MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS BOOK ONE

Source: REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS , BOOK One, page 439 - 442
submitted by Jo Ann Carlson, January 7, 2008

OLD SETTLERS.
Aug. 5, 1896 (hand written)

They are renewing scenes of Auld Lang Syne Today.
A Gala Time at the Fair grounds.

Favorable Though Rather Warm Weather
-Five Turn Out-President Walton’s
Address-Most Other Particulars Deferred till the Journal’s Next Issue.

This is Old Settlers day. It opened consipicously with a clear sky though the weather was still quite warm. The excessive warm weather both yesterday and today had a tendency, no doubt, to diminish the attendance, especially from the country. When the pavilion at the Fair Grounds was reached, however, it was found cooler than most of the visitors had expected. Being situated on elevated ground, there was a good breeze through it. Plenty of seats had been provide, and altogether it was about as a pleasant a place as could be found on so hot a day. Certain it is that the old settlers seemed to have a cheery and pleasant time as they greeted each other with cordial hand-grasp and renewed scenes and memories of Auld Lang Syne.

The display of old relics and curiosities was not very large but quite interesting.

Senator Gear, who arrived last night, visited the grounds in time to take dinner with the picnickers in the pavilion. He seemed to be in the best of health and spirits and greeted his old friends with his well-known warm-hearted cordiality.

We have only time and space in this issue to report the opening address of President Walton, which was as follows:

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Old Settlers, Ladies and Gentlemen: This year is the fortieth anniversary of this organization as a society and is the fiftieth of the State of Iowa.


Forty years ago a few of the early settlers met in the basement of the Congregational church (‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’, as it was then called,) and organized this Old Settlers society. Hon. Joseph Williams was the first president, and Hon. T.S. Parvin the first secretary. The old Judge occupied most of the spare time in telling stories of his early adventures in Iowa. He was a very interesting. I was the youngest member present. I hardly expected the society would be in existence forty years. Neither did I expect to be its honored president for more than a dozen years.


During the years that I have been your president we have had our annual meetings and by the help of brother P. Jackson, our secretary, John Mahin and others we have secured and published much historical matter with lists of the early settlers, that will be of great value to the future historian or genealogist.


We have selected the early part of August for holding our meeting as a celebration of one of the first acts of the voters of the State of Iowa. The first State election was held on the first Monday of August, 1846, when the State officers were elected. Previous to this they were appointed by the President. The newly elected officers assumed control when the State was admitted in the December following.


Officers and office seeking was much the same as they are now, and were managed in much the same way. I don’t know as there has been much improvement. Then the elections were carried on with whisky as a stimulant. Now beer takes the place, although the saloons are said to be closed on election day. We presume that the reason that beer did not figure fifty years ago was that lager had not come. A few barrels of ale had been brought here, but I think no beer. It came later when the Germans came.


Fifty years ago we held our Fourth of July celebrations. They were not then held for the purpose of having a big beer drink, as it is said many of our adopted citizens seem to think they should be; they were then celebrations for patriotic purposes, and but few if any expected to get any drunker on that day than they did on other public occasions.


Most of the participants were descendants of Revolutionary soldiers and could tell something of the Revolutionary history of their grand parents. The program for the day generally consisted in raising the Liberty Pole, reading the Declaration of Independence, an oration and a dinner, followed with patriotic toasts and speeches. The young people had a ball or a dance in the evening.


Of course the usual amount of shooting was heard. A blacksmith’s anvil was frequently improvised for a cannon.


Here let me mention a celebration that was held, I think, in 1843 or 1844, on the top of the hill near the intersection of Cherry and Third streets. The speaking was in a grove of trees; the table was set near by, and covered by a bower of green oak branches. I have forgotten who served the dinner. The price was too high for a “barefoot boy” to participate in. The Declaration of Independence was read by William E Leffingwell, the oration by Stephen Whichers. There were likely 400 or 500 present; everybody enjoyed themselves; even the Judge of the court, Hon. Jos. Williams. He beat the drum while James D. Reedor played the fife.


On this or a similar occasion, about this time, our citizens secured a steamboat cannon. An old fellow by the name of John Hatch, who was usually well loaded on all such occasions, undertook to load and fire the cannon. He over-loaded the gun; it burst; John lost a leg or more. Of course John retired to the county house for a few years; occasionally he would come back to town, and always claimed he had lost his leg in the Mexican War at the battle of Buena Vista, and that the unjust government had failed to give him a pension. John got a great many drinks and plugs of tobacco on the strength of this claim.


