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IN AND AROUND

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^ RAPIDS- X

1839 TO 1849.

REV. GEORGE R. CARROLL.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.
TIMES PRINTING AND BINDING HOUSE.
1895.

Copyright, 1895.
By Rev. Geo. R. Carroll.

PREFACE.

You say you " never read a preface." Very well, nobody
wishes to compel you to do so. But very often you will be the
loser, provided you read the book that follows the preface, if
you do not give it an attentive perusal. Besides, if the author
has a few words of explanation concerning his work that has
cost him so much labor, he is entitled to a respectful hearing,
lest he should be misunderstood in what he has written. In
the pages that follow, the writer does not attempt to give a
full history of all the events and persons of that period of
which he writes, but simply to rescue from the hopeless ob
livion to which they would soon be consigned, a few facts,
concerning the people and their doings of those early times,
that ought to be preserved, if ever a full and correct history
is written. The accounts hitherto given have been written up by non
residents who have collected a few isolated facts and woven
them together without knowing much of what or of whom
they have written. The consequence has been that many
errors have crept into their records which have been exten
sively copied by later writers at second-hand, and so these
errors, which on close examination are often found to be self-
contradictory, have found currency and are still perpetuated.
The writer of the pages that follow, was a personal par-

VI PREFACE.
ticipator in, or at least an eye-witness, of many of the things
of which he writes, and was personally acquainted with, or
knew well by reputation, almost every person of whom he has
attempted a description.
The dates of important events be has endeavored, by per
sonal visitation of the oldest settlers, and extensive corres
pondence with the old pioneers who are now living in distant
parts of the country, to fix with tbe utmost accuracy, so that
they can be relied upon as correct. Of course there is no
claim to absolute perfection in this work. There may be,
and doubtless are many errors concerning dates of minor im
portance, ancl yet every attempt" has been made to have the
record throughout as reliable and trustworthy as possible.
What has been written in this work has been done with
out the promise of reward from any source, and hence the
author has been left free to express his own thoughts without
fear or favor. It will be a sufficient reward if the readers of
these pagesshall lind them in any degree helpful, and a source
from whence they can derive reliable information concerning
the very early history of our beloved city and county.
The illustrations that accompany this work, so far as
they relate to early history, have been reproduced from
memory by the author; the only exception being the Jones
parsonage, which still stands, although somewhat modified in
appearance by later owners. All the other buildings of those
primitive days have long since been demolished, and they live
only in the memories of the few surviving pioneers of the
long ago. It has been a source of great satisfaction to me
that the pictures are recognized by those who know, to be
very fair representations of the originals. The cuts of the
modern buildings are given in order to bring out in more
vivid contrast the past and present of our city, in which
all who reside here feel such a just pride.
GEORGE R. CARROLL.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June, 1895.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Residence of Mr. Isaac Carroll .... 25
" Shepherd's Tavern "  71
Y. M. C A. Building .... . . 77
The Astor House  221
Residence of Rev. Williston Jones .... 179
The First Presbyterian Church . . . .183
Going Shopping ... . . . . 101
Pioneer Pleasure Ride  235
The Narrow Escape  49
Portrait of Mr. Robert Ellis . ... 91

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. PAGE
I
Introductory'   1
Family History  2
Tidings from the Far West  1
"The New Purchase "  4
Destination Settled    -...,  4
CHAPTER II.
From Canada to Iowa  1  6
The Outfit  -   6
Taking Leave of the Last Friend  (i
Crossing the Line  -. 7
The "Father of Waters"  8
The Rest at Moscow  .  10
Return of the Explorers  10
CHAPTER III.
The Journey Continued  12
First Entrance into Linn County  12
Reaching the County Seat  13
The Bassett Home   14
Lewis' Bark Cabin  14
Mr. Lewis described  15
The Jewell Hut  16
A.B.Mason  .,¦¦   17
CHAPTER IV.
The Destination Reached  .  18
The Claim Described---,    _  19

contents. ix
Hobson's Choice    19
The Erection of the First CabiD  19
, The Permanent Home...-  20
CHAPTER V.
Entering the New Home  27
A Little Incident  27
The Bee-tree    29
CHAPTER VI.
Life in the New Home    31
Supplies for the Family     31
Location of the Road  33
The First Winter  34
Social Aspect  34
An Interested Visitor  35
Opening of the Fa I'm  37
Plowing the Ground  38
CHAPTER VII.
Wild Fruit and Game  39
The Sportsman's Paradise    42
CHAPTER VIII.
Other Wild Animals and Reptiles  43
Prairie Wolves  43
Wildcats  45
The Snakes of Iowa    48
Wild Flowers  55
CHAPTER IX.
Our First School House  56
First Religious Services.   57
Debating Societies  61
Mr. and Mrs. Lutz  64
CHAPTER X
Other Neighbors  64
William Knowls   ._ 64
Caleb Hendricks     66

X contents.
Levi Lewis  67
Jason Bartholomew    68
Osgood Shepherd  70
The First Settler in Cedar Rapids  70
The Family with Golden Hair  75
Mr. Porter W. Earl  80
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Shearer  82
John Vardy   86
N.B. Brown  87
Robert Ellis  90
The Oldest Settler  90
O S. Bowling  94
David W. King  96
Thomas Gainor  96
The Listebarger Brothers  98
Farnum Colby  99
CHAPTER XI.
Our Merchants  100
The First Goods Sold in Town  100
Joseph Greene, the First Merchant   103
Charles R. Mulford  108
Samuel Hook  108
William Greene   110
Mrs. Prudence Baker..  112
The Higley Brothers  113
W. W. Higley  115
Major M. A. Higley  116
Lowell Daniels  120
A-ddison Daniels  117
Preston Daniels  119
Lawson Daniels  121
J. F. Charles  123
Isaac W. Carroll  124
CHAPTER XII.
The Phy-silians of Early" Times    126
The Quacks      126
The Educated Practitioners    128
Henry Ristine, M. D     ._  128
John F. Ely, M. D       130

contents. xi
E. L. Mansfield, M. D     133
S. D. Carpenter, M. D    135
Dr. J. C. Traer.    -.1  136
CHAPTER XIII.
John G. McLeod   138
C.C.Cook     140
Hon. George Greene    142
Henry Weare     146
John Weare, Jr.    148
The Sons of John Weare, Jr   153
Alexander L. Ely   . 157
Hon. Isaac Cook   160
Col. I. M. Preston...   i61
CHAPTER XIV
Mr. Arvin Kennedy     163
James Martin     176
Samuel S. Johnson     165
Absalom Sines     165
William Stewart    :   166
Joseph Hollan     174
James Ferguson   172
John Weare, Sr  .   168
Charles Weare    _¦  173
George Weare  :...  170
Rev. Williston Jones   177
H. L.Bryan   .  1S6
Miss Mary S. Legare    190
Other Brief Biographical Notices   - 191
The Biographical Shetches as a Whole  - 193
CHAPTER XV.
Schools. Religious Services and Music  ._  195
Music of Early Times     197
CHAPTER XVI.
The Indians...       202

XII CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVII.
The Exceptionals     208
The Broady's      208
Joel Leverich.     210
CHAPTER XVIII.
The First Steamboat    —  215
An Early Railroad Project  217
"The Astor House"  -  -. 221
CHAPTER XIX.
Notes and Incidents    223
(By Mrs. E. H. Jones).
Private Boarding-house, Dubuque  225
Home at Last      228
A Visit to the Home of Mr. E. T. Lewis   231
The Empty Larder    234
The Indian Visitors    ..,.   240
CHAPTER XX.
Brief Mentions    243
Marion and Vicinity..     243
Closing Words     246

CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.
It is always a matter of interest to trace the
history of towns and communities in their origin
and subsequent development. Too often, howev
er, the beginnings of these histories are neglected
till it is too late ever to get at the facts necessary
to a complete record of events so desirable to be
known. The founding of the now important city of Cedar
Rapids dates back more than a half century, and
yet only a meagre and imperfect account of
those early times has ever been written.
The people who lived in those primitive days
arid participated in its scenes have dwindled down
to a very small number.
Having been a participator in those scenes of
long ago, and being able to recall somewhat viv
idly many things that transpired at that period, I
have been impelled, through the urgency of friends,
to attempt a record of a few things that tran
spired when the foundations of this city and the
community around it were being laid.
There are several questions that naturally sug-

2 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
gests themselves to every inquiring mind with
regard to the settlers of any country, and more
especially of a new country:
1. The first is, who were they?
2. The second, whence came they?
3. The third, what led them to this particular
place? 4. The fourth, how did they come?
5. The fifth, what and whom did they find
when they arrived?
6. And finally, what did they do after they
reached their destination?
These questions it will be the purpose of the
writer to answer with respect to his own family,
and at least a part of them so far as he is able,
with respect to other families that will be men
tioned in these pages.
In the very nature of the case I find it impossi
ble to write out these reminiscences without bring
ing into a somewhat disproportionate prominence
my own family. But I trust it will be deemed a
sufficient apology for this, when it is remembered
that the experiences of this one family are essen
tially those of many others, and hence, the narra
tive here presented, will give the reader a true
picture of life as it then existed.
THE FAMILY HISTORY.
My father, Isaac Carroll, was born in the coun
ty of Ontairo, State of New York, December 1,
1777. My grandfather was a native of the State

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 3
of New Jersey, and his father, I believe, was a
native of Ireland.
In early manhood, I think it must have been, my
father, together with his father and several broth
ers, emigrated to the town and county of Oxford,
Canada West, or Upper Canada, as it was then
called. My mother, whose maiden name was Lovina
Skeel, was born in the county of Rutland, State
of Vermont, October 20, 1791. Most of her early
life was spent at Clarenden, now known as Clar-
enden Springs, and a somewhat noted watering
place. Subsequent to that she moved to John
son's Creek, New York, a few miles east of Lock-
port. Both my father and mother had been previously
married and each had children, some of whom
were grown up and away from home before I was
born. My father and mother were united in marriage
at Oxford, Canada, November 12, 1826. From
this marriage there were born to them the follow
ing children:
Catharine Lovina, August 27, 1827.
Isaac Wesley, October 12, 1829.
George Ryerson, March 13, 1831, and
Julia Anjenette, August 24, 1833.
It was in the spring of 1833 that the family
moved from Oxford to Malahide, in the county of
Elgin, ten miles north of Lake Erie and near Tal
bot street. This was our farm home for six or
seven years.

4 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
My father was too much of a liberal and my
mother too much of a yankee ever to be contented
under monarchical rule. And so for a number of
years the question of emigrating to "the states"
was agitated. TIDINGS FROM THE FAR WEST.
Somewhere about the year 1838 we began to
hear a good deal about the Rock River country in
the far-off State of Illinois. So many favorable
things were said of it that my parents thought
quite favorably of going to that new country
where land could be easily secured and the boys
could get farms when grown up. In fact they
had about decided to make that the objective
point of their travels, when the time came for
them to make the change, when all of a sudden a
new direction was given to their thoughts.
"THE NEW PURCHASE."
Just at this time, a neighbor of former year§,
John Brooks by name, having gone West a year
or two before, returned, and g'ave glowing ac
counts of "The New Purchase" in Linn county,
in the Territory of Iowa.
In 1838, a portion of the territory in which Linn
county is now included, was purchased of the Sac
and Fox Indians, and so it became known as "The
New Purchase." DESTINATION SETTLED.
This visit of Mr. Brooks decided the question

CEDAR RAPIDS, 'IOWA. 5
of location and fixed our destination beyond the
"Father of Waters."
Our farm was sold to a man by the name of
Joel Stephens, the price of which I do not remem
ber, if, indeed, I ever knew. I can only recall the
fact that in one part of the payment there were
one thousand half dollars which seemed to me like
an enormous sum of, money.
About the middle or last of May, 1839, all the
arrangements had been made, and we were at last
ready to take up the line of our march to the land
of promise.
It seemed to us all like a great undertaking.
The distance apeared to us so immense that we
never expected to return again to the old home.
And although the distance now seems quite insig
nificant, as a matter of fact, some of us have never
looked upon the old home from that day to this.
Our family consisted of father and mother,
Sarah Carroll, our half sister on father's side,
Charles C. Cook and B. F. Cook, half brothers
on mother's side, together with the four children
already mentioned, making in all a family of nine
persons.

PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND

CHAPTER II.
FROM CANADA TO IOWA— THE OUTFIT.
Our outfit consisted of two spans of horses and
two covered wagons, one of which was rather
small and designed for the conveyance of the
women and children. We had besides four cows
of our own, and Mr. Brooks accompanied us with
two more, making altogether quite a little cara
van — ten persons, four horses, six cows, two
wagons, and last of all, our old dog "Watch."
We had a good tent which we could pitch when
occasion required, and this, with our covered
wagons, afforded very good shelter when out of
the reach of better accommodations.
Our first day's journey terminated at St. Thom
as, a town twelve miles distant from our old home.
Here we spent the night with a half sister, Mrs.
Harriet Kennedy. On resuming our journey the
next day it was a hard struggle for mother to
part with her daughter whom she never expected
to see again on earth.
TAKING LEAVE OF THE LAST FRIEND.
Our sister walked out with us through the
town, and on the banks of a little stream we took
our final leave of her, and as we slowly wound
our way up the opposite hill, mother kept look
ing back and weeping as though her heart would

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 7
break. It seemed as though her grief was more
than she could bear, and I remember well how
lovingly Sarah approached her and with soothing
words besought mother not to give way to her
sorrow. And so we passed on over the hill, and
this proved to be the last meeting of mother and
daughter in this world, although some of us chil
dren were permitted to meet her many years after
in her new home in Michigan whither she had
moved with her husband.
CROSSING THE LINE.
Of the rest of our journey of ninety or a hun
dred miles through Canada, I can recall nothing
of interest at this late date, but I remember very
well that when we reached the shore of the United
States at Detroit father appeared very happy,
and I am sure mother shared the happiness with
him, for the love of the old flag under which she
was born had never forsaken her.
From Detroit we passed on forty miles west to
Ypsilanti, a part of the way along the line of the
Michigan Central railroad, then in process of con
struction. This was impressed upon my mind as
it was our first view of a locomotive and a train
of construction cars.
At Ypsilanti we took a few days' rest and visit
with an uncle, a half brother of my mother, who
resided there at that time.
Father seemed delighted with the appearance
of the rich, mellow soil of the new country, which
my uncle showed off to good advantage by turning
up its surface with the toe of his boot. But when

8 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
father saw the corn which was the product of this
rich soil, he appeared to be a good deal disap
pointed, for, although the ears were much larger
and more thrifty in appearance than the little,
smooth, round ears of the Yankee corn to which
he had always been accustomed, yet the uneven,
indented kernels of this new variety, was sugges
tive to him of early frosts, and he reported to the
family in a private and half despondent way that
the corn was frost bitten. In after years, when
he had discovered the soundness and superiority
of this corn over the old, he often laughed at his
own early and erroneous impression concerning it.
And this reminds me of the fact that our horses,
too, had to become accustomed to this new corn as
well as we, for they knew of no other kind of
grain except oats, for although they seemed to
know that corn was good to eat, they did not
know how to get it off from the cob. Instead of
leaving the ears of corn in the trough and biting
the kernels from the cob, they would lift them up
in their teeth and scatter them upon the ground.
However, they soon learned how to manipulate it.
and throve nicely on the new provender.
THE "FATHER OF WATERS."
After a short visit at Ypsilanti we passed on
slowly, taking a day or two's rest now and then
as occasion seemed to require. It was in Michi
gan that we had our first view of the prairie. In
St. Joseph county we passed through White Pig
eon prairie, a most charming country, but as yet
sparsely settled. Of course, we were delighted

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 9
with the new scenery, the long stretches of bil
lowy landscapes, with their carpets of green, be
decked with flowers, and only here and there a
grove to break the monotony and to serve as land
marks to guide us on our westward journey.
Reaching Michigan City, with its sand hills, we
bore to the south, passing by the lake and out on
to the immense prairies of Illinois, so level and
monotonous and dreary as to make us long to see
some of the old familiar forests of Canada again.
But on, on we went through bridgeless streams
and bottomless sloughs, till at last we reached
the bank of the "Father of Waters" and the east
ern boundary of the Territory of our future home.
As we stood upon the banks of the majestic
Mississippi, we descried far away on the opposite
bank a few log huts. This was our first glimpse
of Iowa homes. The inhabitants of this little
hamlet were ambitious to be known as a town,
and they had assumed the historic name of Wyo
ming. The location was a short distance above
what is now known as Muscatine. How the ears
of those ambitious pioneers must have tingled,
when in later years their proud rival profanely
designated them as "Jug-town," and all because
their chief industry happened to be that of manu
facturing stone-ware.
We crossed the great river in a somewhat rick
ety scow or flat-boat, whose only means of loco
motion was a couple of oars which were manipu
lated by two stalwart men, who afterwards be
came residents of Linn county, one of whom, Mr.

10 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
Dyer Usher, recently died at his home a few miles
west of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The other, Mr.
Joel Howard, died a few years ago in the same
neighborhood. The rapid current of the river carried us down,
of course, a long distance below the point where
we started in on the Illinois side; but we at last
reached the western shore in good condition,
thankful that no accident had befallen us in mak
ing the perilous passage that we had so long
dreaded. Landing safely on Iowa soil, we proceeded
westward twelve miles to a log cabin, where we
received a cordial welcome from its inmates. It
was the home of the parents of our fellow-trav
eler, Mr. Brooks. THE REST AT MOSCOW.
Here we obtained permission to occupy a log
cabin for ten days, until father and mother could
go on to the "New Purchase" and explore the
ground and locate our claim. The aforesaid cabin
had neither doors, floors nor windows, but it had
a roof which was an important consideration in
the season when heavy rains were liable at any
hour to overtake us.
RETURN OF THE EXPLORERS.
After an absence of eight or ten days, father
and mother returned from the "New Purchase"
with favorable reports, having selected their
claim, marking out its boundaries and choosing
the site for our house. Father had been subject

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 11
to severe attacks of sick headache for many years,
and while absent on this exploring tour, one of
these distressing turns overtook him. I am quite
sure that those who know what the sick headache
is, either from actual experience or from close
observation of its effects, will not think it strange,
nor will they think the less of my father, if, under
these circumstances and environments, he did
manifest a slight tendency to homesickness.
But the unflinching energy, the unfailing cour
age, and the skillful ministrations of the woman
at his side, brought him through all right, and
both returned in apparently good spirits and with
high hopes for the future. It may, perhaps, be as
well to say here, as anywhere, that amid all the
hardships and trials incident to a new country,
which only those who have experienced them can
appreciate, mother's courage and hopefulness
never failed her, and she never would admit that
she regretted for a moment the step she took in
coming to Iowa.
Mr. John Brooks accompanied father and moth
er on this exploring expedition and rendered val
uable assistance, as he had been over the ground
previously and had located his own claim a few
miles north of the county seat, or where the coun
ty seat was to be.

12 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND

CHAPTER III.
THE JOURNEY CONTINUED.
On leaving Moscow it was with different feel
ings from those which we had hitherto experi
enced. Our destination was no longer vague and
shadowy, but definitely fixed. True, there was
no house nor shelter of any kind except the trees,
and not a foot of ground was inclosed with even
the rudest fence, but the lines had been traced
out, and the stakes had been set, and the trees
marked where our home was to be, and our par
ents knew the way thither.
FIRST ENTRANCE INTO LINN COUNTY.
I cannot now recall anything of importance that
occurred on the way until we reached Linn Grove,
where we found a few log cabins. In conversa
tion with one of the women that occupied one of
these primitive abodes, we found that her language
was so different from anything that we were ac
customed to, that it left a decided impression on
our minds and was a source of no little amuse
ment to us children. Some of her peculiar ex
pressions "were by- words with us for many years.
She seemed very cordial and ready, as everybody
was, to "welcome newcomers; and she was quite
communicative, although her accounts "were not
always of the most encouraging and inspiring
character to the new arrivals. She often made

CEDAR RAPIDS,, IOWA. 13
use of the words "heap" and "right smart" and
"mighty good or bad," all of which sounded to
us very strange. "There is a heap of hard work
and a dreadful poor living here," she remarked,
and then pointing to the tall trees that surround
ed us, she said: "There is a heap of linn here."
To our inquiry as to the best way to the county
seat, she said, as she surveyed our little caravan,
"Come right straight ahead and go right straight
through," which was about as definite as she
could be, as there was scarcely any track to indi
cate our course. We, however, followed her di
rection and went forward, and in an hour or two
found ourselves on the clean virgin prairie where
now stands our beautiful little twin sister city of
Marion. I have heard my oldest half brother, C. C.
Cook, say that there were probably not more than
half a dozen families in the county at the time of
our arrival. This may not be strictly accurate,
but I am sure that the number was very small.
The larger portion of the inhabitants were men
who had come on in advance of their families to
secure their claims and erect some kind of a shel
ter for them when they came. There must have
been some kind of a county organization, for when
we arrived, the point of its judicial centre had al
ready been fixed as above indicated.
REACHING THE COUNTY SEAT.
It was in the afternoon of the 4th of July, 1839,
when we reach the county seat, and the onl}7
thing to mark the spot was a bower of bushes

14 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
under which our nation's birthday had been cele
brated in primitive style, and in which, judging
from the hilarious demonstrations of two or three
men that we met by the way, whiskey must have
played a somewhat conspicuous part. A little at
one side of the town site, L. M. Strong, Esq.,
had a little cabin. I do not remember to have
seen either this cabin or its tenants at that time,
but Mr, Strong was for many years after a well
known and highly honored citizen of this place.
THE BASSETT HOME.
Passing on beyond Marion, we crossed Indian
Creek about a mile north of the present crossings
where there was a beautiful crystal spring, near
which was a little cabin, occupied by Mr. James
W. Bassett. LEWIS' bark cabin.
From this point, turning in a southwesterly di
rection, we found our way by a dim track through
the woods reaching, towards night, the little bark
shanty of Ephriam T. Lewis, near where now
stands the stone barn just south of the boulevard
two miles west of Marion. Mr. Lewis and his
son-in-law, Nathaniel G. Niece, were there and
gave us a hearty welcome and a most cordial in
vitation to share their hospitality over night,
which we gladly accepted. This frail bark tene
ment was given up very cordially and" generously
by the owner to the use of the women for a sleep
ing apartment, while the men and boys in the

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 15
company sought shelter and lodging in the tent
and wagons.
This little bark shanty was so unlike anything
that I have ever seen that I think a more minute
description of it may not be amiss in this place.
The bark was taken from the trunks of bass-
wood trees eighteen inches or two feet in diame
ter, perhaps, and from cuts seven or eight feet
long, or as high as you wished to make the build
ing. From these logs the bark was stripped off
entire, making one piece, when set up on end and
unrolled, as high as the house and several feet
wide. To keep the bark from curling up in the
sun, two straight poles were fastened together
and the bark placed between them at the top and
bottom. The roof was made of the same mater
ial and in the same way. It made a very neat
little cabin from the outside appearance, and in
the inside it was as white and clean as the most
fastidious house-wife could "wish.
MR. E. T. LEWIS DESCRIBED.
Mr. Lewis was a large, fleshy man, wide awake
and good natured and full of enthusiasm. He was
a Methodist by profession, and often exhorted the
people with -great fervor and zeal. His religion
"was good so far as it "went, but I am sorry to say
that it did not go far enough, for he had the re
putation of not being very reliable in his state
ments nor in his business transactions. However,
in general terms he proved to be a very good
neighbor, always accommodating and ready to work

16 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
for the public good, though somewhat grasping
in disposition and fond of preferment.
Mr. Lewis' family did not arrive till the fol
lowing autumn or early winter. The family con
sisted of Mrs. Lewis, two sons, William and Wil
bert, two daughters, Zipporah and Sarah, the
former the wife of Mr. N. G. Niece, and the lat
ter a young girl of 12 years of age, perhaps.
The family was held in high esteem and we re
garded them as very valuable acquisitions to our
society. Mrs. Lewis was a women of great excellence
of character, who won the hearts of all her pio
neer associates by her uniform kindness of dispo
sition and her many generous and neighborly acts.
It was a dire misfortune to the family and a great
sorrow to the neighborhood when, some five years
later, Mrs. Lewis was suddenly called away by
death. The family was soon broken up and
scattered after this sad event, and their subse
quent history, especially that of the three younger
children, had better remain unwritten.
Mr. Lewis married quite happily a second time,
but he seemed to be somewhat unfortunate in his
business transactions. He died a few years later
near his old claim where we first met him.
THE JEWELL HUT.
Leaving Mr. Lewis' primitive home on the morn
ing of July 5th, we passed on a half mile west to the
little hut of Mr. Jewell which stood on the ground
which has since been occupied for fifty-four years

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 17
as the home of our highly esteemed fellow-
citizen, Mr. Barnet Lutz. This little hut, built
of poles and prairie grass, held the only family
between Indian Creek north of Marion and Cedar
Rapids. Mr. Jewell had a wife and two or three
children. The walls of this unique structure
were made by setting up two rows of poles, say
six inches apart, and filling up the space between
with prairie hay. The covering was of the same
abundant material — poles and grass. The sleep
ing apartments "were placed one above the other
like berths in a steamer, though not quite so elab
orately furnished. The children, of course, were
placed in the upper berths, not only as a matter
of convenience, but as a precautionary measure
against the encroachments of the numerous
wolves and wild cats and other beasts of prey
which often prowled about of nights in search. of
something to satisfy their hunger.
Mrs. Jewell was the only white woman mother
saw outside of our family for six months after
our arrival. She saw plenty of squaws, however,
for the Indians were still on the g7round in great
numbers. A. b. mason.
Passing on, perhaps sixty or eighty rods west
of Mr. Jewell's throug'h the tall g'rass, we found
Mr. A. B. Mason breaking up prairie on the
higher ground just north of the Chicago, Milwau
kee & St. Paul railroad, at a point forty or fifty
rods west of the boulevard crossing- at Kenwood.

18 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
This, I think, was the first furrow plowed be
tween Marion and Cedar Rapids.
Mr. Mason's little cabin stood on the side of
the hill near Indian Creek not far from Mr. Mc-
Kee's residence. Mr. Mason was rather a prim
looking bachelor, probably forty-five or fifty
years of age, and on Sundays and state occasions
sported a silk hat, a little out of style, possibly,
but on the whole he made a very good appearance.
He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence,
and very good material for a justice of the peace,
which office he filled in after years with becoming
dignity and always with satisfaction to the win
ning side. Mr. Mason said that he often heard
the tread of wild animals about his cabin at night,
and could hear them crack the bones and devour
the crumbs that had been thrown out from his
table. CHAPTER IV.
THE DESTINATION REACHED.
Passing Mr. Mason by, we found ourselves in
a few moments on the ground which was to be
our future home. At the point of the ridge near
the foot of the mound, which in later years, has
been extensively known as Judge Greene's Mound
Farm, we pitched our tent, the little brook near
by affording us water, and the grove close at
hand, furnishing us wood and poles and bushes
for the erection of a bower, which, for a few days,
was to serve us as a kitchen and dining room.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 19
THE CLAIM DESCRIBED.
Our claim embraced a half section, 320 acres,
the south line being the same as the north line of
what is now known as the Bever farm, one cor
ner of the west line being in Central Park, and
the other on the east side of the mound near the
bottom, the north line running from this latter
point through Midway Park about a quarter of a
mile east of the Boulevard into the woods.
hobson's CHOICE.
The land on every side except the east, had
already been claimed, and so it was Hobson's
choice; this or nothing. But my parents could
not have been better satisfied if they had had the
whole country to choose from.
The exact description of the land when it was
surveyed, three years later, was found to be the
southwest quarter of section 14, township 83,
north of range 7, west of the fifth principal me
ridian, and the southeast quarter of section 15,
same township, rang7e and meridian.
My mother rode on horseback while she accom
panied father and some of the neighbors as they
looked over the boundaries of our claim and select
ed the location for the house.
THE ERECTION OF THE FIRST CABIN.
The next step after pitching our tent, and put
ting up our bower, was to build a log cabin,
which would serve us for the time as a temporary

20 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
dwelling place, and could afterwards be used as a
stable for our horses when a more commodious
house could be erected. It took about ten days
to erect a cabin. It stood on the east side of the
road near Mr. Bower's nursery, on the boulevard,
one and a half miles from the river. It was a
very primitive looking structure, 16 by 18, per
haps, with what we called a cob roof made of
clapboards, with logs on top to hold them in
place. It was quite an agreeable change from
our tent and wagons "when we entered this new
cabin, although there was not a great deal of
room to spare after our goods were unloaded and
the nine members of the family were gathered
within its walls. When the table was spread
there was no passing from one side to the other
except as we got down upon our hands and knees
and crawled under, an operation easily performed
by us children. THE PERMANENT HOME.
Having become fairly settled in this little dom
icile, the next great work which was to occupy
the whole summer and fall, was the erection of
the building that was to be our permanent home.
There being no mills nor lumber in the country,
of course we must build our house of logs. It
was however not to be any common kind of a
cabin, it was to be a somewhat ambitious struc
ture for the time, in fact it was to be the best
house in Linn county, and when completed, it en-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 21
joyed that distinction. It was said that there
was nothing in the county that equalled it.
The dimensions of this house were 16 by 24 and
a story and a half high. There were in the walls
of this house between 50 and 60 white oak logs,
most of them quite straight and free from knots.
The ends of the logs were cut off square and the
corners were laid up like square blocks, care being
taken to cut off enough at the ends to allow the
logs to come as close together as possible, so as to
leave but little space for chinking and plastering
when it came to the finishing up. The only
boards about the entire building were in the door
which I think were broug7ht with us on the top of
our wagon box, which was of extra height. The
joists above and below were made of log's, the
upper ones squared with the broad axe.
The casings of doors and windows ¦ and the
floors above and below were made out of bass
wood puncheons. Slabs were split out of the
logs and then hewn out with the broad axe and
the edges were made straight by the use of the
chalk line.
The gable ends were sided up with clapboards
rived out of oak timber three or four feet long,
and then shaved off smooth like siding. The
rafters were made of hickory poles, trimmed off
straight on the upper side, and strips three or
four inches wide, were nailed on the sheeting.
' Upon these strips, shingles made of oak, 18
inches long, and nicely shaven, were laid. The
logs of the walls, in the inside were hewn off

22 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
flat, and the interstices between, were chinked
and plastered with lime mortar, the lime being
burned by my father on Indian Creek. There
were three windows below of 12 lights each, with
glass 7 b3r 9, and a window in each of the gable
ends of 9 lights, which furnished light for the
room above. The fire-place was built up of logs
on the outside, and lined with stone within, and
the chimney was built of sticks split out about
the size of laths, and plastered with clay both
inside and outside.
Another incident in connection with this fire
place, of which my sister reminds me, is that
mother was the builder of the stone work. Owing
to sickness in the family the work on the house
had been delayed till winter was at hand, and the
occupancy of the new house at the earliest possi
ble date seemed a necessity. A thousand things
pressed upon us all at once, and every hand that
was able to work was busy from morning till
night. Mother thought she saw an opportunity
to help in the matter of the fire-place, and so she
laid up the stones with her own hands, while the
girls, Sarah and Kate, furnished the clay mortar,
and rendered such other assistance as was re
quired. Mother was always delicate in health and was
really not fitted for any very hard physical toil.
She was, however, quick in her movements, and
her vigorous mind and her exhaustless courage
and grit made up for all bodily deficiencies, and
prepared her to meet every emergency.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 23
The door had no "latch string to hang out."
But it had a genuine handle with thumb piece and
latch, all of wood and the handiwork of my father,
who, by the way, possessed considerable mechan
ical ingenuity. He rived and shaved most of the
shing'les on a shaving horse of his own manufac- '
ture; he could make a splint broom, bottom chairs
with black ash splints, make rakes, wooden pitch
forks, and could even make a good strong sled,
and many other useful things in those times when
everything had to be manufactured from the raw
material. Few can understand the difficulties and obsta
cles to be overcome in the erection of a building
even of such small proportions as the one I have
just described. In the first place we traded off
one span of our horses for two yoke of oxen, which
latter seemed indispensable in working among the
logs, and in much of the work in opening a new
farm. Then it was no small job to select nice
straight trees scattered here and there -through
the forest, some near and some far away. Then
they had to be cut down and drawn in one by one
with the oxen, the vehicle used being what was
called a "lizzard," a sort of a short sled made in
the form of the letter A, one end of the log being-
chained to the cross piece and the other dragging
on the ground.
The raising of the house was a time of great
interest, not only to our own family but to every
body in the neighborhood for miles around.
Everybody turned out to the raising, and great

24 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
care was taken to lay up the corners square and
plumb, and when the last log was shoved upon
the skids to its destined place, it was a time of
general rejoicing among the weary workmen who
had labored so faithfully and so willingly during
the day.
Mr. Joseph Listebarger, who was a carpenter
and joiner, from the west side of the river, did
the carpenter work and the finishing.
I have described the building of this house thus
minutely to show in a limited way some of the
obstacles and hardships that had to be encoun
tered by the early settlers of this country.
The building of that house at such a time,
small as it was and as insignificant as it seems
from our present standpoint, was a real triumph,
and exhibits an amount of pluck and energy and
perseverance that no one need be ashamed of.
And this appears the more readily when we re
member that every foot of ground had to be
cleared of brush and small oak trees, that roads
had to be made, that provisions for our large fam
ily had to be broug-ht from the Mississippi river,
and, that during the latter part of that summer,
there were times when every member of the family
was prostrated with the ag7ue except my brother
Charles and myself .

