The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1876-07-13

As read at the Centennial Celebration at Tip
ton, BY Hon. WM. II. TUTHILL, Secretar,
and Historian Of the Cedar County Ol.
Settlers Association.
!. When Cedar county sprang into
existence by an act of the Territoria
Legislature of Wisconsin, in the win
ter of 1886 81, it became necessary
to fix on some place as the seat O
Justice. This at first appeared to be
difficult matter, as the whole adul,
population sparsely scattered ovel
the twenty -four miles square Of its
defined limits, was not more than fif
ty in number, and no actual village
or. congregated settlement existed
within its boundaries; but upon infor.
nation being given that an embryo
town had been located on the east
bank of Cedar river, called Roches.
ter, that place was designated as ths
County Seat, not because it poss
any natural or acquired adva ntages,
but for the simple reason that it was
the only place in the county that had
local habitation and name.
! ROCHESTER, was laid out by Geo.
Mccoy about the lst of August 1886,
and in 1888 was the only point on the
river above Moscow, where regular
ferry was established, which fact
aided by general country store, and
the indispensable blacksmith's shop,
together with the erection of a much
needed grist and saw-mill, made it
for time quite an important place,
particularly as the greater portion of
the settlers lived in the southern part
Of the county, and Rochester from its
proximity, was considered by them
as a desirable location-the NOR e
SO as it contained the only Post. Of
flee in the county-Rock Creek P.
0. the first in Cedar county, being
established at Rochester, on the 10Th
of July, 1887, and Stephen Toney
appointed Postmaster.
But as the population of the coun-
ty increased and kept gradually ad-
vancing to the northern and eastern
boundaries, a feeling began to be de-
veloped among the inhabitants of
Red Oak, Linn, Pioneer, and Pos
tens Grove, and from the valley of
the Wapsipinican, that new county
seat should be located, more central
and more easily accessible to those
who were compelled to attend court,
Dr. transact business with the county
officials, and thus carry out the good
old Jeffersonian doctrine Of the great
est good Of the greatest number. This
feeling once aroused, was increased
by the rivalry of several different
points for the new county seat, where
towns and miniature cities had been
planned, staked out, or located, and
the friends of each, differing as to
where the new county seat should be,
yet cordially agreeing that it should
be removed from Rochester. The
names of these paper towns, were
Centreville, Antwerp, Elizabethtown
and Warsaw.
CENTREyILLE was laid out in June
1887 by Gen. George B. Sargent,
John S. Shelter and John C. Higgin-
son, on the n. e. or, 4, 70, 2. The
only building ever erected upon the
town site, was q store house in
which goods we're sold for short time
by the proprietors. 1t is said that
lithographic plats of the town were
circulated in Boston, Mass, and q
number OF the most desirable town
lots sold TO eastern spectators, upon
the supposition that the town was
destined to be the capital of the fu-
ture Territory. The bubble soon
burst, the store was closed, the
dilapidated building remained as =
shelter for cattle until it disappeared,
and nothing is now left to show the
location Of the great city Of Centre
vile.
ANTWERP was town site on the
$. e. or. 8, 50, B, originally owned by
Peter Dilts, and Charles S. Warfeld,
afterward sold to John Huber, and is
now the property of his widow. A
flourishing store was opened at this
place by Van Antwerp & Warfeld
(Herman Van Antwerp and Asbury
War6eld) and an extensive business
done on the credit system. This
lasted but q short time, and the re-
suit was financial ruin to the unfor-
tunate merchants, and conversion of
the town Of Antwerp into cornfeld.
ELIzABETnTowN was plated out
by Jehu Kenworthy, on land after
ward owned by David Cochran (frac.
n. e. qr., IL, so, ~. 1t is said that
it was first named E!sinore by Geo.
Miller, the original owner Of the land.
1t was situated on the east bank OF
Cedar river, near where the project
ed Southwestern Railroad from Clin-
ton is expected to cross. Noimprov-
ments were ever made or buildings
erected OH tho town site.
| WARSAW was.locsted ON the 8. ".
or, "a, 81, 3. 1t was laid out by
James Stone, who afterward sold his
claim to Callihan Dwigans. The pro-
jected Southwestern Railroad runs
through it some a miles from Upton
on the west side of Rock creek.
Three Of these prospective towns
advanced claims for the coveted hon
or. while q considerable number ol