PREFACE

    Wapello Study Club, in an effort to promote the objectives of the Louisa County Historical Society chose to compile this information relative to the history of the local area. A tour of historical spots is planned by the society. There is such a vast amount of material to be found that it is hoped in the future to do a similar brochure on famous people from his locality and that other communities will compile a similar booklet of their area. Eventually, this should provide a comprehensive coverage of the past in Louisa County.

     Your corrections and additional information are solicited. We wish our material to be authentic. Only in this way can future revisions be made. “Those who forget their past have no future.”

     We are deeply grateful to the many people who have helped with interviews, research, loan of atlases, letters, clippings, maps and other materials. Even at the risk of unintentionally omitting some names of helpful people we wish to express special gratitude to the following:

     Marjorie Pettis, Cass Mincher, Elmer Shipman, Vinnie Winters, Ruth Woodruff Chandler, Bernice Jamison Herrick, Marguerite Deihl Allen, Mildred Hook Beik, Dorothy Schneider McNeil, William Weaver, James Johann, Marilyn Weber, Millicent Hicklin Winters, Catherine Pruitt Carey, Lucille Graham Parsons, Ida Belle Dodds Buster, Walter Hurley, Nellie Hale, Don Brown, Myrle Kelly Hook, and Alta Otto.Pg 1

WAPELLO

    The original town of Wapello was laid out by John Gillialand, County Surveyor, and the plat certified by him May 6, 1839, and has been a special chartered city since July 15, 1856.

    Named for Chief Wapello, it has much Indian lore in its background evidenced by the Hopeirellian Indian Mounds located along the bluffs east of Wapello and finding of artifacts after a rain. The Parsons collection, presently housed in the City Hall, came mostly from this area.

    When first founded, Wapello served as a trading center for homesteaders of the country side and had a grain and woolen mill, a brewery, and a wagon and carriage factory. It also boasted an opera house and a theater.

    Today, it is the county seat and the largest city in the county surrounded by grain and stock raising areas.

    An effort was made to incorporate Wapello as a city in 1852. At that time there were four additions, the Original Town, Bird's addition, Charles' addition, and England's addition.

    B. F. Wright presented the petition to Wright Williams, county judge at that time, signed by one-fourth of the legal voters of the village. There were approximately 350 inhabitants here at that time.

    The citizens of Wapello wanted a city and not an incorporated town. Therefore they applied to the state legislature for a special charter, which was granted July 15, 1856. This gave Wapello on the charter about 640 acres, forming a strip of . . .

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. . . ground nearly twice as long as it was wide, or about a mile and a quarter long and a little more than half a mile wide. The charter made the town a corporate body invested with all the powers of a municipal corporation with legislative authority by the mayor and a board of six councilmen, two from each ward.

    Only four cities in Iowa are operating under a special charter today, Camanche, Davenport, Muscatine, and Wapello. There is much difference of opinion as to whether or not there are any advantages of a special charter. It does give the city council power to act on many questions without the vote of the people. It also gives the authority to appoint men on municipal boards for a period of six years. It is also permissible for a special chartered city to levy taxes on any per cent of valuation, whereas a city that has no special charter cannot have the percentage of assessed valuation at more than 25% according to law. There are other problems involved also.

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COURT HOUSE

    Judge Oscar Hale was the architect for the court room in the present Louisa County Court Room. Judge E. O. Newell, upon his retirement in 1966, commented to the Louisa County Bar Association, “This court room far exceeds the two other court rooms in this district or any that I have seen in the state of Iowa.” On the occasion of Judge Newell's retirement after twenty-seven and one-half years on the bench, he was presented by the Louisa County Bar Association a painting of the old Louisa County Court House replaced by the present structure in 1928. The painting is Bernard Gajewski.

     The seat of justice for Louisa County was first located by the Legislature on a tract of land at 126 S. 2nd Street, Wapello, where the Lutheran Church is now located. The first court house was held therein by Hon. David Irwin, Judge of the Second Judicial District of the Territory of Wisconsin on the 20th day of April, 1837. The speaker, being the sheriff, considered the office of vast importance and finding it a part of his official duty to take care of the court house, moved into one end of the building, and court was held in the other. The judge's stand was a pine dry-goods box, surmounted by a split-bottomed chair. The Grand Jury used a cave in the Iowa River bank as the jury room, and that used by the Petit Jury most of the time was a movable calf pen.

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FAIR

    The Wapello Intelligencer of August 23, 1953 states:

    The first agricultural fair ever held in the state was held in Louisa County. It was projected and carried forward from year to year by the farmers of the county voluntarily and without that stimulus from the state government which perhaps induces the organization of some of the societies nowadays.

     The original society held a fair at Wapello in October, 1853, and awarded to George Key the first premium for the “Best acre of corn—120 bushels to the acre.” Solomon Fishthorn was given the second premium because he raised only 111 bushels to the acre. They either had some vary tall corn or some very accommodating judges in those days.

