MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS BOOK ONE

Source: REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS , BOOK One, page 406, 409 - 412
submitted by Jo Ann Carlson, November 7, 2007

The Old Settlers Reunion

This meeting at Park Place, on Wednesday Sept. 5th, bids fair to be a success. The old settlers will meet at 11 o’clock in the morning and after their basket picnic dinner, will have their usual exercises. There will be a brief address by the president, a history of the great Sanitary fair held in Muscatine in 1864, by Mrs. Madden, a speech by Frank Richman and perhaps other brief addresses. After the exercises they will visit the rolling mill and see them roll iron.

The Ladies’ Relief Corps will join the festival and will have ice cream and coffee for sale to those who wish to purchase.

Arrangements are being made for heating coffee pots for those who wish to bring them.

*** continues on page 409 ***

PIONEERS AT A PICNIC
Sept 5, 1894 (hand written)
Twenty-eight annual meeting of the Muscatine County Old Settlers.

AN ENJOYABLE AND PROFITABLE TIME
Address of President J.P. Walton-Other Speeches and Exercises.

The old settlers were blessed with good weather to day. In fact, the weather could not have been better if made to order. Owing to the lateness of the hour when the exercises closed, our report to-day is necessarily meager. A supplemental report will be published to-morrow.

The following is the annual address of the President, Josiah P. Walton:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Old Settlers:


We are glad to see that so many have responded to our call. The warm, smoky days now prevalent remind us of the autumns in Iowa’s early days, although a little earlier than they usually came. The weather of the last half of August is a fair sample of the weather for the autumn months of by-gone years. The smoke was then caused by the various prairie fires. They commenced to burn as soon as the grass was dry enough, and continued until the winter snows stopped them. In fact the falls were lovely.


A large portion of the inland settlers took advantage of these fine settlers took advantage of these fine autumns to move to Iowa. There were two ways of coming here. One by teams, overland, as it was called; the other by river or steamboats.


If by land they usually came during the summer of autumn, when the roads were good and grass plenty. The grass furnished forage for their teams. Frequently in companies of three or four wagons, when on the road, they would make a very gipsy-like appearance. The traveling by land during the dry part of the season was not without its drawbacks. The want of water was a great inconvenlence in crossing the large Illinois prairies; twelve or fifteen miles had frequently to be made without any water. They used to tell that there was one stretch of thirty miles without water for their teams. Of course they took water with them.


If the early settler came by river, he usually came during the early part of the season, when the river was high and boats running. A great many came that way, brining their teams with them. It was a very common sight to see the engine room and aft-guards of the up-stream boats filled with horses.


If they wished to go the interior of the State they had to encounter an almost impassable barrier in the shape of mud. It usually lasted from the 1st of March until the middle of May. It was frequently June before the roads were good.


I can describe these roads and their contingencies no better than to relate a trip I took in the early part of May, 1853. I had to move a large building in Cedar Rapids for the Daniels Brothers. There were 60 miles of mud between there and our home at Muscatine. They only sure way of transportation was by team. My brother and myself loaded a light two-horse wagon and started in company with a man by the name of Leverich, of Cedar Rapids, who, with a two-horse team, was moving a newcomer and his family from Muscatine to near Cedar Rapids. Our loads were both light, but the mud-holes were deep. It was reported that one could frequently see fence rails sticking down in the mud nearly their full length; at all events, at most of the bad holes we found plenty that had been used before us and left for those who should need them afterwards.


The fences were all old-fashioned worm fences, made with split rails, ten feel long. When a mud-hole existed near the fence, the owner always found breaks in the fence made by the unfortunate traveler borrowing rails to pry out his wagon. The owner rarely repaired these breaks until the mud dried up. Where the road crossed these sloughs in the prairie away from any fence there was generally tough sod enough to cross on, without having to use rails. It was no uncommon thing to see a single wagon track widen out to a hundred or more yards in width at some of the crossings, made by travelers trying to cross at the best place.


