Chapter XXXIII: Some Township History (1)

BERTRAM TOWNSHIP

In the history of Linn county Bertram township has played a conspicuous part, and was at various times about to be the township in which were located some of the most enterprising towns in the county. Ivanhoe, Westport, also known as Newark, and other places are well known names among the early settlers. Their locations have been wiped off the map, so to speak, on account of changed conditions. The following sketch is taken largely from manuscripts and articles written by the late John J. Daniels, one of the old citizens of Linn county, one of the early county recorders, for many years a justice of the peace, and a well known and enterprising citizen, who was always interested in the old settlers and in the development of historical research in the county in early days. Mr. Daniels says:

"In the early settlement of Linn county the territory now
forming Bertram township was selected by the early settlers
for very prominent reasons, it having good mill streams,
good water, and plenty of good timber near at hand, which
was so much needed by the early settlers for building and
fencing. Two of the early pioneers were Thomas W. and Sarah
Campbell, of Dearborn county, Indiana. They came in the fall
of 1838 and settled on the northeast quarter of section 27,
and obtained a patent from the United States March 7, 1844.
Mr. Campbell was elected the first county treasurer in 1839,
and in 1840 his first collection of county taxes for
licenses, ferries, and lands was $985.85. He died February
22, 1876.

"Perry and Catherine Campbell Oxley, of Montgomery county,
Indiana, first located in Linn township, but in the fall of
1838 came here and took up a claim on the southwest quarter
of section 22 and built their cabin in the grove near the
east line. Mr. Oxley was the first constable elected in the
county in 1839, and was bailiff of the grand jury of the
county. He was the best shot in the county. He died
September 30, 1886, universally mourned.

"Norris and Ann Cone, of Connecticut, came in February,
1839, and settled on section 21. Mr. Cone later removed to
Marion. George Cone, their son, claims the honor of being
the first child born in the township in 1839.

"James and Elizabeth Leabo and Israel Mitchell, natives of
Kentucky, in 1838 left the mining regions near Dubuque and
settled on claims in this township on the north side of the
river. Mrs. Leabo died September, 1852, and James Leabo
removed to Oregon, where he died.

"Mr. Mitchell was a graduate of a Kentucky college and
celebrated the first 4th of July at Westport in 1838, Judge
Mitchell being the orator.

"The first and only election of the county that year was
held there, thirty-two votes being cast. The first store
opened in the county was at Westport, by Albert Henry in the
fall of 1838.

"James and Mary Scott, of Indiana, came in 1838 or 1839. Mr.
Scott was an enterprising farmer. He purchased a saw mill on
Big creek and early built a large flouring mill during the
fifties. On account of the failure of crops the mill was not
a success. He died in 1894 in Marion township.

"Elias Doty, of Ohio, came in 1838 or '39, and in 1840
commenced the building of a saw mill on Big creek, but was
accidentally killed at its raising. The mill property later
passed into the hands of James R. Briney.

"James Hunter, a native of Ireland, came in 1838 and took a
claim; he died May 14, 1888, at the age of sixty-nine.

"Everett Oxley, a native of Kentucky, born in 1812, at the
age of fifteen removed to Indiana where he married Catherine
Milner, also a native of Kentucky, coming to Linn county in
1840. Mr. Oxley died in 1887. Several of the Oxley family
emigrated to Linn county.

"Jeremiah Daniels arrived in the spring of 1844 with a stock
of dry goods, trading for wheat in the fall, shipping same
by flat-boat to St. Louis. In the fall of 1847-8 he built a
saw mill on Indian creek and a few years later located a
flour mill on Big creek. Mr. Daniels died in 1882."

Mr. Daniels further states that some of the early settlers were the following:

"Michael and Peter McRoberts, Peter D. Harman, Ben and John
Dewitt, John, Joseph, and Nancy Gourly, Andrew and Thomas
Dill, Isaac, Lawrence, Elijah, and Joseph Wain, Louis
Lafore, Perry and Ann Knapp, Ada J. James, Steve, Charles,
Daniel, George, Theresa, and Ann Rose, Sylvester Lyons,
Thomas Rose, James and Thomas Piner, James M. and Susan
Doty, Abraham Darr, John Arford, Hiram and Mary Leabo-Deem,
Sam and Rachel Stambaugh, Jonathan and Dorcas Paul, John
Bromwell, Michael Cox, Louis Kramer, Dr. Grove, Dave
Stambaugh, James Briney, Leonard Speckelmeyer, James Berry,
James Anderson, Caleb Dyer, Joseph Caraway, John and Mary
Scott, and Samuel Durham."

Some of the Bertram justices have been William S. Darr, Frank Allen, W. B. Plummer, E. Doty, J. C. Anderson.

Bertram township has been the location of a number of squatter towns. William Stone first staked out a squatter town and called it Westport. He sold out his right to Albert Henry and then staked out Columbus where Cedar Rapids is now located. Henry, it is stated, erected two of the first frame buildings in this town, and in fact in this part of the county. The only sawed lumber in the entire buildings were the window frames and the casings. The siding was what was known as shaved lumber. These buildings were torn down in 1861 by Elias and Daniel Doty. One of these buildings was used by James Doty for his pottery shop up to the time of his death. Perry Oxley bought Albert Henry's squatter claim and he later sold his right, title, and interest in the town as well as in about 117 acres of land at $2.50 an acre. Now for the first time James Doty thought he would comply with the law, and on November 12, 1844, filed a plat in accordance with the law and called the town Newark, from Newark, New Jersey, his birthplace. Ivanhoe was never platted, but was only a squatter town founded by Cowles. Colonel Merritt kept the first store at Ivanhoe for parties in Rock Island. This town had better prospects of becoming a great city than any other town in the county. It had a good river frontage, a rich country around it, plenty of timber and good water, and had the government road besides. For some unknown cause the place seems to have been ignored when Marion and Cedar Rapids began to flourish. This is true, that Ivanhoe and Westport were laid out expecting the river to be the means of communicating with the outside world. The railroads, mills, dams and other things changed conditions, and the Indian trading villages came to naught.

