1838-1938
| West Liberty History 1838-1938 | |
Source: One Hundred Years of History
* Commemorating a Century of Progress in the West Liberty Community * WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS of the EARLY SETTLEMENT
of WAPSINONOC TOWNSHIP--by ASA GREGG
INTRODUCTORY The writer of the following few pages came to this place at a very early day in its settlement, and has been familiar with all the hardships and inconveniences as well as the pleasures of pioneer life. He can well remember when these beautiful and well cultivated fields were in a state of nature---no roads, no bridges, no stately dwellings, no school-houses, no churches, nothing but prairie, with here and there a belt of timber, with an occasional log cabin to vary the scene and enliven the monotony of the traveler on some Indian trail, traveled alike by the red and white man.
The appearance of the prairie was both beautiful and picturesque, and there were many things to arrest the attention of the observant new-comer. The great abundance of game, the exuberant growth of grass on the prairie, the great abundance of pea vine in the bottom land, the collection of bones to be seen in the gullies and sheltered places in the timber, said to be the bones of buffalo that had died from cold and starvation some winters before, when as the Indians would relate the snow was so deep that it came up to their ponies backs.
There was another remarkable feature in the appearance of the prairie---that was certain places where the weeds had grown up very rank and tall in a circle of about a rod in diameter, usually in two rings, about five or six feet apart, always in a perfect circle, the grass between the rings or circles and in the center growing as compact and luxuriantly as in any other place on the prairie. This was to the stranger a great puzzle at first, but upon inquiry of his neighbor, he of the pony, the blanket and the inevitable rifle, he would learn that there a herd of buffalo had stood with their heads together fighting flies and gnats not many summers before, and their continued stamping of feet had so killed out the grass that the weeds had taken possession of the ground, and thus after a perion of eight or ten years still held it.
Let the reader mark the change. Fifty years have not yet run their rounds since the buffalo, that animal that flees from the face of civilization as the morning frost from the presence of the first April sun, roamed over these prairies in countless numbers, and today the same prairies are covered by almost an equal number of domestic animals of the best breeds known to the civilized world.
This was called the Wapsinonoc settlement, that being the Indian name for the stream; or, as they pronounced it, " Wap-pe-se-no-e-noc," which, in their language or tongue signifies : " Smooth surfaced, meandering stream or creek."
The first settlement was made in the fall of 1836, and the first white woman that made a permanent home here is now a respected inhabitant of this village. I allude to Mrs. Mary Nyce, who is, at all events, entitled to the honor of being the oldest inhabitant living here.
There was several other families wintered here that winter---among them some men by the name of Huntman, who in the spring went to Missouri and united their fortunes with the great Mormon prophet, Joe Smith, who was at that time making a settlement there, and shortly afterwards was driven out of the state.
In the spring of 1837 there was quite an emigration to Iowa, or, as it was then called, the Blackhawk purchase, and, of course, some new arrivals here to fill the place left vacant by the departure of the Huntman's---among whom were the following: William Bagley, William Cornes, William A. Clark and the writer, who all arrived before the middle of May in that year. Later in the season Galentine Gatton and Samuel Hendrickson made a settlement where they now reside. The two brothers, Henyen and Cornelius Lancaster, also made a commencement that season. At this early date of our settlement we had neither roads or bridges, and any one may very easily conjecture what some of the difficulties were that these early pioneers had to encounter when they are informed that all of the provisions except such as could be procured by the rifle, has to be brought by wagons from Illinois.
The First Election Was held in a cabin in the timber, nearly west of this village, then occupied by William A. Clark, at which it is believed, all legal voters exercised the elective franchise for the first time in Iowa. There being no party issue to divide and distract the public, there was wonderful unanimity in the voting, and the close of the polls showed that all had cast their votes for all the same candidate, none of whom were personally known to the voters; and on counting out the votes it was found that we had just eight voters west of the Cedar river.
First Sermon The first sermon was preached by Elder Martin Baker, a well and favorably known minister of the Christian order or denomination, who lived and died below Rochester. Mr Baker was a good and true man, and very much respected by the early settlers; rough and uncouth as a bear in his manners, it is true, yet tender-hearted as a child; and many a kind act of his has gladdened the lonely hut of the poor and needy settler, when sickness was upon him, and starvation was staring him in the face, and the greatest hour of need had come.
