HISTORY: Johnson Co., IA From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875 This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Pat April 2003 ************************************************* Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************* ________________________________________________________ NOTE: For more information on Johnson County, Iowa Please visit the Johnson County, IAGenWeb page at http://iagenweb.org/johnson/ ________________________________________________________ JOHNSON COUNTY. PHYSICAL FEATURES. The area of Johnson County is about 618 square miles, or 395,520 acres. Its surface is undulating and diversified by numerous water courses and timber tracts belting the streams, and, in groves, dotting the prairies like islands in the sea. Iowa River here makes a great bend or elbow, passing through no less than eight congressional townships ere it leaves the borders of the county, furnishing most valuable water-power and numerous sites for mills and manufactories. Peculiarly sharp angles and sweeping curves in the form of a horse shoe here mark its course. Around one of these bends, in the north part of the county, and again just below Iowa City, the high banks approach on either side contracting the stream and causing it to rise very high in time of flood. About a mile above the place where the river leaves the county, at a point called Buttermilk Falls, it rushes foaming over a remarkable bed of boulders here accumulated in great numbers. Numerous springs of pure water rise among the uplands and find their way to the Iowa River from every direction, in unfailing streams, among which may be named Old Man's, Clear, Single, Sell's or Mill, and Rapid Creeks, as furnishing good water-power. A very small area in the northeast corner is drained by Cedar River. Iowa River was once looked upon as of some importance for navigation as an outlet to the rest of the world. Light draught Mississippi boats have passed up its water as far as Iowa City, but railway communication has long since superseded all efforts in this direction for commercial purposes. The face of the country presents some variety though not in a remarkable degree. The broad, level valleys of the rivers rise gently into undulating uplands save where the rock formations jut forth in frowning low bluffs and crags against the encroaching waters. These exposures are found along Iowa River, but principally along Turkey and Rapid Creeks. They are not numerous, and consist of Devonian limestone varying considerably in lithological character from soft sandy shales to specimens capable of receiving a fine polish, a rather brittle common limestone predominating. Fossils occur frequently, especially coral, which occurs near Iowa City in considerable abundance, solidified with pure calcareous material and consolidated in the rocky strata. These masses to which the names of "Iowa City Marble" and "Bird's Eye Marble" have been given, receive a fine polish, and make beautiful cabinet specimens. About eight miles above Iowa City, on the right bank of the river, are the quarries known as the Johnson County quarries. According to the Geology of Iowa they are the best ever opened in a strata of the Devonian age in Iowa; the color of the stone a uniform light gray, its texture tough, and quality such that it has stood the severest test for thirty years unchanged. It is particularly valuable for dressing and use in massive structures. Below Iowa City, on the west side of the river, is a peculiar "knob," or high hill, overlooking the surrounding country, and known as "Indian Lookout" from its having been a favorite resort of the savages of a neighboring Indian village, when the country first became known to the pale faces. Along the river bluffs are frequent those mysterious tokens of a pre-historic race, rounded mounds of earth arranged in curious groups, but for what purpose can only be vaguely conjectured. The southwestern portion of the county is the most rolling, the northern part has the largest proportion of timber. The surface of the county is, with slight exception, composed of excellent soil and deep sub-soil derived from the "drift" which profusely covers the whole region. It is very productive, and exceedingly adapted to the production of grain, grass, fruit, and vegetables. POPULATION—RESOURCES—EDUCATION. The region thus favored by nature, and known upon the map as Johnson County, is the home of a prosperous and intelligent population, who have developed its vast material resources into fruitful sources of never failing profit and wealth. About 230,000 acres of its soil are annually tilled by their plows. Some definite idea of the vast amount of grain produced annually, the extent and importance of its stock-raising and fruit culture, and the progress and improvement of its manufacturing interests may be gained from the statistical