REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS #1

MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA
REGISTER OF
OLD SETTLERS
BOOK ONE

Source: REGISTER OF OLD SETTLERS , BOOK One, page 462-a thru h & 463
submitted by Neal Carter, November 28, 2007

EARLY OLD SETTLERS
(Page 463 – out of sequence)

We are requested to state that Mr. Walton, the president of the Old Settler’s Society, has been looking up the survivors of the first Muscatine county settlers. On Jan. 1st, 1840, there were according to the census 1,942 persons, of which, so far as he can learn, the following are yet living: Mrs. Laura (Nye) Patterson, 1834; Mrs. Moses Couch, Mrs. Goldsberry, Mrs. A.T. Banks, Mrs. W.A. Drury, Hiram Jarrad, 1836; Aristarchus Cone, 1837; Josiah Proctor Walton, Peter Jackson, T.S. Parvin, Edward W. Lucas, S.W. Stewart, Mrs. J.E. Fletcher, 1838; *Joseph Bridgman, Myron Ward, Abraham Smalley, Samuel Sinnett, A.M. Winn, James Weed, G.D. Magoon, J. Scott Richman, D.C. Cloud, A.M. Hare, S.E. Whicher, Mrs. Charles Brown, Mrs. John B. Dougherty, Mrs. Henry Funck, Adam Funck, 1839; *Tobe Brown, *Nicholas McCoy, *J.A. Reuling, *Jos. Bennett, *E.T.S. Schenck.
Those marked with a star, the exact year is not known.
Mr. Walton will be glad to make any corrections or additions on or before the next old settlers’ meeting at the fair grounds on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 1898, that may be handed to him.

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OLD SETTLERS REUNION,
- HELD AT THE -
FAIR GROUNDS, MUSCATINE, IOWA,
Tuesday, August 30, 1898

The weather opened up fair though warm this morning and altogether it was a favorable day for the old settlers, who congregated at the fair grounds for their annual reunion.
Conspicuous among the visitors are Theodore S. Parvin, of Cedar Rapids, and his sister, Mrs. Rhoda Mulford, of St. Louis.
The main part of our report is necessarily deferred to our next issue.
At the opening exercises this afternoon President Walton delivered his address. It was of a reminiscent character and quite interesting to the old settlers and their descendents. It is herewith published in full:

PRESIDENT WALTON’S ADDRESS
Ladies and Gentlemen, Old Settlers of Muscatine County:

I was asked the other day if I could tell how many of the first settlers were yet living. Those originally called old settlers were those who came here prior to 1840. That question induced me to look up the history of this society. I found in the record books that on February 4th, 1856, the old citizens of Muscatine met at Hare’s hall to take action on the death of Hon. Arthur Bridgman, our first county judge. Pliny Fay was chairman and Jos. Bridgman was secretary. After transacting the business for which it met, on motion of T. S. Parvin, the meeting adjourned to meet on Feb. 9th in the lecture room of the Congregational church.
At the adjourned meeting, Hon. Joseph Williams was called to the chair. There were present, Joseph Williams, T. S. Parvin, Pliny Fay, Joseph Bridgman, Suel Foster, H. Q. Jennison, H. H. Hine, Zeph. Washburn, G. W. Humphreys, J. S. Allen, Myron Ward, Wm. Chambers, Giles Pettibone, A. T. Hanks and J. P. Walton – fifteen in all. A committee was appointed on constitution. They reported at a meeting held in the lecture room on Feb. 16, 1856, when the constitution was adopted. The officers elected were Joseph Williams, president; Thomas Burdett, vice-president; T. S. Parvin, secretary. Article 1 fixes the eligibility of membership to those who settled in Iowa prior to the 1st day of January, 1840, or their descendents for all time to come. This article was found to be too narrow and the time was extended to 1846. Later it was again extended to 1861.
On Feb. 23, 1856, the society met and adopted a long code of by-laws and were in order for business.
Now this society was like many other societies that we have helped to organize. When its organization was all perfect it came to a standstill, so far as records show.
After a lapse of almost nine years, the minutes show that a reunion of the old settlers of Muscatine was held at the residence of D. C. Cloud on Jan. 6th, 1865. Peter Jackson served as secretary. Here it was voted to attend a meeting to be held at the Eichelberger house on Jan. 20, 1865, to revive the Old Settlers’ Society. The meeting was held. Here the name seems to have been changed from “First Settlers” to “Old Settlers,” more by common consent than by any other way. At this meeting the husbands or wives of old settlers were made eligible for membership. A motion was made and passed appointing P. Jackson and J. P. Walton a committee to wait on Jos. Bridgman and secure the books of the society. From this one could conclude that Jos. Bridgman was secretary during the nine years. At this meeting William Leffingwell was chosen president, Suel Foster vice-president and Peter Jackson secretary. Peter Jackson has served as secretary ever since Jan. 6th, 1865, thirty-three years.
On March 15, 1865, the quarterly meeting was held in commemoration of the first settlement of the county by Benjamin Nye on March 15, 1834, at the mouth of Pine Creek. There was nothing small about the old settlers at that time; they attempted to hold quarterly meetings.
The next record of a meeting was April 10, 1869, some four years later. At this meeting Samuel Gilbert stated the first boarding house in the county was kept by J. G. Coleman, in a building built of rails, in the summer of 1836; meals 50 cents.

