"CHATS WITH OLD TIMERS"
of Fayette, Iowa
Organized by years
by O. W. Stevenson, published in the
Fayette Leader, 1938-1943
information extracted by Barry Zbornik 1999/2000,
for the Fayette County Historical Society

A group picture of the "elders" at the Methodist Church on the Hill was taken in the early Spring of 1927, and includes many of the offspring of the first pioneers in the Fayette Area, and names mentioned in Chats. Magnified digitals from this one photograph will be put on another page. If you can identify anyone, please email me. Both of sets of my GGrandparents on my mother's side are present; the Hunt's and Strayer's. W.E. Hunt was a close "chat" friend of O.W. and shared many tales with him. W.E. is in the upper left hand corner of the pic below. Val Strayer is on W.E.'s left. Both GGrandmother's, Amanda Thompson Hunt and Mary Parsons Strayer are in the pic on top. I know a few more,but lets name some others. I need old pictues like this to take magnified digitals of to use online. Help! If you have any get them to me for processing and then returning to you.

Site page links:
[] Fayette History Index [] Iowa Z Sitemap [] Email []

Note: Chats is not a comprehensive view of the history of Fayette, but rather just a serious of topics O.W. randomly wrote about or received local information from his friends.

NOTE before you start down into "Chats" take a look at the HINT below. "Chats" and pages like it in this site are huge. The FIND feature built into Microsoft Internet Explorer can save a great deal of time locating topics and words.

SUPER HINT for FINDING WORDS on a WEB PAGE:
Most of the pages on this site are very large informational pages regarding genealogy, history, motorcycles, etc. You may be hunting for a specific name or term in hundreds of lines of text. Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) has a neat "find" feature which is quick and easy to use for any web page you are navigating around in. Try it a few times so you get into a habit of using the feature.

FIND PROCEDURE:
1. Look up to the top left hand corner of this browser window if you are using IE.
2. Click on the "Edit" button, to open a pop-up window.
3. Select the "Find" command and click on it to open another pop-up window.
4. In this window you will find a line where you can key/type in the word you want to locate.
5. Note that you can just keep clicking to find your word all through the page.
6. You can also key in a new word in the same pop-up for other searches.

7. A faster way to open the "Find" box is to use hot keys. Hit the "Ctrl" key, and then the "F" key at the same time to open the Find Box.

FIND FEATURE USE: A couple of good examples of how to use the find feature within this site would be trying to locate a surname or town on one of the large genealogy/history pages, or finding a word like brake on one of the big motorcycle pages. A very good example of using the "find" feature would be surfing into a page with old census data trying to find out if a relative is there. Let the find feature find all the surnames or given names you are trying to locate. Learn to use the find feature by practicing it a few times on a consistent basis so you remember it is available.

Time-line Index: click on the date to drop down the page to the area indicated.
In the Beginning Dates of the first villages. Why if Fayette located here?
1840-1844 Pioneers before 1850. Teagarden Massacre.
1845-1849 Wadena early settlers. Fish stories. Postal service.
1850-1854 Westfield. Mills. Fayette County starts. Early census reports. Gravel pit. How land ownership occurred. Dead Man’s Gulch. Early farmers. Typical farm. Newspapers. Lima. Teachers. Cole’s Mill and Inn, Corn Hill and stage stop. Eagle Point. Frog Hollow. Holmes’ Pasture. Log houses.
1855-1859 College Hill. Brick Yards, Charles Hoyt letter regarding farming. Albany. Frog Hollow school. West Union. Fayette businesses, Hobson’s pottery and farming. The dugout house. Marvin’s Mill, Moses Davis Hotel. The Old Stone Plow Shop. Taxes and records. Big Rocks. Letter by Charles Hoyt. Letter from a Fayette resident. Carriages and Wagons. Migrations and removals. Sidney Cobb’s letter about moving to Kansas.
1860-1864 Bridges. Blacksmiths. Horse barns, stables, racing, tracks. Robert Alexander and a wild cat. First sheep and hogs. Businesses in Fayette. Fayette House Hotel and Captain Kingman. Transporation and merchandising. Fry’s and Bull’s Head Taverns. Bartering. Nurseryman. First Railroad. Grub Church. Fisherman and the Volga. Flowers.
1865-1869 Doctors, health, medicine. Hunting and fishing. Hops yards. Gooseberry Island. Hopson’s (Parson’s) Grove. Rail fences. The Robertson’s Girls’ Diary. Steamboat transporation.
1870-1874 Butment Bridge. Canada. Hunting and fishing. Horses and road racing. Fayette letter by Mrs. Dixon Alexander. Railroads. The Cut.
1875-1879 Debow letter about farm life in Smithfield Township. Parson’s Grove.
1880-1884 First waterworks. Klock’s Island. Sewing machine. Women’s Clubs.
1885-1889 Liberty Poles. Grant Dean caught many wildcats. Hardware store.
1890-1894 Wild flowers. Bicycles.
1895-1899 (no postings)
1900’s Houses.

CHATS WITH OLD TIMERS by O. W. Stevenson, 1938-1943, was originally published in the Fayette County Leader, at Fayette, Iowa. This is EXTRACTED INFORMATION from "Chats" by Barry Zbornik, (originally from Fayette, Iowa) 625 N. Section, Hannibal, MO 6340. Spelling and sentence structure have been kept basically original. The information from Chats is duplicated in two forms, the first being chronological by relative dates, and the second by general topics. Please, please, if you have any information that can be added and saved for everyone’s enjoyment, post to me. Latest editing of Chats, 12/11/2000/BZ Eventually the completed "extraction" will be available at the Fayette Library and the Historical Society at West Union. Chats are uploaded, online and linked from http://www.angelfire.com/ia/z/sitemap.html along with some other historical information regarding Fayette, Iowa.

WHO WAS O.W. STEVENSON (Oliver William)
"I am an attorney at Fayette; a son of William B. Stevenson and his wife "Lizzie"; a grandson of Thomas W. B. Stevenson, and also of Loren M. Stranahan, both of whom came to Fayette County, Iowa, and "entered government land" in the 1850's. My wife, who’s interest and industry are very helpful about this column, is Imogene ("Genie") Cobb, daughter of Sidney Cobb who came to Fayette in 1857, and of Emogene ("Gene") Holmes, whose father, Allen Holmes, came to Fayette in 1868. While our ages are yet close to sixty, and we are busy folks, we are interested in getting and preserving, during the next few years, what we can of the history of Fayette folks and affairs."

Oliver William Stevenson on the left (original author of "Chats"), and
Reuben Wrench and Laura Farr Holmes Hunt, circa 1940, Fayette, Iowa

Oliver William Stevenson is on the left, and was in a family picture with some of my relatives. The Holmes family of Fayette where on his side and the Holmes Family was linked by marriage to the Hunt's. He was also close to the Hunt's and Holmes' families as all were members of the Methodist Church. His father William B. Stevenson entered land around Fayette at the same time as all of the pioneer members of my family and therefore would have been working and living in close friendship to one another, as would all of the "first" families of the valley. My gguncle and aunt by marriage, Reuben Wrench and Luara Farr Holmes Hunt, are on the right. Reuben Wrench eventually farmed all of the area to the south of the road to Wadena and to the east of college hill, both the land on the flats and over the hill to the south. My ggrandfather Walter Eugene, quoted a number of times by O.W. Stevenson, ran the funeral and undertaking business on the N.W. corner of Main and Water Street during the last quarter of the 1800's, and then moved to a farm to the south of College Hill. Their father Reuben Hunt Sr., came to Fayette in 1855 to work as one of the head stone masons on the building of the College Seminary. He bought three lots in 1855, the year Fayette was platted by James Roberston, which ran from from the Wadena road, along old Hwy. 150, to just below College hill. The railroad track would cut his lots when it came through in 1873. Oliver W. Stevenson would know the Hunt elders and other men who were the actual "builders" of the initial community of Fayette, because of the relationship they had with his father William.

VALUE OF OLD THINGS
Fayette some day will be an older place than New England towns are now. It is the gateway to one of the most scenic areas in the great Mississippi valley, and is probably destined to grow in value as a tourist and resort section. Perhaps Fayette cannot save any of its such investments for the future. O.W.S, 1938.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

---The first Villages in the County---The early platted villages in Fayette county were: West Union-June 1850, Westfield-July 1851, Auburn-1851, Volga City (Lima)-Oct 1851, Taylorsville-Feb 1852, West Auburn-Sept 1853, Centerville (adjoining Taylorsville)-May 1854, Albany-July 1854, Elgin-Feb 1855, Fayette-June1855.

---Why is Fayette Located Here?
John Orvis said he remembered when there were big old rotten stumps of other trees on the ground at Klock's Island. He was telling a good blue racer (A species of snake that all little Fayette boys endear, as they were just sure a blue racer could run them down without a head start; bz/2000.) story and did not realize that his mention of old stumps was of even more interest to me. I have a theory that the trees that grew on those stumps may have been one important factor in the starting of a village at Westfield, and the locating of Fayette where it now is instead of at another near by point on the Volga river ('some distant away'). Does anyone know why Fayette is located where it is?

---OF WESTFIELD
And Pioneer Families "Got Their Start"---In 1851 Fayette county had been separately organized only one year. It had been a part of Clayton county. There was no courthouse, no jail, no board of supervisors, and there were no schoolhouses. I think there were no county bridges, and no laid out roads that were graded. At Westfield, just this side of the present town park, Robert Alexander had erected a saw mill and had platted a four block town, in which practically no lots had been sold. There was no town of Fayette. In all of Fayette county there were only a few more than one thousand white settlers. The government was giving land free to old soldiers, and selling it to others at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. It was during those early years that most of the older Fayette county families "got their financial start," or received a chance for it as a gift from the United States government.