FAIRFAX TOWNSHIP

Fairfax township lies in the extreme southwest portion of Linn county. Prairie creek, at times an unruly stream, drains this part of the county. In the early day this portion of Linn county had more or less timber, especially in what is known as Scotch Grove, northeast of the town of Fairfax. This timber has, for the most part, been cut off.

The first settlers, as far as is known, who came to this part of the county were Robert and Jane Ure with their family of grown children, in the spring of 1841. The children were John, Margaret, James, William, Robert, Walter, and David. The family had emigrated from Scotland in 1838 and gone west, locating in Ohio for a short time, removing to Iowa territory in search of land. They located in the northwestern part of the township in the grove which has since been called "Scotch Grove." The Ures wrote back to Scotland to their friends, and for many years emigrants came who located in and around Scotch Grove in Linn and Benton counties. Later came the McDowell family, the Listebargers, the McKinnons, the Mitchells, Giddings, Knickerbockers, Flahertys, Ferriters, Henrys, Cahills, Hines, McFarlands, and many others.

A cemetery was established in Scotch Grove where a number of the early settlers are buried. The cemetery near Fairfax is now the one in use, and also the Catholic cemetery southwest of Fairfax.

One of the first school teachers in the township was Mrs. Keziah McDowell, who taught in a private house. The first school building was erected in 1855 on the place where the Elm Grove school now stands. The first teacher who taught in a school building was a Mr. Eckerman, who boarded around. The families who had children attending school at that time were the McKinnons, the Listebargers, and the Hodges.

The first reaping machine in this part of the county was purchased by William Ure at Chicago in the summer of 1847, and was a hand-raking machine. Mr. Ure drove with an ox team to Chicago and returned with a machine in time for cutting the grain that summer. After he got started all the neighbors helped and the machine was run night and day until the season was over and the grain harvested.

The Scotch families were United Presbyterians, and for many years attended church in Cedar Rapids. In May, 1858, the Presbyterian church was organized and established in Scotch Grove. The fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of this church was celebrated in 1908, and the paper read by Miss Jennie G. Mitchell, daughter of James Mitchell, now residing in Cedar Rapids, gives a full history of the church and of many of the old settlers of this county, and is herewith inserted in full:

"THE ORIGIN OF FAIRFAX U. P. CHURCH

"The first settlers in this part of Linn county, Iowa, were
Robert and Jane Ure, who, with a family of grown children,
came here in the spring or summer of 1841. The children were
John, Margaret, James, William, Jane, Robert, Walter, and
David. The family had emigrated from Scotland in 1838 and
spent the intervening years near Springfield, Ohio. But land
was high in the old settlements and they came 'west' where
they could enter government land, settling, or at first
camping, on the same ground where this church is built. Log
houses were soon erected and some land entered and a few
years later a brick house was built, the first in this part
of the country. The brick was made by the boys and the
entire house erected without the assistance of any expert,
the lime being hauled all the way from Muscatine. The Ure
family did not leave their religion in the Auld Kirk in the
Homeland, but during all their travels, whether they tarried
or camped for only the night, the morning and evening
sacrifice of family prayer was offered; and on Sabbath at
noon the family were gathered and God's word read, followed
by praise and prayer. Thus they kept God's holy day and
worshiped in their own home until preaching could be
obtained, and by searching the records of the First United
Presbyterian church of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, we find that on
the 9th day of September, 1850, a meeting was held and a
petition forwarded to the Associate Presbytery of Iowa,
asking for a supply of preaching, and in 1851 the
congregation in Cedar Rapids was organized, the Ure family
uniting with them.

"The cheap land and plenty of timber attracted others, and
in the early fifties the McKinnon family came from Scotland
and settled in Linn county near Scotch Grove. In 1852 Samuel
and Sarah Hall, with their large family, settled at Sisley's
Grove, and in 1854 James Cleghorn, Sr., with his two
children and John and Agnes Anderson. James Cleghorn and
Agnes Anderson were brother and sister. James Cleghorn, Jr.,
is still living near where they located and built their
first home. Robert Brownlie and family now reside where the
Anderson home was built. This same year (1854) Joseph and
Margaret Humphrey and family came and settled south of
Prairie Creek, and in the spring of 1855, James and John
Mitchell with their wives and families, and later Walter
Mitchell and John and Jane McGregor with their families of
sons and daughters, and a few years later Moses Mitchell,
all finding homes in and around Scotch Grove.