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On May 8th, the by-laws were revised again.
On June 29, 1869, an anniversary meeting was held in the Court House square. The tables were set under the trees, but in anticipation of rain the tables were moved to the Court House. The speakers on the occasion were D. C. Richman, John A. Parvin, Pliny Fay, Suel Foster, Judge Woodward, Col. Kincaid, John Mahin, Richard Cadle and Ben. Mathews, the latter a colored man. John A. Parvin was elected president and Suel Foster vice-president. We think this was one of the most interesting anniversary meetings we ever held.
On Sept. 6th, 1870, a meeting was held at the Court House. Gen. J. E. Fletcher was elected president and Col. G. W. Kincaid vice-president.
On April 14th, 1876, the old settlers held a reunion at the residence of Marx Block.
At a meeting held Oct. 31st, 1876, the time of admitting members was extended to all settlers here prior to 1861. At this meeting two resolutions were passed. One was for permanently fixing the date of our annual meetings, which has not been adhered to since I have been your president. We have complied with as near to it as we considered expedient. The other was that a collection should be taken up to defray the expenses. We have tried to comply with this resolution, but frequently the collections do not reach. If you could help us a little more liberally perhaps they would.
The annual meeting of 1879 was held in the grand jury room and was quite lively.
The annual meeting of 1880 was held Oct. 9th, at the Court House. Jos. Bridgman was elected president. Dr. Robbins and Suel Foster vice-presidents. Sixty gentlemen and 52 ladies were reported present.
The annual meeting in 1881 was held in Armory hall, (Hare’s hall) Oct. 5th. It was one of the most extensively reported meetings ever held. Pliny Fay, George B. Denison, J. Scott Richman, John A. Parvin and John Mahin were among the speakers.
The meeting of 1882 was held on Sept. 27th, at the Hooks’ hall (in the Hotel Grand.) Among the speakers of the occasion was the president, Jos. Bridgman, H. H. Denson, Rev. E. P. Smith, Z. Wasburn, R. M. Burnett, Rev. Mr. Hayes, Rev. J. H. Barnard and Mrs. Laura (Nye) Patterson. Suel Foster was elected president, William Gordon vice-president, P. Jackson secretary and Mrs. Peter Jackson treasurer.
The old settlers meeting in 1883 was held in Hare’s hall on the 26th of September. About 200 were present. I was in Burlington at the time. You may image my surprise when being informed of my election as president. I appreciate it. I have been elected for fifteen consecutive times, and have appreciated it every time since then. But now I feel it would be better for the society, and I know it would be better for me, if some one else were elected president.
Our meeting in 1884 was held at the mouth of Pine Creek, where the first white settlement was made. Judge S. C. Hastings was our principal speaker on this occasion. A boat excursion was introduced that was very pleasant. Since this meeting we have had reports of the meetings printed and bound. A few copies can yet be had.
Since it has been our good fortune to preside over this society of old settlers we have had our annual meetings. The first, in 1884, at the mouth of Pine Creek; the second at Captain Clark’s at Buffalo; the third, on Sept. 8, 1886, steamboat excursion to Pine Creek; the fourth at Cherry Bluff, near Moscow; the fifth in the Court House square in 1888; the sixth at the fair grounds; the seventh in 1890, at Wilton; the eighth at Hichtman’s Grove, in Pike township; the ninth, in 1892, by a steamboat excursion to Wyoming Hill; the tenth and the eleventh at Park Place; the twelfth, in 1895, and all since have been held on the fair grounds.
A short description of those fifteen who first organized the society will not be out of place: Joseph Williams was a native of Pennsylvania. He came here as one of the U. S. Judges. He was a prince of a good fellow, with hardly as much dignity as one would expect to find in a Supreme Judge. He would engage in almost any kind of fun that the boys were engaged in. He could play the fife, beat the drum, or saw the fiddle, with most any one. He was a Methodist exhorter if he happened to be among the Methodists. He was connected with many of Bloomington’s early schemes, such as the ferry franchise, etc.
T. S. Parvin now lives at Cedar Rapids and is quite well known among the old settlers. To T. S. Parvin the credit of this organization belongs; in fact, he was a good organizer. He is a native of New Jersey, studied law at or near Cincinnati, and came here as private secretary of Governor Lucas, on July 4th, 1838. He lived in Muscatine until 1860, when he removed…
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…to Iowa City and later to Cedar Rapids. He is Grand Secretary of the Grand Masonic Lodge of Iowa and has charge of the Grand Lodge library at Cedar Rapids, under whose supervision the best library in the State has been built up.
Pliny Fay was a native of New England. He came here in 1837. He was a quiet, modest, intelligent man -- one would think too refined to be found on the frontier. He was one of the leading men, always cited as a standard of honesty. His health gave out and he went to California and after some years died there.
Joseph Bridgman is a native of Massachusetts. Came to Bloomington in 1837. He is yet living with us at the advanced age of over 80. In his younger days he was engaged in the mercantile business. He was one of the few prominent men of the town.
Suel Foster was born among the New England hills. He was the best sample of a Yankee we had among us; always outspoken and ready to share in anything for the public good, and was always to be found at the head of all our important public improvements. He worked better for the public than he did for himself.
H. Q. Jennison was an eastern man, likely New England – a civil engineer by profession, although he engaged in farming and in mercantile pursuits. He was also a prominent man, but his disposition to keep well to the front took him west, I think to Colorado.
H. H. Hine – well, every one knew Hick Hine, one of the earliest carpenters. He is credited with coming here in 1837. He worked at his trade a large part of his life. He was elected sheriff and served one or more terms in that place and likely filled other places of trust.
Myron Ward was a complete specimen of a pioneer – a large frame, coarse in appearance, a stone mason, if I am correct, but he filled his place as a leader among the common men very successfully. When last heard from he was living at Seattle, Washington, and loaning money for a livelihood, and had accumulated wealth.
Zephaniah Washburn was another mechanic. He did not work as closely at his trade of carpenter as some others did, but nevertheless he was always on hand if any improvement or reform was being made. He was the first mayor the city had; elected by the “boys” as much for fun as anything else. He was a leading man at the Methodist class meetings and was respected by all, and a temperance reformer.
Wm. Chambers was a native of Indiana. Came here in 1836 and went on a farm with his father near Pine Creek and afterwards moved to Muscatine and engaged in the saw-mill and lumber business. He was a reliable, straightforward man.
G. W. Humphreys came here in 1839 and was engaged in the mercantile business. From 1844 to 1876 he served as sheriff. What eventually became of him I don’t know.
J. S. Allen. I recollect Jim. Allen, but I don’t remember what he did for a living or what became of him.
Giles Pettibone came here in 1836 and went to farming. He sold out the farm and engaged in the ferry business at Muscatine, at which he was not always successful. He finally fitted up his old boat for a packet on some of the small rivers in the south, where it was sunk.
A. T. Banks was a native of New England. He came here in 1838. He served as county treasurer from 1851 to 1855; was well esteemed by every one. In 1856 he was engaged in the livery business with a man by the name of Morton.

