West Liberty History 1838-1938

Source: One Hundred Years of History
* Commemorating a Century of Progress in the West Liberty Community * WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
LOG CABIN HISTORY

Chapter XXI

A PRAIRIE FIRE

As has been stated, the prairies were prodigal in their growth of grass, and in the fall when this grass became dry, danger from a fire was imminent. When a fire was once started nothing but a stream or some barrier would stop its spread. One who has never witnessed a prairie fire on a large scale cannot realize the awful grandeur of the scene or experience the shuddering dread of the observer whose position is in the line of its approach. Sometimes it would approach like a great wave of flame, miles in length, not in a straight line, but bending in a long curve, the central portion traveling the faster, with swirling waves of fire running deep depressions in advance of the main line, where the grass and weeds were the most luxuriant. At night the sky would be lighted up by its reflection long before the flames came into view. Vast billows of smoke and cinders would hang over its approach or roll in advance of the fire, obscuring the sun and casting a pall of darkness over the country. As the flames came nearer they would light the scene with their red glare, and the crackling of the burning grass and roar of the conflagration would shut out all other sounds. Birds and wild animals, startled and frightened, would go hurrying past, seeking shelter in the woods and along the streams, and in their flight showing but little fear of their mortal enemy, man. At such time woe to the settler whose improvements were on the open prairie or unprotected places. Of but little use were ordinary protections from fire if the wind was strong, for the flames, bearing great masses of burning grass would leap long distances and start fresh fires far ahead of the main line; and the tumbling weeds, taking fire, would bound and roll across plowed strips to spread the devastation on the other side. Many were the stacks of hay and grains and miles of rail fence destroyed by these fires. John G. Lane had been here and erected a log house on the hill north of where Joe Lane now resides, and had gone back for his family. While he was gone, fire swept over the prairie and into the timber, and when he returned with his family, nothing but blackened logs and a heap of ashes marked the spot where the house had stood.

In 1840, Jacob Romaine and S. T. Chesebrough came, seeking for a location for homes, but as Romaine failed to occupy a log house, so far as I can learn, no farther mention of him is made farther than that he located on the northwest quarter of section 15-78-4. Chesebrough had this advantage, so far as this chronicle is concerned, in that the place on which he finally settled---the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 15-78-4, where C. A. Purvis now resides, had a log cabin on it when it came into his possession, but the cabin was not entirely finished and was never occupied as a dwelling. Also in that he lived for a time in the cabin built by Coleman in the southeast quarter of section 29-79-4. George Barnes died there in 1842 and Coleman moving away, the place was divided and sold, and Chesebrough and S. A. Barnes attended to that business, living in the cabin till it was accomplished. S. A. Barnes afterward, in 1849, built a log house farther north on the same description, where he lived until he retired from the farm. The place is now known as the Compton farm.

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