of
Muscatine County Iowa
1879
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1879 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Historical Section, 1879, pages 555-570
WEST LIBERTY--(Old town). The original town of this name was located a little northwest of the present corporation; it was laid out by Simeon A. Bagley, who died a few years since at Tipton, Cedar County, and surveyed in 1838, by George Bumgardner, County Surveyor. A post office was established in the village in the same year, with Mr. Bagley, as Postmaster. The first store in the settlement was opened by Peter Heath. When the new town was started, as hereinafter recorded, several houses were moved to the same from the old location; also the post office, then in charge of Freeman Oliver, and the store conducted by I. R. Wright.
In the year 1855, the first locomotive wended its way westward through a corn-field where West Liberty now stands. Then there was a farmhouse and a barn within the present limits of the town, and where the business part of the town now is, was a corn-field, the corn-stalks standing thick and as high as a man's head. The only dwelling was the house on the corner of Spencer and Fourth streets, and it was for a while, the only tavern near the railroad, having been within a few years reconstructed. The second and third buildings are still standing where they were erected; we allude to the two buildings on Third street, one occupied by S. B. Windus, and the Star House.
West Liberty (new town) was laid out by Spencer, Robinson and Clark (John M. Spencer and T. J. Robinson lived at Rock Island, Ill., and J. W. Clark resided at Iowa City, Iowa), and surveyed by Peter Houtz, January 21, 1856. W. C. Evans was located here as agent with a power of attorney from the firm, to sell lots, make deeds and look after their business generally, at this point. The town was incorporated in 1868. Various additions have been made to the town from time to time.
From 1866 to 1869, there was but very little done by way of improvement in the town. Travel was then confined to the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, and the old freight-house on Calhoun street was then the passenger depot as well as for freight; and the boundaries only extended west to where Elm street noW is. But in anticipation of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad, to the stock of which the citizens had subscribed $60,000, building had commenced. Elisha Schooley had built a brick house on the corner of Calhoun and Third street; R. G. Lewis, Z. N. King, Chesebro & Romaine and Dr. Holmes each put up substantial and commodious business houses on Third street. Jesse Bowersock and D. F. Smith soon followed with their building on the north side of the same street, and yet the demand for good business houses was not satisfied. The Peoples' Bank, N. Gaskill, Manfull & Nichols, Hormel and Luse soon followed, each with a good building. While these improvements were being made on Third street, great changes were taking place in the west or new part of town. Until now, this had been a part of William A. Clark's farm, and had very recently been laid out into lots, and in a very short time there appeared a pleasant street, lined with good substantial dwellings.
West Liberty is located in the northwestern portion of Wapsinonoc Township, between the forks of Wapsinonoc Creek, and at the junction of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroads. It has a population of from 1,600 to 1,800 inhabitants. Every line of mercantile business that one would expect to encounter in a place of 5,000 inhabitants, is well represented in this town; it also has quite an extensive carriage manufactory, a large flouring-mill and two elevators. Both of the railroads which pass through here have built large stock-yards to accommodate the great shipping interest in that line fostered in this township. Only a few years have elapsed since the first thoroughbred was brought to this vicinity, and since that time there have been sales at public auction of not less than $200,000 worth of that kind of stock, besides one car-load for the Pacific Slope at $5,000, and there is nOW more than $200,000 worth within the sound of the West Liberty church-bell. While this demonstrates the excellent quality of the soil of the surrounding country, and the superior nutritiousness of the blue-grass pasturage, it also indicates to the intelligent, energetic farmer the way to a competency. Very fine hogs are also bred in this vicinity, and the township boasts of turning out some of the finest horses, both as roadsters and for the turf, in the State. As will be noticed further on, the citizens take a commendable pride in the support and advancement of their public institutions, such as schools and churches. West Liberty is strictly a temperance town, and it is safe to state that not a drop of intoxicating beverage can be bought in the place. So far as town government is concerned, none could be better conducted, nor can a more orderly town be found in the State. The present officers of the corporation are as follows, viz., George C. Shipman, Mayor; C. W. Hoge, Recorder and Treasurer; Thomas Manby, Street Commissioner; William Henderson, Assessor; W. R. Child, Chief of Fire Police; Robert Sumner, Marshal; Trustees, J. L. Brooks, Caleb Elliott, Asa Gregg, T. W. Rogers, W. R. Stafford and D. Hayes. The first officers elected for the incorporated town were S. W. Sedgwick, Mayor; Henry Harrison, Recorder and Treasurer. John R. Palmer, Assessor; H. C. Vore, Marshal; Trustees, Elisha Schooley, Alonzo Shaw, George Bagley, Z. A. King and Albert Keith. The present Postmaster is Jonathan Maxson.
SCHOOL MATTERS. The first school west of Cedar River, and in what is now Wapsinonoc Township, was taught in an unoccupied log dwelling on Section 2, by Valentine Bozarth, in 1839. The first regular schoolhouse was built on land owned by Asa Gregg, on Section 2, by an association of citizens, in 1843. It was a comfortable frame building.
