| Muscatine County, Iowa | |
Muscatine Journal & News-Tribune
Centennial Edition
31 May 1940
Section 2 - Page 6, Submitted by Phyllis Hazen, June 24, 2012
Veteran of 1812 War Photo of Josiah Parvin ~ Veteran of the War of 1812, Josiah Parvin is pictured here with the head of a deer which he killed at the age of 81 years and 10 months. Born in New Jersey, Jan. 15, 1793, he was married Dec. 6, 1815 and came to Bloomington in 1838. History reveals he moved from Bloomington to Galena, Ill., in 1844 and later to St. Louis. His death occurred Aug. 7, 1879 at Iowa City.
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Ferry Here Was Main Business Before Assembly Operation of a horse or steam ferry at Bloomington was this community’s major item of interest before the state legislature convening at Burlington back in 1840, an item designated as letter No. 12, and appearing in the first bound volume of the Bloomington Herald, revealed. The move to transfer the legislature from Burlington to Iowa City was apparently gaining momentum, the letter stating, “There has been several rumors abroad here which may have possibly reached your section of the territory.
“From the first commencement of the session there has existed a disposition on the part of members of each of the two branches of the legislative assembly to hold their next session of the legislature at Iowa City, to prevent which, the opponents of the measure, proposed a committee of investigation to examine in to the conduct of the commissioner of the public buildings and the progress of the work under his charge.
“In the house of representatives, Mr. Isett presented the petition of C. H. Warfield and J. Williams for an extension of the time in which they were to put in operation a horse or steam ferry boat at the town of Bloomington.
“The petition was referred to the committee on incorporations – there to die a natural death.
“In the council, Mr. Hastings gave notice that on a future day he would introduce a bill to grant to the corporation of Bloomington the ferry privilege across the Mississippi river, opposite said town. Yours etc. Aposite.”
* * * * * * * “In an interview with Mr. Crossman, of the bridge committee, he stated that the first ward was nearly canvassed and so far they had met with good success. Nearly every property holder was in favor of the tax (for a high bridge). Chet Lillibridge and John Knopp report the same success in the second ward.” – Muscatine Journal, Jan. 12, 1899.
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Gunsmith
Henry Molis, Sr.
Photo ~ Henry Molis, Sr., who was born in Hesse-Cassel, Germany in 1816 and came to Muscatine in 1841 is credited with being the city’s first gunsmith. He married Miss Anna Bahr in 1843. Mr. Molis died in 1884.* * * * * * *
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