Fifty years ago we had the Washingtonian Temperance society. When it became a little old, the Sons of Temperance took its place. In the year 1848 there were some 300 or 400 members in our little town. Almost every man of importance joined. The merchants were the exceptions. They sold whisky; bought it at eight cents a gallon, and sold it at twenty-five cents. Of course but few of them joined. This organization stood some two or three years and went under.


Within the last fifty years the inhabitants of Iowa have materially changed. From the American to the Teutonic-American, not only in physique but in their diet and beverages. The German has come almost entirely within the last half century. After becoming Americanized he has become a very valuable acquisition to our still young State.


Fifty years ago, I think that not more than one-tenth of the land within this State was cultivated in any manner. The uncultivated land was one great pasture. We had no stock law; everybody’s cattle was allowed to run at large. The leading cows generally wore bells. In going through the woods, or in the tall grass, one could hear the tinkle of the bell quite often, when nothing was visible. It was the small boy’s business to look up the cows; he generally had a dog to help him and was generally mounted on a horse. In our town almost every family had a cow; there were probably 150 or 200 cows that went out of town in the morning and back in the evening. The hills on each side of the ravines were terraced with cowpaths, from the bottom to the top. In………


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….the summer of 1851 the hydrophobia broke out among the cows with considerable fatality. I think it was connected to the cattle.


Fifty years ago we had more large trees; growing than there are now, but I think there is more wood growing now than then.


Fifty years ago we had no railroads, but we had better steamboats on the river than we have now. They were mostly side-wheel boats; the best carried the malls; they had “U.S. Mail” in large letters on their wheel houses. When the river was high we usually looked for four or five boats a day. In the winter time the malls were carried by stage from Chicago and St. Louise; they usually took from three to five days to come through.


It would seem as though fifty years had produced almost everything useful. One thing that struck us, at this time of year, was the mowing machine and twine-binder. Then we did our mowing with the old-fashioned scythe, which is yet in use in the New England States, where the meadows are too small, too uneven, and rocky to use anything else.


In the years 1844-5 we worked at mowing and cradling; traveled around from one farm to another; we got 75 cents a day for mowing, and a dollar for cradling. We had to work all day 15 or more hours. In the summer of 1844 we made thirty days cradling. Our last harvest was in 1858, while working for J.J. Hoopes for instruction in carpenter work.


In those days it was very common for the mechanics in the town to go out in the country and help harvest. If I recollect aright, one acre of mowing or two of cradling was considered a fair day’s work, although under favorable circumstances a few men could do double or triple that amount. Some men could rake and bind and keep up with the cradle; if they did, they got as much as the cradler, although it was much harder work.


The custom of having whisky in the harvest field was very common; it was the custom to have at least two drinks a day. About the time I quit harvesting, an effort was being made to have hot coffee brought out to the field in the place of whisky. Harvesting fifty years ago was the hardest part of farming. I have no desire to go through the yellow days of a harvest as I did fifty years ago.


In fifty years there has been a wonderful change in the music. There are some here who can recollect the old square-headed notes, “buckwheat notes,” that were in use a few years about that time. If any one has a piece of music with these notes that they wish to give away, I would thank them very much for it.


In our town (then Bloomington) the Smalley family were the leading musicians, Abe played the clarionet, John the accordion, Henry the violin. They with a few others met and played at the old Smalley homestead, on Front street, above Cedar. When Abe built his new brick house on the top of the hill on the west side of Cherry, between Second and Third, he built a square room in the middle of the building, with short windows looking out above the main roof, for a music room. Here the Smalley boys and their friends met and played for years. This was the first music room or music hall in the city. Here all the old-fashioned melodies, such as “Rory O’Moore,” “Dandy Jim,” or “Old Dan Tucker,” were played.


I think our town had no “brass and” at that time, and perhaps not until 1852 or 1853. I find by consulting Masonic history that the Masons held a celebration on June 27th, 1845, and that the procession was led by the Burlington brass band. I think it was quite probable that this band was the first that ever played in our city, excepting the bands belonging on steamboats on the river, or to circuses. The steamboats frequently carried bands that played at the landings as an inducement for passengers to take that boat.


