The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1876-08-10
IOWA TOWNSHIP.
An Historical Sketch Of the Set.
tlemcnt and Subsequent
Growth OF Iowa Township,
Cedar Co., Iowa, Prepared
for the Fourth OF July, lS76.
BY IAwRIE TATuM.

| woman VINO crossed the Ceuar river
They found there many Indians o.
the Musquaka band of the Sac and
Fox tribe, whom they uniformly
treated kindly, and the Indians in re.
turn were always obliging to hi.
family.
The Indians had various modes oil
disposing of their dead. For small
children, and occasionally for grown
person, they would spill, log in two,
dig out the center Of each hall, place
the corpse into one and put the other
on top of it, tie the two together
with bark and lay it in the crotch OF
tree. They usually inferred grown
persons. Sometimes they would kill
favorite dog and place it and gun
on the grave to be used in the spirit
world when they went hunting.
When they travelled they always
went in single file, whether on horse
back or on foot, and their path, or
"lndisn trail" was almost a continu-
Gus curve, like the track OF snake
across dusty road. rhe white peo-
pie in this section were not materially
interfered with by the Indians.
The game was few elk; deer in
large numbers, prairie and timber
wolves, and occasionally bear; some
otter, beavers and wild cats; many
turkeys and prairie chickens. The
buffalo had disappeared few years
before the white people commenced
settling here.
Thomas Single moved near TO r..
G. Roberts in The fall of 1886. The
nearest grist mill being in Illinois,
their coffee mill, were used to grind
buckwheat. In 1887 the two above
named men built horse grist mill,
for grinding corn and buckwheat.
They made the stones out Of some
granite bnulders they found in the
nei eighborhood. This mill was patron-
lied by immigrants who lived 80
miles further west.
The houses of the early settlers
were made Of logs, in or near the
timber, and covered with "clap-
boards kind of shingles three or
four feet long, and small log fas-
tened on each row Of clapboards to
keep them to their places instead Of
mailing them. The wooden hinges OF
the doors served for ba,tons, to which
the boards were nailed. A string
went from the wooden latch through
gimle, hole and hung on the out
side. BY pulling, it raised the latch,
aud the door would open.
E. A. Gray moved into the town
ship in May, 1899. His first house
was built Of logs and measured 12xl6
it., one story high, which was usual
size (very different from his present
nice and commodious house). For
several years there were no houses
in the neighbornood that contained
more than two Or three rooms, yet it
was very common for the occupants
to take in family of immigrants for
few days or weeks, until they could
build house.
The stables were made by setting
posts into the ground, LAYING some
poles and b-ush on them, and cover
ing w,,h p-a;rie hay, which was much
better for shedding rain than the
English grasses. Most OF the settlers
VINO commenced in this small way
now have good farms, neat frame
houses, and good barns.
The height Of The prairie grass on
the upland was abou, six;een inches,
in the issues" near two and a half
feet, except one or two rare kinds,
which grew eight or ten feet high.
To "break the PRAIRIE" to plough it
the first time, q st ong team was
necessary on account of there being
some hard roots to cut. Four or FIVE
yokes of oxen were htched to a
plough that would turn two foot
furrow, and break about two acres
per day. In many instances oxen
were the only team that the early
settlers had, which they would hitch
to wagon, and take their wives Wis.
iting, or to religious meeting, hap.
py and thankful for what they had
For several years after Friends com.
menced holding meetings for worship
there were more oxen than horses
driven there. There was great dea
Of warm hearted friendship, happi.
ness and equality in those early days
which is still largely retained.
The first settlers were very much
annoyed by gang of desperadoe'
| who stole horses, made counterfeit,
money, SC. Prominent among then
was Joseph Levirect, known as tht
"Old Bogus Coon" who boosted tha'
he could make money that would
pass in the land office. He was ono,
arrested and his dies taken by civi
authority. BY writ of replevin b,
obtained them and left the county, t.
again try his skill in manufacturing
money. The settlers were not 81
fearful of the Indians as they were 0
these desperadoes.
Robert G. Roberts, of this township
was the first representative to tn,
Territorial Legislature in 1883. HI
was usually temperate man, but o1
one occasion was induced to drink