Of the last mentioned signer to the list, J. P. Walton, we have no remarks to make. We will say that he was born in the State of New Hampshire on Feb. 26, 1826; came to this county when but a mere boy, on June 11, 1838, and has been here ever since.
Governor Shaw on Monday issued a Labor Day proclamation as follows:

Executive Office, Des Moines. By the Governor – A proclamation: The statutes of Iowa designate one day in the year to be devoted to observances in honor of labor. In conformity with such enactment, I, Leslie M. Shaw, Governor of Iowa, do hereby recommend that on the first Monday in September, the day so designated, being the fifth day of September, A.D., 1898, employers and employed, with others, unite in such observances as may be appropriate to the occasion and thus endeavor in all possible ways to improve and make more harmonious the economic relations of society, in which improvement all are interested. That the observance may be the more general I recommend that on the day named factories, shops, stores and other places where labor is employed be closed as far as may be practicable.
In testimony whereof I hereto set my hand and cause to be affixed the great seal of the State of Iowa on this 27th day of August, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and …

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... ninety-eight; of the Independence of the United States, the one hundred and twenty-third, and of the State of Iowa the fifty-second.

[Seal] By the Governor,

-- L. M. Shaw

-- G. L. Dobson, Secretary of State
The Old Settlers of Muscatine county met on the fair grounds in their annual picnic. The floral hall was used as a dining room and the Soldiers’ Aid Society served lunch. The bill of fare was sandwiches, coffee, pickles, doughnuts and gingerbread, for fifteen cents. The badge for the day was a wooden clothespin, painted red, with a gilt star on head for Cuba and Porto Rico. Ice cream and cake were on sale.
Mrs. L. L. Patterson, who came with her father, Benj. Nye, the first settler of the county, at Montpelier, in 1834, was on hand early. Theo. S. Parvin and his sister, of the thirty-niners, arrived soon after and the three at once became the center of an interested circle of listeners as they told of things which happened when they were pioneers, nearly sixty years ago. It was well worth the trip to be present and have the privilege of shaking hands with and standing in the presence and listening to the men and women who made Iowa the great and good State she is to-day.
After dinner, which was served to those who wished, it was found that the ladies had sold all they had on hand, and the ice cream was all sold afterwards, so the society has a little something to put in its treasury. The meeting was called to order by President Walton and the Divine blessing was invoked by Rev. S. H. Parvin.
“America” was then sung, a choir consisting of Mmes. Jas. Weed, Cora Weed, Ella W. Thompson and Lillibridge and Messrs. Goff and E. F. Richman, leading and the audience joining. The president, J. P. Walton, then delivered his address, which was printed in our issue of yesterday.
Peter Jackson then read the names of the deceased members, which are as follows:

NECROLOGY
Mrs. Fimple, Mrs. Jane Johnson, Mr. Vetter, Mrs. Fannie T. Waters, Calvin Adams, Mrs. Edward Byrne, Mrs. Sarah J. Mull, Mrs. Mary S. Whitescarver, Mrs. Bamford, Wm. Gordon, Mrs. J. B. Hawley, Bartus Bush, Shepherd Smalley, Mrs. Vincent Chambers, Mrs. Samuel Sinnett, R. T. Wallace, Timothy Fahey, Mrs. Susan Burtner, Mrs. Catherine Hess, Mrs. Eliza Brinkley, Andrew J. Miller, Wm. Seawright, Mrs. Nancy Walters, Jacob Rubleman, Henry Schmeltzer, Mrs. Susan Junkin, Wm. P. Smith, Harvey Corwin, Elisha Beatty, Isaac C. Terry, Wm. W. Smith, Mrs. Tunis Smith, Mrs. Robert Kirk, A. Kleindolph, Mrs. C. W. Fisher, John K. Scott, Mrs. Christian Norr, Samuel Deane, Mrs. W. H. Snyder, A. J. Freers, Gotlieb Johann Ehreche, S. B. Hill, Mrs. Lydia Van Lent, Mrs. Hanna Schofield, John C. Ryan, Mrs. John G. Hoehl, Samuel Hendrickson, Mrs. Dunham, William J. Barger, Mrs. Joanna Schreuers, Mrs. Thomas Bowlsby, James Kane.
Hon. John Mahin introduced the following resolution, which was adopted:

“Whereas, During the past year a number of our “territorial and State pioneers” have been called from us by the hand of death; therefore be it
“Resolved, that the remaining members, here assembled, wish to express our sorrow in parting with those who have shared with us the hardships and pleasures of pioneer times and to convey to the near friends and relatives of the departed our sincere and heartfelt sympathy for the loss that they have sustained.”

At this point in the proceedings, President Walton read a paper, as follows:
In answer to the request, I have made a list of the survivors of those who came here before 1840. The population of Muscatine county at that time (Jan. 1, 1840) was 1,942. There are now living, so far as I have been able to hear:

Mrs. Laura (Nye) Patterson, 1834 Henry Smalley, 1839

Mrs. Moses Couch, 1836 A. M. Hare, 1839

Mrs. Goldburg, 1836 S. E. Whicher, 1839

Hiram Jarrard, 1836 Mrs. Charles Brown, 1839

Mrs. A. T. Banks, 1836 Mrs. J. B. Dougherty, 1839

Mrs. W. A. Drury, 1836 Mrs. Henry Funck, 1839

James Keefover, sr., 1836 Adam Funck, 1839

James Keefover, jr., 1836 Tobe Brown, 1839

Mrs. Naborgal, 1836 Nichols McCoy, 1839

Edward Clark, 1836 E. F. Healy, 1839

Aristarchus Cone, 1837 Wilson Frybarger, 1839

Jos. Bridgman, 1838 Mrs. Luke (Beaumont) Sells, 1837

Josiah P. Walton, 1838 Mrs. Caroline (Fisch) Stillwell, 1839

Peter Jackson, 1838 Mrs. Rhoda Parvin Mulford, 1838

T. S. Parvin, 1838 Lafayette Parvin, 1838

Edwin W. Lucas, 1838 Josiah Parvin, 1839

S. W. Stewart, 1838 Elizabeth Purcell, 1839

Mrs. J. E. Fletcher, 1838 Thomas Parvin, 1839

Myron Ward, 1839

Abraham Smalley, 1839 The following are living near West Liberty:

Samuel Sinnett, 1839 Noah Phillips

A. M. Winn, 1839 Solomon Phillips

Jos. Bennett, 1839 Mather Phillips

James Weed, 1839 Edward Gregg

E. T. S. Schenck, 1839 Mrs. Louise Jackson

G. D. Magoon, 1839 Moses Shellhamer

J. Scott Richman, 1839 J. Maxson

D. C. Cloud, 1839 Mrs. Amy Chesebro

John Smalley, 1839 Frank Barnes

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Theodore S. Parvin was introduced by the president, but to many of the old settlers he needs no introduction. The speaker said that twice he had accepted invitations to and had promised to come to this Old Settlers’ Reunions and make a speech and twice was prevented. The first time by the sickness of his wife; the second time he had his grip packed when a son was taken ill and his death soon followed. This time he accepted the invitation without any pledges or promises.
He described the difference, as he believed it, between the pioneer and the old settlers, and his idea of the latter was so well defined, and as he referred to the article in the Journal of Monday, “What constitutes an old settler,” and the way in which he did it, it seemed as if some of the late fifties had joined the wrong crowd. However, he said these associations must be kept up by the infusion of new blood. Who made Iowa? was the question. Who made her one of the brightest and best in the great galaxy of States in the best Union of States on earth? The pioneers, the men who framed the constitution in 1846, of which Hon. J. Scott Richman, who was present, was a member of the convention.
His word picture of pioneer life was beautifully drawn, and as he told of the growing in beauty and greatness of our beloved State he had the audience, even the young settlers, with him. The men who framed a new constitution for the State ten years afterward did not make the State, although they were given credit for it. Iowa was made and well made by the pioneers and to them be all the honor. Muscatine is and always will be dear to him, he said, for here he began life’s labors, married his wife and here his children were born. Of the many friends of childhood and mature years but three were before him, and he knew them all as children – Jos. Walton as a boy, Mrs. Patterson and Mrs. Mulford as little girls. He then referred feelingly to the oldest settler present, Mrs. Couch. He boarded in the family of Mrs. Couch. He laid his good health and strength, for he said he was a young old man, to his association with young men and young women. It was a pleasure for him to work with the young people. The people of to-day did not enjoy themselves any more or better than the early settlers of Iowa. The latter had plenty of fresh air, sufficient of wholesome food, warm raiment and comfortable homes, and the people of to-day had that and nothing more. He was ready and willing to give all honor to whom it was due in making Iowa what she is, and for that purpose would always contend.
The speech was full of many good things which we cannot for want of space publish and the audience was of but one opinion – it did them good be there. He was warmly applauded during and at the end of his discourse.
Lieut. Com. C. Richman, U.S.N., was called out and said he was not an old settler. He was an original settler, coming here in February, 1849, and received a royal reception, and the next morning everybody in town knew of it. It was the time of the California gold fever, but his family did not go – he had a nine-pound nugget at home. He had been gone quite a number of years, and upon his return he saw many he did not know and missed many old friends and acquaintances, while many took him by the hand and called him by name. He did not recognize them at first.
W. S. Fultz read the following paper:
LIFE OF THE PIONEER FARMER
My residence in Muscatine county dates back to the 14th of April, 1850. At that time the prairies in many places were covered with wild flowers of every hue. No grander sight ever met the eye of man or woman than the almost endless display of flowers, planted by the hand of Nature. But…

