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The Vinton Eagle, July 6, 1900 B. L. Wick Writes an Interesting Story of Early Benton County History. Attorney B. L. Wick, of Cedar Rapids, has been up in the vicinity of Urbana and learned some Benton county history, which, being old is ever new. Below we give in part what he wrote for the Republican of Sunday: “Within the present boundary of Polk township, in Benton county, on Blue Creek bottom surrounded by heavy timber, here Samuel Lockhart erected the first cabin in the early spring of 1839, Some of the old buildings that this pioneer erected still stand, after a lapse of sixty years commemorating the great event, a monument to the pluck, perserverence and thrift of this early pioneer, who figured so prominently in the early history of the county. At that time Sam had for his nearest neighbor, one Shepherd, who during the previous year had located on the banks of the Cedar, near the Cooper mills within the corporate limits of Cedar Rapids, Lockhart and the early Benton county settlers found they had a rather poor neighbor, for the Shepherd gang stole everything in sight without even going about it, in a secret way in the night time. The question of “Mine and Thine” was never discussed, at least by the Benton farmer when looking down a barrel of a shotgun with one of the Shepherd gang at the safe end of it. In the same year, Sam Parker came and his name has gone down in history, giving the name to Parker’s Grove, a little to the south and west of Shellsburg. “He was followed by Gilman Clark who settled a mile east of what became later Shellsburg. During the fall Hugh Brody and A. J. Spencer arrived who settled in the vicinity of Lockhart, in what became Polk township. During the next year Stedman Pemrose, L. F. North, John Smith, Rube Buskirk and George Wright settled in what became Canton township in the eastern part of the county. In the next few years came Jacob Cantonwine, L. D. Bordwell, James Downs, Thomas Way and Price Kendrick, the latter three being known as the founders of Hoosier’s Point, known also as Marysville and at last christened Urbana. The founders recorded the first plat of town within the county, May 5th, 1864, and for a while Marysville was the metropolis of the county and the settlers expected it to be the county seat, but alas, “there is many a slip twixt cup and lip,” and fate decreed otherwise. It was also here that the first school was taught by a Hoosier sohool-master and in this part of the county for a long time the settlers were thickest and the price of land highest. During the years from ’45 to ’50 came Will Davis, George Sanders, A. D. Stevens, J. R. Pratt, J, Crossland, Beal Dorsey, Dan Haines, the Bryson brothers, Steven Brody, Joe Remmington, Leavenrich, William Mitchell and many others, Between ’50 and ’60 came Dr. S. B. Whiteis, Eppersons, Jewells, Johnsons, Dr. McCulley, Wychoffe. Nearly all of whom came from Indiana, Ohio and tho eastern states. “It was not till in 1847 that the first court was held in the county and then for several years afterwards few if any of the culprits of tho law could be brought to justice, thus it was that the early band of Benton county pioneers, daring honest, and law abiding got together and organized what became known as the Iowa Protective company, tho object being to deal with offenders in a pre-emptory manner. One of the by-laws was, no one could be admitted to full membership, having been suspected of horse stealing or any one who harbored such men. To this agreement was signed such names as Dave Jewell, Thomas Lockhart, Spencer Johnson, Lewis Bryson, Joe Remington, J. S. Forsythe, C. Epperson, E. Evans arid many others. This organization continued for nearly ten years, when it was finally abandoned after a long fight against horse thieves, robbers, highway men and other violators of the law. It was thought the vigilance of this brave band that the Shepherd gang and such organizations were compelled to find more lucrative quarters farther west. “The flrst term of court was held at the home of Thomas Way, one of the flrst settlers. During this session Sam Lockhart acted as forman of the grand jury, while Wiliiam Smythe came on horseback from Linn county asking admission to the bar. He became a noted jurist and an honored citizen of the state. During this term of court Linn county had two other lawyers in attendance, vis. Isbell, who later became a noted judge, and Col. L. M. Preston, just beginning his career as a lawyer, who for nearly half a century became noted in eastern Iowa as learned in law, eloquent before a jury and successful before the court. The county seat question was agitated and a commission was appointed consisting of Lockhart, Way and L. F. North who laid out and platted the town which became the county seat on the banks of the murky Cedar. It was named in honor of Col. Plym Vinton, a politician from New York, who wanted to be remembered, but for what special traits of character, no one has been able to ascertain to this day. “Not till courts had been established, till settlers had staked out their numerous claims came the Germans, who from that time to the present have been a great factor in the upbuilding of the county and making it one of the best garden spots of the state. It was in the early sixties that A. Wahl located near Urbana, a native of Alsace Loraine who removed from the state of New York in search of cheaper land, following him came Ferdinand Smith and the Ernest and Schmitt families also from New York; then later Peter Sand, Ziser, Starts, Michaels, Kremer and many others. It is noted as a Luxemburg community, and for thrift cannot be excelled in any part of the state. Many of these first settlers have been laid to rest after ended labors, but their homely virtues, their thrift, pluck and perseverance have been inherited by the children who love their parental possessions as their ancestors during the middle ages on their barocal estates along the Necker and the Rhine, and these sturdy, free loving, liberty loving descendants pay homage allegiance to no liege lord or potentate. |
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