Jasper Co. IAGenWeb
Past and Present of Jasper Co.

CHAPTER XX
FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP

Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa
B.F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912


This township lies on the south line of the county and west of Skunk River, hence is of an irregular shape, conforming as it does on its eastern border to the meanderings of that stream. It is bounded, or rather surrounded by four townships and one county line. It has two steam railroad lines, both entering the only town in the territory, Monroe, situated on the south line of the township and county. Marion County is just to the south of Fairview Township.

Being one of the original precincts of Jasper county, it was organized May 14, 1846. The order which made it a civil "township read as follows: "Ordered that Fairview precinct be bounded on the northeast by Skunk River, on the south by the county line, on the southwest by Des Moines precinct, and on the west by said county line to the said Skunk River.".

This is numbered among the oldest and richest portions of Jasper County and within its borders are to be seen many valuable and highly cultivated farms, producing their annual harvest of valuable crops, which have enriched the owners.

Among the first entries of government land in Fairview Township may be mentioned Manly Gifford, on the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 36, January 16, 1848; Joel B. Worth, the west half of the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 34, also the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of the same section, on October 10, 1848.

In the extreme southeastern portion of the township is found a large body of natural timber, as well as some in the southwestern part.

It was in this township that the original settlement of Jasper County was effected and here the first Methodist services were held at the home of pioneer Adam Tool early in 1844; a Sabbath school was organized the same year at the cabin home of Joel Worth, three miles southeast of the first pioneer settlement in the county. The first store selling general merchandise in the south part of the county was in Fairview Township. It was the property of Robert Moore and brother, in 1848, they having purchased the claim taken by Mr. Fish.

While the schools, churches and lodges will be mentioned at length in general chapters on these subjects, it may be stated here that in March 1855, the amount of school fund apportionment for Fairview Township was eight dollars and twenty-nine cents.

At the presidential election in 1852, when Scott and Pierce were the candidates for the presidency, the result of the election in Fairview Township was twenty votes for each candidate; Gen. Winfield Scott, however, carried this county.

In 1855 the temperance question was voted on in Jasper county with the following results in Fairview Township: Votes for prohibition, fifty-three, and against the measure, forty-nine.

In 1878 the total personal property of Fairview Township amounted to $82,680, including the items of 941 head of horses, 122 head of mules and asses and 2,155 head of cattle.

The records show that in 1877 the total value of all property in this township was $423,876 and the taxes paid into the treasury was $6,554.35.

The first business transacted in Fairview Township, of which there seems to be any record extant, was that of March 7, 1853, when William DeLong and Newton Wright met and divided the township into two road districts.

October 4, 1853, John E. Teeters had his stock mark recorded, which was "a swallow fork in the point of each ear."

In April 1854, Daniel Harcourt and Jacob Kipp were elected justices of the peace: Ezra Woody and Jesse Seay, constables; Theophilus Bethel, assessor; William Highland, Nimrod Cope and William DeLong, trustees; Martin Rogers, clerk.

According to the state census reports for 1905, the population of Fairview Township in that year was 1,258.

(For an account of the proposed state capitol in this township, at "Monroe City," see index of general chapters.)

THE TOWN OF MONROE

Monroe was laid out by pioneer Adam Tool in the spring of 1851, the first platting being under the name of Tool's Point. It was changed a year or two later to Monroe.

The first house erected on the plat was by James A. Tool. The same season buildings were erected by Mrs. Mary S. Fleenor, William DeLong, Daniel Hiskey, Dr. J. E. Teter, Hugh Patterson, William Peg and J. Kipp. The building erected by Mr. Hiskey was used by him for store purposes.

Mr. Peg was the first "village blacksmith." These structures were all of the frame type. Hosea Matthews had constructed a sawmill on Mikesell Creek, just north of Red Rock, and lumber could be obtained at low figures. Most of the buildings had the old style, heavy frames mortised together and fastened with hardwood pins. Only three were ventured on the "balloon" frame plan. The timbers were hewed out, studding and all. The siding was black walnut, the floors of oak, and the doors and window casings were of walnut. Long shingles were used, being split and dressed by hand. Late in 1851 a schoolhouse was built in the town.