"The Ure family, thus re-inforced, soon after began an
effort to secure preaching at Scotch Grove. But who first
proposed asking for preaching, or where the meeting was
held, is not on record and can not be recalled, but a minute
on the records of the Cedar Rapids church, dated May 25,
1856, reads thus: 'The people of Scotch Grove presented a
petition and were granted one-fourth of the pastor's time.'
But by whom this petition was presented is not recorded.
Another record reads: 'At a meeting of the United
Presbyterian church of Kingston, held on Tuesday afternoon
at four o'clock, July 6, 1858, the following paper was
adopted: Action of the United Presbyterian congregation of
Kingston in relation to the organization of a church at
Scotch Grove, Linn County, Iowa. _Resolved_: that we approve
of the organization with the understanding that they
continue in connection with us as the same pastoral charge
until otherwise ordered by the Presbytery.' But the name of
the Presbytery is not mentioned. It is supposed that Joseph
Humphrey carried the petition to Presbytery. The
organization was granted and on the 12th day of August,
1858, a meeting was held in the home of James and Mary Ure,
a sermon preached and the congregation organized by Rev.
Hugh Sturgeon. There were fifteen charter members, and the
name given the congregation was 'Fairfax.' The names of all
present can not be recalled, but we remember that John
Beatty, who later with his family came to the neighborhood,
brought Mr. Sturgeon and was present at this meeting. Three
elders were elected, Joseph Humphrey, Alexander Johnson and
James Mitchell. James Mitchell did not accept the office and
at a later meeting James Ure was elected and with the other
two, ordained and installed. Thus organized and equipped
they began the work with high hopes and willing hands, if
not much ready money. There being no public building which
could be used for religious meetings, they were held in
homes, most of the time in the home of Miss Margaret Ure.
Rev. Sturgeon did not long remain and others came. Revs.
Douthett, A. J. Allen, Sawhill, Fulton, and others. Doctor
Roberts of the Covenanter faith preached a few times. One
occasion is remembered when he was to preach in the home of
Mr. Wadsworth, where Mr. and Mrs. William Russell now live.
Heavy rains had fallen during the week and Prairie creek was
over its banks, with the bridge either washed away or
overflowed. Several families lived on the other side who
must attend the service on the Sabbath, no thought of the
high water being an excuse for staying at home. They wished
to attend and were needed to assist with the singing. The
names of three families are remembered: Dixon, Junk, and
Humphrey. Among other plans some one suggested building a
raft, whom we do not remember, but superintended by Andrew
Mitchell the work was begun, and finished Saturday
afternoon. Sabbath afternoon the families came in their
wagons as far as the creek, where they were met by neighbors
on this side, ferried across by Andrew Mitchell, and
conveyed to the home of Mr. Wadsworth. After the service
they were brought back to the place of crossing and again
ferried over, all in a quiet way becoming the day and
occasion. Thus obstacles were met and overcome with the
persistent determination of people who retained some of the
spirit of their invincible John Knox. But a school house was
erected in the early sixties, known as the James Ure school
house, and religious meetings were held here. If possible,
preaching, if not, Sabbath school and prayer meeting until
their first pastor, Rev. J. T. Torrence, came among them.

"Shall we ask: Did the work prosper? How well, vines
transplanted from the Scotch Grove church in Nebraska,
Kansas, Colorado, Idaho and far-off California will testify.

"Is it possible to over-estimate the courage and
perseverance of our fathers and mothers, who began the work
in this new country under the great difficulties and
privations, and whose faith, as well as strength of arm, has
made possible the privileges we, their children, enjoy? We
trust we shall not forget, but to succeeding generations
tell the heroism of the daily strife and the earnestness and
value of the twice daily prayer, 'All honor to the builders
of this Church.'

'The world may sound no trumpets--ring no bells,
The book of life the shining record tells.'

"THE CHARTER MEMBERS

"Fifty years is a longer time than the memory of most of
those living runs. The span of life is not always, in fact
not usually, lengthened to include events so wide apart in
space of time.

"Fifty years ago, the great Civil war had not been fought,
and it was the hopes of those who held the welfare of their
country nearest to their hearts that such a calamity might
be averted. Fifty years ago, the memory of those two great
national characters, Webster and Clay, whose eloquence and
zeal postponed that great contest a decade, was fresh to the
little band that bound themselves together here at Scotch
Grove that they might have the privileges of a church home.

"In May of 1858, the United Presbyterian church was formed
by the union of the Associate Presbyterians and Associate
Reform Presbyterian churches. In the fall of that same year,
fifteen devoted Christian citizens organized the new
congregation and called it the United Presbyterian Church of
Fairfax, Iowa.

"It is interesting to note that while these fifteen early
pioneers were planning for the organization, Abraham Lincoln
was debating with Douglas the merits of the Dred Scott
decision.

"These fifteen charter members were:

"Samuel Hall and wife, Sarah Hall.
"Joseph Humphrey and wife, Margaret Humphrey.
"Alexander Johnson and wife, Janet McKinnon Johnson.
"James Mitchell and wife, Margaret McArthur Mitchell.
"John Mitchell and wife, Margaret Mitchell.
"William McKinnon and wife, Janet McKinnon.
"James Ure and wife, Mary Ure, and
"Miss Margaret Ure.

"Associated with these fifteen charter members in word and
work were John McGregor and wife, Jane Robertson McGregor,
who later became members of the new organization.

"Of these persons, there are three still living--Mr. and
Mrs. James Ure, who live at Denver, Colorado, and Mr. James
Mitchell, who lives at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. [Mr. and Mrs. Ure
are now deceased, 1910].