     A law passed by the Iowa General Assembly in 1853 provided that each county should receive a sum equal to the amount it could raise, the sum not to exceed $200. In December, 1866, James S. Jurley sold to the Louisa County Agricultural Society the tract of land where our race track has been in use since then. In 1903 a deed for 25 ¾ acres was transferred to the Wapello Fair Association which pays no taxes on the property.

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CANNING FACTORY

    Iowa, in the center of the corn belt; why not for sweet corn too, an ideal location for a canning company. Thus, this could have been the thoughts of a Mr. George Watts from Brunswick, Maine, who did come to Wapello, Iowa in 1893. Along with the financial support of a Mr. William Baxter, a corn canning company was started, known as the Baxter Bros. Canning Company.

    From Springer's History of Louisa County, Volume 1, page 368, is written:

     One of the most important industrial institutions in the county is the sweet corn canning factory, owned by Baxter Bros. and located in Wapello. It is among the largest and best in the state, canning about 3 million cans of corn in the summer of 1911. During the canning period, which generally lasts 5-6 weeks, Baxter Bros. often have 300 people employed.

     The population of Wapello in 1896 was 1290 and in 1910 was 1326. For the size of the town this was quite a large industry.

     According to other verbal information, someone from the company would go out to the farmers and contract acreage of corn, then they would be notified as when to bring it in for the pack. On some of the peak days, there would be about 250 loads of corn brought in. Those of that era can recall that workers were notified to come to work by the long drawn out whistle of the “canning factory whistle.” In later years it was not exclusively the canning of corn, but other vegetables as well. From the Centennial edition of the Wapello Republican, July 12, 1956: . . .

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. . . According to a record of 1898 of the company, they packed 1,700,000 cans of sweet corn, 75,000 cans of tomatoes, 50,000 cans of squash, 20,000 cans of beans, and 25,000 cans of succotash. There was an investment of $20,000 in the most modern canning machinery of the times and the factory had a capacity of 100,000 cans a day. However, the largest day's run was 98,300.

     For those of us now, today, we can still see the site of the factory where Pine Bros. Motor Co., Dearmin Transfer and Wapello Sale Barn are located.

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WAPELLO SCHOOLS

    The early history of the Wapello schools dates back to 1840, when John Gilliland, County Surveyor, opened a private school in his log dwelling situated on Main Street, south of Van Buren. In 1844, the first school house in Wapello was built on the same site, now the home of Mrs. Guy Watson, 407 Van Buren. The original frame school building was purchased by C. W. Johann and moved to 321 Van Buren, where it is used as part of Johann Auto Sales. In the remodeling, names of various students were found etched in the slate blackboard: Judge Oscar Hale, Attorney Ed Hicklin, Sr., Aner Nearhood, Oscar (Prunes) Bird, and Charles Johann.

    In 1854, a one-story brick building at 227 N. Main Street was opened for school purpose under the direction of Professor Eastman. In a few years, a second story was added, and it was then known as the Wapello Academy which enjoyed a reputation far and wide as a seat of learning. This building was later the home of the Record, an early Wapello newspaper, published by J. D. Barr & Co. Eventually, it was converted into a hotel. It was remodeled by Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Baker, who operated it under the name of Commercial Hotel.

    In 1841, James Halverson, accompanied by his family, emigrated from Montgomery County, Indiana to Louisa County, settling in Wapello Township, Section 35. Soon after his arrival in the county, Mr. Halverson received a call to teach a subscription school in what was known as Muscall School House, which he accepted. He was a man of intellect and during the first winter organized a debating society, probably the first in the state.

    Official public school records are available through the present board of education, beginning in 1868.

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G.A.R.

    The G A R of Wapello was instituted March 28, 1883. The group met in the Odd Fellows' Hall until Nov., 1885, when they leased the hall over the post-office for three years. In the spring of 1888 they purchased the property which is a two-story brick structure situated on the southwest corner of Second and Mechanic Streets. The building was valued at $1200 at that time. The G. A. R. continued to lease the lower floor to the government for a post-office until it was moved into the Thomas Building where Western Auto is now located.

     In the intervening time this building served as a public library until 1961 when the fine new Keck Memorial Library was built. At that time the City Hall was moved into this building. The Parsons' Indian Artifacts are housed here as well as many items of historical interest from Louis Keck and many of Judge Oscar Hale's papers.

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THE METHODIST CHURCH OF WAPELLO

    The Methodist Episcopal church of Wapello was organized in 1849, by Rev. Joseph Kirkpatrick, a missionary sent out by the Methodist Episcopal Conference. The first services were held in the dining room of the Drake House, which was a tavern kept by John Drake on the west side of Second St., and then later moved into the old court house. The first church building was of brick, and was erected about 1852 at a cost of $2,000. It was finally torn down, and a building was erected in 1877 at a cost of $3,500, and located on Main Street near Jackson, on the site now occupied by the Colson Apartment House.