We started early in the morning and by good luck we reached “Heck” Sterret’s, some 18 or 20 miles, by the first night, without doubling teams more than three times. Here we put up for the night. After passing through Tipton the houses became more scarce. We took the Mt. Vernon road. It was mostly in the prairie. We traveled until three o’clock in the afternoon before we could find a place we could get our dinner. I would state that this trip occurred at the dividing time of the hospitalities of our State. Previous to this time every man’s house was a hotel. If one could find a house he could always get something to eat, although it was frequently quite “coarse.” The immigrants that were coming in then had recently come from the older States, where hotels were abundant and no one thought of keeping the traveling public, and they had brought their ideas here with them. So we went hungry.


Our early experience with the prairie sloughs served us well. The old Pennsylvanian’s (Mr. Leverich’s) passenger would all the time contend that we took the wrong place to cross, but we got through without having to double up very often, much to his disappointment. Mr. Leverich, knowing the road, went ahead. We both knew a man by the name of Morford that we were sure would keep us for the night, so we made a forced drive for his house. When we arrived, Mr. Leverich went in to secure accommodations. He was successful for himself but not for us, so we had to go on. We were getting into the timber, I think it was Linn grove, and it was getting quite dark when we fetched up at a small cabin and secured quarters for the night.


After taking care of our team we went in to the house. There we were astonished. The man and wife were young people recently married, and came west to open up a farm. They were not here more than a year. Both of them were very intelligent. The lady had been raised in the city of New York in good society. In her humble log cabin, with only two rooms and a loft, everything showed culture and refinement, although she understood how to work, and did it.


We had a most excellent supper, a good bed up in the loft and a fine breakfast, all in good time and had to wait for Mr. Leverich to come up.


I have often wondered what became of that New York lady. If she did not fall a prey to the “fever and ague” I have no doubt of her success. By dint of hard driving we reached Marion for a late dinner, and Cedar Rapids for supper. You can conclude what the roads were in the spring months in those early days before any work had been put upon them. We had good teams, light wagons, and not more than 800 pounds of loading, and it took us fully three days to make the trip-a little over 60 miles. We made our return trip three weeks later, in about one and a half days.


While at Cedar Rapids quite an amusing event occurred. The bad condition of the roads, the long hours, and the high prices charged for transportation made it quite an inducement for steamboats to venture up the Cedar river to the Rapids. Learning that a boat would come up the merchants had ordered largely and were looking for the boat. It was watched for with a great deal of interest by everybody. The arrival of the boat got to be the common talk of the town.


On one lovely moonlight evening, about midnight, the boys went down on the bend of the river, and started a light that represented the fires under the boilers of a boat. They then secured a large bar of steel and hung it up so that when struck it would ring like a bell. They then divided, part stayed down to ring the bell, the others started up town to holler “steamboat!” The scheme worked well. The whole town turned out and went down to the river and waited for the boat to come up. It did not get up until next day.

The subsequent proceedings were reading of the report of Secretary Jackson, showing 67 deaths of old settlers the past year and the reading of memorial resolutions by John Mahin.

E. Frank Richman made an extempore address of his recollections as “the youngest old settler on the grounds,” which was listened to with much interest.

Mrs. Madden read a carefully prepared historic paper on the work of the Ladies’ Aid Society and great sanitary fair under their auspices in Muscatine. A poem on the old settlers were read by Mrs. J.E. Hoopes.

J.B. Lee, by request of President Walton, made some remarks regarding the funeral of Iowa’s distinguished old settler, Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood, which he attended. He paid the deceased a high tribute.

Rev. Dr. Robbins’ prayer at the opening of the exercise was a model in its way. He prayed that the old settlers might so live that they would be prepared for the better life to come, to which we are all so rapidly hastening.