An Anecdote I am sure his many friends will pardon me for relating a little anecdote of him, when I say there is none who knew him that have a greater respect for his memory than myself.
Early in the summer of 1837, some five or six of us were at Moscow on some public occasion, and Mr. William Bagley being one of the number, fell in with Mr. Baker for the first time, and after some conversation with him came to the rest of us and told us that he had found a preacher and wished to introduce us to him. Accordingly we all went, and after some pleasant chat about the country, its soil, climate, &c., some one of the crowd said: " Mr Baker, we have all come from a civilized part of the world and wish to keep up the institutions that belong to civilization in our new homes, and would be glad if you would come and preach for us sometime when it will best suit your convenience."
The old man replied: " I don't much like casting pearls before swine but I reckon I can go." And he did come, and so the first sermon was preached in the same cabin that the first election was held in. Religion, like party political questions, did not disturb the friendly relations of the few. Our intercourse was cordial and sincere, and I have often thought that persons who claim to be further advanced in civilization might profit by a few lessons in pioneer life.
The Courts Were not what some of us had been used to, but they were the best remedy and protection we had, unless we should resort to the unmerciful despot---Judge Lynch---which, happily of us, we never did. We did not at that early time pay much attention to county lines, for we had but two counties in the Territory---Dubuque and Lee--- and we did not know or care where the line between them was. In the summer of 1837 Wm. A. Clark and the writer were summoned to appear before his honor, Robert G. Roberts, a justice of the peace, who lived near where John Lewis, of Iowa township, Cedar county, now lives, as jurors in a suit brought by a Mr. Hare against McConnell, to recover possession of a claim, whish he alleged the defendant had jumped; and the writers recollection of that case will serve to show the reader something of the kind of justice meted out at that day. After the calling of the case we found we had two jurors from where Tipton now is, one from the forks of the Iowa and Cedar rivers, and one from east of Moscow---an attorney from near Dubuque, and one from Bloomington, now Muscatine. The formality of impaneling the jury was gone through with, the witnesses called and examined, and the case was argued by the counsel, and the court procedded to charge the jury in something like the following speech:
"Gentlemen of the jury; you have heard the testimony in this case and argument of the counsel. With the evidence the court has nothing to do, and as to questions of law you are as competent to judge as this court. I will, therefore, proceed to instruct you in your duty as jurors." And the court stood up and said: " The jury will rise;" and we obeyed, feeling very much as if we were convicted of some crime and were to be sentenced. The court with great dignity, proceeded. " You will go hence in a body, to the apartment prepared for you under the charge of a bailiff and there remain without food or drink, and you are not to speak to any person, not allow anyone to speak to you, except the officer in charge, and he only to ask if you have agreed upon a verdict, and you to answer yes or no; and when you have agreed upon a verdict, and not until then, you will return into court in a body when we will be happy to receive you. Gentlemen, you are now in the custody of the bailiff." So, we were prisoners, and our keeper was Alexander Ross, the man who afterward so brutally murdered an Indian at Moscow, and is mentioned elsewhere in these pages. He marched us in single file along a cowpath to a pen about 8x10, covered with prairie hay, with unmistakable evidence that its last occupant had been a horse. Ross being the brother-in-law of the defendent, and no doubt, anxious to know how the jury stood, deposited himself inside by the door, saying," Now, Gentlemen, make up your minds d---d quick, for it is getting late, and who the d---l wants to stay here all night?" Our member of the forks of the river replied: " Yes, hurry up, men, by G--d I have my mind made up and I'll be D---d if I don't lay here and rot before I will change it!" Some of us felt a little delicacy about expressing our opinion with Ross as an auditor, and remonstrated with him, but he swore that we were in his charge and by G---d he would do as he pleased. So we were forced to speak out, and soon found three for the for the plaintiff and one for the defendant, the other two saying they would go with the rest of us when we agreed. Ross and his friend from the forks arguing and swearing for their friend, the defendant, and three arguing as earnestly for the other side; thus it became dark and soon commenced raining and our roof began to leak. Until the rain drove them away our prison was surrounded by McConnell's friends, and we were offered all the whiskey we could drink, but three of us knowing from whence it came, indignantly refused it. Thus the time passed away---Ross and his friend covertly and openly abusing us for our stubbornness until we were wet through, for it rained as hard inside as out,and we could not keep our tallow dip lit. At length, about one o'clock, it became intolerable, and we sent word to the court that there was no prospect of agreeing, and insisting upon returning into court, which was very reluctantly granted, and after a long parley we were discharged.