---OF MILLS
The Fanning Mill Industry: Here is another advertisement in an issue of the Pioneer for April 14, 1856. I was amazed at the extent of the local fanning mill industry, and I wondered who this Mr. Irvin was and where his factory was located. Can anybody tell us about it? Is there one of the mills left in the county? "FANNING MILLS, 200 Fanning Mills will be manufactured at Westfield this spring and summer. Mills always on hand and at low prices for cash or on time. Thomas W. Irvin

FLOUR MILLS
Elijah Gregory was once interested in the Westfield flouring mill business, his daughter was Mrs. E.C. Fussell of Fayette

SAWMILLS
Ruel Streeter has just opened (1938) a gravel or sand pit on the "Williams'' property purchased, lying south of Primary Highway and on the bank of the "race" that served the old Westfield flouring mill, being just east of the Park, or Klock's Island. There is a point of interest for us in this. The written county history, and the deed records too, show that in 1850 Robert Alexander located a sawmill almost on this very spot. There was then no town of Fayette, and I am not sure that there was even a town of Westfield. The natural resources of that location, suitable for building construction work, have evidently not all been exhausted during the last ninety years. And this prompts me to write a paragraph about sawmills.

Probably the first manufacturing enterprises established in this region were the sawmills. The men who brought in the machinery and equipped such mills, with steam or with waterpower, were our first local industrialists. They have their faith in the future of this country (area, Z), and they had their problems of several kinds. They must have been unusual and interesting men and there surely are many things that ought to be recorded about them and their enterprises. Their establishments must have been early community centers where things happened and about which tales were told.

I recall now the names of Alexander, Cole, Rawson, Marvin, Grannis and Hendrickson. There probably were others connected with that early industry. Some of the names were connected with the business more than one generation.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

--THE START OF FAYETTE COUNTY
And Pioneer Families "Got Their Start"---In 1851 Fayette county had been separately organized only one year. It had been a part of Clayton county. There was no courthouse, no jail, no board of supervisors, and there were no schoolhouses. I think there were no county bridges, and no laid out roads that were graded. At Westfield, just this side of the present town park, Robert Alexander had erected a saw mill and had platted a fur block town, in which practically no lots had been sold. There was no town of Fayette. In all of Fayette county there were only a few more than one thousand white settlers. The government was giving land free to old soldiers, and selling it to others at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. It was during those early years that most of the older Fayette county families "got their financial start," or received a chance for it as a gift from the United States government.

County Expenses in 1854---Taken from the July 26, 1854, issue of the Fayette County Pioneer, and I think the oldest available financial Report for Fayette county. For the year ending July 1^st, 1854, received in county tax $303.69, county officers' salary $728.02, equals $1031.71. Expenditures, outstanding orders $225.19, books and stationery $28.38, officers' salary $1050.00, total $1303.57, minus receipts, equals county debt of $271.86. Assets, notes for sale of lots in West Union $343.99, cash on hands $250.00, county lots not sold $450.00, due in delinquent tax $374.09, for a total of $1418.87 in total assets. As a comparison, in 1937 the Treasurer cashed warrants drawn by the Auditor for county expenses amounting to $441,576.01.

The first Villages in the County---The early platted villages in Fayette county were: West Union-June 1850, Westfield-July 1851, Auburn-1851, Volga City (Lima)-Oct 1851, Taylorsville-Feb 1852, West Auburn-Sept 1853, Centerville (adjoining Taylorsville)-May 1854, Albany-July 1854, Elgin-Feb 1855, Fayette-June1855.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

---CENSUS REPORTS
Northeast Iowa Was a Wilderness in 1849---Nearly all of Northeastern Iowa was then a wilderness. In scanning old newspaper files among the state archives I found in the Miners Express, published at Dubuque January 2, 1850, this statement as to the 1849 population of several counties according to some census that had been taken: Allamakee-277, Benmton-212, Buchanan-406, Clayton, then including Fayette-2500 (Fayette County's population probably would have been around 250, plus or minus 25, in 1849,z), Delaware-1500, Dubuque-9185, Winneshiek-275.

A 1850 Census Report---Between September 26 and October 9, 1850, Eliphalet Price, living in Clayton county, made a census enumeration for Fayette County, which had that year been set off from Clayton County. He probably traveled on horseback to reach the one hundred fifty four families or houses which he found and listed for this entire county in 1850. I traveled to Des Moines for a day to secure his information from the state archives.

The Census of 1850 is Stimulating to the Imagination---As one studies the old fashioned handwriting of Mr. Price, and scans the names of the several hundred men, women and children he listed, it is easy to let the imagination go and try to take in fancy that trip with the enumerator over the unbroken hills and prairies and through the original forests of Fayette County---the prairies with their tall waving native grass and flowers, and the forests with only an occasional log cabin sheltering some pioneer family.

Some First "Old Timers'---When the publication of this column was suspended, on January 5, 1939, a few references had been made to the census of Fayette County taken in 1850. Now that we are having a Centennial celebration it may be of special interest and value to publish a list of the different families found here in (Fayette County) in the summer and fall of 1850 by the Census taker, which was 10 years after the first white settlement in the county.

Heads, or other Representative of Families Found Listed in Fayette County, Iowa, Census of 1850---The census taker started in the southeast corner of the county and worked back and forth toward the north. Thus the number by each name indicate the approximate location in the county from south to north, with the lower numbers being in the south part of the county. Likewise, consecutively or close numbers were from the same "neighborhood." When a number is in parenthesis another person has been listed as apparent head of the house. Where one family name applies to two or more persons only the name of the apparent husband, or of the oldest of the named group is given.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

Heads of Familes, Fayette County, Iowa, 1850---Robert Alexander 31 (Note, he was operating on a sawmill on the southwest portion of Westfield in the Fayette valley, therefore numbers close to him are in the Fayette area,z) , Noah Alexander 34, William Anderson 9, Horace Andrus (?) 48, Wilcox Aquilla (?) 64, Peter Alsern (38), James Austin 147, Solon W. Barnes 6, Henry H. Baker 15, William Bartlett 141, Charles Bell (96), Margaret Berk 61, Solomon Bishop 63, Joseph Bradshaw 11, Harvey S. Bronson 124, Chansey Brooks 5, David Brooks 5, John Brooks 25, Mattison Brown 52, Oliver Brown 126, Martin Burdick 151, Harrison Butler 32, Absolom Butler 128, Caleb D. Carlton 117, James Carrol 84, Washington L. Case, 107, William P. Cavenaugh 62, Lukins Clark (?) (129), Chester Clestern (?) 105, Margaret Connor (76), John Conner85, Matthew Connor 90, Samuel Connor (90), Joseph Crawford 129, Thomas Crooks (49), Thomas Crooks 49, Franklin Crosley 20, James Davis 154, Joseph Deford 78, Lewis Deloynie 152, Benjamin Dimond 87, Thomas Douglas (38), John Downey (114), David H. Downs 142, Morris Earl 137, Hiram Earl (137), James Earl 138, John Eddy 137, Rudolphus Eddy 144, Charles Ellis (129), Dempsey Elrod 64, Ely Elrod 129, Sarah Elrod (129), Isaac Enders 143, Knud Everson 82, Ambier Everson (92), William Fetch 67, Daniel I. Finney 9, Isaac Fitch 60, Thomas Follett 51, Elipholet Follett 112, Simon Follett (112), Edwin Follett (117), Rebecca Forbes (87), Simeon B. Forbes 88, Joseph Forbes 89, Joseph Foster 140, Robert Freeman 19, William Frasier 76, John Frasier 82, William Fussell 28, David E. Fussell 30, Oliver P. Gallaher 55, Ephrom Gardner (151), James Garrison (55), Helen Gear (47), David German 8, William Gibblin 53, Levi Gifford (136), Calvin Gitchell 150, Stephen Greenup 125, Nathaniel Hall (119), John Hannah (38), Elisha Hartsoff 132, Samuel Hatton 56, John Hendershott 108, Michal Henmon 42, Andrew Hensley 45, Abraham Holing 149, Jacob Hoover 131, Henry Hopkins 40, Lysander Hopkins (137), Elizabeth Hopkins (137), Lyman Hord 127, Oley Houson 94, Bent Houson (94), Sarah Huff (114), James Hughson 148, Sarah Hunt (15), Charles Hyler 95, Lemuel Iliff 118, Benjamine Iliff 122, Hiram Jackson 103, James Jennings 29, John Johnson (106), Henry Johnson 106, Jason Johnson 111, Elf Johnson (111), Anson Kellogue (3), John Kellogue (31), Thomas Kerr 119, John Kerr (119), Hannah Kirkpatrick (129), Chaunsey Leveritt 110, Jacob Librand 68, Crotus A. Light 46, Harry W. Light 43, Remembrance Lippencott 72, Hugh Lockard 7, Gabriel Long 102, Monroe Lott (87), Robert K. Lounsburg (13), David Lowe 18, Stephen H. Ludlow 47, William Lumsden 50, Alexander Lumsden (50), Clark Lukins (129), Joseph Lyon 104, Ermina Lyon (104), Dorcus McCameram (80), Daniel McDuffy 145, Joseph McGee 36, Thomas McKinley (26), William McKinney (13), George McKinney 14, Joseph McLaughlin 57, Andrew Martin 116, John Matthew 117, John Matthews 108, America Mattews (99), Avril Miller 23, George Miller (43), Wilson Miller 66, Eugene Moine 22, John P. Moine (22), Evleine Morkley (2), William Morris 49, George Morrison 123, Russell Moron (147), Alexander Mussleman 120, George W. Neff 33, Palmer Newton 21, William E. Newton (21), Jerod Nutting 100, Eren Oleyson (93), Jacob Orey 74, Mary Ottercreek (87), Betsey Ottercreek (90), Sirenius Packard 99, Francis Palmer 97, Albert Palmer (97), Asa G. Park 4, Woodman Perkins (1), Calvin Perkins 12, John Philips 105, Ebenezer Piper (137), Alonzo Randel 54, Stephen Reeve (88), Samuel Rice 73, Richard Richardson 26, Phroney A. Rickell (71), Jacob W. Rogers 65, Jacob Rosier 133, George Rosier (133), William Root 77, Ely Root 79, Emily Root 81, George Rowley 106, Nickolas Russell 58, Charles Sawyer 113, Allen Sawyer 114, James L. Sawyer 115, Thomas Scott 41, Sylvester Seward 3, Conwright Sheeley (31), Chansey S. Smith (23), Thomas J. Smith 39, Henry F. Smith 71, George Smith 83, David Smith 136, Charles Smith 139, Asa South 129, George Stansbury 75, james B. Stephenson 86, Samuel Stevens 98, Susan Stobough (57), Philip Stobough 59, Thomas B. Sturgis 38, David Tailor 1, Silas Tailor 10, Willima Thompson (69), Anthony Thompson 96, John Turner 130, Francis Vosial 16, Peter Vosial 17, Marrion Warner (117), Edwin C. Watters (or Wotters) 153, Levy W. Watrous 44, Lucy Welch (4), William Wells (68), Matthew Wells 69, Sarah Wells (69), David Wells 70, Joshua Wells 80, George L. Whitley 24, Arson Wickham 146, Aquilla Wilcox (64), James Wilson 137, Thomas Wilson (146), Joseph Woddel 39, Thomas Woodel 37, Benjamine Woods 27, Jimerin Woodson 13.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