"James and Margaret Ure were among the very earliest
settlers in this community. They, with their parents, had
come to Iowa in 1841, five years before the territory was
admitted to statehood. Both were born in Scotland and came
to America in 1838, settling near Springfield, Ohio, where
they lived till they came west. In 1857 James Ure was
married to Mary Kerr. She was born in March, 1835, in
Mercer, Pennsylvania, where she spent her early childhood,
later removing with her parents to Dubuque, Iowa. They began
housekeeping on their farm just east of the grove, where
they lived till April, 1892, when they moved to Denver,
Colorado.

"In September, 1879, Mr. Ure asked for his certificate of
admission, which was granted. He was one of the ruling
elders elected at the time of the organization.

"Margaret Ure was born in Scotland in 1821. After coming to
Scotch Grove she resided on the Ure homestead, now owned by
Jas. Rogers. She was a woman of great abilities and was
always liberal in giving of her time and means to the work
of the church. The church building was not erected for some
years after the organization of the congregation and her
home was always open for the holding of services during this
time. The pulpit furniture now in use was a gift of hers.
She removed to Cedar Rapids in 1884, where she died. She was
buried in the Fairfax cemetery.

"James Mitchell, one of the three surviving charter members,
and who now resides at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was born March 3,
1821, in Buchlyvie, Stirlingshire, Scotland. He came to
America in 1851 and settled in New York state. July 8, 1853,
he was married to Margaret McArthur and in July, 1855, came
to Linn county, Iowa. Mrs. Mitchell was born June 8, 1823,
and died June 20, 1904, at the age of 81 years and 12 days.

"At the time Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell came west, in 1855, the
railroad ran no farther west than to Rock Island. At this
point they, in company with Margaret and William Ure, were
compelled to cross the Mississippi river on the ice. It was
here that they received their first initiation into the life
of hardship and peril that fell to the life of the early
pioneer. While crossing the river, the wheels of their dray
began to cut through the ice. There was danger of the ice
giving way and all being drowned, but by means of levers and
props they were able to reach the Iowa shore in safety.

"When Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell reached Scotch Grove, they took
for their home a small log house some five or six rods
southwest from the present church building, and with the
munificent sum of ten dollars with which to furnish their
home, started to carve out their career in the new country.
With Mrs. Mitchell there was little thought of what her
spring hat would be like, or what she should serve when it
came her turn to give a Kensington to the ladies of the
community. It would probably be some days before any money
would find its way into the family purse, and those ten
dollars must be guarded with jealous care. True, potatoes
could be had, and Mr. Ure and his family had proven that the
potato could be used as the sole article of diet for at
least three months.

"In 1898 they removed to Cedar Rapids, where four years ago
Mrs. Mitchell died. She was buried at Fairfax cemetery. Mr.
Mitchell is now eighty-seven years of age. He was elected to
the office of ruling elder in December, 1879, which he
filled till the time he removed to Cedar Rapids. July 8,
1903, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell celebrated their golden wedding.

"John Mitchell came to America in 1853. Margaret McGregor
Mitchell was born in Sterlingshire, Scotland, September 8,
1831. In 1852 she came to America with her parents, settling
in New York state. The following year she was married to
Mr. John Mitchell and in 1855 came to Scotch Grove. Here
they settled in a small log house near the present church
lot. Robert Ure, father of James and Margaret Ure, had,
during the time of the gold excitement in California, built
three of these houses, the first being erected without the
use of a nail.

"Mr. Mitchell entered forty acres of land west of where the
Conley school house now stands. After the school house was
built, preaching services and Sabbath school were held
there, and Mr. Mitchell was one of the most active in
lending help and maintaining the services. He died January
17, 1896, at Norway; she February 3, 1892. Both were buried
in the Fairfax cemetery.

"Alexander Johnson was born in Pennsylvania, his father
coming to America from Ireland. On coming to Iowa he lived
at Cedar Rapids for a time, where he teamed. Here he lost
his first wife and was later married to Janet McKinnon, who
was born in Bo'ness, Scotland, and came to America in 1845.

"Mrs. Johnson owned some land at Que's Grove, now known as
Quam's Grove. This she bought from the government. Mr.
Johnson had money with which to build a house and they thus
moved on the land, where they lived till the time of his
death.

"Mr. Johnson was elected to the office of ruling elder when
the congregation was organized, and was at all times an
active and persistent worker in the church. He had become
attached to his early church home and was reluctant to
leave. It may seem strange, but yet it is true, that the
place where a person spends the best years of his life,
where he has toiled and labored to make a home, becomes in
old age, after he is compelled to lay down his labors, the
spot that is dearest to him. He had seen the community grow
and develop, and as it had grown, his hopes had opened.

"Some time prior to his death, the members of his family
wanted to remove to Washington, Iowa. He could not entertain
the thought of leaving his old home community, whose growth
and development had meant so much to him, and in a
conversation with a member of the congregation remarked that
he had said, 'If they take me away from here, it will be in
my coffin, but now I have given my consent to go.'

"He was not permitted to make the change. During the latter
part of his life he was confined to his bed. He died at
Norway, having reached the age of eighty-four years. Mrs.
Johnson died three years ago at Washington, Iowa.

"Joseph Humphrey was born in New York state, January 19,
1816, and when quite young his parents removed to Butler
county, Pennsylvania. In 1836 he was married to Margaret
Gill. She was born May 30, 1818, in Butler county,
Pennsylvania. They came to Iowa May 5, 1855, and settled
near Norway.