We spoke about a steamboat cannon. Fifty years ago steamboats had no whistle; large boats frequently carried a small cannon to fire in coming to a town, to give warning of their approach.


We had no telegraph or telephone no electric light or bicycle. The “new-woman” had not come.


Fifty years ago, we were most of us farmers and were engaged in developing the country. We had to make rail fences; go out into the timber and maul rails. I wonder how many here present know anything about mauling or making rails? The outfit for such work consisted of an ax, a maul, two or three iron wedges, two or three gluts or wooden wedges, and a hand-spike. The rail-maker would go into the timber and cut down the largest, straightest tree he could find; cut it up into ten-feet lengths, and split them into rails, 3 or 4 inches square. The tree would generally make two cuts. I have seen four cuts taken off form a single tree; it was not common to get even three. To make one hundred rails was considered a hard day’s work. These had frequently to be hauled three or four miles and laid up into a worm fence. It required about 5,000 rails and stakes to fence forty acres, which, at the present price of labor and timber, would make a forty acre fence cost not less than $200.


Forty years ago we had about abandoned rail fences and were making board and hedge fences. These were also expensive. Barbed wire and the stock law have about taken their places.


Fifty years ago we had two strong political parties. One of them was dead; the other still lives, but it is now wearing its silver locks.

The first regular exercise after dinner was the calling of the assembly to order by President Walton, when Rev. S.H. Parvin invoked the divine blessing. He thanked God for the courage and perseverance of the pioneers in opening this fair land to Christian civilization and for the good accomplished by the speaker of the day for this State and nation.

Next followed the address of President Walton, which has been already published.

Secretary Peter Jackson then read the list of deaths of old settlers during the past year, premising it by the statement that the list for 1893 was 61, for 1895: 65 and for 1896: 72. The latter list is as follows:

1895

Mrs. Lawrence, August 16.	Martin J. Appel.
Ed. Stewart, August 14.	John Tomney, Oct. 23.
Mrs. Mary A. Eichelberger	Mrs. Mary A. Burk.
Alexander Moore, August 16.	George Spohn.
G.A. Garrettson, August 13.	James McCormick.
John Benson, August 21.	Mrs. C.W. Fisher.
Mrs. Mattie B. Hoopes, August 3.	Mrs. Polly Rock, Nov. 19.
Mrs. A.M. Barnhart, Sept. 9.	Anderson Chambers.
Porter B. Speer, Sept. 9.	Mrs. L.A. Bowlsby.
Geo. P. Vesey.	Wm. Kile, Dec. 4.
Mrs. Sarah A. Kendrick.	Mrs. Lawrence Fisher.
Mr. W.C. Harris.	A.J. Brockway, Dec. 2.
Charles Todd, Sept. 9.	Mrs. Joshua Fishburn, Dec. 1.

1896

D.S. Biles, January 13.	B. Bartholomew, March 20.
Jacob Block, January 12.	Mrs. Almira Gregory, March 30.
Mrs. E.P. Porter, January 21.	David Freeman, March 24.
Mrs. Sarah Knapp.	Wm. Hoopes, March 23.
Mrs. Charles Smith, Jan. 21.	John H. Coles, April 6.
Wm. Lawrence, Jan. 15.	Peter Leysen, April 4.
Mr. Hopson, Jan. 18.	W.H. Raub.
Mrs. Alexander Jackson, Jan. 30.	Mrs. Myers, April 22.
Thos. P. Ashcraft, Jan. 30.	Josephus D. Coughran, May 26.
David L Rowe, Feb. 11.	Humphrey Burdett, June
Mrs. Elizabeth Hess.	Samuel Shammo, June 19.
Mrs. Alice T. Johnson, Feb. 25.	Hector Sterrett, June
Thos. H. Cummins, Feb. 23.	John Blank, June 9.
John P. Cooper, Feb. 23.	Peter Kirsch.
Mr. W.B. Gregg, Feb. 23.	Mrs. John Mucha.
Theodore S. Stewart, March 7.	Mrs. C.L. Peasley, June 1.
Charles Beitz, March 17.	Mrs. P.R. Bohn, July 5.
Mrs. E.H. Dolsen, March 21.	John Chambers, July 10.
Mr. C.G. Maysenholder, March 16.	Frank Geiger, July 17.
John L Henderson, March 21.	Mrs. Richard Richards, July 28.
Mrs. Thomas Birkett, March 4.	Chas. Rosemund, July 30.
J.B. Humberger, March 21.	Conrad Steinmetz, Aug. 4.
Mrs. Marie Finke, March 26.	Mr. W.S. Lane, Aug. 4.