---GRAVEL PIT
Ruel Streeter has just opened (1938) a gravel or sand pit on the "Williams' property purchased, lying south of Primary Highway and on the bank of the "race" that served the old Westfield flouring mill, being just east of the Park, or Klock's Island. There is a point of interest for us in this. The written county history, and the deed records too, show that in 1850 Robert Alexander located a sawmill almost on this very spot. There was then no town of Fayette, and I am not sure that there was even a town of Westfield. The natural resources of that location, suitable for building construction work, have evidently not all been exhausted during the last ninety years. And this prompts me to write a paragraph about sawmills

---LAND
How did land ownership occur? Where did the pioneers come from? Why did they come to Fayette County? Nearly all of the pioneers whose names appear in "chats", as well as thousands more who came here during the 50's, were farmers or wanted to farm and were seeking cheap land. Men who had served in the Mexican war were given "land warrants" entitling them to receive free certain areas of government land which they might select. These warrants could be sold and men who wanted to come west and get cheap land often bought the warrants from the soldiers in the East and used them to pay the United States government for farms.

What are Land Patents?---The U.S. government after the Fayette county land had been surveyed into sections offered it for sale at $1.25 per acres, cash. Some lands were given by the U.S. to the State of Iowa as "school land" and these lands were sold by the state of Iowa at prices ranging close to $1/25 per acres. The U.S. or the Iowa gave purchasers of lands special deeds called "patents" for land, and with these government "patents" all private titles for our lands in Fayette county originated.

Men "Hunted" Land in the 1840-50's---Especially during the 1850's thousands of men tramped over Fayette county looking for land that pleased them for which they could go to the government land office at Dubuque and make "original entry" and get the certificate entitling them to a "land patent." For these "entries" they paid cash or turned over land warrants. The patents of record at West Union for most lands show whether cash was paid or land warrant turned in to the government. If a land warrant was used the patent shows the name of the soldier and the military service for which it was issued.

Searching for Land, the Alden Mitchell Letter---From Delhi, Delaware County, Iowa, May 20, 1855, Dear Wife: When I wrote you last I expressed some fears in regard to my pay of Morgan but I got it at last but not until the 14^th of April and the 16^th we started for Iowa we went aboard of a Steamer at Alton in the evening and sailed up the Mississippi River 450 miles and arrived in Dubuque, Iowa on the 22^nd (a six day journey), but we stopped at Keokuk one night and at Davenport 24 hours, all three of the last named Towns are on the west bank of the River and in Iowa. Explored Fayette County From Delhi---I went to the Land Office in Dubuque and found the land all sold for 40 miles west of the River, we then went to Delhi and made short trips out from this place in every direction for more than two weeks and I have at last bought a quarter section of prairie which contains 160 acres in Fayette County. It is thirty miles from the River at the nearest point, and sixty miles northwest of Dubuque. There is woodland three miles north of my land and a good supply of timber in four or five miles and can be bought from 10 to 16 dollars per acre (prairie farmers all needed a source of firewood and building wood so they obtained timber land as close to their farms as possible, z). Plans for Improvements---I can see no reason why this should not be a healthy Country. The streams are clear with gravel bottom and numerous springs of good water
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

I have agreed with a man to plough ten acres at 3 dollars per acre in the month of June, so that I can have some land to cultivate next spring. I intend to build a house early next fall of some kind but I fear it will be small for the want of money to build such an one as I should like, the people near my land advise me to build a frame house they say it will cost very little more than a log cabin. Land is Not the Main Cost---The price of the land here to make a farm is but a small part of the expense of getting ready to live, building a house and fences, and stock which is very high now, and some kind of a shelter for livestock when we must buy our provisions for 8 months at least, a stove and some furniture besides farming tools. I am thinking that all those things put together will cost more than I shall be able to pay unless I have some help from George or some other source. Have you heard from George yet, if so let us know all about it, if not I want you to write to Gifford or Charles Buntin half brother of P. Pease Capt. of Minerva. Work and Wages in 1855---We are in rock Ville now at work on the abutment to a bridge the job I think will last 10 or 12 days we have worked 3 days and I get $2 a day and Lyman $1 and board rock Ville is 30 miles west of Dubuque and Delhi is 40, we shall go to Delhi when we leave here, it is the County seat of Delaware Co.---they are building considerable there this season and I think we shall find work for a month or two, when you write direct it to Delhi, Delaware County, Iowa. Warm Clothing is needed---Write as soon as you receive this and let us know how you are getting along and what all the girls are doing this spring. I wonder if they are preparing to move to Iowa next fall if they are they had better get a good stock of thick shoes and stout warm clothing for the wind blows on those big Prairies harder than it does among the high hills in Massachusetts. We have been well since we left Hillsboro and I hope we shall continue to be so for I do not know what we should do if we were to be sick, may theses lines find you all enjoying the blessings of health and happiness, give my love to all the girls and accept a share for yourself. Yours truly , Alden Mitchell. Note: Mitchell is from an Old Pioneer Family---A little additional interest may be found in this letter of an original Fayette pioneer if one knows that he was named Alden because he was a sixth generation descendant from John Alden and Priscilla of Massachusetts fame. This is the reason why his great granddaughter, Marjorie Stranahan Moulton, of Fayette calls here little eighteen months old daughter Priscilla.

Land Office Sales---From the Dubuque Miner's Express, January 2, 1850, an article show how the land office was postponing land sales to enable settlers to get funds to buy land and what rates of interest were charged for money loaned: "Postponement of Land Sales"---Our friends in Allamakee will be gratified to learn that the Land Sales which were to have taken place at Dubuque on the 7^th and 21^st of January have been postponed. A further extension of time will enable them to prepare for the entry of their lands, without subjecting them to the necessity of borrowing money at twenty or twenty-five per cent, or being in danger of losing them altogether.

---DEAD MAN'S GULCH
Clark Older says the gully or ravine running down to the Volga River from the west---a short distance below by the river flow, but northwest by the compass, from Big Rock, was once called "Dead Man's Gulch." Grant Dean, who has lived across the river east, for many years, don't think so. Does anybody else know anything about such a name?

Mrs. Fannie Coleman Holmes writes from Oelwein. I believe I can give some information as it was told to me many years ago by Jule Dennis, who formerly owned the Cole's mill and the farm my father later owned. Dead Man's Gulch is now called Orr's Ford and is north of the old Cole's mill site. Jule Dennis told, the man found dead in the gulch was a peddler, selling spectacles and his body was found by hunters or trappers. It was never identified or claimed by anyone. (Does anybody know when this happened? (OWS)
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

---FARMING
Farming around Fayette in the late 1840's/early 1850's---The history of the Fayette community as a permanent settlement, like that of most local histories, begins not with a town but with farmers and farming, (and the merchants/tradesman that follow and support the farming endeavor, z). What kind of farming is generally left to the imagination. In the old 1850 census report I found what I think is the early farming conditions available for Fayette and Fayette County. On a page for that purpose of his report Mr. Price listed eight Fayette county farmers and statistics relating to their land, machinery, live stock, crops, etc.

What Eight Farmers Owned and Produced---These eight farmers owned property as follows: 1569 (average of 196 acres each,z) acres of land, of which 585 (average of 73 acres each,z) acres were improved (improved land was land that had been cleared of timber and brush, was either capable of being plowed or utilized for grass pasturing,z), and all valued at $9080 (1135each,z). Farm implements and machinery valued at $864 (108 each,z). Live stock valued at $2205 (275 each,z), consisting of 18 horses ( about two each), no asses or mules, 19 milch cows (about two each), 25 working oxen (three each), 32 cattle (4 each), 60 sheep (12each), and 190 swine (14 each, pigs were allowed to run in the open lots and timber and easy to raise as wild hogs).