April 9, 1864, the Board of Directors of the Independent School District of West Liberty met, according to previous notice, and organized by electing Dr. Jesse Holmes President; Preston Brown, Treasurer, and I. G. Schmucker, Secretary. Dr. Holmes and I. G. Schmucker were appointed to draft rules and regulations for the government of the schools. William Hise and Clark Lewis were appointed a committee to take charge of the schoolhouses, to put and keep them in repair. Misses Etty Raymond and Mary Mimick were appointed the first teachers under the Independent District system. Dr. Holmes, A. F. Keith and Asa Gregg were appointed a committee to meet the Township District Board; to settle and divide the assets of the original District. In December, 1865, the Presbyterian Church was rented, and in it a juvenile school taught by Miss Haven. June 12, 1867, Elisha Schooley, P. R. Evans and George Bagley were appointed a building committee, with full power to let a contract for and superintend the building of a brick schoolhouse in the Independent District, according to specifications of W. L. Carroll, architect, of Davenport. In 1868, E. P. French was engaged as the first Principal of the Independent School District of West Liberty, having charge of the schoolhouse, schools and school government, subject to the Board of Directors. At this time, the district employed, in addition, one female teacher and two female assistants. Previous to letting the contract for the new schoolhouse, a committee was appointed to sell the two old schoolhouses. In 1870, a Primary Department was established in the Presbyterian chapel. In 1871, a wing Was built on to the new schoolhouse, and in 1873 a second one Was added. May 8, 1877, John Lewis, George 0. Morgridge and W. C. Evans were appointed a building committee to superintend the construction of a second brick school-building, to be known as the High School Building. Nichols & Peters Were the contractors of the brick and mason work, and George Hancock the architect. The structure was completed during the same year. To-day, West Liberty can boast of two as fine schoolhouses as can be found in the county.
The schools are now divided into the following grades: Four Primary Departments, three Grammar Schools and the High School.
The present Directors are W. C. Evans, John Lewis, J. Mad. Williams, E. P. French, C. W. Hoge, Dr. E. H. King. Officers: W. C. Evans, President; A. A. Ball, Treasurer; A. H. McClun, Secretary. Miss Lizzie L. Clark, the present Principal, is assisted by nine other teachers.
CHURCHES. The Disciples of Christ, or Christian Church, was first organized in Phillips' Schoolhouse, two and one-half miles south of West Liberty, by Elder J. C. Powell, of Columbus City, Iowa, in 1866, with William Hise as Elder and William Phillips as Deacon. The house of worship in town was completed in 1868, since which time the members have attended services here, the old meeting-place having been abandoned. Since the new organization, the following ministers have served the Church: Revs. J. C. Hay, J. B. Baxter, J. K. Cornell, Henry Exley, J. C. Hay and J. Mad. Williams.
The present membership of the Church is about one hundred and fifty; its property is valued at $3,000, and connected with it is an excellent Sunday school. This congregation contributes largely to missions, the general support of the Church and pay their Pastor a generous salary, without ever being in debt.
The Presbyterian Church in West Liberty was organized the 4th day of October, 1857, by Rev. C. F. Beach. It was composed of four members, viz., Benjamin F. Thayer, Celina Watkins, Polly B. Harwood and Adeila Beach. They built a small house the same year, called the Chapel. In this, they held services until the Wesley Church became vacant, which they rented and occupied, until they built their new house. The Chapel was sold and moved off the lot in 1876. The same year their present tasty church-edifice was erected; at a cost of $4,165. In design it is worthy of imitation, an ornament to the town and an honor to the society.
The first Presbyterian Church built in this neighborhood was in old West Liberty, on the ground of William A. Clark, and erected in 1850, under the ministerial supervision of Rev. John Hudson, who was the pioneer of Presbyterianism in this part of the country; He belonged to the Old School. Rev. C. F. Beach was New School. When the two branches united, the Old School was abandoned. The old church was moved into new West Liberty, and is now occupied as a warehouse.
Rev. J. H. Scott took charge of the little Church in the winter of 1857, and continued until January, 1862. He was succeeded by Rev. Samuel J. Mills, during whose labors the parsonage was built. He left in the winter of 1865, and was followed, in the spring of 1866, by Rev. Alexander Porter, who gave part of his labors to the Church up to April 21, 1874, when the pastoral relation was dissolved. Rev. A. M. Tanner had charge of the Church for six months.
Rev. F. A. Shearer. D. D., commenced preaching to this congregation the 1st day of June, 1875, at which time the prospects were very discouraging; the membership was very small, numbering only twenty-six, and most of these Women. For three years, the Church was greatly blessed and prospered, the membership increased to seventy and the Church was feed from debt. It now holds a position among the churches of the Presbytery.
The Catholic Church was built by Rev. Father Emonds, and is now in charge of Rev. Father N. Dugan, of Wilton. The congregation consists of fifty families, and the church property is valued at $2,000.
The M. E. Church was in existence as early as 1839. Thirty years ago, Elder Twining preached here. The present house of worship was built in 1875, and is an elegant structure. The congregation had a church-building previous to this time, erected between the years 1858 and 1860. Before that period they worshiped in schoolhouses.
The present membership numbers 125. The officers of the Church are A. Cooley, D. F. Smith, D. W. Hartitpe, A. Floyd, W. L. U. Burke, I. Childs, H. Walters, William Baird. The present Pastor is Arthur V. Francis. The church property is valued at $1,500.
The Society of Friends held their first meeting in the neighborhood of West Liberty about the year 1858, several families having settled in the vicinity several years previous. John Wright, long and familiarly known as Uncle John, was the first. The Society was not regularly organized until some time in 1860. The monthly meeting, when organized, consisted of about fifty members. John Wright, Sarah M. Wright, Stephen Mosher, Aquilla Whitaker, Ruth Mosher and Ann Whitaker were Elders, and Dr. Jesse Holmes, recorded or acknowledged minister.
A meeting-house was built about one mile north of town, 50x24 feet. Some time in 1870, it was moved and placed in its present location, in the town of West Liberty. The recorded ministers since acknowledged are Thomas E. Hoge and Ann Heacock.
The Temperance Reform Club was organized in January, 1878, with the following first officers: K. 0. Holmes, President; J. A. Evans, Albert McNulty and John Henderson, Vice Presidents; Horace Deemer, Secretary; A. F. Keith, Treasurer; J. Mad. Williams, Chaplain. The only change that has taken place to the present is in the office of Secretary , which is now filled by Mrs. McElravy.