After the address of President Walton, already published, Peter Jackson, secretary of the society, made the following report:

Muscatine, Sept. 5, 1894.
In looking over the record I find there were recorded 38 deaths for 1892 and 61 for 1893 and thought then we never would report as large a number again, but find the number for 1894 to be 67, as follows:


Miss Nellie Delahan, Sept., 1893		Daniel Edgington, Jan 1, 1894
Mr. Ocran Dickenson, Sept. 17, 1893		David H. Block, Jan. 17, 1894
Mrs. Catherine Snyder, Oct. 3, 1893		Anna Bisher, Jan 31, 1894
Mrs. Mary Hine, Oct. 5, 1892		Abiel Healey, Feb. 26, 1894
Mrs. Michael Maloney, Nov. 23, 1893		Adam H. Grau, Mar, 6, 1894
Mrs. Elizabeth M. Allbee, Oct. 3, 1893		Mrs. Harvey Baker, April 5, 1894
Mrs. Olive Dean, Nov. 16,1893		Job Palmer, April 5, 1894
Mrs. Brown, Nov 3, 1893		H.W. Moore, April 5, 1894
Mrs. Catherine Beardsheear, Nov., 1893		Nicholas Hubacker, March 31, 1894
Mrs. Anna Barger, Oct. 17, 1893		Ferdinand Bernhart, April 23, 1894
Mr. Benjamin F. Nichols, Nov. 5, 1893		Mrs. A.H. Grau, April 5, 1894
Mr. G.J. Neff, Nov 20, 1893		Mrs. Barbara Appel, April 18, 1894
Mr. Wm. Parkins, Nov. 18, 1893		Mrs. George Meason, May 6, 1894
Mr. James Haney, Nov 25, 1893		Mrs. Rev. John Harris, April 7, 1894
Mr. John Schreuers, Nov 30, 1893		Mrs. James E. Graham, April 29, 1894.
Mr. John Cobb, Nov 13, 1893		Mrs. W.H. Marshall, 1894.
Mr. Thomas N. Brown, Dec. 22, 1893		Charles L. Mull, 1894
Dr. Stephen Herrick, Dec. 16, 1893		Mrs. Mary S. Arnold Robbins, June 22, 1894
Mr. Joseph J. Hoopes, Dec. 28, 1893		Levi Overman, 1894
Mr. James Foster, Dec. 16, 1893		Daniel B. Johnson, June 24, 1894
Mr. C.U. Hatch, Dec. 28, 1893		Cornelius Nicholson, 1894
Capt. Alpheus Palmer, Dec. 26, 1893		Mrs. Hannah Troxel, June 25, 1894
Mrs. Henrietta Miller, Dec. 16, 1893		John Weggen, June 26, 1894
Mr. Gamaliel Olds, Jan. 26, 1894		John Cunningham, 1894
Mrs. Moses Amerine, Jan. 5, 1894		Mrs. A.G. Townsley, July 16, 1894
Mr. C.A. Jarvin, Jan 14, 1894		John M. Bishop, July 1894
Mr. John Vanatta, Jan 14, 1894		Mary Zeak, Aug, 1894
Mr. Levi Cross, Jan. 20, 1894		John White, 1894
Mr. Alexander Kennedy, Feb. 20, 1894		Mrs. Aug. Becke, Aug. 4, 1894
Mary A. Dwyer, Feb. 9, 1894		Mrs. S. Brewster Cook, Aug. 25, 1894
Mrs. M.A. Mikesell, Feb 9, 1894		Daniel Lake, Aug. 30, 1894
Mrs. D.G. McCloud, Feb 9, 1894		Mrs. Mary H. Eckel, Aug. 21, 1894
Mrs. W.F. Johnson, Feb. 12, 1894		Mrs. Jemima M. Mockmore, Dec. 6, 1893.
Louis Bremer, Feb., 1894

*** continues on page 410 ***


After giving time for any one to make corrections and additions to the list of names of deceased old settlers, and none being made, President Walton called on John Mahin for a report from the committee on resolutions. The report was as follows:


Your committee on memorials, while they do not regard it as within their province to name each of the old settlers who have emigrated the past year to the Great Beyond, do believe it right and proper to call to mind and to perpetuate, so far as the record of these resolutions can do it, the toils and the labors, the aims and the achievements, with the blessings to this generation as well as to those that shall follow, which have resulted from the lives of these and other old settlers who have made their home in this goodly land.