Total Production---These eight farmers in total, during 1849, produced crops estimated as: wheat-485 bu, rye-0 bu, Indian corn-5000 bu, oats-484bu, tobacco-300bu, wool-198lb, peas and beans-8bu, potatoes-222bu, buckwheat-115bu, butter-1510lb, hay-183tons, grass seed-2bu, maple sugar-1950lbs, molasses-39gal, beeswax and honey-1238, home manufactures valued at $48, slaughtered animals-$241.

The eight 1849 Fayette County Farmers showing in Mr. Price's 1850 Census---They were the farming ancestors that "led all the rest."

Jerod Tailor (or Taylor) Farm (three miles northeast of Arlington,z)---On March 31, 1849, Taylor entered (claimed) 120 acres of land in Fairfield township, 40 being in Section 14, 40 in Section 15, and 40 in Section 23,92-7 (This land is exactly two mile north and one mile east of present Arlington, or one mile north of the Talyorsville Cemetery, z). Seventy if his acres were listed as improved land (capable of cultivation or pasturing,z), machinery-$100, 1 horse, 2 milch cows, 2 working oxen, 5 other cattle, 6 sheep, 22 swine, total value of livestock-$219. Produced: 60bu wheat, 200bu oats, 25lbs wool, 1bu peas and beans, 15bu potatoes, 100lbs butter, 30 tons hay, 2 bu grass seed, 1200lbs maple sugar, 30gals molasses, 50lbs beeswax and honey, slaughtered animals-$15. Tailor's name was not on the 1855 Fayette County tax record (apparently he had moved on, which was often the case with pioneer families, settle for a few years and move west hoping for better conditions,z).

Chaunsey Brooks Farm (three miles south of Fayette,z)---60 acres of improved land, farm machinery-$50, 3 horses, 3 milch cows, 5 other cattle, 8 sheep, 25 swine, livestock value of $266. Produced: 80bu wheat, 200bu corn, 50 bu oats, 100lbs butter, 15ton hay, 50lbs maple sugar, 60lbs beeswax and honey, $50 in slaughtered animals. On May 24, Chauncey Brooks entered 160 acres of land in Section 12-92-8, now Smithfield township (This farm would have been 2 1/2 miles south of Grandview Cemetery at Fayette or 1 1/2 miles north of the Maynard corner, along the west side of present Hwy. 150 on the creek that is visible from the highway,z). That neighborhood is still called (in 1940) by old timers, The Brooks neighborhood.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

Solon Barnes Farm (five miles southeast of Fayette in the Korn Hill area)---35 acres of improved land, $5 machinery, 1 milch cow, two working oxen-$40. Produced: 300bu corn, 30bu oats, 200lbs tobacco, 50lbs butter, 4 tons hay, 310lbs beeswax and honey, $10 animals slaughtered. Barnes was not found among entrymen prior to 1850. In 1855 tax record indicated assessed on 80 acres in Sec. 1-97-7, now Fairfield township (This farm was five miles southeast of Fayette on the actual Korn Hill area, or five miles northwest of Arlington. Korn Hill itself about 3 1/2 miles east of Fayette and one mile south off the present blacktop road called Korn Hill Road,z).

John Brooks Farm (Korn Hill area)---40 acres improved land, $75 farm machinery, 2 horses, 3 milch cows, 4 working oxen, 9 other cattle, 3 sheep, 10 swine, total value of $345. Farm products: 80bu wheat, 200bu corn, 30bu potatoes, 300lbs, butter, 20tons hay, 100lbs maple sugar, 3gals molasses, $30 slaughtered animals. John Brooks on My 24, 1848, entered 160 acres in Section 7-92-7, which is nor Fairfield township. This was in the same area of Korn Hill that Solon Barnes hand entered.

William Fetch Farm---40 acres improved land, $100 farm machinery, 1 horse, 3 milch cows, 4 working oxen, 8 other cattle, 5 swine, total value $246. Farm products: 10bu peas and beans, 150bu potatoes, 100lbs butter, 30tons hay, 300lbs maple sugar, 1gal molasses, animals slaughtered $21. Fetch was not found among the entrymen records prior to 1850, and his name was not on the 1855 tax records. The location of his farm is thus unknown, z.

George L. Whitley Farm (three plus miles north of Fayette on Hwy 150)---100 acres of improved land, $50 in farm machinery, 5 horses, 2 milch cows, 2 other cattle, 13 sheep, 12 swine, total value $649. Farm products: 75bu wheat, 3000bu corn, 190bu oats, 47lbs wool, 60lbs butter, 7tons hay, home made manufactures $30, slaughtered animals $30. No record was found of any entry by Whitely of government land prior to 1859. This was probably "Lemon"(George Lehman) Whitely who in the 1855 tax book was assessed on 240 acres in Section 26-93-8, now Westfield township. I wonder if some of the Whitely (or Whitley) descendants still plow corn where their ancestor raised that bumper crop of 3000 bushels. This George L. would be great-great-grandfather to Harold Whitely's children, I think.

William Wells Farm (the northern part of present West Union)---200acres of improved land, machinery $400, 4 horses, 4 milch cows, 13 working oxen, 3 other cattle, 30 sheep, 25 swine, total value $697. Farm products: 200bu corn, 70lbs wool, 14bu potatoes, 60bu buckwheat, 500lbs, butter, 70tons hay, 300lbs maple sugar, 5gal molasses, 818lbs beeswax and hone, slaughtered animals $35. William Wells on December 5, 1849, entered 160 acres of land in Section 17-94-8, now Union township. William Wells started the town of West Union.

Remembrance Lippencott Farm (on the northeastern outskirts of present West Union)---40 acres improved land, $75 farm machinery, 2 horses, 1 cow, 10 swine, value $177. Farm products: 40bu wheat, 700bu corn, 15bu oats, 100lbs tobacco, 56lbs wool, 3bu peas and beans, 13bu potatoes, 55bu buckwheat, 300lbs butter, 7 tons hay, value of home manufactures $18, animals slaughtered $50. I do not find any original entry of land by Lippencott prior to 1850. In 1855 he was taxed on 280 acres in Sections 9, 10, 15 of township 94-8, now Union Township, are the three section around the northeastern outskirts of present West Union).

Why Were Only Eight Farmers Listed in the 1850 Census of Price?--- Why Barns, Fetch, Whitely, and Lippencott appear on this list of farm operators and do not appear yet to have entered any government land; and why data is given for none of the other 146 households found in the summer of 1850 by Mr. Price., in which homes all but a few of the men were listed as farmers, is something some of you may wonder about, as I have. Can anybody throw any light on this subject?
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

Comments About the Eight Farmers---For the eight farmers for whom the 1850 census gave property and products data these facts appear: Tailor let in oats, maple sugar, molasses and diversity in stock and products. Cash value his farm $1000.

C. Brooks though high in cattle did not lead in any one respect. Value farm $1000. Solon Barnes let in wheat and tobacco. Value farm $180. J. Brooks let in cattle (except working oxen). Value farm $800. Fetch let in potatoes. Value farm $300. Whitely let in horses. Value farm $2500. Wells led in total live stock, wool, hay, beeswax and honey. Value farm $3000. Lippencott probably made the best showing of diversified farming for improved acres. Value of farm $1300.

I think most of the residents enumerated in 1850 had come too late to raise a crop in 1849, (and that is why they did not show on the farm census). Some of the older residents were probably "settlers" on government land which they expected to acquire but for which they had not yet secured a legal title.

z---Keep in mind there were 154 families shown on Prices 1850 census of Fayette County.

Fayette County is 6 townships wide and 6 townships "tall." Each township is 6x6 miles or 36 square miles per township. Total square miles in Fayette County therefore is 36x36 or 1296 square miles, which when divided by the 154 families mean there was only one family for every 8.5 square miles.

Not all of these families were farming, as one of the first tradesman to follow farmers into a pioneer area are millwrights who would set up sawmills on the Turkey and Volga Rivers. Plus traders and merchants were always pushing into the frontier. Assuming about 100 of the families were setting up farming claims and perhaps attempting to plow or pasture 60 acres each, which would probably be generous at this early date, only one growing season after the land was officially opened to farmers, only 6000 acres of the 83000 acres in Fayette County were being farmed. Within ten years almost every inch of the county would start to be exploited in some fashion by the rush for land and a living on the frontier.