     The German Methodist Episcopal Church of Wapello was erected in 1871, with a seating capacity of 400, on the site now occupied by the Methodist church. After that a German congregation was organized on Long Creek, with the same minister supplying both churches. Rev. Zuppaw was the first pastor, and William Archibald was the builder.

     In 1902, when Rev. W. C. Schultz was pastor, the building was entirely remodeled at an expense of about $4,400. W. S. Isett was the builder. The building was re-dedicated with impressive ceremonies on Sunday, November 30, 1902.

     In these services, the German language was used exclusively until the year 1908. From that time on, some English was used, particularly in the Sunday School and in the young peoples classes. In 1914, it was officially decided to use the English language and to change the mane of the church from German Methodist church to Grace Methodist church.

     The final service in the old Methodist church was held in Sept. 1929. The two Methodist churches were now united, and it was decided to use the Grace church as a meeting house. The new minister . . .

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. . . was Rev. Russell Arms. The old church stood idle for nine years, but under the supervision of Rev. Lloyd Tennant, the building was torn down, and all usable material moved up to the Grace church. Rev. H. C. Druce purchased the cellar of the old church and the parsonage of the Grace church, and moved it to the site of the old Methodist church.

     In 1940, the Methodist church was re-opened, being a merger of the two churches: the Methodist Episcopal church, and the Grace Methodist Episcopal church. The cost of this structure was around $16,000.

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WINTER INSURANCE BUILDING

    The building housing the Winters Insurance and Real Estate business at 327 North Second street was built in 1859 as an inn by Charlotte and Gustavus Jones. In 1892, the building was sold to Eliza Mincher who had a mortgage to her son-in-law L. C. Wonnell. At this time the building was a millinery and dry goods store. In 1912, the property was bought by Mary Rettinger, whose daughter, Josephine, and a millinery store until 1920, when the building was sold to E. C. Castle. In 1925, he sold the building to Mary Wehmeyer and son, Fred. They lived upstairs for some time. Lillie Ong took over the property in 1929. Her heirs sold the building to Estice and Rosina Hopkins, who sold the building to Winters in 1954. One of the owners of this building, in 1864, was Adolphus Runge, a teacher of violin. He and his daughter, Amanda, ran a millinery store in the front room of the residence on the Five Mile Lane where the Winters now live. The bay window of that house was the display window for the fine hats and pretty ribbons which young ladies walked out to admire and to buy.

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119 YEARS OF POSTAL SERVICE PROVIDED

    In the 119 years of its existence, the Wapello post office has been located at several sites, four of them in the past 77 years, but during that entire time, the post office has been under the same name.

     This, according to the State Historical Society of Iowa, makes the Wapello Post Office the oldest one in Iowa which has operated continuously under the same name.

     Despite its 119-year-old history, dating back to the early days of this Louisa county seat, the Wapello post office was not the first to be established in the county. According to a history of the county, the first post office in the county was established May 27,1837 and was known as Black Hawk. William L. Toole, a pioneer settler, served as the postmaster.

     The records show that the Wapello post office was established just a few months after that at Black Hawk, on August 15, 1837. Christopher A. Ballard was the first Wapello postmaster.

     Inquiry has failed to reveal the location of the first post office here, and possibly several which followed it.

     However, according to the Reverend Harry Druse, retired pastor, the post office has been at four different locations during the 72 years since 1881. In that year the post office was located where the McCulley Used Furniture Store is located at the corner of Van Buren and North Second. In 1901, it was moved to the GAR Building on the southwest corner of Second and Machanic. Six years later, the government leased the D. C. Thomas building. On February 1, 1948, the office was moved across the street to the building owned by Mabel Swan and now housing the Smart Shop.

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    The Rev. Mr Druse does not recall how many box-holders there were in 1881, but does recall that the number of his father's box was 171.

     Ballard was succeeded as Wapello postmaster by Tadoka C. Inghram on October 26, 1838.

     Other early day postmasters, and the dates they assumed their duties include:

     George W. McCleary, Dec. 29, 1840; John W. McCleary, Nov. 29, 1842; George W. McCleary, Jan. 20, 1845; John Bird, May 16, 1845; Jacob Minton, Feb. 10, 1846; John A. Pilger, Feb. 7, 1848; Samuel H. Kirkpatrick, April 9, 1849; Samuel Townsend, April 10, 1850; James Noffinger, Jan. 7, 1853; Lauren Wells, Aug. 27, 1855 William Keach, April 3, 1861—the first Republican Postmaster, but on his enlistment in the Civil War, he left the office in the care of his deputy, Mr. Wells; George F. Thomas, July 16, 1861, by appointment of Pres. Lincoln and served 23 years until the Republican Party went out of power; M. L. Jamison, who served until January 1887; John M. Herrick, appointed by Pres. Cleveland; John H. Herrick; James S. Hurley; R. C. Hawkins, July 3, 1897; Edward Hicklin; 1911; Cecil Hamilton; Jack Bigger; Marion Barnes; Bernice Herrick; Mike Herrick; Frances Bucher, Feb. 1, 1948; Richard Winters; Donald Havenhill.