"In the church he occupied the highest office to which a
private member can be called by the voice of the
congregation, that of ruling elder, being chosen elder at
the organization of the congregation. He had a high sense of
the responsibility of his office, viewing it as one of
divine authority. It was his study, as a steward of God, to
fulfill its duties and maintain its authority. He was
punctual and regular in attendance at all the meetings of
the congregation and gave largely of his means and time in
forwarding its interests. He believed that the minister was
worthy of his hire, and rather than neglect this duty he
would let his boys go barefooted to church. He died December
5, 1871, at the age of fifty-six years. Mrs. Humphrey died
May 22, 1900, eight days before her eighty-second birthday.
Both were buried in Fairfax cemetery.

"Samuel Hall was born March 29, 1806, in Westmoreland
county, Pennsylvania. His wife, Sarah Jobe Hall, was born
October 8, 1808, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. In April
of 1851 they came to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and entered land
just west of that place, where they lived till their removal
to Cedar Rapids in 1883. Mrs. Hall died March 10, 1886, and
Mr. Hall on the 13th, three days later. Both were buried in
the same grave in Sisley Grove cemetery. They were one of
the four couples mentioned here, who celebrated their golden
wedding.

"Mr. and Mrs. William McKinnon were born in Scotland and
were married before coming to America. They came to Scotch
Grove at an early date, about 1852. For a time they lived
with David McKinnon, east of the grove, and later moving to
their new home north of Norway. Moved to the western part of
the state and there died.

"During the early days of the new congregation, Mr. McKinnon
rendered valuable services as leader in the singing. His
clear and distinct voice could be heard and followed with
ease by the body of the congregation.

"Mr. and Mrs. John McGregor were both born in Scotland, he
May 11, 1801, in Callander, she August 13, 1806, in Bo'ness.
They came to America in 1852, settling in New York, and in
1857 came to Iowa where they settled on a farm west of the
grove. Mr. McGregor was active in the work of the church and
especially in the raising of funds for the new church
building. Both were loyal supporters of the church, and were
among those who kept their membership in the congregation
till the time of their death.

"The same vessel that brought them to America brought Mr.
Jas. Mitchell. It was a sailing vessel and required six
weeks to cross the ocean. This past summer their
great-granddaughters made the voyage in the Lusitania in
less than five days.

"In 1877 they celebrated their golden wedding at their home,
the same home they chose when first coming to Scotch Grove.
Mr. McGregor died November 8, 1894, at the age of
ninety-three years, the greatest age reached by any of the
early members. August 13, 1880, Mrs. McGregor died, being
just seventy-four years old. Both were buried in the Fairfax
cemetery.

"Conditions then and now are quite different. Railroads were
not yet built into the community. At one time the produce
had to be hauled to Davenport and Muscatine. It took a week
to make the trip and when one got back home, little was left
to encourage another trip. There were no roads in many
places, and the oxen, which were often used in those days,
frequently left the wagon stuck in some slough. Before
railroads were built into Cedar Rapids, a steamboat came up
the river from the Mississippi, bringing groceries and
dry-goods and carrying the produce back. No money could be
had for the grain and stock. One must take in exchange for
them groceries and dry-goods. The panic of 1857 had not yet
spent its force. Such were the conditions surrounding the
early pioneers when the congregation was organized.

"These members were not only pioneers in carving out homes
in a new country, but they were pioneers of the faith.
Religious services, Sabbath school and prayer meetings were
held at Conley school house, at Norway, and at Livermore
school house, besides those held at the church. They
cherished the hope and faith in the divine which they had
brought with them to the new country, and were persistent in
offering to all who might come, the advantages of the
sanctuary.

"The early pioneers are always men of firm faith, sturdy and
strong in their beliefs, set in their opinions. It is not to
be wondered at, that when the question of where to erect the
new church building arose, there were differences of
opinion. Some wanted it located at Brownlie's corner, some
at Conley's school house and some just west of the present
site. It was at such times that William Ure stepped into the
threatened breach and by his calm counsel brought unity to
the opposing opinions. Although not a member of the Fairfax
congregation Mr. Ure rendered services as valuable as any of
its members in giving financial aid and in other ways.

"Of these fifteen charter members, Mr. and Mrs. James
Mitchell, James and Margaret Ure, William McKinnon and John
Mitchell were all born and lived during their childhood in
the same community in Scotland. They were all baptized by
the Rev. Mr. Russell, and they attended the same church and
school. In coming west to the new country they chose out a
beautiful spot, fertile and productive. During the fifty
years, within the memory of one of the charter members, land
that was bought from the government for $1.25 per acre has
been sold for $150 per acre.

"Four of these couples, Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Mitchell, Mr. and
Mrs. Samuel Hall, Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Ure, and Mr. and Mrs.
John McGregor, have celebrated their golden weddings. Of
these early pioneers of Scotch Grove, one has passed the age
of ninety years, six have passed the age of eighty years,
and but two died before reaching the age of seventy, a
beautiful commentary upon their rugged and sturdy character
and habits."