Thus a typical farm in 1850 Fayette County consisted of (z)---About 200 acres of land, which when rounded off is a square of land about 950yds by 950 yards. About a third of the land was cleared and plowed with a one furrow (blade) plow walked behind and pulled behind two or three oxen (steers) as they were easier to control and could work longer than horses. Oxen would do much of the heavy work as they are stronger than horses and do not require supplemental grain in their diet like horses. However draft horse being more agile and faster working would be a trade up when possible. Not all of the improved land was plowed and planted (by hand) because pasture and hay would be needed for the livestock. It took a lot of hay and grain to over-winter livestock in the long northern winters. Planting, harvesting and preparing grain crops was very labor intensive so small field of only a few acres (5-10 were often interspersed around the farm on the better hill or bottom land soils. Wet slough land was too hard to work; upland hilltops often were very nutrient poor soils. The best field were often on the river and creek edge lands. A ten acre field would be about 200 by 200 yards, a five acre field about 150 by 150 yards. A 100 by 100-yard field would be a little over 2 acres, while a football field 100 by 50 yards would be is just over one acre. There were many of these small fields, and if fenced often with split logs or "split rails" until barbed wire, which was expensive was brought in by teamsters (haulers by wagon) from either the Dubuque are by way of the Mission Road, or from the McGregor area over the Timber Road. Each farm had a couple of horses, used to pull a wagon, thresher, and reaper if the equipment was owned. Much of the early harvesting would have been by hand methods. Hand picking corn and throwing it into a wagon. Hand shocking corn, oats, barley, and wheat for later hand thrashing. Horses would pull wagons and carriages and sometime be ridden. Often the horses where large draft strains like the Belgium's. Each farm would have 1-3 milk cows and a few head of cattle raised for meat or to sell. You could not keep a many cattle or other livestock around for long as food harvesting to over-winter would be prohibitive. Farms also relied on a small flock of 10-20 chickens, and sometimes other small domestic animals. Many pioneers would also rely heavily on local game, generally procured by flintlock guns of the day. Farming was still done mainly with iron and wood hand tools. Draft animals could pull a small one-blade plow and a harvesting wagon, but most of the work was still done my hand, by manpower. All buildings were put up from native logs cut, shaped and secured by hand. Log houses, small barns, woodsheds, chicken coups, smoke houses, etc. Everything was hauled on the farmer's own wagon to start the very first pioneer farms. There were no teamsters or business, or mills yet. Support tradesman would follow several years after the first pioneer farm families. One man generally could not make it alone because of the human power needed to survive the amount of farm work to be done. A small flock of sheep, perhaps 6-12 was often kept to supply wool, and of course mutton. But a source of warm clothing was needed. And for pioneers that generally meant wool yarn spun and knitted or woven. Some animal skins could and would be used but wool was better and more reliable. Swine were quite easy to care for and generally allowed to run fallow or wild in the timber and to fend for themselves until "rounded" up, or just hunted and shot. Farmers could handle 10-20 or more head of pigs quite easily. They were "home" butchered in the fall when it was cold. The stomach made into bacon and legs made into hams. The remainder of the meat could also be soaked in a brine solution and smoked in a slow burning hickory fire or smokehouse and would keep well into the summer months. If large amounts of salt were available the meat might me made into salt pork by rubbing salt into the tissue and packing it in salt to preserve the pork. Thus pork became one of the easiest and first meat products capable of transport to villages to the east and sold or exchanged for the few basic necessities the pioneers needed. Other farm commodities would need to be produced in excess for transport by wagon to market in McGregor or Dubuque 2-5 days away, if Fayette County farming was to be successful. This was farming in the wilderness where the major markets were themselves frontier towns of a few hundred to a thousand new people themselves on the frontier.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

---NEWSPAPERS
My reason for writing ('Dr. R.G. Rich')about early day racing in Fayette county is partly to introduce Abe Winrott ('remember he raced Black Prince on his velocipede at the county fair'), who was editor of a newspaper at Fayette and just back before him was Mr. Greely Vines who edited the same Fayette paper. This Mr. Vines (Sr.) was the most lovable and picturesque man of whom I have any recollection. One needs to have seen Mr. Vins personally or a picture of him to form a true conception of the man. Perhaps there is a photographic plate among the others in Mr. Orvis' storeroom.

From the Dubuque Miner's Express, 1849-1850---There being so little available about early Fayette history from the first Fayette papers, I have sought in old newspaper files in the state archives at Des Moines for items that might be of some local interest here. The Miner's Express was started in Dubuque in 1847. It was the first paper published in northeastern Iowa, and perhaps first in Iowa. I have gleaned a few items showing some topics of public interest in the summer and fall of 1849, and spring of 1850, when Robert Alexander and his son-in-laws, the Robertson's came to this locality. This was the beginning of rapid settlement in Fayette County.
Iowa vs. California in 1849---This item, May 16, 1849, shows that the first competition for settlers between Iowa and California started in 1849: "We were apprehensive that the tide of emigration setting towards the golden regions of California, would have the effect to deprive Iowa of the usual spring accessions to her population. We are glad to perceive, however, that such is not the case. The fertility of her soil, and the salubrity of her climate, are too well known to be neglected. Thousands are leaving the sickly climate of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Missouri, or the worn out soil of the eastern and southern States, to seek a home of comfort, health and happiness upon the beautiful prairies of Iowa. A very considerable addition will be made to the population of Clayton county the present spring. The same may be said of the North of Iowa generally; and we learn that a large number are locating in the Valley of the Des Moines River."

Many immigrant Wagons---How rapidly people were going west and how they were traveling appears from this item, May 30, 1849: "Up to the May 18, 1849, 2850 emigrant wagons had crossed the river at St. Joseph, and at several landings thence to Council Bluffs, 1500. There is an average of four persons and eight oxen or mules to each wagon. Whole number now on the Plains from St. Joseph and points above, 4359 wagons, 17,499 men, and 4,800 animals.

Land Warrants for Sale---this advertisement for sale of land warrants, June 6, 1849. "Important to Settlers and Emigrant": The Bounty Land Warrants issued to the soldiers and volunteers in the Mexican War, have come into general use in entering government Lands and a great saving is thus gained to the settler, as the warrants can be obtained at prices which reduce the cost of U.S. Lands to one dollar per acre. These Warrants can be used by settlers in locating lands upon which they have made improvements, or upon which they have acquired a preemption right; and can be placed on 160 acres of Land, adjoining in any legal subdivisions, such as four forty acre tracts, two eighty acre tracts, etc. The subscribers will keep a supply of warrants constantly on hand, which they will sell as low for cash as they can be purchased in the West. They will also supply warrants by the quantity to those engaged in the business at low rates. Dubuque, March 20, 1848, Robertson and Holland, Land Agents."

---OF LIMA (Volga City)
Volga city was platted in 1851. The promoters of the plat were Winslow Sterns, Daniel H. Mller and Cornelius Lacy. Before filing of this town plat the locality was known as Lightville. In May, 1851, Lightville came near to becoming the county seat of Fayette county. West Union won the elections by a majority of only thirty-five votes in a contest with Lightville, It is now Lima, the name having been changed by an act of the Legislature in 1853.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

---OF TEACHERS
Some of the neighbors did not like the name Frog Hollow, however. Alfred J. Thorp (father of Mrs. Stearns) was one of the strongest objectors, and for some time he tried to get the name "Hazel Dell" used instead. That debate must have been at least seventy years ago (1860 or so). Although there never was a post office there by that name, a letter addressed to Bell Martin (now Mrs. Ocker) at Frog Hollow, Iowa, reached her when she was teaching there, years ago.

Merton A. Hutchinson thought he had heard somewhere that the originator of the name Frog Hollow was a school teacher, or visitor, with a literary turn of mind who had read something once about a place by that name, and who was reminded of it by this pioneer neighborhood. If anybody can add to this accounting for the name, let us hear about it.

Mrs. Stearns also tells that her father, Alfred J. Thorp, is supposed by the family to have been the first school teacher in Fayette county. When he was eighteen years old he taught a school in the lean-to, or kitchen part of his mother's home which was located on the north part of what is now the Merton Hutchison farm in Frog Hollow. This would be in Section ten of Westfield township, and as Mrs. Stearns figures it, from her father's birth year, would have been in 1851. She says Dr. Daniel M. Parker tried once to find some record to prove this was the first school in the county. He and the county school superintendent wee never quite sure whether the honor of being first teacher belonged to Mr. Thorp or another party, whose name has not been given to me.

---COLE'S MILL and INN
Cole's Saw Mill was located apparently in the 1850's across the river and north from present "Big Rock." Cole had a dam in the river near what was the "Coleman" house in the first decades of the 1900's, and in what was called "Parker's Camp" during the 1920's-30's. The mill was gone by the 1870's and there may have been some trace of the old logs and butment where the Cole dam was located, probably on the west side of the river not far from where there was a suspension bridge constructed and present in perhaps the 1920's.

Fannie Coleman Holmes writes, that the old house on Cole's farm (in which the Coleman family lived and owned by Grant Dean owned in the 1930, and was just at the base of the present Big Rock hill road, 1999) was built for the purpose of workmen at the mill. Its front was to the north and it was called Cole's Inn. I never heard of the man being drowned in the millstream but later a child's body was found there by fishermen. On the hillside, east of the old Cole house was a famous Indian camp. Many flints, arrows and tomahawks have been found there, even after my father owned the land. (This is the area rising to the east from "The Big Rock" up the slope above hill or cliff to the north of Dean's Rock. Very few people are left that actually know where these landmarks are. Coming within the next year will be some maps and digital pics to record this information. 7/20/99/Z).

Was Cole's Mill, not Toles Mill? Several, including R.W. Hunt, whom I have formerly quoted on the point, assure me now that the sawmill established near Big Rock in a very early date was Cole's mill and not Toles mill. Some ruins of the old butments for the dam may still be seen on the west side of the river northwest of Big Rock.

Cole's Mill: Frank Francisco writes, I have a memory of Cole's Mill years ago. I had to go there for the cows. The house was vacant and the land was not farmed. Then Jule Dennis got married, fixed up the house and lived in it for a long time. Jule married a girl by the name of Lillie Wing. They lived there quite a while before the Waterburys started to tunnel through the hill to get more power for the mill.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

---CORN HILL
About the oldest popular farm name in Fayette County today is that of "Corn Hill." It may not be recorded with such names in the county recorder's office, but all old settlers in the county know where the farm is and the neighbors call it "Corn Hill Farm."