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…the plow of the old settler has changed all of this. The fields of corn, oats, rye, barley and other grain show the great change wrought by the hand of toil. Fifty years ago there was no blue grass or white clover. The Indian called these grasses the white man’s foot, because they sprung up under the tread of his foot, and now all of our pastures were 50 years ago it was all wild grass are thickly set with those nutritious grasses and the bloom of white clover is a fair rival to the more gaudy wild prairie flowers of the pioneer settlers’ period. Fifty years ago the prairies were destitute of trees; now, if you take your stand on the more elevated ground and cast your eye over the landscape, many trees are seen that have been planed by the hand of man. Orchards have sprung up as if by magic on every hand. The commodious farm houses with their beautiful surroundings have taken the place of the squatter’s log cabin that for many years sheltered the hardy pioneer farmers of this county.
Fifty years ago the timbers portions of the county were an almost impenetrable jungle. Where the underbrush did not grow thick, the weeds had taken possession, and during the fall and winter the pioneer hunter was almost sure to have his clothes filled with beggar-lice and Spanish needles when hunting around through the woods. The beautiful blue grass sod that we now find almost everywhere in the woods was then wholly unknown.
This thick, almost impenetrable condition of the timber made good shelter for game of all kinds, which was plenty, and the pioneer’s larder was generally well supplied with the best of meat, and sometimes that constituted about all of the supply of food.
The first settlements were made near the timber and along the streams of running water. The pioneer farmers of this county were of a social nature and for this reason they made their settlements as near contiguous as circumstances would admit. Add to this their firm belief that the timber land would sooner or later become very valuable and their reason for settling near the timber is easily accounted for. This idea that timber land was destined to become very valuable was but natural to the original settlers. They knew nothing of the immense wealth of coal that lay beneath the surface of thousands of acres of Iowa soil and they little dreamed that in less than half a century coal would be mined in Iowa to such an extent as to depreciate the price of wood and consequently of timber land. They knew little or nothing of the immense pine forests of Wisconsin that were destined to furnish so large a supply of lumber at less rates than it was possible to take it from the hard-wood timber growing near home.
In looking back over the almost 49 years of my residence in this county the changes that have taken place are truly wonderful. The then almost boundless prairies are now all fertile fields. The busy hands of the hardy pioneer farmers who settled here have made these great changes.
During my boyhood days it was a common sight to see the beautiful deer grazing or bounding through the tall rank grass; it is now more than 35 years since I have seen a wild deer.
One evening during the fall of 1851, while looking for cattle along the west bank of Sugar Creek, in the north part of the county, I stood in the edge of a hazel thicket and watched a deer killing a large blacksnake. The snake was in low, marshy ground and the deer would get several rods away on higher ground and then run and jump upon the snake and immediately spring away and then return to the higher ground and repeat his running and jumping. This he kept up for several minutes, when my boyish curiosity prompted me to see what he was at. At sight of me the deer bounded away across the prairie and I found the snake tramped into the mud in such a manner as to hold it tight. I procured a club and killed it.
Up to the winter of 1855 wild turkies were plenty and turkey roasts were quite frequent during the winters in the old settlers’ cabins, but our turkey dinners of the present time are supplied from the flock that has been raised by the women folks of the farm.
And right here I wish to refer to the pioneer women of Muscatine county. At our reunions we hear much of the hardships of pioneer life as endured by the men, but there is seldom any reference made to the hardships of the domestic life of the pioneer women. When we look back to the old settlers’ period and see the lady of the house arising at 4 o’clock in the morning to begin her daily toil; when we consider the primitive means of cooking a meal at the open fire-place and the limited supply then found in her larder, we wonder how it was that such a generous meal could be supplied from means so limited. The pioneer woman knew the use of the spinning …

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…wheel. It was she that helped shear the sheep and in many instances carded the rolls, and it was her nimble feet and deft hands that spun the yarn for the family, and it was she that often wove the cloth and then cut out the clothing for the entire family, and then patiently sat and sewed until late bed time, so that her family could be comfortably clothed. Sewing machines were unknown and all such work had to be done by hand. The present and future generations will never know all that they owe to the pioneer women of this county. It was their aid that enabled the men to build the log cabin and the miles of fence and to break the thousands of acres and to make the miles of roads that traverse the country in all directions. It was by their aid that the wilderness was changed to a highly cultivated country. All hail to the pioneer women of Muscatine county!