The first child to see the light of day here was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hill. She was christened Anna and became the wife of Stephen Shellady, Esq. The eldest child of the Hill family was born in Des Moines in 1846 at the old fort, and was the second child born in the fort, the date of its birth being the 9th of January 1846. Had the child been a son, it was the intention of Mr. Hill to name him Andrew Jackson, as its father was a rock-rooted Democrat.

The first lawyer to hang out his shingle in Monroe was S. N. Lindley, who did not remain long, however, but moved to the new town of Newton. In the county seat Mr. Lindley became a successful lawyer and judge of much note.

Monroe grew steadily until 1857, when it had reached about four hundred population and was the center of a good business territory. The Des Moines Valley railroad entered the town in the month of November 1865, and on the 24th of that month the first freight was unloaded from a car.

During the Civil War was Monroe was a lively place and it sent forth its full share of men, as will be seen by reference to the war chapter.

In 1876, the Newton & Monroe Railway entered the place and this gave new life and encouragement to the town. The first road charged very high rates for freight and caused the dealers at Monroe to lose heavily, especially about 1871-2, but when connection was made at Newton with the great Rock Island system, Chicago and all eastern rates were materially reduced. Many of the Monroe dealers exchanged goods for time checks of laborers who did the railway construction work for the Iowa, Minnesota & Northern Railroad Company, but were great losers in the end, as such paper proved almost worthless.

INCORPORATION HISTORY

Monroe became an incorporated town in December 1867, but the final legal papers were not properly completed until the autumn of 1868. The records do not show the result of the first town election, but it is quite certain that the first council met December 31, 1868, and was made up of the following gentlemen: W. L. LeFever, mayor; M. K. Campbell, recorder; L. M. Shaw, Seth Dixon, J. B. Bennington, John Morrison, A. S. Elwood, trustees; William Johnson, treasurer; John I. Nichols, marshal.

The first ordinance was one to restrain persons from hitching teams to the fence around the public square.

Up to 1878 the sentiment of the people of Monroe was largely in favor of allowing liquors to be sold under a licensing system, at least for the sale and use of ale, wine and beer, but at that date a new council was elected with this in view and wiped the saloon from the town.

The following have served as mayors of Monroe: W. L. LeFever, elected in 1868; J. Kipp, 1870; H. Green, 1872; J. C. McDill, 1873; J. B: Bennington, 1874; L. M. Shaw, 1875; Melvin Nichols, 1876; G. W. Hertzog, 1877; W. T. Stotts, 1879; Aaron Custer, 1880-81; W. G. Romans, 1882; D. Hiskey, 1883; J. Cunningham, 1884; Z. Mosher, 1885; Z. Mosher, 1886; G. W. Hertzog, 1887-8; J. W. Honald, 1889; W. L. LeFever, 1890; Hugh Morrison, 1891-93; S. S. Seger, 1894-6; -- Crane. 1896-7; Hugh Morrison, 1898; S. S. Seger, 1899; J. B. Gray, 1900-01; J. Koder, 1901-02; D. J. Leveridge, 1902-3; G. M. Cowles, 1904-05; J. Koder, 1905-6-7; A. Palmer, 1908-9; W. T. Wolcott, 1910-11.

The present town officers are W. T. Wolcott, mayor; D. C. Phillips, clerk; Jonas Barr, marshal; councilmen, C. C. Worth, George H. Orcutt, George Ammer, O. G. Shaw, George Neff.

A gasoline gas plant provides sufficient light for the town. It was installed in 1902-3 at a cost of six thousand dollars, secured by floating bonds. The town has a good brick city hall and jail, but needs water works.

In 1905 the population of Monroe was eight hundred and thirty-six, according to the state census reports.