This is an unusually strong club, having a membership of 1,252. Its meeting-place is Liberty Hall.
The Ladies' Aid Society was organized in March, 1878, with the following first officers: Miss Sarah Erwin, President; Mrs. A. F. Keith, Secretary; Mrs. N. W. Ball, Treasurer. The present officers are: Mrs. J. Wilson, President; Mrs. McElravy, Vice President; Mrs. N. W. Ball, Treasurer. The object of the Society, as the name indicates, is to assist the poor of West Liberty by the proceeds derived from sewing and monthly contributions. It is only proper here to state that the merchants of the town have been very generous in helping to promote and facilitate the noble cause these ladies are engaged in.
LODGES. Mount Calvary Lodge, No. 95, A., F. & A. M., was instituted by dispensation July 19, 1856, and a charter was granted June 3, 1857. The following were the charter members: W. C. Evans, George W. Dunlap, L. Stockman, Arthur C. Davis, Asa Gregg, I. D. Vore, Perry Reynolds, J. A. Mills, Allen Broomhall, J. R. Palmer, E. Messmore, J. N. Graham. The first officers were: William C. Evans, W. M.; Asa Gregg, S. W.; Allen Broomhall, J. W.; I. D. Vore, Secretary; George W. Dunlap, Treasurer. The present officers are: C. w. Hoge, W. M.; A. M. Jackaway, S. W.; James Hoopes, J. W.; E. P. French, Secretary; W. R. Childs. Treasurer. The present membership of the Lodge is ninety-two, its property is valued at $2,000, and its meeting-place is in Masonic Hall, over E. C. Thomas' furniture-house.
Liberty Chapter, No. 19, Royal Arch Masons, was instituted under dispensation December 1, 1875. The first officers were: E. C. Chesebrough, M. E. H. P.; P. R. Evans, E. K.; J. A. Hollister, E. S.; George C. Shipman, Secretary. A charter was granted in October, 1876. The following are the present officers: J. A. Hollister, M. E. H. P.; Asa Gregg, E. K.; I. D. Vore, E. S.; George C. Shipman, Secretary. The present membership is twenty-three.
Liberty Lodge, No. 190. I. 0. 0. F., was instituted by dispensation March 3, 1870, and a charter was granted October 20 of the same year to the following charter members: E. L. Stratton, W. G. H. Inghram, George Bagley, C. W. Burger, S. M. Mitchell, P. R. Evans, W. L. Penny and H. A. Thomas. The first officers were: George Bagley, N. G.; E. L. Stratton, V. G.; W. L. Penny, Secretary; P. R. Evans, Treasurer. The present officers are: W. S. Lane, N. G.; John Stiles, V. G.; W. C. Harris, Secretary; P. R. Evans, Treasurer. The present membership of the Lodge is thirty-eight, its meeting- place is in the I. 0. 0. F. Hall, over the People's Bank, on Third street, and its property is valued at $350.
Liberty Lodge, No. 659, I. 0. G. T., was organized March 30, 1874, with thirty-four constituent members. The first officers were: Mr. Rankin, W. C. T.; Mrs. Mary Evans, W. V. T.; Mr. Manby, W. S.; J. R. Palmer, W. F. S.; J. S. Wilson, W. T.; John Deemer, W. C.; W. Collier, W. M.; Lillie Gregg, W. I. G.; Milton Jackaway, W. 0. G.; Lizzie Deemer, R. H. S.; Mary Morgan, L. H. S.; Mr. Wright, P. W. C. T.; James Morgan, G. L. D. The following are the present officers: George C. Shipman, W. C. T.; Lillie Gregg, W. V. T.; James Morgan, P. W. C. T.; Mary Evans, W. C.; Frank Thomas, W. S.; Mrs. Morgan, W. F. S.; Mary Deemer, W. T.; Jessie Holmes, W. M.; Percy Cooley, W. I. G.; William Henderson, W. 0. G.; Helen Holmes, W. D. M.; Horace E. Deemer, G. W. D. The Lodge owns quite an extensive library for the short period it has been in existence. Its meeting-place is in a rented hall on Third street, furnished, by its own funds, in very handsome style. The present membership is about fifty.
INCORPORATIONS. The People's Bank was organized May 1, 1868, and incorporated under the laws of the State of Iowa, the same date. The following were the first Directors: Henry Harrison, E. Schooley, Jesse Holmes, Jonathan Cowgill, Frank Colton, John Russell, Joseph Ball, W. E. Evans and George Woolley; Henry Harrison, President; E. Schooley, Vice President; H. B. Sedgwick, Cashier. The bank commenced business with a capital of $20,000, which was increased to $40,000, $50,000, and, eventually, to $75,000, all paid up. The present Directors are John Lewis, S. T. Chesebrough, E. C. Harrison, W. C. Evans, P. R. Evans, E. Negus and George Woolley; J. L. Brooke, President; Jonathan Cowgill, Vice President; A. A. Ball, Cashier. This bank is the pride of the citizens of West Liberty, and justly, too, inasmuch as the management has been conducted in such a manner as to make money for itself and its stockholders.
The Bower Mining Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of Iowa January 15, 1879, by Allen Breed, George W. Rise, Isaac Heald, T. W. Rogers, T. W. Hoge, I. C. Nichols, Mahlon Hollinsworth, George W. Handy. Directors: Allen Breed, George W. Handy, George W. Hise, T. W. Rogers, C. W. Hoge, Isaac Heald. Officers: Allen Breed, President; T. W. Rogers, Vice President; Isaac Heald, Secretary; G. W. Handy, Superintendent. The capital stock of this Company is $10,000,000, represented by 100,000 shares, all subscribed and paid up. The stock is non-assessable. The Company's mining claim is located in El Dorado County, Cal., on what is known as the Seam Belt, or Ore Channel, near Greenwood. The property is to be opened by running a tunnel from the American Canon, a distance of about six hundred feet, with proper size for sluice-bore. A shaft is to be sunk at the terminus of the tunnel for the purpose of getting a face to commence working by hydraulic process. On the 20th of March, 1879, one hundred and forty feet of the tunnel had been completed.