Residence of Mr. Isaac Carroll, erected in 1839. looking southwest. The best house in Linn County at that time.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 27

CHAPTER V.
ENTERING' THE NEW HOME.
It was late in the fall, and there was snow on
the ground when we entered our new home. I
do not know that we were especially proud of our
new house, but we were not in the least ashamed
of it, and with our ample fire-place, and the best
of wood, and in unlimited abundance, we made
ourselves very comfortable during the cold winter
days and nights that followed.
You can readily imagine that, in our g-reat
haste to get into the new house, many things re
mained to be done after we had moved in.
Our way of getting up stairs was by means of
a ladder in one corner of the house. The upper
floor was loosely laid down, and in some parts, the
puncheons or planks rested, at one end, two or
three inches on the joists, and the other end
lapped over on the next layer, so that a little care
had to be exercised lest one end might slip off
from the joist and let us through.
A LITTLE INCIDENT.
One night we had company, but for some unac
countable reason I retired early. My brother
Isaac and I always slept together, and he being
the older, claimed the right always to sleep on

28 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
the front side of the bed. As the head of the bed
in this case stood next to the wall and both sides
were alike accessible, it was difficult to deter
mine which was the front. But after awhile my
brother came up, and when he got ready to jump
into bed, he thought the side in which I had
planted myself for the night was the front, and
he wished me to lie over and give him the right-of-
way to that side. The coldness of the night,
mingled with a considerable amount of native de
pravity, made me hesitate somewhat, in meeting
the requirement with that alacrity that the case
seemed to demand, and so my brother, bracing
himself on the loose planks, made a gentle effort
to remove me to the other side, when lo! the
planks slipped off, and down went boy and
boards together into the midst of the startled com
pany below. This sudden turn of events so
shocked and alarmed him that he cried out most
lustily, which, of course, greatly frightened
mother and brought her at once to the rescue to
see if her bo}r had been seriousl\7 injured.
But her suspense was of short duration, for the
nimble use he made of his limbs, in the endeavor
to get out of sight as quickl)7 as possible, revealed
the fact that no bones were broken. It was prob
ably not more than two seconds before he had
reached the nearest bed on the lower floor and
buried himself under its ample covering, not stop
ping for an instant to determine which was the
front or which was the rear.
He afterwards declared to me that the fall did

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 29
not hurt him in the least, but he made the vigor
ous outcry in order to excite sympathy and divert
the attention of the company from the very scant
wardrobe in which he had so suddenly made his
appearance. Among the innumerable things that taxed the
energies of us all "was that of securing our win
ter's hay for the stock. As at that season of the
year many of the family were sick, the haying
fell mostly upon the shoulders of my brother
Charles, with what little help I could render.
THE BEE TREE.
One day, as we were on our way to the slough,
forty rods, perhaps, west of the boulevard at
Midway Park, we passed through the woods, and
hearing a buzzing sound above our heads, I looked
up and saw bees going in and out of a hollow tree
at a most lively rate. It was a bee tree, and it
was mine by right of discovery. I was one of
the proudest, happiest boys in Linn county.
These bee trees were common at that time, and
men were very successful in finding them. I only
found one more, however, several years after
wards, and that was stolen from me before we
were ready to cut it down, I having been simple
enough to reveal the secret of its location to a
dishonest boy of my acquaintance.
The mode of finding these swarms of bees was
to "line them." The habit of the bee is to fill
itself with honey, and then circle around, rising
higher and higher, and then darting off in a

30 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
straight line to the tree where the swarm had
fixed its home. Bees were often seen upon the
flowers, and by little pools of water, and they
were watched till they started on their homeward
flight. Getting the line in this way from differ
ent points of the compass, the location of the tree
was easily fixed. In due course of time my bee
tree was cut down, the bees were driven away by
smoke, and the honey was taken. The net pro
duct was four or five pailfuls of beautiful honey.
I was extremely fond of honey, and I ate enoug'h
at that one time to last me for at least twenty
years. I had just been the happiest boy in Linn
county, but that night I thought I was the sick
est boy in the Territory of Iowa. For years
after the sight or smell of honey would make me
shudder with disgust. However, in the course
of a quarter of century the old taste for it par
tially returned; but never will it taste so delicious
to me again as it did the night I stood beside
those full pails and helped myself, fifty-six years
ago. I have learned since that experience with the
honey, that a moderate amount of the sweet in
any sense of the word, is far better than an over
dose of the article.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 31

CHAPTER VI.
LIFE IN THE NEW HOME — SUPPLIES FOR THE
FAMILY.
The supplying of a large family with food and
clothing, in those days, was by no means, a small
matter. Of course, we were very comfortably
provided with clothing, for the first year, that
we had broug-ht with us, but the food had to be
provided as we had need from time to time.
In the matter of food supply, we must remem
ber that the settlers in a new country are gener
ally proverbial for having good appetites, and, in
our family, it must not be forgotten that there
were four growing boys, whose voracious appe
tites had to be satisfied. And who that has ever
had much to do with boys, does not know their
astonishing capacities in the way of stowing away
provisions? Someone has suggested that a boy is
hollow from the crown of his head to the soles of
his feet, and that his appetite is never satisfied
till the whole cavity is filled.
I am a little inclined to doubt this statement,
and yet the enormous quantities of food which an
averag-e country boy can consume in the space of
a few minutes, gives unmistakable proof that
there is, somewhere within that boy's body, an
aching void that it is not easy to fill. And when
you call to mind that there were four such boys
in our family, besides three girls, and even the

32 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
parents themselves, all blest with good appetites,
it will readily be seen that the matter of food sup
ply in a country so remote from the markets,
where such things were obtainable, was the most
difficult of all the problems that the pioneer set
tler was called upon to solve. And yet it "was
solved, notwithstanding the fact that it cost an
amount of courage, and endurance, and absolute
suffering that few at the present day can appre
ciate. There were no mills anywhere near us, and, in
fact, no grain to grind, even if the mills had been
at hand. Nearly everything that we ate had to
come from the different landings along the Mis
sissippi river. There were no towns to speak of.
Provisions were brought up on steamboats, and
small and often inadequate quantities were ob
tained by the traders at these points for the sup
ply of the inhabitants from the interior.
Sometimes one of the older boys with an ox team
would be gone for many days searching for pro
visions along the Mississippi river, and waiting
for the steamboat, and then after all would be
obliged to return with scarcely enoug-h provisions
to last till the next trip could be made. Two
bushels of corn meal, with perhaps a few other
little articles, were the reward of one trip of two
weeks duration on one occasion. The necessaries
of life were not to be had in any market. Smoked
bacon of very poor quality, when obtainable at
all, cost twelve and a half cents per pound. Flour
was a luxury very rarely indulged in. In course

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 33
of two years, perhaps, mills began to be erected
in localities a little more convenient, but often we
had to go to Catfish mills, near Dubuque, and
then to Cascade, and other places many miles
away. I remember that on one occasion, my brother
Charles was gone so long with the ox team in
search of provisions, that we all became very
much alarmed about him. We had been having
some terrible thunder storms, and mother feared
that he had been killed by lightning, or drowned
in the swollen streams. Day after day she would
go to the top of the hill and look, and long for the
return of her son, but still no tidings of him came.
At last the suspense became so great that she
could endure it no longer, and so early the next
morning the younger brother, Frank, was sent on
horseback to search for the absent boy. He found
him near Moscow, at the house of Mr. Brooks,
sick "with the fever and ague. Having escaped it
the first year, when it did attack him, it was with
all the greater severity, so that he was unable to
travel. With the help of his brother, however,
he was brought home, and our anxieties were re
lieved, although the supply of provisions that
reached us as the result of the long trip, was very
scant, and a new expedition had to be immediate
ly fitted out to continue the quest for food.
LOCATION OF THE ROAD.
The road from Marion to Cedar Rapids was not
opened and cleared of brush and logs till 1840.

34 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
It was first located as a county road, and after
wards the territorial road, so called, "was laid out
over the same route. I remember very well that
when the last named road was laid out the sur
veyor said that the distance from the river to the
foot of our hill was exactly one mile and a half
and fifty rods.
The location of our house was selected in an
ticipation of the fact that it would probably be
on the main thoroughfare between the two towns
to be built on the Cedar and at the county seat.
A further consideration was the fine springs near
by and the abundant supply of timber at hand.
the First winter.
Our first winter in the new home would have
been very comfortable, if we only could have had
our winter's supplies all in, and had nothing to
do but to keep our fire, attend to the stock, split
rails, clear off ground for a garden, and a few
other little things that seemed to demand atten
tion. But unfortunately all our supplies had to
be brought sixty miles or more over bleak prairies,
sparsely settled, and with unbroken roads, and
unbridged streams.
This was no child's play. It required pluck
and perseverance, and not a little suffering.
Still, with all the hardships, we had a good deal
of genuine pleasure in those early days when all
was new, and strange, and full of expectancy.
SOCIAL ASPECT.
The people in those early days seemed to have

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 35
an interest in each other and were inclined to be
sociable, and the fact that they lived in some
cases several miles apart, did not deter them from
making frequent visits back and forth. The
deepest interest was always felt in the new com
ers, and all were ready to extend their hospitali
ty to them and render them every possible assist
ance in getting them satisfactorily located in the
community. The coming of families was a matter of special
interest to the pioneers, for the country was al
ready over-stocked with bachelors. In the mat
ter of hospitality, I think our house was no ex
ception to the general rule. Many a tired travel
er found shelter and rest under its roof, and many
a happy group of visitors were welcomed around
its ample fireside. AN INTERESTING VISITOR.
There was one visitor, however, whose interest
seemed to extend farther, and penetrate deeper
than any other. He was a bachelor about twen
ty-five years of ag7e, somewhat crude in conversa
tion, a little clumsy in manner, and as timid and
modest as a young girl. He seemed to be a man
of very fair intelligence, kind of heart, and every
way well disposed. He was not very animated
in conversation, but when he did speak, he usual
ly had something that was worth saying, and to
which you could well afford to listen. He was
not a man to make sport, and he seemed to have
but little taste for any kind of frivolity. And

36 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
yet, he was not insensible to a good joke, and at
times could laugh quite heartily. But, as a rule,
life seemed to him to be a sober reality. He had
the reputation of being industrious and frugal,
and as honest as the day is long. He was not
very quick in anything, nevertheless, every step
seemed to tell and every stroke seemed to count.
This slow, easy-going, modest young man, as
I said, was a frequent visitor at our house, and
sometimes his visits were somewhat protracted;
not, however, unduly so, for he was never known
to neglect his business. Why did he come so
often? And why did he seem so reluctant to de
part? There was a special attraction for him at
our home, and to the great discomfort and annoy
ance of my sister Sarah, we boys discovered what
it was. It it'as herself.
This young man's name was William Vineyard,
and I need hardly waste time to say that his con
tinued visits at our house, resulted in the dimin
ishing of our family from nine to eight, before the
arrival of Spring. Sarah Carroll became Sarah
Vineyard. We all loved her very much, and it
was hard to have her removed from our house
hold, even though it was but six or seven miles
away. However, the match proved a very happy
one, and none of us ever had cause to reg7ret the
choice she made. I can recall no wedding in the
county earlier than this. They were unfortunate
in being burned out in a few months after their
Everything about the house was con-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 37
sumed in the flames while they were absent one
day, and they had to begin anew.
They soon recovered, however, from their dis
aster, and Mr. Vineyard became a prosperous
farmer, and was always held in high esteem by
his neighbors as a man of the strictest integrity.
He and his wife shortly after their marriage
became active members of the Baptist church at
Marion. Mr. Vineyard moved west with his family many
years ago, and settled in Marion county, this
State, where he died in 1876.
Mrs. Vineyard died near Monroe, Jasper county,
this State, in June, 1894.
Their large family of sons and daughters are
scattered in different States from Illinois to Col
orado. OPENING OF THE FARM.
The spring and summer of 1840 were spent
mostly in fencing and breaking up our land. I
do not remember that we attempted to raise any
thing the first year except garden vegetables, in
which we were very successful. Everything that
we planted seemed to grow with astonishing lux
uriance and abundance. During this summer we
made considerable progress in the way of opening
up the farm, and in getting about us more of the
comforts of life, and so, when winter came, we
were better prepared for it. But still for several
years those tedious trips for provisions had to be
made.

38 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
PLOWING THE GROUND.
We had broug'ht into the new country with us
such farming tools and implements as we thought
we should need in opening and improving our new
farm. Among other things we had brought a
plow with us, such as we had been accustomed to
use on the farm we had left. But we had all the
trouble of bringing it for nothing. It was a cast
iron plow, and in the loose, mellow soil of this
country, we found it to be of no use whatever.
It would drag through the ground like a log, sim
ply rooting it up a little, but turning no furrow.
And so, as soon as we could, we had to get a steel
plow from Grand de Tour, 111., which was better
adapted to the loose soil of this country. That
worked so nicely that it was a pleasure to follow
it. Our breaking plow for the prairie, father had
made to order. I do not now remember where he
had to go to have the work done, but I think it
was some distance away. It was of light con
struction, with a steel share, and a mould-board
made of rods, and was operated with trucks or
small wheels. We used two yoke of oxen for the
motive power, and my brother and I, aged re
spectively, nine and ten and a half years, did the
work, while father and the older boys were busy
about other matters, such as splitting rails and
other heavy work. In breaking up our land near
the hotise, which had been covered with a thick
growth of hazel brush and small trees, we had to
procure a heavier plow and a stronger team,
using four yoke of oxen instead of two. For this

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 39
purpose we had procured the heavy plow of Mr.
Vineyard, and also the two extra yoke of oxen;
or to be more accurate, one and a half yoke of
oxen and a cow. The yoking of a cow with an
ox to do heavy work, seemed to us very incongru
ous at that time, though afterwards, when the
California emigration beg'an, it was a ver}7 com
mon thing to see whole teams of four or five yoke,
all cows.
This cow in our team was a very large, fine
looking animal, but worthless for milk, and so, of
course, was more ornamental than useful. This
did not meet Vineyard's ideas as to what a cow
should be, and so he determined to make her earn
her living by bearing one end of the yoke with her
stronger male companion. It proved to be a suc
cess. She did her duty quite as well as any ox in
the team. But we never could make it seem
quite right to subject a cow to such hard usage,
and so unbecoming to her sex.

CHAPTER VII.
WILD FRUIT AND GAME.
There were a few things that the country, even
in its wildest state, supplied. There were plenty
of plums and crab apples, which latter, although
not quite up to our ideas of the most delicious
fruit, nevertheless proved to be a good deal bet
ter than no fruit at all. But the plums were here
in unlimited quantities; many of them large and

40 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
luscious, and of a sweetness and delicacy of flavor
that would tempt the appetite of the most dainty
and fastidious. And then there were haws, black
and red, that were prized by some; and there was
a fine variety of black cherries that were large
and juicy; and w'ild currants and gooseberries
abounded everywhere in the woods. Then, too,
late in the autumn, after the frosts came, the
groves along the streams and on the islands of the
river were festooned with wild grape vines, load
ed with their purple clusters, inferior, of course,
to the cultivated varieties, but nevertheless a very
useful fruit to have in such exhaustless quanti
ties. Besides these we had several varieties of nuts
which we enjoyed ver}7 much: such as hazel nuts,
hickory nuts, black walnuts and butter nuts.
All of these we were accustomed to gather in
large quantities to use during- the winter as often
and as freely as we desired.
And then there were blackberries and straw
berries in their season, which were abundant and
very delicious.
There was also an abundance of wild game.
Deer were everywhere to be found roaming
through the woods and over the prairies. There
were no hunters in our family, an old indian gun
with flint lock being the only fire-arms about our
premises. Occasionally, however, they would
make a mistake and bring down something with
it, but it could not be depended on at all for the
supply of our table. Fortunately for us, howev-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 41
er, Mr. N. G. Niece, Mr. Lewis' son-in-law, of
whom mention has already been made, was a
splendid marksman and an experienced hunter.
He would bring us one or two deer at any time as
often as we needed venison. He never failed.
He knew where to find them, and whenever he
levelled his rifle upon one he was a doomed deer.
I remember very well one Sabbath day to have
counted twenty-seven deer in one flock on the
north side of the boulevard near twentieth street.
This was after we had fenced and broken up the
ground. We could often see groups of two or
three or more. Some moonlight evenings they
could be seen browsing- within a few rods of the
house. We never saw any buffalo or elk in this part of
the State, though both were found a few miles
west of us. Elk were to be found in the western
part of the State up to 1860 or possibly later.
Wild turkeys were also very plenty. They
would sometimes come quite near the house in
flocks, and then they would reveal their where
abouts by their gobbling and other sounds famil
iar to the hunter, and so become an easy prey to
his trusty rifle. Prairie chickens, and pheasants,
and quails were abundant, and often formed an
important part of our bill of fare. This looks
like quite luxurious living, but the trouble was
we had too much of that kind of fare. Thinking
now of the exceeding delicacy and deliciousness of
a dish of quail on toast, we can hardly imagine
how the Israelites of old could have ever become

42 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
so disgusted with this palatable kind of flesh.
The trouble was that it was too abundant. And
that was the difficulty with our wild game. How
ever, in those times of extreme scarcity of provis
ions, it was a great blessing that, in the woods,
and on our prairies, there was so much that we
could obtain that would sustain life and materi
ally add to our comfort.
I must not forget to add also that the river and
creeks in the vicinity afforded an abundance of fine
fish. There were pickerel, black and white bass,
buffalo, salmon, catfish and man}7 inferior varie
ties of fish, that could be caught, and which made
an important addition to our food supplies.
Some of the fish were very large. I have seen
catfish caught in Cedar River that weighed fifty
pounds, and pickerel that measured three feet
long and weighed thirty pounds.
THE SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE.
In those primitive days this was really the
sportsman's paradise. The people who lived here
at that time, however, had but little time to in
dulge in sport for its own sake. When they hunt
ed it was not, as a rule, to g-ratify a morbid de
sire to kill some poor bird, or some timid animal,
for the sport it afforded, but to get something
upon which to subsist. It was no uncommon spec
tacle in the fall and winter, to see flocks of prairie
chickens fly over by the hundred at a time. Often
they would light on the trees in such numbers as

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 43
to make the limbs bend under the heavy weight
bf their fat, plump bodies.
When the corn was left out after the snow came,
which often occurred, the prairie chickens would
always help themselves to such an extent as to
demonstrate their ability to destroy no insig-nifi-
cant part of the crop that had cost such hard
labor to produce.
In the spring time they could be seen in great
flocks sporting- on the prairies, while the air would
become vocal with their shrill notes, and their
strange cackle, and the peculiar booming- sound
for which they are so distinguished.
The pheasants, too, were often seen timidly
skulking through the brush, or at the evening
tide their weird drumming- sound could be heard
in the groves near by, like the low mutterings of
distant thunder. CHAPTER VIII.
OTHER WILD ANIMALS AND REPTILES.
While on the subject of wild animals, I must
not neglect to speak of other kinds than those al
ready enumerated. There always have been
abundance of" rabbits which the increasing popu
lation has failed to exterminate.
PRAIRIE WOLVES.
Prairie wolves were very numerous, and their
nightly serenades, if not so musical, were at least

44 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
full of weird interest to us new denizens of the
wild West. One reason why the wolves seemed
to like us so well and to favor us with such fre
quent visits and in such great numbers, was the
fact that three of our cows died the first winter,
and their carcasses furnished an attraction alto
gether too strong for their wolf ships to resist; and
it is not to be wondered at that all the music in
them was brought into requisition, in their jubi
lant demonstrations on account of the abundant
winter provisions, which were placed at their dis
posal. They did not always wait for the night,
but often during the day they would make their
appearance, while our trusty old dog "Watch"
was off guard. Whenever his vigilant eye, (he
had but one), caught sight of them, at least one
of the number would have to suffer. He would
chase the bold intruder until he tired him out, and
then, in a hand to hand contest, he was sure to
come out winner, and the wolf would have to for
feit his life for his rashness. One day I heard
the old dog barking about thirty rods north of
the house in the brush, and I went out to see
what he had. It proved to be a wolf, and both
the wolf and the dog seemed quite fatigued. For
once the old dog had pretty nearly found his
match; still he had no disposition to give up the
struggle. The wolf would snap,at the dog with
such terrible fierceness that he was compelled to
retreat a few steps, and then, as the wolf would
turn and endeavor to make good his escape, the

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 45
old dog would dart after him and grab him by the
hind legs, and another battle would ensue.
As soon as he saw me, he took fresh courage,
and he pounced upon the wolf and held him to the
ground, and, with a club which I found near at
hand, I helped the brave fellow finish the work.
For my part of the work, in which I had consid
erable pride, I had the skin of the wolf as my re
ward. The poor old dog had nothing but a few
words of approval and a few friendly pats upon
the head, and the consciousness that he had per
formed a good and brave act.
It may seem a little out of place to talk of the
"consciousness" of a dog, but I am sure that no
boy could have shown his delight and his pride
more clearly than this old dog, after he had per
formed this brave feat. WILD CATS.
Wild cats were also very numerous. The old
doe" treed one a few rods east of the house one
day. We heard him barking and we thought he
had treed a raccoon, which was no uncommon
thing- for him to do. My older brothers broug-ht
out the old flint lock g'un, and we all went out to
the tree to see the fun. We soon discovered the
animal in the crotch of the tree twenty or thirty
feet above our heads. The old gun wTas levelled
at him and fired, but no coon came down. Again
the gun was fired with the same result. A third
time the old gun cracked, and the animal was
dislodged. He hung a moment by one paw, and

46 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
then fell to the ground. No sooner had he touch
ed the ground than the dog pounced upon him,
but in an instant he was sent howling away.
One blow from that fierce wild cat's paw was too
much for any dog to endure. A fourth shot, at
close range, finished the monster cat, and we had
ample opportunity to examine his enormous
claws. Three of his legs had been broken in the
skirmish in the tree, and but one paw was left
intact, but it was enough to defend himself
against all the dogs in the country.
One morning- I was sent out into the woods, a
mile and a half east of our house, to light the
fires under the kettles where we were making
sugar. I was almost at the camp at sunrise,
when I saw so many .gray squirrels that I stop
ped a moment to look at them. It seemed to me
that there was a squirrel to every tree.
While standing there a moment I heard the
brush crack up on the side of the hill a few rods
away, indicating the approach of some large ani
mal. I looked up and saw a great wild cat trot
ting towards me. I was sure that my time had
come, and that the sly cat had found me just
where she wanted me.
But I determined, if die I must, to die as near
home as possible, and so turning on my heel I
started for home with all possible speed. Wish
ing to know just about how much time was left
me on earth before I should become food for the
wild cat, I turned my head, without slacking my
speed, to see how near she was upon me, when.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 47
to my delight, I discovered the cat was running
in the opposite direction as fast as I was going
towards home. At once my courage returned,
and seizing the limb of a tree that lay near me, I
thrashed the ground and roared like an African
gorilla. Reaching the top of the hill, the cat stopped
and looked back for a moment, and then passed
on, thinking, no doubt, that she had had a narrow
escape from one of the most formidable looking
beasts that she had ever beheld.

48 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
At another time my brother and I were playing
near the grove where Mr. C. B. Soutter now
lives, when all at once we heard a terrible yowl
in the bushes. You may be sure that we did not
tarry long- in that locality. My brother was al
ways considered a fast runner. Few could out
strip him in a race. But I think I never saw him
make better time than on this occasion, and I be
lieve that I came as near keeping up to him as I
had ever done in all my life. When we reached the
house, we saw the old wild cat come out of the
grove on the south and cross the road to the one
on the north side, but we were at a safe distance
and we were quite willing to give him the right-
of-way. THE SNAKES OF IOWA.
The snake stories related about the West, were
by no means cheering to the ears of those, who in
the East, were contemplating- a journey thither,
and a settlement in these wild and uncultivated
regions. Next to the Indians, these reptiles seemed to
be more dreaded than anything- else. The stories
we heard in our eastern homes were, doubtless,
often exagg-erated, but in reality, we found on
coming- to Iowa, that the snakes were quite
numerous enoug-h to suit our uncultivated fancies
in that direction. The rattlesnakes seemed to be
our most dreaded foes, for, although they were
not so very large, measuring, perhaps, from two
to two and a half feet in length; yet they were

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 51
capable of inflicting- a wound that might cause a
good deal of trouble, and even result in death to
the unhappy victim of their venomous bite.
We were not a little annoyed by these poison
ous denizens of the soil, for we often found them
crossing our pathway, and they frequently found
us crossing theirs, and the meetings were never
pleasant. The result "was always a fight, provided
we had a weapon at hand of the required length and
strength, and the conflicts would usually result
disastrously to the snake, although in some cases
not until after he had accomplished his ugly work.
None of our family were ever bitten by any of
them, but we had very many narrow escapes from
their poisonous fangs.
Our stock, however, was not so fortunate, but
there were no fatal results in the case of any of
our horses or cattle.
So far as the swine were concerned the snakes
were powerless to do them any harm, and the old
dog knew how to cure himself, and without resort
ing to the use of whiskey. His method was to go
to the nearest mud-hole and thrust the wounded
member into the mud, which extracted the poison
and effected a cure.
Sometimes we would bring in these hated rep
tiles on our loads of hay, but generally they were
discovered when the hay was being pitched off,
and the pitchfork was found to be a very conven
ient instrument with which to dispatch them.
And so in the end they would have to pay dearly

52 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
for their ride, and for the privilege of our compan
ionship which they had enjoyed.
One time when my brother and I were raking
up hay, we heard a sharp buzzing noise, and al
though it sounded very much like an insect that
we had often heard, this was so near, and so loud
and sudden, that we were inclined to investigate
a little; and so carefully lifting the hay with a rake
at the spot where we had just been standing with
bare feet, we discovered the venomous creature
trying to make his escape. Of course we instant
ly made war upon him, and at the end of the con
flict it would have been difficult to tell which was
the more demoralized the rakes or the snake. The
latter, however, must have had the worst of it, for
he "was beyond repair, while the rakes were soon put
to rights again by father's skillful hand. He
was so glad that we had killed the snake that he
commended us for what we had done, and proceed
ed to make the necessary repairs without a word
of complaint.
One day I was walking through the grass, in
pursuit of the cows, when all at once I stopped as
though I had been shot. I had lifted my bare foot
and was about to plant it on a rattlesnake, when I
discovered the hideous thing all coiled up ready
to spring, but the suddenness with which I chang
ed my mind,deprived him of his sport, and spared
me a good deal of pain, and possibly saved me
from death. There being no club at hand this
fellow had to be left to the further enjoyment of
his sun bath until such time as he thought best

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 53
to engage in some other more congenial pastime.
There were, besides these, the little flat headed
adders, said to be poisonous, although I never
heard of anybody being bitten by them. They
certainly looked as though they might be poison
ous, but I dare say, that was all there was to it.
They looked hideous enough to frighten you, even
though they could not harm you. Then there were
the garter snakes, the black snakes, and the wa
ter snakes, all of them harmless, but none of them
desirable pets to have "about you.
Another ugly looking snake, though harmless,
was the "bull snake," as we called him. These
snakes were quite numerous, and they were so
large and so repulsive in appearance, that it would
make one shudder to look at them. They would
often measure from four to six feet long. When
attacked, they would show fight, and would make
such demonstrations by blowing and running out
their tongues, that it would almost make one's hair
stand on end.
One day we children were taking a walk near
19th street and First avenue, as it now is. The
grass had been burned off, and there was nothing
to obstruct 'our view, on the clean, smooth prairie.
When we had reached a certain spot, we made the
discovery that we were in the midst of, a den of
these huge reptiles. Their long, squirming, spot
ted bodies could be seen all around, basking in the
sunshine, and apparently having a good time. I
do not think that any of us enjoyed the sight much,
but my sister Kate had a special horror of these

54 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
detestable creatures, and so, taking her sunbon-
net in hand, she exhibited powers of locomotion
that would have done credit to a modern college
athlete. She was not long in transporting her
self to other scenes, and more congenial surround
ings. But my brother and I stood our ground,
and as they began to crawl into their holes, we
would pound and thrash them with our clubs until
they could crawl no further, and then we would
wedge them fast in their holes with sticks, lest
by some means they might, after all, recover from
their wounds and make good their escape. I
think, however, that they never recovered from
that battle, for we never saw so many afterwards.
As the country grew older the snakes of all
kinds rapidly disappeared. The swine roamed at
large in those days, and they proved to be the
most formidable enemies of these reptiles, wheth
er poisonous or otherwise.
Mrs. Ely has this interesting little snake story
to tell:
She had rooms at that time over Greene's store,
at the corner of Third avenue and First street.
The access to her rooms was by an open stairway
on the north side of the building.
Her brother Henry was passing one day, when
something attracted his attention. He called to
Mrs. Ely and told her to look down, and there on
the third step from the bottom, lay a rattlesnake
coiled up keeping guard of the passage way to
her apartments. With such a sentinel she was
perfectly safe from any outside intruders. She,

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 55
however, decided to dispense with his services,
and so Mr. Weare summarily discharged and dis
patched him at the same moment without ever
explaining to him why.
Soon after our arrival on our claim, and before
the first cabin was built, mother and Sarah
thoug-ht one pleasant day that they would like to
visit a beautiful little grove just across the
slough from our camp. It was, perhaps, thirty
or forty rods distant, but the grass was quite tall
and they feared the snakes. But they armed
themselves with a long pole and thrashed the
ground this ,way and that, and so plodded along
step by step. Finally, Sarah tired out and
mother took the pole, but she, too, soon succumb
ed to the severe exercise, and they were compelled
to abandon their trip and return to camp.
THE WILD FLOWERS.
Owing to the fact that there was no stock to
trample it down, the grass was much taller and
more luxuriant then than it has ever been since.
The wild flowers, too, were very abundant and
exquisitely beautiful. There were upon the
prairies the spring, summer and autumn flowers
coming on in regular succession, and so all
through the season, from early spring till frost
came in the autumn, our eyes were greeted with
these scenes of enchanting beauty. The forests,
too, with their own peculiar varieties of plants,
shrubs, and trees, contributed their share to the
floral decoration of this beautiful country. And

56 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
so the flowers, blushing in their loveliness and
filling the air with their fragrance, did much to
wards atoning for the presence of the reptiles and
other things that we had not yet learned to ap
preciate.

CHAPTER IX.
OUR FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE.
Our first school house in the neighborhood was
erected in the fall of 1842.
We had by this time some valuable additions
to our community in the way of families, in which
there were children large enough to go to school.
There was the Lewis family, as also those of
Messrs. Lutz, Stucksleger and McKee.
The neighbors all seemed to feel the importance
of having a school and were ready to unite in the
work of erecting a building at once.
The location was fixed on our place opposite to
and a little beyond our house. By the beginning
of winter the school house was finished and the
teacher was engaged.
This must have been one of the first school
houses in Linn county.
Our first school teacher was Mr. Putnam R.
Lawrence, who had but recently come to Marion.
The school passed off very well, so far as I remem
ber. We had our spelling schools and our exhi
bitions and our debating society, which were well
sustained, and which proved to be not only a

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 57
source of improvement, but of a great deal of
pleasure. One of our text books was the old
"English Reader," whose moral tone, and the
excellence of whose selections have scarcely been
surpassed by any of the school books published
in these later years. Our public exhibitions in
the school were, I dare say, hardly up to those
of our modern schools, in point of merit, neverthe
less I can easily imagine that they mig-ht have
been of a much lower grade. I can only recall a
few of the pieces spoken. One was the "Night
ingale and Glowworm," by Cowper, and another
was "The Beg-gar's Petition." This latter was
spoken by Wm. Lewis. Emerging from behind
the curtain, in the garb of an old man, bent low
by the weight of years, and leaning heavily upon
his long staff, he began in a' low and feeble tone
of voice his sad petition:
"Pity the sorrows of a poor old man,
Whose trembling limbs have borne him to your door;
Whose days are dwindled to the shortest span;
Oh, give relief, and heaven will bless your store."
The whole scene was so real and so pathetic as
to leave a lasting impression upon the minds of
us younger children.
The teachers in succeeding years were, Mr.
Joseph Greene, in the winter of 1843-4, and Mr.
H. M. Manley in the winter of 1844-5.
FIRST RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
Our first religious meetings were held in pri
vate houses, but when the school house was

58 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
erected in our neighborhood in 1842, of course,
that became the center of this whole region,
where all congregations assembled, whether re
ligious, literary or political.
Our first ministers located at Marion as their
center of operations.
The first Methodist minister who came on to
the circuit was Rev. J. Hodges, sent out by the
Rock River Conference in 1840.
Mr. Hodges preached his first sermon in Cedar
Rapids, as nearly as I can ascertain, in the fall of
1840, the place of meeting probably being at Mr.
John Listebarger's cabin on the west side of the
river. This is supposed to be the very first pub
lic religious service ever held in Cedar Rapids.
Rev. S. W. Ingham, still living at the age of
eighty-five, with a body and mind remarkably
well preserved for a man of his years, tells me
that he came to Marion in October, 1841, Mr.
Hodges having closed his labors on the circuit in
August of that year. Mr. Ingham remained on
the circuit two years. He preached occasional
sermons at the Carroll school house, at the house
of Levi Lewis, and at John Listebarger's on the
west side of the river.
In the summer of 1843, when there were but
five or six settlers, Mr. Ingham writes: "I
preached to them three or four times and formed
them into a society."
It is stated on other authority that the members
of the society were Jason Bartholomew and wife,
Levi Lewis and wife, Mrs. Julia Ann Cairns,

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 59
Thomas Gainor and wife, David W. King and
wife, John Listebarger and wife, and Farnum
Colby. The place of organization, I believe, was at
Mr. Listebarger's house.
I remember Mr. Ing-ham well, and all the per
sons here mentioned I knew to be members of the
Methodist church, although I could not have fixed
the date of the organization without the assist
ance of Mr. Ingham.
Rev. Isaac Searles, it is stated, came in a very
early day, but I do not remember to have ever
seen him. He was probably the immediate suc
cessor of Mr. Ing-ham. Other Methodist minis
ters I recall who came in succeeding years, among"
whom were Rev. Messrs. Hayden, Maxin, Green
up and Twining-, and presiding- elders Reed,
Worthington and Bowman.
The first Presbyterian ministers that ever
visited this country, so far as I am aware, were
Revs. William Rankin and John Boal. Both of
them visited Mr. Barnet Lutz and preached at
his house as early as 1842. Mr. Boal soon after
returned East and was for some time located in
Cincinnati. Mr. Rankin preached at Mr.. Vardy's house in
1843, or possibly in the fall of 1842. The memo
ries of different ones are somewhat conflicting on
that point. But he did not stay long in this part
of the State. He spent most of his life, however,
in Iowa, in the southern part of the State, where
he died only a few years ago.