tables in another part of this work; but in order to be fully appreciated, they require to be seen during the Summer and Fall months. The extent and importance of the railroad communications of the county may be seen by a glance at the map. Intellectual progress, and moral and religious culture are maintained in a degree fully equal to this material prosperity, and Iowa City is the acknowledged education center of the state. To say nothing of the State University and several other institutions of learning, which will be referred to more particularly hereafter, it may be stated that the county maintains 160 public schools, for which there are provided 158 school houses, valued at $130,000, furnishing instruction to nearly 7,000 pupils. To maintain these schools, furnish them suitable buildings and other requirements, and pay their teachers, the people contribute from $70,000 to $75,000 annually. THE VIEW CHANGED. Let us remove this picture from the camera and replace it with a view of the same scene forty years ago. It is a brief space of time to retrace, but now not a vestige of this state of civilization is in view. The prairies are wild, unbroken wastes without a field or fence or dwelling to enliven their loneliness. The forests are deep, dark retreats of skulking beasts of prey. The hum of industry is an unknown sound. The busy, noisy town could scarce be pictured in imagination amid the thicket and underbrush. The steam whistle has never startled the echoes of the river banks, nor the thunder of the iron horse alarmed the lone deer on the prairie. There are, indeed, a few signs of habitation, but these even are in unison with the spirit of the scene-nay, even more weird and wild. Occasionally a few half naked human forms glide silently in view for a moment, and then as stealthily disappear in the forest or ravine. Following the trail of their footsteps, a cluster of smoky tents may be discovered concealed from observation, and inhabited by a few hundred savages who maintain a precarious existence by the chase, by a small trade in furs and trinkets, and perhaps some rude attempt at agriculture. Several of these Indian towns were then located upon Iowa River within the limits of this county, the largest of which was that of Poweshiek, and about two miles below where Iowa City now stands. The agencies which have accomplished the great change from this scene of savagery to that first described, within so brief a time, can be regarded as little less than wonderful, yet they may be named in two very common words, intelligence and enterprise. In tracing their footsteps we must here introduce the EARLY SETTLERS. In 1836 an Indian trader by the name of John Gilbert had a rude hut or trading house in what is now Pleasant Valley Township. Although the honor of keeping the first store in Johnson County is claimed by others, it undoubtedly belongs to Gilbert, as his stock in trade was certainly as much entitled to that name as the basket of groceries usually designated as the pioneer store. In the Fall of that year Gilbert met at Rock Island Philip Clarke and John Myers, from Northern Indiana, traveling westward on horse-back in search of a location, and obligingly offered to show them one having all the advantages they could desire. They accepted his invitation, and proceeding to his trading house, elected claims in the vicinity, built the body of a cabin on each, then leaving them in Gilbert's care returned home. They arrived again in May, 1837, accompanied by several others, bringing teams and a few indispensable tools, and commenced improvements. The season of 1837 brought considerable many accessions to the settlement, among whom were Samuel and Joseph Walker, William Wilson, S.C. Trowbridge, Henry Felkner, Pleasant Harris, William Sturgis, George W. Hawkins, John Henry, Jacob Earhart, John Cane, S. B. Mulholland, A. D. Stephens, Samuel Bumgardner, Jonathan Harris, and S. H. McCrory. In 1838 immigration increased; it could scarcely be called a tide, however. The pioneers came solitary and alone, or by twos and threes, and each located as it suited his fancy, without regard to the proximity of others. It so happened that settlements were made in different parts of the county, often distant from each other, almost simultaneously. Convenience to timber was of first importance, as the only means of supplying those prime necessities, shelter and fuel. Convenience to water was of next importance. Less attention was given to the nature of the soil and beauty of the surroundings, for the soil was every where fertile and nature lavish of her attractions. Markets and ways of communication were things of the future altogether, and were scarcely considered at all; that they must follow his steps was enough for the pioneer to know concerning them. A location chosen, a rude habitation was next provided by "raising" a few logs and filling