Iowa. Above are the court room and the offices of the county superintendent and surveyor and below the offices of the clerk, sheriff, auditor, treasurer and recorder. The "calaboose" now used by the town of Jelferson, in the western part of town, is the first county jail. This wooden structure, which much resembles a freight-car in appearance, and a bridge across the Coon River, are all that the county received twenty-five years ago from the American Emigrant Company in excliange for all its thousands of acres of "swamp" land, large areas of which never was swamp, but the most fertile prairie. The present jail, built of brick and containing cells of iron, was built in 1878. The contract was let to C. L. Wood & Co. for $3,600. The jail is two blocks south of the public square. The covmty infirmary is on the poor-farm, which comprises 240 acres - the southeast quarter of section 21, and the north half of the northeast quarter of section 28, Bristol Township. The infirmary and farm are under charge of John M. Forbes, and the usual number of inmates is not far from twenty. STATISTICS OF POPULATION. The population of Greene County was: 1,089 in 1856 1,421 in 1859 1,374 in 1860 1,416 in 1863 2,036 in 1865 2,353 in 1867 3,494 in 1869 4,627 in 1870 5,755 in 1873 7,037 in 1875 12,727 in 1880 15,923 in 1885

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Go to 1877 Biographies Index

Source: Biographical and Historical Record of Greene and Carroll Counties, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, 1887.


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