     In 1961, the United States Government completed a fine new one story brick building at 206 N. Main with adequate parking and mailing facilities. Two city carriers and one sub-carrier serve 543 families. Two rural carriers drive 144 miles per day to serve 412 families. Parcel post delivery was established in 1952. Post office boxes serve 150 families and business houses.

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DRAKE HOUSE

    In 1837, John Drake built the first tavern in Wapello on the east side of Second Street at 427 N. Water Street. In 1839, the first Baptist service was held in the Drake barn. This building commands a fine view of the bend in the Iowa River. However, the river continues to wash away the land each spring. In fact, there used to be a ball diamond in front of the Sillick house in this neighborhood facing the river.

WOOLEN MILL

    A woolen mill was erected on N. Water Street by Henry Bothe, who came to Louisa County in 1853 from Germany as a saddle and harness maker. He sold the building a year later to Johann and Winters, who operated it for many years as the Star Woolen Mills, organized in 1867, where all kinds of woolen goods were made and where merchant tailoring was done. Both men were from Germany, where Winters learned the art of dying material. According to his daughter, Vinnie Winters, he also traveled about buying raw wool. Miss Winters still has in her possession some lovely pieces of material woven at this mill. The mill eventually passed into the hands of Chris Winters and closed down in 1887. In the spring of 1888, the machinery was sold and the building was used by the Wapello Creamery.

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GRIST MILL

    The first grist mill was built in 1849 by James Sample and Company. It was the only mill at that time between Burlington and Cedar Rapids. Farmers frequently camped over night to get their grain ground into meal or flour. Later, this mill, at approximately 632 N. 2nd Street on the banks of the Iowa River, was sold to Wapello Mill Company. The last man to operate the mill was Rev. Harry Druse, who fell heir to the old mill. In 1893, during a tornado, Rev. Druse had the misfortune to be blown into the Iowa River as his bedroom on the third floor of the mill was demolished. As he swam to shore he heard the cry of a baby. Upon investigation, he discovered at the box bridge, on a crib feather bed, a baby who was rescued unharmed by Feist Hunsucher. Our baby Moses had been swept from the demolished home by the terrific wind. Our baby Moses, now a retired grocer living in Wapello, was Jess Ives.

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UNITED STATES RECTIFYING HOUSE STILL STANDING

    In the 1850s, United States Government built a two-story brick building at 119 S. Second Street in Wapello to be used as a rectifying house or a rack for the aging of fine wine and whiskey, made of barley at the privately owned distillery then located in the vicinity of 504 Water street along the west bank of the Iowa River. The aging house was government operated. The metal overhead plates above the door and two windows to the east are familiar trademarks of federal buildings of that time.

     This rack house was built close to the street so that barrels could easily be rolled out and loaded on to horse-drawn wagons and hauled to the Iowa River for shipment by water, on barges, propelled by sweeps operated by man power. Empty barges were towed back to Wapello by steamboats which plied the Iowa River as far north as Iowa City at that time. On one occasion an empty barge sank off shore from Wapello where it still causes fishermen, in their outboards, some difficulty when they strike the spot.

     Before the clear liquid from the barly mash was aged, it was called high wine. When placed in charcoal lined barrels this high wine changed from clear to the familiar golden brown as it ages for at least four years. A government gager tested the quality and alcoholic content, branded each barrel head, and sealed the contents for shipment to New Orleans.

     This structure has been used as a residence since the turn of the century. Only the rocks from the foundation of the old distillery are left.

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WELLS HOUSE

    Levi Chase, railtoad contractor in the early '50s, during the time when the old Air Line railroad was being graded through and beyond Wapello, built the house known as the Wells property, and later owned and occupied by Henry Westerman. It is located at 321 Jefferson in Wapello, and was sold by Lucy Grimm to Marcella Erwin in 1965. The lumber from which it was built was cut and sawed at Herman, Missouri, and was shipped by water to Wapello.

     Mrs. L. P. Wells, in 1859, had a private school in the east living room of the home, while the family occupied the remainder of the home.

Pg 18 & 19 Map of Wapello

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BETHEL CHURCH

    Childish voices raised in song and verse could be heard this spring in the quiet and peaceful surroundings of the old Bethel Church, located south of Wapello, a short distance off Highway 61. For the first time in many years, a daily Church School was held on the green, sloping grounds of the church.

    Many ladies of the neighborhood were in charge of the children, among them Mrs. Vernon De Vore, Mrs. Ralph Huff, Mrs. Henry Cowles, Mrs. Ed Thornburg, Mrs. Ralph Ball, Mrs. Charles Huff, and Joan Graham. Average attendance was 30 pupils, from nursery class to teenager.

    To many, Bethel Church is a hallowed place because of the associations and the loved ones who lie buried near. A log schoolhouse once stood where the church now stands.

    In 1855, residents of the Bethel neighborhood decided to build a church and a new schoolhouse. The stone was quarried from a nearby stone quarry and hauled by teams of oxen to the cemetery, where men of the community helped to lay the walls of the new church.