60 pioneer LiEe in and Around
I recall another Methodist minister by the name
of Howard. He was a very tall man with red
hair. His suit throughout was of heavy variegat
ed, blue cloth, called Kentucky jeans. The
coat was of the Prince Albert style, with extra
long skirts. One warm Sabbath day he preached
in our school house. His voice was loud, and his
manner boisterous. He had not proceeded far
when he became very warm, and the per
spiration began to start from his heated brow, and
so laying his heavy Prince Albert aside, he pro
ceeded with his discourse with increased vigor,
but with apparently greater comfort to himself,
although to critical minds, not quite so becoming
ly attired.
Another minister of the Wesleyan type used to
preach in our school house. He was, no doubt, a
godly man, and I believe, a very good preacher.
His dress was not after the modern clerical style,
but I dare say, more serviceable. His coat and
vest were not of the conventional black, but of
more durable texture, and of a color less subject
to being soiled. His pantaloons were of blue, and
closely fitted his slender limbs, showing off to
good advantage his large, substantial boots. It
was the custom in those days for the minister
while waiting for his congregation to assemble to
sing a voluntary solo. This minister had a very
fine voice, and he took special delight in singing
his hymns on a key that was far beyond the reach
of common mortals. One hymn that he used to
sing with fine effect, and which made a lasting

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 61
impression upon our young minds, began in these
wrords: "Time speeds away, away, away,
Another hour, another day,
Another week, another year,
Proclaim Eternity is near."
The tune was most strange and solemn, and the
high strains came welling up from a heart that
seemed to us deeply imbued with the spirit of the
Divine Master.
Rev. Mr. Maxin, above mentioned, used to make
our house his stopping place, and I remember well
how it impressed me to see him kneel by the side
of his bed to say his prayers before retiring. His
voluntary began something like this :
"Draw nigh to us Jehovah,
In our social meeting."
The first line was repeated three times, rising
higher and louder, with each repetition, termina
ting in more rapid and lively strains with the
words, '"'In our social meeting:''''
He was a young man who was attractive in per
son, and an interesting speaker.
DEBATING SOCIETIES IN THE SCHOOL HOUSE.
Of course the literary societies of those primi
tive times were for men only, as the women had
not yet found out their own capabilities in the
matter of public speaking. But among the men,
there was a good deal of interest in these public
discussions, and they would often come from a

62 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
distance of several miles to attend and participate
in them.
Among the prominent speakers were Messrs.
Levi Lewis, Joseph McKee, Barnett Lutz, the
Lewis and Cook boys.
I can only recall a few of the questions discuss
ed on those interesting occasions. One was some
thing like this: "Resolved that the pen is might
ier than the sword." Another: "Resolved that
the signs of the times indicate the destruction of
the Union." Still another: "Resolved that slave
ry should be abolished." And then that all-ab
sorbing question: "Resolved that there is greater
happiness in the pursuit of an object, than in its
possession." I cannot recall the lines of argument pursued
on these various topics, but a friend reminds me
of an illustration used by Mr. Lutz, in connection
with the discussion of the last named question.
The question, as we can "well imagine, elicited a
good deal of interest, and Mr. Lutz spoke on the
side of the affirmative, and illustrated his point
with the story of an Irishman who had but re
cently come to this country. One day this immi
grant from the Emerald Isle was passing along
and happened to discover a hornet's nest hanging
on a bush. He had never seen anything like it
before, and he imagined that this snug package,
done up in brown paper, as he supposed it to be,
contained a prize worth securing. Possibly it
contained something good to eat; or what is far
better, it might be filled with treasures that

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 63
would place him beyond the reach of want for all
time, and so Mr. Paddy made a wild rush for the
prize, and he grabbed the hornets' nest and ran
away with it, when, shades of St. Patrick ! the
hornets swarmed out in an instant more, and near
ly stung him to death. Here, said Mr. Lutz, was
a clear case where the pursuit of an object afford
ed far greater pleasure than the ppssession.
How the question was decided by the grave oc
cupant of the chair, I do not know, but I think
the affirmative must have won.
I do not suppose they indulged very much in
pyrotechnics of wit, nor in any oratorical displays
of eloquence in those days, but I think there was
some very sensible talk, for they were men of
sound intellects. There was Mr. Joseph McKee,
who was in some respects a little eccentric, and
very modest, and even diffident in his manner, yet
when he got up to speak he always had something
worth saying. He would generally plant one foot
on the bench in front of him and then proceed to
talk, slowly and deliberately, but in a manner that
was both interesting and convincing.
Mr. Levi Lewis, in his manner of address, was
not unlike Mr. McKee, but his words were gen
erally well chosen and weighty, and always com
manded the respectful attention of his auditors.
Mr. Lutz was more fluent of speech, and more
polished in manner, and quite apt in his illustra
tions, as the above specimen will indicate.

64 pioneer Life in and around
mr. and mrs. lutz.
Mr. and Mrs. Lutz are still living near the old
homestead, in comfortable retirement, their orig
inal farm having mostly been cut up into city lots,
in Kenwood Park.
It is with pleasure that we refer to them as
honored representatives of our early pioneers.
After a life of fifty-six years in this community,
with a record unstained by any unfair or dishonest
dealing or act, we have a right to point to them
with peculiar pride as important factors in our
early history. The example of such people is
worth more than gold to any community where
their lot is cast.

CHAPTER X.
OTHER NEIGHBORS. — WILLIAM KNOWLS.
Mr. William Knowls was the first settler, so
far as my knowledge goes, upon what is now
known as Judge Greene's Mound Farm.
It is possible that some one claimed it for a
short time before him, but certain it is that he
was there in 1839.
Where Mr. Knowls came from, I am unable to
say, but from his general appearance and conver
sation, I think he was an eastern man, probably
from Pennsylvania or New York.
In personal appearance he was a little above
the medium height and of light complexion. He

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 65
lived in a little cabin on the south side of the
mound, and so far as I remember he lived entirely
alone, as was the case with many of the new set
tlers in this country.
He was a man of very fair intelligence and was
considered trustworthy in all his business trans
actions. He had a few acres of prairie broken up
on the south side of the mound, probably in the
spring of 1840, and planted it with sod corn, but
as there was no fence around it, and no law to re
strain stock from running at large, I think that
when the time came to gather the crop there must
have been but very little left to be harvested. Of
course our stock shared in the plunder, but as it
was impossible for us to watch our horses and
cattle day and night, and as there was no Keeley
cure, or any other device by which we could take
away their appetite for green corn, no one was to
blame for the destruction of that first crop on the
mound farm. And although Mr. Knowls must
have felt a little uncomfortable to see the labor of
his hands so rapidly going to waste, yet I do not
remember to have heard that he ever uttered a
word of complaint against his neighbors on ac
count of their stock trespassing upon his premises.
This is proof enough of his mild disposition and
amiable character.
Of his fate after he disposed of his claim here I
am not advised. For some years, I believe, he re
mained in the vicinity, but for many years past I
have known nothing of his whereabouts, or as to
whether he is living or not.

66 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
CALEB HENDRICKS.
About a mile and a quarter south of us, in the
edge of the timber, there lived another lone bach
elor by the name of Caleb Hendricks. It was the
same place, that, after passing through the hands
of John Stambaugh and John G. Cole, finally
came into the possession of Mr. S. C. Bever.
Mr. Hendricks was a tall, loose-jointed man, of
rather dark complexion, and possessed of a coun
tenance not remarkably attractive, but neverthe
less giving you the impression that behind it there
was a kind heart, honest and true.
Mr. Hendricks was here when we came, or he
made his appearance shortly after, but at this
late date I am unable to state where he came from
with certainty, but my impression is that he was
a native of Ohio. He was a frequent visitor at
our house, and we were always glad to welcome
him to our family board.
More than once we shared our plain provisions
with him, for mother pitied him in his loneliness,
and she often cooked up something for him to take
home with him. He was a consistent member of
the Methodist Church, and was in every way a
citizen of the most substantial character, and to
whom any community might well extend a wel
come hand. After selling his claim here, he loca
ted in the northern part of the county, "where he
died some years ago.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 67
MR. LEVI LEWIS.
Our next neighbor on the south was Mr. Levi
Lewis, who came to this country some time in
the spring of 1840, I think. He was a native of
Pennsylvania, I believe, and he had two brothers
and two sisters who settled on the west side of
the river ten or twelve miles above this place.
My impression is that they all came to this place
direct from Indiana.
Mr. Lewis was considered quite forehanded for
those days. He was a man of intelligence, but
very plain in his style of dress and manner of liv
ing. His family came some months later. They
were always regarded as among our kindest and
most reliable neighbors. Mr. Lewis and his wife
were members of the Methodist church, and so far
as I know, their lives corresponded with their
high profession.
Their cabin was located near the entrance of
Oak Hill cemetery. Soon after his arrival, Mr.
Lewis broke up a hundred acres of his land,
which lay south and east of Tenth street and
Sixth avenue, and extending to the river.
For several years my father rented a part of
that land until our own farm was sufficiently im
proved to require all our attention.
Many days of toil were spent by my father and
us boys on this ground which is now so densely
populated, and where are located some of our most
comfortable homes, and where to-day many busi
ness houses and factories flourish.

68 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
I am sure that it was generally regretted when,
some ten or eleven years later, Mr. Lewis decided
to sell out his property and go to Texas. His
death occurred in that State many years ago.
The change that has been wrought, not only in
this town, but in all this county, during the half
century that is past, seems to us who have lived
here from the beginning, to be simply marvelous.
Our nearest railroad station was Ypsilanti,
Michigan, and even that short line of railroad
was not yet finished. JASON BARTHOLOMEW.
Mr. Jason Bartholomew, who came a little
later, probably about 1841, lived a half mile fur
ther south from Mr. Lewis, his log cabin being
situated on the hill near the North-Western rail
way track as it is now located. He came here
direct from Warsaw, 111., I believe, though more
remotely he was from Ohio, according- to my best
recollection. Still further back, I think, he must
have been from New England, as his language
and manner of life seemed to clearly indicate.
Mr. Bartholomew and his wife were members
of the Methodist church, and were quite active in
the performance of their religious duties. Mr. B.
was a licensed exhorter and was somewhat fluent
of speech. His voice was often heard in public
assemblies. He was quite eccentric in his man
ner, and very radical in his views.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 69
He was a violent opposer of slavery and a dead
ly enemy of secret societies.
His house was always open as a resting place
for ministers of the Gospel, and both himself and
his beautiful, modest wife, made these frequent
visitors feel quite at home around their fireside.
His extreme views on the subject of slavery
and secret societies led, in the end, to his separa
tion from the Methodist church, and he sought a
home in another branch of the church, whose ten
ets were more in consonance with his own cher
ished views.
He showed his eccentricity in his great par
tiality for donkeys and mules. He always had
his farm well stocked with them, and the smaller
the animal, and the longer his ears, the better he
seemed pleased with him, and the more ready was
he to ride, or drive him, so that he could show off
his prominent points, which, of course, were his
ears. But with all his eccentricities, Mr. B. was
an honest, well meaning man, and his intention
was to do the right thing under all circumstances.
After selling his property in town, he moved to
another farm near Western, where he lived many
years. This farm was also sold, and his last days
were spent on a small farm near Kenwood, which
he purchased. His wife died at this latter place
some years ago, and he was married a second time
to a lady whom I have never met. Several years
later, he too, passed away. The date of that
event I am unable to give.

70 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
OSGOOD SHEPHERD. — THE FIRST SETTLER IN
CEDAR RAPIDS.
Our next neighbor was Mr. Osgood Shepherd,
who occupied the only human habitation on what
was afterwards the original plat of Cedar Rapids.
His house was built of logs, after the usual pat
tern of those days. It was a somewhat squatty
looking structure, about 16x20, covered with
clapboards, which were held in place by logs on
top, with ends protruding at the gables, the cor
ners also being somewhat jagged and unsightly.
Mr. Shepherd brought his family here, consist
ing of his wife and two or three children, and his
aged father, sometime during the summer of 1838,
he having been here earlier for the purpose of
erecting his house. This being the only house on
the east bank of the river, it became per force of
circumstances, the stopping-place of the new
comers, and the few travelers that came this "way.
And so, naturally enough, it became known as
"Shepherd's Tavern."
, Mr. Shepherd was quite a large man, of sandy
complexion, and was said to be good-natured in
his disposition, and, as might easily be surmised,
he was an accommodating and agreeable landlord.
Unfortunately, however, his morals were of a low
order. While many good people were tempora
rily sheltered under his roof, and fed at his table,,
everybody believed that he also entertained horse-
thieves, and these latter seemed to be his special
favorites, and he showed himself ready to shield
and encourage them in their villainous work.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 73
It was afterwards currently reported here, that
he himself, was finally convicted of horse-stealing
in a neig-hboring state, and sent to the peniten
tiary. After writing the above account of Mr. Shep
herd, I am more than pleased to add that word
has come to me from a source that I regard as
trustworthy, that in the latter part of his life he
became a professor of religion and" was active in
church work. That such a change is possible I
am most willing and ready to believe, and I can
but hope that the good report is true in every
particular. Many years ago, in Wisconsin, Mr. Shepherd
was accidentally run over by the cars and killed.
This first house was located at the foot of First
avenue, where now stands the splendid building
of the Young Men's Christian Association.
Around these premises many exciting scenes
transpired. Here the first deaths occurred, and
here the first child was born. Here deeds of
darkness were concocted; and honest men and
women made their plans for founding a town that
would prove both an ornament arid a blessing to
the surrounding country in the years to come.
Mr. Shepherd's father and one of his children
died in this little cabin, and from it were borne
to their last resting place on the adjacent hill,
not far, as some say, from where the Episcopal
church now stands. Others think the burial
place was near the ground now occupied by the
Congregational church. And here, too, a year

74 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
later, perhaps, a little Shepherd first opened its
tiny eyes upon this strange world.
Across the river on the hills beyond I think
there was a birth and a death prior to those just
mentioned, but at that time and for many years
afterwards, that neighborhood formed no part of
Cedar Rapids proper.
In the early settlement of a country, there are
many questions that come up for solution that we
do not now think about. For instance, when a
death occurs in a country where there is not a
board to be found in the whole region, what is to
be done about a coffin, in order that the dead may
be decently laid away to rest? This question had
to be met more than once in the early history of
this place. It is true we had carpenters; the
Listebargers were skilled in the use of tools, and
they had brought their tool-chest with them, not
forgetting even to bring a little varnish, in case
of possible need.
But the lumber; this was the perplexing ques
tion of the hour.
Mr. Ellis tells how it was done, when the elder
Mr. Shepherd died. He and the Listebargers
went up the river and cut down a black walnut
tree and split out puncheons which they hewed
down with the broad-ax, and then with their
planes they dressed them smooth, which, when
finished, made very nice looking lumber. This
done, the making- of the coffin was comparatively
an easy matter. In this case the coffin was made
after the old-fashioned pattern, but being- nicely

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 75
varnished it made a very neat and respectable ap
pearance. And so even in the very earliest history of our
community the dead were decently interred, al
though it cost an amount of labor that few now
can understand. THE FAMILY WITH GOLDEN HAIR.
At one time after the Shepherd family had re
tired from the stage of active life hereabouts, a
sprightly red-haired woman with two bright lit
tle girls with locks of the same golden hue, be
came the tenants of this cabin. She also accom
modated the traveling public and a few perman
ent boarders. Her husband was said to be de
tained in an adjoining State, in a building- whose
main characteristics were iron doors "well barred,
and whose windows had screens, the meshes of
which were larger and stronger than those in
common use ou ordinary dwellings, and the inclos
ure of which was a high stone wall, rather than
an ordinary picket fence.
One of the boarders at the cabin at this time
was a large, fine looking- man, whose aim in life
did not seem to be very well defined. He, how
ever, soon assumed the duties and responsibilities
of landlord of the establishment, and, to all in
tents and purposes, became the head of this inter
esting little family, whose hearts he had won, and
with whom he himself had become so completely
fascinated. In the excessive ardor of affection
which they had for each other, they neglected the

76 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
little formality of a marriage ceremony, which
the usages of g-ood society require of persons liv
ing in the relation which existed between these
two parties.
This state of things became very offensive to
our law-abiding citizens, and they decided that
such conduct should not be tolerated longer. The
result was that this large, fine looking man was
one dark night treated to a ride on a rail, long
before the railroad ever reached this part of the
country, and to a coat of tar and feathers long
before a tailor had ever made his advent into this
new and beautiful region. This little hint seemed
to have the desired effect, and so these denizens
of the "Shepherd tavern" sought other and more
congenial surroundings.
Albeit, the report came afterwards that they
had met the requirements of the law in their new"
location, and had gained the respect of the people
among whom they had cast their lot.
The last use to which this primitive structure
was put was that of a stable where the Higley
brothers kept their horses when they operated
the first stage line to Iowa City.
The building was finally torn down after serv
ing its generation in various capacities for ten or
twelve years, to make way for the little brick
building, erected by Mr. William Wood, of St.
Louis, for a store.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 79
It is a source of peculiar pleasure that I am
permitted to present in this place the picture of
that very substantial and eminently useful build
ing of the Young Men's Christian Association.
Occupying- the ground made forever famous as
the site of "Shepherd's tavern," the first habita
tion ever reared by white men in this place, it
affords, perhaps, the most striking contrast be
tween the past and present of anything that has
ever taken place within our present city limits.
The building and grounds are estimated to be
worth sixty thousand dollars.
The first story is fitted up for stores and offices,
the Gymnasitim occupying the extreme rear of
the building. The second floor is occupied by the
Secretary's offices, the reception and reading
rooms, the parlor, the library and auditorium.
On the third floor there are the G. A. R. Hall,
the boys' school room, the room of the Minister
ial Union, ahd one other room occupied as a musi
cal studio.
The pleasant reading room, with its library
and periodicals, its cozy parlor, its commodious
auditorium, its fine, well equipped gymnasium,
and its unequalled baths and swimming pool,
make it one of the most attractive places of resort -
for young men to be found in the western country,
if not in the United States.
It is estimated that 450 men visit this place
every day. Its present membership is about 900.
There is a night school during the winter months
of about 125 young men, where the common

80 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
branches of education are taught, together with
stenography, mechanical drawing, etc., all of
which is free to the members of the Association.
With the religious meetings, the lectures, con
certs, social gatherings, and the thousand other
little rivulets of Christian influence afforded by
this Association, no one can compute the amount
of healthful, uplifting influence that this institu
tion is exerting upon our city and the community
around. MR. PORTER W. EARL.
This gentleman, whose name stands at the head
of this article, was one of our very earliest set
tlers, coming to Marion in 1840, and the follow
ing year removing to Cedar Rapids as his perma
nent home.
Mr. Earl was a native of the state of Vermont.
He was a house and sign painter by trade, but he
did not follow that line of business here to any
great extent.
He was a man of unusual intelligence, and al
ways dignified and gentlemanly in his deportment.
He always figured somewhat prominently in poli
tics, being a democrat of the most pronounced
character. He manufactured the brick and erected the first
brick dwelling house in this city in 1849, on the
northwest corner of First avenue and Second
street. He also furnished the brick, I believe,
for the three-story building erected by Judge
Greene at the foot of First avenue, on the south-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 81
west corner, where the Greene Brothers, for many
years, carried on their extensive mercantile busi
ness. This building was also erected in 1849.
He was at one time the owner of a good deal of
valuable city property. For some years he was
engaged in the mercantile business in the Frank
lin block, but in this he was unfortunate, and in
the end was a heavy loser.
The latter part of his life was spent in compar
ative retirement, his health being too delicate to
permit him to engage in any active business.
Mr. Earl and his wife were both members of
the Methodist church.
His death occurred April 14, 1884.
His estimable wife being a sister of Col. W. H.
Merritt and of the first Mrs. Judge Greene, was
a lady of intelligence and refinement, and always
held a high place in the respect and esteem of our
people. She departed this life June 10, 1876.
Of their children only Mary Adelaide, the wife
of Mr. J. O. Baxter, remains in the city. She is
well known in this city, and is held in the high
est esteem, as a lady of refinement and culture,
and one of the most talented musicians in this
country. The oldest son, Merritt, died many years ago.
Harriet, now the wife of Charles A. Taylor, lives
in Peoria, 111. ; William resides in Guthrie, Okla
homa, and Ella, now Mrs. J. Thomas Dalton,
lives in Chicago, 111.

82 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
MR. AND MRS. JOHN L. SHEARER.
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Shearer came to Cedar
Rapids in 1842. They first lived in the log house
built by Mr. John Young, on the river between
Fourth and Fifth avenues.
Mr. and Mrs. Shearer, with their family, we
regarded as valuable acquisitions to our commu
nity. They were the first family who became
permanent settlers of Cedar Rapids, that of Mr.
Shepherd, of course, being regarded as transient
and temporary. Mr. Shearer was a man of intel
ligence, and he always had a hearty welcome for
his friends wherever he met them, either at his
own house or elsewhere. He was very industri
ous and persevering in whatever he undertook.
One of the first frame houses in Cedar Rapids
was built by him on the lot now occupied by the
Grand Hotel, on First avenue and Third street.
The studding and rafters were made of poles or
small trees which he worked out with chalk line
and broad-ax, with his own hands. As lumber
was still so scarce, it was no easy matter to build
a house, even of moderate dimensions; but Mr.
Shearer persevered till he had his dwelling- com
pleted and ready for occupancy. For some years
he served the town in the honorable capacity of
justice of the peace, he being the first to hold that
office in Cedar Rapids. He and his wife became
highly esteemed members of the First Presbyte
rian church, after its formation, and rendered
valuable aid during its early struggles for exist
ence. Mr. Shearer held for many years, and up

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 83
to the time of his death, which occurred Feb. 20,
1859, the office of ruling- elder of the church.
Mrs. Shearer was a woman of sterling worth
in our community. She was possessed of a fine
intellect and a tender sympathizing heart. In
time of sickness or trouble of any kind, she could
always be relied upon to give counsel and help
such as few women are capable of rendering. She
knew very well from experience what the hard
ships and trials of a new country meant, but she
bore them with a courage that was little less than
heroic. She was one of the few women who knew how
to adapt herself to her environments, and to be
mistress of the situation however trying it might
be. She had many warm friends among the e&rly
settlers, and her society was soug-ht as one who
was a safe adviser and a true friend.
She was one of those characters that always
adds to a community something better than
wealth, whose coming is "welcomed as a benedic
tion, and whose departure is mourned with sin
cere regret.
She survived her husband only a few months, <
and on the 9th of December, 1859, she ceased from
her earthly toils and sorrows, to enter upon the
rest and reward of the redeemed.
Mr. and Mrs. Shearer were the parents of seven
children, three of whom died in infancy. Cyn
thia died at the age of ten years at Canton, 111.
Of the three who lived to mature years, Mary M.
died Jan. 20, 1890, in Patterson, N. J.

84 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
For several years she was an honored and suc
cessful teacher in our public schools. For this
vocation she seemed eminently fitted. Even in
her childhood her tastes seemed to run in that
direction, and her favorite employment was to
gather about her, her younger companions of the
neighborhood and form them into a school and
teach them. Her health, however, was never very
firm, and after some years of active service in the
school-room, her bodily strength ^gave way, and
she was compelled to abandon her work that she
loved so much. She, however, was spared a num
ber of years after this, exhibiting a character of
rare excellence, and of most earnest and active
piety. Elizabeth J., who was for some vears actively
engaged in the work of city missions in the East,
is now a resident of this city, her home being
with her aunt, Mrs. Daniels.
John W., the youngest of the family, who is a
practical printer by trade, is connected with the
Daily Republican of this city.
Mr. Shearer was born in Palmer, Mass., Feb
ruary 12, 1804.
Mrs. Shearer was born in Derby Line, Vt.,
April 11, 1812.
They were united in marriage at Otsego, Mich.,
May 3, 1836.
The following extract from a letter written by
Mr. Shearer, from Bloomington, (now Muscatine),
Muscatine county, Iowa Territory, February 25,
1839, will show how things appeared to him in

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 85
that early day. The letter is addressed to his
brother-in-law, Henry Weare, at Allegan, Mich.
After expressing some reg-rets at not hearing from
the home friends, he says:
" We are all enjoying good health and spirits
and hope soon to receive the same intelligence
from our friends in Allegan.
The prospects of this place bid fair to make
this one of the most essential points in this coun
try, owing to its location on the river, and the
fact that it is surrounded with a soil surpassed
by none in the western country; likewise the seat
of government for the future State of Iowa is to
be located about the first of May next within the
limits of Johnson county, which will be about
twenty-five or thirty miles from this place, and
this will be by far the nearest point to the Mis
sissippi river. That county is now thinly inhab
ited, and there is yet a broad field for improve
ment. Should you think of coming to this coun
try, the sooner you come the better, as the coun
try is fast filling up.
I have a claim of a half section of land about
three miles from this place which is not yet in
market, where I intend making improvements as
soon as the ground is sufficiently settled.
The Mississippi river was closed over with ice
as early as the 15th of December last, sufficient
to be crossed by teams, but a thaw commenced
about the middle of this month, and about the
20th the ice started in the river, and is now en
tirely broken up, and the inhabitants are daily

86 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
looking for steamboats to arrive from St. Louis
and the country below."
The letter is folded in the usual way of those
early days and sealed with a wafer, and the sug
gestive .25 on the upper right-hand corner, indi
cating the amount of postage which was then
charged. MR. JOHN VARDY.
In July of the year 1841, Mr. John Vardy came
to Cedar Rapids. Of his birth-place I am not
apprised, but I think it was in the State of Vir
ginia. He was a cabinet-maker by trade, but
was proficient in any kind of carpentry, as he
built his own house in 1842, which was the first
frayne building erected in the town, and it stood
on the corner of Third street and Sixth avenue.
Mr. Vardy had a wife and several children,
Martha, afterwards Mrs. J. G. McLeod, and
Henry, now living in Texas, being all that I can
recall. Mr. and Mrs. Vardy were christian people, and
when the First Presbyterian church was organ
ized in 1847, they were numbered among its char
ter members.
The first Presbyterian preaching ever conduct
ed in the town was by the Rev. William Rankin,
in the fall or winter of 1842, at Mr. Vardy 's
house. Here, too, the first Sabbath school was organ
ized in 1843 or 1814, Mr. Vardy acting a part of
the time as superintendent, and Mr. Joseph

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 87
Greene, Mr. Alex. L. Ely and Mr. Barnet Lutz,
also serving at different times in that capacity.
In the same year the first school ever opened in
Cedar Rapids, "was taught in this house, Mrs.
Vardy being the teacher.
This good woman died in June, 1846, having
served her family, her community and her God
well. In 1849 Mr. Vardy was married a second time,
and in 1856 the family moved to Texas, with the
exception of the eldest daughter, Martha, who
was at that time the wife of Mr. John G. McLeod,
of "whom mention has been made elsewhere.
She is now the wife of Mr. J. A. Malum, and
their home is in Eustis, Florida. It is from her
that these dates are principally gathered.
It will readily be seen from this brief outline
that, while this family were plain, unpretentious
people, they were nevertheless made of the right
kind of material, and they were very useful mem
bers of the community, and did their full share in
the way of setting right examples, and instilling
right principles in the minds of the young, and in
laying the foundations deep and strong for our
city's future prosperity. MR. N. B. BROWN.
The first and most prominent figure that stands
out before us in the matter of improving the
water power of our city, is that of Mr. Nicholas
B. Brown. He came to this place in 1840, and
purchased the land which contained the origi-

88 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
nai plat of Cedar Rapids. It was not until
sometime during the summer of 1841 that he be
gan active operations towards the improvement of
the water power. The first dam was a very weak
and temporary affair, made of brush or small
trees with stone piled upon them. The brush
and trees "were brought down the river on flat
boats from the neighboring islands, and the stone
was quarried from the river bottom on the rapids.
It was a long and tedious job to build it, and
when completed, it was a poor make shift, and
always caused trouble whenever there was a rise
in the river. However, it answered for a begin
ning, and when the saw-mill was completed in
1842, and the waters of the Cedar began to make
its machinery hum, it was the beginning of a new
period for our town and the harbinger of better
days to come.
Mr. Brown's means were limited, and it was
with difficulty that he could procure the money
with which to pay the faithful toilers who had
helped him in this new enterprise.
A grist mill was added in due time, and later,
in 1846-7, I believe, the woolen factory was built.
The one dominant characteristic of Mr. Brown
was his great tenacity of purpose. He was not
an aggressive man, but rather the reverse. But
he had the gift of hanging on, and this, doubtless,
was what brought him his fortune at last. His
loose business habits involved him in endless liti
gation and caused him an immense amount of
needless trouble.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 89
There can be but little doubt that many a shrewd
business man, standing in his place, and possess
ing his rare advantages, would have made vastly
more out of the splendid property which he con
trolled. However, it must be admitted by all, that
Mr. Brown did some excellent work as a pioneer
settler, in making a beginning in a new country,
and under many adverse circumstances.
In my personal relations with Mr. Brown, I
always found him courteous and gentlemanly.
In the later years of his life, I seldom met him,
not being a resident of this city during that
period. But I am told that a decided change came over
his life a number of years previous to his death,
and that he became a member of the Methodist
church, and a regular and interested attendant
upon its stated meetings, and a liberal contribu
tor towards its support.
He was born in New Jersey in 1814.
A few years before coming to this state, he had
resided in Kentucky. His death occurred Sept.
16, 1880.
His first wife was Miss Catherine Craig, who
died many years ago. His second wife's maiden
name was Miss Susan Emery. Her home is still
in the city, although, much of the time she is ab
sent. She is a woman of irreproachable charac
ter, and is, and always has been, conspicuous in
works of benevolence and charity. Few can show
a better record.