BOULDER TOWNSHIP

Boulder township is located in the northern part of the county and despite its name is one of the most fertile and productive portions of the county. The surface is generally rolling, dotted in an early day with excellent groves of native timber. Buffalo creek in the days before windmills were in common use was a much prized stream which was used by farmers near and far, for the use of their stock. William Wagner is supposed to have made the first settlement in 1850. He was shortly followed by William McQueen and Silas Edington. Later came the following named persons: John Wagner, Will Ward, H. B. Brown, Frank Cooly, J. Wilds, J. Barnhardt and Ben Harrison. In the early fifties came an itinerant Methodist minister, John Bell, and organized a small congregation, services being held in a school house near the present site of Prairieburg. The John McQueen grist mill which began operation about 1854 on Buffalo creek, a mile southwest of Prairieburg, was a noted mill in its day and was largely patronized by the early settlers. The town of Prairieburg was named by Henry Ward, the first postmaster. The first house was a log structure built by Joe Barnhardt in 1853. N. Parsons erected the second house and Henry Wayne the third, which was a store building where he opened a store. In 1856, Will Wagner started a shoe shop, and other buildings, such as hotels and blacksmith shops came later. The recent advent of the railroad has boomed the town and the price of land has increased greatly. A number of the early settlers and their descendants are still land owners in this township, Coquillette, Whitney, Paul, O'Rourke, Carpenter, Walker, McQueen, Burke, Rundle, Pillard, Nelson, Lacy, Leonard, Le Clerc, Smith, Cushman, Hill, Soesbe, Garvis, Drexler, Tear, Considine, Matsel, and other well known families.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP

Clinton township, with a population of 1,000 people, located in the western tier of townships, has a rich, productive soil and has been farmed continuously for sixty years and the soil shows no sign of deterioration. The farmers residing in Clinton township have well improved farms, good roads and a number of fine school houses and churches. For many years the road known as the Toledo road, as well as the Marengo road, were the two chief thoroughfares for travelers, gold seekers, and others, and consequently it was early well advertised.

Among some of the early settlers in this township may be mentioned John Conley, Hiram Usher, Joe Brown, Dyer Usher, George Buchanan, Reese and the Langhams, and scores of others who came here in the '40s.

James Yuill, Henry Maurer, John Fox, Whiteneck, Sisley, Kuhn, Wieneke, Lederman, O'Connell, the Miller family, Misners, Scotts, Swetts, Hall, Snell, and many others of the early settlers came here in an early day, building up the community. They have long since passed away leaving their children and grandchildren large tracts of productive land.

Sisley Grove was at a very early time a place where all the settlers, as well as travellers, congregated. The grove at that time was much larger than it is at present, and many of the farmers adjoining owned small tracts of land in this grove where they cut rails and fence posts for their farms during the winter.

Here is also located a cemetery where many of the old settlers are buried, and at an early day a church was built at which the early pioneers congregated once a week to hear the word of God preached. In the absence of any regular preacher frequently the pioneer farmers preached to the congregations. This church was abandoned some years ago and the congregation has since worshiped at Fairview, a few miles further east.

Here, also, was located Kuhn's blacksmith shop and hotel. Kuhn was a queer old fellow, who not only was an expert blacksmith but the only one for miles who was competent to shoe oxen, and consequently during the winter months he was a very busy man. Kuhn not only was a good horseshoer and blacksmith, but he was a dentist as well and pulled teeth when blacksmithing was slack. At one time he pulled a tooth for an old settler with an instrument used in those days and as it was pretty severe he gave a drink of whiskey to stop the pain. After the fellow fully recovered his senses the tooth ached as before and the patient learned that the dentist had pulled the wrong tooth and so informed the blacksmith, to which the blacksmith replied, "That will be easy to remedy, just take another drink and we will go at it again, and you will not be out very much as my charges are only ten cents a tooth." Old Mr. Kuhn seemed to know the wants of the community, for he kept a barrel of whiskey in his blacksmith shop and sold the stuff at thirty cents a gallon, and served free drinks to anyone on paying his bill. The hotel was not a modern kind of a house, but was generally full, as travellers in those days were plentiful. The old man also sold feed to travellers and consequently he generally got a little something out of every traveller who passed by Sisley Grove.

The grove was named in honor of the first settler who owned most of the land, on which the grove is situated. During the early '50s and '60s Clinton township produced more wheat, it is said, than any other township in the county, all of which was hauled to Cedar Rapids.

BUFFALO TOWNSHIP

Buffalo township was first settled by George C. Perkins, who came here in 1839 and made a claim which he occupied thereafter during his lifetime. In the early days it was well wooded and consequently much of this land was sold in small strips to adjoining farmers.

GRANT TOWNSHIP AND WALKER

For the following interesting sketch of the early settlement of northwestern Linn county we are under obligations to Justin Barry, editor of the Walker _News_.

Grant township, forming the northwest corner of Linn county, was organized in 1872 as the result of a struggle over the levying of a tax in aid of the construction of a railroad. The B., C. R. & N., since incorporated into the Rock Island system, had projected a line from Cedar Rapids north toward the Minnesota line. Washington township, then embracing much more territory than at present, had voted a five per cent tax in aid of the road. Those living in the northern portion of the township rebelled, and in an effort to escape the tax petitioned for a division of the territory and the formation of a new township. They succeeded in the latter effort and the new township was designated Grant, in honor of General Grant, who was then president. However, the people did not escape the tax, and some of those who most vigorously opposed it later embarked in business in the new town of Walker, which sprung up with the coming of the railroad, and thus their defeat became in fact the foundation for modest fortunes, which came from the large territory and the equally large profits of pioneer business days.

As the earlier settlers sought out the timbered sections regardless of the quality of the land, what is now Grant township, comprised as it is almost wholly of prairie, was one of the last portions of the county to be developed. Some few settlers came early, but progress generally was slow. A family named Norris was the first to settle within its territory, being already located along what is now its southern border when John K. Speake and family came in 1840. The Norrises have since disappeared and no one seems to know whither they went. James Buforde Speake is now the oldest living settler in the township, and though past eighty years of age he continues to operate the farm in section 19 on which his father filed when the family arrived here from Illinois in 1840.