The Park Association was incorporated October 10, 1874. The first officers were Phineas Nichols, President; W. C. Evans, Vice President; George Morgridge, Secretary; A. E. Keith, Treasurer. Directors--S. A.. Barnes, R. C. Jewett, Ira Nichols, Z. Ellison and T. c. Manfull.
The present officers are W. C. Evans, President; Phineas Nichols, Vice President; C. M. Nichols, Secretary; E. E. Harrison, Treasurer. Directors --J. Evans, Ira Nichols, J. M. Fisher, Z. Ellison and S. Barnes. The capital investment of the Association is confined entirely to real estate valued at $3,300.
Union District Agricultural Society was organized January 24, 1863, at Springdale, Cedar County. For some time previous to this date, the Society existed under the name of Cedar County Agricultural Society. The first officers were: Moses Varney, President; H. C. Gill, Vice President; J. M. Wood, Secretary; John B. Cole, Marshal; J. H. Painter, Treasurer. Directors --D. G. Barkalow, John Marsh, S. E. Gunsolus, John Moore, Phineas Cowgill, A. B. Cornwall and A. Hirst. The first fair was held September 28 and 29, 1863, in Cedar County, about one-half mile north of the Muscatine County line. In 1869, West Liberty became the headquarters of the Association, but no fair was held here until 1872, since which time there have been annual fairs, which have been notably successful. The Society is in a very flourishing condition; its grounds are leased from the Park Association, but the buildings, improvements and fences have been constructed at an expense of about $1,200 to the Society. The premiums paid annually will average $1,500. The present officers are: S. Gause, President; Ira Nichols, Vice President; George C. Shipman, Secretary; E. E. Harrison, Treasurer; John Henderson, Marshal. Directors--John A. Evans, Thomas Gray, Pliny Nichols, Phineas Nichols, A. B. Cornwall, Allen Breed, R. Miller, W. C. Evans, James Morgan, Z. Ellison, Jesse Swartz and James H. Ady.
The Occidental Cornet Band was organized in 1871, under the leadership of S. W. Windus, with nine additional members, viz., D. M. Johnson, John A. Evans, Fred Hinsilwood, Frank Sheet, William Hudson, John Patterson, Mark Trusdell, 0. P. Hare and Hise Inghram. Its present members are: Harry Shipman, Leader; Henry Lewis, Willard and Everet Chase, Richard Phillips, S. B. Windus, E. Honnolow, John Wiley, Robert Clark and A. J. Westland. The present officers are: Harry Shipman, President; Richard Phillips, Treasurer; A. J. Westland, Secretary. The value of the band fixtures is about $400; the instruments are about equally divided, one-half silver and the other half brass.
FACTS AND ANECDOTES. We are indebted for much early information and many interesting anecdotes of this neighborhood to the courtesy and kindness of Mr. Asa Gregg, a pioneer of Wapsinonoc Township, who is personally familiar with, perhaps, every incident of any note in the township and vicinity, since the earliest settlement of Muscatine County. He has always been prominently identified with the politics of the township and town and acquainted with the interests, of every description, thereof. Our narrator states that he came to this place at a very early day in its settlement, and has been familiar with the hardships and inconveniences, as well as the pleasures of pioneer life. He can well remember when these beautiful and well-cultivated fields were in a state of nature--no roads, no bridges, no stately dwellings, no schoolhouses, no churches, nothing but prairie, with here and there a belt of timber, with an occasional log cabin to vary the scene and enliven the monotony of the traveler on some Indian trail, traveled alike by the red and white man.
The appearance of the prairie was both beautiful and picturesque, and there were many things to arrest the attention of the observant new-comer. The great abundance of game, the exuberant growth of grass on the prairie, the great abundance of pea-vine in the bottom land, the collection of bones to be seen in the gullies and sheltered places in the timber, said to be bones of buffalo that had died from cold and starvation some winters before, when as the Indians would relate, the snow was so deep that it came up to their ponies' backs, marked the newness of the region.
There was another remarkable feature in the appearance of the prairie-- that was certain places where the weeds had grown up very rank and tall in a circle of about a rod in diameter, usually in two rings, about five or six feet apart, always in a perfect circle, the grass between the rings or circles and in the center growing as compact and luxuriantly as in any other place on the prairie. This was to the stranger a great puzzle at first; but upon inquiry of his neighbor, he of the pony, the blanket and inevitable rifle, he would learn that there a herd of buffalo had stood with their heads together fighting flies and gnats not many summers before; and their continued stamping of feet had so killed out the grass that the weeds had taken possession of the ground, and thus, after a period of eight or ten years, still held it.
This was called the Wapsinonoc Settlement, that being the Indian name of the stream; or, as they pronounced it, "Wap-pe-se-no-e-noc," which, in their language or tongue, signifies "smooth-surfaced, meandering stream or creek."
We quote from Mr. Gregg's statement:
"The first settlement was made in the fall of 1836, and the first white woman that made a permanent home here is now a respected inhabitant of this village. I allude to Mrs. Mary Nyce, who is, at all events, entitled to the honor of being the oldest inhabitant living here. There were several other families wintered here that winter, among them, some men of the name of Huntman, who, in the spring, went to Missouri and united their fortunes with the great Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith, who was at that time making a settlement there, and, shortly afterward, was driven out of the State.