After which the audience sang Auld Lang Syne, and after a general hand-shaking a recess was taken.
After recess the following named officers were elected for the ensuing year:

President – Josiah P. Walton
First Vice-President – John Barnard
Second Vice-President – S. W. Stewart, of Wilton
Secretary – Peter Jackson
Treasurer – Mrs. Peter Jackson

The society then adjourned, but the members lingered to renew acquaintances and talk over old times until late in the afternoon. The addresses were fine, interesting and instructive, but to the reporter’s mind, the quiet talk between two or three of the oldest in some quiet nook, and he saw several, was far more interesting. In such cases people are more themselves. It was a happy reunion, but it was noted that the majority of those present last year were absent now and many new names appear on the list.

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. When a date is given it means the year of settlement in Iowa of the head of the family: (list continues on Page 462-h)

Ady, James H., 1851 Hoopes, R. H., 1849 Peasley, C. L., 1853

Asthalter, Mrs. J., 1849 Hoopes, W. H. and wife, 1854 Peasley, W. S., 1853

Addleman, John, 1867 Hennicker, Ed., 1846 Phillips, Sol. and wife, 1839

Barnard, John and wife, 1854 Hoopes, L. and wife, 1854 Purcell, Elizabeth, 1839

Barnard, Ed. And wife, 1854 Hawley, Mrs. Cyrus and daughter, 1838 Parvin, Theo. S., 1838

Brogan, Jesse, 1843 Hoopes, John A. and wife, 1849 Perkins, Franklin, 1853

Baird, R. B., 1859 Hoopes, J. W., wife and daughters, 1855 Phillips, G. W. and wife, 1839

Beatty, J. Q. and wife, 1850 Holtz, John, 1857 Patten, J. S., 1850

Brannan, W. F. and wife, 1855 Hopkinson, A. C. and wife, 1855 Richie, W. S. and wife, 1856

Beatty, Mrs. E. C., 1852 Humphreys, Seth., 1851 Rockafellow, S. and wife, 1862

Barelay, Mrs. A. and daughter, 1854 Holmes, Mrs. W. G., 1842 Richman, J. S., 1839

Chaplin, Charles and wife, 1848 Hitchcock, J. C. and wife, 1847 Richman, E. F., 1845

Cole, N. B., 1855 Jordan, D., 1853 Rosseau, Mrs. H. A., 1852

Couch, Mrs. Moses (aged 90), 1837 Jackson, A. and daughter, 1843 Rock, Mrs. Addie, 1851

Cone, A., 1837 Jackson, Peter and wife, 1838 Rock, Ed., 1846

Cannon, J. H. and wife, 1855 Johnson, W. F., 1851 Richman, C. S., 1843

Clymer, W. H. and wife, 1852 Jarvis, Mrs. Ada, 1848 Rice, J. W., 1855

Chenoweth, Mrs. S. V., 1845 Jackson, Mrs. Helen B., 1855 Riemcke, Geo. A., 1855

Crawford, W. P., 1851 Knowles, W. B., wife and daughter, 1849 Riggs, J. W. and wife, 1854

Craddock, A. C. and wife, 1855 King, E. H. and wife, 1857 Roth, John, 1842

Camehl, Cris., 1850 King, Z. N., 1856 Stewart, Samuel W., 1838

Davidson, Mrs. W. L., 1842 Kaufman, Mrs. C., 1840 Shields, George, 1855

Downer, J. B., 1845 Lee, J. B., 1840 Stein, Philip and wife, 1855

Dunn, S. C. and wife, 1844 Lucas, Mrs. Anna B., 1851 Stevenson, J. E. and wife, 1854

Drake, T. H. and wife, 1856 Little, Mrs. J. G., 1840 Sinnett, Samuel and daughter, 1839

De Forest, Mrs. H. S., 1855 Lewis, E. B., 1851 Smalley, Mrs. Henry, 1866

Demorest, A. F. and wife, 1855 Madden, Henry and wife, 1849 Stocker, Mrs. S., 1855

Eaton, Mrs. Jane, 1845 Mahin, John and wife, 1843 Schreuers, W. G. and wife, 1847

Eichelberger, Levi, 1844 Mauck, Mrs. C. F., 1840 Shooner, Mrs. Estella, 1854

Evans, Mrs. J. E., 1855 McQuesten, W. W. and wife, 1861 Simpson, Jacob, 1838

Fulton, A., 1842 McGreer, Wash. And wife, 1861 Smalley, Abraham, 1838

Fezler, Mrs. Carrie B., 1858 Marsh, D. S. and wife, 1854 Smith, H. G. and wife, 1856

Fullmer, John (aged 87), 1843 Mulford, Mrs. J. S. and daughter, 1855 Townsley, A. G., 1843