90 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
She is a member of the Methodist church, and
for many years has been one of its most faithful
workers. MR. ROBERT ELLIS. — THE OLDEST SETTLER.
The oldest settler now living in this section of
country, is Mr. Robert Ellis. He was born in
Westmoreland county, Penn., Jan. 20, 1817. He
and Mr. O. S. Bowling came to Iowa together,
but Mr. Bowling stopped for a time in Cedar
county, and Mr. Ellis came on alone to Cedar
Rapids. While stopping in Cedar county for a short
time, Mr. Ellis heard of a few settlers further up
the river, and so he decided to extend his explora
tions to that new region.
After spending the night with Mr. Michael
Donahoo, at Sugar Grove, on the morning of May
8, 1838, Mr. Ellis started on foot to follow the
trail up the river. Reaching the bend in the river
at the ppint now known as "the narrows," he
found that the water was so high that the trail
was covered, and he was obliged to make his way
through the woods and brush, and over the hills
as best he could. At length he reached a high
point where he caught sight of the broad, beauti
ful expanse of rolling prairie, where the future
city of Cedar Rapids was to be built, but of whose
present magnitude aud importance he had not yet
the slightest conception.
Descending from the hill, he came in sight of a
little bark-covered hut, near the spot where now

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

91

stands the old reaper works. As he drew near
the rude habitation he. could discover no sign of
life within. Following a well-beaten path to
wards the river, he soon discovered the prostrate
form of a man, whom, at first sight, he supposed

MR. EOBERT ELLIS.
to be dead, his face being hidden from view.
Startled at the sight in the midst of the silence
and solitude that surrounded him, Mr. Ellis hard
ly knew which way to turn. But he finally rais
ed such a shout as made the hills echo with the
sound. In an instant the apparently dead man

92 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
stood upon his feet, more startled than his discov
erer had ever thought of being. For a moment
he probably thought that his end was at hand and
that the Indians were about to take his scalp. It
must have been a pleasant surprise when he made
the discovery that it was only a white man like
himself, who, although a stranger, he could nev
ertheless welcome as a brother of the same race
and language.
Certain it was that Mr. Ellis was more than
delighted to find that the lone strang-er in the
wilderness, was a live man and not a lifeless body.
This man's name was Philip Hull. It seemed
that he had spaded up a little piece of ground near
the river and was planting a few garden seeds
that he had brought with him, and becoming tired,
he laid down on the ground and fell asleep, where
he remained until aroused by the young adventur
er who had just arrived.
Mr. Ellis remained with him a few days and
then crossed the river and made his claim a mile
and a quarter above the point where now stands
the First avenue bridge.
This has been his home ever since, although he
spent some time during the first decade in the
Minnesota pineries and several years in Califor
nia. A little after they first met, the two men enter
ed into partnership and bought a breaking team
of four yoke of oxen, and a large plow, of Mr.
William Abbe. Neither of the young men had
any ready cash to pay over to Mr. Abbe, and not

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 93
a dollar in money passed between the contracting-
parties. They agreed, however, as an equiva
lent for the team, to split ten thousand rails, and
to break up seventy-five acres of prairie. Those
who know anything about the breaking up of new
ground, understand that a plow-share will soon
g-et dull in the new ground where it encounters
so many roots. In order to keep it sharp a file is
carried along and every few rounds the share is
turned up and filed. But with constant wear, it
finally becomes so dull and blunt that it has to be
heated and hammered out thin by a blacksmith.
But there was no blacksmith shop here at that
time, and so our young pioneers had to invent
some way of their own. There being plenty of
dry elm limbs at hand, which make a very hot
fire, they proceeded to heat the steel share, and
then hammer it down to the requisite thinness,
using for an anvil an iron wedge driven into a log.
This was probably the first blacksmithing ever
done in this part of the country.
It seems now almost incredible, as we look out
upon our wide-awake city with every trade repre
sented many times over, and listen to the ceaseless
hum of the hundreds of factory wheels, and hear
the constant din of business life, that the
man still lives in comparative health and vigor,
with the flush of youth scarcely faded from his
cheek, who participated in scenes like that which
I have just described. And yet such is the fact,
as all those who know Mr., Ellis can testify.
Mr. Ellis has always been a thoroug-h-going

94 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
business man, and has been engaged in many dif
ferent branches of industry. His life has been a
very busy one.
He built flat-boats, in an early day, and ship
ped wheat to St. Louis and New Orleans. The
statement has gained currency that these boats
were built in 184-1, and probably the error will be
perpetuated down throug-h the years to come. This
date, however, was prior to the erection of mills
in this region, and although Mr. Ellis has always
been regarded as a man of great enterprise, he
would have hardly undertaken to build three or
four flat-boats without lumber. The true date
was 1846, according to his own statement.
o. s. BOWLING.
Sometime during the summer of 1838, Mr. O.
S. Bowling came into the county and located on
the west side of the riyer, opposite the present
site of the famous T. M. Sinclair Packing House.
He was born in 1812, in Westmorland county,
Pennsylvania, a region of country which, as will
appear from this record, has furnished some of
our most substantial and honored citizens.
Mr. Bowling was a man of dark complexion,
with keen, black eyes, and of a stature somewhat
above that of ordinary men.
He was one of those persons that cared but lit
tle for the fashions and foibles of this over-criti
cal age in which we now live, deeming it, no
doubt, of far greater importance to look after the
inner rather than the outer man.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 95
He was a man of a good deal of intelligence,
and was always regarded as an honest and highly
respected citizen.
He was the first man, I believe, that ever held
the office of constable in this community, and in
later years he held various offices of public trust,
in all of which, he performed the duties imposed
upon him with conscientious fidelity.
He secured quite a large tract of land, and held
on to it till it became very valuable, a portion of
it being laid out into lots upon which the south
ern part of this city is built. He had the g-ift of
continuance. Having located his claim, he re
mained upon it the rest of his life.
Although Mr. Bowling was not a member of
any church, so far as I know, yet his high moral
character and honesty of purpose were never
questioned. He was always regarded as one of
our most substantial farmers.
His death occurred December 25, 1883.
In 1849 Mr. Bowling was married to Miss Fra
zee. It was never my pleasure to be personally
acquainted with Mrs. Bowling7, nor with any of
her five children. But their reputation is quite
in keeping' with that of the honored husband and
father. Thomas Gainor and David W. King arrived in
Cedar Rapids on the 18th of June, 1839, and
located on the west side of the river, Mr. King on
the bank of the river opposite the island, and Mr.
Gainor on the rolling prairie a half mile further
back. The former was from Westmoreland coun
ty, Pennsylvania, and the latter from Michigan.

96 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
MR. DAVID W. KING.
Mr. King was an energetic and intelligent man,
and, although he was afflicted with a kind of hip
disease that rendered him very lame, he showed
himself to be a man of pluck and determination.
He established the first ferry across the river
which he operated for many years, and until the
erection of the first bridge rendered it no longer
necessary. The town on the west side of the river for
many years bore the name of Kingston, in honor
of its first settler.
Mr. King- was for some time justice of the
peace, an office which he seemed well qualified to
fill. He lived to see great improvements on both
sides of the river, and by his industry and the
wise management of his business affairs, he was
able to secure a very comfortable competence of
this world's goods.
He and his wife were members of the Metho
dist church.
He died in the autumn of 1854, leaving behind
him the record of an honest man and a good
citizen. Mrs. King, venerable with years and highly
honored and esteemed by all who know her, still
survives, and makes her home with her son, Mr.
William King, who is a prominent business man
on the west side of the river.
MR. THOMAS GAINOR.
Among the good, honest farmers of an early

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 97
day, we mention Mr. Thomas Gainor. He was a
man of great tenacity of purpose, and he always
clung to the home where he first located till near
the close of his life, when the infirmities of ad
vancing years made it necessary for him to retire
from the arduous labors which a farmer's occu
pation demand.
He was somewhat old-fashioned and non-ag
gressive in his character and habits of life, but
he was always considered one of our good, sub
stantial men, such as the pioneers were glad to
welcome among their number. He appeared to
be a man of strong constitution, and seemed to be
well adapted to meet the trials and hardships of a
new country.
A great bereavement came to his home at a
time and under circumstances that made it pecu
liarly hard to bear. His wife, after giving birth
to a little girl in May following her arrival here,
was, a few days later, called to exchange her new
home in this world for one beyond the boundaries
of earth. It was the first death in this region of
country among the white settlers, and it cast a
gloom over the whole community.
The little child for whose life she had laid
down her own, was the first to be born in this
vicinity. It survived, however, but a few months
and then followed its mother to the grave.
Mr. Gainor and his wife were honored members
of the Methodist church.
For his second wife he married one of the sis
ters of Mr. Levi Lewis, of whom mention has
already been made.

98 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
Mr. Gainor's last years were spent in retire
ment at his home within the city limits on the
west side of the river where, at a good old age,
he passed away a few years ago.
THE LISTEBARGER BROTHERS.
About the first of April, 1839, there came from
Pennsylvania, Westmoreland county, two broth
ers, John and Joseph Listebarger by name, who
settled on the west side of the river. Later in
the season an older brother, Isaac Listebarger,
came, and he also located on the west side.
John and Joseph had a little cabin located
above, and Isaac afterwards built one below,
where the dam was built in after years.
They all had claims, and all did something in
the way of farming7. Isaac and Joseph, however,
being carpenters and joiners, worked a good deal
of the time at that business. They were the first
carpenters to locate in Cedar Rapids. They
were all good, honest men, and had the utmost
confidence and respect of their fellow7 citizens.
Isaac and his wife became charter members of
the First Presbyterian church in this place when
it was formed in 1847.
John and Joseph "were members of the Metho
dist church, and all of them were men whom any
church might gladly welcome to its communion.
Isaac Listebarger died about the year 1853, and
John passed away in 1861, on his farm in Fairfax
township, where he had lived for many years.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 99
Only a few years ago Joseph, the last of the
brothers, departed this life at his home a mile
and a quarter west of the river, on the Vinton
road. MR. FARNUM COLBY.
Mr. Farnum Colby came to the place in 1839,
and made his claim on the south side of the bluff
on the west side of the river, a mile north of
First avenue bridge. His land probably included
a part of the town now known as "Time Check."
Of his nativity I am not apprised, but he was
probably from Pennsylvania. He, too, was a
member of the Methodist church and, I believe,
was a candid, good man. He left here in an
early day and located in Jones county, near Olin,
where he died a few years since.

100 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND

CHAPTER XI.
OUR MERCHANTS — THE FIRST GOODS SOLD IN
THE TOWN.
The first dry goods ever sold in this city were,
without doubt, by Mr. Osgood Shepherd. Of
this I am reminded by my sister, Mrs. Charles
Weare. I do not think, that Mr. Shepherd pre
tended to keep store, but it became known that
he had some very choice calicoes, and perhaps
some other goods which he offered for sale. The
goods were of a fine quality and but few of the
pioneers could afford to indulge in anything so
expensive. But finally our neighbor, Mr. Mason,
made a little "raise," aud decided to treat his
wife to a new dress. She was a small woman
and in feeble health, and besides, she had a
bouncing boy of a few weeks or months old, who
did not aid her much in regaining her strength.
And so Mr. Mason was careful to provide for
her the best and easiest conveyance that he could
procure, to take her to "town," as we began to
call it, where she could select the material for her
new gown.
Covered carriages were not in fashion in our
community then, and of course Mr. Mason was
too conservative and discreet to introduce such an
innovation at such a time in our history, and so he
had to do the next best thing.
The outfit on this occasion consisted of a yoke
of oxen and sled, a chair being securely fastened

Going Shopping.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 103
on top of the primitive vehicle, upon which Mrs.
Mason was seated with the baby in her lap, and
so they proceeded on their way to the point of
destination two miles or more away. The sled
had the advantage of being easily mounted, and
then, should the passengers happen to fall off,
they would not have far to go to reach the ground.
You will readily surmise that the speed was
not great, and especially when you understand
that it was warm weather, in May or June, and
the ground was bare.
And so Mrs. Mason procured her dress and her
husband paid for it on the spot, in potatoes, these
constituting the "raise" that he had made on his
new farm.
As to where and how Mr. Shepherd procured
the goods no one ever knew, nor was it necessary.
It may be that they were received from some of
his customers in payment of their bills for board
and lodging. It was enough to know, however,
that the goods were there and that they were for
sale and that these were probably the first goods
ever sold in the tozcn. This must have been some
time prior to 1842.
MR. JOSEPH GREENE, THE FIRST MERCHANT.
Sometime in the spring or summer of 1842, Mr.
Joseph Greene first came to this county, locating
for a short time a few miles east of Marion, and
spending some months working in that neighbor
hood, he finally came to Cedar Rapids in the sum
mer or fall of 1843.

104 , PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
It is said that his brother William was here in
1840, but his stay was of short duration, for he
soon went to Burlington and engaged in business.
Mr. Joseph Greene, therefore, was the first of
the Greene brothers to locate permanently in this
place. In the winter of 1843-4, he taught school
on the Carroll hill, being our second teacher in
the log school-house near my father's residence.
I believe he taught a very good school, but pos
sibly he was a little lax in discipline, he being
too good-natured, and too ready to frolic with the
boys, to inspire much awe in the minds of his pu
pils, who might have been inclined to be a little
refractory. He was a whole-souled kind of a man
that everybody seemed to like.
He was very sociable in his nature, and always
enjoyed a good joke. It was seldom that anyone
could get ahead of him in telling stories of the
marvellous and incredible. He generallv had
something ready that would be a full match for \
it, if not surpass it in its astounding details.
It was in the summer of 184-4 that he opened
and offered for sale his first stock of goods, his
brother George being associated with him as his
partner, and probably furnishing the principal
part, or all of the capital. The style of the firm
I believe was Greene & Brother. This store be
ing the first ever opened in Cedar Rapids, was
located at the corner of First avenue and Second
street, in a frame building erected by Hosea W.
Gray, of Marion, who at that time owned an in
terest in the town. This building- was very rude-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 105
ly constructed, and was unfinished when Mr.
Greene entered it. It had two rooms, the front
being occupied by the store, and the rear being
used for religious services and other public gath
ering's. The stay in this building was of short
duration, for in that "same year their new store
was erected at the corner of Third avenue and
First street. This was a far more commodious
building than anything- in this vicinity at that
time, and for a series of years it was one of the
most popular and widely known stores in the
county. In 1846 Mr. William Greene came from
Burlington and joined the firm, and for many
years the three brothers carried on a very exten
sive and prosperous business.
To Mr. Joseph Greene, however, belongs the
honor of successfully inaugurating the new enter
prise, and placing it on a permanent basis.
It was in this building that the first postoffice
was established, and Mr. Joseph Greene had the
honor of being the first postmaster of Cedar Rap
ids. Mr. W. W. Higley furnishes the following par
ticulars with respect to the early mails: Before
the postoffice was established here, the mails were
brought from Marion by one of the neighbors, in
a handkerchief or pocket. It was in 1847 that
the weekly mail route was established between
Dubuque, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. Mr.
Higley remembers well when the first United
States mail arrived. The carrier was a little old
man on horseback, pinched and withered under

106 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
life's heavy burdens, but he was looked upon with
as much interest as though he had been an Eng
lish lord.
In fact he came with credentials from a govern
ment which we venerate far more than that of
England itself; he was commissioned by the gov
ernment of the United States of America.
This was an event of the greatest interest to
the people here, and it marked a new epoch in
the history of Cedar Rapids.
To the early pioneers, this first United States
mail meant even more than the great goverment
building, which is just now being occupied as the
postoffice, means to the busy denizens of our now
populous city. It is no wonder then, that this
first mail was received with such demonstrations
of delight, and that this little old mail carrier
should have been regarded with feelings of respect
and veneration.
I do not know what was Mr. Greene's salary
as postmaster, but I think I am safe in saying
that it was considerably less than S3, 100, the
amount received, I am told, by the present incum
bent. However, he had the same high honor, and
both he and the people were just as conscious
that he held an office under appointment of the
greatest and grandest government under the sun.
Mr. Greene was a professor of religion, and in
his earlier life he was a zealous member of the
Methodist church, though in after years, when
the Episcopal church was formed in this place,
he identified himself with that organization.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 107
He was a native of Buffalo, and I believe, came
from that city directly to Iowa.
He was married to a daughter of Mr. Harvey,
who purchased the Bartholomew homestead at
the lower part of this city. The date of this
marriage I am unable to give.
Mr. Greene died April 4, 1868, lamented by a
large circle of friends whom he had gathered
about him in his busy and somewhat eventful life.
Mr. W. W. Higley tells a little story about the
way some of the Yankees took to avoid the enor
mous letter postage of those early days. They
would' take a newspaper and write all the mar
gins full, using buttermilk for their writing fluid.
Of course the writing did not show until thor
oughly heated before the fire. This process pro
duced certain chemical changes which brought
out the writing and made the paper yield up the
secrets of its copious marginal references to the
innocent receiver of the mysterious missive.
It is not to be supposed for a moment that any
of the good people of this section were ever guil
ty of defrauding the government in that way.
But it was those uncircumcised Yankees at the
other end of the line who did it, in order to avoid
paying the twenty-five cents which every letter
would cost them.
In these days of cheap postage, of course, there
is no longer any temptation to deprive Uncle Sam
of any portion of the revenue which comes from
our most admirable' postal service.

108 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
MR. CHARLES R. MULFORD.
It was in the spring of the year 1845 that Mr.
Charles R. Mulford, of New York, or its suburb,
Hoboken, N. J., made his appearance among us
with a small stock of goods, which he opened and
offered for sale in a little room in Mr. John Var-
dy's house, at the corner of Third street and
Sixth avenue.
Mr. Mulford was a small man of light, sandy
complexion. He had a voice that was somewhat
feminine in its character, but a little too shaky
and affected to be always agreeable. He was
polite almost to a fault, and his dress was gener
ally neat and stylish in its make-up. He appear
ed to be a keen, wide-awake business man, but
rather too close and precise in his dealings to be
very popular. His great fault was his inordinate
love of strong drink. In 1849 he went to Califor
nia, where in a few years he fell a victim to his
insatiable appetite. MR. SAMUEL HOOK.
Mr. Samuel Hook was one of the earliest of our
merchants so far as I can recall, being outranked
in time only by Mr. Joseph Greene and Charles
R. Mulford.
He was a native of Staunton, Va. He had been
clerking for Mr. Cleveland, a merchant of Tools-
boro in this State, previous to his coming here.
Finally Mr. Cleveland furnished him with a
wagon load of goods and sent him to Cedar Rap-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 109
ids to dispose of his little stock. The date of his
coming I have been unable to fix with certainty,
but after a good deal of inquiry of his wife and
brother still living, and comparing notes with
our oldest settlers, I think it could not have been
earlier than 1846, he being only twenty-one years
of age at that time.
The room occupied by Mr. Hook was said to
have been in one end of the John Young cabin,
reference to which has already been made.
The stock, of course, was not very extensive,
being drawn by one span of horses and an ordin
ary wagon. However, I dare say that the stock
was large enough for the room in which it was
displayed, and quite adequate, with the two other
stores here at that time, to meet the wants of our
limited population at that early day.
As near as I can now ascertain, he did not con
tinue in business alone but a short time, but
closed out his stock to Mr. Mulford and engaged
with him as clerk.
Mr. Hook was a tall man, well developed phys
ically, and of a pleasant, open countenance, and
withal, affable and courteous in his manners.
For some years he was clerk in the store of L.
Daniels & Co.
In 1855 or '56 he moved to Janesville, this
State, where he continued for several years in the
mercantile business. Later he returned to his old
home at Toolsboro, where he died August 10,
1868. His wife, Mrs. Jane Noble, was the daughter
of Mr. Arvin Kennedy.

110 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
She is a resident of this city, and has always
been held in the highest esteem by all who know
her. She has been a member of the First Pres
byterian church for many years and has always
taken an active part in its benevolent work, and
has ever been a regular and faithful attendant
upon its stated meetings.
MR. WILLIAM GREENE-
Among the justly distinguished men "who came
here in an early day, there are few, if any, that
occupied a higher place than Mr. William Greene.
He was a native of Staffordshire, England, but
was brought by his parents to this country while
yet in his infancy.
He was reared and educated in Buffalo, N. Y.
For some years prior to his coming to Iowa, he
was engaged in the book-binding business in De
troit, and for several years after coming to this
country, he pursued the same calling at Burling
ton. In 1846 he came to Cedar Rapids to make it his
permanent home. On arriving here he at once
associated himself with his brothers in their
widely increasing business.
Calm and dignified in his deportment, clear
headed and broad-minded in his business rela
tions, he soon made his influence felt, not only in
the firm of which he was a member, but all over
this region of country. He was more reserved
and select as to his associates and companionships
than his brother Joseph, and with certain classes

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. Ill
less popular, perhaps; but he had a keener intel
lect and a deeper insight into business affairs;
and whoever dealt with him soon found out that
they had to do with a man that thoroughly under
stood his business in all its minutest details. He
had great faith in the town, and, like his
brother George, he had larg-e expectations for its
future development. His spacious residence,
erected more than twenty-five years ag'o, in the
centre of the double block bounded by Fourth and
Fifth avenues, and Eighth and Tenth streets,
was thought to be at the time, a most extrava
gant outlay of money in a town such as ours then
was. But it only goes to show that he was a
man of g'reat faith in the future prosperity of the
town, and was correct in his fore-cast of its destined
importance. After going out of the mercantile business, Mr.
Greene engaged in real estate, and then in rail
roading, taking heavy contracts in company with
his brother, the Judge, in this and other States.
He was also at one time engaged quite exten
sively in banking, and in his later years was
interested in silver mining in Colorado.
In 1844 Mr. Greene was united in marriage to
Miss Louisa M. Higley. They were the parents
of ten children, only three of whom the writer
knew in the days of their childhood, and all of these
three have passed away from the earth. They
were George H., Sefer P., who became the "wife
of Mr. Peter Martelle, and William W. Of the

112 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
younger sons and daughters I am not able to write,
as no data are at hand concerning them.
Mrs. Greene was a woman full of vivacity, and
always kind and cordial in her manners towards
the many friends whom she had drawn to her.
Her house became noted for its hospitality, and it
was often the centre of the most joyous festivities.
Their large family of sons and daughters, made
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Greene a place where
the young people loved to go, for they knew they
would have a most hearty welcome and an enjoya
ble time.
Mr. Greene died March 29, 1887.
Mrs. Greene passed away after a somewhat lin
gering illness, May 7, 1892. And thus the last
bond that held this once happy family together
was broken, and the children were scattered.
And now, too, the old house has been torn down,
and other buildings are being erected in its place.
MRS. PRUDENCE BAKER.
Our history of early times would be far from
complete, did we not make honorable mention of
the mother of the .Higleys and of Mrs. William
Greene, Mrs. Prudence Baker.
She was one of those noble, whole-souled, moth
erly women that everybody loved to meet. Al
ways cheerful and happy herself, she made others
happy about her by her sunny countenance and
kind words.
In social circles she was always a welcome vis
itor, and added life and good cheer to the com
pany, by her presence.

CEDAR RA'PIDS, IOWA. 113
At a good old age, on June 4, 1878, she finished
her work and ended her life's journey.
THE HIGLEY BROTHERS.
Mr. Henry Higley, the eldest of the four
brothers of the name, came with the rest of the
family to Bloomington, 111., sometime in July,
1841. Leaving' the family there, he came on to
Marion for the purpose of exploration, and look
ing out a place for permanent residence. Return
ing to Bloomington, the whole family came on to
Marion, arriving in April, 1842. In 1844, he and
his brother Harvey, came to Cedar Rapids. His
native place was West Granby, Conn. He was
twice married, the first wife having died in 1847.
His second wife, whose maiden name was Hannah
E. Emery, is still living in Florida, her only son
having recently died there. Mr. Higley was a
man of a good deal of enterprise. He and his
brother Harvey engaged in heavy freighting to
Indian trading posts in the far west, when in the
wildness of the country, travel and transportation
were very difficult, and often attended with dan
ger. He and his brother owned and operated
stage lines to Dubuque and Iowa City. In 1849
he went to California, where he remained a year
or two and then returned to Cedar Rapids, where
he again resumed business with his brother in
which he continued up to the time of his death,
which occurred Aug'ust 6th, 1868. The summons
came in the form of apoplexy which terminated
his life very suddenly. His father, Mr. Abial

114 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
Higley, died soon after their arrival in Marion,
October, 1842, they having reached there the pre
ceding April.
Mr. Harvey G. Higley, the next younger
brother, was a native of the same town and state
as the above. As already indicated the two
brothers were intimately associated in business
up to the time of the elder brother's death. For
some years he was engaged in the mercantile and
livery business. Other lines of trade and busi
ness activity, however, occupied his attention at
different times, the latter part of his life being
devoted mainly to the improvement of his prop
erty, and in the erection of business blocks which
are still prominent land marks, and ornaments in
our city.
His death, like that of his brother, was very
sudden. It occurred in May, 1878. His wife,
whose maiden name was Annah Bishop, is still a
highly respected resident of our city. Of their
nine children only five survive, the eldest son re
siding in Central America, two are engaged in
business here, and the two remaining sons are in
business elsewhere.
The two younger brothers, Wellington W. and
Mortimer A. Higley have for many years been
numbered among our most highly honored and
successful business men. The former was born
in West Granby, and the latter in Hartford,
Conn. They came to Marion at the same time
with the other members of the family.

CEDAR RAPIDS, loWA. Il5
MR. W. W. HIGLEY.
Few, if any, of the names of our pioneers are
more widely known than the one that heads this
brief article.
He first came to Cedar Rapids in 1844. From
the time of his advent here, his life has been one
of constant activity in various business enter
prises. He was engaged in an early day in the
lumber trade, and then for some years was inter
ested in the livery business and stage lines with
his brother H. G. Higley. He is best known,
however, in his connection with the extensive
hardware store of Higley & Brother, on First
Street, he and his brother M. A. being partners
and owners of the establishment. This was, for
many years, the leading hardware store of our
city, and the amount of business performed, and
the manner of conducting it, placed these gentle
men in the front rank of our merchants. About
three years ago this branch of their business was
closed up, and at present their large real estate
and banking interests occupy their attention and
command all their time.
Mr. Higley has lived in this city the longest
time consecutively, of any of our citizens. This
has been his home without any break or inter
mission since he first came in 1844, making an
aggregate of fifty-one years up to this time.
He was married to Miss Jane E. Farnum, April
8, 1856. They are members of the Second Pres
byterian church. They have three children,

116 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
Jessie E., the wife of Dr. Kegley, Charles W., of
Minneapolis, and William M., pursuing his
studies at Andover, Mass.
MAJOR M. A. HIGLEY.
This gentleman, the youngest of the Higley
brothers, came to Cedar Rapids to reside in 1848,
making his home with his sister, Mrs. Albert
Kendall. His business life began at Waverly, in
this state, where he remained for about two years.
After that he spent a year or two in Kansas, and
then returned to Cedar Rapids, which has been
his home ever since.
In the time of the war he enlisted in his coun
try's service, acting in the various posts of his
assig-nment with that characteristic fidelity and
promptness that won for him the highest respect
of both officers and men with whom he was asso
ciated. For many years Mr. Higley has been promi-
inently connected with our educational interests,
having been a member of the school board since
1875. He is now president of the Merchants Na
tional Bank, a position which he has held since
1883. He was married Feb. 19, 1863, to Miss Lucy L.
Sheets. The death of Mrs. Higley, in the prime
of her womanhood, which occurred March 30, 1892,
caused a wide-spread sorrow throughout our com
munity, on account of the high regard in which she
was held. She was a highly valued member of
the Second Presbyterian church.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 117
Their children were four in number, three
daughters and one son, the latter having died
May 1, 1889. One daughter, now the wife of W.
W. Dymond, is living in Honolulu, Sandwich Is
lands, another, the wife of Mr. A. F. Matschke,
is residing in Minneapolis, and the third is pursu
ing her studies in Wellesley college, Mass.
Maj. Higley was married a second time Feb. 4,
1895, to Mrs. Jennette R. Nicholas, of Omaha,
Neb. The honorable career of these brothers and
their families, has won for them a position of re
spectability and esteem second to none of the fam
ilies of our city.
Of the other members of the family, their moth
er and their sister, Mrs. William Greene, are
mentioned elsewhere. The only other member of
the family was Mrs. A. Kendall, of Marion, who
died there some years ago.
MR. ADDISON DANIELS.
I have written mostly so far about men and
events in and about Cedar Rapids in the first ten
years of this country's settlement. This course
has not been strictly followed, however, as a
number of persons outside of these immediate
limits have received some passing notice.
It is to be hoped that some one more able than
I will undertake to perform for Marion what has
been attempted for Cedar Rapids in these few
pages. Mr. Addison Daniels, though never a resident

il& pionEEr life in AnD around
of this place has, nevertheless, had large property
interests here from a very early day, he being one
of the nine original proprietors of the town, and
for this reason, if for no other, deserves honora
ble mention among the pioneers whose names have
found a place in these records.
Mr. Daniels was born in Medway, Massachu
setts, November 13, 1813.
He came to Marion in 1840 and opened his store
in a log building which he had erected for that
purpose. It was not a very extensive affair, the
building being but 20x22 feet in size. The goods,
too, were of a somewhat coarser and cheaper
grade than those we now find offered for sale in
our first-class mercantile houses. Nevertheless,
this store became the great commercial centre of
the county, and the settlers came in for miles
around to obtain such articles of merchandise as
they needed, and to get their mail, as Mr. Daniels
was the postmaster.
Mr. Daniels' business rapidly increased, and by
judicious investments and close attention to his
business, he soon rose to the first rank of the busi
ness men of the county, a position which he con
tinued to hold up to the time of his death.
He was a man of remarkable business tact,
prompt and pleasant in speech and manner, and
always polite and cordial in his daily intercourse
with his fellow-men whom he met in his business
and social relations.
His life was such as to command the highest
respect of all who knew him.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 119
There was one little circumstance in his life,
which to some of his cotemporaries, seemed some
what unfortunate, although it may not have ap
peared so to him. I refer to the fact that he never
married. As a result of this, some young lady "was
deprived of a good husband and a happy home,
and he was deprived of a charming little wife
with all the wealth of love and good cheer which
she could have brought to his hearthstone.
However, it was not the result of necessity
that he thus lived but of his own deliberate
choice, and so of course no one had any right to
interpose any objections.
In his business life, Mr. Daniels was eminently
successful, and he died possessed of a large for
tune. His death occurred at his home in Marion, June,
1883. MR. PRESTON DANIELS.
Intimately associated in business relations with
Mr. Addison Daniel^ was his next younger
brother, Preston, "who came to Marion in 1846, and
has resided there ever since as one of the active
business men of that place. He was born in
North Brookfield, Massachusetts, December 16,
1819. To the great regret of his many friends, dur-
in the last two years, Mr. Daniels has met with
heavy losses, and the accumulations of many
years of hard toil have slipped from his grasp.
Some years after his arrival in this country he

120 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Keyes.
They have three children, all living at Marion,
Addison L., Caroline M., (now Mrs. Benjamin F.
Mentzer) and Miss Adaliza.
MR. LOWELL DANIELS.
Conspicuous among the early merchants of this
place stands the name of Mr. Lowell Daniels.
He began business here in 1846, being in partner
ship with his eldest brother. Mr. Addison Dan
iels, one of Marion's pioneer merchants. He was
subsequently joined by his brother Lawson, and
for many years this famous mercantile house was
carried on under the firm name of "L. Daniels
& Co."
Mr. Daniels was a born merchant. With a
quick, discerning mind, and "with a ready and
willing hand to meet the many and varied -wants
of his customers, it was not strange that he
should become, as he did, one of our most popular
and successful business men. One of the secrets
of his popularity was the pleasant and cheerful
way in which he met the many and diversified char
acters with whom he was thrown in contact. His
wide-awake, pleasant countenance and his cordial
"good morning," set even the most timid of his
rural customers at ease, and prepared them for
the business of the hour.
In 1854 Mr. Daniels was united in marriage to
Miss Harriet Weare, and their home was always
considered among the most pleasant and attrac
tive of our city.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 121
Mrs. Daniels, (now the wife of Mr. Lawson
Daniels) is still one of the highly honored resi
dents of this place.
Mr. Daniels was a man of fine taste, and every
thing about his premises was always a model of
propriety and good order.
His hopeful disposition and his natural kind
ness of heart brought sunshine into his home, and
good cheer to its inmates. He was a great ad
mirer of fine horses, and always kept two or
more of these noble animals which he enjoyed
driving, and which he always treated as his pets.
There was true mourning in the city, and it was
a sad day for all the country around when it was
announced that Lowell Daniels had passed from
our midst to the unseen world.
He died November 7, 1876.
It made a sad break in our social and business
circles when he was removed from us, and outside
of the family circle as well as in it, there were
many who felt stricken with a personal bereave
ment in his death, from which they did not soon
recover. MR. LAWSON DANIELS.
One of our most active and highly respected
business men, and one who still stands at his post
in the busy life of our city, is Mr. Lawson Dan
iels. He was born in North Brookfield, Mass., Oct.
4, 1827. He came to Iowa in the fall of 1848, and,
as already announced, entered into partnership

122 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
with his brother Lowell. In fact the four broth
ers were all intimately associated together in their
extensive business operations, but the twp just
mentioned carried on the business in this place,
while the other two concentrated their labors in
Marion. Mr. Lawson Daniels has been engaged in the
mercantile trade the larger part of his life, but
for several years past his large real estate and
banking interests have absorbed his time and en
ergies. Although skilled in every department of mer
cantile pursuits, Mr. Daniels' specialty has al
ways seemed to be that of bookkeeping and gen
eral accountant. It has been in this department
that his active brain and tireless energy have al
ways found their chief employment and their
greatest usefulness in the realm of his business
activity. By close and careful application to business,
and by honorable dealing, he has secured an ample
fortune which his many friends fondly hope he
may long be spared to enjoy.
He was married to Mrs. Harriet Daniels, July
26, 1883.
Mrs. Daniels was born in Derby Line, Vermont,
Aug. 1, 1829.
Educated in the celebrated Mount Holyoke
Female Seminary, South Hadley, Mass., and hav
ing enjoyed the advantages of the most cultiva
ted society since she completed her educational
course, and having traveled extensively in her own

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 123
country, and more recently making a prolonged
tour with her husband and nieces through Europe,
Mrs. Daniels has a mind well stored with a fund
of information and anecdote, that always makes
her a welcome visitor among her many friends,
and well fits her to preside over her model home,
whose hospitable doors are ever open to her fre
quent callers, and many a pleasant social gath
ering. Mr. and Mrs. Daniels are highly esteemed
members of the First Presbyterian church.
Their home, one of the most comfortable and
attractive, both without and within, in the city,
is located on the southwest corner of Second
avenue and Seventh street.
MR. J. P. CHARLES.
I have special pleasure in speaking of another
man whose history in Cedar Rapids dates back as
far as April, 1847. I refer to Mr. J. F. Charles.
He was born in Preble county, Ohio, October
2, 1827.
In 1849 he went to California where he engaged
in mining. Meeting with some considerable
degree of success, he returned to Cedar Rapids
in 1854, and commenced his active business career.
He first engaged in the lumber business in part
nership with Mr. Isaac W. Carroll, under the
firm name of "Charles & Carroll." Later they
entered extensively into the wholesale and retail
grocery and provision trade, which they followed
for many years quite successfully.