The President called for a report of the committee on resolutions. John Mahin responded by saying that this report referred solely to the mortuary list read by the secretary, and read the following:

WHEREAS,
“There is a silent reaper whose name is Death.
And with his sickle keen;
He reaps the bearded grain at a breath
And the flowers that grow beneath.”


And whereas, We are sadly reminded of this fact by the mortuary list for the past year read by our secretary.


Therefore, Resolved, That in memory of these departed friends and old settlers, we now pause for a moment and with deep solemnity and reverence think of them by recalling to our minds their virtues and excellencies of character, and that we commend their example and their teachings, in all that was good, to the rising generation, with the hope that these departed ones.


“May live again
In minds made better by their presence.”
Resolved, further, That as an additional token of respect to these departed friends and associates, a copy of those resolutions be spread upon the records of this society.

On motion, the resolutions were adopted.

Senator Gear was then introduced as the orator of the day, and was received with hand-clappings of applause. He spoke just fifty minutes, holding the close attention of his auditors notwithstanding the discomforting heat.

He said he had long desired to meet with the old settlers of Muscatine and rode 300 miles yesterday for that purpose. Just 53 years ago he first saw Bloomington (now Muscatine) he was then a stout boy; as the boat on which he was going from Galena to burlington was laying at the wharf here somebody stole a good dog of his; he has never found the dog and doubted if ever would. After some more humorous reminiscences of this sort, the Senator referred to the early history of this country and gave many interesting facts concerning the explorations of Marquette and Joliet, who having entered the Mississippi through the Fox and Wisconsin rivers at or near McGregor, and descending it, landed at the mouth of some river, either the Iowa, Skunk or Des Moines, where they found a tribe of Indians called Musquitins, from whom this noble county and beautiful city was probably named.

Recurring again to the general history of the country, the Senator showed that both France and Spain were more aggressive than England in acquiring possessions in America. The two first named countries obtained nearly all the northern and western portion of this continent; the English speaking people who settled on the Atlantic were 200 years climbing to the summit of the Alleghanies. The speaker dwelt considerably on the Louisiana purchase made by Jefferson in 1804, the French having the previous year secured it from Spain. The price paid to France was $11,500,000.

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Jefferson’s administration was very much criticized for making this purchase. “No boundary was defined. It was said to contain Indians of gigantic stature; to be a land so fertile as to yield the necessaries of life almost spontaneously; of immense prairies covered with buffaloes, producing nothing but grass because the soil was far too rich for the growth of trees, and about a thousand miles up from Missouri was a vast mountain of salt, the length of which was 180 miles and breadth 45; not a tree, not so much as a shrub, was on it, and all glittering white it rose from the earth a solid mountain of rock and salt with a streams of saline water flowing from the fissures and cavities at its base.” So much debate was had on this question that it was thought best to send a party of exploration up the Missouri to its source, thence overland to the Pacific ocean. The party was sent in 1804 in charge of Lewis and Clark.

Senator Gear stated that while in St. Louis recently he visited at the home of Capt. Clark, son of the celebrated explorer. He had maps made by his father which showed that the Rocky Mountain passes were discovered by him and not by Gen. Fremont, as is generally supposed.

Out of this Louisiana purchase is now made thirteen great States and two territories. The greatest of these States in Iowa, which with 675,000 population at the opening of the Rebellion sent 78,059 soldiers into the war for the Union. Nearly every battle in that struggle was stained with the blood of Iowa soldiers; thirty-eight per cent of them died in camp or hospital or were killed or wounded in battle. Your own good county of Muscatine furnished more men than any other, sending into the field one man out of every 5 ½ subject to military duty.

Iowa is first of all the States in the production of grain, second only to Texas (with its vastly superior territory) in cattle; first in hogs, and the value of Iowa’s butter and eggs is greater than the gold or silver production of the entire country.

We have a grand school system. It was drafted by Horace Mann at the request of Gov. Grimes. The people of Iowa spend $7,000,000 annually on their schools and 75 per cent of this is entirely voluntarily being voted at district elections. We have 16,000 schools and 26,000 teachers; nearly 3,600 churches and 100 public libraries. It is indeed a good thing to have lived and grown up in Iowa.