Man proposes but God disposes. Men die and are buried, but the example of their lives, the grand truths they illustrated in their being, are immortal and eternal. Some of these lives may have been frustrated-that is, they may not have accomplished all their aims and the object of all their endeavors, but a kindly and just judgment always takes into consideration the intent and the desire. To emigrate to a new country and fit it for the abode of civilized people is worthy of the highest commendation, and when these old settlers brought with them, as many of them did, dauntless courage, sublime fidelity, ceaseless devotion to truth and right, they enriched this land far beyond the riches of its productive soil and the bracing effect of its salubrious and healthy climate. As this great people grows greater and more numerous and more powerful, brighter and still more bright will shine the example of these self-sacrificing pioneers, and still more brilliant will be the halo that surrounds their history and still greater and more profound the melancholy interest that attaches to the story of their hardships and sufferings. In the language of the lamented Garfield, “There is nothing in all the earth that you and I can do for the dead. They are past our help and past our praise. We can add to them no glory-we can give them no immortality. They do not need us, but forever and forever we need them.” Therefore,


Resolved, That as a tribute to the memory of those old settlers who passed away from among us during the past year, we place upon the records of this society the foregoing sentiments.


Mr. E.F. Richman’s extempore address, already referred to, followed this report.


Mrs. Madden, who had been requested to give a historical paper on the work of the Solders’ Aid Society during the war of the rebellion, then read the following:


When the firing of the first gun on Fort Sumter aroused the patriotism and indignation of the loyal north, the feelings of the men and boys were for war, without a thought of the accompanying consequences or future results. The call for 75,000 troops intensified the feeling, but a the same time a deeper and sadder feeling entered the heart of every mother, wife and daughter in the land. They lacked not patriotism, nor hesitated in displaying it, yet every roll of the drum, squeak of fife or bugle’s blare drove the blood from their lips and faces. The last parting to them was a test of their loyalty, and nobly they stood it, when they said “good-bye,” as they marched away to uphold and protect the dear old flag. But they did not sit down with folded hand and wait and mourn, but with woman’s intuition they knew that work, long, strong and steady, must be done, not only to encourage the boys at the front, but keep the home in order and provide such things as would be needed in camp and hospital, which the governmental was unable to provide; clothing and bedding for the hospital and delicacies for the sick, bandages and lint for the wounded. For a woman to think is to act, and to work they went at once, singly or by twos or threes, in the home, ward, church or district, or by regular organized societies. The work was continued throughout the long, weary, slowly-passing years of the war. It was a pleasure to work for the soldiers on duty, but what the feelings of mother, wife, daughter and sweetheart as they worked and planned, none but God and themselves ever knew.


The women of Muscatine kept abreast with all and led many in the work of Sanitary Commission, and by ways and means without number succeeded in a manner which astonished themselves and all others who knew of their work, yet theirs was a small proportion of the work which the loyal women of the north accomplished and what stands to-day to their credit and the admiration of the whole civilized world. It is to bring fresh to the minds of you old settlers and tell the younger ones who know nothing of the times which tried men’s souls and woman’s patriotic devotion, that I have prepared this paper.


In September 1861, a number of ladies, feeling a desire to assist in sending supplies to our sick and wounded soldiers, and urged by a letter received from Mrs. Annie Wittenmyer, corresponding secretary of the Keokuk Ladies’ Soldiers Aid Society, a meeting was called to take in consideration the formation of a society for the above named object.


September 26, 1861, a meeting was held in the M.E. church, about 50 ladies being present, who formed themselves into an organization called the Muscatine Ladies’ Soldiers Aid Society, whose object should be to assist sick and suffering soldiers. This was the second society of the kind organized in the State, the society at Keokuk being the first.


Mrs. H. Brewster was chosen president, Mrs. C. Cadle, treasurer; Mrs. F.H. Stone, recording secretary; Mrs. W.G. Woodward, corresponding secretary. Committees on contributions and work were also appointed. The Presbyterian church, through Mrs. Dr. Horton’s generosity, offered the use of their lecture room as a place of meeting. The offer was readily accepted, and on Friday, October 4th, the first meeting was held there. In November, a meeting was held to take measures for a more perfect organization and the work of the society systematized and additional committees appointed.


