Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-07-07

buildings on Main street, most of
which were of wood. But on the
25th Of May, 1874, a disastrous con-
migration broke out, which destroyed
about forty buildings, nearly all of
brick, on Main and Chatham streets,
and mostly stores, filled with valuable
goods. The total loss on buildings
and goods amounted to nearly halt a
million dollars; but before the close
Of the year nearly all were rebuilt
and the traces of the conflagration
almost obliterated.
Ihave now in a manner, necessarily
imperfect, sketched the history of the
settlement and growth of this county.
II 1t were practicable within the
limits prescribed by time, space, and
your endurance, l would add more
particular account of the schools,
churches, DC. A brief mention is,
however, all that can be allowed.
The first school taught in the coun-
ty was at Quasqueton, in 1914, by
Alvira Hadden. Some of her pupils
are still living in the county, among
them Mrs. Norton, daughter of Fred
erick Kessler. The first school taught
in Independence was by Edward
Brewer, in 1859. In 1850 there
were not more than three school
houses in the county, all log build
ings. One of them was near John
Boon's, built in 1s4s, and a Miss
Ginther taught there IN the winter of
'4s-9. The first house built in indie
pendence for school purposes was in
1851, and VIM. Brazleton erected it
at his own expense. 1t was of hewn
logs, and about IA feet by Is in size.
o. II. p. Roszell taught the first
school in it. In 1852 school house
was erected in Hazlcton township, at
the place now called "Coytown,"
where the first white men in the
township-Samuel Spficool and Dan'l
G. Greeley-had located in ls47.
AT Spring Grove, in Newton town.
ship, a school house was built in
1853, near r. G. Walton's; and Ward,
Ross, and Whitney built school
house in the timber between their
cabins, in 1853, the very first year
they settled in Madison township
In fact, the pioneers of this county
had hardly got roof on their cabins
to shelter their families, before they
began to think about schools for their
children. These first houses were
all built either by some single lndi-
vidual OF by subscription of commun-
tiles, and the first schools were main
tanned in the same way. Until ls47,
there were no regularly defined school
districts, and up to 1859 the schools
were supported by private subscrip-
ton or by rate bills against the pat
rons. In 1860 there were about 80
school houses in the county, In
1875, the number Of school houses
was 1876, valued at $4,000, and the
last log house had disappeared or
ceased to be used as such. The first
Union OF Graded School in the coun-
ty was organized at Independence, in
1867, with Prof. Wilson Palmer, as
Principal; the first building for that
purpose being completed at the same
date. There are now two graded
schools at Independence, one at VIM
throp, one at Jesup, and one at Quas-
queton,
OF churches it is not easy to obtain
statistics; but the first church build
ing in the county was at Indepen-
dence, and built by the Episcopal
Methodist in 1855; and the next, at
Quasqueton, in 1856. There are now
twenty-eight church buildings in the
county, of which two are in Newton
township, one in Homer, three in JEFF
ferson, three in Liberty, two in New
ton, eight in Independence, three in
Jesup, two in Fairbank and three in
Madison. Three of them are Catho-
Ollie Fairbank, Independence and
Newton having each one. The val
ne of these buildings is not less than
one hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars
Of mills and manufactures, l have
stated the value in 1947 to have been
$4,000, there being then but one
Touring mill and two saw mills. In
1S4S, another saw mill was built on
Pine Creek; in 1852 Daniel Greeley
built another on Otter Creek, in Ha-
zleton township; the same year Sam
uel Sherwood, flouling mill at indie
pendencc. In 1854, Messrs. White
e Little erected a saw mill at Little.
ton, and about the same time, one at
Fairbank and one on Otter Creek
There are now eight Touring mills in
the county, and their value probably
about one hundred and fifty thousand
dollars; one at Independence, built
in 1867, being valued at S75, 5000
Among other manufactures, there
are cheese factories in Fairbank and
Byron townships, and one near Win
throp; also three creamerles in Mad
ison township.
The mercantile interest has increas-
cd in still greater ratio; for, while
in 1850 there was but one store in
the county-that at Quasqueton-
kept by S. V. Thompson, and with a
stock of goods not worth more than
$500, there are now mercantile houses
scattered all over the county, at least
a hundred in number, and the value
Of goods kept in stock must exceed
half a million dollars. Besides these,
there are dealers iu lumber, grain,
stock, farm machinery and produce,
in Independence, Winthrop, Jesup,
Hazleton and Rowley, and each of
these places have elevators and grain
warehouses. There were shipped
from Winthrop during the past year,
STA carloads of grain, and 100. of
stock; and from Jesup nearly as
many; and as many more from the
two stations of Hazleton and Rowley;
from Independence, about one thous-
and cars of grain and stock, one deal
err, w. A. Jones, having shipped
during that time, nearly 800 cars of
stock, mostly hogs.
OF the professions, DR.. Edward
Brewer was the first practicing ply
stefan in the county; DIR. Lovejoy the
first at Independence, and died there
in ls4s. DR.. r.. w. Wright was tho
third, having settled in independence
in 1851 DIR. TT. III. Hunt comes