Francie Foot made a settlement on the east side of the east branch of the creek in the summer of 1837, in a cabin built by a man by the name of Hueler, whose wife had died early that spring, and he, Hueler, became dissatisfied and left the country, Mr. Foot taking his place and remaining here until his death, which occurred in the fall of 1838. These, with the exception of two or three young men who did not settle here, it is believed are all that came in 1837.
At the time last mentioned, the land was not surveyed into sections, but during that season the Government surveyors came along and sectioned it, and their trails on the section lines on the prairie were visible until the land sale in the fall of 1838.
The fall of the year last mentioned was the darkest time our infant settlement ever experienced, and will long be remembered by those who were here at that time. The most of us had been here long enough to reduce our finances to a mere shadow, and had raised barely enough grain to save our families from starvation; the season had been very sickly indeed; there were not well persons enough to take proper care of the sick; death had visited our little settlement in more than one form, and to crown our misfortunes the Government ordered the whole of the Blackhawk purchase into market. Here was a dilemma. Many who had expended every dollar they had in the world in improving their claims, found themselves in danger of losing all for the want of means to enter their lands. Fortunately, through the instrumentality of John Gilbert, an Indian trader, those who held claims in this immediate vicinity obtained funds of Alexis Phelps, who at that time living in Oquawka, Ills., to enter what land they wanted. The manner of the loan was this: He, Phelps, was allowed to enter the land in his own name; he then gave the other party a bond for a deed, conditioned that they should pay him the amount which he paid for the land within one year, with twenty-five percent interest from date of the bond; and what is more remarkable is that all who borrowed from Phelps at that time had the good fortune to fulfill their contract with him and obtain their lands, or a large advance on their investment in improving it.
The Indians, though quite numerous, were not generally very troublesome, but would occasionally, when under the influence of liquor, attempt to steal a horse, or annoy us in some other way, such as throwing down our fences, or taking our corn to feed their ponies, etc. Large numbers of them were in the habit of coming here for the purpose of making sugar from the hard maple, which was, and is yet, quite abundant in the groves hereabout, and still bears the evidence of their destructive mode of obtaining sap.
The next spring after the land sale they came, as was their custom, prepared for making sugar, but the whites had recently become proprietors of the soil, and did not feel like quietly submitting to their depredations upon the timber, and after full deliberation, determined that they would not suffer the Indians to make sugar here.---The settlers, therefore, collected together with their arms and proceeded at once to the Indian's camps, where they found them very busy preparing for making sugar. The Indians were at once informed that the land now belonged to the white men---that their title had passed from them by treaty to the general Government, and by purchase to us. They, for a long time, pretended not to understand us, and affected ignorance of the subject of our visit. This caused a long parley and considerable delay. The day was coming to a close, and we found that they expected a large accession to their numbers that evening. We therefore found it necessary to make some demonstration that would not only compel them to understand us, but convince them they we were in earnest. They had built fires in their old camps, which were covered with old dry bark, entirely useless as a protection from rain, it having curled up into rolls, something like a window blind rolled up. The pieces of bark were directly over the fire where the supper was cooking. We went to one of these camps and directed the Indians to take everything that belonged to them out of the camp, telling them in their own language, as well as we were able, that we were going to burn their camp, at the same time taking a roll of bark from the top and throwing it in the fire. This seemed to convince them of our determination to force them to leave, and they at once, with our assistance, removed all their property out of danger. We were very careful not to molest or injure any property belonging to the Indians, but burned every vestige of the old camps, after which we caused them to pitch their tents where there were no hard maple trees, and late in the evening their friends came in but made no attempt to make sugar afterwards.
There was an old squaw with those whom we removed from the sugar camps, who, during the parley before burning the old camps, became very much excited, and was the only one among them who seemed to understand us, although we knew very well that all the men understood us from the first. This old woman, however, undertook to convince us that they had a right to make sugar here under treaty, and went to her tent and came out with a roll of dressed buckskin and commenced unrolling it, and to our surprise, in the center was a neatly written copy of Wayne's treaty, or as it is usually called, the treaty of Greenville. This, no doubt, had been kept in her family from the time of the treaty in 1795. This manuscript was white and pure, and looked as if it had not been written a week. No doubt her father, or perhaps, her husband, had been a warrior who had participated in the bloody conflicts of the days of " Mad Anthony," and who had been compelled to acknowledge the superiority of the whites over the dusky warriors of his doomed race.