The room occupied as a place of meeting being much larger than was necessary, the M.E. church, through Mrs. Brewster, kindly offered the use of a commodious room in the basement of their church, which offer was accepted, and in December the society removed to this room, which was occupied through the courtesy and kindness of the Methodist church until the close of the war.


After the fall of Ft. Donelson it was thought best by some of our ladies to discontinue our meetings, but more wise councils prevailed and meetings were still held weekly and sometimes every day in the week, as demands for supplies increased. Nothing but the war for the Union and care for the boys in the field and those at home was thought of or talked of, or acted upon. All they could do was to work, watch and pray for the war to cease. Our citizens wives, mothers and daughters all felt the strong, heavy iron hand of war, the redoubled their efforts to provide for the ones at home and relieve the sick and wounded in the field.


In January, 1862, the first festival was held, which netted the society $105.


April 6th and 7th the battle of Shiloh caused great excitement, as nine Iowa regiments were engaged. The society immediately dispatched a box of clothing and eatables, valued at $15245, to the Iowa soldiers at Pittsburgh Landing.


Reports in January show that for the last six months was sent hospital stores to the soldiers to the amount of $600, besides what they did for the 24th and 25th in Cap Strong and expended in camp hospital, amounting to $192.24. As sickness increased in Camp Strong many of the sick were brought to the city and comfortable quarters furnished in the upper story of one of the business blocks. A committee of two ladies appointed by the society visited daily the sick in both hospitals and furnished such supplies as were needed.


May 22d was Potato Day. Mr. Gabriel Little, residing three miles from the city, donated thirty acres of land to plant in potatoes for the soldiers. The society gladly accepted the offer. A picnic party went out, and the ladies, assisted by the gentlemen, planted them well.


The summer was warm and dry, but it is worthy of note that there were always plentiful showers on the soldiers’ potato patch and the largest potatoes in the country grew in that patch. October 19th, the ladies, accompanied by the gentlemen, commenced digging the soldiers’ potatoes; in two days the patch was finished. Reserving one acre for soldiers families, these were distributed to those families through the kindness of Mr. Romulus Hawley. L.V. and A. Skinkle, as did Worsham and Bryant, turned out their entire establishment of livery free of charge, both in planting, digging and securing those potatoes. One thousand bushels were stored for shipment in Mr. Bennett’s warehouse. Mr. Bennett generously assisted in sacking and shipping them to the soldiers in the south. At the same time several barrels of pickles and krout were made.


In the beginning of the coming winter the ladies, knowing that great destitution existed among many families of soldier’s, made a call for a meeting to devise means to relieve present necessities. December 4th a donation was held with contributions in cash and orders amounting to $122.45. This amount was increased $27.50 from the Congregational church and $25.50 from the Methodist church, making $174.95. The committee furnished thirty-six families with wood, twenty-one with flour and ten with medicine, groceries and shoes. It was thought at first the work would be of short duration, but as the war continued and greater demands were made for supplies, it was deemed best to adopt a written code of articles.


Nov. 12, 1863, the society reorganized and adopted a constitution. Mrs. C. Cadle was elected president; Mrs. S.G. Hill, vice-president; Mrs. Dr. Horton, corresponding secretary; Mrs. D. Washburn, recording secretary and Mrs. W.H. Simpson, treasurer.


About seventy-five ladies at once signed their names to the constitution but many others assisted in the work whose names are not recorded. The Young Ladies’ Loyal League gave their assistance in many ways. At one time Mrs. Wittenmeyer sent $50 to the society to furnish material for comfortables. As our room was small we went to the Court House every day during one week and made about one hundred quilts and comfortables, and sent to the Christian Commission.


*** continues on page 411 ***


We took our dinners with us and Mrs. H. Hine furnished us with delicious coffee.


Sept. 4th, 1864, the great Sanitary Fair, conducted by the Ladies’ Soldiers Aid Society, was held in the Court House and adjoining grounds and continued for one week. Nearly all of our prominent citizens took part, rendering valuable assistance. Several thousand dollars were realized for Sanitary work among the soldiers of the Union.