Freeman, J. P. and wife, 1840 Miller, Mrs. S., 1851 Toyne, John and wife, 1856

Fultz, W. S., 1850 McElroy, J. E., 1858 Tunnison, Alfred and wife, 1853

Funk, Geo. F. and wife, 1848 McCrowsky, D., (Cedar Co.,) 1838 Thompson, Mrs. Ella W., 1847

Fry, J., 1854 Meerdink, Ben., 1852 Tutt, John W., 1839

Goodhue, Mrs. A. M., 1850 Mark, J. B. and wife, 1845 Thompson, Mrs. J., 1860

Griffin, Mrs. M. W., 1850 MeCampbell, Mrs. W., 1859 Thornton, Mrs., Col. Junct., 1840

Gilbert, Mrs. Hiram, 1839 McIntyre, Miss M., parents in 1856 Van Camp, K., 1850

Giesler, Chas., 1844 Murphy, J. E., 1859 Vannatta, S. and wife, 1838

Greiner, C. H., 1854 Mahin, Mrs. Emma, Walts, J. G., 1851

Greiner, Elizabeth, 1854 Mulford, Mrs. Chas., (St. Louis), 1839 Walton, J. P. and wife, 1838

Horton, E. W., 1848 McCampbell, R. H. and daughter, 1856 Weed, Mrs. C., parents came in 1848

Horton, Miss Sarah, 1848 McConnaha, John N., 1856 Wilson, James, 1850

Howe, Mrs. S. H., 1848 Olds, Albert and wife, 1851 Wood, C. P., 1853

Hoover, E. S., 1855 Oakes, Norman, 1858 Winn, A. M., 1837

Houser, Mrs. L., 1858 Oakes, Jesse, 1844 Wood, A. J., wife and son, 1855

Hirschman, John, 1840 Pace, E. Y. and wife, 1856 White, Mrs. Geo. E., 1860

Hartman, Mrs. W., 1846 Parvin, J. N. B., 1839 Will, J. A., 1844

Hartman, J. B. and wife, 1847 Parks, Mrs. Elizabeth, 1855 Will, J. G. and wife, 1840

Heaton, F. M., 1840 Patterson, Mrs. L. L., 1834 Weed, Mrs. Jas., 1846

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 Montpelier) in 1834. The oldest was Mrs. Couch, who is 90, and the next John Fullmer, who has rounded out 87 years. John Roth, who came in 1842, says he rung the bell of the “sternwheel” (Congregational) church.

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Back to the Muscatine Co. IAGenWeb, Index Page

Mrs. Laura (Nye) Patterson, 1834	Henry Smalley, 1839
Mrs. Moses Couch, 1836	A. M. Hare, 1839
Mrs. Goldburg, 1836	S. E. Whicher, 1839
Hiram Jarrard, 1836	Mrs. Charles Brown, 1839
Mrs. A. T. Banks, 1836	Mrs. J. B. Dougherty, 1839
Mrs. W. A. Drury, 1836	Mrs. Henry Funck, 1839
James Keefover, sr., 1836	Adam Funck, 1839
James Keefover, jr., 1836	Tobe Brown, 1839
Mrs. Naborgal, 1836	Nichols McCoy, 1839
Edward Clark, 1836	E. F. Healy, 1839
Aristarchus Cone, 1837	Wilson Frybarger, 1839
Jos. Bridgman, 1838	Mrs. Luke (Beaumont) Sells, 1837
Josiah P. Walton, 1838	Mrs. Caroline (Fisch) Stillwell, 1839
Peter Jackson, 1838	Mrs. Rhoda Parvin Mulford, 1838
T. S. Parvin, 1838	Lafayette Parvin, 1838
Edwin W. Lucas, 1838	Josiah Parvin, 1839
S. W. Stewart, 1838	Elizabeth Purcell, 1839
Mrs. J. E. Fletcher, 1838	Thomas Parvin, 1839
Myron Ward, 1839
Abraham Smalley, 1839	The following are living near West Liberty:
Samuel Sinnett, 1839	Noah Phillips
A. M. Winn, 1839	Solomon Phillips
Jos. Bennett, 1839	Mather Phillips
James Weed, 1839	Edward Gregg
E. T. S. Schenck, 1839	Mrs. Louise Jackson
G. D. Magoon, 1839	Moses Shellhamer
J. Scott Richman, 1839	J. Maxson
D. C. Cloud, 1839	Mrs. Amy Chesebro
John Smalley, 1839	Frank Barnes