Corn Hill--Frank T. Jones tells me that his wife's uncle, A.J. Hensley, once told him how Corn Hill farm got its name. He said that in early days before they were removed in 1848 from Fayette county, the Indians had a field and raised corn there. The first settlers either took the name from the Indians, or gave the place that name on account of its use by the Indians for the growing of corn.

Was Stage Coach Station--Several persons agree that Corn Hill was once a stage coach station, where horses were changed. Mrs. Cora Hubbell Kugler writes from Okawville, Ill.: "On our way to Arlington (Brush Creek then) fair, about fifty years ago (1890/z) my father pointed out some buildings that used to be used as the stage coach barns. They were near the top of Corn Hill." The buildings are now all on the west side of the road, at the top of a very high hill, about five miles southeast of Fayette on "The Old Diagonal Road" to Arlington. This is near the northeast corner of the S 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of Sec. 1-92-8. Maude Hall Erwin owns the land now and William E. Ash has been tenant for about eight years.

The Original Buildings Gone---the present house was originally built by Marcelia Toutsch, a daughter of Fielding Snedigar who owned the place for many years after 1868. Mr. Ash says that a part of the old stage route barn (which was east of the road) was moved across and used in the present barn. There are traces of three old house cellars around the yard. Ash, after he moved onto the place tore down the old house which probably included the old stage stations and inn. Mrs. Lida Stranahan describes a wedding of one of here aunts, Ellen Mitchell, to e. Burton Snedigar in an old log house that formerly stood near the road.

Mrs. Butts Remembers Old House---Clara (Mrs. Arthur) Butts says that she and Arthur were married in the old house on this farm by Z.C. Scobey, in 1888. Here father, Thomas L. Boots, was for four years tenant of Mr. Snedigar of Elkader. The old house was south of the present one, and closer to the road. In here day the old large log two-room part, running north and south, had been added to on the north, and all of this increased by an extension full length on the east. On the east or roadside of this long house there was a long narrow porch. I wish we had a picture of the old house. Mrs. Butts helped me draw a floor plan of it.

Corn Hill Was a Post Office---My sister, Nellie, hands me an old letter addressed to L.M. Stranahan, Corn Hill, Fayette County, Iowa, written from near St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 13, 1857. Littleton Cockrell wrote his son-in-law, L.M.S., that "Negroes have hired with us this year, from 200 to 250 dollars per head, and are selling from 1000 to 1500 dollars." Sister Nellie also reports that in the record of burials in Grandview cemet4ery she finds the following names listed as residents of "Corn Hill": Joseph Hawn, Feb. 28, 1879; Michal Hawn, Jan. 24, 1905.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

Hysham & Perkins at Corn Hill---Henry Bassett, a son of Herman Bassett, who lived in Putnam township, repeats a story told him in Dakota in 1884 by Hiram Hysham, then living about twenty miles northeast of Huron. His Hysham lived in or near the Brooks neighborhood, close to Corn Hill. "Cal" Perkins lived about a mile north of Taylosrville. Hysham had a yoke of steers (oxen/z) Perkins, who had no team, arranged with Hysham to take them to mill, at Clermont, with corn, at Perkins' expense on the trip. They had nothing to eat but cold Johnnycake and they camped on the trip. Reaching Corn Hill on the trip home Hysham declared he was going to get a breakfast. Perkins wanted to go on home with the steers and leave Hysham, who threatened to "smash his head" if he did. After Hysham went into the sort of hotel being kept, and began to eat, Perkins came in, refused to sit at the table and have a breakfast but pulled out more frozen Johnnycake to eat.

Earliest Owners---Bassett figures this stop of Hysham and Perkins at Corn Hill to have been about 1844. I have not checked on date. The land may have been occupied by some "settler" then but original entry for U.S. Title was not made until 1851. On April 4, 1852, H.W. Sanford entryman, gave special warranty deed to R. Richardson, who as R.R. Richardson, on Sept. 4, 1853, conveyed to Samuel Hendrickson. On Sept. 7, 1868, Hendrickson conveyed to Fielding Snedigar. Who operated the stage stations in those early days, if not these owners of the land (except Sanford, a Dubuque capitalist, I think) I do not know.

---EAGLE POINT
George S. Hartman tells that Sam Breisford (who once owned interest in the big Westfield flouring mill, and who afterward lived in a hermit's shack on the railway right of way up near Eagle Point) told him, when a small boy, that early in the 1850's a couple of boys shot an eagle at what is now called Eagle Point. Hartman thinks that Breisford knew who the boys were, but cannot remember the names now (in the 1930's).

Miss Mayme Hurd, writes from Des Moines that she seems to remember "having a tree pointed out at Eagle Point---a straggly tree over a rock---which was supposed to contain an eagle's nest."
Justin E. Miller says as a boy of about nine, he was working in the garden of his grandfather, John Burget, at Fayette, when Col. Aaron Brown, who owned a farm south of Eagle Point and lived in a house out toward Westfield, came to see Mr. Burget. They got to talking of early days and brown told that he had shot an eagle and had named the place, or was going to name it, "Eagle Point." It must have been in about 1877 that Miller heard this talk
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

---OF FROG HOLLOW
Why is it called "Frog Hollow"? I have often wondered how "Frog Hollow" got its name, as a neighborhood. Something about those words seemed to suggest an old story of some kind, and some unusual events in a literary way. Can anyone give us light on this question? Just what territory is referred to by that unusual name? What stories are there about that neighborhood, and its folks? Somebody ought to be able to write or tell something good about this.

Through suggestions from Merton Huchison, R.Orion, and Mrs. Belle Thorp Ocker, I was directed finally to Mrs. Joe (Lydia) Stearns for an explanation of the origin of Frog Hollow. Mrs. Stearns gives us the story as it was told many years ago by her mother, Bashemath (Mrs. A.J.) Thorp. In the earliest days there was a cooper's shop, for the making of tubs, and barrels, etc., that had been converted into a school house where the Frog Hollow school house now is located. When the present schoolhouse was build the old one was moved away and part of it is now on the Lydia Stearns farm. There were many small cabins around through the woods there and families must have been large for at that time they had about sixty pupils in that country school. The folks held local lyceums and literary society meetings, in the old school house.

At one of these meetings there was a lively debate over the question: "Which is more pleasing to the eye, Art, or Nature?" In the course of the argument some local orator to clinch some point with a patriotic local appeal, exclaimed: "What could be more pleasing to the eye than to stand on Mrs. Solomon's bluff, and view Frog Hollow in all its glory?" This tickled the crowd and the name spread. There was a little stream in the valley and no doubt there were some frogs. Some of the neighbors did not like the name Frog Hollow, however. Alfred J. Thorp (father of Mrs. Stearns) was one of the strongest objectors, and for some time he tried to get the name "Hazel Dell" used instead. That debate must have been at least seventy years ago (1860 or so). Although there never was a post office there by that name, a letter addressed to Bell Martin (now Mrs. Ocker) at Frog Hollow, Iowa, reached her when she was teaching there, years ago.

---HOLMES' PASTURE
|"Klock's Island" was known as Holmes pasture long before Mr. Klock took over with his woolen mill, though he did preserve the walnuts. I expect that "Cora" Seeley, Scott Templeton, brother Chas, Orvis and I knew the location of every worth while walnut tree from Col. Brown's, across from Eagle Point, to Cole's Mill at Big Rock,--and I have shagged up most of them and backed many a sack home--from John Orr's woods, wading the river at Noble's Ford.

---LOG HOUSES
Everett Bogert says he was born and remembers living in a large two story log house standing where the west part of the F.O. Turner house (on NW 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Section 27) in Smithfield township now stands. This log house was built by Alden Mitchell, Everett's grandfather and I have been told by some one that, as they remember, it was the farthest out from the woods, on the prairie of any of the log houses of Smithfield township. Who can tell me where other log houses were built in that township and who lived in them? Does any one have any picture or drawings of any of those early houses? When was the last such house discontinued as a dwelling place?
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

When I asked how College Hill got that name, several told me that it was because in a very early day a large building for a university was started on the highest point east of the road and just south of R.W. Hunt's present house (This would be the area east/southeast of the old arched entrance to Grandview Cemetery. Sometime, probably in the early 1900's, this knowledge became faint and the highway road up the high became known as "College Hill.", Z).

Weather this was before or after the "Old Seminary" building was erected on the present campus seems to be a matter of some doubt. I have heard it stated both ways.

The College Hill Boom---Walter E. Hunt says he can remember while picking wild strawberries seeing town lot stakes, relics of that boom, out on the prairie as far south of college Hill as near where the buildings now are on the farm owned by Dan Hall and occupied by Chas. R. Proctor. Dr. J.D. Parker says that when his father came to Fayette there were town lots staked out for a considerable distance south of where Grandview cemetery now is.

J.S. Briggs wrote from Sumner, March 2, 1938, "I was told years ago by one whom I considered good authority at the time, it may have been Charley West, that a man by the name of Gregory, I believe, hired this same Charley West to plant the Island with nuts, black walnut and butternuts, about half and half, and whoever told me stated the amount that it took of each kind. Possibly it was Isaac Ashbaugh who told me. He at one time had a brick yard across the river west of the Island. Who was the first brick-maker in Fayette? Where did he make brick? Where were the brick used? What became of the men and the businesses?
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

I did find Isaac Ashbaugh came from LaGrange county, Indiana, to Fayette in 1856, where he engaged in the manufacture of brick for six years when be bought a farm in section four of Harlan township, on which he built a good brick house and a big stone barn. He became a farmer and stock man on quite a large scale. Early in the 1890's he moved to Fayette into the new house he had build on Water street, occupied by the F.A. Lewis family in 1938. He thus remained until his death a near neighbor of his old farm neighbor, William Taylor. Isaac Ashbaugh was evidently one of "the builders" of Fayette county.