the crevices with mud. A few rude plank or "puncheons," fashioned with an ax, served for floor, benches, and door, and if a roof was provided of "shakes" split with a "fro," it was considered an excellent dwelling. The household furniture usually consisted of a cast iron bake oven, a water bucket, coffee pot, frying pan, two or three tin cups, and as many plates, knives, and forks. A sack of meal, a side or shoulder of bacon, and a little salt, were the principal contents of the larder. The proprietor of this scanty store was usually generous and free hearted, and on leaving his cabin in the morning would generally leave a baked "pone" and other provisions cooked for the refreshment of any hungry wayfarer who might chance to call during the day. He was a law unto himself, and without any of the restrains and conventionalities of more advanced society. When any considerable number had settled in a locality, their first effort toward the organization of civil society was the formation of a "claim association," for mutual protection in possession of their homes from the "land sharks" who immediately followed them, until they had an opportunity of purchasing from the government. For this purpose they drew up a constitution and by-laws, elected a president, secretary, and treasurer, and woe to the luckless adventurer who had the temerity to trespass on their sacred rights. Disputes between themselves in relation to claims were also settled by the association. The typical pioneer was a hardy, frank, honest, and generous person, by no means unsociable or indifferent to civilization. On the contrary he was generally as intelligent as his tastes and habits were simple, and actuated by a desire of laying the foundation for the enjoyment of better advantages for himself and his children, in the higher walks of life, than his humble circumstances permitted in the thickly settled districts where the way upward was slow and painful to his enterprising spirit. How well he has accomplished his desire let the picture of to-day answer. As a class he is now no more, but his blood, his spirit, and his enterprise animate the scene now so strikingly in contrast with its humble beginning. In the Annals of Iowa, Captain F. M. Irish, of Iowa City, gives the following record of the first settlements of the county; In Pleasant Valley and Tremont Townships, William Kelso, Mr. Sweet, Robert, Samuel, and Joseph Walker; in Scott Township, John Parrott, Mr. Teneick, Charles Jones, John Mathews, Isaac Bowen, Dr. Jesse Bowen, and Green Hill; in Graham Township, Nathaniel and E. K. Morse, and James Nolan; in Cedar, James Buchanan, Allen Sutliff, and James Cavanaugh, in Big Grove Township, Mr. Pratt, Mrs. Lyon, W. Stiles, W. Spurrier, and Mr. Lingle; in Monroe, Martin Harless, George Wein, E. Dollarhide, John Azlein, and David Crozier; in Clear Creek Township, N. Fellows, John Hawkins, B. and I. Dennis, J. and R. Douglass; in Union and Washington, James Seahorn, A. Davis, Mr. Fry and his family of sons, William Ford, and S. H. Bonham; in Liberty, P. Harris, Jacob, Henry, and John Earhart, Jacob and Joel Overholtzer, J. and C. Hartman. By the close of the year 1840, the county numbered 1,504 inhabitants, and the wide spaces between settlements were rapidly receiving immigrants. JOHN GILBERT. The first settler of Johnson County, was a somewhat remarkable character, of whom a short sketch may not be amiss. The facts are drawn mostly from the Annals of Iowa, of 1868. His real name was John W. Prentice, and he was a cousin of the celebrated George D. Prentice, of Louisville, Ky. He was originally from the State of New York, where a train of serious troubles, among them heavy losses in canal contracts, induced him to abandon his home at Lockport and change his name and business. He entered the service of the Green Bay Trading Company in Michigan, learned the Indian language, secured their confidence by his faithfulness and capacity, and was sent to various points among the Indians to establish trading posts. In this capacity he came among the Foxes on the Iowa. Here he died in March, 1839, and was buried near his old trading house. His remains were afterward removed to the Iowa City Cemetery by the old settlers, who cherished a grateful remembrance of many valuable services he rendered them during their first years in the county. INDIANS. As the white settlements increased the Indians south of Iowa City removed some sixteen miles north, and were soon afterward removed to a reservation further west by the general government. ORGANIZATION. During the Autumn of 1838 Samuel C. Trowbridge received a sheriff's commission, from Governor Lucas, of the newly organized Territory of Iowa, authorizing him to organize Johnson County. He thereupon called an election at Gilbert's trading house on the 10th day of September, at which Henry Felkner, Abner Wolcott and Samuel Sturgis