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

independence, WlhtnfOp, Jesup, falr-
bank and in Como townships; of Uni
ted Workmen-at Winthrop and In
dependence; and of Oranges, beng
organizations of farmers for mutual
protection, improvement and social
enjoyment, in every township in the
county, except Newton, having
membership of over $50. The first
county agricultural society was Or
gained in 1858, dissolved, and re-or-
ganized in 1870 as a join. stock com.
pany since which time it has been in
successful operation and holds annual
fairs, and now owns forty acres of
land and buildings thereon near In
dependence, valued at $4,000.
The earliest organization of Fire
Companies in the county was in 1862,
when two hook and ladder companies
were formed in Independence. One
OF them, composed exclusively of
Germans, soon purchased hand En-
CINE, and became an engine company,
but after a few years disbanded and
donated their engine TO the city, but
re-organlzed in 1874, and now have
charge of the same engine. The
other, organized as "Hook & Ladder
Company, No. - maintained their
organization till June, 1874, when,
the city having in the previous month
purchased steam fire engine, they
recognized as Steamer company,
and have now charge of the steam
fire engine.
The first Bank OF issue in the coun-
ty was the First National Bank of
the City of Independence" which be-
gan business in December, 1865, with
a capital of $4,000, since increased
to 100000. A second, "The Peo-
pies National Bank" was organized
in the fall of 1874. The first bank of
exchange was that of Brewer, Bemis
& Roszell," in 1854, and colder, Lee
Il Co.." in the same year, both of
which were drawn into the whirlpool
of speculation in 1851, and per-
ished in the general wreck of 1878.
The first post Office in the county
was at Quasqueton, established in
1s43; the next, at Independence, cs-
tablished in lS4s, with S. p. Slough
ton as p. M. The total proceeds of
the independence Office in 1850 did
not exceed SO: Now, there are tiftoon
Offices in the county, and the salary
of the single Office at Independence
is over two hundred times the total
postage received in 1850.
Gas was first introduced into indie
pendence in the winter of ls74-5.
In addition to the newspapers l
have mentioned, both of which are
now published in Independence, one
as the independence Conservative"
and one as the "Buchaaan County
Bulletin" a third is now published
at Jesup, styled "The Vindioator."
In 1850 there was not bridge OF
any description in the county. Now,
the Wapsipinicon is spanned with
wrought iron bridges at Quasqueton,
built in 1874; Independence, built in
1872, and Littleton, built in ls76.-
Besides these, there are two wood
en-, bridges across the main river, an
iron bridge at Fairbank and Otter
vile, and every stream in the county
is substantially bridged at each high
way crossing,
The population of the county in
ls46 was l49; in 1s4s, $50; in 1850,
5l7; in 1860, 1906, and In 1875, H.
3l5.
The total valuation of all property
in 1850 was s46,95s; and in 1875,
s4,s29,999. The total taxes levied
in 1850 were $4,000, and in 1870,
s1l2,464.
would be glad to have written
with more particularly Of the settle
ment and growth of the several town
ships and villages in the county, but
it is impractlcable in the time and
space allotted. l would that l could
have graced these annals, not alone
with the names, but with a personal
sketch of all those pioneers whose
brave hearts led them to this wilder
ness of prairie, which their sturdy
hands have converted into a garden
of cultivated fields, glowing with
golden grain; whose industry, intel
ligence and taste have changed the
very face of nature, so that this end
less expanse of treeless plain which
they found spread before them like
sallless sea, is now green, not only
with the verdure of meadow and
waving corn, but with the groves
their hands have planted around each
dwelling of the thousands which ev-
erywhere adorn the lovely landscape.
of tho Merrills, the Morgans, Nc
Kinneys, Beckleys, Neldys, Wilson's
and Logans, whose dwellings, were
among the first along Pine Greek,
and between here and Quasqueton;
of Davis, Haddens, Tnompsons, Par
ker and Cummings, and Hastings and
Mowrer, who wrought so faithfully to
build up the thriving village which
marks the spot where stood the cabin
of the first settler in the county.
OF Foreman, and Glass, and Hoov-
er, and Holland, and Carson, and
Cooper, who thirty years ago, and
more, settled where they or their
children now reside, in the township
called Newton.
Of Everett, Patterson, Myers, Con-
able and Wright, who created the
village of Fairbank, and Clarke,
whose name leads all the rest in Fair.
bank township; and Melrose, whose
name and speech reminds us of the
ancient Abbey in "Old Scotland"
where he was born, whose little
dwelling of one room above and one
below, used, quarter Of a century
ago, to accommodate twenty weary
travellers or more, of night, as I can
testify; had it been as large as his
heart, creation could not crowd it.
OF Little, whose memory is perpet-
uated in Littleton village, and not
less worthily in the sons and daugh-
tiers who have succeeded him. Of
the Greeleys, Klnts, Bunce, Phillips,
Barr, Ross, Mintons and Curtiscs,
whose hearts, and hands, and cabin
doors were never locked. Of Smyser
and of Sparkling, and of Isaac Suffi-
cool and his good wife, just gone to-
gether to a better land to receive