L.L. Cole and R.W. Hunt both say that there was once a brick yard on what is now Peter Widger estate land northeast of Fayette; that the yard was close to the present road to Big Rock and that the flat place, and perhaps traces of brick, ought to be discernible now. Does anybody know when that yard was operated or who operated it?

John J. Ovis sends in a letter to his sister, about the question regarding the old brick yard west of Klock's Island. There was a family by the name of Rodgers who lived in the brick house at the food of the "long Hill", we used to call it. I believe Dan Rodgers built it. He used to have a brick yard there. He and his wife and family always went to the M.E. church. The children were Elizabeth, Ella and Frank. They went to school when we did and walked from the house at the foot of that hill to College Hall where services were help in the old chapel. Mrs. A.D. Allen, Sumner.

Lewis W. Coates, who came to Fayette at age eight, with his parents, on Nov. 23, 1963, writes: I was personally acquainted with the Rodgers family who had the brick yard west of town. Mr. Rodgers and his son, Frank, did mason work for me at different times.

---Charles Hoyt Wrote About Farming----In 1859 Charles Hoyt was establishing a farm south of Fayette, where Chris Knos now lives. He probably did not then dream that he was to become the county surveyor, whose finely made records are still praised, and to be the first Mayor of the incorporated town of Fayette. Nor is it probable he then dreamed that his young son, William, by a former marriage, who was in school in New York state would years later come out here and become one of Fayette’s leading citizens, as lawyer, banker, and college trustee, and that he would even become a District Court judge. Mrs. Mary Hoyt hands me a letter she finds written from this father to this sone, and it contains so much information about early farming conditions that I shall print it in full, with some paragraph headings of my own. Though Fayette was started in 1855, it would appear from Charles Hoyt’s letter that in 1859 the post office was still at Westfield. There were several years of contest over that matter between the two towns.

Letter of Charles Hoyt, Westfield, June 28, 1859, Dear Son: Yours of 18^th inst. Is received---we also duly received yours of 14^th ultimo. Owing to the usual pressure of business I have not found time conveniently to answer until now.

Rental Terms---I have let my farm the present season to the same man who had it last year, on much the same terms to wit: I furnish all the seed, team, farming implements, &c, also board him during the farming season---he to do all the work and deliver me two thirds of the products. I took this course in order to have more liberty to attend to fencing and putting up some outbuildings &c., but I still find so much to do that I hardly have any leisure.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

Fencing a Farm a Problem---Fencing a farm in this country on the prairie some distance from timber is a very tedious and expensive process, and a very common practice is to let cattle run at large and depend upon cows coming home statedly to be milked but they frequently stay out nights and when pasture on the prairies gets tough in the latter part of the season they stray into the timber where it is very difficult to find them. I was so troubled this way the first two years of my farming that I resolved to have a pasture lot fenced in for my cows if possible and the past winter proving favorable for lumbering I succeeded in getting not only some ten thousand feet of logs to the saw mill but also a god ;supply of fencing stuff to my farm and have made a pasture lot of about 17 acres and have also nearly completed another field of 40 acres, a portion of which I am now engaged in breaking.

Breaking of Prairie Described---A common practice here at the west has been to break raw prairie, as it is called, with a team of 4 or 5 yoke of oxen and a plow that will cut a furrow from 22 to 30 inches wide and the charge for breaking is about #3 per acre and the proper time for doing it is from the 25^th of May to the 10^th of July in order that the sod may become thoroughly rotted by the following spring. I had 25 acres broke in 1856 and the same area in 1857 but concluded to break some this year myself and purchased a 12 inch plow of new pattern costing $20 with which I am now breaking with my own single team of horses.

Some Family News---I have also to inform you that you have a second Hawkeye sister here with us nor five weeks old. She is well and hearty and your mother also. Inclosed you will find a lock of hair from each of your western sisters. You will see that your sister Mary’s has lost none of its original lustre. I regret much to hear of the death of your grandmother but probably she rejoiced to be released from suffering.

Penmanship of Future Judge Hoyt---I am pleased to hear of your close devotion to your studies and if you have made as much progress in every branch as you have in penmanship I am well satisfied with the school your friends have chosen for you. I have not had a letter from your grandfather or anyone else in Cleveland (New York) since you left there. You will please excuse this hasty scrawl as I have stolen an hour after dinner and it is now time to resume my work of breaking up the virgin prairie. Let me hear from you again soon and I will try to find time ere long to address you more at length. Your mother joins me in love to yourself, Mrarcia and all other relatives in Oswego. In haste your father, C. Hoyt. P.S.—Your mother requests you to suggest a name for your youngster.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

---OF ALBANY
Albertson's Store at Albany: A little breeze of the national political winds that were blowing in 1856, and something to stimulate some memories of the more glorious days of our neighboring village of Albany, come to us out of this old advertisement found in the Pioneer commencing March 17, 1856. "KANSAS MUST BE FREE:" 1000 volunteers wanted immediately, to meet at Albany, armed with the "needful," to buy at Prime Cost Albertson's large and extensive stock of clothing, dry goods, groceries, glassware, hardware, woodenware, hats and caps, boots and shoes, paints and oils, dyestuffs, drugs, and medicines, notions, trimmings, etc. Having determined to emigrate to Kansas the present season, I now offer my entire stock of merchandise at Prime Cost, for "Pay Down," or approved paper on time. A good opportunity is offered to a person wishing to engage in the mercantile business. For particulars, inquire of C.A. Newcomb, West Union, or the proprietor, at Albany. All those indebted to the subscribe either on notes or accounts due, are requested to call and settle immediately. Albert Albertson, Albany, March 17, 1856.

Who was Albertson? Where did he come from? What is remembered about him? Where was his store? What became of it? If he went to Kansas whet became of the family? What other stores, or other lines of business were there at Albany about that time, and who were the most active citizens around there?

Albany was the third town started in Westfield township. The original proprietors of the town plat, and the main promoters of the town were Albert Albertson and Edwin Smith. A Mr. John Dollarhide apparently started into the venture with them but sold out to Albertson and Smith before the plat was recorded. Albany became quite a thriving and aggressive village.

Indian Politics at Albany---There may be some political inspiration abut the valley at Albany. I believe the folks over there for many years were the predominating political group in Westfield township. When Lamont Perry, one of my school mates, in abut 1898, I think, prepared his high school graduating speech he discussed his subject with me, which was something about the Indian life in Fayette county. I remember his telling me some of the things that his uncle (by marriage) Andrew J. Hensely, who came to Fayette county before the Indians were moved away, had told him. The only point I remember now was that once there was a meeting of Indians in the valley at Albany, at which meeting they chose a chief. I have never seen this in any history.

Albertson a Promoter of Albany---The advertisement of Albert Albertson in the Pioneer made me curious about the man. I find no biography in any county history. The deed records and old newspapers, however, indicate that he was one of the most enterprising of our local pioneers. He was one of the first investors and business men at West Union. From December 14, 1853, to May 17, 1854, he ran one of the largest advertisements in the Fayette County Pioneer for his General Merchandise store in West Union, in which he referred to the business as The Arcade Saving Bank. As one of the first advertisers in the county he surely "praised himself highly." May 24, 1854, Levi Fuller and H. Chandler began advertising their opening of a wholesale and retail hardware "stand" at West Union in "the well known stand formerly occupied by Albert Albertson as a store room."
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

His Later Career---May 30, 1855, there was published a dissolution notice (dated May 3^rd) of the firm of Albert Albertson and Edwin Smith at Albany and it was announced that Albertson would continue the business. In the March 17, 1856, issue of The Pioneer Albertson began running his closing out ad printed before in these columns. Dec. 6, 1856, he asked debtors to meet him at C.A. Newcomb's office in West Union between Jan. 1 and Jan. 6^th, 1857, to pay their accounts. Whether this Albertson who was an early booster in two Fayette county towns did, as advertised, go to Kansas, I do not know. The last trace of him I find is a quit claim deed, for a West Union lot, executed Nov. 21, 1865, in which his residence is given as Chicasaw county, Iowa. Did he move a little further west from Fayette county and pioneer more towns or enterprises?

Mrs. Stearns gives a little description of the old school house made out of the Frog Hollow cooper shop, where for a while sixty pupils, ages 5-12, were accommodated. There were no desks or tables. Pupils sat closely together on benches made of slabs with peg legs and without backs. And the benches re as close together as they could be put, to accommodate the crowd, making many rows of seats in a small room.

The three Chauncey Smith girls---Mesdames King, Conkey and Miller---in their recent talk referred to the part of that old school house building, now used as a granary on the Stearns farm, in which some of the old school day writing on walls could still be found. It was in that old cooper shop-school house-grannary room that the speech was made that started the name "Frog Hollow."

Another First School?---Roy R. Fussell tol me, last April (1938), that his father, Martin H. Fussell told, believed the first school in Fayette county was on a spot a few rods southeast of the Susi Hensley Potter farm home, east of Lima, on the SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Sec. 13-93-8. Roy has been told that there is a trace of a depression in the ground indicating where a building may have stood. He thinks this was a public school house.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

Fayette's Early Rival was West Union---The early history of Fayette involved intense rivalry with West Union in several respects---especially over location of the county seat. Just as it may not be possible to fully understand the spirit of a young town without some knowledge of its neighbors and rivals.