May 8th, 1862, the Muscatine County Soldiers Aid Society organized with H. O’Connor president. The funds were distributed to families of soldiers in the city by a committee appointed by the society, the committee being Mrs. F. H. stone, Mrs. J. Semple and Mrs. H. Madden.


The society took an active part in the convention when the soldiers Orphans Home Commission was organized, Mrs. Anna Wittenmeyer president; also, in erecting a monument to the memory of our patriotic dead, which stands in the Court House yard.


It is impossible to give an itemized report of the many hundred boxes, barrels and packages (as most all the records of the society have been lost) that was sent the Christian and Sanitary Commissions, to regiments, fairs and other benevolent organizations. Suffice it to say that there was sent to the Christian Commission a large steamboat loaded with sanitary stores and Mr. Harry Compton went along to see them properly distributed. Nor can I convey to you any idea of the amount of work accomplished. The shirts, drawers, quilts, sheets, comfortables, towels, lint bandages and handkerchiefs lent; boxes of packed fruit, canned pickles and kraut made, fairs and festivals held, lunches served and dinners given.


Supplies were sent from Wilton, West Liberty, Atalissa, Sweetland and Sugar Creek, amounting to $834.60, to be shipped by the society to the Sanitary Committee.


There was sent to the Sanitary fair at St. Louis:


One box, amount……$80.00
Dubuque “ ………..102.75
Chicago “ ………..153.75
Orphans’ Home, Farmington.. 85.50

Added to this our donations to Orphan’s Home and other fairs and our expenditions in receiving soldiers, we find the sum of $3,766. The operation of the last five years amounted to $9,834.78.


In the last year we gave public receptions to the 7th, 11th, 16th and 35th infantry and 2nd cavalry and lunch to several at the cars.


While the absent soldiers were cared for in field and hospital, those at home were not forgotten. The sick were nursed and in several instances money was furnished and the weary, heart-sick wife or mother sent to her home rejoicing.


Our funds were either directly or indirectly furnished by the public. The aim of the society was to do good; their mission a high and holy one. Like the soldiers, they enlisted for the war, and are now mustered out.


The list of names of the ladies who signed the constitution above referred to by Mrs. Madden is as follows:


*** list begins on page 411 and continues on page 412 ***


		Mesdames:
R. Musser		H. Beham		O.W. Brown
R.G. Cadle		Kate Stoddard		R. Cade
M.B. Clapp		D.M. Lambert		M. Couch
M.J. Hill		F.C. Townsend		H.Q. Jennison
M.O. Brown		Dr. Graham		Dr. Kulp
M.R. Thurston		S.H. Selden		G.B. Denison
Hattie Berdine		M. Dunsmore		H. Hine
J. Carskaddan		Waide		J.H. Canon
A. Pettibone		C. Hawley		G. Sparks
M.S. Robbins		Geo. Cook		H. Madden
T. G Hunt		Wm. G. Woodward		F.H. Stone
E. Porter		H.S. Compton		G. Humes
M. fimple		M.M. Underwood		C.M. Harlan
Dr. Horton		F.O. Leffingwell		L. Coe
O.S. Terry		S.E. Sells		J. Bennett
E. Hanna		M.E. Semple		Martin
H. Brewster		W.H. Simpson		Benson
W.C. Brewster		E. Hubbard		J.P. Walton
J.G.H. Little		G.P. Vesey		C. Chaplin
Mrs. Kimble		Ann A. Washburn
R. Madden		C.B. Eichelberger
		Misses:
L.A. Baird		Martha Stretch		L. Power
E. Howell		Mary Marshall		Hattie Swan
M. Power		Lou Dunsmore		Katie Compton
Mary Myers		M.E. Gordon

Of the above list 34 are still living in Muscatine.


Mrs. J.E. Hoopes by request read the following poem:

THE OLD SETTLER’S HOME.


They came out west when the prairies grand,
Made an emerald sea, by the wild winds fanned,
A solitude vast ‘neath sun and star,
With nothing the wide outlook to mar.


The bounding deer, the whirring quail,
Seemed over the billowy green to sail
With motion smooth as the water’s flow,
When the south wind murmurs soft and low.