were elected commissioners. The names of the other officers have not been handed down to us. Robert Walker held also a commission from the Governor as first justice of the peace for the county. The commissioners held their first meeting at Phelps' trading house. Soon afterward Gilbert and Clarke laid off a town called Napoleon, which became the county seat, remaining such until after the location of the Territorial Capital at Iowa City, whereupon it was removed to Iowa City, and Napoleon became a farm. The first court was held at Gilbert's trading house by Judge Williams, and the grand jury in attendance had the broad prairie for a jury room. The second election for county officers took place at Napoleon in 1839. IOWA CITY. The first session of the Territorial Legislature of Iowa, which convened at Burlington November 1, 1838, appointed Robert Ralston, of Des Moines County, John Ronalds, of Louisa, and C. Swan, of Dubuque, commissioners, with instructions to locate the Territorial Capital in Johnson County, and in May, 1839, they selected the present site of Iowa City. Mr. Swan was then chosen by his colleagues as Acting Commissioner to proceed with work on the grounds and Capitol. A section of land was donated for a site and $20,000 in money appropriated for building purposes by act of Congress. Mr. Swan came on the ground in June, with Thomas Cox and John Frierson, surveyors, and a corps of workmen. Between the heavy timber northward and southward was a dense growth of hazel brush and scrub oaks. The work of clearing this away was begun and prosecuted as far as the Capitol site by the Fourth of July, and then the place of Jonathan Harris, four miles below, and brought to the ground on wagons. The location of the capital and the commencement of work at once made Iowa City a center of attraction, and inhabitants flocked rapidly. Now, indeed, immigration became a "tidal wave." Being intent on other things, they neglected to register the date of their arrival, which became the occasion of much dispute in after times when it became a point of distinction. Samuel B. Mulholland, Mathew Teneick, Andrew Stein, George T. Andres, Walter Butler, and Charles Pinney were some of the first permanent settlers. It is stated that Mathew Teneick's was the first family that located here, Doctor Henry Murray the first physician, William L. Gilbert the first attorney, and Mr. Fenn the first preacher of the gospel. Mr. Teneick brought a herd of cattle and a supply of provisions, and boarded the commissioners and surveyors. He built a block house on the corner of Iowa Avenue and Dubuque Street. The first frame building was a store erected by Wesley Jones, south of University Square. The first hotel was erected in the Fall of 1839, by Walter Butler. Previous to this there was a boarding house known as "Leanback Hall," built for a sudden emergency, and containing one bed said to accommodate thirty-six men. Lumber was scarce, and several of the first houses were sided with boards split from oak trees and afterwards shaved. Pine lumber could be obtained at Muscatine, but as it came down the Ohio River and up the Mississippi, it was expensive. Henry Felkner erected a saw mill upon Rapid Creek, but could not supply the demand. In the Spring of 1840 Mr. Sylvanus Johnson opened a brick yard, which furnished an important supply of building material, of which the first brick building was erected for William Bostwick, by George T. Andrews. About this time Edward Foster and son, who, the year previous, had opened a small stock of goods at Napoleon, removed hither and opened store on Capitol Street. Up to this time the hats of persons going to and fro between this point and Muscatine, were the principal postal facilities, but now a weekly mail route from that town, and a post office were secured, with Samuel H. McCrory for post master. THE CAPITOL. Returning now to the work of Commissioner Swan, we find that the surveys were so far advanced that the first sale of lots came off on the 18th of August, 1839, and among the bidders were many eastern capitalists. The proceeds amounted to about $75,000. A second sale took place in October, amounting to $30,000. These sums, the Congressional appropriation of $20,000, and one of $40,000 by the Territorial Legislature, comprised the building fund. Skean and McDonald, of the firm of Rague & Co., the contractors, came on and broke ground for the building in April, 1840, and in June the foundation was ready to receive the water-table. Here the contractors abandoned the work in consequence of the poor quality of stone furnished. It was continued, however, under charge of Mr. Swan, but made slow progress. Excepting the water-table, which was brought from Cedar County, twenty miles away, the stone for the first story was obtained within the city limits, and the Fall of 1841 found the walls only to the second floor. Meanwhile