Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-05-26

eHC HioI oCuOOl CVCT uclU III CDe
place or within fifty miles of it. He
had about twenty pupils, and it is
said that the doctor welded the
birchen sceptre right Justify and
acceptably to all concerned. This
was in the winter of l84s.
The first school house was erect
ed in independence in 1850, and
Judge Roszell taught the first
school held in it.
In 1848 post Office was estab-
lishcd here and Mr.. S. b. Stoughton
was the first U. S. Official. The
third quarter of the first year, which
yielded larger business than it's
predecessors, produced for the gov
eminent, after deducting the COM
mission of the p. NJ, a five franc
French piece. The Office was after
wards turned over to DR.. Brewer,
who retained it six years.
The first marriage in the place
was celebrated in September 9th,
year ls47. The parties directly in
terested in the affair were Charles
McCaffra and Miss Cynthia Messen-
ger. They were united in the holy
bonds of wedlock by Justice John
Scott, who was the first Justice Of
the Peace of Independence.
AS we are mixing the history of
city with that of the county some
what, and rs they are closely allied
and identified each with the other,
we give below the result of
TIE FIRST GENERAL ELECTION
in the county, most Of those referred
to being old residents of Indepcn-
dcnce. This election occurred in
August, 1s48. Board of Commits
sioners-Rufus B. Clark, James
Colyer and Malcolm McBane; Pro
bate Judge, Elijah Beardsley;
Sheriff, E. ID. Phelps; Coroner, DR..
S. McGonigal; Commissioners
clerk, Edward Brewer; Recorder,
Edward Brewer; Clerk of the Dis
trict Court, S. p. Stoughton; Prose
cutting Attorney, Elijah Beardsley;
Surveyor, Daniel G. Greeley.
Thus we sec that in 1913 there
was town here but it was really
but band of settlers. There was
not single natural attraction that
was not hidden by clumps of hazel
brush and plum thickets, which if
removed would reveal find location
indeed. But the mere fact that a
Board Of commissioners, authorized
by the State, had fixed upon clump
OF hazel brush and scrub oaks as the
permanent seat Of justice of Buchan.
an county, was of itself an induce.
ment to locate. True there were
no milling advantages, though a
fine water power was at the very
doors of the settlers. They had tc
go to Dubuque for flour as we'll as
other supplies, and the little whea,
raised here found there its neares,
) market. But it was to be the coun
ty seat, and with firm belief in tn.
future proud destiny of the place
people located here. Time has veri
fed their sanguine conjectures. Ii
July 1850, Mr.. Close bought tn,
mail route from Dubuque to Quas
queton of Trask and Phelps VIII,
had held it for some time. 1t wa.
then horse back route. But Clos,
at once put on a democrat" wagon
, He brought up mail matter from
Quasqucton to Independence gra
tuitously, the route not reaching her
at that time. Thus Mr.. Close car
ried the mail weekly from July t,
: December. Each journey took hin
! four days. Mr.. Close did most o
, the weekly shopping for the Buch
anan county folks, and it is sait
that he was in high favor with SOM
of the Dubuque merchants, eacl
wishing to obtain the mail carrier
trade. Mr.. Davis was the real pro
5 prietor of the mail route having oh
tanned the position from the p. 0
Department, and when 1850 closed
he would not let the independents,
people have the benefit Of his route
Soon after this mail route was es
: tablished here.
In the spring of 1850 there wer,
eight families here, but in the fal
they had dwindled down to thre,
again, namely: Brewer, Close ant
Shipman, the latter of whom livet
in the Clark house. 1t was in lS5
that the town commenced it's rea
growth.
At this period and immediatel,
after
OTHER SETTLERS
began to arrive and take up thei1
abode all around us. However the
settlements of the country through
this portion of Iowa was at that
time slow indeed, which of ncces
sity made the growth of our embryo
city corrcspondingly slow, keeping
pace with the development Of the
surrounding country. Mills had
been erected about the place, new
business houses opened, additional
families had settled here, and the
town had started out upon its car.
Ger of greatness, every year mark
ing new improvements of better
class than had its predecessor
Many are still among us who re
member much of the early history
of the town, and it is interesting
even to strangers to listen to their
accounts of early experiences and
observations of this fair region
which has been so recently reclaim
ed to civilization, and converted
from the camping ground of the
savage to one of the brightest little
cities of Iowa, and that too in so few
years.
| When we contemplate the future
of this city and the Importance it is
sure to assume, and revert to the
struggles, the hopes and the disap.
pointments of the many who have
worked so earnestly for its advance
ment, we are led to think that the
works of the faithful will always be
rewarded in the great distribution
of worldly prizes, and that though
obstacles may appear at every step
the bold heart and the strong arm
which give battle to them and will
in the end gain the victory.