The Senator referred to the progress of the world in railroads, telegraphs, telephones and in uses to which electricity is now applied, predicting greater strides in that direction. He said we are having a taste of hard times now but we do not want to go back to the low prices and privations of the pioneers of fifty years ago.

The Senator related in a humorous way some of his experiences as a gallant when working as a farm hand while a boy in Van Buren county and highly pleased his audience at the recital. Concluding his very entertaining and edifying speech, he was again warmly applauded.

President Walton then introduced Nathan Smith, who he thought he had heard of as “Swearing Smith,” but when Mr. S. got upon the stand he denied the roft impeachment, though he admitted that in pioneer times he had driven oxen, which was provocative of profanity. Mr. Smith told some of his experiences in a humorous way, and said he would only talk while the collectors, John Barnard and A.C. Hopkinson, were taking up a collection, “which was always done in a Methodist meeting.”

S.W. Stewart was introduced and in his quaint and peculiar way told of some of his experiences as a pioneer at Moscow.

When Mr. Stewart had finished several others were called for, but no one responded.

On motion, the former officers of the old settlers society were re-elected, as follows:

President-J.P. Walton.

1st Vice-President-John Barnard.

2d Vice-President-S.W. Stewart.

Secretary-Peter Jackson.

Treasurer-Mrs. P Jackson.

RELICS and CURIOSITIES

The department of relics and curiosities was in charge of Ed. Barnard. The following is a list of the exhibits:

Counterpane 80 years old, by Mrs. J. B. Doughtery.
Iron plow “used by Adam in the garden,” by John Barnard.
Hair trunk, formerly property of Mrs. Hiram Matthews, by Mrs. J.B. Doughtery.
Large spinning wheel, by Mrs. A.C. Hopkinson.
Wooden butter tray, from pine knot in old Virginia, 100 years old, by Mrs. Mary Negus.
Wooden bowl, from New England, more than 150 years old, by Mrs. J.W. Hoopes.
Lady’s large hair comb in style 60 years ago, by Mrs. Mary Negus.
Pewter porringer, over 100 years old, by J.W. Hoopes.
Towel, from New England, 75 years old, by M. Hoopes.
Plate used in 1772 by Judith Burdy, By Mrs. Negus.
Plate, been in Hoopes’ family 100 years, by J.W. Hoopes.
Cane carved by Hiram Matthews, by Mrs. J.B. Dougherty.
Cane made of bone, 100 years old, by Mr. J.W. Hoopes.
Leather trunk used by Gov. Lucas on his first trip to Iowa, in 1838, by J.P. Walton.
Iron skillet, about 100 years old, two books, about same age, by Mrs. A. George.
Two books, Bible, 1834, and Border Life, 1826, straw basket, 1830, woolen shawl worn in 1828, by Mrs. I. Kintzle.
Pillow slip, embroidered by Mrs. Matthews in 1840, by Mrs. J.B. Doughtery.
German psalm book, of 1773, daily paper, “Spectator,” Wooster, Ohio, April 16th, 1825, by Mrs. Henry Madden.
Three silver spoons of 1775, by Mrs. Henry Madden.
Cane of buffalo and cow horn, alternate pieces, by Wm. P. Smith.
Glass candle stick, 50 years old by Mrs. J. Hintermeister.
Bone eye-let punch, 125 years old by Mrs. Bond.
Worked samples by Sarah Dobbin in 1802, no owner’s name on it.
The Album and Ladies’ Weekly Gazette, of Philadelphia, 1827, Vermont Patriot and State Gazette, of 1826, Muscatine Journal of 1861, by Mrs. L.L. Patterson.
Butter print, 100 years old, eye-let maker, 125 years old, butter machine, 80 years old, plate and cup and saucer, of 1818, by Mrs. C.E. Houser.
Texas driver’s whip; candle snuffers and tray, formerly owned by Mrs. Mathews; plate, cup and saucer and mustard bottle, 75 years old; Indian pipe; salt cellar, 150 years old; daguerreotype picture of Mrs. Mathews; same of Mrs. Dougherty; same of Miss Mathews; oil painting of Hiram Mathews’ log cabin located near end of present high bridge; interior of cabin, showing the family group; wall clock over 100 years old, all by Mrs. J.B. Doughtery.
Picture of Bloomington, Iowa in 1840, by Mrs. J.B. Doughtery.
Commentary on Titus in three languages, in 1704, by J.M. Richter.
Post office appointment of Timothy J. Clark, at Moscow, Iowa, in June, 1842, by Samuel W. Stewart.
Watch, “tortoise shell case,” from Queen Victoria’s palace, came to America in 1818, by John Barnard.
Embroidered bureau cover 90 years old, work done by aunt of the exhibitor when she was sixteen years old, by Jno. B. Lee.
Oil painting of grandfather’s sun umbrella, 80 years old, splint basket, 50 years old, by Mrs. S.L. Turner.
Iron draw-pin, the first one used by Ben Mathews, (colored,) in Muscatine no name. Honest berry quart, first used in Muscatine by John Barnard.