The banking interests are mentioned in the chapter on banking.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

In the spring of 1910 the business and professional interests of this old and interesting town were as follows:

General Dealers - James H. Cochrane, Frank J. Coffee, Custer Brothers & Wright, Louis H. Yost
Groceries - J. A. Murray
Meats-Irwin Heffelfinger
Live Stock - R. B. Hendershot, Mark Bateman, Charles Cramer, W. I. Shaw, William Whitted, all breeders but the first named
Drugs - W. W. Townsend
Lawyers - J. Kipp & Son, Jacob Koder
Hardware and Plumbing - Ammer & Worth
Blacksmith - George F. Anderson
Physicians - Dr. Charles J. Alpin, Leonard W. Cochrane (dentist), Robert E. Gladson (dentist). In 1911, D. H. Wheelwright, F. L. Smith
Livery - George Corroy, Thomas W. Hancock.
Merchant Tailor - Edwin A. Coburn
Millinery - Estella Broomfield, Mrs. Cora Ferguson
Cigar Maker - Harry Demming
Shoes - G. H. and I. W. Fisher
Hotel - Roberts House
Lumber - Citizens' Lumber Company
Furniture - J. & S. Scharf, Chicago Furniture Company (1911)
Exclusive Live Stock - Monroe Live Stock Company
Newspaper - The Monroe Mirror
Telephone Company - The Monroe Telephone Company, who built a fine cement block exchange building in 1910
Cement Work-L. T. Munson
Real Estate - W. T. Stotts
Buggies and Wagons - Hetherington & Son

THE CITY OF THE DEAD

The people of this community have ever taken much care and have a just pride in their cemetery. The Monroe Cemetery was established as a private enterprise on the part of Daniel Hiskey, Esq., who, in 1871, purchased twenty-two acres of land, at a cost of two thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars, within a half-mile of the public square. This was soon fitted up and properly improved for a resting place for the departed dead of the community. In 1878 the property was sold to F. M. Slusser, Esq. He continued proprietor until his death, when his heirs, a son and daughter, took the work up and have carried the same on ever since, although they reside away from Monroe. Through pioneer hardware man, L. M. Shaw, they have had this burying place well cared for and improved. Aside from this the citizens, especially the Ladies Association of Monroe, have accomplished much to beautify the sacred enclosure and through their work have succeeded in laying a fine cement walk from the city out the entire way to the cemetery, a half mile, and they have also cared for all graves and grave lots where relatives do not reside in Monroe. No obnoxious weeds and tall, unsightly grasses are permitted to grow on the grounds. The walk alone cost them eight hundred dollars. With the return of each spring time, these grounds are looked after and Memorial Day is an interesting event in Monroe district, for all gather and remember the graves of departed friends. Many fine shade trees beautify the place, both native and evergreens. There are many costly monuments, including the John D. Long shaft, forty feet high, of white marble, surmounted by an angel figure of rare design. This monument was raised by a Philadelphia firm who had to send a special freight wagon to draw the material from the railroad to the cemetery, so huge were the parts, including the great granite base. This monument, which cost ten thousand dollars, was erected to the memory of the great cattle raiser and "cattle king" of Jasper county, who at one time just before his death had eight hundred acres of Jasper County land and a mansion on one tract of it. Strange to relate, and seemingly without cause, Mr. Long took his own life by hanging, about ten days prior to a great imported stock sale he was to have on his farm. He left a daughter by his first marriage and his second wife, who was buried beside him in the spring of 1911.

When the construction of mausoleums became so popular a few years since in Iowa a company, at an expense of twenty-two thousand dollars, erected one on the Monroe cemetery grounds, on land purchased of the proprietors. This was completed in 1909 and has two hundred and fifty crypts, of which about forty are now disposed of. The prices at first were one hundred dollars, but after Mr. Maytag, of Newton, came into possession of the place it was raised to one hundred and twenty-five dollars per crypt. It is a massive piece of masonry, lined with pure white, polished marble. It contains four tiers of crypts, one above another, for both children and adults. This is a private institution and has nothing to do with the cemetery proper.