Fayette's Neighbor Town Heard From---The letter in the Weekly North Iowa Times from "Little Fayette" which we published last week brought fourth some letters to that paper from "Big West Union." Because it further reveals the spirit, the interests, some personalities and some of the activities of another leading Fayette county pioneer town. I will print the first of these letters, as I found it, except for a few heading inserted.

West Union Correspondence, Mary 18^th, 1859---Mr. Editor: Having noticed in the Times, various epistles giving sketches of "little" villages and accounts of the doings therein, I came to the conclusion that a few inklings from this place, might not, perhaps, prove uninteresting to your many readers. We are not yet a city, technically speaking, the corporation extending to and embracing only the Court House and Public Square, which are incorporated by a tasty and substantial fence. Our sidewalks may not compare very favorably with those of Broadway, but for regularity and evenness, they excel those of Chicago at present.

A Puff for West Union---As to substantial buildings, West Union is certainly not surpassed in the North West. Its progress has ever been steady and onward in all the essentials of prosperity---Strangers are not brought here by glowing prospectuses, and then find they have been "taken in." But they come---see for themselves---and the beautiful location, our schools and churches, mail facilities, together with the business aspect, which characterizes our place, are sufficient inducements for farseeing men to locate here. For temperance, and morals in general, and for a beautiful supply of the fair sex, we may safely challenge comparison with any of our sister towns.

Newspapers and Amusements---We have two newspapers, the PIONEER and the REVIEW, both of which are edited with marked ability, yet their Editors would not doubt succumb to "Pat" of the TIMES, when it comes to the insertion of an original item of lager. (Oh you divil!---Pat.) As to amusements, we have two Billiard Saloons and one Ten Pin Alley. We have no "Phelans" among our Billiard players, however. The usual run made is 20 cents, which is run out of the elected candidate’s pocket! Fishing is a recreation not much indulged in with us, and when we do fish, we don't catch big "mackerels", but small and beautiful "little fishes"---similar to those put up in the "lie."

Business and Progress---Business seems to be brightening up considerable. Our merchants are receiving per "mule express," #c., large supplies daily and are dealing them out on the "pay to-day and trust-to-morrow principle." Messrs. Rickel and Juffman, two of our most esteemed business men, are about locating at McGregor, to carry on the book business. They are men of correct business habits, and bear with them the best wishes of our citizens for their success. There will doubtless be many substantial buildings erected here during the summer; among others which will be the best private residence in town. The county seat question seems settled; Fayette having lost its 'Press', has no organ to agitate the matter in her behalf, and Barnard doesn't seem to care, as he has all he can attend to supply his hundreds of customers with goods, &c. We have here five physicians and seven lawyers, besides several of the latter in an embryotic state; enough, one might suppose, to rid the country of physical and moral ills, were such a thing possible by such instrumentalities.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

Cowles' Brass Band---Our Brass Band is certainly worthy of mention here. Its members have progressed beyond the expectations of their most sanguine friends. A few evenings ago, they gave a general serenade, and while serenading the Editor of the PIONEER, that gentleman evinced strong poetical symptoms, and the result was a short poetical effusion in his last issue, but as the last note of the "toot horn died away, the inspiration left hem, and we do not look for any more poetry from his pen until---"more music." Even the intellectual, staid and sever Editor of the REVIEW, fell to rhapsodizing, as may be see by today's issue, under the head of "Gaily, the Troubadour, &c." Surely it can not be denied that the "Band" is "some." Among the many notabilities of our town the "Corvette" a 6&8 sheet, should not be forgotten, "J.H. Gharky, Captain, Mate, Owner &c., &c. It was launched yesterday, with a picture for a heading, looking marvelously like a river Steamboat! Our farmers are again trustingly and coaxingly beseeching "Mother Earth" for a supply of here bounties, notwithstanding here seemingly unnatural treatment of them last year, and her promises thus far are, to say the least, very fair. Adieu, BIG WEST UNION

---Local Business Men if 1858---The earliest Fayette newspaper view of Fayette, Westfield and Albany, as business centers which I have seen is an old copy of the Fayette county Journal, owned by Mrs. Lida Stranahan. The paper published by C. O. Meyers, at Fayette, June 4, 1858, is as large as the present Fayette paper (1938), but is more than one-half advertising. Not only local concerns, but many from West Union, Chicago, Dubuque, McGregor and elsewhere were patrons. This was in the first Fayette boom days,---just after the Seminary had opened. The town of Fayette was only three years old but Westfield and Albany were older.

The Advertisers---In this old newspaper I find advertisements for the following business concerns at Fayette, Westfield and Albany, form which I have taken enough to indicate general lines of business .

Drs. C.C. Parker and D. Alexander---Had their firm office on Washington street, between Water and State streets, for the practice of medicine and surgery.

A. E. Sawyer---Watchmaker and jeweler, at No. 56 Main street, who also had a card as Public.

Joseph Hobson---Notary Public, Collector and land agent. Prairie and timber land and town lots.

R.B. Hayward---Painter, grainer, glazier and paper hanger. Paints and oils. Two doors south of Fayette House.

A.M. Barnard and Co.---Wholesale and retail dealer in dry goods, groceries, clothing, boots and shoes. "At Maxon's old stand on the bank of the Volga. Firm was A.M. Jasen, and W.W. Barnard and J.B. Sperry.

S.E. Pettingill---Manufacturer of boots and shoes. Adjoining Barnard's Store.

I. Templeton and G. Brier---New firm at N. E. corner of Main and Water streets. Dry goods, clothing, groceries, boots, carpeting, mattresses, etc.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

E.A. Halleck---Manufacturer and dealer in wagons, carriages and sleighs. Corner of Kind and State streets.
Fayette House---J.D. Gray, Prop. (formerly of Washington House, Dubuque) now open to public "offers accommodations unsurpassed by any hotel in Iowa. A large and commondious barn is connected with the establishment."

Budlong and Norton---"At the old stand" have for sale smoked hams and shoulders and a large lot of pickled pork. Also cast steel plows. Have retired from other mercantile business.

E.C. Howe---Big ad. for new store; Hardware, stoves, tinware, etc., features "Emperor Elevated Oven"; "Morning Star Air Eight," warranted "not to cut in the eye, or no sale".

Benj. Burch and Cortez Paine---Fruit and ornamental trees at the Fayette nursery.

J.E. and H.S. Nobel---Blacksmiths, "Water street, upper part of town." "Particular attention paid to horse and cattle shoeing." We work first for those that pay the best, and after that we will work for the rest."

Wm. H. Derby---Harness shop, on Main street, one door north of the new hotel. Manufactures: saddles, harness, trunks, valises, whips, etc. Carriage trimming and repairing.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

N.H. Moulton---At Westfield, manufactures and sells breaking plows, cultivators, shovel plows, etc.

Westfield Mill---Brier and Templeton, proprietors; pay highest market prices for wheat. Flour and feed always on hand.

F. Kelly---At Westfield. Tailor. "Prepared to make all kinds of garments in my line in the best style."

H.N.Sutton---At Westfield. Dry goods, leather goods, hdwre, crockery, clothing, boots, etc. Also John Deere's Moline plows, and some of home manufacture. Wants 5000bu of wheat in exchange for goods.

Isaac Brier---At Westfield. Has opened a general family grocery and provision store.

Luffkin and Colman---At Westfield. Lumber for sale. And sawing done at Westfield steam mill at $7 per M. Sell oak lumber $16 to $18 per M and basswood at $20. Lath $4.50 per thousand.

Northern Iowa Cabinet and Turning Shop---At Albany, Iowa, operated by E.E. Chandler, advertises their workmen among the best in the county; announce to citizens of Fayette county, and the rest of the world, they will furnish all kinds of cabinet furniture, bedsteads, bureaus, tables, whiffle-trees, neckyokes, hubs, etc.

F. (Fleming) Jones---at Albany, has in operation a chair factory and is prepared to furnish on shortest notice chairs of all descriptions, warranted for one year, and delivered at any place within four miles.

James K. Kent---at Albany, was still to be found at the old shop. Blacksmith, horses shod $2.75 per span, or $3.25 on time. All other work for cash in proportion. Oxen shod for $3.25.
Return to Time-Line Index at the top of the page.

---HOBSON'S POTTERY and HOBSON'S FARMING
Many years ago father told me that in early days a man named John W. Hobson operated a pottery on what is now the Eugene ("Jim") Paul estate farm in Section 21 of Smithfield township. Who can tell us anything about the old pottery and abut the Hobson family by whom it was operated. Was Hobson, the potter, the man who bought and preserved "Parsons Grove?"

Mrs. Eugene Paul, who with her husband and family, have owned this farm since November 2, 1891, says that when they moved onto the farm the old pottery kiln was in a dilapidated condition but was still there. A thicket of brush and trees had grown up in and around it. The Paul’s cleaned out the ruins of the old kiln, scattering the debris on the farm. Mrs. Paul wishes she had saved some of the old crocks, jugs, vases, etc.

Martha Chittenden Knight writes that her first knowledge of the Hobson pottery business "was of his harum-scarum lads going past farm houses." :They had been after potter's clay and how they did make themselves known singing and shouting on their way home." Mrs. Knight mentions: park, Edward and John Harr (nicknamed "Durf") who married Ada Knight, her sister-in-law. She also says "There was a helper who came with them named Barney Lynch. He was from England, I understand, a quaint, droll character."
Lee Dresser, at Sioux Falls, SD, read the inquiry about the Hobson pottery, and