But the forest edge the settlers sought,
From the trees their fence and houses wrought,
Built log cabins there with puncheon floors,
With glassless windows and clap-board doors.


Their chimney jams were of pounded earth,
With a fireplace wide and earthen hearth,
And a bearing pole, with pot-hooks hung,
And a bake-kettle with the coals among.


Their one-post beds in the corners built,
Held a feather bed and a patchwork quilt;
Splint-bottomed chairs and stools, and they bade
Their guests to a table of puncheon made.


No viands rare were before them spread,
They gave them bacon and good corn bread;
At times they could offer nice wild game,
And wild plum butter as a relish came.


They loved to gather on a winter night,
And stories tell in the bright firelight;
The trusty rifle that hung o’erhead,
To many a hunting story led.


No Yale locks on their doors were placed,
But “the latch-string out” each opeing graced;
No sects, no cliques, their gatherings marred,
For jack of wealth were none debarred.


Elizabeth Barrows Walton.
Muscatine, Sept. 5, 1894.




This concluded the regular program. The election of officers being next in order, the old officers were re-elected, as follows:


President-J.P. Walton
Vice President-John Barnard
Secretary-Peter Jackson
Treasurer-Mrs. P. Jackson

A motion was carried to secure badges for members at the next meeting; also, that there being a general dinner instead of a picnic dinner.


The secretary requested old settlers to furnish their photographs for the old settlers’ album.


Joseph Bridgman was called on for remarks. He made an excellent speech, closing with an incident regarding a tall and attractive young lady school teacher who came here from the east in early times-how she got fastened in the mud on the street with a child in her arms and was helped out by him and others who went to her rescue-and concluded by introducing to the audience Mrs. Madden as the young lady, then known as Miss Templeton.


Peter Jackson also told a mud story-how a drayman’s horse got stalled with three barrels of molasses, and how when one after the other the barrels were taken off, the horse had to be dug out with shovels. J.B. Lee added some of his experiences in muddy sloughs while making his first trip into Iowa, after landing at Muscatine in 1853 and going by way of Rochester to West Branch in Cedar county.


On formal adjournment of the meeting, many accepted an invitation to inspect the pickle works, through which they were conducted by W.H. Hoopes, and all were highly pleased with what they saw.


The reader need not suppose that the speeches and papers, good and enjoyable as they were, comprised all that made this an enjoyable occasion to the old settlers. Judging by the pleased expressions on their countenances as they greeted each other and mingled in conversation, especially over their picnic dinners, that part of the occasion itself amply repaid them for all their time and trouble in attending the gathering. None but old settlers carefully appreciate what pleasure there is in these comminglings and for a time at least living over some of the experiences of the past.


Our reporter made an effort to get the names of all the old settlers present. It was not an easy task, as many came to the grounds late, and while the exercises were in progress, but it is believed the following list comprises nearly all of them. Where a date is given it means the year of settlement in Iowa:


Adams Calvin 1852	Gilbert Mrs S 1839	Neidig Isaac, 1850
Austin Chas H. (Lineville, Iowa) 1841	Gilbert M W and wife, 1851	Neidig Miss Ruana, 1850
Ament Mrs. W.D.	Greiner Mrs J, daughter and son, 1854	Negus Mrs I, 1849
Barnard John and wife, 1854	Gurtner H R and wife, 1857	Nierel I and daughter
Beattey Elisha, 1851	Hawley Mrs Cyrus	Oaks Mrs Lydia, 1854
Beattey J.Q. and wife 1851	Hill S G and wife, 1864	Oakes Norman, 1859
Barnard Mrs. E.A.	Hoskins S M and wife, 1878	Olds Mrs B
Barnard Mrs Carl	Hoopes W H, 1854	Patterson Mrs L L, 1834
Bliven A.L. 1838	Hoopes Mrs J E 1854	Patterson Mrs. Eliz, 1835
Brockway A.J. and wife, 1841	Houser Jacob, 1845	Patrick C C, 1855
Bowlby, Thos. And wife, 1851	Houser Mrs C, 1851	Phelps Mrs Fred, 1839
Brownawell Wm. And wife, 1851	Hartman Mrs J	Parks Mrs G, 1855
Boland Patrick, 1818	Houser Morgan and wife	Peasley C L and wife, 1853
Bartlett Mrs J.A., 1857	Holtz Jo O	Rankin B B and daughter, 1851
Bartlett Mrs. M.	Hopson A and wife, 1859	Robbins Rev Dr A B, 1843
Bumgardner E. and wife, 1856	Hettinger Mrs Sue	Richman J Scott, 1839
Bridgman Joseph, 1837	Hoopes J W and wife, 1855	Richman E Frank
Brinkley Mrs. E., 1844	Hunt J B and wife	Richman Mrs S A 1850
Brogan Jesse and wife, 1843	Huttig Wm and wife, 1855	Reynolds Mrs E C, 1857
Baird Mrs.	Hopkinson A C and wife, 1855	Rhodes S B, 1853
Brigham Mrs.	Headley John H, 1837	Schmalz C F and wife, 1857
Couch Mrs. Moses, 1837	Jackson Peter wife and daughter, 1838	Shipman Geo C., 1853
Couch Ed., 1843	Jackson Alex and wife, 1811	Stockdale John, 1859
Cloud Mrs. D.C., 1839	Jackson Mrs. H B, 1855	Steinmetz Conrad
Canon J.H., 1855	Johnson Dr D P, 1844	Smalley Abraham, 1838
Crawford W.P., 1851	Kuhns Mrs R G, 1872	Smalley Shepherd, 1839
Clymer W.H. and wife	Klepper C, 1857	Smalley Mrs H, 1868
Campbell Wm., 1850	Klepper Mrs Eri, 1847	Sinnett Samuel and family, 1839
Derby C W, 1853	Lane L L	Smith W P, 1856
Derby Mrs Abbie, 1853	Lindle J B and wife, 1851	Stein Phillip and wife, 1850
Drury Mrs C, 1849	Long John, 1862	Stone Mrs Chas, 1854
Deitrick Mrs. R J	Lee J B, 1853	Sparks Miss Mary
Denton Ed and wife, 1855	Little Mrs. J G H	Sparks Miss Emma
Davidson Mrs W L, 1842	Madden Henry and wife, 1849	Townsley A G 1843
Downer J B, 1845	Magoon G D and wife, 1840	Tunnison Mrs C.
Dolsen E H	McIntyre R A, 1856	Truitt Samuel and wife (latter 1836)
Dolsen Mrs Ann, 1851	McCampbell R H, 1856	Van Camp K
Dunsmore Mrs Mary 1843	Mahin John, 1843	Vannatta S and wife, 1846
Dunsmore Miss Louisa, 1817	Mauck Mrs C F, 1840	Van Horne G W and wife, 1855
Dunn John, 1843	Mark Mrs J B	Vore I D, 1855
Earll B W, 1818	Magill Mrs Mary, 1856	Walton J P and wife, 1837
Eichelberger Levi	Mayes Mrs Margaret, 1854	Winn A M, 183?
Freeman J P and wife, 1810	Miller Mrs Susan, 1853	Weed Mrs James , 1846
Fishburn J P and wife, 1855	Miller Mrs C, 1842	Watson Mrs Rosetta, 1863
Fritchman A, 1867	McDonald Mrs Ruth, 1852	Wood W G and wife, 1857
Geiss Mrs Henry and daughter, 1849	Mull Mrs B F, 1855	Wallingsford Mrs Lizzie, 1853
Geiger Frank 1848	McGreer Wash and wife, 1864	Williams Miss Mary, 1855
	Marsh D S and wife, 1854	Warfield Mrs Frank.

By the above list it will be seen that Mrs. L. L. Patterson has been longest resident of the county. Her residence dates from 1834. Next comes Mrs. Elizabeth Patterson. Dating from 1835. She belongs to the Burdett family. Next is Mrs. Samuel Truitt, of South Muscatine. She is a daughter of Joseph Edgington, now deceased, who settled in the county in 1836. Next is Mrs. Moses Couch, of this city, who came here in 1837.


---




Back to Book One, INDEX

Back to the Muscatine Co. IAGenWeb, Index Page