124 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
The business relations between these two men
were always of the most amicable character, but
the condition of Mr. Carroll's health necessitated
his retirement and the dissolution of the firm as
it had hitherto existed.
Mr. Charles continued the business for a num
ber of years afterwards, when he finally sold out,
and for some years past has been engaged in the
orange culture in Florida, although his home is
still in this city. There is no man that has ever
done busines here who has made a better record
for honest dealing and sterling integrity of char
acter than he.
For many years he and his wife have been mem
bers of the First Presbyterian church, greatly
beloved and honored, Mr. Charles holding the
office of ruling elder.
Their children were Edgar A., now in Minne
apolis; Fred W. Ballard, Washington; Frank C,,
Chicago, traveling, and James K., in this city.
MR. ISAAC W. CARROLL.
The time and place of Mr. Carroll's birth, and
the time of coming to Cedar Rapids, have already
been mentioned in the early part of this record.
For some years after leaving the farm he was
busily employed about the mills and factories of
this place; these constituting the centre around
which clustered the chief business activity of our
town. Later he owned and operated a line of stages
to Waterloo, but afterwards disposed of these

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 125
interests and went into the lumber trade in part
nership with Mr. J. F. Charles, under the firm
name of "Charles & Carroll."
Subsequently the same firm went into the
wholesale and retail grocery trade, and for many
years the business interests of these two men be
came identical.
After pursuing this line of trade for fifteen
years, Mr. Carroll's health became seriously im
paired on account of close application to business,
and he sold out his interest to Mr. Charles, aud
went into the dairy business at Kenwood where
he had a considerable tract of land.
Disposing of his dairy some four years ago, he
has since rented his property there and purchased
a home in the city, and is now employed as Field
Agent of the Evening Gazette.
On January 26th, 1858, he was married to Miss
Mary Steadman.
They have had eight children, the three older
having died when quite young.
The children still living are, Bessie (now the
wife of Mr. T. L. Fleming), residing in Berke
ley, California; Charles D., in the county Treas
urer's office at Marion; Frank, connected with
the Consolidated Tank Line Co., in Kansas City,
Mo.; Willie H., druggist clerk, and Carrie, re
siding with their parents in this city.
Mr. and Mrs Carroll are members of the First
Presbyterian church.

126 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
CHAPTER XII.
THE PHYSICIANS OF EARLY TIMES.
The physicians were not generally far behind
the vanguard of the first settlers of the new
country. There were few settlements that had
to remain long without at least one or two of the
followers of Esculapius, who were ready to min
ister to the wants of those who were suffering
from the various diseases to which human flesh is
heir, in all lands. THE QUACKS.
But unfortunately, some of them, perhaps I
may say many, were uneducated and unskilled in
that most important and useful profession which
they proposed to practice. They pushed their
way into the wild west, where diplomas were not
at all necessary to insure large patronage and lib
eral returns for their services.
Some of them were entirely independent of
drug stores for their supplies. They patron
ized the woods and prairies, procuring their
remedies from original sources, lobelia and thor-
oughwort, always playing a conspicuous part in
their practice, as well as hot water and steam
baths. Later it became quite the fashion among them
to style themselves Eclectic physicians which gave

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 127
them a wider range, and permitted them to use
medicine from any and all schools of medical prac
tice that they deemed best adapted to their
purpose. But the fact was they knew but very little
about medicine of any school, and their knowledge
of the human system was still more limited than
that of medicine. One great blessing to the com
munity was, that these self-made doctors did not
stay long in the country. As soon as well ed
ucated physicians began to come in, these quacks
would generally pass on to other fields where a
fresh supply of victims awaited them. Some
times it was said that a young man would take it
into his head to be a doctor, and so he would go
and study a short time with one of these quacks,
and then would start out on his own hook and
pass himself off as a full-fledged physician.
A case of this kind was said to have actually
occurred in our own community. A young man
of high aspirations, but of rather limited mental
calibre, decided to enter the medical profession.
But he had neither the means, nor the desire to
take the prescribed course in a medical college,
and so he chose to take a short cut, in order to
reach the object of his ambition.
A student in one of our primitive schools, at a
public exhibition, upon one occasion, touched him
up in this unique but impressive style: Without
mentioning any name, of course, he said of this
young sprig of a medical practitioner, that,
"He studies medicine six weeks or less; goes

128 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
over to the Iowa river and sticks up a shingle by
a roadside tree,
Doctor Jehoikam Fishawk, M. D.,
Practitioner in all the arts of physic;
The good Samaritan,
Who now need be sick?"
The reference was so pat that everybody knew
at once, the person whose character and conduct
it was intended to describe.
Possibly this young man may have studied a
trifle longer than the time above indicated, and it
is equally possible that he may have studied less,
but certain it is that he studied a very short time,
and with a man who himself was uneducated; and
he .actually did begin practice in the neighbor
hood just indicated.
THE . i EDUCATED PRACTITIONERS. — HENRY RIS-
i ,.¦ TINE, M. D.
Having spoken of some who pretended to be
physicians, and who were unworthy of the name,
let it not be supposed for a moment that they were
all of that character. We had some excellent
physicians, in a very early day. Dr. Magnus
Holmes came to Marion, I believe, in 1841, and in
1842 he was joined by his brother-in-law, Dr.
Henry Ristine. Both of these men were well-read
physicians, and men of high moral character, and
they enjoyed the g-reatest respect and confidence
of the people among whom they practiced.
Dr. Holmes died in a year or two after his arri-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 129
val, which caused a wide-spread sorrow and re
gret all over the country.
Dr. Ristine continued the practice of medicine
in Marion for thirty-two years. During the war
he served about one year as the surgeon of the
20th Iowa volunteer infantry. He was a native
of Indiana.
In 1873 he came to Cedar Rapids to reside,
where he continued to practice his profession with
unabated zeal up to the time of his death.
He was one of those wide-awake, progressive
men, that kept abreast of the times in his profes
sion. Several times he attended courses of lec
tures in the best institutions of the land, keeping
himself well informed as to the newest and best
remedies, and the most approved methods of
treating the various diseases prevalent in our
country. At the time of his decease he was by
far the oldest medical practitioner in the county,
and none were more highly respected than he.
His death occurred April 25, 1893.
Mrs. Ristine, who was a noble-minded, chris
tian woman, a true helpmeet to her husband, and a
bright ornament to society, died January 23, 1893.
She was a member of the Cong'regational
church and an active worker in every good cause.
There were four children born to these parents.
John M. Ristine, M. D., one of the busiest and
most successful of the physicians of our city;
Nellie M., the wife of Mr. Z. T. Mullen, of Min
neapolis; Miss Mary C, and Belle M., the wife
of Mr. O. C. Wyman, also of Minneapolis.

130 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
JOHN F. ELY, M. D.
There is no man now living, of the early settlers
in Cedar Rapids, who is more widely known, nor
more highly respected than Dr. John F. Ely.
He was born in Rochester, N. Y., June 25th,
1821. From his third year, his time "was mostly
spent in school, and he was fitted for college at
the early age of eleven years.
It was then decided that he be placed on a farm
in Stockbridge, Mass., where he remained three
years. Thence he went to his father's home in
Western Michigan, and was there engaged in
various pursuits up to the year 1844. He loved
hunting and fishing, devoted some time to sur
veying and engineering, held several official posi
tions in the town and county, and in the years
1843-44 was the owner and publisher of a demo
cratic paper of some little note. From 1844 his
attention was devoted to the study of medicine
and surgery. He went to N. Y. in 1845, and
graduated at the College of Physicians and Sur
geons in 1848. After the death of his brother
Alexander, in July of the same year, he came to
this place to settle up the affairs of his estate,
and from that time to the present he has been
prominently identified with the growth and pros
perity of Cedar Rapids.
Immediately on coming here Dr. Ely took posi
tion as one of the most scientific and well equip
ped physicians in the state, and his services were
in great demand.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 131
In difficult cases of surgery and in many com
plicated diseases that prevailed, his counsels and
advice were always sought, by his brethren of the
medical profession. His large and growing busi
ness interests along other lines, interfered seri
ously with the practice of his profession, but his
skill as a physician was so highly appreciated
that he found it quite impossible, for many years,
to lay aside his medical practice.
During the war he was commissioned as sur
geon of the 24th Iowa Vol. Inf. , where he served
for about one year, when broken down in health
by the exposures and hardships of the service, he
was compelled to resign his commission and re
turn to his home. The Doctor has been, in years
past, largely interested in real estate, railroad
construction and other public enterprises, but of
late years his health has been such as to require
him to lay aside all his business cares, his son
John S. Ely, assuming these duties and responsi
bilities. For many years the doctor has been a ruling
elder in the First Presbyterian church, and his
activity in all its various branches of benevolence
is well known in the community. His deep inter
est in Home and Foreign Missions has always
been one of the marked characteristics of his life.
He was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary A. Ely
in January, 1853.
Of Mrs. Ely, it seems almost superfluous for
me to speak here. She is probably more widely
known, and more universally esteemed than any

132 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
other woman that has ever lived here, whether in
early times or in later years. No one has done
more to mould society and to establish benevolent
and christian institutions in our city than she.
Being a member of the First Presbyterian church,
her influence and her labors of love were never
confined within the narrow denominational lines
of her own church, but every church, and every
good cause has always found in her a ready and
efficient helper.
Many of her benevolent acts have been too im
portant and too far reaching to be concealed, but
multitudes more of her kindly and helpful acts,
performed without display, have never come to
light. The sick have been ministered to, the sorrow
ing have been comforted, the poor who have had to
struggle with poverty, have been assisted, and
the desponding have been encouraged, and yet so
little show was made of it that no one can tell the
extent of these benefactions.
Many a young man, and many a young woman
have been helped in their endeavors to obtain an
education, when failure would have been the re
sult without her timely aid.
Mrs. Ely is still a resident of our city, although
much of the time she is absent during the ex
tremes of heat and cold, in climates better adapted
to her somewhat infirm condition of health.
That her life and health may long be spared is
the earnest wish and prayer of her hosts of
friends, all over the country.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 133
Dr. and Mrs. Ely were the parents of two
children, John Stoney, and Mary Dickinson.
The last named, a young lady of great promise
and rare attractions, died November 6, 1880.
Mr. John S. Ely is one of our prominent young
business men, well and favorably known in our
community where he has always lived.
E. L. MANSFIELD, M. D.
Prominent, not only in the medical profession,
but among the business men of Cedar Rapids, for
many years, was the well-known figure of Dr. E.
L. Mansfield.
He was a native of Athens, Ohio, and a gradu
ate of the Western Reserve College, Cincinnati.
Having practiced medicine in his native State
about two years, he came to Cedar Rapids in 1847
to make it his permanent home.
At one time he was in partnership with Dr. S.
D. Carpenter, and in later years with other phy
sicians; but for many years he practiced his pro
fession alone. While some of his partners early
turned aside into other channels of business, he
continued the practice of medicine with unflagging
devotion for thirty-five years.
During the latter part of his life, I believe, he
gave less attention to the practice of medicine,
and devoted more time to business matters in
other channels.
He operated to a considerable extent in real
estate, and .erected some large buildings which
are at this time recognized as ornaments in the

134 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
city. He was connected with the banking and
manufacturing interests of the city, and the
ample fortune which he secured, is proof suffi
cient of his business sagacity.
One characteristic of the doctor was, that he
was always very lenient with his patients who
were unable to pay for the services he had ren
dered them. This I can testify to from my own
personal knowledge of some cases.
And then I have this from his daughter, Mrs.
C. J. Deacon, which is a good illustration of this
trait in his character. When Mrs. Deacon was
an infant only a few days old, the doctor had a
call to go to Boone to amputate a man's leg.
It was before the days of railroads in that direc
tion, and the doctor had to drive his horse and
buggy all the way there and back. Months and
years rolled away and the bill was never paid.
Finally, after twenty-one years, and the infant
daughter had grown to womanhood and was mar
ried, the bill was paid without interest, and the
doctor invested the amount in a silver pitcher,
which he presented to his daughter, to pay for
leaving her so suddenly and on such a long journey,
when she had only looked out upon this strange
world but three or four days.
He died very suddenly, May 26, 1887. One
day he was riding out in the country north of
town on business, and when near the residence of
Mr. Wm. Hunter, some three miles out, Mrs.
Hunter observed the horse and carriage go by
and then suddenly stop under a tree, and surmis-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 135
ing that something was wrong, she went out to
see what was the matter, when to her dismay,
the doctor was found to be quite dead.
The cause of his death was supposed to be
apoplexy. S. D. CARPENTER, M. D.
Dr. S. D. Carpenter came to Cedar Rapids in
1849. He practiced medicine for some time in
company, first with Dr. Mansfield, and then with
Dr. S. C. Koontz.
During our late war he served his country as
surgeon in the army, continuing in the service
from the beginning of the struggle till the close.
In later years, however, he gave up the prac
tice of his profession and devoted his energies to
the building of railroads. For many years after
leaving here he resided in Ottumwa, of this state,
but finally moverl to Louisiana and engaged in the
lumber business.
On July 6, 1850 he was married to Miss Sarah
Weare, who came to Cedar Rapids in the autumn
of 1846. This lady had enjoyed the advantages
of a good education and was one of our earliest
and best school teachers. In society she always
held a very high place. Refined and genteel in
manners, and intelligent and lively in conversa
tion, she was always a bright light in the social
circles in which she moved.
She died after a protracted and painful illness,
in St. Louis, March 8, 1889.

136 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
She had always been an active member of the
Protestant Episcopal church, and took a lively
interest in its prosperity.
Dr. and Mrs. Carpenter were the parents of
four children: Catharine G., wife of the late J.
Asbury Taylor; Mary L., wife of A. G. Harrow;
Sarah A., wife of William D. Elliot, and Ralph
Weare, who died August 22, 1891.
The daughters are all residents of Ottumwa,
Iowa. dr. j. w. TRAER.
On the 4th of March, 1848, Dr. J. W. Traer,
then a young man of 23 years, came to our town
to begin the practice of medicine.
He studied for sometime previous to coming
here with Dr. Henry Meredith, in Rochester, Ce
dar county, of this state.
He was born in Knox county, Ohio, Sept. 7,
1825, and came to Iowa in 1845.
The doctor boarded in my mother's family for
some months after he came here, our home at that
time being in the John Young house below Fourth
avenue, on the river bank.
We found him to be a man of intelligence and
integrity of character, and he has always held a
high place in the estimation of those who were
associated with him in the days of long ago.
On November 4, 1849, he was united in mar
riage to Miss Marcia W. Ferguson, daughter of
Mr. James Ferguson, of whom mention is else
where made. He moved to Vinton, Benton county,

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 137
of this state, Sept. 9, 1851, where he and his esti
mable wife still reside.
He continued to practice medicine for four years
after he went to Vinton, when he turned his
attention to other branches of business. For
some time he was engaged in banking and real
estate, and "was also postmaster for several years.
He has always enjoyed the respect and confi
dence of his fellow-citizens.
He and his wife are members of the Presby
terian church.
Eight children were born to them, of "whom
six are still living, William, residing in Bur
lington; Florence E. Perine, in Vinton; George
E., in Colorado; Glen Wood, in Chicago; James
F., in Vinton, and Amos C, in LaSalle county,
Illinois. Jessie F. died in October, 1886, and Mary L.
Ramage died a short time ago in this city.

138 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
CHAPTER XIII.
MR. JOHN G. M'LEOD.
The name of John G. McLeod is remembered
by the early settlers, as one of our most promi
nent men, and a very useful citizen.
His claim included the big spring which has
always borne his name, and which is located two
and a half miles north of this city. It is one of
the finest springs I have ever seen, and I am not
aware of anything in Iowa that surpasses, or even
equals it, in the amount and clearness of the
waters it discharges. There may be others just
as fine, but although I have traveled over the
state quite extensively, I have not yet seen them.
The water power of one of the first saw-mills in
this county was furnished by that spring.
I am not sure but that this mill was the first in
the county. Certain it is that no one antedated
it very many months.
To Mr. McLeod belongs the honor of erecting
that mill. It was an event of the greatest impor
tance to the pioneers of this section of the coun
try. Few can understand at this distance of
time the absorbing interest with which the peo
ple watched the progress of this new enterprise.1"-)
It was in 1841, two years after our arrival, that
this mill was built. I remember well when Mr.
McLeod came to invite our family to the raising.
After extending the invitation to father and the
older boys, he turned to mother and said: "You

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 139
must come, too, and bring all your dishes with
you." The thought never seemed to enter his
mind to ask if it would be convenient for her to
go; but he used the imperative mood with an
emphasis that seemed to admit of no excuse or
failure. Of course, mother was only too happy
to go with her dishes and cooking' utensils, to
gether with what provisions she could supply,
and do all she could towards providing a good
dinner for the busy workmen who were assisting
in this new and welcome enterprise. She had a
hearty laugh, however, afterwards over the earn
est and summary way in which Mr. McLeod com
manded her presence on that important occasion.
Sometime after the saw-mill had been put in
operation, Mr. McLeod decided to put in a small
run of stone, which he did. The stones were only
eighteen or twenty inches in diameter perhaps,
but they served a very good purpose for "crack
ing corn" as they called it. This mill afforded
us our first corn meal manufactured in this region,
and it was a matter of no small interest to the sur
rounding inhabitants, when it was set in opera
tion. The meal was probably not of the finest
grade, but it was fresh and sweet, and the people
were too glad to get it to be critical in regard to
its coarseness. A few years later, Mr. McLeod
erected a larger and better mill that was capable
of manufacturing both meal and flour of very good
g'rades. This mill did a very large business and
proved a great blessing to the people all through
this region, and for many miles around. This

140 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
property in after years passed into the hands of
Mr. N. B. Brown, who converted it into a distil
lery, to afford drink to those who were not satis
fied with the cool, limpid waters of the spring.
A few years later this famous mill afforded food
for the flames, and so passing out of existence,
many more hearts rejoiced than when it was first
erected. Mr. McLeod in after years moved into the nor
thern part of the state, where he continued in the
milling business up to the time of his death,
which occurred many years ago.
c c COOK.
Captain Charles C. Cook, being one of the
earliest settlers of the country, deserves honora
ble mention in these reminiscences of primitive
times in Linn county.
He was a half brother of the writer, and came
to the country at the same time.
Personally, Mr. Cook was a man of fine phys
ique, six feet and one inch in height, and in his
earlier years, of a ruddy countenance, his hair of
a dark brown, and his constitutional make-up
such as made him remarkable for his strength
and power of endurance. In his later years, how
ever, his health gave way under the pressure of
the extreme hardships through which he had
passed, and for years before his death lie suffered
a great deal from his bodily infirmities.
He was a man of unbounded ambition and un
conquerable energy. He never favored himself

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 141
in the least, and he never shrank from any under
taking, no matter how arduous, if he saw that
the interests of the town and the general public
good could be advanced by it. He performed an
immense amount of hard work for which he re
ceived no remuneration, except the consciousness
that he had acted honestly and earnestly for the
best good of the community in which his lot was
cast. His education was limited, but he had a bright
intellect, and he had learned many valuable les
sons in the school of experience, of which he made
good use in his busy, restless life. He was nat
urally very diffident, but his intense interest in
public affairs overcame this natural bent of his
character to some extent, and not unfrequently
his voice was heard in public assemblies advoca
ting those measures and principles which he
deemed were for the interests of the people.
The railroads, the public highways, the man
ufacturing interests, the schools and the churches
always found in him a warm advocate and a
ready helper.
In the opening up of the boulevard from Cedar
Rapids to Marion, he took a very active part, la
boring incessantly from the time of its inception,
till it became an accomplished fact.
In the time of the war he raised a company and
entered with enthusiasm into the service of his
country. Here, as he was wont to do, he forgot
himself in his anxiety for the welfare of his men,
and in a few months after he entered the service

142 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
he was stricken down "with a disease that came
very near terminating his life.
His wife, however, g'oing' to his relief "was able
finally to get him home, but with a constitution
shattered beyond recovery.
But his unconquerable will kept him moving
about until a few days before his death.
His busy life and his well fought battle, came
to an end March 5, 1880.
His wife Emily, daughter of Hon. L. M.
Strong, Marion's first settler, survived her hus
band only a few years longer.
She died August 8, 1889, honored and loved by
all who knew her. She and her husband were
members of the First Presbyterian church.
Mr. Cook was a native of Niagara county, New
York, his birth occurring May 2, 1822, and his
wife was born in Ohio.
They were the parents of four children, Georg'e
F. and Henry A., who were twins; Kittie and
Charles. George having' enlisted in the regular
army, died a number of years ago in Dakota, and
Kittie died several years later in this place. The
whereabouts of Charles is unknown, but he is
supposed to have died on his way to California
several years since. Henry A. is the editor and
publisher of the Denison Bulletin.
HON. GEORGE GREENE.
On coming- to this county, Mr. Greene first
located at Ivanhoe, where he taught school one

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 143
winter. In 1840 he was admitted to the bar and
soon after located in Marion.
In 1841 he bought an interest in the lands upon
which the city of Cedar Rapids now stands. It
was somewhere about 1842 or '43 that he pur
chased the mound claim of Mr. Joel Leverich.
He afterwards went to Dubuque and practiced
law in partnership with Judge- Dyer, his brother-
in-law, Mr. Edward Merritt, I believe, being also
associated with them in business.
It was not until 1851 that Judge Greene came
to Cedar Rapids to take up his permanent resi
dence. He was of English birth, his place of nativity
being Staffordshire, England, where he was born,
April 15, 1817.
Coming to this country with his parents when
but a child, he was reared and educated in west
ern New York.
While in Dubuque he edited and published the
Miner s Express, in company with his brother-in-
law, W. H. Merritt.
For eight years he served as Judge of the
Supreme Court of Iowa.
He was the editor and publisher of Greene's
Reports, a work which contains several volumes
and which is regarded as of permanent value.
Judge Greene was a man of massive brain and
commanding presence. He possessed a mind that
was keen to observe and far-reaching in its sweep
of events. He was characterized by his broad
views and wonderful faith in the possibilities of

144 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
this town and country for the future. He even
went further than this. He not only believed
in the possibility, but in the probability of a
growth and prosperity for this city that far
transcended the faith and foresight of our most
sanguine citizens. He was thought sometimes to
be almost chimerical and visionary in his plans and
predictions with regard to the future of our city.
And yet now we can see that he planned wisely
and well, and that his views were none too broad
and that his anticipations were, none too high.
It was indeed a good day for Cedar Rapids
when Judge Greene decided to make it his home.
His coming gave a new and decided impetus to
our business interests that was felt all over this
part of the country. No man that has ever lived
here has taken a deeper interest in public affairs,
nor done more towards developing our resources,
nor towards the building up of all those institu
tions that tend to make a city truly great, than he.
He had a large interest for many years in one
of our most noted mercantile houses, in company
with his brothers; he was an extensive operator
in banking and real estate; he was a heavy con
tractor in the building of railroads; and, in short,
there was scarcely any g-reat enterprise, or any
important institution that tended towards the
development of our resources and the promotion
of our best interests as a city and State, that did
not feel the impress of his powerful hand.
He was always identified with the Episcopal
church as one of its most benevolent and active

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 145
members. His benevolence, however, was not
restricted to his own church, but every religious,
charitable or educational institution, enlisted his
sympathies and shared in his liberal benefactions.
Judge Greene departed this life June 23, 1880,
leaving behind him the record of a busy and use
ful life, and a name that the people of Cedar
Rapids will always love to honor.
He was twice married, first to Miss Harriet
Merritt, by whom four children were born, only
two of whom still survive, Edward M. and Mrs.
Susan H. Belt, (widow of the late A. Sidney Belt,
attorney at law), the former living in Chicago,
and the latter residing in this place, in the midst
of a host of friends, many of whom have known
and loved her from the days of her childhood.
Mrs. Greene died at Dubuque April 25, 1850.
In 1855 Judge Greene was married to Miss
Frances R. Graves, of Cooperstown, N. Y.
Of the eight children born of this marriage, six
still survive, Calvin G., George, William J.,
Elizabeth, (Mrs. MclvorJ, now in Japan, Frances
and Woodward K.; the other two, Fannie and
Robert C, died some years ago.
Mr. Calvin G. Greene is a well-known and
highly-honored business man of our city, and the
next younger brother was the popular Adjutant-
General during the two terms of Governor Boies'
administration. Mrs. Greene is still a resident of our city, hon
ored and loved by hosts of friends who have been
attracted to her by her many womanly virtues.

146 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
HENRY WEARE.
In 1844 Mr. Weare came to Cedar Rapids
with the intention of making it his home. He
boarded with his sister, Mrs. Shearer, while they
were still living in the log house on the bank of
the river below Fourth avenue. He came here di
rectly from Allegan, Mich., although his native
state was Vermont.
He was a man of medium height and of rather
slender build. He possessed a clear, keen intel
lect and was very fond of reading. He was an
easy and pleasant conversationalist, and could
talk intellig'ently on any subject, although he
seemed especially at home in the realm of politics.
He was always gentlemanly in his manners and
kindly disposed towards those with whom he min
gled. He was a man of good judgment, and had
a clear insight into business affairs, and, had he
lived, I have no doubt, would have occupied a
prominent place in the business circles of our city.
He was a frequent visitor at our house and we
were always glad to welcome him to a seat around
our ample fireside.
During' the first year that he was here my
father had a business transaction with him which
was to us of g-reat importance, and which left an
impression on my mind that has never been
effaced. The land had recently come into market, but
as yet we had been unable to g'et money enough
with which to pay for ours.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 147
In the meantime our neighbor, Mr. John Stam
baugh, wTho then owned the Bever place, secretly
entered that part of our claim on which the house
stood. It was a most villainous act and our
neighbors were up in arms about it, and they made
it so uncomfortable for Mr. Stambaugh that he
was glad to give it up upon my father's paying the
entrance money, which was fifty dollars for the
forty acres upon which our improvements had been
made. But the question was how could we raise
even that small amount of money? It was no
easy matter in those days to raise even one dollar,
much less the amount necessary to pay for forty
acres of land.
We brought with us from Canada, a very val
uable black mare which we considered one of the
finest in the territory. She seemed to be the only
available piece of property that we could spare at
that time, and so she was offered for sale,
although it seemed almost like putting upon the
market a member of the family.
Mr. Weare decided to buy her, but as money
was so scarce, and horses so low in value, she
brought only fifty dollars.
It was sufficient, however, to pay for the land,
and so we readily gave her up that we might re
lieve ourselves from the pressing embarrassment
that had been thrust upon us by a man who was
devoid of any sense of true manhood.
About a year later we sold to Mr. Weare the
eighty acres lying on the west part of our claim
for seventy-five dollars in gold. The sale of a

148 PIONEER LiEE IN AND AROUND
yoke of steers which we had raised, for twenty-
five dollars, made out the one hundred dollars
with which we paid for the eighty acres adjoining
the forty acres we had already purchased. The
one hundred and twenty acres of land, paid for in
this way, were all that we "were able to secure
out of the three hundred and twenty acres that
composed our original claim.
This detailed account of our business trans
actions, in those early years, is here recorded in
order to give the reader a little glimpse of what
the pioneers of this now rich commonwealth had
to endure, in laying the foundations for its future
prosperity. Mr. Weare died very suddenly at the house of
Mr. Ramsey, near Polo, in Illinois, June 2d, 1846,
at the ag-e of 29 years.
He was on a business trip when the fatal dis
ease overtook him that terminated his life.
His death was so sudden that we were greatly
shocked by the sad news, and our house became
one of true mourning for one who had become to
us more than a neighbor, or any ordinary friend.
JOHN WEARE, JR.
It was in January, 1845, when Mr. John Weare,
Jr., came to Cedar Rapids seeking- a new home.
His brother Henry had returned to Allegan, Mich
igan, in the fall of 1844, and at the date above
mentioned the two brothers came on to Cedar
Rapids together.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 149
He was born in Stanstead, Lower Canada, Oct.
5, 1815.
On coming to this place he also boarded with
his sister, Mrs. Shearer, until his family came in
the spring.
We soon became acquainted with Mr. Weare,
and he often visited our home.
The family consisted, when all had arrived, of
Mr. and Mrs. Weare, Portus, Laura and Alexan
der, the last named being a baby of only a few
months old.
At one time the whole family boarded at our
house for two or three months tog-ether. At that
time we had built on a little addition to our house,
otherwise we could hardly have taken in so large
an accession to our family.
From the very first Mr. Weare showed himself
to be a man of unusual pluck and energy, and he
soon found ample scope for the exercise of his
large business capacity. At that time there were
no very easy places to step into, whereby a man
could make money rapidly with but little labor.
The men who came in those days did not expect
to find easy and lucrative positions prepared to
their hands, but they came to make places for
themselves and to open up lines of business that
would eventually afford them permanent employ
ment and secure a comfortable competency for
their declining years.
Mr. Weare was a man of this kind. He could
turn his hand to almost anything that would
afford employment and secure even a small return

150 pionEEr liEe in AnD ARoUnD
for his labor. He could drive oxen, chop down
trees, draw wood, run a threshing machine, make
long journeys with a team of horses to carry
away the products of the country, and bring
back the necessary supplies; in fact, he could do
anything to keep business moving, and to lay
foundations for the future progress and a fuller
development of our country.
With such a spirit of industry and enterprise,
Mr. Weare worked his way onward and upward
till almost before he was himself aware of it, he
stood in the front rank of the business men of the
new State of his adoption.
After opening his farm on the west side of the
river, to which he had only given a portion of his
time, he finally established an office in town,
where, about the year 1851, he commenced opera
tions in banking and real estate. Continuing the
business alone a few months, he finally took in as
his first partner Daniel O. Finch, Esq., a young-
attorney, who had come to the place, and who
published our first newspaper, under the name of
The Progressive Era.
Later Mr. Weare entered into partnership
with George Greene and Thomas H. Benton, Jr.,
under the firm name of Greene, Weare & Benton.
They had branch houses in Des Moines, Fort
Dodge and Omaha, and they did a very extensive
business. When the First National Bank of Cedar Rapids
was organized, Mr. Weare held the position of
cashier, Mr. W. W. Walker being president.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 151
Later, and for many years, Mr. Weare himself
held the office of president of that widely known
institution. He was possessed of broad views, and he took
a great interest in public affairs.
He felt proud of the State of his adoption and
never tired of expatiating upon its boundless re
sources, and more especially upon the productive
ness of its fertile soil.
He was deeply interested in all public improve
ments, and gave his aid and influence in the build
ing of railroads the establishment of factories,
and whatever contributed to the growth and pros
perity of the city and the country at large.
His failing- health compelled him in his later
years to lay aside his active business cares and to
confine himself more closely to the rest and quiet
of his own comfortable home.
He had been accustomed for some time past,
owing to the state of his health, to spend his win
ters in a milder climate, and it was during one of
those temporary sojourns at Hot Springs, Arkan
sas, that the stern messenger came that sum
moned him away from earth. He peacefully
passed away March 10, 1891.
His remains were brought home a day or two
later, and the funeral services were held in the
First Presbyterian church, where he had been in
the habit of attending, and a large concourse of
sorrowing friends and neighbors followed him to
his last resting place in Oak Hill cemetery.

152 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
His first wife, Mrs. Martha (Parkhurst) Weare,
was a woman of rare excellence of character, and
was highly respected by all who knew her. Hav
ing lived so long in our family, we all learned to
love her, and the intimacy then begun continued
to the end of her life.
She died August 11, 1858, sadly lamented by a
large circle of friends and neighbors, whose
respect and love she had won during her stay
with us.
The children of this marriage now living are,
Portus Baxter, Laura, wife of the late lamented
W. W. Walker; Ely E., Charles A., and Martha,
wife of Mr. Mark Morton, all of whom reside at
present in Chicago.
Mr. Weare was married a second time to Miss
Martha Rogers, of Clinton, in 1862. She still
survives, and until recently, during the summer
months, has occupied her commodious residence,
around whose hearthstone gather so many pleas
ant memories of days gone by.
Mrs. Weare has two daughters, Mrs. William
H. Hubbard, and Mrs. Eli Gage, of Chicago, who
make frequent visits to the old homestead.
Mr. Ely E. Weare, her step-son, continued up
to a few months ago to make his home with his
mother, his time being mainly occupied in settling
up his father's estate.
Mrs. Weare is a woman of marked intelligence
and decision of character, and she has always
moved in the highest circles of society. She is a

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 153
member of the First Presbyterian church of this
city. The Weare home on the hill, has always been
the scene of many pleasant gatherings, and
the centre from whence many streams of benevo
lence have gone forth to bless the needy.
THE SONS OF MR. JOHN WEARE, JR.
Mr. Portus B. Weare, the eldest son, has for
many years been a well known business man in
Chicago. It may be safely said, I think, that no
man that has ever gone to Chicago from this re
gion has become more widely known in the com
mercial world, nor made a more honorable record
than he. Being , a close and accurate judge of
human nature, and possessing a breadth of intel
lect that enables him to grapple with the. great
financial problems of the country, his business
career has been one of constant activity; and in
planning and carrying on of the great commercial
enterprises to which he has given his attention,
the degree of success that has attended him, not
withstanding the recent great financial reverses
of the country, has been truly remarkable.
Portus Baxter Weare "was born in Otsego, Alle
gan county, Mich., January 1, 1842. He came to
Cedar Rapids with his father in 1845, where he
grew up and received most of his education. He
attended the common schools of this place and
Sioux City, and spent one year at Western Col
lege, then located ten miles south of Cedar
Rapids.