"In the spring of 1837, there was quite an emigration to Iowa, or, as it was then called, the Black Hawk Purchase, and, of course, some new arrivals here to fill the place left vacant by the departure of the Huntmans, among whom were the following: William Bagley, William Cornes, William A. Clark and the writer, who all arrived before the middle of May in that year. Later in the season, Galentine Gatton and Samuel Hendrickson made a settlement where they now reside. The two brothers, Henyen and Cornelius Lancaster, also made a commencement that season. At this early date of our settlement, we had neither roads nor bridges, and anyone may very easily conjecture what some of the difficulties were that these early pioneers had to encounter when they are informed that all the provisions, except such as could be procured by the rifle, had to be brought by wagons from Illinois.
"The first election was held in a cabin in the timber, nearly west of this village, then occupied by William A. Clark. There being at that time no party issue to divide and distract the public, there was wonderful unanimity in the voting, and the close of the polls showed that all had cast their votes for the same candidates, none of whom were personally known to the voter; and on counting out the votes, it was found that we had just eight voters west of the Cedar River.
"The first sermon was preached by Elder Martin Baker, a well and favorably known minister of the Christian order or denomination, who lived and died below Rochester. Mr. Baker was a good and true man, and very much respected by the early settlers; rough and uncouth as a bear in his manners, it is true, yet tender-hearted as a child; and many a kind act of his has gladdened the lonely hut of the poor and needy settler, when sickness was upon him and starvation was staring him in the face, and the greatest hour of need had come. I am sure his many friends will pardon me for relating a little anecdote of him, when I say there is none who knew him that have a greater respect for his memory than myself.
"Early in the summer of 1837, some five or six of us were at Moscow on some public occasion, and Mr. William Bagley, being one of the number, fell in with Mr. Baker for the first time, and, after some conversation with him, came to the rest of us and told us that he had found a preacher, and wished to introduce us to him. Accordingly, we all went, and, after some very pleasant chat about the country, its soil, climate, etc., some one of the crowd said: 'Mr. Baker, we have all come from a civilized part of the world, and wish to keep up the institutions that belong to civilization in our new homes, and would be glad if you would come and preach for us, some time when it will best suit your convenience.' The old gentleman replied: 'I don't much like the idea of casting pearls before swine, but reckon I can go.' And he did come; and so the first sermon was preached in the same cabin that the first election was held in. Religion, like party political questions, did not disturb the friendly relations of the few. Our intercourse was cordial and sincere, and I have often thought that persons who claim to be further advanced in civilization might profit by a few lessons in pioneer life.
"The courts were not what some of us had been used to, but they were the best remedy and protection we had, unless we should resort to that unmerciful despot--Judge Lynch--which, happily for us, we never did. We did not at that early time pay much attention to county lines, for we had but two counties in the Territory--Dubuque and Des Moines--and we did not know nor care where the line between them was. In the summer of 1837, William A. Clark and myself were summoned to appear before His Honor, Robert R. Roberts, a Justice of the Peace, who lived where John Lewis, of Iowa Township, Cedar County, now lives, as jurors in a suit brought by Mr. Hare against McConnell, to recover possession of a claim which he alleged defendant had jumped; and the narrator's recollection of that case will serve to show the reader something of the kind of justice meted out at that day. After the calling of the case, we found we had two jurors from near where Tipton now is, one from the forks of the Iowa and Cedar Rivers, and one from east of Moscow--an attorney from near Dubuque, and one from Bloomington, now Muscatine. The formality of impaneling the jury was gone through with, the witnesses called and examined, and the case was argued by the counsel, and the Court proceeded to charge the jury in something like the following speech:
"'Gentlemen of the Jury: You have heard the testimony in this case and argument of counsel. With the evidence the Court has nothing to do, and as to questions of law you are as competent to judge as this Court. I will, therefore, proceed to instruct you in your duty as jurors.' And the Court stood up and said: 'The jury will rise;' and we obeyed, feeling very much as if we were convicted of some crime, and were to be sentenced. The Court, with great dignity, proceeded: 'You will go hence in a body, to the apartment prepared for you under the charge of a bailiff, and there remain without food or drink, and you are not to speak to any person nor allow anyone to speak to you, except the officer in charge, and he only to ask if you have agreed upon your verdict, and you to answer yes or no; and when you have agreed upon a verdict, and not until then, will you return into court in a body, where, we will be happy to receive you. Gentlemen, you are now in the custody of the bailiff.' So, we were prisoners, and our keeper was Alexander Ross, the man who afterward so brutally murdered an Indian at Moscow, and is mentioned elsewhere in these pages. He marched us in single file along a cow-path to a pen about 8x10, covered with prairie hay, with unmistakable evidence that its last occupant had been a horse. Ross, being a brother-in-law of the defendant, and, no doubt, anxious to know how the jury stood, deposited himself inside by the door, saying: 'Now, gentlemen, make up your minds d--d quick, for it is getting late, and who the d--l wants to stay here all night? 'Our member from the forks of the river replied: 'Yes, hurry up, men, by G--d; I have my mind made up, and I'll be d--d if I don't lay here and rot before I'll change it! 'Some of us felt a delicacy about expressing our opinion with Ross as an auditor, and remonstrated with him, but he swore that we were in his charge, and that he would do as he pleased. So we were forced to speak out, and soon found three for the plaintiff and one for the defendant, the other two saying they would go with the rest of us when we agreed. Ross and his friend from the forks arguing and swearing for their friend, the defendant, and three arguing as earnestly the other side; thus it became dark and soon commenced raining and our roof began to leak. Until the rain drove them away, our prison was surrounded by McConnell's friends, and we were offered all the whisky we could drink, but three of us, knowing from whence it came, indignantly refused it. Thus the time passed away--Ross and his friend covertly and openly abusing us for our stubbornness until we were wet through, for it rained as hard inside as out, and we could not keep our tallow dip lit. At length, about 1 o'clock, it became intolerable, and we sent word to the Court that there was no prospect of agreeing, and insisting upon returning into court, which was very reluctantly granted, and after a long parley, we were discharged.