POSTOFFICE HISTORY

There has been no record kept of this office, except intermittently, so it will be impossible to go much into details. It was one of the early offices in Jasper County and the following gentlemen have served, with possibly one or two more, but this seems to be about a correct list: Mrs. Adam Tool, first in charge; Thomas Petete, 1854, John Hickey, W. L. Lefevre, Aaron Adams, I. W. Allum, O. B. Kipp, H. G. Nelson, John Vandernast, W. T. Stotts, H. A. Perrin, who received his appointment in 1897, and still holds the office acceptably to the patrons of the office H. J. Perrin is assistant postmaster.

Monroe post office was robbed May 14, 1902, when twenty-three dollars in stamps and small change were taken from the money drawer.

VILLAGE OF FAIRMOUNT

This is a station point on the old Des Moines Valley (now the Rock Island branch) railroad, situated in Fairview Township, midway between Monroe and Prairie City. It is beautifully situated by nature, being on a level plateau of prairie land separating the Des Moines from the Skunk Rivers, the timber from both streams being plainly in sight. In 1878 the place had grown to possess a Methodist Episcopal Church edifice, costing almost two thousand dollars.

At the date last mentioned Fairmount did considerable business in the shipping of farm products, including many potatoes. The present business of the place is confined to a few business houses, a church and the usual small shops such as are demanded by the farming community. The county directory of I910-11 gave the population of Fairmount as fifty. The general dealer was Arch Livingston, who was postmaster, grain dealer, J. M. Porter & Sons.

A Methodist Episcopal church is sustained here, the same being cared for by the pastor from Prairie City. The post office at Fairmount was established in 1876. It is a fourth-class office, and has had but two postmasters, George Volk and A. Livingston. It is a small office, having transacted only one hundred dollars worth of postal business during the last year. Two mails are received and one sent each way daily.

FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP AND THE CIVIL WAR

Fortunate, indeed, are the publishers to obtain a true certified copy of the list of soldiers who went from this township to the Civil War. The list is certified to by R. C. Anderson and Robert Elwood, sworn to before Notary Public Simeon B. Tefft, January 11, 1865. The company and regiment in which these men served will generally be found in the War chapter of this work, hence will not be repeated in this connection, but their age will be here published showing, as it does, that Fairview sent forth from her midst youth and age, the best blood and flower of the community. Other townships may have equaled this, but no record is found:

Armstrong, Richard, aged forty; Adams, Aaron, aged thirty-five; Armstrong, Samuel, aged eighteen

Brady, George, aged eighteen; Bain, Robert, aged twenty; Bain, James, aged eighteen; Bargenholts, James, aged twenty ; Box, Joseph, aged twenty-eight; Baker, Henry, aged twenty-three; Beath, Thomas, aged twenty-four' Buckhalter, Cason, aged forty-four; Bargenhalts, Peter, aged eighteen

Carr, Raymond, aged eighteen ; Campbell, M. K., aged twenty; Cowles, H. A., aged eighteen; Caple, S., aged eighteen

Dowler, Henry, aged eighteen; Deye, William, aged twenty-seven; Dibble, Milo, aged twenty-five

Eyerley, William R., aged twenty-four; Estella, William, aged nineteen; Ellwood, A. G., aged thirty-seven; Eyerly, J. B., aged twenty-six

Fudge, John C., aged twenty-one; Fudge, James W., aged twenty-three; French, Angus, aged thirty-five

Grubb, Sylvester, aged eighteen; Grubb, William, aged eighteen; Gray, Perry, aged forty; Gray, John, aged twenty-one; Gray, Samuel, aged nineteen; Gray, James, aged eighteen

Harcourt, Charles, aged twenty-three; Heron, David, aged twenty-one; Hughes, Sylvester, aged nineteen; Hawkins, David, aged forty; Hitchins, Joseph, aged thirty; Howard, A., aged eighteen; Hammond, J. Q., aged twenty; Hunter, Jacob, aged forty; Hill, John, aged twenty-one; Hill, Frank, aged twenty-five; Hill, James, aged nineteen; Hawling, Edward, aged thirty; Hawkins, William A., aged eighteen

Jordan, Isaac, aged eighteen; Jones, T. K., aged eighteen; Jones, G. G., aged twenty-five; Jordan, John, aged forty-three

