Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-22
WAPELLO COUNTY PIONEERS HAVE
Time OF THIER LIVES AT AGENCY
Estimated That 1000 People attended
Old Settlers Reunion at Streblows
Grope-Many We're the Handshakes of
Olden Times Acquaintances.

Der 16, 1914 and adjourned two DAYS
because of the absence of the Hon.
Charles Mason, who was the first
judge to hold court in Wapello coun-
tvs log court house
First Churches.
The first churches were organized
by Rev Spaulding at Agency in 1874
| (Congreg ationaD, Rev. Kirkpatrick,
at Otumwa in 1874 (M. E., latter
Rev. Spaulding located in OF
tumwa in 1876 and Rev McCune
the Presbyterian church in Ottumwa
in 1853. All of these founders have
since died.
Agency possesses great historical
interest being the most prominent of
the early settlements of Wapello
county. The Indian agency was estab.
lished in 1888 by General Joseph
Street who came here from Prairie
Du Chen, Wis, and died May 5, 1870
The tomb of Gen, Street lies alongside
that Of Chief Wapello at Agency.
Major Beach, son-in-law of Gen.
Street, succeeded the latter as Indian
agent The Indian agency was estab-
lished under the treaty of 1887 which
Was SlSuSu dl Agency CITY.
The speaker reviewed the early
settling of Eddyville, telling many
incidents in which the Indians were
the principal actors Hard Fish
was the first title given the place and
was called for an old Indian chief by
that name Eddy was the name of the
man who conducted the trading post
which was established there in 1910.
The Indian population as given by
the traders book is 1904.
"The name of Ottumwa was the
subject of considerable difference OF
opinion between the writer's of the
early history of the city and country,
said the speaker who cited autnori-
ties some of whom gave the transla-
ton of the original Indian name All
tum- way-e-nauk," to mean "Tumbling
Waters" Swift Water" and Per
severance Town." the fact that Rae
coon rapids as they we're then known
are close to Ottumwa it is thought
that Swift or Tumbling Waters is
the original name.
''The day Of companies dealing in
watered stock seems to go back to-
the earliest days of Ottumwa and Wa
pello county," said the speaker, who
told of the Des Moines River I'm
provement company and Des Moines
Navigation and Railroad Company,
that operated here in the early days.
"This concern" continued the speak
err was capitalized for $1,000,0O0, and
but $167 900 was ever paid into 1t.
Thus you see watered stock was in
vogue even in the pioneer days.
Sk,eaAy- Hr,ndeox Tabs
At the close of the address of Will
liam McNett, the chairman introduced
as the guest of the day and one who
perhaps more than anyone else could
tell of the early days of Agency prop
er, because of his residence and fam
lily connections with the Indian agent,
Gen. Joseph Street, grandson of the
governments first agent, Captain Jo-
seph A. Wilson, Of Lexington, Mo.
Capt Wilson took the rostrum and
in voice that was perhaps too low to
penetrate very far into the crowd, but
which nevertheless rang with q firm
ness mistaken by any termor, and typ
flied the sturdy pioneer, said:
"Old neighbors, friends and every
body generally, am glad to be among
you once more. would make a much
better fighter than talker and would
almost rather fight than talk. How
ever on an occasion like this, after a
lapse of forty years, the thought of
fight readily gives way to the spirit Of
friendship and for the sake of Aud
Lang Syne' I will do as best I can to
talk to you and try to recall for our
mutual benefit many scenes with
which many of old timers are famil- |
lar"
The Indian Wouldn't Work.
The speaker then told of the old
places of interest about the city of
Agency, and stated that the park or
grove in which the exercises of the
day were being held was formerly his
fathers farm, and before that was t. |
original model farm established by
the government for the agricultural
education Of the red man. But" he
said. "the Indian would not work. The
old log house that for years stood near
the grove was built while the speaker
was boy and living on the farm
where he was then speaking. That log
house was built Of hewn logs and I
watched it's erection. One hundred
logs were used in building it and we
considered that it was tolerably
good building when completed. and II
guess it stood the test of time
Continuing, the speaker told of
many incidents in which the Sac and
Fox Indians mingled as chief actors,
and the tale was free from tragedy so
often characterizing Indian tales. The
honesty of the people of those times
was Improbable and no locks were
put on the doors, as they were not
needed. The latch string hung loose.
A Fight on Election Day.
Among the early industries the
speaker told of the sugar camp that
was located near the town of Agency
and the manner in which it was oper-
ated Election times said he, were
great times in those days, and we al
ways planned for fight when cleo
ton day cine around. The boys
would load clubs and get bowie knives
in condition 70" business as the
fights in those days were not parlor
affairs although evervOna uac MT