PIONEERS PRESENT.

Our reporter made an effort to get the names of all the old settlers attending this reunion. 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 most of them. Where a date is given means the year of settlement in Iowa.

Achter Mrs. Wm, 1854.	Lee J.B., 1853.
Adams Miss Emma, 1837?	Light Jacob, 1854.
Addleman John, 1867.	Lewis W.M. and wife, (Buffalo Prairie Ill.) 1849.
Austin Mrs. P.A., 1861.	Lucas Mrs. Anna B., 1851.
Barnard John and wife, 1854.	Madden Henry and wife, 1849.
Barnard Ed. And wife, 1854.	Madden H.C. and wife, 1854.
Barnard Levi and wife, 1857.	Mahin John and wife, 1843.
Barnard C.S. and wife, 1867.	Mauck Mrs. C.F., 1840.
Battey Dr. W.C. and wife, 1855.	McGlean Mrs. Hannah, 1865.
Bigalow, Peter and wife, 1858.	McMichael Joseph, 1867.
Brown, Miss Helen, 1855.	McBride Mrs Mary, 1855.
Browning, W.L., 1839.	McNutt S., 1854.
Bond, Mrs. Wm., 1850.	McGreer Wash. And wife, 1864.
Bretz Mrs. John, 1857.	Meeker T.S. and wife, 1845.
Brookhart, J.W., 1835.	Marsh D.S. and wife, 1854.
Boot Thos. And wife, 1867.	Mellick M.F. and wife, 1856.
Brogan Jesse, 1843.	Miller Mrs. J.K., 1860.
Breckon W.J., wife and daughter, 1865.	Musser Mrs. R. and daughters, 1855.
Clark E.W., 1836.	Negus Mrs. Mary, 1842.
Crawford W.P., 1851.	Olds Albert and wife, 1851.
Crawford O.B. and wife, 1858.	Oakes Norman, 1858.
Couch Mrs. Moses, 1837.	Parvin J.N.B. 1839.
Cone Dr. W.D. and wife, 1874.	Parvin Rev. S.H., 1884.
Davis Henry (Buffalo Prairie, Ill.), 1848.	Parks, Mrs. Elizabeth, 1855.
Dewiler P.M. and wife, 1855.	Patterson, Mrs. L.L., 1834.
Dillon G.A. and wife, 1837.	Patterson, Mrs. Elizabeth, 1838.
Downer J.B. and wife, 1845.	Phillips, G.W., wife and 2 daughters, 1859.
Dunn S.C. and wife, 1844.	Peasley C.L., 1853.
Drake T.H. and wife, 1853.	Peasley W.S., 1853.
Doughtery Mrs. O.M. and daughter, 1839.	Plumly M.R. and wife, 1854.
Epperly Wm. And wife, 1848.	Rankin, B.B., 1854.
Evans Mrs. J.E., 1855.	Riggs J.S., 1854.
Flint, Richards, 1854.	Riggs J.W. and wife, 1854.
George Mrs. Sallie R., (formerly Kane,) 1843.	Richie W.S. and wife, 1856.
Gilbert Mrs. Mary Ann, 1839.	Richter Mrs. J.M. and daughter, 1857.
Gregory Harvey, (now of Calif.,) 1857.	Reppert Mrs F., 1858.
Gilbert M.W. and wife, 1857.	Reed Charles, 1854.
Gertenbach Mrs. Wm., 1854.	Roth John, 1842.
Greiner Mr. J., daughter and son, 1851.	Rice J.W. and wife, 1855.
Gray James A. and daughter, (Grandview,) 1839.	Rice Milton and wife, 1857.
Hawley Mrs. Sarah, (formerly Morford,) 1839.	Rockafellow S. and wife, 1862.
Hawley Mrs. Cyrus, 1838.	Schooley James, 1849.
Hendrix Ira, 1843.	Shellabarger John W. and wife, 1846.
Harris Frank, 1869.	Simpson W.H. and wife, 1854.
Hoopes J.L. and wife, 1854.	Simpson Jacob, 1838.
Hoopes John A., 1854.	Stewart Samuel W., 1838.
Hoopes Mrs. J.E.	Shields George, 1855.
Hoopes Mrs. Emerson.	Smalley Mrs. F.L.
Hoopes J.W., wife and daughter, 1855.	Stone Miss Sue, 1858.
Hoskins S.M. and wife 1867.	Smith Nathan, 1856.
Holtz John, 1875.	Smith W.P., 1856.
Huston Mrs. John, 1854.	Smith Henry G. and wife, 1856.
Hintermeister J.J. and wife, 1854.	Seller John and wife, 1855.
Hart Mary A., 1848.	Springer J. and wife, 1845.
Hart Mrs. William, 1854.	Schmidt Mrs. H., 1851.
Hudson John B., wife and 4 children, 1847.	Thornton Mrs. Jane. (Col. June) 1841.
Houser Jacob, 1845.	Tunison A. and wife, 1853.
Houser Mrs. C.E., 1851.	Townsley A. G., 1843.
Headley John H. and daughter, 1839.	Vanatta S. and wife, 1846.
Horton C.C. and wife, 1848.	Vore L.D. and wife, 1855.
Hopkinson A.C. and wife, 1855.	Walton J.P. and wife, 1837.
Heaton F.M., 1840.	Waltz, J.G. 1855.
Hudler D.M. and wife, 1854.	Wallace Mrs. Nancy, 1839.
Hyink John B, 1854.	Wallace Mrs. Amanda, 1856.
Israel Miss Rebecca, 1845.	Watters, H.B. 1854.
Jackson Peter, 1838.	Wallingsford Mrs. Lizzie, 1856.
Jarvis J.B. and wife, 1855.	Will J.A., wife and daughter, 1844.
Johnson Dr. D.P., 1814.	Wilson James, 1846.
Johnson Mrs. Melissa (Buffalo Prairie, Ill.,) 1848.	Winn A.M., 1859.
Jordan Dennis and wife, 1853.	Winn Mrs. John, 1847.
Klatzle Mrs Sarah and daughter, 1855.	Wintermute B.K., 1853.
Klepper Mrs. E., 1849.	Wood C.P., 1853.
Kniffen Mrs. Mary M., 1849.	Wise S.H. and wife, 1842.
Lang Henry, 1848.