The Indians had, with great labor, dug our some store troughs to hold sugar water, and had them on the ground ready for use, but the old woman before mentioned hearing some of us speak of them as being very good for the purpose for which they were intended, was determined they would not profit us, took an axe, and with a very clear Indian war-whoop, split them in pieces, and in a very taunting way requested us to burn them also.
In 1838 the following additions were made to the settlement: George Van Horne, Wm.Leffingwell, J. P. Hagen and Robt. Stuart; the first mentioned is now living at Wapello, Iowa; Mr. Leffingwell having been a citizen of Muscatine for many years has very recently taken his departure to that better land, where so many of the old settlers have gone before. Mr. Stuart after living here a number of years and holding some important offices in the county, removed to Cedar Falls, where he lived until his death, when his widow returned here, where she still resides, loved and respected by all who know her. The arrivals of 1839 were more numerous than any previous year, viz. Valentine Bozarth, S. A. Bagley, Enos Barnes, James Van Horne, Jacob Springer, John G. Lane, A. B. Phillips and John Bennett, are some of those who are remembered as coming that year, and it would be a gratification to the writer to give a short sketch of each, if time and space would permit, but we must hasten. The year 1840 the writer does not remember but two who made a permanent settlement in this vicinity. There may have been others---perhaps was, but we can only bring to mind Egbert T. Smith and E. T. S. Schenk, who were both well and favorably known and Mr. Schenk is now residing near Downey.
Dudley B. Dustin was among those who lived here at this time, and will be remembered for his kindness of heart, as well as his many eccentricities and jokes. He could mimic anyone to perfection, and many a time at our public gatherings would set the crowd in a perfect roar of laughter at the expense of some unlucky neighbor.
There are many incidents that might be related to illustrate the characters of those early pioneers, and the rough and tumble life led by men who were destined afterward to make their mark---one of which the writer was an eye witness. The relation of which will serve our purpose, not only to show the reader the kind of times we lived in, but also to show the effect of what was familiarly called red-eye---upon otherwise a most amiable aharacter. Some four or five of us had been to Iowa City and were returning on horse-back, and had got some where near the county line when we heard a most unearthly yell behind us, and on looking back we saw coming up on whip and spur, two horsemen, whom we soon made out to be S. C. Hastings and Dr. McKee, both of Bloomington, now Muscatine. Hastings was a lawyer, familiarly known as "Old Red," a tall muscular man, of considerable note as a lawyer and politician. "Old Red," was flourishing a bottle of whiskey in one hand and his hat in the other, while McKee followed close at his heels holding a pistol in his left hand and wielding a heavy horse whip in his right, and lashing alternately his own and "Old Red's," horse, both yelling like a couple of mad men---on they came at full speed until they came up to us. Hastings drew rein beside us, McKee taking a circle around us, flourishing his pistol in a way not altogether pleasant to those in the center of the circle, but finally discharged it in the air. "Old Red", however, after taking breath a moment, very demurely drew the cork from the black junk bottle, and turning it up---the bottle, not the cork---took from it what we considered an immensely long pull at its contents, then handing it to one of us who happened to be nearest, said, "Here, boys let's drink it all up, or the d---d fool"---meaning McKee "will get so drunk he can't ride." The bottle passing round, each kindly aiding "Old Red" in his efforts to keep his friend in his saddle to the end of his journey.
