The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-07-24
BLACK OAK TOWNSHIP.

BLACK OAK TOWNSHIP.
This name was probably given to it
rom large grove of principally black oak
timber, in all about one thousand acres
1t is the last township west on the third
tier north; is bounded on the north by
Richland township, east by Madison,
south by Scott, all in this county and
west by Marion county. Among the old
est settlers of the township are j. 81.
Smith, James Warren. John Woods, Field
| ing Belts, and George and Ephraim Ben
nett. These men, with some others came
to the country at different periods during
the years of 1902 and 3. They settled
| on what is now known as the Oskaloosa
| and Pella road. This road runs angling
from southeast to northwest through the
| township, and along it may be seen some
of the finest farms in the county or State,-
| and but few poor ones. There is but little
| waste land in the township-in the north
east corner along the Skunk river, which
| cuts off small portion, there are some
broken tracts, unsuitable for farming pur-
poses, but supplying timber. The general
lay of the land is good, being gradual
slope from north to south, and while suffic-
| lently rolling for drainage, it is not broken
except in some small tracts. If one
would see beautiful country, we'll farmed,
let him go to Black Oak township. Among
| the peculiarities of this township are its
| BEAUTIFUL GROVES
| Years ago many of the farmers, feeling the
need OF protection from the wintry winds,
planted large groves of maple, walnut,
| locust, willow and cottonwood, and as a
result of their forethought, they now have
| groves as beautiful as need be. and as one
surveys the country he would almost i'm
| agine the township to be timbered one,
| when in reality there is but little natural
timber in it. Mr.. John Ii. Smith, men
toned before as an early settler, claims to
| have been the first to introduce the soft
maple to the Iowa people. Twenty-Five
years ago he gathered seed from small
| sapljng on the Skunk river. brought it
home. planted it, and to-day he has trees
| from that seed that will measure nearly
| two feet in diameter, and make fully three
| fourths of a cord of wood John VOORHEES,
| twelve years ago planted one black wal
nut with each hill of corn in certain
| field, and to-day he has walnut grove
that money could not buy. Many of these
trees are large enough to make seven good
rails, or eight fence posts, and goodly pile
of stove wood. Some walnut trees planted
sixteen years ago by Peter Canine, are now
twelve inches til lex at the butt and will
make three good rail cuts With these
| facts before US we say to tie timberless
| farmers of the country
PLANT OUT TIMBER
| Do not wait. 1t is no trouble after the fist
| year, and ten or even twenty acres plant
ed with good timber will prove more valu-
| able than any similar number of acres on
the farm In planting walnuts, or hickory
nuts, they should be buried in the ground
| in the fall, and allowed to remain there
| during the winter, to let the frost open the
shell and in the spring take them out and
plant with corn, tending them with the
crop, and thereafter they are Independent,
and will grow rapidly.
One needs no better evidence of tie gen.
eral prosperity of the farming community
than to see the improvements that are in
| progress among them. AS you ride along
and notice the neat and roomy farm house,
you will almost invariably see by it's side,
or near by, the cabin which sheltered the
farmer and family in earlier days AS we
notice these things we can but conclude
that farming is an cup the hill Ito success
business" Among the
LATER IMPROVEMENTS
may be mentioned those of Jared Graham,
who has a new frame building, of good
comfortable size; Samuel Miller, fine
house, with all necessary conveniences;
Hardin Tice, a new frame house, 2Sx2S,
two stories, to be finished in best style;
and Peter Canine, new brick, 24x26, two
and half stories, with cellar, all excel
lently finished. Special mention should
be made of :wo OF the
FINEST HOUSES IN THE COUNTY,
belonging to j. H. Smith and John Voor-
hees. They are situated upon command
ing sites on the Pella road and about half
a mile apart. The former, Mr.. SIS, cost
$3.50 1t is two story frame, 40x42,
has large porticos and balconies on three
sides, and is surmounted with an observa-
tory, from which there is splendid view
of the surrounding country. Peoria is
seen to the north, Granville to the north
east, Oskaloosa to the southeast, which,
however, is seen only as dense body of
timber; with the aid of an excellent glass
the operations of the country for miles and
miles around can be seen. We took look
through that glass; and here is what We
saw: Away down in Scott township, in one
place four horse reaper and the binders
were garnering the golden grain; in another
field mower Was operating and men and
teams were busily engaged in curing and
saving the hay while in another field the
canvas covered Marsh harvester, moved
slowly yet gracefully along, dropping the
sheaves from its everything sides, like the
great white sea gull, that skins along the
briny foam and scatters from is wings the
sparkling spray. Change the point of OBJ
serVation and the same scene repeats itself
again and again, until you conclude that
the world is a'harvcst field and the inhabi-
tants are all out harvesting We do not
wonder that imaginative people are wont
to poetic the glories of the harvest But
let US return to plain description. For
convenience of arrangement, and neatness
of finish this house has few if any superiors
in the State. 1t is built upon heavy rock
foundation, which is cut and faced two
feet above the ground line Now few
words about the owner Mr. 8. was born
in France, in the province of Alsace, but
removed from there when quite young
From Indiana he removed TO his present
home, bringing with HMM his own Ian.
guage, "that there woman, pointing to
his wifel one child, one rickety wagon,
two old horses, and fifty four dollars in
money" To-day he owns 427 acres of as
fine land as ever the sun shone on all ly-
ing in body and under splendid state of
. cultivation. In one of his fields he has q