It will be seen that the person in the above list who has lived longest in Muscatine county is Mrs. L.L. Patterson, who came with her father, Benj. Nye, the first settler of this county (at Monpelier) in 1834. The next oldest is Mrs. Hannah Dillon, wife of G.A. Dillon, of Moscow. She was born at that place in 1835, being a daughter of John Wilson, one of its first settlers.

LETTER BY AN OLD SETTLER.

Editor Journal: I, as a woman, not allowed to vote, will write you a few lines.

I have lived in the State of Iowa for fifty-five years. That is since 1841. We stopped at the Slough road at Err Thornton’s. At that time Muscatine was called Bloomington. There was one store, I think, in a log cabin and Peter Jackson was a clerk. That was on Front street, close to the depot now. Old Mr. Maclain was all that I remember. Then we moved to Illinois, above the Island, as my husband, John Thornton, was going to build a mill. He and A.S. Thornton were mill-wrights, as they were called at that time. We crossed the river at Muscatine in a one-horse sled. I and two children got on the sled to move over a few things. We got about fifty yards out on the ice in the sled. I said to the man, that was Drury, “let me off.” “No, I don’t dare to stop; we will go to the bottom of the river.” My husband came up and I begged to get out and take the children. I did not want to go down to the bottom with that kind of rig. I often think of those days, so long ago. We lived there one year; then came back to Muscatine Slough. There I lived about 26 years. I lost my husband 43 years ago. I have raised seven children and now I live in Columbus Junction, own a nice home, and with the help of God I hope to meet so many of the dear old friends that have gone before.


I am getting tired, dear friends: I must stop, as I am eighty years old. This is only a small drop of what I could tell you. Good bye.


Mrs. Jane Thornton.
Aug 5, 1896.

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