154 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
In 1858 he went to Sioux City and was em
ployed in the bank of Weare & Allison, where he
remained for four years. During that time he
made frequent trips into what was then the Sioux
country, on the upper Missouri river, spending
some time at Fort Rankin, the Yankton Agency,
and other points above Sioux City.
In 1862 he went to Chicago and engaged in the
general produce and commission business in con
nection with Henry W. Rogers, Jr. After three
years he severed his connection with this firm
and commenced business under the name of P. B.
Weare & Co., at first doing a large business in
the way of exporting prairie chickens, mostly
from Iowa and Nebraska, to England, France and
Germany, the shipments amounting to ten thou
sand barrels per year. After the country became
more settled and this business was done away
with, they engaged on a larg'e scale in the buffalo
robe trade, handling yearly from twenty-five to
fifty thousand robes. This trade involved a great
deal of travel in the far west. But, before the
advancing population in these new reg7ions, the
buffalo also disappeared and put an end to this
trade. But another branch of business was soon
commenced to take its place. The Weare Land
and Live Stock Company was formed, and at one
time they had as high as fifty thousand head of
cattle. These herds were located at different points in
northern Wyoming, eastern Montana, on the
Belle Fourche, Powder, Tongue, and Big Horn
rivers.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 155
I find in a recent number of the Chicago Eve-
}/ing Post, this brief but significant statement
concerning the present business operations of Mr.
P. B. Weare: "Mr. Weare's grain interests are
extensive, the company maintaining sixty-five
stations in the states of Illinois, Iowa and Neb
raska. He owns a storage capacity of over 5,000-
000 bushels along the Northwestern system, and
is represented in Minneapolis, Duluth and Omaha.
The Chicago Railway Terminal Company, of
which he is manager, embraces eig'ht of the larg
est local elevators, having an aggregate storage
room for over 10,000,000 bushels. He is also
director of the Globe Elevator Company at West
Superior with 5,000,000 bushels capacity. He
has been a member of the Chicago Board of Trade
since 1862."
In the Chicago Tribune of May 5, 1895, I find
this record concerning the sons of Mr. John
Weare, which it seems to me not inappropriate to
transcribe to these pages. It has reference to
their operations in Alaska, in which Mr. P. B.
Weare has been a prime mover.
"In 1891 P. B. Weare, E. E- Weare, and C. A.
Weare, of the Weare commission company, had
their attention called to the Yukon country by
Capt. J. J. Healy, an old Montana miner, who
had spent ten years in Alaska, and knew its
resources and needs. The Weares have had an
extensive trading and mining experience in Mon
tana, being traders at old Fort Benton on the

156 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
Missouri as early as 1859, and had long known
Capt. Healy.
"Together with John Cudahy, the packer, and
a number of other Chicago capitalists, they formed
the North American Trading and Transporta
tion Company, and in the summer of 1892 Mr.
Weare took from Puget Sound the timbers, ma
terials and machinery for the five hundred tons
burden river steamer, P. B. Weare, to St. Mich
ael's Island, at the mouth of the Yukon. Here it
was built and launched in time to take a cargo
from an ocean steamer and ascend the Yukon that
fall. "' * * The company have now invested
three hundred thousand dollars in steamer, build
ing's and merchandise, the demand for which is
out-growing the supply. This made more exten
sive prospecting- possible."
The result of this enterprise is to open up to
the world rich and extensive gold placer mines,
as well as quartz, to the citizens of the United
States, and making it possible for men to spend
their summers and winters prospecting- and
developing mines hitherto shut out bv the high
cost of living and want of transportation to that
far away Arctic land.
Mr. Weare was married January 2, 18(o, to
Miss Susan Wheelock Risley, daughter of Levi
and Sophia Risley, of Shady Brook Farm, Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, the ceremony being- performed in
Grace church by the Rev. C. S. Percival.
Two children were born of this union, William
W. and Nellie Darling Weare.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 157
The latter died January 1, 1892. The former
is now living in Chicago, being president of
the Humboldt Land and Cattle Company.
This will show what some of the pioneer chil
dren of Cedar Rapids are doing at the present
time. MR. ALEXANDER L. ELY.
The coming of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander L. Ely,
through the influence of Judge Greene, to our
community in 1842, was an important event in
our history.
Many long years have gone by since Mr. Ely
passed from us, but I must be permitted to lay
one little wreath upon the green turf that has so
long covered his mortal remains. A kinder heart
never beat in any man's breast than in his. A
more generous, purer or nobler spirit than his
never animated any man's body. He was always
and everywhere the polished, courtly, christian
gentleman, and yet so modest and so gentle and
kind in his bearing, that even the most timid
child in his rustic, pioneer garb, felt at ease in
his presence, and proud at his polite recognition.
From the time of his coming, a new moral and
religious impetus was g-iven to the community,
which has been felt from that day to this, and
which will continue to be felt, I doubt not, to the
end of time.
Of his decided christian character and his scru
pulous regard for the Sabbath, the late Rev.
Glen Wood wrote some years ago:

158 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
"Brother A. L. Ely was a man of God, who
did not leave his religion behind him when he
came west, but came forward a pioneer of the
Hosts of the Lord, to plant the standard of the
cross, and take possession of the land in the name
of the Lord Jehovah. When he had built his
mill, which was a great event in those days, the
tidings had spread far and wide; and the farmers
came rushing in with their g-rists. Many of them
thought to 'take time by the forelock,' and so
made their calculations to arrive Saturday night
or Sunday morning-, that they might have their
grinding done on the Lord's day.
"What was their surprise when their sleep
was broken at midnight by the ceasing of the
music at the mill. Ah! there was a man of God
running that mill; and when the Sabbath day had
come, all work must cease there. No considera
tions could induce him to start up again until the
whole of that day had passed. Here is one of the
secrets of the success of Cedar Rapids."
Added to the social and moral influence which
he exerted was the new impetus which he gave to
the business and commercial interests of the
place. Mr. N. B. Brown had built the temporary dam
across the river and had erected a small saw-mill
and grist-mill; but his means were at that time
quite limited, and his mills were inadequate to
meet the g7rowing demands of the country.
The erection of a more permanent dam and of
the larger, more substantial and stately mills by

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 159
Mr. Ely, with a capacity for the more extensive
manufacture of lumber and flour, and of a finer
grade, gave such an impulse to our business inter
ests as we had not hitherto enjoyed, and the influ
ence of which has ever since been felt in a marked
degree. Mr. Ely's mill, when completed, was
the largest and best in the State.
If the erection of a common dwelling, such as
the early pioneers inhabited, was very difficult to,
accomplish, how much more so was the erection
of this splendid mill? True, they began to have
saw-mills and lumber at that time, but there
were so many other disadvantages to labor under
in the erection of such a building, that it seemed,
as it truly was, a gigantic undertaking.
In the prosecution of this great enterprise,
there were obstacles to be encountered of such
magnitude as few at this day can have any just
conception. To meet and overcome them required
courage and determination such as few men pos
sess. And yet Mr. Ely never faltered in his
course till the work was accomplished and the
victory fairly won.
There were times, not a few, during the four
years in which this work was going on, when the
entire force of mechanics were disabled by sick
ness and the work had to stop short. On account
of this, months of precious time were lost each
year, causing great discouragement and expense.
There was no railroad then nearer than Jack
son the old capital of Michigan, and all of the
heavy machinery for the mill had to be shipped

160 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
from New York by water via New Orleans, and
was landed at Bloomington, now Muscatine, from
whence it was transported over land to this place.
Such were some of the hardships and sacrifices
and heroic efforts that it cost to lay the founda
tions of our present prosperous city and commun-
ity. It was the saddest day that this community had
ever experienced, when this good man, this justly
distinguished citizen, honored and loved by all, on
the ninth day of July 1848 passed away from us
to his home in a brighter and better world than
this. HON. ISAAC COOK.
The first lawyer to locate permanently in this
place was Mr. Isaac Cook.
He was a native of Chester Co., Pa. His first
move to the West was to Palmyra, Mo., in 1844,
where he completed his legal studies and was ad
mitted to the bar.
In 1846 he went to Dubuque, and from that
place came to Cedar Rapids in 1848.
His ability as a lawyer was of the first order,
and in 1857 he was elected judge of the district
court, over which he presided with characteristic
dignity and fidelity. Finding the salary inade
quate and caring but little for its honors he re
signed after about one year's service. He was re
markably modest and retiring in his disposition,
and he had no taste for the complications and con
flicts into which his profession naturally led him.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 161
He was a man of the purest motives and the
highest aspirations and conscientious and strictly
honest in all his business transactions. He could
be trusted in any position and to any extent with
out the slig-htest concern that he would in any
way betray the trust committed to his care.
In the sing-ular integrity and unswerving up
rightness of his character, he had but few equals
and no superiors.
He was a member and office bearer in the First
Presbyterian church of this place for some years,
but subsequently removed his church relationship
to Marion, that being more convenient to his farm
home, where he spent the latter part of his life.
His death occurred August 8, 1878.
In 1851 he was married to Miss Luceba Brooks,
several children being the issue of that union.
Mrs. Cook who is a women of most amiable
character still survives and resides with her chil
dren in Dakota.
The old homestead of Judge Cook is now own
ed by his brother, Mr. William Cook, who came
to the place in 1853, and, who is one of our best
known and hig'hly respected citizens of Linn
County. COL. I. M. PRESTON.
One of the most distinguished members of the
Linn County Bar, was Col. I. M. Preston.
Coming- to Linn County, and locating in Marion
in the fall of 1842, he spent most of his busy life
in that place. In December, 1878, however, he

162 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
came to Cedar Rapids, where he continued to
reside up to the time of his death, which occurred
March 6, 1880. He was one of the most widely
known and successful lawyers that has ever lived
within the limits of our county. His popularity
is shown in the various offices of trust which he
held at different periods of his life. He held the
office, at one time, of Judge of Probate for this
county; he was also appointed prosecuting attor
ney for the 18th Judicial district, comprising
Linn, Benton and Tama counties; he was com
missioned Colonel of the Third Regiment, Second
Brigade, Second Division of Militia of the Terri
tory of Iowa, was appointed United States Dis
trict Attorney by President Polk, and in 1848 was
elected to the Iowa State Legislature, and in 1850
was elected to the State Senate.
His estimable wife is a resident of our city; her
elegant home being situated on Second Avenue
between Seventh and Eighth streets. The two
sons, Judge Joseph H. and Edmund C. are also
residents of this place, pursuing the same honor
able profession as their father.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 163
CHAPTER XIV.
MR. ARVIN KENNEDY.
Among the early settlers of this place, it gives
me special pleasure to mention the name of Mr.
Arvin Kennedy. He came to this place in April
1848 with his family, consisting of his wife, and
seven children, Homer, Jane, Edward, William,
Emma, Harriet and Charles.
Mr. Kennedy was born in New Braintree, Mass.
He afterwards lived in New York, and still la
ter in Ohio, from "whence he removed to Jones Co.
this state in 1844.
He was a clothier by trade, and on coming here
followed his calling in Mr. Brown's woolen fac
tory. He was plain and unostentatious in his
manner of life, but I think he would have been re
cognized anywhere as a man of solid character
and honest purposes in life. Such indeed was
the estimate in which he was held, and such
the character he bore through all the years he re
sided in this community.
He and his wife identified themselves at once on
coming here, with the First Presbyterian Church,
Mr. Kennedy being elected an elder, and his
counsels and advice were highly prized by those
associated with him as co-laborers.
In writing of this worthy citizen of ours, years
after his death, Dr. J. F. Ely, who knew him
well, spoke of him in these words, "Deacon Ken
nedy as a business man, was marked for his in-

164 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
dustry and uprightness; as being honest and con
scientious in all his dealings. In the church he
was justly esteemed for his faithfulness in every
christian duty, both as a member and officer.
He was a fine representative of a typical New
England deacon, a class of sturdy christian men,
puritanic, if you please, very rarely met in the
early settlement of this region."
His death occurred Feb. 28, 1856.
His good wife who always enjoyed the highest
respect of the community, being active in every
good work, followed her husband to the grave
some years later, her death occurring February
25th 1886.
Of the children, William died June 6, 1850,
being a lad yet in his teens, Homer, a young man
who justly won and held the respect of all who
knew him, and whose life was one of great prom
ise, died March 2, 1856, and Harriet who became
the wife of Mr. Andrew Van Vleck, and who was
a woman of stainless christian character, loved
and honored by everybody, passed away January
2, 1888. Edward is a farmer residing in Wood
bury County of this state, Emma the wife of the
late Mr. Cornelius Polhamus, lives in California,
Jane, now Mrs. Noble, and Charles are still re
sidents of this city.
Charles the youngest of the family is one of
our staunch reliable citizens and in the church a
worthy successor of his father, having- for a num
ber of years past filled the office of ruling elder
in the First Presbyterian Church.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 165
MR. SAMUEL S. JOHNSON.
Westmoreland County, Penn., has contributed
to our ranks another honest, and sturdy citizen
in the person of Mr. Samuel .S. Johnson, who
came to this state and located on the west side of
the river in 1847. At that date Cedar Rapids
was a little village of only 300 inhabitants.
Mr. Johnson is a carpenter and joiner by trade,
and for a short time' after coming to this place,
followed that line of business. But most of his
life here has been employed in that eminently use
ful and highly honorable employment of a tiller of
the soil. His valuable farm is now included
within the city limits, and is laid off into city lots
where comfortable residences are to be found at
this time. Mr. Johnson's standing in the com
munity is sufficiently attested in the fact that he
has been honored with many of the offices of his
township, and for many successive years. He
and his wife are members of the United Presby
terian Church. MR. ABSALOM SINES.
Another of the worthy citizens of our town was
Mr. Absalom Sines, who for many years was the
miller in the Ely mills. He was one of those
modest, quiet bodies that said but little and
thought a great deal,
Although not a member of any church, nor
making any public profession of religion, he lived
an upright life and sustained a character that

166 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
was above reproach. He was a man possessed
of a kind heart and a most amiable disposition.
If he had a single enemy in the world I am quite
sure that he never made himself known in these
parts. Everybody entertained for Mr. Sines the
highest respect as a man and citizen. He was
always gentlemanly in his conduct, and kind and
accommodating in his intercourse with others.
In 1854 he was united in marriage to Miss
Mary Wadsworth, a young lady of great amiabil
ity of character, who lived only about a year after
her marriage.
During the war Mr. Sines enlisted in the ser
vice of his country, and fell at the battle of
Champion Hills, August 11, 1862. A truer,
nobler patriot never wore the uniform of a United
States soldier.
He was a native of Wilmington, Delaware.
MR. WILLIAM STEWART.
Among the tradesmen of early times, there were
none, whether we consider them morally or physi
cally, that stood higher than Mr. William Stew
art. Very tall and slender in his build, he was
nevertheless of a strong and wiry constitution,
and in his earlier years he could endure a great
deal of hard labor. His trade was that of a
blacksmith, and he was a very good workman,
though not quite so skilled possibly in the manu
facture of heavy mill irons as his brother-in-law,
Mr. S. L. Pollock, who I believe came to the
place perhaps a year or two earlier than he.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 167
These two men were pioneers in this branch of
business, though not the first, that honor being
accorded to Mr. Harrison Campbell who erected
the first blacksmith shop in the place in 1843.
Mr. Stewart was a native of Pennsylvania and
came to Cedar Rapids in 1847. He first entered
the shop of Mr. Stephen L. Pollock, I believe,
and worked by the month, but later he erected
shops for himself and carried on an extensive busi
ness in which he employed a large force of work
men. The latter part of his life he spent in carry
ing on a large farm which he purchased, a little
below the city on the river bottom.
Mr. Stewart's first investment in real estate
was the purchase of a lot on the west side of First
Avenue a little above Second Street, and for
which he traded a horse that cost him forty-five
dollars. On this lot he erected a comfortable
house which he occupied for some years and then
sold the property for ten thousand dollars.
His estate at the time of his death was esti
mated to be worth eighty thousand dollars.
Mr. Stewart early became a member of the
First Presbyterian church, and ever afterwards
was active in church work up to the close of his
life. He was a man of strong convictions and
of fearless courage in the advocacy of those prin
ciples which he espoused. He was a ready and
forcible speaker and he often addressed public as
semblies. For many years he was a member of
the city council, and he took an active interest in
all the great moral questions of the day.

168 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
In his later years his health was quite feeble
and he sought relief in the mild climate of South
ern California. It was during one of these tempo
rary absences that his earthly career ended. He
died at Los Angeles, Cal., Dec. 23, 1891.
He was married in 1850 to Miss Eliza M. Lu-
core, who proved herself to be a worthy helpmeet
of a worthy man. Of their seven children only
four are now living; Miss Belle living with her
mother at the old homestead; George carrying on
the farm near the city; Edward engaged in the
fruit culture in California; and Robert practic
ing law in Pierre, South Dakota. For some years
past Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have had their church
connection with the Second Presbyterian church
of this city, in which, as also in the first church,
Mr. Stewart held the office of ruling elder.
MR. JOHN WEARE, SR.
In the spring of 1848, his children having al
ready located here, Mr. John Weare, Sr., came to
make Cedar Rapids his home. He came here
directly from Allegan, Michigan. His native
State was New Hampshire. He moved to Michi
gan in 1835, where he cleared and cultivated two
farms, and later erected saw-mills and eng-aged
in the lumber business. He was a man that was
always wide-awake and full of energy.
From the loss of one leg and the severe frac
ture of the other, by the falling of a tree, he was
in a sadly crippled condition when he came to this
State.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 169
Nevertheless, his misfortune did not deter him
from an active participation in business affairs.
On coming here he at once engaged in the livery
business on a small scale, as this occupation
seemed best adapted to his infirm condition.
He made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Ely.
He was a man that would strike you at once as
possessing great force of character, and as being
a keen observer of all that was going on about
him. His restless, energetic nature would not allow
him to sit quietly in the house if it was at all
possible to be out and engage in some useful oc
cupation. He really seemed to love to work, and
nothing pleased him better than to see everybody
busy about him. He would say sometimes that
he had rather see a man do mischief than to do
nothing. I think the hum of machinery and the
noise and clatter of active business life would
have been music to his ears. There was, how
ever, comparatively little of that kind of music
here in his day, but to that little he contributed
his share.
He was very animated in conversation and he
had a keen sense of the ludicrous.
In his business transactions he was prompt and
outspoken. No one needed to be in doubt as to his
meaning. His terms were explicit and definite
and he expected those with whom he transacted
business to be alike prompt and ready to fulfill
their contracts. Whoever dealt with him after

170 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
that fashion would get along smoothly and pleas
antly. But if a man was disposed to be crooked or
cranky in his business habits, the less he had to
do with Mr. Weare the better for him. For such
characters he always had the supremest contempt.
Mr. Weare was elected justice of the peace the
next year after he came to this place, and with
the exception of one year, continued to hold the
office up to the time of his death.
His busy and eventful life came to an end April
6, 1856 at the age of 65 years.
He was united in marriage to Miss- Cynthia
Ashley, August 1, 1811. Her death occurred in
Allegan, Mich., January 19, 1842.
Of their ten children, two died when quite
young. Those who grew up to mature years,
were Betsey, John, Henry, Mary A., Lydia, Sar
ah, Charles, Harriet and George.
All of these are mentioned elsewhere except
Mrs. Lydia (wife of the late Elisha D. Ely of
Rochester N. Y.), a lady of decided intelligence
and refinement, who did great service during our
late war as nurse among our sick and wounded
soldiers, and after that residing for eig'ht years in
Italy with her daughter, Mrs. Curtis, and at pre
sent living with her eldest daughter, Mrs. Page,
in Boston, her only son Elisha being in business
in Cuba. MR. GEORGE WEARE.
Mr. Georg-e Weare, the youngest son of Mr.
John Weare, Senior, came to Cedar Rapids with

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 171
his father in 1848. He was born in Allegan, Mich. ,
December 3, 1834. His name will be recognized
as among the students of Mr. Jones' school, and
he continued in the school a year or two longer,
when under the management of Mr. Blakely. He
then went to Dubuque and spent one year in
Alexander College, after which he took a course
in a commercial college. In December, 1855, he
went to Sioux City, and established the banking
house of Greene, Weare, Graves & Co. This firm
being dissolved in the spring of 1858, Mr. Weare
carried on the business alone until September 6,
1860, when he entered into partnership with Mr.
J. P. Allison, the style of the new firm being,
Weare & Allison.
From that date to the present, this banking
house has continued in business, making it the
oldest bank in Iowa under one continuous man-
ag-ement. By fair and honorable dealing, and the
application of strict business principles in the
conduct of its affairs, it has become one of the
most substantial and reliable banking houses in
the State.
Mr. Weare was married August 11, 1857, to
Miss Mary Carpenter, of Cedar Rapids.
The children of these parents are as follows:
Henry G. Weare, now residing in South Dako
ta; Miss Susanna H., residing with her parents;
Mrs. Kitty C, wife of John H. Nason; and Mrs.
Mary E.,wife of Mr. Howard G. Pierce, all of
whom reside in Sioux City.
I think it is safe to say that few men have done

172 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
more towards developing Sioux City in all that
goes to make up its proud record than Mr. George
Weare. MR. JAMES FERGUSON.
Some time during the spring- of 1849, Mr.
James Ferguson and wife came into our commu
nity and located on what was originally a part of
my father's claim.
He was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania,
and both he and his wife were members of the
Congregational church. After coming here they
and their daughter united with the First Presby
terian church, and later Mr. Ferguson was elect
ed to the office of ruling elder. The sons came
into the church some years after.
Of the five sons, Calvin, Cyrus E., Amos,
Clement and James, only Cyrus and Clement
remain; the former living in Chicago, and the
latter occupying the old homestead.
Mr. Ferguson was a man of sound judgment
and of the strictest integrity. He was mild in
his disposition and kind and gentle in his treat
ment of others. He was strongly attached to his
church and was ever a strong pillar of support
within its walls.
He died April 27, 1850, after a short illness,
mourned not only by the church of which he was
an honored member, but by the community at
large. His wife, a most noble, christian woman, sur-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 173
vived him till May 9, 1886, when she, too, passed
away to join her husband in the land beyond.
The record of these two people here is brief and
inadequate, but the salutary influence of their
lives lingers as a lasting benediction to the com
munity in which they lived.
Amos was taken prisoner and died in Ander
sonville prison February 28, 1865.
James died at the old homestead December 24,
1890. MR. CHARLES WEARE.
Mr. Charles Weare was born in Derby Line,
Orleans Co., Vermont January, 29, 1828.
He removed to Allegan, Michigan in 1835, and
1848 he came to Cedar Rapids where he has
resided ever since. For four years he was in the
lumber business here, and then for several years
after, he engaged in the construction of the differ
ent railroads then being built, upon whose lines
he had taken contracts. He has always taken an
active part in politics having been connected with
the republican party since its organization. He
served one term in the legislature of the state,
has served his county as supervisor for several
years and has held the offices of Marshal, Alder
man and Mayor of the city.
Under the administration of Gen. Grant he was
appointed postmaster of this city, an office which
he held for eight years.
During the administration of Benjamin Harrison
he was appointed Consul to Aix-la-Chapelle, Ger-

174 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
many, a position which in many respects was very
pleasant and desirable, but which he felt impelled
to relinquish after about ten months of service,
circumstances being such as to demand his return
to America. In his business relations he has been
connected with the First National Bank, the Re
publican Printing Co., the Cedar Rapids Water
Co., and various other branches of enterprise, in
all of which he has held offices of trust.
Mr. Weare was united in marriage to Miss
Catharine L. Carroll, March 24, 1857.
Mrs. Weare has for many years been a member
of the First Presbyterian Church.
Coming here with her parents in 1839 she is
one of the oldest residents of this place.
MR. JOSEPH HOLLAN.
Mr. Joseph Hollan came to Iowa in 1843, locat
ing first about a mile northwest of Marion. He
was a native of Delaware, but for many years he
had resided in McKean county, Pennsylvania,
from which place he came direct to this state. In
the spring of 1844 he rented and moved on to
Judge Greene's mound farm. Here he remained
for three years and proved himself to be a good
tenant and a careful and thrifty farmer.
While living' on the mound farm, a Methodist
class was formed at his house, of which he and
his wife and my father and mother became mem
bers. He afterwards moved into town, purchased
a lot on Fifth avenue near Second street and

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 175
erected a comfortable house which he occupied
till the close of his life.
Mr. Hollan was always considered a man of
sterling qualities, industrious, frugal and con
scientious in all his business transactions. He was
always held in high esteem in the church of which
he, was a member, and for many years he held the
offices of class leader and steward.
By his faithful industry, the careful manage
ment of his business affairs and his simple habits
of life, he secured for himself and family a com
fortable home which he lived many years to enjoy.
His death occurred September 24, 1886.
His wife who still survives has always been
considered a woman of stainless christian charac
ter. Retiring' in disposition, kind of heart, and
courteous in her manners, she has always been
held in high esteem by those who have' known her
best. For some years past she has been in very feeble
health, and for the past year her mind has been
clouded and her eyesight has entirely failed. Of
their four children, Samuel, Ellsworth, Joseph
and Orril, only Samuel, the well known proprietor
of one of our city transfers, remains, to be a
comfort and support to his mother in her old age
and sad condition.
The patient, untiring vigilance with which he
has watched by the maternal bedside during these
trying years, is indeed commendable, and proves
him to be a worthy son of a most worthy parent
age.

176 pioneer liEe in and around
mr. james martin.
In 1849 Mr. James Martin, with his wife and
four children, Elmira, George, Lizzie and Na
thaniel H. came to this place from Calaise, Maine.
They have always been numbered among our best
people. For many years, Mr. Martin was employed
about the flouring mills, and the family kept a
boarding house where all the comforts of a home
were enjoyed by its patrons. Mr. Martin was
quiet and unobtrusive in his manners, but he was
a man of intelligence and of unimpeachable in
tegrity of character.
Mrs. Martin was one of those motherly, kind-
hearted women that every body loved to meet. In
times of sickness and bereavement she was always
present with loving words of sympathy and will
ing hands to help. At such times her discreet
counsels and her wise and loving ministrations
were invaluable to the many anxious and suffer
ing ones who sought and obtained her help in
those times of need.
Mrs. Martin, and I believe all of the children
were members of the Methodist church. She
died April 24, 1884.
Mr. Martin departed this life at LaCross, Wis
consin, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Eliza
beth Gault, October 22, 1889.
Miss Elmira, one of our purest and noblest
christian characters, died at the same place as
that of her father, January 21, 1894.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 177
The remaining two children, George and Na
thaniel H. are residents of this city, the former a
well known conductor on the B., C. R. & N. Ry.
and the latter a commercial traveler for one of
our business houses.
REV. WILLISTON JONES.
Iii the religious and educational interests of our
town in its early history, there is perhaps no man
that deserves greater credit nor occupies a higher
place than the Rev. Williston Jones.
He was born in Holland, Erie county, New
York, February 6, 1814. He was a graduate of
Illinois College and of Lane Theological semi
nary. In 1846 he was married in the city of St. Louis
to Miss Elizabeth H. Shearer whose experiences
in Cedar Rapids in 1844-5 are elsewhere related.
They came to this place in the autumn of 1848,
Mr. Jones having received a call to become pastor
of the First Presbyterian church then in its in
fancy, having been organized but one year before.
He was a man of great energy and untiring zeal
in the high and holy calling, to which he had
devoted his life. He possessed the true mission
ary spirit in every sense of the word. In his
christian sympathy and prayers and efforts he
embraced the whole world, but in doing this he
did not neglect, as is too often done, the great
spiritual harvest field that immediately surround
ed him. Every home and every community for
miles around felt the inspiring influence of his

178 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
intensely active christian life. He soon undertook
the task of erecting a church for his congregation,
although the membership was so small in numbers
and so weak in financial ability. The work how
ever was pushed to its completion, and in January
1851, the first church building ever erected in
Cedar Rapids was dedicated to the worship of
God. The walls were composed of lime mortar
and the thin cobble stones quarried from the
ground near the Milwaukee depot.
The dark colored mortar gave the walls the
appearance of mud walls, and hence some one in
a playful spirit named it "The Little Muddy,"
an appellation that always clung to it while it
stood. The ground on which it stood is the same as
that occupied at present by the splendid building
erected by the United States government for the
Postoffice. If the latter building is the means of doing any
greater or more lasting good than its predecessor,
"The Little Muddy," I am sure that no one will
ever have cause to regret its erection. Certain it
is that the former humble structure was the means
of very great good to the community, and its in
fluence extended to remote parts of the state, nor
will that influence end while time shall last.
Mr. Jones continued his labors here for eig'ht
years with unflagging zeal and success. During
that period he saw and felt deeply the need of the
establishment of schools of a higher order in the
new and rapidly developing west. He had per-

Residence of Rev. Williston Jones. The Birth-place of Coe College.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 181
suaded one young man, the writer' of this sketeh,
to devote his life to the gospel ministry, but there
was no school here in which he could begin his
studies. At last the zealous pastor decided to
undertake himself the task of preparing that
young man for college.
Meantime other young men heard of the arrang7e-
ment and besought Mr. Jones to admit them also
to the same privileges of the aforesaid young man.
The result was the formation of a class of six
teen or eighteen young men who occupied the un
finished parlor in the pastor's house which was
temporarily fitted up for the purpose. One of the
number was chosen to act as monitor each week
and Mr. and Mrs. Jones came in at different hours
of the day to hear the recitations in the various
branches of study pursued. The branches stud
ied were reading, writing, geography, arithmetic,
Latin and Greek.
This school continued its regular sessions for
about six months, and was successfully wound up
with a public exhibition under the shade trees in
front of the pastor's residence on the hill near the
Milwaukee depot.
The following young men were among the
students of that first school:
George Weare, John Stoney, Cyrus E- Fer-
. guson, Murray S. Davis, Amos Ferguson, Isaac
W. Carroll, Mortimer A. Higley, William E.
Earl, William J. Wood, Edwin Kennedy, George
R. Carroll, James L. Bever and George W. Bever.
The remaining four or five that composed the
school cannot now be recalled.

182 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
This school was continued two or three years
after, under the name of "Cedar Rapids Collegi
ate Institute," Mr. David Blakely, a recent gra
duate of Knox College, having been procured by
Mr. Jones to act as principal.
In the second stage of its existence the school
found shelter in the "Little Muddy Church"
where its sessions were held.
Out of this humble beginning, Coe College, an
institution which at present is the pride of our
city, has grown. Mr. Jones procured from Mr.
Daniel B. Coe, in New York, money sufficient to
purchase the eighty acres of land, a part of which
now constitutes the college campus. A part of
the money was invested in the lots which are now
occupied by the First Presbyterian church and
chapel, and also those occupied by St. Paul's M.
E. church and parsonage.
After passing through various changes of form
and name, and having a history in which there
has been some sunshine, and a great deal of
shadow, Coe College was incorporated, under the
laws of the State of Iowa, in 1881, and the Rev.
Stephen Phelps, D. D., was made its first Presi
dent, in which relation he continued until 1887.
Although the foundation upon which Coe Col
lege has been built up was not laid till 1851,
which is at a period later than that of which I
have been writing, yet it will be seen that the
pioneers of the forties were the principal workers
who inaugurated the great enterprise.

The First Presbyterian Church. Erection begun in DM!) Completed, 1X51. The home of Coe College in its second stage.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 185
Rev. Williston Jones, Judge Greene, Dr. Ely,
William Greene, Dr. Carpenter, Judge Cook and
John L. Shearer, whose names are indissolubly
connected with the enterprise from its earliest
conception, were all numbered among the early
settlers of that period which this record is de
signed to cover.
It is with pleasure, therefore, that the accom
panying illustration, which shows Coe College as
it now stands, is here presented.
Under the able administration of Rev. James
Marshall, D. D., with a faculty well qualified to
fill the various professorships; with apparatus
and appliances for study unexcelled by many
older institutions of learning; with its fine list of
students, and with its admirable constituency,
composed of some of our best citizens here and in
other parts of the state, Coe College has a bright
outlook and a promising- future, such as to make
her friends rejoice.
To Rev. Williston Jones belongs the honor of
founding this noble institution.
Mr. Jones afterwards lived for several years at
Iowa Falls, continuing his labors with a zeal and
energy, such as is seldom witnessed in this world.
His death occurred at Rolla, Missouri, Novem
ber 20, 1865, where he had resided but a short
time. His accomplished and devoted wife, who has
also been untiring in various branches of chris
tian work, still survives, and is a resident of
Wellesley, Massachusetts.

