Pioneers of Marion County by Wm. M. Donnel, 1872

Chapter V

An Unpropitious Season - Primitive Mode of Cleaning Wheat - Dirty Bread
Wolves and other Beasts of Prey - Failure of Crops - Better Times in Prospect
Erection of First Mill in the County

The winter of 1843-4 was one of great severity and length, followed by a late spring. The Des Moines river remained closed till the middle of April; then, about the last of May, heavy rains began and continued till the middle of July, so that what could be planted was but indifferently cultivated. Finally came a keen September frost that cut short that what was already much curtailed by late planting and poor cultivation. Some wheat had been sown, but it not only yielded poorly, but was more or less effected by rust and smut; and owing to the rude manner of threshing and cleaning it, it became compounded with a grit not pleasant to masticate and hard to digest.

As the time may come when the simple modes of threshing and cleaning wheat in use by the pioneers, for the want of better means, may be forgotten, it may be well to preserve a description of them here. Possibly it may never be needed as a recipe, but may someday be regarded as an interesting scrap of history. The plan was, to clean off a spot of ground of a necessary circumference, and, if the earth was dry, dampen it and beat it so as to render it somewhat compact; then unbind and spread the sheaves in a circle, so that the heads would be uppermost, leaving room in the center to be occupied by the person whose business it is to stir and turn the straw in the process of threshing. Then bring upon it as many oxen or horses as could conveniently “swing around the circle,” and keep them thus moving until the wheat was well trodden out. After several “floorings,” or layers, were threshed the straw was carefully raked off, and the wheat shoveled into a heap to be cleaned. This was sometimes done by waving a sheet up and down to fan out the chaff as the grain was dropped before it; but this trouble was frequently obviated by the strong winds of autumn, when all that was needed was the necessary exposure to permit the chaff to blow away.

By such imperfect modes of preparing the grain for flouring, it is not surprising that a considerable amount of black soil got mixed with it, that unavoidably went into the bread. This, with the addition of smut, often rendered it so dark as to have less the appearance of bread than of mud; yet upon such a diet the people were compelled to subsist or do without; and it may be a matter of wonder that this wholesale consumption of dirt did not result in an epidemic.

It may be worthy of record here that in those days the wheat crop was much more subject to rust than it is now. The reason of this we will not venture to give, but leave it to those whose experience and observation much better qualifies them to do so.

Among other things calculated to annoy and distress the pioneers, was the prevalence of wild animals of prey, the most numerous and troublesome of which was the wolf. While it was true in a figurative sense, that it required much care and exertion to “keep the wolf from the door,” it was almost as true in a literal sense. There were two species of these animals, - the large, black, timber wolf, and the and the smaller gray wolf that usually inhabited the prairie. At first it was next to impossible for a settler to keep small stock of any kind that would serve as prey for these ravenous beasts. Sheep were not deemed safe property till years later, when their enemies were supposed to be nearly exterminated. Large numbers of wolves were destroyed during the first two or three years of settlement, - as many as fifty in a day, in a regular wolf hunt. When they were hungry, which was not uncommon, particularly during the winter, they were too indiscrete for their own safety, and would often approach within easy shot of a dwelling. At certain seasons their wild, plaintive yelping could be heard in all directions, at all hours of the night, creating an intense excitement among the dogs, whose barking and howling added much to the dismal melody. It has been found by experiment that but one of the canine species, the hound, has both the fleetness and courage to cope with the wolf. Attempts were often made to take them with the common cur; but this animal generally proved himself totally unreliable for such service. So long as wolf would run, cur would follow; but wolf, being apparently acquainted with the character of his pursuer, would either turn and place himself in a combative attitude, or else act upon the principle that “discretion is the better part of valor,” and throw himself upon his back in token of surrender, which strategical performance would so win upon the generous nature of Mr. Cur that peace was instantly made. Not unfrequently dogs and wolves have been seen playing together like pups. But the hound was never known to recognize a flag of truce; his baying when upon the scent, that sounds like music to the sportsman’s ear, seems to say “no quarter!” and the terrified wolf understands it.