    The builders and their families now lie buried there, and the names of Davison, Deihl, Brogan, Hamilton, Herrick, and Jamison occur over and over again on the tombstones.

    Merrit Jamison, who donated the land where the church and cemetery are located, and was influential in the building and the financing, died in the spring of '56 shortly before the building was completed. Francis McGraw, who quarried the stone, . . .

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. . . is buried there, and his grave is marked by a granite boulder, taken from Honey Creek and placed on the grave in his memory.

    Several little graves all bear the same date, 1864, the year so many infants died of what was then called the “flux”. An infant was the first to be buried in the new cemetery.

    No record of the building of the church is available, but the Wapello Mission quarterly conference was held at Bethel school, Nov. 18, 1854. The Mission included the two ME churches in Wapello, Bethel, Concord, and Long Creek. A committee composed of Wm. D. and Merrit Jamison and Wm. Shipman was appointed to estimate “the House, Table and Fuel expense of the pastor,” and reported an allowance of $134, which was approved by the conference.

    At the conference in 1856, the trustees of the church reported the “meeting house out of debt and deed secured.” The cemetery was then fenced at a cost of $175 and lamps purchased at a cost of $10.

    When the location of Bethel Church was chosen it was on the main trail, but now lies nestled in the woods. Services are no longer held there, but the church and cemetery grounds are well kept, a fitting monument to hardy and faithful pioneers of Louisa County.

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McCORMICK LAND

    Cyrus Hall McCormick, credited with the inventing the reaper, once owned land in Louisa County.

    The inventor who turned the leaf that opened a new era in agriculture was remembered recently when a new note on the international scene appeared. This was the death of Leander J. McCormick, 76 grandson of the founder of International Harvester. He died in France.

    The McCormick land is located south of Wapello just off the river road. The old stone houses still stand. One is on the Joe Beck farm and the other on the Harry Toms place. The buildings are nearly identical.

    There are 240 acres in the Beck farm and 160 in the Toms farm.

    According to an 1866 deed, C. H. McCormick, brothers, of Chicago, bought the land for $13.00 per acre. John Bird, John Deihl and T. S. Huffman, of the Wapello area, appraised the land.

    At one time the two farms were farmed straight through from one place through to the other, making long rows which were cultivated by horse and walking plow.

    The stone walls of the house are 23 inches thick and have been covered with a gray stucco, but the old hair plaster can still be seen in the walls. The house isn't too hard to heat. There are long boards in the walls instead of studdings.

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    The Beck farms, with their very old houses, recall this brush of Louisa County with the significant early history of agriculture in the Midwest—when even Cyrus McCormick owned land near Wapello.

     Isaiah Downs bought the first reaper in this area. It used five horses, with three next to the machine and two in the lead. There was no bundle carrier. Boys where hired to carry the sheaves to the men who shocked the grain.

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LETTER ABOUT McCORMICK FARM

    The accompanying letter was copied from the original longhand writing sent to Peter Shipman, father of Elmer Shipman, who loaned the letter to Louisa County Historical Society. In 1858, Peter Shipman moved his family into the house south of Wapello on the Iowa River Toad. This house is now owned by Mable McKinney. Mr. Shipman brought his family by water from St. Louis to Port Louisa, where the family had difficulty getting through the mud at the top of Port Louisa Hill. Here Peter found a dime, indicative of his future fortune to be found in Louisa County.

    J. S. Andrews, who wrote the letter regarding the McCormick land in Louisa County, was a salesman for McCormick farm machinery. He lived in Blue Island, Illinois. Hence, the reference to the first train passing his home. That would be the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific that used Clifton, (platted in 1858 on the SW quarter of SE quarter and SE quarter of NW quarter of Section 23, Township 73 North) now abandoned, as a shipping point for livestock in this county.

    Shipman's father, who operated the McCormick farm, drove hogs on foot to Clifton for shipping; getting the hogs to swim Long Creek was quite difficult. J. S. Andrews Estate still owns 160 acres of land on the south side of Five Mile Lane, two miles west of Wapello, opposite the Mark Grimm home.

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     “I came into Chicago this morning to confer with Mr. McCormick in relation to the lease of the North Farm. After some consultation, we arrived at this understanding, that I should have the farm upon these conditions. We are to break 100 acres for the first crop and the privilege of breaking all the balance of $3 1/2 an acre and the privilege of all that we can raise on it for nothing. Then the next season and so on if we wish, for 5 years, but I only agreed at 3 years by giving 2/5 of the crop. McCormick agreeing to furnish all the money needed without charge of interest to purchase any stock that we might wish to buy to feed up our crop to. And also furnish us with mower to mow hay for our stock, to have the use of the house, stable, and feed lots, and firewood for one family. You have it, in short, such is your chance and such is my own. If you think it will do to tie to, you can make your arrangements to move into the house as soon as you can arrange it. I expect you will be under the necessity of putting up a temporary stable, McCormick's furnishing the lumber. If any plank for the time being can be spared from down there, better hull it up. Also better hull up a lot of posts from Strongs to make hards you can make pig pens out of some of them. Please look out for time to sew my spring wheat—better sew broadcast and harrow. See that Oliver keeps to work all the time. Hull out all the manure the first chance you get. The first passenger train passed over the road on Sunday.