Other settlers came at long intervals, but for many years after the arrival of the first it was predicted with great assurance that the northern portion of the township never would be settled but would always remain a wilderness. And yet this valley, including the present town site of Walker, lying north of what in the early days was called Wright's Grove, now Fox's Grove, must have presented an attractive picture and one of rare beauty in its wild state, viewed from the surrounding hills, a little creek winding its way through the center, flanked all about by great rolling ridges and fringed on either bank with willows, with here and there a giant oak towering above all else.

William Davis settled in the southwest portion of the township in 1841, and on his farm in about 1850 or a little earlier was laid out the first cemetery in the township. It is still in use for that purpose and many of the monuments erected in the early days bear quaint inscriptions. Mr. Davis died in 1866, leaving a large estate to his sons, Hezekiah and Edward, who carried on extensive farm operations. The former kept a pack of hounds and for many years scoured the country for miles around in search of wolves. The Davises later met with reverses and left the county years ago shorn of a large share of the princely estate, which once had embraced many hundreds of acres of land in Benton and Linn counties.

E. D. Hazeltine, who died only a few weeks ago at his home in Center Point, was another early settler in the southern portion of the township, and he was long active in all its interests. He served for some time in the early days as a county commissioner. During the '50s numerous pioneer families arrived, including those of Thomas Fee, W. C. Ring, C. G. and Benjamin Gitchell, W. S. Bliss, Chorydon Gilchrist, Christian Iehl, and others.

Following the close of the Civil war development was more rapid, a number of soldiers fresh from the service joining the pioneers in their work of subduing the wilderness. In 1873 when the railroad arrived settlement had reached the northern border of the township, where James A. North, Walker Purviance, William Moses and others were located. The building of the railroad brought the establishment of a new town on section 4, which was called Walker, in honor of W. W. Walker, then chief engineer and afterward superintendent and receiver of the road.

James K. Hotchkin built the first business building, opening a general store, and he was also appointed as the first postmaster. The second business building was erected by Theo. Hamblin, present mayor of the town, who engaged in the grocery business. O. C. Barnes built a hotel on the site now occupied by the Walker _News_ office, and Fred Hoffman erected the store building now occupied by S. Liddle. The first residence was built by C. G. Gitchell, who leased his farm in section 21 and engaged in the lumber and grain business in partnership with Fred Hoffman, and Mrs. Gitchell was the first woman resident of the town. Messrs. Gitchell and Hoffman prospered greatly in business, amassing modest fortunes, and both remained for many years among the leaders in business affairs. Mr. Gitchell later represented his county for two terms in the lower house of the General Assembly of Iowa.

The town grew steadily and at once became an important market point, tapping a wide territory of rich farming country, and for many years it has been recognized as the best shipping point on the Decorah division of the Rock Island, barring only one or two of the larger cities. The farmers soon turned their attention largely to dairying, and in the town now is one of the finest creamery plants in the state, "Walker" butter having gained a wide fame in the city markets.

Municipal affairs have been wisely and economically administered ever since the incorporation of the town in 1891, when the following were chosen as the first officers: Mayor, W. A. Jones; councilmen, C. G. Gitchell, J. P. Bross, H. J. Nietert, J. N. Keys, Theo. Hamblin and P. L. Hutchins; recorder, O. C. Swartz; treasurer, M. B. Dodge; assessor, E. R. Wheeler; marshal, J. M. Peyton. Walker now has a pretty park embracing about two blocks of ground, a complete municipal water-works system affording fire protection to all portions of the town, and a well equipped fire department. The water-works system has just been re-enforced by the sinking of a second deep well, affording an inexhaustible supply of water, and the installation of a second pumping equipment.

The town's graded school system has reached a high standard of efficiency, and its graduates rank well as teachers and as students in higher institutions. The school has four departments, all of them crowded to their full capacity, the enrollment including many tuition scholars. Several thousand dollars have already been set aside as the foundation of a fund for the erection of a new brick school building, which will be a necessity within a few years.

The town is well supplied with churches, having four protestant and one Catholic society. In the order of their organization they are: Methodist Episcopal, Free Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian, Christian. The first church organized in the town was in 1874 by the Wesleyan Methodist, but that denomination has since passed from the field.

That the town and surrounding country are prosperous and rapidly growing in wealth is shown by the fact that Walker now boasts of two strong banks having resources reaching a half a million dollars, and with deposits steadily increasing. Its business men are enterprising and progressive.

Regularly laid out, its streets lined with shade trees, bordering permanent walks and well kept lawns, the town presents a pretty appearance, and town officials and citizens seem to vie with each other in their efforts to maintain its reputation as being one of the prettiest towns in the county.

MAINE TOWNSHIP

We are indebted to a loyal citizen of the county for the following historical sketch of one of the finest districts in the county--Maine township. Dr. Ward Woodbridge has treated sympathetically the early days in and around Central City. He long has lived there, has been a potent factor in the development of his community, and knows whereof he speaks.

Maine township geographically is located in the northeast
corner of Linn county, being in the second row of townships
from both the north and east.