186 PIONEER LlEE in AND AROUND
On the ground where once stood the Little
Muddy church now stands the magnificent United
States Postoffice and Court House, which was
erected under the superintendency of Mr. H. S.
Josselyn, at a cost, including grounds, of one
hundred and twenty thousand dollars. It is a
solid structure, built of brick and stone, and in
its architectural style and proportions, it is one
of the most splendid ornaments of the city.
But with all its imposing grandure and stateli-
ness, it has never cost the self-denial, the days of
toil and anxiety that were endured by the builders
of that first little church, whose walls were
reared in those early days when the men were so
few and money so scarce and the materials so
hard to procure. MR. HUGH LEGARE BRYAN.
Mr. H. L. Bryan came to this place in 1849
from Charleston, South Carolina. I presume that
he was born in that city and state, although I am
unable to state this with certainty. I only known
that he was a genuine southerner in all his tastes
and habits of life. He was a Presbyterian of the
old school, and a thoroughly conscientious good
man. He had the charge of the extensive business
of his aunt, Miss Mary S. Legare.
Mr. Bryan had two brothers Michael, and
"Doc," as they called him, although that was
not his true name. Besides these came his bro
ther-in-law Mr. E. G. Stoney, and four sisters,
Mrs. Rutledge, Mrs. Stoney, Harley, and Joanna,

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 189
the latter two quite young girls. They all came,
I think, about the same time, and being quite
wealthy they made a decided impression upon
our community.
For a time they monopolized the larger part of
the business of the town, having leased Mr.
Brown's mills and the Woolen Factory, and en
gaging in the dry goods trade and controlling many
of the blacksmith and carpenter shops and I know
not what other branches of industry.
Miss Legare invested largerly in real estate,
and her large fortune seemed to be the main
capital employed to carry on all these various
branches of business.
Mr. Bryan was the chief manager of all these
great interests. For a year or two it made lively
times for our town and the country around. Mr.
Bryan managed the best he knew how. He was
a kind, generous hearted man and perfectly honest
in his business transactions. Of this I can testify
from actual experience in dealing with him to a
considerable extent.
But he undertook too much, and financial dis
aster was the unavoidable result. It was a cause
of sincere regret that they did not succeed better,
but their ways of doing business and their habits
of life were such as to render success an impossi
bility in a new and undeveloped country like this.
The failure, however, was an honest one, and
.Mr. Bryan's fortune went down with the rest.
Of his honesty in all these trying times I have
never had any doubt. He never regained his

190 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
financial standing, but seemed content to gain
a livelihood by honest toil. For many years he
pursued the calling of a drayman, and finally
devoted himself mainly to gardening.
His death occurred April 19, 1877.
Were I to write his epitaph it would be in
these words: "Here lies a good man, who in the
face of great adversity tried to do his duty."
His wife was a lady of rare accomplishments
and of the highest christian character. She is
living, I believe, with some of her children in the
far west. MISS MARY S. LEGARE.
In connection with what has been said of Mr.
H. L. Bryan, it will only be necessary to add a
few words concerning Miss Legare.
She was a lady of the highest culture and
refinement, having enjoyed every advantage that
wealth and position could afford. She was the
sister of the distinguished statesman of South
Carolina, the Hon. Hugh S. Legare, who filled
the offices of attorney General, of U. S. Senator,
and was also acting Secretary of State.
She edited and published the writings of her
brother in two large octavo volumes. She became
the wife of Mr. Lowell Bullen, of Marion, where
she resided several years.
After Mr. Bullen's death which occurred Nov.
2, 1869 she returned to South Carolina where she
died some year ago.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 191
OTHER BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.
There were many more good honest men that
lived here in those early days for a longer or
shorter time. Among the number were D. L.
Fiddler the tailor, spare and thin-visaged but kind
of heart and honest in his dealings; and then
David Gunning the carpenter, of light sandy
complexion with smiling countenance and a ready
hand to help in time of need, and who could en
tertain you with stories so marvellous as to tax
the credulity of the most credulous of his hearers,
but who would not harm any one for the world,
being at heart a true christian and a member of
the Methodist church.
And then there was Martin L. Barber the mill
wright, with his larg'e head and massive brow,
his awkward, swaggering walk and benevolent
countenance bespeaking the presence of an honest
man and a valued citizen whom everybody delight
ed to honor as the first mayor of our pioneer vil
lage. All these were good men and their memory
the old settlers will recall with pleasure, although
they have long since passed away from the earth.
Mr. Abel Eddy was another of our tradesmen
who was well known in our early history. He
was a carpenter and joiner, his residence being on
the ground now occupied by the "Granby" build
ing, corner of Third avenue and Second street.
He erected on his lot next to his residence a
long, low building in which to frame the long
timbers that were used in the construction of

192 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
buildings which he had contracted to erect. This
building was after-wards cut up into apartments
and was rented to families, the row being known
under the some-what mystic title of "Long
Ornery." Mr. Eddy was naturally a kind hearted man
but unfortunately liquor had gained the mastery
over him and proved his ruin.
He removed many years ago to Butler county,
this state, where he died.
And then there was Harrison Bristol, who had
an eye for business and early purchased a lot and
erected a house thereon, and whose hospitable
roof sheltered my mother and her family prior to
the erection of her own house near the corner of
Second street and Third avenue.
He was a genial, clever young man whom every
body liked, and in later years became one of the
most prominent business men of Vinton, being in
partnership with his father-in-law, Mr. Russell
Jones, a former trusted and highly esteemed clerk
in Greene's store in our city.
In later years financial reverses overtook Mr.
Bristol from which he has never been able to fully
recover. After these reverses, true to his old instincts
as a lover of stock, he studied veterinary surg'ery
and has for a number of years practiced that pro
fession. Both he and his estimable wife still reside in
Vinton and are members of the Presbyterian
church of that place.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 193
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES AS A WHOLE.
In the score and a half, more or less, of bio
graphical sketches herein presented, it is readily
admitted that they are very meagre and imper
fect; but as a matter of necessity, only the barest
outline of the persons mentioned could be given in
a work of this kind.
Their main features and characteristics, how
ever, I trust will be recognized by those who
knew them, as true to life. In the cases of a few
there were blemishes, either real or imaginary in
their lives that will be recalled by some of the
readers of these pages, and it will not be denied
that, not only these, but all whose names appear
here, were more or less imperfect, otherwise they
would hardly be recognized as human beings. But
of these blemishes and imperfections I have not
spoken, nor have I the heart to do so. That part
I will leave to others whose tastes would lead
them in that direction. I have perferred rather
to present photographs in which the main features
of the lives sketched will be readily recognized
while they appear not in their best attire, perhaps,
but in decent every day garb, with the scars and
blemishes left in the background. Imperfection
prevails everywhere among men. "There is none
that doeth good, no not one." "Let him that is
without sin cast the first stone."
But of the men and women here mentioned, I
challenge any one to present a like number, chosen
from any community or any city, in any stage of
their development, whose characters will bear a

194 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
closer scrutiny, or who will rank higher in the
scale of morality and intelligence than they. The
fact is the vast majority of them were men and
women of sterling qualities and of a decided re
ligious character. It was not horse-thieves and
outlaws that laid the foundations of this com
munity — these were but transient and incidental —
but they were men and women of worth, who
were possessed of courage, of strong' religious
convictions and of genuine enterprise that left
their impress upon, and gave direction to those
educational, benevolent, and religious institutions
which are now the pride of our city and of the
country at large.
There always has been, and there is still a deep
undercurrent OI moral and religious sentiment
here that has been healthful and stimulating to
every interest that goes to make up the bright
record of a truly great and good people.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 195
CHAPTER XV.
SCHOOLS, MUSIC AND RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
As elsewhere related the first school ever taught
here was by Mrs. John Vard}7 in her own house.
The first Sunday school was also established in
this house, Mr. Vardy, and Mr. Shearer, and
Mr. Joseph Greene, and Mr. Alexander L. Ely
acting at different times as superintendent, al
though my impression is that none of them were
formally elected to the office, the school not hav
ing as yet become fully organized. Both the day
and Sabbath schools were begun in 1843, as nearly
as Mr. Henry Vardy can recollect. Later these
schools were carried on in the building elsewhere
described as the "Long Ornery" on the ground
now occupied by the "Granby," corner of Third
avenue and Second street. The day school in
that building was taught by Miss Susan Abbe,
daughter of Esquire Abbe, whose name is men
tioned in other places in these records.
The Sabbath school, after being transferred to
this building, was properly organized, and, I be
lieve, Mr. Alexander L. Ely was the first super
intendent, and Mr. Joseph Greene assistant.
The first school building erected was the work
of private enterprise, N. B. Brown, George
Greene, Alexander L. Ely and others being the
active ag'ents in its construction. It was erected
in 1846-7, and was afterwards sold to the district.

196 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
It stood on the corner of Second avenue and Fifth
street, diagonally across the street from the
Congregational church. The first teacher of the
winter school in this building was Mr. Charles
Taylor, a man well fitted for the position, and
highly regarded by both pupils and their parents.
Miss Sarah Weare taught school in this build
ing in a very early day.
This building was used by all christian de
nominations for their services and for public
gatherings of all kinds.
On April 6, 1848, the Presbytery of Des Moines
met in this building, one part of their work being
the ordination to the Gospel ministry of Mr. Glen
Wood, a recent graduate of Yale College, and
Yale Theological Seminary. This was the first
ordination service, so far as I know, that ever oc
curred in this city. Certain it is that it was the
first I ever witnessed.
The First Presbyterian church was organized
in this building July 9, 1847, by Revs. Julius A.
Reed and Bennett Roberts, the charter members
being, John Vardy, Frederick Grambo and wife,
Barnet Lutz and wife, Isaac Listebarger and
wife and Alexander L. Ely and wife.
Rev. Bennett Roberts was the first stated
minister, his home being in Marion. He was a
man of marked ability and of the purest christian
character. He was a very diffident man, and
hardly had the confidence to look his audience in
the face.
His sermons, however, were often very power-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. i97
ful, his singular expressions of countenance, and
his peculiar manner of delivery seeming to make
his discourses all the more impressive.
His reading of hymns was unlike anything I
ever heard, but at the same time deeply impres
sive. Those who had the privileg-e of hearing
him will never forg-et the solemn expression of his
countenance and the peculiar intonations of voice
when he read the old hymn so often sung in years
gone by: "Behold a stranger at the door,
He gently knocks has knocked before,
Has waited long, is waiting still,
You treat no other friend so ill."
The services were very simple and unosten
tatious in those early days, but I doubt if there has
ever been a truer devotional spirit, or more accept
able worship offered to the Most High, in the more
elaborate and stately worship of recent years.
MUSIC OF EARLY TIMES.
I do not think our music in those primitive
times would have been considered first-class by
our modern educated musicians. Pipe organs and
pianos and reed organs were rarely to be thought
of, much less to be possessed by anybody in this
region. In fact there was no place to put them even if
they had been furnished free of charge. And yet
let no one think that we were without any music
of any kind.
There were some very sweet voices among our

198 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
pioneers, although the variety of music was some
what limited. Of course there were then, as there
are now, persons whose voices "were anything but
melodious, and they were usually the loudest sing
ers, and their selections were often of the most
grotesque and singular character.
It would sound very strange to cultivated ears
in our modern religious assemblies to hear some
good old woman with faltering voice, break out
in a voluntary solo, with words and tune such as
few ever heard before, or would ever wish to hear
again. Still they seemed to enjoy it, if nobody
else did, and no one had any desire to abridge
their privileges or interfere with their enjoyment.
One venerable woman would break out with that
very unique old song which somebody had at some
time imagined to be poetry:
"There was a man in ancient times
The Scripture doth inform us."
Nor would she cease till the whole six or eight
verses had been sung to the end.
And then at another time we would be treated
to that other memorable piece of composition, one
verse of which ran as follows:
"Oh where is good old Daniel?
Safe in the promised land
By and by we'll go and meet him,
Safe in the promised land."
This of course could be run out indefinitely
including all the major and minor prophets, as
well as the later worthies of the New Testament.
And, as any one could add to it at will; when it

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 199
was once begun, there was no telling when or
where it would end. Nevertheless with all these
minor infelicities we had some very good singing.
In our religious gatherings the singing was often
hearty and sincere, and full of the spirit of wor
ship, although not so artistically rendered as some
might wish in this critical age.
And then in our own homes and around our own
family firesides the singing of songs and hymns
was no uncommon thing, and the music seemed to
be as thoroughly enjoyed as that which is now
practiced in our more cultured circles.
My father and mother both possessed very good
voices. My mother's voice was especially clear
and musical. Of course, to me, it was the sweetest
voice I ever heard.
Others might have thought quite differently
about it, but as I recall it from my present stand
point I am inclined to think that my boyhood
estimate of her musical talents was not much
exaggerated. There was a little song she used to sing, the
tune of which is still fresh in my memory, but I
can only recall a few sentences of the words, but
they were words of hopefulness and good cheer,
and "were so characteristic of her that I feel in
clined to give them. They ran something like
this: "With an ambling pad pony to pace o'er the lawn,
While I carol away idle sorrow,
As blithe as the rose which each day hails the dawn,
Look forward with hope for to-morrow.
Then there were some of the good old hymns

200 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
that still find a place in many of the collections of
our present day hymn books, such as:
"Oh for a thousand tongues to sing
My Great Redeemer's praise," and
"Am I a soldier of the cross,"
and many others which are familiar to us at this
time. And then there were others that for some
reason are seldom seen now, although they had in
them thoughts that were very inspiring. Among
these were: "Peace, troubled soul, thou needst not fear
Thy great Provider still is near :
Who fed thee last will feed thee still,
Be calm and sink into His will."
And then that other one so full of consolation
to the believer.
"Though troubles assail and dangers affright,
Though friends should all fail and foes all unite,
Yet one thing secures us whatever betide
The promise assures us, the Lord will provide."
And so it was that many pleasant hours were
spent, as we sang in our pioneer homes and public
gatherings. A little later in our history more attention was
given to vocal culture, and singing schools were
organized and very good teachers were secured to
train and cultivate the voices of our young people.
One of the best teachers we ever had, and who
did more than any other to elevate the standard
of music, was the Rev. Williston Jones. At first
the only musical instruments we had were the
base viol and violin, together with the ever-
present and indispensable tuning-fork, which were

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 201
all that were necessary to hold the young musi
cians up to the required pitch, in their rehearsals.
These singing schools became quite popular, and
Mr. Jones succeeded in arousing an interest on
the subject of music such as had not been known
up to that time.
He always had a large choir in his congregation,
and the improvement in singing from that time on.
was as marked as it was pleasing to note.
Of course from our present standpoint these
early efforts at vocal culture may seem quite
crude and unimportant, but yet it was an honest
effort in a good cause and in the right direction,
and who can say but that the good effects of those
early efforts are not being felt to some extent even
now? At any rate I am sure that much good was
accomplished at the time, and the sum total of
pioneer enjoyment was greatly increased by the
music and musicians of those early days.

202 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
CHAPTER XVI.
THE INDIANS.
Although the strip of country which includes
Linn county had been purchased by the govern
ment from the Indians, a year previous to our ar
rival, yet they lingered about their old hunting
grounds in great numbers, apparently loath to
turn their backs upon the beautiful country that
had been their home so long, and whose ample
hunting grounds had afforded them such abundant
supplies of game. There are few, if any, people
in this country who are not familiar with the fact
that the habit of the Indians is to travel in single
file, so that when a company of one or two hun
dred passes over any region of country for the
first time, it is sufficient to make a well beaten
trail by the time the last one comes along. But
I think there are not many who can realize what
a strange sight it is to see these long drawn out
caravans moving along mounted on their ponies.
The old chief or leader riding in advance followed
by his warriors and hunters; the squaws riding
on the right instead of the left side of the pony;
the papooses stowed away in baskets or bags
that were swung over the backs of the ponies;
the tents and rush mattings covering up some of
these little pack horses so that you could scarcely
see them, all following on one after another in a
string that would seem almost interminable.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 203
One of their trails passed over the mound, and
it was indeed a picturesque sight to which we
were often treated to see these long caravans
passing over on their way to some new camping
ground. This trail led down through the woods to the
slough where they seemed fond of camping, prob
ably on account of the fish, muskrats and other
game that were found in that locality.
Another trail passed along further to the east,
being the same that we followed when we first
came to our claim, and the only road we had for
some time leading to Marion. After leaving our
first cam-ping place it led on over the hill near
Mr. Soutter's residence, thence through the tall
-grass on the Bever farm, and so on throug'h the
Higley farm coming out where Fifth avenue now
is and thence down to the river. This was the
first and only road traveled for some time be
tween Marion and Cedar Rapids. Of course the
Indian trail was afterwards converted into a
wagon road, but its crooks and turns must have
made the distance between the two prospective
towns at least one mile greater than it is now on
the broad boulevard.
The Indians were very fond of making maple
sugar, and even after they had been removed to
their new home further west, they would return
in the spring to engage in their old occupation of
sugar making.
I remember that one time when visiting one of
the sugar camps the older men and Indians got up

204 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
a wrestling match between us boys and the young
Indians of our size and age. I found the one that
I had the contest with as quick and active as a
kitten and a hard one to handle. I do not remem
ber who came out best, but I presume the Indian
did, otherwise I would have remembered it, had I
been victor. At any rate, it afforded fine sport
for the onlookers, and we found that even a stoic
al Indian could relax his countenance into a broad
smile and somtimes could break out into quite a
hearty laugh.
This meeting with an Indian boy was a new ex
perience to me but that experience was not with
out its beneficial results.
For one thing I made the important discovery
at that time that the Indians had not yet learned
the use of the fine comb.
For some time after that close contact with the
Indian boy my head felt quite uncomfortable, but
with the careful attention which I received, I soon
recovered my normal condition. I could never
rid myself, however, of the salutary impression
made upon my mind, at that time, that it was not
best to be on too familiar terms with these red-
skinned youngsters. And so that one experience
was enough to last me a lifetime. I have never
wrestled with one from that day to this.
The Musquakie Indians who occupied this coun
try, were made up of two weaker tribes, the Sac's
and Foxes. They were always peaceable, and I
do not remember that they ever did us any harm,
except perhaps to annoy us a little by begging.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 205
But all we had to do at such times was to say
"Puck-a-chee", which means go away, and they
would generally retreat in good order and with
out complaint.
There was one winter a camp of Indians on the
slough, and among them there was one who own
ed a remarkably fine iron gray mule. He was
probably worth two or three common ponies, and
so of course the dusky owner was very proud of
him. One night the mule was stolen, and the
poor old Indian was nearly heart broken over his
loss. He came the next morning quite early to
our house, and tried to tell us of his great loss.
He had made the discovery that it was a white
man and not an Indian that had perpetrated the
deed. He saw a pair of father's shoes and he went and
picked them up to show us that the tracks in the
snow "were made with shoes and not moccasins
such as the Indians wore. These facts being
brought out in the interview, father wrote them
down together with a description of the mule,
and directed the Indian to go on to Marion to see
what could be done about it.
The result was that a company of men was
soon organized and set out in hot pursuit of the
thief. In a few days they returned with both the
mule and the thief, the former being delivered
over to the owner, and the latter being confined
in jail to await his trial. They found the thief
in Wisconsin and at the next term of court he was
duly tried and sentenced to the penitentiary,

206 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
where he had ample time to reflect on the fact
that although there were a few horse-thieves in
Linn county, the majority of the people were law-
abiding citizens and were determined that crime
should be punished, even though it had been com
mitted against a poor old Indian.
Sometimes we would hear reports that the
Indians were on the war-path, and of course there
would be a good deal of uneasiness among the
settlers, until the reports proved to be without
foundation, which was always the case.
It is said that on one occasion one of the deni
zens of the village on the Cedar river had some
business at Marion which detained him till after
dark. Approaching his home late in the evening,
he heard a great noise and confusion that filled
him with alarm. There was no mistaking those
fearful yells and that ominous noise and confusion.
Of course it was the Indians who were murder
ing the people and devastating the town. Thus
mused the lonely night traveler; and so, turning
his horse he rode back to Marion with all possi
ble speed, and spread the news of the wholesale
massacre of the people at Cedar Rapids.
Later it was discovered that there had been a
wedding' that evening and the boys were indulg
ing in a little sport in the way of a charivari. It
was a long time before our frightened fellow-citi
zen heard the last of the Indian scare.
There is one thing- that is worthy of note in re
gard to the Indians of those early days, and that
is their honesty in the matter of paying their

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 207
debts. The merchants traded with them quite
extensively, and often trusted them to considera
ble amounts, for which they would take their
notes. They would take hold of the pen in a very
awkward way and make their mark while the
merchant would write down their long, jaw-
breaking names which they would pronounce in
his hearing. Sometimes the payments were long
delayed, but the Indians never failed to come at
last and pay their debts and take up the notes.
One peculiarity of their doing things was that
they wanted to go to the very spot where they
bought the goods and then pay for them article by
article as they purchased them.
Mr. Hook changed his place of business at one
time before the Indians were ready to pay their
debts, and so he always had to go back to the old
stand before they were ready for business, and
then they would recall the articles one by one
and pay for them separately.
It was said of one Indian who traded with
Greene & Bros., that he died before the debt was
paid, but his friends came and brought a pony
which they turned over to their creditors, and so
settled the account.

208 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
CHAPTER XVII.
THE EXCEPTIONALS. — THE BROADY'S.
Mr. Knowls did not hold on very long to his
mound claim. It was probably not more than a
year after our coming that he sold it to a large
family, familiarly known as the Broady's.
The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Broady,
with five sons, John, Hugh, William, Stephen
and Jesse; with three daughters, Mrs. Mitchell,
Hannah and Jane, and the son-in-law, Mr.
Mitchell. The name was in bad odor, and consequently
the whole family had to suffer the reproach.
From my remembrance of them, however, as a
boy, I am not prepared to join in the wholesale
condemnation of the entire family. Bill and
Steve and Jesse were notorious horse thieves, and
all of them were finally convicted of crime and
had to suffer the penalty of the law for their mis
deeds. I remember Steve, especially, as a fine looking
young man, with keen, black eyes, rather short
and muscular, and as active as a cat. With one
bound he would spring from the ground into the
saddle of his fine steed without touching anything
except the horn of the saddle with his left hand.
He was shockingly profane, and bore every mark
of being a bad character.
Of the two older brothers I do not remember to
have ever heard anything amiss. For aught I

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 209
know to the contrary they were honest men. I
have heard it said that the old man was some
what light-fingered, and that it was not alto
gether safe to leave anything lying around loose
that he could get hold of without being- observed.
As to the women of that household I never
heard a word against them. They appeared well
and "were good neighbors.
The youngest daughter, Jane, was a young lady
of rare attractions, beautiful in person and lady
like in her deportment, and her reputation was
that of a good honest girl.
We saw more or less of the family during the
one or two years that they lived on the mound
farm, but we had very little to do with them in
the way of business of any kind, and we were
very glad that they did not in any way molest us.
We had one very valuable mare that must have
been a strong and constant temptation to the
thieves, and we had g-ood evidence that they had
tried their best to capture her as she was running
loose on the prairie. But fortunately for us,
though inconvenient at times, this beautiful ani
mal was very hard to catch. But for this fact
there is no doubt she would have been stolen.
After leaving here the elder Mr. Broady went
into a county north of us where he located and
spent the residue of his life. He died many years
ago. The older sons, I understand, are still living in
this state and are regarded as honest men and
good citizens. Some of them it is reported are

210 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
professors of religion and are living consistent
christian lives.
Although compelled to write as I have done
with regard to some of the members of the family,
it gives me unfeigned pleasure to make mention
of those who are endeavoring to live honest and
upright lives. It is a consoling thought that
God knows the heart, and no matter what our
relatives may do, we are not held responsible for
their misdeeds. JOEL LEVERICH.
The mound farm did not remain long in the
possession of the Broady's, possibly a year and
a half, when it came into the possession of the
notorious Joel Leverich.
Everybody knew him and everybody dreaded
him, especially when he was under the influence
of liquor, which was often the case. Even his
best friends then felt it to be prudent to give him
a wide berth, not knowing what instant he would
take it into his head to knock them down.
Whiskey seemed to make a demon of him, and to
attempt to reason with him while under its influ
ence would have been as futile as to try to reason
with a cyclone. His poor wife, a most patient
and estimable christian woman, would sometimes
hide away from him for days, lest in his fits of un
controlled and uncontrollable passion he might
take her life. And yet "Old Joe," as he was pop
ularly called, had a good deal of influence in the
community. He was a strong- partisan politician

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 211
and whoever arrayed himself against him, was
sure to have a hard battle to fight, and in the end
would very likely meet with defeat.
He was as keen and cunning and wily as the
old serpent himself, and it was very hard to
circumvent him in his plans.
He was accused of harboring horse thieves and
of making couterfeit money.
As to whether he ever did either or not I could
not say, but I remember well hearing him say
that he "could make a little the cleanest bogus of
any man in the country, and that old McKnight
would not refuse it." Mr. McKnight was the
United States officer whose duty it was to receive
the money from the settlers when they came to
enter or pay for their lands.
And so of course any money that would pass
current with him would have to be a remarkably
good imitation of the genuine coin. But there
can be no doubt that by such remarks Mr. Lev
erich wished to leave the impression that he had
nothing to do with counterfeiting in any way.
But however guilty he may have been, he was so
shrewd and so sly that no one could ever convict
him, although the attempt was several times
made. But as bad as he was himself it pleased him tp
have any one speak well of his wife, although he
was so cruel to her in his own treatment.
Judge Parvin tells me that years ago when Mr.
Leverich lived near Muscatine, he was brought
up in court for conterfeiting, Mr. Parvin at that

212 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
time acting as district attorney for that district
and his home being in Muscatine. The evidence
seemed strong against Leverich, aud Mr. Parvin
had no doubt of his guilt.
In the course of his plea in behalf of the state, v
he took occasion to denounce the prisoner in the
severest terms; and looking him square in the
face and pointing his finger at him he said "it was
a burning shame and disgrace that a man of his
intelligence and ability should degrade himself
and his family by engaging in such villainous
work". Continuing his plea he said, "I under
stand that he has a noble christian wife at home;
why could he not devote those noble God-given
faculties of his to better purposes, and so prove
an honor and blessing to her whom he had sworn
to love aud cherish, instead of bringing upon her
untold sorrow and disgrace". In the evening
after court had adjourned and Mr. Parvin was at
the hotel, Mr. Leverich called at the door and de
sired to speak with the district attorney. Some
of Mr. Parvin's friends warned him not to go out,
for Joe Leverich would be likely to kill him. Mr.
Parvin, however promptly went to the door, and
as he closed it after him he stood a moment with
his hand on the knob. "Let g-o of that knob,"
"said Leverich". "Are you not afraid of me"?
"No", said Mr. Parvin. "You are able to kill me
if you choose, but one thing you cannot do. You
cannot scare me. "Well said Joe" I admire your
pluck, but I did not come to scare you nor to hurt
you, but you told the truth about my wife.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 213
She is a good woman and I would be glad to
have you see her, and I am sure she would be
glad to see you. If ever you come our way I
would be g-lad to have vou come and spend the
nig-ht with us, and you shall have the best the
house affords".
Sometime after that Mr. Parvin passed that
way and he decided to accept Mr. Leverieh's in
vitation. Calling- at the door Mrs. Leverich met
him, and when he made himself known she kindly
received him into her home. After awhile Mr.
Leverich came in and was equally cordial in his
greeting, and so Mr. Parvin spent a very pleasant
nig'ht with them.
Mr. Leverich was an out and out infidel, his
favorite book being- Tom Paine's "Age of Rea
son," his copy of that work being the only one, I
believe, I ever saw.
The names he chose for his sons will readily
indicate the bent of his mind on that subject.
They were Chauncy, Volney, Voltaire and Hume.
The daughters were Maria and Frances Wright,
both of them, I believe, worthy daughters of a
good christian mother.
Towards the close of his life his stomach be
came so inflamed and diseased by his intemperate
habits that he was compelled to desist from his
cups, sometimes for weeks together. But the
fatal spell was upon him, and he continued to
have his periodical sprees to the end of his life.
In his last illness Dr. Ely was called in to at
tend him. His brother James, who was keeping

214 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
a saloon at that time, was anxious to know the
result of the doctor's examination. The doctor
frankly told him that Joe's sickness was the re
sult of his long life of dissipation, and that his
stomach was eaten up by ulcers. James could
scarcely believe that the use of alcohol could pro
duce such direful effects, and if convinced of the
fact, said he would cease to sell the poisonous
stuff any longer.
After the death of Mr. Leverich, James re
quested a post-mortem examination, and Dr. Ely
showed him the stomach in the precise condition
that he had before described it. And so, true to
his word, James closed out his business and en
gaged in something less harmful to his fellow-
men. I think it was 1842 or 1843 that Mr. Leverich
sold out his claim to Judge Greene.
For a time after that he lived near the McLeod
springs, and then later moved to town where he
died not many years after, unmourned and un
wept. His profligate life shortened his days and
ended his career.
Sometime before his death, I was told, that he
uttered the poor dying infidel's prayer: "O God,
if there be a God, have mercy on my soul, if I
have a soul."
And so we turn away from the sad scene of a
wrecked life. Poor old Joe! He had a hard and
unhappy life and a bitter, gloomy end.

cEdar rapids, iowa. 215
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE FIRST STEAMBOAT.
An event which excited a good deal of interest
in an early day was the coming of a steamboat to
our town. It was a stern wheel boat of moderate
dimensions, and was called the "Maid of Iowa."
The time was probably in June 1844. The puf
fing of its engine and the scream of its whistle
were the grandest music we had ever heard in
these parts. There was something so fascinating'
about this boat that the people flocked to the river
for miles around to see it. And not satisfied with
that, they prevailed on the captain to give them
an excursion down the river a few miles, in which
a goodly number participated, sharing also in a
splendid dinner, such as only steamboat men know
how to prepare. There were no dams then to ob
struct navigation and the river was at a fine
stage, and there was clear sailing. The captain
told my father that he had no more trouble in
navigating the Cedar than the Mississippi, a
remark which greatly pleased him, as it inspired
the hope of better markets for our produce and
cheaper and easier transportation for our supplies.
After this, other boats came up occasionally, and
finally one or two small steamers were built and
operated by our own people, and besides, in earlier
times, fiatboats and barges were built so that
altogether the river navigation proved a great

216 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
advantage to the pioneers in those days before
railroads were dreamed of in Iowa.
But the most of the year the river was so low
that no boat could navigate it with any ease or
profit, and so at best it was a poor substitute and
an unreliable means of transportation, compared
with which even a canal boat would have been
far superior.
Looking at it from the stand point of our pres
ent modes of travel on lightning express trains,
and the transportation of freight with a speed that
rivals the winds in fleetness, it looks as though
these were indeed primitive times. But they "were
fine times for the cultivation of the grace of
patience. People were compelled then not only
to labor but to wait, and often the waiting was
the hardest part to perform.
But the greatest blessing of the river was not
to be in its navigation, but in the water power it
afforded. But even this is no longer appreciated
as it was years ago, as the power of steam has so
largely taken its place and superseded its neces
sity. Nevertheless the river constitutes one of
the great charms of our city and of the country
through which it passes, and millions of money
would not induce the dwellers upon its beautiful
and fertile banks to part with it.
The river was the great attraction in the early
history of the country, the clear water flowing
over a rocky and gravel bottom presented a scene
that delighted the new comers as they looked out
upon its rippling surface.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 217
And then, besides this, it became more and more
famous as time went on as one of the finest water
powers in the state. It was this that attracted
hither some of our most valued citizens. It was
the confident expectation of the earliest settlers
that Cedar Rapids would become an important
manufacturing town, but probably none ever
dreamed that in so short a time it would reach the
magnificent proportions which is to-day realized,
by our busy and prosperous population.
AN EARLY RAILROAD PROJECT.
The following account is furnished by a friend.
The matter of railroad construction began to
interest our enterprising people at quite an early
day. It is worthy of mention that as early as 1849
Cedar Rapids became identified with a railroad
project of great merit, namely the Dubuque and
Keokuk Railroad, familiarly known as "The
Ram's Horn." This company was organized for
the construction of a line along the west bank of
the Mississippi to compete with river transport
ation which was greatly impeded over the rapids
in low water much of the season.
Through the efforts of Judge Greene, then
residing at Dubuque, Dr. Ely of Cedar Rapids
and others of Iowa City, the Company was
induced to change the line so as to run from
Dubuque to Keokuk via Cedar Rapids, Iowa
City, Washington and Fairfield.
In two successive sessions of Congress, Gen.