Mr. Butler and others of Iowa City tendered the Legislature the use of a temporary building, in which that body convened December 6, 1841. During the ensuing session Mr. Swan's office was abolished, and honorable John M. Coleman appointed Superintendent of Public Buildings. Under his able supervision the work was begun with energy early in 1842. Excellent stone was found on the bank of the Iowa, several miles above the city, and brought down on flat-boats, and the work proceeded rapidly to its completion. In this building the furniture and effects of the capitol were kept until 1857, when they were removed to Des Moines. In the Autumn of 1839 two incidents occurred which curiously illustrated the state of the country at that time. Robert Lucas, Governor of the Territory, accompanied by his two daughters, visited Iowa City, traveling on horseback, and accompanied by a guide from Muscatine. There was only one cabin in the place which could boast of an attic where the ladies could find lodgings, and this was reached by means of a ladder. Travelers often lost their way on the prairies, especially between here and Dubuque, and to remedy this a furrow was plowed on the nearest practicable route to Dubuque to mark the way. EDUCATION. In 1840, Jesse Berry erected a small frame building on Cottage Street, in which he opened a private school, the first in the county of which we have any record. The Mechanics' Mutual Aid Association erected an academy building, which was opened for the reception of students June 4, 1842, by William and Hugh Hamilton, and flourished for some time. Two or three years after this event the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Protestant Methodist Church each obtained the donation of a block of ground for college purposes, organized educational institutions, and undertook to erect buildings, but after awhile abandoned their undertakings, which resulted chiefly in crippling the Mechanics' Academy. After this private schools were maintained until the Iowa system of free schools at public expense went into operation. In 1847 the State University was established, and the capitol buildings and grounds were donated for its use. Of this institution a detailed account is given elsewhere. Besides this and the city schools, there are now in operation McClain's Academy, with 120 pupils, three Catholic schools, named respectively St. Joseph's Institute, St. Ugotha's Seminary, and the Free School Primary, numbering in the aggregate 350 students and pupils, and a small school of the Lutheran denomination. Iowa City has excellent public schools. A commodious school building is located in each of the four wards of the city. In each the classes are admirably graded, and employ altogether eighteen teachers and a general superintendent. The city maintains numerous church organizations, and church edifices of various degrees of elegance adorn its precincts. Religious privileges are no where in the state of a better character. The beautiful plat of the Johnson County Agricultural Society is located one-half mile southwest of the city. Here the State Fair of 1860 and 1861 were held. CITY GOVERNMENT. The present city government of Iowa City was established by act of the General Assembly, approved January 25, 1853, and went into operation on the 6th day of April following with Jacob P. DeForrest, Mayor; Anson Hart, Recorder; C. H. Buck, Treasurer; R. Hutchinson, Marshal; and nine aldermen, three from each ward. A fourth ward was created in 1857, and since 1863 the title of trustees has superseded that of aldermen. NEWSPAPERS. The first paper printed and published at Iowa City was the Iowa Standard, June 10, 1841, by William Crum, Esq. A. P. Wood became editor in April, 1842, and half owner soon after, then sole owner, which he remained until the Spring of 1846, when Silas Foster became publisher. It was an organ of the whig party. It afterwards passed into the hands of Doctor S. M. Ballard, Esq., who changed its name to the Republican. Since him it has had several proprietors, among them N. H. Brainard, Esq., from whom it passed to the present editors and proprietors, Messrs. Royce & Wilson. It is an able paper, published every Wednesday, and has a large circulation. The Iowa Capitol Reporter made its appearance December 4, 1841, Van Antwerp & Hughes, editors and proprietors; politics democratic. It passed through several hands and finally passed away, and upon its ruins the present Iowa State Press was established August 15, 1860. It is a very popular organ of the democratic party of which John P. Irish is editor and proprietor; published Wednesdays. In 1871 Mr. Irish commenced the issue of the Daily State Press, which is the only daily paper between Davenport and Des Moines. In 1869 the Sloven Americky was established by J. B. Lelovsky. It is printed in the Bohemian language, and has a large circulation.