"Francis Foot made a settlement on the east side of the east branch of the creek in the summer of 1837, in a cabin built by a man of the name of Hueler, whose wife had died early that spring, and he, Hueler, became dissatisfied and left the country, Mr. Foot taking his place and remaining here until his death, which occurred in the fall of 1838. These, with the exception of two or three young men who did not settle here, it is believed are all that came in 1837.
"At the time last mentioned, the land was not surveyed into sections, but during that season the Government surveyors came along and sectionized it, and their trails on the section lines on the prairie were plainly visible until after the land-sale in the fall of 1838.
"The fall of the year last mentioned was the darkest time our infant settlement ever experienced, and will long be remembered by those who were here at that time. The most of US had been here long enough to reduce our finances to a mere shadow, and had raised barely enough grain to save our families from starvation; the season had been very sickly indeed; there were not well persons enough to take proper care of the sick; death had visited our little settlement in more than one form, and to crown our misfortunes the General Government ordered the whole of the Black Hawk Purchase into market. Here was a dilemma. Many who had expended every dollar they had in the world in improving their claims, found themselves in danger of losing all for the want of means to enter their lands. Fortunately, through the instrumentality of John Gilbert, an Indian trader, those who held claims in this immediate vicinity obtained funds of Alexis Phelps, who at that time lived at Oquawka, Ill., to enter what land they wanted. The manner of the klan was this: He, Phelps, was allowed to enter the land in his own name; he then gave the other party a bond for a deed, conditioned that they should pay him the amount which he paid for the land within one year, with twenty-five per cent interest from date of the bond; and what is more remarkable is that all who borrowed of Phelps at that time had the good fortune to fulfill their contract with him and obtain their lands, or a large advance on their investment in improving it.
"The Indians, though quite numerous, were not generally very troublesome, but would occasionally, when under the influence of liquor, attempt to steal a horse, or annoy us in some other way, such as throwing down our fences, or taking our corn to feed their ponies, etc. Large numbers of them were in the habit of coming here for the purpose of making sugar from the hard maple, which was, and is yet, quite abundant in the groves hereabout, and still bears the evidence of their destructive mode of obtaining the sap.
"The next spring after the land-sale they came, as was their custom, prepared for making sugar, but the whites had recently become proprietors of the soil, and did not feel like quietly submitting to their depredations upon the timber, and after full deliberation, determined that they would not suffer the Indians to make sugar here. The settlers, therefore, collected together with their arms and proceeded at once to the Indians' camps, where they found them very busy preparing for making sugar. The Indians were at once informed that the land now belonged to the white men--that their title had passed from them by treaty to the General Government, and by purchase to us. They, for a long time, pretended not to understand us, and affected ignorance of the object of our visit. This caused a long parley and considerable delay. The day was coming to a close, and we found that they expected a large accession to their numbers that evening. We therefore found it necessary to make some demonstration that would not only compel them to understand us, but convince them that we were in earnest. They had built fires in their old camps, which were covered with old dry bark, entirely useless as a protection from rain, it having curled up into rolls something like a window blind rolled up. The pieces of bark were directly over the fire where the supper was cooking. We went to one of these camps and directed the Indians to take everything that belonged to them out of the camp, telling them in their own language, as well as we were able, that we were going to burn their camp, at the same time taking a roll of bark from the top and throwing it in the fire. This seemed to convince them of our determination to force them to leave, and they at once, with our assistance, removed all their property out of danger. We were very careful not to molest or injure any property belonging to the Indians, but burned every vestige of the old camps, after which we caused them to pitch their tents in a part of the grove where there were no hard-maple trees, and late in the evening their friends came in but made no attempt to make sugar afterward.
"There was an old squaw with those whom we removed from the sugar camps, who, during our parley before burning the old camps, became very much excited, and was the only one among them who seemed to understand us, although we knew very well that all the men understood us from the first. This old woman, however, undertook to convince us that they had a right to make sugar here under treaty, and went to her tent and came out with a roll of dressed buckskin and commenced unrolling it, and to our surprise, in the center was a neatly written copy of Wayne's treaty, or as it is usually called, the treaty of Greenville. This, no doubt, had been kept in her family from the time of the treaty in 1795. This manuscript, was white and pure, and looked as if it had not been written a week. No doubt her father, or, perhaps, her husband, had been a warrior who had participated in the bloody conflicts of the days of "Mad Anthony," and who had been compelled to acknowledge the superiority of the whites over the dusky warriors of his doomed race.
"The Indians had, with great labor, dug out some troughs to hold the sugar-water, and had them on the ground ready for use. but the old woman before mentioned hearing some of us speak of them as being very good for the purpose for which they were intended, was determined they should not profit us, took an ax, and with a very clear Indian war-whoop, split them to pieces, and in a very taunting way requested us to burn them also.
"In 1838, the following additions were made to the settlement: George Van Horne, William Leffingwell, J. P. Van Hagen and Robert Stuart. The first mentioned is now living at Wapello, Iowa. Mr. Leffingwell having been a citizen of the city of Muscatine for many years, has very recently taken his departure to that better land, where so many of the old settlers of this county have gone before. Mr. Stuart, after living here a number of years, and holding some important offices in the county, removed to Cedar Falls, where he lived until his death, when his widow returned here, where she still resides, loved and respected by all who know her. The arrivals of 1839 were more numerous than any previous year. Valentine Bozarth, S. A. Bagley, Enos Barnes, James Van Horne, Jacob Springer, John G. Lane, A. B. Phillips and John Bennet, are some of those who are remembered as coming that year. The year 1840, the narrator does not remember but two who made a permanent settlement in this vicinity. There may have been others, perhaps were, but we can only bring to mind Egbert T. Smith and E. T. S. Schenck, who were both well and favorably known, and Mr. Schenck is now residing near Downey.