218 PIONEER liEe in AND around
George W. Jones, United States Senator, succeed
ed in getting bills through the Senate granting to
the State the odd numbered sections of Govern
ment land within a limit of six miles on both sides
of the line to aid in building the road. But these
bills failed to pass the House, chiefly through the
influence of Representative Shepherd Leffler,
whose home was at Burlington. After these very
discouraging failures the company languished a
while and finally relapsed into innocuous desue
tude. But this line was afterwards virtually con
structed, by the meeting of the Dubuque and
Southwestern, and the Burlington, Cedar Rapids
and Northern, at Cedar Rapids.
This goes to show that although their first ef
forts were abortive for the time being, our people
were on the alert to open up thoroughfares of
commerce for our city at as early a day as possible,
and that their projects were judiciously conceived.
"THE ASTOR HOUSE."
The first house in Cedar Rapids has been de
scribed somewhat minutely in the preceding
pages. The second house deserves also a more
extended notice than it has hitherto received.
As already stated it was located on the river
below Fourth avenue, and was erected by Mr.
John Young, upon his claim.
It was also known by the somewhat ambitious
cognomen of the "Astor House," because of the
fact that boarders were accommodated there for

CEdAr rapiDs, iowA. 219
some years, it being the largest and best house in
the place.
It was a double log house probably about 18x26
and one story high. It fronted on the river, the
roof on that side extending over three or four feet
and forming a porch the whole length of the
building. Afterwards there was a room built on
to the front extending over the door, which
answered for a kitchen. Still later there was a
frame addition put on to the rear extending the
entire length of the house, and a door made in the
end and also one in the side. This practically
changed the front of the house to the opposite
side, making- it face on First street instead of the
river. I am not able to tell who all of the occupants
of this house were. Mr. Young being a bachelor,
boarded at Sheperd's tavern. The first occupant
was a Mr. Verbeck of Vermont, who with his
wife and daughter, lived there a short time, and
then went on further west, I believe.
Mr. J. L. Shearer moved into it in 1842 and re
mained there for two or three years.
Afterwards it was occupied by Mr. John Weare,
and by Mrs. Carroll, as elsewhere stated. The
last occupant of it was Mr. James Hamilton, who
had a large family.
There were many things that occurred in this
house that left a lasting impression upon the
minds of its occupants, if not on the community at
large. From this cabin Mr. and Mrs. Shearer follow-

220 pioneer liEe in and. around
ed two of their children to their last resting-place
in the grave, and two children, a little boy and
girl, from the family of Mr. John Weare, passed
away in the early morning of their days to the
mysterious beyond, to return no more. The Car
roll family, too, had their afflictions in the way of
measles and other forms of disease, from which
all recovered except the youngest member of the
family, and she was spared for some years after
wards, though ever after feeble in health, as the
result of her illness at this time.
One year the east room was occupied as a store
by Mr. Hook.
In the case of the last family,' they, too, had a
good deal of sickness, and finally one of the family
died with a disease so much like the cholera that
a great deal of uneasiness was felt in the com
munity. After this the family moved out, and this ended
the history of the old ' 'Astor House.
It was ordered to be torn down by the Board
of Health, John F. Ely, M. D. being its chief
officer. As to whether anybody objected, I can
not say, but the order of the above named officer
being, like that of the Medes and Persians, un
changeable and irrevocable, was carried out to
the letter; and so this primitive structure passed
from the realm of visible things to be recalled
only in dim outline to the memories of those who
lived here in the days long gone by.

:'The Astok House," Erected by Mr. John Yihiiik in 1H3M. Looking South. The Second House in Cedar Rapids.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 223

CHAPTER XIX.
NOTES AND INCIDENTS BY MRS. ELIZABETH H.
JONES.
In 1844 there lived in the town of Aurora, New
York, a young lady, who had just finished her
education. Her name was Elizabeth H. Shearer.
She was a half sister of John L. Shearer, Esq.,
who then lived in the little hamlet called Cedar
Rapids, in Iowa Territory. Being well qualified
to teach, and being possessed of a good deal of
youthful enthusiasm, she conceived the idea of
going west where she could support herself and
carve out her own fortune. During- that summer
the long- absent brother and son made a visit to
his parents, and while he was there the decision
was made that Miss Shearer should accompany
her brother to his western home. She afterwards
became the wife of Rev. Williston Jones who came
to Cedar Rapids iu the spring of 1848 to take
charge of the First Presbyterian church. It was
during this residence of eight years as the pastor's
wife that Mrs. Jones became so well and favor
ably known all over this reg'ion of country.
At the green old ag'e of seventy two years she
is still living in comparative health at Wellesley,
Massachusetts, where her daughter holds the
honorable position of physician and professor in
the celebrated female college, located at that
place.

224 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
Some months ago her niece and namesake, Miss
Elizabeth J. Shearer, wrote to her aunt request
ing her to write out an account of her first visit
to Cedar Rapids, giving a description of such in
cidents and experiences as she could call to mind.
Mrs. Jones readily complied with the request,
with the expectation that her reminiscences should
be for the benefit of her immediate relatives and
friends who reside here. Having been permitted
to hear that paper read it seemed to me eminently
proper and desirable that it should be given to
the public. The descriptions given are so graphic
and so true in detail, as several living witnesses
can testify, that I am sure that it will find many
deeply interested readers.
Having obtained permission from the owner of
this document, as well as from the author herself,
to make such use of it in these reminiscences as I
deemed best, I give that portion of it which re
lates to Iowa.
After a long and tedious journey from Aurora
to Buffalo, Detroit, Ypsilanti, Kalamazoo, Alegan,
St. Joseph, Chicago and Galena, in which several
different modes of travel had been employed, we
at last find our weary travelers at a private
boarding house in Dubuque, where Judge Greene
and family were then boarding. At this point
Mrs. Jones shall take the pen and describe the
rest of her journey, and her adventures for the
following eight months after she reached her
destination. She is speaking to her niece, but as we are in-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 225
vited guests, it will be considered no breach of
etiquette if we listen to all that is said.
PRIVATE BOARDING HOUSE, DUBUQUE, IOWA.
"Here we came to a full pause, and had to re
main four days when so near the end of our
journey, waiting for Judge Greene's horse and
buggy which had gone up into Wisconsin to take
his law partner to try a lawsuit. There was
then in Dubuque no livery stable, no reputable
hotel and no stage route west, the mails were
taken once a week on horseback into the interior
of Wisconsin and Iowa, and letters were eighteen
cents postage without envelopes, so you can easily
imagine that there were fewer letters written and
the mails much lighter than at the present day.
I give the incidents of this journey in detail that
you may see how very different are the modes of
living and locomotion at the present day from
what they were just fifty years ago. Nowhere
now, in the far extended and broad west, is such
tardy traveling- a necessity, nor would it be en
dured by the rushing multitudes, who would
almost build and equip a railroad in the time that
journey was accomplished.
"Now, over these same broad highly cultivated
acres, then a vast uninhabited wilderness, in
palace cars with multiplied modern improvements
the people rush on, impatient at the slightest
delay, when not many more hours are consumed
than it took days then to perform that journey:
now passing through many flourishing towns and

226 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
cities and stopping when necessary at palatial
hotels. What a contrast in our country between
now and fifty years ago!
"You can easily imagine how restless and impa
tient your father must have been after so long an
absence from his little family from whom he had
not heard during that long weary journey, to be
detained so long when so near the end; if he had
not had a young lady to tow along, he would have
taken trotter's express and soon been at home; as
it was, there was no alternative but to wait the
moving of the feeble trotting horse which came in
late at night tired from the Wisconsin lawsuit,
the result of which, a pale, intellectual student
like looking lawyer, Mr. Merritt, (Mrs. Greene's
brother), brought to the senior partner.
"The next morning, without waiting for the
horse to rest, we started bright and early for
Cedar Rapids, there being only two houses then
where travelers were entertained on the way be
tween Dubuque and Marion, the first only thir
teen miles from Dubuque, the other somewhere
far beyond half of the distance between the two
places, which must be made before we slept.
"We traveled on with our tired steed till mid
day, when we stopped by the way on the tree
less prairie to eat the lunch with which we
had been provided, and to let the horse refresh
himself on the prairie grass.
"We both grew very weary through the long
afternoon, but our courage revived as we neared
the "Traveler's Inn" about nine or ten o'clock;

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 227
but alas! it sunk again, when, in crossing a creek
three-quarters of a mile from the house, the
buggy which had seemed rather insecure, broke
down in the midst of the stream. I cannot
remember now how I was extricated from the
broken vehicle, (but I think by walking on one
of the thills), or how the buggy was gotten on
to dry land, but I know both of us\valked the
rest of the way and that the Inn was full when
we got there, and that the salt pork and Indian
bread tasted good.
"The houses on the prairies in those days were
like the omnibuses and street cars of the present
time, there was always room for one more or
rather all who came, so of course we were taken
in, and I slept profoundly in the same room with
thirteen men, one of them being your father.
"The sleeping arrangements in the houses of
those early times "were often most amusing, but
the genuine hospitality of those early settlers' was
equal to any extension of bedding and the shar
ing of all the larder contained.
"The s'weet simplicity and rare open-hearted-
ness, one of the charms of those early times of
plain living, have greatly deteriorated in the intro
duction of more stately and luxurious styles.
You could see them gradually die out in the glare
of greater pomp and glitter.
"The next morning the buggy was ingeniously
repaired with ropes and we journeyed on to
Marion where we stopped and took dinner with
Mrs. Earl, having some messages and packages

228 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
for her, from her sister Mrs. Greene. Mrs. Earl
gave us a warm welcome, and the cheering news
that all was well at Cedar Rapids, we hastened
on with light hearts. Marion had then a small
cluster of comfortable looking houses and a small
court house, being then as now the shiretown of
the county, and was a place of several hundred
inhabitants, but Cedar Rapids lay an almost un
broken plain upon the river bank, dotted with
four or five log cabins and two partially framed
buildings, one a small, very odd-looking dwelling
house, the other designed for a store in the near
future. A grove on two sides completed the real
view of this famed city, like many another well-
developed on paper. In the distance on the op
posite side of the river could be seen two or three
other log cabins. "home at last.
"As we neared the log house nearest the river,
the family were on the lookout and met us with
tearful smiles, and a warm welcome. Your
mother was most grateful for the safe return of
your father and greeted me as a sister to be loved.
Cynthia, the first-born, who adored her father,
was so over-joyed, she could not keep back the
tears from her large, blue eyes; winsome Mary's
face was wreathed in smiles and her little eyes
were radiant with delight, and Henry, the little,
toddling boy, his father's man, had not forgotten
his right-of-way to his papa's knee.
"It was a glad household that beautiful after-

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 229
noon, all were so happy to have father home again,
and they had many things to tell of the happen
ings during his absence; each had her little stock
of news to deliver. They had all been well, and
had gotten on nicely which was indeed cause for
gratitude and rejoicing.
"Our trunks came a week later by the slow but
safe conveyance of an ox-team, and the horse and
buggy were sent back a few days after our arrival
by a man who wished to go to Dubuque on business.
"I was soon settled and made to feel perfectly
at home in this family of which you wish me to
write, and of which you and John had not then
become visible members. Your mother had not
been alone with her little ones in your father's
absence, for her brother, Henry Weare and Joseph
Greene, were members of the family as boarders.
"Your Uncle Henry was a very reserved, taci
turn young man, seldom joining in conversation at
the table or on other occasions, quite unlike any
of your other uncles on the Weare side; he always
seemed lost in thought and pre-occupied, and I
never got acquainted with him. But Joseph was
loquacious to a remarkable deg-ree, good natured
and kind-hearted, and would take kindly any
amount of bantering. The two young- men were
as unlike as could well be. Your mother and
I were very congenial and at once became fast
friends, which friendship knew no clouds, and
continued unbroken as long as she lived. I had
great admiration of her ready resources and her
ability to overcome difficulties that seemed to me

230 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
insurmountable; she had great fortitude and im
mense endurance, and would rise above trials,
reverses and sorrows, that would have crushed a
weaker character. She was a very superior
woman, and under all circumstances was a power
for good and her influence helpful. She 'looked
well to the ways of her household' and ate not
'the bread of idleness' and was a comforter of
many, she was strong, noble, kind, and generous,
full of sympathy for all in trouble and in bearing
their burdens forgot her own.
"She was a motherly sister to me in my youth
ful inexperience, to whom I could tell and confide
everything. She was very entertaining, having
always a fund of anecdotes, adventures and solid
sense from which to discourse; so with Joseph to
give variety, we always had a most enjoyable
social time with our frugal meals. Your father
was more like your Uncle Henry staid and quiet
and his opinions had to be drawn out. He was a
man usually of few words, but with a mind of his
own, which he could express quite freely, and
sharply when he thought circumstances demand
ed outspoken language, but usually he was of
'a meek and quiet spirit,' a friendly and kind
neighbor, rejoicing in the well-being of all about
him, not envying- the greater prosperity of others
or reflecting unkindly on any unjust treatment in
business affairs, but submitted patiently to the
many trials and reverses of his life, and though
great success never seemed to crown his efforts,

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 231
he was throug-h life that 'noblest work of God
an honest man.'
"As there was no church near, your father and
mother had established a little Sabbath school,
for the few children in the neighborhood, your
father acting as superintendent. The school was
held in an unfinished room in the one framed house
(Mr. Vardy's). I joined as teacher, having the
largest girls, of which Cynthia was one. I enjoy
ed the children, taug-ht Cynthia and Mary, and
tog-ether we roamed over the prairies, the grove,
and by the river, and occasionally visited the
neighbors. The fall was very pleasant and I did
not feel the least lonely or homesick.
"THE VISIT AT THE HOME OF MR. E. T. LEWIS.
"Joseph (everybody then called him Joe Greene)
often talked of giving me a ride if he could only
find a suitable 'rig', which, after many ineffectual
attempts, he finally succeeded in doing, on the oc
casion of his having received an invitation to take
me about three miles to a Mr. Lewis' to eat
watermelons. So he started off in the morning to
find a horse and vehicle, intending to be back in
time for dinner.
"Expecting we should start soon after dinner,
I dressed before, and your mother finally delayed
the dinner awaiting Joseph's coming, but Joseph
did not put in an appearance, and so we ate our
dinner and waited on. Your mother who was as
much interested in the expedition as I, watched
anxiously for his arrival, not wanting me to be

232 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
disappointed in my first chance to go a visiting.
So we continued to watch and wait, until I be
came entirely discouraged and ready to give it up
as a lost opportunity, when an equipage ponder
ous, unique and grotesque, came dashing up to the
door, the driver quite lost to view in the huge
proportion of the vehicle, which looked as though
it must have come down from primeval times, a
survival of the flood or a remnant of the ark, and
the animals attached to this prodigious wagon,
looked strang'e and ancient enough to have helped
draw the ark on to dry ground. Behold the
steeds! One horse was of gigantic proportions,
and illy developed with some protuberances that
reminded us of a rhinoceros, the other was a
small ill-fed pony.
"We were convulsed with laughter over this
incongruous team and at once gave them the
names of Rhinoceros and Lilliputian.
"The harness beggars description, so heavy and
wide that it covered the pony as armor, though so
loosely that it well-nigh fell off with every move
ment. It fitted the large one better but only to
add to the grotesqueness of the mammoth animal.
"The problem now was, how to mount into this
'prairie schooner', (the name I learned of this
remarkable conveyance for prairie locomotion), a
modern gymnast with wings might have been
equal to it, but I was powerless for such a feat!
but with the aid of a barrel, stools etc., (there
were no step ladders there in those days), Joseph
and your mother together pitched me in, and

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 233
between three and four o'clock we started, your
mother cheering- us on and watching us in great
amusement till out of sight.
"After riding about a mile, we stopped and
took in two young men and one young lady, (the
Cooks and Carroll, your Aunt Kate, it seems
to me, went; the young men I know did) and
then rode on, the horses travelling better , than
might have been expected.
"We came in sight of the house of our destin
ation and were expecting to ride up with great
eclat, when, coming to a slight elevation in the
road, the horses suddenly balked! Joseph whip
ped up and urged them forward, but this only
had the effect to enrage them and they began to
back and twist the 'schooner' till this young
lady got thoroughly frightened, fearing this im
mense structure might be overturned and, she
buried beneath the ruins; so I insisted, woman
fashion, in getting out, much to the chagrin of
Joseph. How the three young men got me out, I
cannot say, but I came out quicker than I went
in. Then the horses without further trouble went
briskly up the little hill. As we were so near,
I would not get in again, but walked on abreast
the gay equipage containing the three young men,
and I think, the other young lady.
' 'We were hospitably received, had plenty of
melons, stayed to supper, had a pleasant visit, and
returned safely home by moonlight, without any
further adventure.
"On our way home Joseph told me the herculean

234 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
task he had to secure this entertainment for me.
He had spent all the day but the margin we oc
cupied in our ride and visit, in hunting up this
unique establishment, crossing the river and walk
ing many miles to fit it up, finding one horse in one
place, the other miles away, and the 'schooner'
miles in another direction, fitting up a harness
for one of the horses (the smaller I presume) and
he must return at least spme part of this useful
equipage before the next morning. Could any
thing exceed such gallantry and heroic exertion?
I ought to have been most grateful and I trust
I was kindly appreciative; at any rate it fur
nished us no small amount of fun and a subject
for racy conservation, Joseph entering into it as
heartily as the rest of us.
"THE EMPTY LARDER.
"In those days of 'plain living' and 'high
thinking' undisturbed nature in its vastness giv
ing a wide range to thought, we used to have
voracious appetites; provisions were scarce and
often obtained under great difficulties. At an
earlier day your father had been sixty miles to
mill with oxen. At this time he had to go still
many miles, and owing to some disappointment in
procuring a team, the flour barrel or sack was
empty (Cedar Rapids flour mills were then a
prospect of the future, only the site being visible)
and all the other provisions had dwindled down
and disappeared before our insatiable appetites;
so that on one certain day we had not only cleared

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 237
the table but the entire contents of the larder and
remained afterwards at table a long time dis
coursing in high spirits upon the novel situation,
the feasibility of living- without food, wondering
how it would seem to be fed by 'ravens' and
kindred events, illustrated with anecdotes of
hair-breadth escapes from starvation through
miraculous interposition, etc.
"This was my first experience of ever being- in
a house where there was literally nothing- to eat;
and though I made merry with the rest, my heart
began to sink within me as I thought of my
ravenous appetite depriving others, especially
little children, of their necessary food.
"As I remember, your father had already start
ed, or was about to start, for fresh supplies of
provisions, but when he would return was un
certain. "There were several young people at Marion
who had heard through Joseph and Mrs. Earl
that there was a young lady 'from the East' at
Mr. Shearer's; so one day a young lawyer, Mr.
Sanford, called, ostensibly on some business with
your father, but really deputed by the others to
find out whether the young lady from the East,
was one whose acquaintance it was worth while
to make, and take into their select coterie. The
p-entlemen, two of them, were from the far East
and the ladies from Ohio.
"It is supposed he reported favorably, for the
next week, on this very day when we had remain
ed in such hilarity at the table, wondering if any

238 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
one should come upon the scene, what they would
think we had for dinner, and how we should feel
when sent supperless to bed, a party of six came
suddenly upon us to make a call, and invite the
young people of the family to accompany them to
the island down the river a little ways, to hunt
wild grapes, where there was said to be an
abundance. After a pleasant little call, we
started off, your uncle Henry being in quite an
unusually genial mood, was the life of the com
pany, and Joseph was as obliging as ever.
"Your mother knew some of these young peo
ple, and had taken g-reat pleasure in introducing
them to your uncle Henry and myself. They were
Mr. and Mrs. Downing, recently married;
Misses Laura Cheedle and Luxinna Hughes, (the
Presbyterian' minister's wife's sister), Mr. San
ford, the aforesaid lawyer, and Addison Daniels,
the only merchant then in Marion and the only
'Daniels' then in all that region.
"We started from the house about half past two
o'clock and were gone less than three hours, and
in the .excitement of making new acquaintances,
and the fun and frolic of that woodland ramble;
I quite forgot the domestic dilemma and the food
problem I had so recently been pondering. Your
mother had been left alone with the little children
to face the situation and to solve the problem as
best she could. When we returned from our wild
grape quest, the Marion company declined com
ing- into the house, for having- stayed longer than
they expected, must hurry home, (the road was

cEdar rapids, iowa. 239
longer then than now) but your mother came out
and insisted on their staying to tea. I thought
she was crazy and my heart began to sink within
me. With not a morsel in the house, wherewith
was she to feed so many? Without much urging
they consented to stay. When we entered the
house what a marvel met my astonished eyes!
Tea was on the table before the company could
wash their hands and make ready to sit down.
"In modern parlance 'covers' for nine and your
mother waited upon us all, most graciously,
while all seeming to appreciate her hospitality,
partook with the rarest relish of the dainty but
abundant meal. I was lost in wonder and sur
prise; warm biscuit and butter, dried brief, cake,
custard, stewed dried currants and tea.
"I thought I had never tasted anything so deli
cious. How could anything so unexpected have
happened? It seemed literally the work of fairies
or rather a miracle than that of one poor, tired
woman. I could hardly wait for the company to
leave, before I began to ask what it meant. And
I found this was the way it all came about.
"After we left for our ramble the first thing
your mother did was to set Cynthia to washing
up the dishes while she washed out the best
tablecloth, having first made up the fire in the
stove which had gone out while we were talking
at the table, mopped the floor, and then canvass
ed the entire neighborhood for a 'loan exhibition'
of such articles as each house afforded, as every
thing for the evening meal was borrowed to be

240 PIONEER LlEE IN AND AROUND
returned anon, except the currants, which we had
dried at home for your father to bring with him
for a little treat to the family, there being no
cultivated fruit then west of the Mississippi.
"Your mother had been to every house, six in
number, not being able to obtain more than one
article at any one place, then she returned, made
and baked her cake, stewed her currants, made
custard, ironed her tablecloth, set her table, made
biscuit and tea,, changed her dress and was all
ready to receive the company in that short space
of time. Do you wonder that I thought your
mother a remarkable woman?
"Truly the day of miracles was not past in the
year of our Lord 1844, and from that day on so
far as I know 'the barrel of meal and cruse of
oil' never gave out in that house again.
"This was a wonderful experience for me and
my faith grew exceedingly.
"THE INDIAN VISITORS.
"I had never seen any Indians save a few of the
civilized Senecas near Buffalo and I expressed so
great a desire to see some of the wild Indians of
the West that your father promised when some
encamped near enough, he would take me to their
camp. "Ih the late fall, one bright, beautiful morning,
when I was just getting up, your father called to
me to hurry and come out doors for he had some
thing for me to see.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 241
"I hurried on my dress and rushed out and saw
a sight that delighted me. Just below the house
crossing the river, was a company of Indian
warriors on horses, dressed in full war-like cos
tume, armed with knives and tomahawks, which
glittered in the morning sun's rays as did bead
wrought helmets and moccasins, while their
stately and tall plumes nodded gracefully in the
breeze. "It was a gay and striking cavalcade which
came dashing past us as we stood gazing, I in
great wonder and interest.
"Your father who had formerly traded with
some Indian tribes in Michigan could make him
self understood by them and courteously saluted
them as they passed, which salutation they gal
lantly returned, pointing and telling I suppose
where they were going, they pranced on, I look
ing after them till they all disappeared in the for
est beyond, and wishing they would return so
that I could see more of them.
"After nightfall, the same day, we were sitting-
in pleasant converse before the large open fire
place, in which small logs were burning briskly,
sending forth a bright light, when suddenly the
room filled up with numbers of Indians, who stole
in so noiselessly that we had not the slightest
sign of their approach till they were all about us,
shorn of all the gay trapping-s of the morning,
their blankets, even, ready to fall from their al
most naked bodies. It seems that they had been
to receive their semi-annual annuities from gov-

242 pioneer life in and around
ernment to whom they had sold their 'hunting
grounds' and, like many white men when paid
off, had been where they could buy 'fire water',
and this was the result.
"Perhaps they made us the evening call because
your father had shown himself so friendly, and
we had all greeted them so heartily in the morn
ing. Once in the house with the warmth of the
fire they grew hilarious, then some quarrel began
among themselves and they became ill-natured
and boisterous.
"I began to grow frightened and the moments
grew long, and my alarm increased as I saw your
mother was looking anxious, too.
"Only one seemed composed and sober, and he,
evidently seeing our fears, lighted the 'pipe of
peace,' smoked and handed it to your father,
who would not take it even when your mother
urged him to do so, but insisted on their leaving,
which they did not seem inclined to do.
"My fears grew apace as their noise increased.
I made my way into the darkness of the only room
besides the one they occupied, imagining our
selves all scalped, etc., with no possible help at
hand, while all through the din, I could hear your
father's imperative tones bidding them 'begone,'
and your mother begging him to deal gently with
them, for fear of further hostilities, while alone
iu the dark, I prayed for Divine protection for
us all.
"Finally, the invaders left, and quiet was re
stored, but what I suffered in that hour cannot be

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 243
described, and that whole night, I could not
sleep, having the feeling that they would return
and slay us all and burn the house. My curious-
ity was fully satisfied, and I never wanted to see
any more wild Indians."

CHAPTER XX.
MARION AND VICINITY. — BRIEF MENTIONS.
I have not written much concerning the early
inhabitants of Marion, simply because of my in
ability to do justice to the many good citizens
who lived there during the time which this record
is designed to cover.
It is to be hoped that some one who possesses
the requisite knowledge and ability will write out
a full and accurate history of the men and events
of the early years of Linn county's capitol city.
There were many names there in early years
that were quite familiar to the writer in his boy
hood days, with some of whom he has been per
sonally acquainted.
Some of them have already been noticed in
these pages, other well known and respected
citizens can only be mentioned by name as I recall
them: Major J. T. McKean, and his brother, A.
J. McKean; Samuel W. Durham, our popular and
highly esteemed county surveyor of early times,
a man of marked intelligence and of unsullied
character, and one for whom the writer has al
ways entertained feelings of the highest regard;

244 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
David Woodbridge and Henry D. Thompson, who
opened the first store in Marion; J. C. Berry, the
first county clerk; T. S. Ovington, the tailor;
Robert Shinn, Hosea W. Gray, O.. S. Hall, the
hotel keeper, Judge N. W. Isbell, J. E. Sanford,
the shrewd lawyer; Thomas Downing, another
tailor, and an honest one, who afterwards lived
in Cedar Rapids for some years; Col. William
Smyth, Dr. Bardwell, Dr. Tryon, John Zumbro,
Richard Thomas, John Greer, Hiram Bales,
Bartimeus McGonigal, Amory Keyes, Elijah Ev
ans, J. E. Bromwell, Dean Cheedle, Joseph
Mentzer, H. H. Welch, Ambrose Harland, the
sheriff, George A. Patterson, and William J.
Patterson, now of this city; the Messrs. Vaughn,
George Gray, and his son Capt. Geo. A. Gray,
for many years county surveyor, and many others
whom I do not now recall.
And then east of Mar iou were the Ives; the
Jordans, the Bealls, the Harmons, the Daniels
etc. And a little west were Rufus Lucore, the
Hunters, John and William, and their venerable
father, Thomas Hare, William Willis, Mr. Jones,
John P. Glass, one of our sturdy farmers, who
came to Linn county in 1845, locating at the
McLeod Spring, where he built a carding" mill and
woolen factory in an early day, and later erected
a flouring mill, and whose history, together
with that of his family would require a separate
volume; all these and many more whom I cannot
now enumerate. These were pioneers in and
about Marion, who deserve a more extended

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 245
notice than I am able to give them in this little
book. It was such men as these who laid the found
ations upon which have been built up those in
stitutions which are now our pride and our boast.
The horse thieves and outlaws deserve mention
only as "exceptionals" and "incidentals" in a
new country, whose history, though brilliant
perhaps in their own estimation, was brief.
Most of them passed on to other scenes in this
world or beyond it, and so peace and prosperity
smiled upon our beautiful country.
Looking back now to the days of prairie
schooners, and ox teams and 25 cent letter post
age, and comparing them with our palace cars
and lightning express trains, our 2 cent postage,
combined, with our telegraphic and telephonic
methods of communication, it is with the greatest
difficulty that we who lived in those early times
can realize that we are still, in the same world,
much less in the same part of the world upon
which our youthful eyes then looked.
For my own part I stand amazed, finding no
better words to express my astonishment than
those contained in that first memorable message
ever sent over the newly completed line of tele
graph — the first ever built in this country —
from Washington to Baltimore: "What hath
God wrought!" To Him belongs all the praise.

246 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
CLOSING WORDS.
It was the misfortune of my family to have a
considerable amount of sickness while we were
on our farm, but in most cases, mother's
skillful and tender nursing, together with the ad
ministration of a few simple remedies which she
knew how to dispense, proved sufficient to carry
us through. But the time came finally when her
skillful treatment could only alleviate but not
cure. In 1845 my father had a severe attack of inflam
matory rheumatism from which he suffered un
told agony for many weeks. He, however, finally
recovered so far as to be able to get about with
tolerable comfort, though he was never again a
well man.
In the summer of 1846 my brother Frank Cook
was seized with inflammation of the bowels and
suddenly passed away from us, while I was lying
unconscious with congestive chills.
The following October, on the 14th day, my
father, too, was borne to his last resting place,
bilious fever being the disease that ended his
life. The year after, that is, in 1847, we rented our
farm and came into town, living in a log house
located on the bank of the river below Fourth
avenue. It was as already stated the second
house erected in the town and was built by Mr.
John Young upon whose claim it stood.
In 1848, having had a great deal of sickness

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 247
still in the family, mother yielded to the advice of
a half brother living in Wisconsin, and decided to
go there with her family and see if the change
would not be beneficial, and so in the fall of that
year she went to Hazel Green. The change, how
ever, did not prove as beneficial as it was hoped,
and so after about eleven months she returned to
Cedar Rapids.
In 1850 we purchased a lot on Third avenue,
near the Empire House and erected a house which
was our home up to 1854.
On June 20th of that year, mother departed
this life, after a short illness, her children kneel
ing at her bedside and receiving her parting bless
ing. In 1852 my sister Julia was married to Mr.
David Blakely, principal of the Cedar Rapids
Collegiate Institute. On the 9th of April, 1857,
she also, finished her life work and entered her
rest. The other members of the family have been
mentioned elsewhere in this record.
As for myself, leaving out, of course, all the
bad things that might be said, the remaining part
of my personal history can be written in a few
lines. At the close of the three years of school life
under the supervision of Rev. Williston Jones and
Mr. David Blakely, in Cedar Rapids, I left home
for the first time in the fall of 1854; spending one
year in Alexander College, Dubuque, Iowa, three
years in the University of Michigan at Ann

248 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
Arbor, and two years in Union Theological Sem
inary, New York City.
Being threatened with a serious throat and
lung trouble which seemed to have been greatly
aggravated by my residence in the city and so
near the ocean, my physicians advised my return
at once to Iowa, which, to my great regret, in
volved the necessity of cutting short my theolog
ical course one term.
Returning to my own beloved state in the
spring of 1860, and breathing its health-giving
air, strength and vigor were soon regained to
such a degree as to warrant the resumption of the
office of preaching, which, as a layman, I had
begun to exercise as early as the summer of 1855.
During the summer of 1860 I was duly licensed
to preach by the Presbytery of Iowa Valley, and
in the following December was regularly ordain
ed as an evangelist, at Steamboat Rock, in Har
din county.
For nine months acting as an evangelist and
itinerating missionary in Hardin and Franklin
counties, I was finally called to the First Presby
terian church of Wyoming, Jones county, Iowa,
where I remained seven years including nine
months of service in 1864, as chaplain of the 24th
Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry.
In 1868, having never recovered from the seri
ous illness contracted during the exposures and
hardships of army life, I was compelled to resign
my charge and take a few months rest.
Being advised by my physician that a more

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 249
active life would be better adapted to my consti
tution, I entered the service of the Presbyterian
Board of Home Missions and for six years acted
as District Secretary with headquarters the first
half of the time at Council Bluffs, and the last
three years at Cedar Rapids, my duties requiring-
many thousands of miles of travel each year in
Iowa, Nebraska and Dakota.
After this I served the Presbyterian church of
Sac City, Sac county, as pastor for three and a
half years, and the Presbyterian church of Logan,
Harrison county, four years, when I was called
back to Wyoming, my old charge, after an absence
of seventeen years. After remaining there six
and a half years I was stricken down with a severe
illness which came very near terminating my
life, and from which I have never been able to
recover. In consequence of this I was compelled
to resign my charge in the fall of 1891.
A sea voyage and a five months' sojourn in Ger
many in 1892, although beneficial, failed to re
store me sufficiently to warrant my taking
another charge; and so at last I find myself at my
old home in Cedar Rapids where I expect to
remain until Providence orders me elsewhere.
If not due to myself, it is at least due to the
reader, that this brief concluding record be made.
But one other word remains to be said.
In the preparation of this manuscript for the
press, there has been one silent but very efficient
participator in the work, to whom no reference
has yet been made.

250 PIONEER LIFE IN AND AROUND
She does not claim to be an old settler, nor does
she seem willing to be called old in any sense,
(who ever heard of a woman that was willing to
be so designated), but if not an old pioneer her
self, she is the wife of one; and although she
naturally shrinks from public gaze, and desires
that her name should not be mentioned in these
pages, yet when the facts come out, as they must
and will, sooner or later, that, with her left hand,
(her right arm having been fractured), she. copied
on the type-writer, nearly all of the manuscript,
besides looking over every page of the proof
sheets, I am sure I would deserve and receive the
censure of all who read these pages, if I failed to
make honorable mention of her in this place.
It is more than probable that these pages never
would have been written at all had it not been for
her sleepless vigilance and her most tender and
skillful nursing through several very severe turns
of sickness that I have endured in the past few
years. She is the daughter of Elihu and Charlotte B.
Baker, both deceased.
Mr. Baker was for several years in the mer
cantile and banking business in this place, and
later,- National Bank Inspector for the State of
Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Baker were members of the First
Presbyterian church.
Their children, now living, are: Mrs. N. C.
Milligan, wife of Mr. J. G. Milligan, of Chicago;
Rev. Lewis C. Baker, D. D., of Philadelphia;

• CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. 251
William M. Baker, real estate dealer of Chicago,
and an elder in the Second Presbyterian church;
the Rev. Alfred B. Baker, D. D., Rector of Trin
ity Protestant Episcopal church, Princeton, New
Jersey; Mrs. Margaret O. Wood, wife of Mr.
Henry Wood, of Boston; Lt. Asher C. Baker of
the United States Navy; and Mrs. Joanna B.
Carroll. Mary Scott Baker, the youngest of the family,
died in Chicago, in the summer of 1856.
And now the task that I had laid out for my
self is done. As to how well it is done, I must
leave others to judg7e.

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