Kerr, Thomas, aged twenty-one; Kerr, Wesley, aged eighteen; Kerr, George, aged eighteen; Knapp, William, aged twenty-two; Knapp, C. D., aged thirty; Kaiser, Christopher, aged eighteen; Kindle, Joseph, aged thirty

Loudenback, R., aged fifty; Lapella, John P., aged eighteen; Loudenback, I. N., aged twenty-two; Lone, J. P., aged twenty-five; Loudenback, David, aged nineteen; Loudenback, Joseph, aged twenty-one; Leeter, D. W., aged twenty-two

Mudgett, P., aged nineteen; Mudgett, Woodbury, aged nineteen; Mateer, John, aged thirty-five; Mateer, Alex, aged twenty-five; Morgan, Joseph, aged twenty-six; Murphy, H. M., aged twenty-eight; Murphy, William, aged twenty-one; Montgomery, James, aged eighteen; Moore, W. W., aged twenty-eight; Mathews, Peter, aged twenty; Mortimore, Ephraim, aged eighteen; Mathews, Alfrey, aged eighteen; Mathias, Henry, aged thirty-four; McKee, Robert, aged nineteen; McBride, John, aged eighteen; McDonald, Charles, aged twenty-one; McWilliams, Henry, aged twenty; McDonald, Allen, aged thirty; McReynolds, Ewing, aged twenty-two; McReynolds, David, aged twenty; McCarthy, J. W., aged twenty-one

Nimmo, David, aged twenty-three; Nelson, H. G., aged forty

Painter, James, aged twenty-two; Porter, Andrew J., aged twenty-one; Porter, Robert, aged eighteen; Porter, William, aged twenty; Priddy, D. M., aged forty-two; Parker, Joshua, aged thirty-one; Patterson, James, aged eighteen; Pattison, Alex, aged fifty-five

Romans, A. D., aged twenty-two; Rice, Frank, aged twenty-five; Richardson, Norris, aged twenty-five; Rogers, Edward, aged eighteen; Rutter, James G., aged thirty-one; Rutter, John, aged twenty-one; Rutter, David, aged eighteen; Robison, Jasper, aged eighteen; Robison, George, aged twenty

Sumney, Anthony, aged thirty-three; Sumney, Ransom, aged twenty-one; Staler, William, aged nineteen; Schooley, William E., aged eighteen; Schooley, James, aged forty; Stem, Jacob, aged twenty-four; Scott, David, aged twenty-two; Scott, David, aged twenty-three; Scott, James, aged twenty-one; Story, John H., aged forty-two; Story, James, aged eighteen; Shellady, Stephen, aged eighteen; Shelledy, S. B., aged sixty; Shelledy, John E., aged twenty-five; Stevens, James, aged eighteen; Sterrett, Robert, aged forty-four; Starrett, Finley, aged eighteen

Thorne, George, aged twenty; Taylor, James, aged twenty-six; Tefft, Seneca, aged eighteen; Taylor, James C, aged twenty-four; Taylor, Columbus, aged twenty-two; Taylor, John, aged thirty-five

Volk, Michael, aged twenty-two; Vaughan, H. C, aged twenty-two

Wood, Eli F., aged twenty-five; Whitted, Aaron, aged eighteen; Wilson, James, aged nineteen; Winkler, Theodore, aged eighteen; Whitman, Adam, aged eighteen; Westfall, Leander, aged twenty-two

VETERANS WHO RE-ENLISTED

These are the soldiers from Fairview township who veteranized: Robert W. McKee, H. C Vaughan, Ransom Sumney, Robert Bain, Thomas Kerr, William Eyerley, Sylvester Hughes, I. N. Loudenback, Leander Westfall, E. McReynolds, J. Q. Hammond, John Hill, James G. Rutter, William Murphy, John Schooley, William Mills, William Estee, Alex. Livingston, S. V. Shelledy, O. W. Buckhalter, Jeff Long, John Scheck, John Hiskey, H. Stem, Samuel McReynolds.

Transcribed by Ernie Braida in July 2003