Ady, James H., 1851	Hoopes, R. H., 1849	Peasley, C. L., 1853
Asthalter, Mrs. J., 1849	Hoopes, W. H. and wife, 1854	Peasley, W. S., 1853
Addleman, John, 1867	Hennicker, Ed., 1846	Phillips, Sol. and wife, 1839
Barnard, John and wife, 1854	Hoopes, L. and wife, 1854	Purcell, Elizabeth, 1839
Barnard, Ed. And wife, 1854	Hawley, Mrs. Cyrus and daughter, 1838	Parvin, Theo. S., 1838
Brogan, Jesse, 1843	Hoopes, John A. and wife, 1849	Perkins, Franklin, 1853
Baird, R. B., 1859	Hoopes, J. W., wife and daughters, 1855	Phillips, G. W. and wife, 1839
Beatty, J. Q. and wife, 1850	Holtz, John, 1857	Patten, J. S., 1850
Brannan, W. F. and wife, 1855	Hopkinson, A. C. and wife, 1855	Richie, W. S. and wife, 1856
Beatty, Mrs. E. C., 1852	Humphreys, Seth., 1851	Rockafellow, S. and wife, 1862
Barelay, Mrs. A. and daughter, 1854	Holmes, Mrs. W. G., 1842	Richman, J. S., 1839
Chaplin, Charles and wife, 1848	Hitchcock, J. C. and wife, 1847	Richman, E. F., 1845
Cole, N. B., 1855	Jordan, D., 1853	Rosseau, Mrs. H. A., 1852
Couch, Mrs. Moses (aged 90), 1837	Jackson, A. and daughter, 1843	Rock, Mrs. Addie, 1851
Cone, A., 1837	Jackson, Peter and wife, 1838	Rock, Ed., 1846
Cannon, J. H. and wife, 1855	Johnson, W. F., 1851	Richman, C. S., 1843
Clymer, W. H. and wife, 1852	Jarvis, Mrs. Ada, 1848	Rice, J. W., 1855
Chenoweth, Mrs. S. V., 1845	Jackson, Mrs. Helen B., 1855	Riemcke, Geo. A., 1855
Crawford, W. P., 1851	Knowles, W. B., wife and daughter, 1849	Riggs, J. W. and wife, 1854
Craddock, A. C. and wife, 1855	King, E. H. and wife, 1857	Roth, John, 1842
Camehl, Cris., 1850	King, Z. N., 1856	Stewart, Samuel W., 1838
Davidson, Mrs. W. L., 1842	Kaufman, Mrs. C., 1840	Shields, George, 1855
Downer, J. B., 1845	Lee, J. B., 1840	Stein, Philip and wife, 1855
Dunn, S. C. and wife, 1844	Lucas, Mrs. Anna B., 1851	Stevenson, J. E. and wife, 1854
Drake, T. H. and wife, 1856	Little, Mrs. J. G., 1840	Sinnett, Samuel and daughter, 1839
De Forest, Mrs. H. S., 1855	Lewis, E. B., 1851	Smalley, Mrs. Henry, 1866
Demorest, A. F. and wife, 1855	Madden, Henry and wife, 1849	Stocker, Mrs. S., 1855
Eaton, Mrs. Jane, 1845	Mahin, John and wife, 1843	Schreuers, W. G. and wife, 1847
Eichelberger, Levi, 1844	Mauck, Mrs. C. F., 1840	Shooner, Mrs. Estella, 1854
Evans, Mrs. J. E., 1855	McQuesten, W. W. and wife, 1861	Simpson, Jacob, 1838
Fulton, A., 1842	McGreer, Wash. And wife, 1861	Smalley, Abraham, 1838
Fezler, Mrs. Carrie B., 1858	Marsh, D. S. and wife, 1854	Smith, H. G. and wife, 1856
Fullmer, John (aged 87), 1843	Mulford, Mrs. J. S. and daughter, 1855	Townsley, A. G., 1843
Freeman, J. P. and wife, 1840	Miller, Mrs. S., 1851	Toyne, John and wife, 1856
Fultz, W. S., 1850	McElroy, J. E., 1858	Tunnison, Alfred and wife, 1853
Funk, Geo. F. and wife, 1848	McCrowsky, D., (Cedar Co.,) 1838	Thompson, Mrs. Ella W., 1847
Fry, J., 1854	Meerdink, Ben., 1852	Tutt, John W., 1839
Goodhue, Mrs. A. M., 1850	Mark, J. B. and wife, 1845	Thompson, Mrs. J., 1860
Griffin, Mrs. M. W., 1850	MeCampbell, Mrs. W., 1859	Thornton, Mrs., Col. Junct., 1840
Gilbert, Mrs. Hiram, 1839	McIntyre, Miss M., parents in 1856	Van Camp, K., 1850
Giesler, Chas., 1844	Murphy, J. E., 1859	Vannatta, S. and wife, 1838
Greiner, C. H., 1854	Mahin, Mrs. Emma,	Walts, J. G., 1851
Greiner, Elizabeth, 1854	Mulford, Mrs. Chas., (St. Louis), 1839	Walton, J. P. and wife, 1838
Horton, E. W., 1848	McCampbell, R. H. and daughter, 1856	Weed, Mrs. C., parents came in 1848
Horton, Miss Sarah, 1848	McConnaha, John N., 1856	Wilson, James, 1850
Howe, Mrs. S. H., 1848	Olds, Albert and wife, 1851	Wood, C. P., 1853
Hoover, E. S., 1855	Oakes, Norman, 1858	Winn, A. M., 1837
Houser, Mrs. L., 1858	Oakes, Jesse, 1844	Wood, A. J., wife and son, 1855
Hirschman, John, 1840	Pace, E. Y. and wife, 1856	White, Mrs. Geo. E., 1860
Hartman, Mrs. W., 1846	Parvin, J. N. B., 1839	Will, J. A., 1844
Hartman, J. B. and wife, 1847	Parks, Mrs. Elizabeth, 1855	Will, J. G. and wife, 1840
Heaton, F. M., 1840	Patterson, Mrs. L. L., 1834	Weed, Mrs. Jas., 1846