Yours respectfully,
J. S. Andrews”

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WAPELLO—HOME OF THE FIRST CANAL IN IOWA

    The first of four canals in the Hawkeye state was a six-mile waterway dug in 1849 for the Iowa river to convey water for powering a grist mill in Wapello.

     This is the opening statement of an excerpt a recent 1964 publication of the book, “Canals of Mid-America”, written by Leslie Swanson of Moline, Illinois.

     The introduction of the book notes, “This is a guide to the old canals of the Midwest – something of the picturespue landmarks which survive; something of their history; something of the men who built them and something of the canals which are a part of the modern transportation scene”. The book continues, “Authority to dig the canal and construct the dam across Pittsburg Chute, an arm of the Iowa River, was granted by the Iowa Legislature in an action on January 24, 1849. The canal ran fairly close to the river and at one place was about two miles from it”.

     The waterway was abondoned about 1900, when operations halted at the Wapello Grist Mill. Much of the original canal bed remains today, but water pours through it only when the Iowa River goes out of its banks in the spring. When water runs in the canal, again, it stirs fond memories of the older residents who remember when the canal was a favorite fishing place and swimming hole. It was also used to some extent by row boats as a short cut to points up stream.”

     As the community grew, they dug the canal with exen to provide water for a grist mill and two wollen mills. The project took six years, from 1860 to 1866. The canal is still a fascinating part of the picturesque community.

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    In the history of Louisa County, Volume I, published by Arthur Springer in 1912, among the list of various charters, grants, treaties, and organic acts is the following:

     “An Act authorizing David Sterrett, his heirs, and assigns, to construct a canal or mill-race, not exceeding in width one hundred feet, from any logical point of the Pittsburg Chute of the Iowa River, to intersect said Iowa River at a point at or near England's Addition to Wapello, running through a part of block 17 and the northern part of Water Street in England's addition, with the privilege of constructing a dam across Pittsburg Chute and the right to use the water power acquired thereby, and the right of way into and upon any Provision was also made for the payment of damages to land owners, amount to be determined by the district court.

     In the “Portrait and Biographical Album of Louisa County”, written in 1889 the following is found: “The first grist mill was built in 1849 by James Sample and Company, later was sold to the Wapello Mill Company and continued under the management of Samuel Townsend. It was owned by George A. Thomas in 1889”.

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JOLIET AND MARQUETTE

    Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette, paddling their way down the Mississippi River in a canoe, entered the Iowa River on the 25th of June, 1673, landed on what later became Iowa soil, and visited an Indian village. There is every evidence that this is the place ---”We silently followed the narrow path and after walking about 2 leagues we discovered a village on the bank of a river and two others on a hill distant about a league from the first.”

     Quotation from diary of Marquette to be found on a marker at Toolesboro erected and dedicated by the Society of Daughters of American Colonists.

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BURRIS CITY

    In 1855, Louisa County was the location of a genuine boom town as fabulously fast growing as any of the better known western boom towns. This was Burris City, laid out and platted on the north bank of the Iowa River at its junction with the Mississippi, immediately below Toolesboro. V. W. Burris erected sawmills, planing mills, and brick yards with the help of eastern capitalists who were seeking profitable exploitations of the West at that time. Within 60 days, more than 100 buildings were constructed. Burris' agent, C. R. Dugdale went East to advertise the new town, taking with him several maps and lithographs of Burris City, showing a wharf lined with steamboats; a part of the Air Line R. R.; street cars, churches, parks, lakes, and drives. Lots sold rapidly at $1,000 each. A three-story brick hotel, with marbled-floored billiard rooms and a saloon in the basement was erected. However, old settlers around Burris City knew that the land on which the town was built was subject to the ravages of a flooded Mississippi. Burris was aware of this also, but he planned to grade the site above the high-water mark by shipping dirt in during the winter before the spring floods. Unfortunately, fall rains in 1858, were heavy and continuous. Six to eight feet of water flowed through the streets of Burris City, and boats were used to save the residents from drowning. The hotel owner found 14 drowned victims in his billiard room—and his cook caught a 10-pound catfish in the oven of the kitchen range. The flood washed away embankments, filled wells and cisterns with sand, and generally demoralized the surviving residents, who left without delay. The few buildings that remained were soon torn down and carried to other locations. Burris once refused an offer of $30,000 for his holdings in the city; but when he left they had become worthless.

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    The first people to inhabit Louisa County were the Mound Builders. This ancient race disappeared before historic times and is known only by such works as have survived the destructive elements of time. The high bluffs of the Mississippi and the Iowa Rivers were their favorite dwelling places.