But McKee was not so far gone as to allow the bottle to be emptied without his assistance; he, therefore, made a rush at " Old Red " who had by this time resumed the guardianship of what little remained of the whiskey, and was making strenuous efforts to stow it away where it would not injure his worthy companion, who, with pistol in hand, demanded the bottle, " Old Red " refusing to give it up, swearing that he, McKee, would get drunk! The struggle soon became a hand to hand fight on horseback. Finally McKee coming alongside of his antagonist, grappled him and pulled him from his horse, and falling from his own at the same time, the two horsemen walked off together, apparently well satisfied to get out of the way. At this stage the affairs things began to look a little serious, both beligerents rising to their feet, each threatening the other with all sorts of vengeance, McKee leveling his pistol at the head of his adversary, and swearing he would have the whiskey or blow his brains out. I must say that " Old Red " in this emergency showed any amount of pluck, facing the muzzle of the pistol with admirable coolness and courage, although I think he had entirely forgotten that McKee discharged it before the affair commenced. McKee, also, failed to remember the fact, for after snapping his pistol at " Old Red " several times, he came to the conclusion that it needed a fresh cap, and in his effort to adjust to the tube, he, being off his guard, " Old Red " came down upon him with one swoop of his long arm, and swept the pistol from his hand. McKee at this new and unexpected turn of affairs, became, if possible, more enraged than before, and at once drew a dirk-knife, swearing that he would end the contest by cutting his adversary's heart out, and eating it on the spot; Hastings, in the meantime, holding the bottle in his left hand, while with the right he grasped the pistol; not, however, in a position to shoot, but with his thumb over the lock, and the muzzle sticking out of the other side of his hand, so as to inflict a blow with it in case McKee should approach near enough to strike with his knife, and thus he retreated, walking backwards, and repeating as he did so, " Go away, G---d d---n you! " But McKee in his eagerness, ventured a little too near for his own good, when " Old Red " gave him a terrible blow on the head with the muzzle of the pistol, and he fell like a log to the ground, bleeding and senseless, which ended the fight.
After a while however, McKee so far recovered as to assume an upright posture, when we dressed his wounds---" Old Red's" shirt bosom furnishing the lint to stench the flow of blood.
After some delay we were on our way again, leaving the cause of the strife on the battlefield, where I don't know but it remains to this day, the only monument of the sanguinary encounter.
S. C. Hastings, as before stated, was a lawyer, and several times a member of the Legislature, and once President of the Territorial Council; but when the gold fever of the Pacific slope commenced it carried him, with many others, to California.
The other individual was a noted dispenser of calomel and quinine, and had the faculty of giving immense doses and making enormous charges therefor---getting around a large amount of whiskey, and over-reaching his friends in a trade, and finally left, for parts unknown.
There is a fascination about pioneer life that everyone that has lived on the frontier is ready to acknowledge---a charm that, perhaps, no one fails to feel---the free open landscape, the limitless waving grass---the untainted atmosphere, the deer on the distant hills, the unearthly scream of the lynx, the howl of the prairie fox, the majesty of the storm---even the thunder seemed on a grander scale than in a densely populated country. Even the hardships and dangers incident to that kind of life had its exhilerating influence.
If one was under the necessity of grinding buckwheat on a coffee-mill for breakfast, he would eat that breakfast with all the better appetite. If he should, after working all day, be compelled to take his rifle and shoot game for his next breakfast, the enjoyment of the sport would be none the less. If we had to go with an ox team into Illinois for corn, and be gone a week at a time, our delight was the greater when we returned. All of those things the old settlers will very readily admit are not exaggerations.
Wapsinonoc township consisted of all of Muscatine county that lies west of the Cedar river. At that time, and for many years thereafter, and at our elections, all would assemble at one place and cast their votes; and, it would be interesdting to give the number of votes each year, and note the increase in population, had we the means to do so.
At this time of excitement in regard to the Railroad Bond question, a history of the west part of this county, and the important stand taken by the inhabitants of Wapsinonoc township on the vote of the county to take stock, will not be devoid of interest.
As before stated, our township consisted of all of this county west of the Cedar river, when the road, now known as the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad, first began to be talked about, and the company began to urge the people the necessity of taking stock, but the settlers were generally poor, and to raise any considerable amount by individual subscription, was soon found to be out of the question. Interested parties soon began to urge upon the authorities of the county the propriety of the county taking stock, and after some hesitation the county judge issued an order for a vote on the question of a tax for railroad purposes. At this election the contest was warm and sharp---those who were in favor of the measure being extremely energetic, while those who opposed it did so with great warmth and energy; and this township was so united on the question that there was but one vote in favor of the measure which has now become so odious, and has been so burdensome. Our township, therefore, became quite noted for its independence, and soon after gained the appellation of " The State of Wapsinonoc," which high distinction was brought about as follows:
The next day after the election above mentioned, the writer went to Muscatine, and had hardly descended from his horse until he was surrounded by the friends of the tax, who were jubilant over the success of their measure, and during a warm but friendly discussion of the question, our old friend, William St. John, came up, and in a taunting way shook his finger at the writer, saying:
"We have got you now; what will you do next?""Well," said the writer, "We will just call out the militia, that's what we'll do," and from the idea of calling out the militia on the railroad tax question we got the name of the " State of Wapsinonoc."