Smaller animals, such as panthers, lynxes, wild-cats, catamounts and polecats, were also sufficiently numerous to be troublesome. Of these, as well as of the wolf, none remain except an occasional straggler in the wildest sections of the county, where they still may find a hiding place. We must except the polecat, who has a strong proclivity for domesticating himself wherever there is a chicken roost, much to the abhorrence of many farmer’s wives, who claim special if not exclusive proprietorship of the feathered stock on the premises.

We think it hardly fair to conclude this list of troubles without mentioning one more which might seem to insignificant to be noticed. But small and contemptible as the mosquito is, it always succeeds in attracting attention, and often very feelingly. This was particularly the fact during the early times of which we are writing, when they came up in such pestiferous swarms, demanding blood in the most imperative tones, that at times neither man nor beast could labor or rest comfortably, except under the protection of smoke. Persons have been driven from the field by their unmerciful charges. But since the country has become thickly settled, and many of the ponds and water-courses that bred them drained, or dried up by cultivation, these little tormenters have been greatly diminished in numbers.

The partial failure of the crop of the summer of 1844, compelled many to resort to the Old Purchase for another year’s supply of provisions. A few fortunate ones may have grown enough and some to spare, but the supply came far short of the demand. This discouraging circumstance, together with others already but briefly described, was calculated to drive the struggling pioneers from their purpose; but, so far as we know, a few abandoned their new homes to return to their old ones. With all their hardships and discouragements the country possessed attractions that fixed their choice, and a fortunate choice it eventually proved to be.

But as though Providence had repented of the burden He had imposed upon the people, and was now seeking to make amends, a more prosperous state of things began with that winter of 1844-5. It was one of such unusual mildness that the ground was but little frozen at any time, and plowing could have been done in January. Then came an early spring, and grass enough in April for grazing. That season an abundant crop rewarded the labors of the husbandman. There was no more dependence on the Old Purchase for grain, though it was still necessary to resort to those distant mills to get it ground.

In due time, however, this trouble was also shortened by the erection of flouring mills in Mahaska, and at length in our own county. About the year 1844, Duncan’s mill, on Skunk river, north of Oskaloosa, came into operation, and was for several years the most convenient flouring mill. Afterwards, Warren’s, on the same stream, north of Pella shortened the distance materially. Then in 1844 Andrew Foster built a saw mill on English creek, in what is now Clay township, to which he afterwards added an apparatus for grinding corn, and this proved to be a great convenience in that department of bread-stuff. To throw a sack of corn on a horse, take it to mill and get home again with the meal, all in one day, was the beginning of a comparatively happy period in the history of thatsettlement.

About the same time, or probably at a little earlier date, a Mr. Babcock erected a “corn-cracker,” near the present site of Bussing’s Mill. It was afterward moved to Coalport. There was also one on Cedar creek, built and owned by H. Haymaker; and in 1844, or 1845, L. J. Burch erected one on White Breast, that still stands and is used occasionally.

Many others, both for sawing and grinding, were erected in various parts of the county, at later dates. But the most of them were crudely constructed, designed to relieve the pressuring demands of their neighborhoods. Being water mills they could not be run at all seasons; so, when better accommodations could be afforded, they were abandoned, and some of them are now in ruins. Of these we shall speak more definitely hereafter.

Now, with an increased population and an adequate supply of home productions and machinery, the people of Marion county began to deem themselves sufficiently self-sustaining to support and independent municipality. To this end they applied to the territorial government for a distinct county organization and a name, which were granted in the year 1845. This event marks an epoch in its history, at which we must close this chapter for the purpose of noticing other important events of an earlier date, after which we shall refer to it again with as complete an account as we have been able to obtain.

Transcribed by Mary E. Boyer, 11/06, reformatted by Al Hibbard 12 Oct 2013.