"Dudley B. Dustin was among those who lived here at this time, and will be remembered for his kindness of heart, as well as his many eccentricities and jokes. He could mimic anyone to perfection; and many a time, at our public gatherings, would set the crowd in a perfect roar of laughter, at the expense of some unlucky neighbor.
"There are many incidents that might be related to illustrate the characters of those early pioneers, and the rough-and-tumble life led by men who were destined afterward to make their mark.
"If one was under the necessity of grinding buckwheat in a coffee-mill for breakfast, he would eat that breakfast with all the better appetite. If he should, after working all day, be compelled to take his rifle and shoot game for his next breakfast, the enjoyment of the sport would be none the less. If we had to go with an ox-team into Illinois for corn, and be gone a week at a time. our delight was the greater when we returned. All of these things the old settlers will very readily admit are not exaggerations.
"Wapsinonoc Township consisted of all of Muscatine County that lies west of the Cedar River. At that time, and for many years thereafter, and at our elections, all would assemble at one place and cast their votes; and it would be interesting to give the number of votes each year, and not the increase of population, had we the means to do so.
"At this time of excitement, in regard to the railroad bond question, a history of the west part of this county, and the important stand taken by the inhabitants of Wapsinonoc Township on the vote of the county to take stock, will not be devoid of interest.
"As before stated, our township consisted of all of this county west of Cedar River, when the road, now known as the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, first began to be talked about, and the company began to urge upon the people the necessity of taking stock; but the settlers were generally poor, and to raise any considerable amount by individual subscription, was soon found to be out of the question. Interested parties soon began to urge upon the authorities of the county the propriety of the county, taking stock, and after some hesitation, the County Judge issued an order for a vote on the question of a tax for railroad purposes. At this election, the contest was warm and sharp-- those who were in favor of the measure being extremely energetic, while those who opposed it did so with great warmth and energy; and this township was so united on the question, that there was put one vote in favor of the measure which has now become so odious, and has been so burdensome. Our township, therefore, became quite noted for its independence, and soon after gained the appellation of "The State of Wapsinonoc," which high distinction was brought about as follows:
"The next day after the election above mentioned, the narrator went to Muscatine, and had hardly descended from his horse, when he was surrounded by the friends of the tax, who were jubilant over the success of their measure, and during a warm, but friendly discussion of the question, our old friend, William St. John, came up, and in a taunting way shook his finger at the narrator, saying:
" 'We have got you now; what will you do next?'
" 'Well,' said the narrator, 'We will just call out the militia, that's what we'll do;' and from the idea of calling out the militia, on the railroad tax question, we got the name of the 'State of Wapsinonoc.'
"In the winter of 1837-38, a party of Indians were encamped near Moscow, some three or four of whom were in the village one evening, at a low drinking-house, or grocery, kept by a man whose name was Ross, who, in company with some half-dozen other white men, got the Indians to perform the war-dance; and, in order to make the dancing and general hilarity go off lively, and that they might have an interesting time of it, they all, both red and white men, imbibed freely of the contents of a certain barrel that stood in one corner of the filthy shanty, marked "old whisky." Thus they kept up the dancing and drinking until they all became decidedly drunk; and the Indians, as is usual with them under like circumstances, became insolent and demanded more of the contents of the barrel, which they denominate, in their own language scutah oppo, which signifies fire-water; and, finally, the war of words culminated in a general row. It so happened that Poweshiek, who was chief of that particular band of Indians, had a brother who was one of the party in this quarrel; and Ross and his friends wishing to get the Indians out of the shanty, undertook to force them to leave, and in the scuffle which ensued, Ross struck the chief's brother with a heavy stick of wood and felled him senseless to the ground, when the rest of the Indians became frightened and ran away. Ross now dragged the fallen brave outdoor and deliberately beat him with a heavy rail until his skull was broken and he was dead. The Indians were very much exasperated at this outrage and were determined on revenge, and we often saw them with their faces painted in token of their dis- pleasure, but were kept quiet by the assurance that Ross would be punished by the laws of the white man, and he was indicted for the murder, but owing to some trifling defect in the indictment, was again set at liberty. The Indians, however, could not understand why a man whom everyone acknowledged was guilty of a brutal murder, should be permitted to escape the just punishment of his crime, in consequence of the omission of a word or two in a manuscript paper which they could neither read nor understand. They therefore determined to seek redress in their own way, and with the utmost contempt for the inefficient laws of the white man, the avenger of blood was put upon the trail of the bloody-handed Ross, who knew full well that if he did not flee the country, his doom was sealed. He therefore left as quietly as possible. The Indians being thus foiled in their attempts upon the life of the real aggressor, quietly awaited an opportunity to avenge their wrongs upon one of the same hated race, and it so happened that their victim was a Protestant Methodist minister, whose name was Oliver Atwood. Atwood, his wife and child, came to this country in the summer of 1837, from the northern part of Ohio. He was very destitute, but apparently willing to do any kind of work to support his family, and he did work faithfully through the week and on the Sabbath would preach for us. He was not very brilliant as an orator, or prepossessing in his appearance as a minister, but very quiet and harmless in his deportment, and, in justice I must say, that his sermons, viewed from a Methodist stand-point, had the merit of being extremely orthodox, for they were generally the identical sermons preached by the great Wesley himself, many years before.