    Toolesboro must have been a place of some importance among them, for here are found some of their most extensive works. It required the labor of man for many days to construct the great mounds and walls still in evidence on the river bluffs about this village. There was also an ancient work, called a fort, adjacent to these mounds. The largest known mound to exist in Iowa is in Toolesboro and has been preserved.

    Below the hill at Toolesboro was once a real and pretentious city of more than a thousand people. Burris, as it was originally called, was laid out by N. W. Burris in 1855, and contained over 5000 lots. It was incorporated by a special act of the Legislature, approved January 28, 1857, and after this it was known as Burris City.

    But for the lack of sufficient elevations—the location of Burris City was geographically ideal; situated midway between the cities of Burlington and Muscatine, on the bank of the great Mississippi river, and at the mouth of the Iowa River, its advantages were equalled by but few, and surpassed by no inland city in the United States. The melting snows from thousands of square miles of rolling prairies, joined with the abundant spring rains brought the annual overflow and Burris City practically failed from a superabundance of water.

    *Above taken from the “History of Louise County.”

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MALLORY CEMETERY

     June 17, 1939 issue of Wallaces' Farmer and Iowa Homestead contains an article entitled “A TOWN THAT DIED TWICE” written by Donald R. Murphy. He quotes his interview with Mrs. Hettie M. Crow, who was born in 1858. She relates this story as told by her mother: “Night after night she'd hear the wagons bringing the dead up the hill from Burris City and in the morning there would be new graves in the middle of the old cemetery. They put them in fast; no headstones. You can see a space still.”

     Mr. Murphy did visit the old Mallory Cemetery between Toolesboro and Wapello and writes “At one end were the old stones for those who died in the early fifties and before. Then there's an open space, with hummocks and hollows where graves had been filled in. But there are no headstones or markers. At the other end are the newer graves. The unmarked graves for the dead of a city that has vanished.”

     The following data was by hearsay as received from the present and former citizens of Toolesboro District, who recall the stories told by their ancestors, of Cholera that struck Burris City. Wagon loads of bodies were brought to the Mallory Cemetery and buried in one large grave with the understanding because of the dreadful disease it was never to be opened.

     Albert Wesley, 95 years of age, still living in Toolesboro, vividly recalls the stories told by his parents.

     Mallory Cemetery, ground donated by Willard Mallory, is located about 6 miles S.E of Wapello on Highway 99. As you drive into the cemetery the spot bare of any tombstones is clearly seen on the West side of the drive. A marker placed on this grave should be of great interest to Historical Societies.

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AIRLINE RAILROAD

    Louisa County has had its share of railroad projects, but the one which at one time caused the people to indulge in the most buoyant hopes and later to feel the keenest chagrin, was the Old Air-Line railroad project, for which the people of Louisa County paid nearly $300,000 without getting any railroad. This line was to start in Louisa County at Toolesboro and run through Wapello and then continue west on an airline to Council Bluffs, Iowa.

     The Airline Tailroad was incorporated in June, 1853. In 1856 the people of this county bought $100,000 worth of bonds, and in 1857 a like amount was purchased.

     In order to get the bonds, the railroad company began work in the county, called for and got the bonds, then suspended all operations. The officials disposed of the bonds at a large discount and all retired wealthy.

     Litigation was soon started when payment of the bonds was demanded and continued until 1870 when the taxpayers paid the bonds and interest to the amount of $275,806.25 and did not get any railroad.

     Perhaps the entire venture is explained in the toast given at the dedication of the beginning of the construction by Dr. John Bell. After falling out of the wheelbarrel from which he was attempting to speak, he was helped back to the podium and delivered these words.

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    The Pacific Railroad is a wedding of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Nations are standing ready to greet the bridal morn and serve the bridal feast. When the last link is laid and the first fire breathing offspring has tried his metal lungs at a squall and started on his triumphal Airline March to greet his Pacific father at the setting of the sun. His track is right across Aunt Louisa's bosom. May her oldest son, Young Wapello, be out with his mother's consent on stilts as one of the landmarks.

     Grading for the roadbed as it approached the Iowa River east of Wapello can be plainly seen on Dr. Weber, Sr.'s cabin grounds, where redbud trees were dug and distributed for beautification of Wapello in 1966.

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MAJOR SURGERY OF 1854

    It was a Christmas day party in 1854, just a good rough and tumble get-together of hardy pioneer stock, with plenty of drink to celebrate the day in an attempt to drown out the sorrow of not being able to observe the day with their families.

     As the party progressed one L. W. Bates, age 32, wanting to be more impressive than the others present, on a bet, swallowed a bar of lead from which they were making bullets.

     This was quite a feat considering that the bar of lead was 10 ¾ inches long and weighed 9 ½ ounces. What happened is more remarkable. Bates, somehow, let go of the bar of lead and it slid down into his stomach.

     The drunken crowd immediately went to see Dr. John M. Bell, prominent Wapello doctor of the times, and told him what happened, but upon seeing the condition of the man, believed it to be a hoax and sent them back to continue the party.