Its shape is an irregular triangle, containing forty-seven
square miles, making it one-third larger than the average
township. This is due to an early arrangement whereby a
portion of Buffalo township became a part of Maine. The
Wapsie river divides Buffalo township nearly in the middle.
In its early history the larger number of people resided
south of the river, as there were no bridges in those days,
and the river held a high stage of water, making it
difficult to cross. These people finally asked to be
attached to Maine township for administrative purposes, and
all that portion of Buffalo on the south side of the river
was made a part of Maine, and has never been restored.

The Wapsie river runs along the northeastern border of
Maine, and is the dividing line between it and Buffalo.

Along the river, and from one to three miles in width on
either side, the land is somewhat hilly, sandy, and has been
heavily timbered. When the more level country is reached it
becomes a gently undulating plain, rich black loam and very
productive.

As we turn in retrospect, seeing its growth and development,
we can see the work of the hardy and determined pioneers on
every hand. It was they who blazed the way. It was they who
built this Appian way of progress. It was their devotion and
privation, patiently endured, that have caused not two, but
myriads of blades of grass to grow where hitherto the one
blade was trampled under foot by the roving Indian and
buffalo, and although their forms have vanished and their
voices are stilled, and the hands roughened by honest toil
lie quiet, yet their work lives after them. They left that
imprint on both descendants and administration which makes
of the Maine township citizenship today a sturdy,
hard-headed class, whose public opinion always crystallizes
on the side of righteousness, of truth and justice. Its
people never have to apologize for their course.

Probably the first white settler was John Jenkins, who came
in 1838 and settled on the farm adjoining Central City known
as the Ormus Clark farm. In 1839 Joseph Clark bought the
farm of Jenkins, he being a son-in-law of Clark. It lies to
the southwest of Central City, and a portion of it lies
within the corporation. It is now owned by C. C. Crane.

In the winters of 1838-1840 a few trappers wintered along
the banks of the Wapsie, but the names of no permanent
settlers are recorded.

In the spring of 1840 two young men, natives of Maine,
landed in Maine township. They had left their state two
years before and stopped at Peoria, Illinois, working there
through the summer, and going south in the winter where they
worked in the cotton yards of New Orleans. Returning from
New Orleans in the spring of 1840 they bought three yoke of
cattle, a big prairie plow, and what other necessaries they
needed, and headed for the Mississippi river. Crossing it
they drove on and on until arriving one evening at the place
known as "Jordan's Grove" they camped for the night. The
next morning they cooked breakfast, and while one of them
went out to gather up the cattle, the other took his
bearings, and when the cattle were brought up he had the
plow out of the wagon. On inquiry from his partner as to
what he was about he said, "This looks good to me. Hitch
onto the plow." These two young men were L. D. Jordan and Ed
McKinney. They broke enough to hold their claims, went to
Dubuque and filed on them, returned, built cabins, went back
to Maine and married sisters, returned and made homes, and
Mr. Jordan lived his whole life on the spot where he
unloaded the plow, dying there in 1890. McKinney moved from
the neighborhood some years before his death. They both
lived to be old men.

In 1840 the Heaton family came, and P. A. and Will Heaton
still live in Central City, together with two or three of
the women of the family.

In October, 1844, Chandler Jordan arrived at his brother's
place. He remained all night, and in the morning got on a
horse and rode north through the grove to the brow of the
hill overlooking the Wapsie valley.

It was beautiful Indian summer. All was purple, yellow, and
gold, and the blue-joint grass stood as high as the back of
his horse all the way down the valley. He gazed fascinated,
rode slowly down the valley of a small creek that meandered
from its source in the grove, to the river. In a level place
on the bank of the creek he stopped, staked out a claim,
returned, went to Dubuque and filed on it, came back and
began improvements.

He broke the ground and raised crops, and in the spring of
1847 built a cabin on the spot where he first dismounted,
and married Sarah D. Waterhouse in June. They went at once
to the cabin and began housekeeping. Later they built more
commodious quarters, and in 1860 erected the brick house in
which they both died in 1909.

Harvey Powell came in 1844 also, and entered a fine tract of
land on the ridge west of Central City, where he lived to a
good old age.

In 1846 N. C. Gillilan came; Jennings Crawford in 1854, and
the Haas family in the early fifties.

About this time settlers began coming in so rapidly that
honorable mention can not be made of all of them, even if
they could be traced. It can readily be seen that the
earliest settlers coming from the state of Maine gave the
name to the township. They were a sturdy lot of pioneers,
determined to win success from their surroundings. They knew
no such word as fail or can't. They knew no surcease from
labor, but toiled on without murmur or complaint.

Markets were a long way off, Dubuque and Muscatine being the
principal places where they sold their produce. It took four
days to take a load to Dubuque and bring one back. They
never made the trip with empty wagons. There were no
bridges. The roads ran across the virgin prairie, and often,
when sloughs were bad, they had to take off part of the
load, drive through a bad place, unload what they had hauled
over and return for the rest, thus delaying their journey.

Finally the Northwestern road came to Cedar Rapids in 1859,
and later a road to Marion and Springville, bringing, as
they felt, markets to their very doors.

They turned the virgin soil, sowed, reaped, mowed, and
garnered the fruits of their labor year after year, early
and late alike, working with the primitive tools of that day
when most of the work was done by main strength instead of
machinery. They formed from necessity those habits of saving
every thing which, with many, later resulted in an abundance
for the rainy day. These early privations, sturdy devotion
to the work, with a fidelity well worth emulation has
brought its rewards in one of the richest agricultural
regions on earth.