"I will here state that he and his family and myself and family occupied the same cabin nearly all of one winter; and it used to be a source of considerable amusement to me to observe from what fountain he drew his inspiration, and the grave dignity with which he would proceed to edify us, with a learned discourse committed to memory from a very neatly-bound volume of Wesley's Sermons, which, with a Bible and hymn-book, constituted his library. I had noticed that he would be very intent upon the study of this volume, and sometimes would leave it on the table when he retired for the night, and being myself in the habit of rising first in the morning, I would occasionally take up this volume to read a few moments. I soon discovered that it would invariably open at the page where our preacher had been reading the evening befofe; and, of course, I was not slow to take a hint, and soon became so much of a prophet that I could repeat apart of the sermon three or four days before it was delivered, and unerringly predict the text beforehand.
"But, to proceed with our narrative. He had moved on a claim of his own in the spring, but having no improvement, he was inable to support his family by his labor at home, and consequently he had to seek employment elsewhere. The Indian traders were about that time engaged in building a new trading- post further up the Iowa River, and he hired with them to assist in the work, and spent most of the summer away from home; but, in September, after notifying his wife of the time he that should return, started from the new trading- post, and arrived in safety at the old one, four miles south of where Iowa City now is. There he purchased some articles of clothing for his family, and a ham of meat, and started for home--a home he was destined never to reach alive.
"He doubtless walked briskly forward on the narrow trail, worn deep by the hard hoofs of the Indian ponies--joyfully anticipating a happy meeting soon (as he thought) to take place with the loved ones in a lonely cabin not far away on the verge of the prairie--thinking, no doubt, of the little comforts that his toil had provided for those so dear to him--enjoying in anticipation the glad welcome so soon to greet his ears--the fond caress of his little daughter--the, evening meal--the quiet social hour with wife and child--not a living thing to interrupt or disturb his pleasing meditation save now and then the sudden flutter of the prairie chicken as it breaks cover near his feet. As he approaches the highlands on his route, he views with brightening eye the outlines of the grove of timber that adjoins his cabin. A thin column of smoke is to be seen rising just beyond the grove; full well he knows who sits by the fire from whence it rises. He pauses in his walk, and for a moment contemplates the scene. The tall grass is slightly browned by the early frost, and waves gently in the autumnal breeze, like avast field of wheat ready for the sickle. He turns his gaze backward on the path he so lately traveled, and notices, in the distance, a company on horse-back on his trail, and, without a thought of danger, again resumes his walk, but soon discovers that his pursuers are savages, painted for war, who advance rapidly with shouts and excited gestures. In order to avoid them, he leaves the beaten trail, but soon becomes aware that they are not so easily thrown off--on they come--he runs--but all in vain; like an avalanche they come down upon their prey--a quick, sharp stroke of the tomahawk, a dexterous flourish of the scalping-knife, and all is over with Oliver Atwood. That day wears slowly to a close, and the expected husband comes not, and so wears away the next, and the next, and no tidings from him. The wife finally can bear the suspense no longer, and she applies to the neighbors, and a messenger is sent to the old trading-horse to inquire after him, and soon returned with the information that he had left that place for home a week before. The next day the settlement was aroused to search for the lost man, and soon his remains were found where he had fallen.
"The question maybe asked, how is it known that he was killed by Indians. To a frontiersman this could not long remain in doubt. There are many ways of judging of such things, that would be utterly unintelligible to a less practiced eye. But in this case, not only the signs at the place where he lay were perfectly intelligible to a hunter, but many other circumstances led to a certainty, not only that he was killed by the Indians, but pointed out the identical actors in the tragedy. It was well known that on the day that Atwood left the trading-post, five Indians passed through the settlement and went to Moscow, and while there, one of them said to a friend of Ross, 'Ross may come back now.' And, being urged to explain his reason, refused to do so.
"The tragical event above related, of course, cast a gloom over our infant settlement. As has been said before, this had been an unusually unhealthy season. The men had all been sick, and were in a convalescent state--but little better physically than downright sickness, and in no condition to make a successful defense of themselves and families, should the Indians contemplate a more thorough vengeance, and of their intentions we could have no means of knowing, as they kept entirely aloof for some time. There was never, so far as the writer is aware, any systematic attempt made by the whites to bring the perpetrators to justice. It is true that at the first land-sale in the Territory, held in Dubuque, in the November following the murder, the citizens of this region met and appointed a committee to report the case to the Governor of the Territory, which committee made out a report of the case, with appropriate resolutions to accompany it, and forwarded the same, but so far as is now remembered it was never heard of in a more public way; the great difficulty was no doubt in getting at the facts with sufficient certainty to make a good case before the courts. We were very sure that we knew who had done the deed, from the facts before mentioned. We were very sure we knew just how many there were engaged in the act, yet no one saw it, but we were very certain that the perpetrators were seen that day in our settlement; we knew they were at Moscow that day, and the writer of this fell in with them the next day, on their way back to their village--he knew nothing of the murder at that time--but remarked their singular actions and was unable to account for it until afterward, when to him as well as others their behavior seemed the outcropping of a guilty conscience."
John D. Wolf and Mary Ann Bagley were the first residents of the township who were married, but they obtained their marriage license at Muscatine, where the ceremony was performed. The first birth in the township occurred in the summer of 1837, about a quarter mile distant from the present West Liberty, when Louis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Corns, saw the light of day.
The present township officers are as follows, viz.: George C. Shipman and James F. Schenck, Justices; John Patterson and Nathan Reece, Constables; E. P. French, Clerk; James Parks, Assessor; William Henderson, John Pickering and Joseph Mountain, Trustees.
The press of West Liberty is mentioned in the chapter devoted to that topic.
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