     Apparently none the worse for the experience, Bates went back to his work the next day and after four more days, he again returned to consult Dr. Robertson of Columbus City. Bates informed Dr. Robertson of what he had done and complained that his stomach hurt him severely.

     Dr. Robertson sent the man home to his cabin which was six miles away, which distance he walked. Dr. Robertson told Bates that on New Year's Day, he would come to the cabin with more doctors and they would decide what to do with his “tummy ache.”

     On Monday, January 1, 1855, Drs. Bell, Cleaver, Taylor, Graham, Neal and Crawford thoroughly examined the patient and decided that he was telling . . .

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. . . the truth and that an operation was necessary to remove the bar of lead from Bates' stomach, but who could do so serious a case of surgery in those times was quite a problem. They had no place to operate and not the proper equipment, and an operation such as was planned would be serious even under the modern conditions of today.

     But the patient would surely die if left in such a condition. The man who had the greatest confidence in himself and the skill to perform so delicate an operation with the crude instruments available was Dr. John M. Bell of Wapello.

     The doctors had no table on which to place the patient, so they took down the door of the cabin and hung a blanket over the opening to keep out some of the extreme cold.

     They placed Bates on the door and gave him enough chloroform to put him under and Dr. Bell calmly made the incision in Bates' stomach, reached in the incision and grasped the bar of lead between his thumb and middle finger and drew it out.

     The extreme orifice was closed with the ordinary suture and adhesive straps, a compress and a roller wrapper were applied around the body. The entire length of time consumed was twenty minutes.

     In two weeks the patient was up and around. They really made men in those days, but let it also be known that Dr. Bell was recognized as one of the most successful physicians and surgeons in the . . .

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. . . state of Iowa. He was an honorary member of the American Medical Association and held the following important positions: Late Surgeon General, state of Iowa; Late Surgeon, 9th Iowa Cavalry; and many other important positions.

     So great a feat as this operation under such crude conditions was recognized throughout the world and written up in the leading medical journals in various languages.

     Dr. Bell died in Dallas, Texas in 1888 and was buried in the Wapello Cemetery. Today the remains of so great a man lie in practically an unmarked grave except for the loyalty of the G. A. R. Post 152, which placed a small marker on his grave. It merely states, “Mayj. John Bell, Surgeon 9th Iowa Cavalry Post 152 G. A. R.”

     The last seen of the patient Bates was in the Missouri Penitentiary at Jefferson City, Mo., where he was serving a term for horse stealing.

     Much of this information was obtained from Dr. J. H. Chittum of Wapello. Dr. Chittum had this world-famous bar of lead in his possession for 23 years, having obtained it from the heirs of Dr. Bell. Dr. Chittum was Iowa Doctor of the Year for 1955. He was widely known and practiced medicine for over half a century until his death in 1963 at the age of 96.

     In 1922 the Dean of Medical Dept. of the State University of Iowa requested the bar of lead to place in their museum with the results that happens to so many great relics when sent away. It was misplaced and may be in a private collection today. No acceptable explanation has ever been give as to its final whereabouts.

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PORT LOUISA ROAD

    Port Louisa on the Mississippi River had the only good landing in Louisa County. It had a big saw mill, a steam grist mill, and a general store with a good wxport trade. A good road was needed, and as lumber was plentiful, a plank road was built in 1853-54. A toll was charged for upkeep:

Wagon with 2 horses, mules or oxen	15¢
Wagon with 1 horse, mule or oxen	10¢
Person on horseback	10¢
Footman	5¢
Loose Cattle	2¢
Hogs	1¢
Sheep	1 and 2 ¢
Persons going to and from church, funerals or school	free

AIR RAID PROTECTION

    In 1955, as part of the Civil Defense Program, a look-out tower was built on the roof of the corner Grocery at 302 N. 2nd Street. Here watch for aircraft was maintained. Unidentified planes were reported to proper authority in Des Moines. It is interesting to note that brick for the Corner Grocery were made by Zerber who had a kilm at the foot of Williamson Hill, east of town.

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RAILROAD

    The Muscatine, North and South Railroad was built in 1898 from Muscatine to Elrick Jct. and passed through Grandview and Wapello. Taxes were levied to aid in the construction of this read in Grandview township, Wapello township, and in the city of Wapello. The proposition to vote this tax was bitterly resisted at the time, but the road was eventually extended by way of Oakville and Burlington.*

     This short rail line was abondoned about 1925. The piers for the rail bridge across the Iowa River at the foot of Hog Back Hill were utilized by State Highway 61. The grading across Muskrat Lake also provided highway 61 roadbed 3 miles south of Wapello. A man, Toby, bought the salvage material.

     The abandoned M.N.& S. depot in Wapello was purchased by Andrew Lischer and moved to 815 Townsend Avenue where it is now used for worship service by the Church of God.

     *This rail line was built by Bosh, Peppard and Johnson, a Canadian firm. The second locomotive to run over the tracks was fired by Cass Mincher, a Wapello resident.