Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-26
Something About Self Protec-
tion Society and Home Guards
in Hardin County
PROTECTION OF THE LIVESTOCK
One of Important Purposes of the
Union Township Self Protection So
ciety, Was to Protect Livestock of
the New settlers-Much Early His
tory Brought to Light.
Special to rimes-Republlcan.

papers, in the handwriting OF Silas
Hays, secretary, father of Charles L.
Hays, lawyer of this place, is
cleaned some interesting facts regard
ing the proceedings of the Union
Township Self Protection society" and
the Home Guards" of the same town
ship, during the civil war in 1862.
The proceedings reveal some of the
conditions of life in Union township
during the pioneer times, and during
the war; The society had two purposes
to Loyalty serve the union cause at
home, by supporting the army at the
front, and by opposing q society
known as THE knights of the Golden
Circle" which was suspected of hos
tility toward the north, and sympathy
proposed to allow no hostile acts at
home, in the rear of the union armies,
hence the organization, with It's cap
tain and lieutenants and rank and
file.
The other purpose is revealed by the
document called the constitution = to
protect the livestock of the new set
tiers. At that time, all stock was al
lowed to run at large, and all fields
We're required to be fenced "hog
tight" But there We're persons who
killed and injured stock. and the
abuses We're carried SO far that the So
ciety provided for a secret vigilance
committee, to be known only to the
president, who was to proceed accord
ing to the forms of law at first. but
tect property. then they were to act
outside the law as they thought best,
after the manner of vigilance commit
tees anywhere in new communities.
1t is to be regretted that so much
of the early history Of Union town
ship and Hardin county will now never
be written by the sturdy pioneers who
enacted it. The history Of commu
nifty is to that community as import
ant and worthy of record as the his
tory Of the nation. OF the fifty-sx men
who signed the roster of the Home
Guards. forty-six years ago, it is be-
lieved that fourteen are now living.
Their names are indicated by "s" in
the list below. The names of the
company will be recalled by all old
settlers as among the best, citizens Of
the township. Those were times that
tried mems souls, at home as we'll as
at the front. Those pioneer patriots,
from Capt. A. F. Wood, on thru the
list, with their wives, furnished no
less their share of heroic accomplish
ment
On Aug. %, 1862, at meeting Of the
Union Township Self Protection So
ciety, were drawn up a constitution
and bylaws for the organization of a
company Of Home Guards. On Aug.
80, Alanson Wood was elected captain
on the first ballot.
The meeting then proceeded to the
election of lieutenants, whoch resulted
in the election Of Ezekial Sawin, first
lieutenant, and Silas Hays, second
lieutenant. Those who pledged them
selves to form this company of Home
Guards, were as follows:
Lewis Rash, John Hutson, David
Sawin, E. S. Sawin, James B. Garter,
Jacob E. Carter, Jasper Rowen,* Andrew
Reed, v. H. Richard, David Ratliff, j.
E. Baker, Isaac Garrison, Jesse T. Tur-
ner, j. T. Sloan, Aristo Wilcox, Will
lam Lochard, John Valentine. John
Reeds Alfred Wilson, G. II. Williams,
Joseph L. Hunters Henry w. Abbott,
w. A. Sloan, Ziba Valentine, Calvin
Illusions o. B. Chaplin" Thomas Loeb
ard Charles p. Marshall, L. f. San
derson. Benjamin Negus, Silas Hays A.
Rash,. Salem Hartinger,* John c.
Hartinger,* o. Wood, F. Hutson, Dijah
Wilcox, Charles Belts, Thomas Hut
son, lobe Crist," Perry Boyer, S. B.
Collins, Jacob Zufall," Hudson Cra-
mer,* w. H. Moore,% N. B. Learner
John Rogers David B. Kinsey, G. W.
Lochard, James Valentines M. Glover,
Gilbert Haas, and J. D. Wilcox.