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Audubon County |
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CHAPTER IV.SETTLEMENT OF AUDUBON COUNTY.From History of Audubon Co., Iowa (1915)
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BEFORE THE SETTLEMENT.When the Mormons abandoned Nauvoo, Illinois, many of them crossed Iowa to Kanesville, now Council Bluffs, in the year 1846. Some of them settled at Indian Town and Ironiston, west of Lewis, and also farther north in Shelby and Harrison counties. There is still an early Mormon settlement at Galland's Grove, in the northwest part of Shelby county. One of the Mormon trails crossed Troublesome creek where Nathaniel Hamlin settled, which, undoubtedly, was the cause that led to the selection of his claim there. Another Mormon trail crossed this county near the site of the present poor farm. It is supposed that the Mormons dropped the seed there which gave the name to Blue Grass Grove and to the creek of the same name. Still another Mormon trail crossed the county through the north parts of Viola, Cameron and Lincoln townships. The last two named trails would have been on the direct route from Nauvoo to Galland's Grove and vicinity, where the Mormon's settled. None of them settled in this county, except John S. Johnston, who came here in 1855 and who had been a Mormon. The purpose of the Mormons was to continue their exodus beyond the Missouri river. After going on to Utah, many of them became disgusted with polygamy and returned to Shelby county and vicinity. While enumerating the United States census in 1870, the writer found one of them in Shelby county named Joseph Hancock, then seventy years of age, who claimed to be a grandson of John Hancock, the patriot governor of Massachusetts. The United States government surveyors had been here and surveyed the lines of township 78, in the year 1849. Possibly Hamlin and Jenkins had found some of the posts of that survey and the first settlers may have selected their claims from that survey. It is certain that Hamlin, Jenkins, Decker, Powell, Mrs. Hoggard and Doctor Ballard selected their claims nearly conformable to the section lines as afterwards surveyed. FIRST SETTLEMENT.The locality pleased Nathaniel Hamlin and he staked off a claim adjacent to the Mormon trail, where he decided to make his future home. This was the initial act of the first settlement of the county. At that time there was not a white settler within twenty miles of the spot selected by Mr. Hamlin. The party returned to Mahaska county, and Mr. Hamlin made preparations for his removal to his claim. Taking his eldest child, Mary, ten years of age, leaving the remainder of the family behind, they, with seven yoke of work oxen, wagon, implements and tools for labor and provisions, started for his distant claim amongst the wild animals and wilder men. He was accompanied by his brother, William P. Hamlin, and Philip Arthur Decker, without their families, and by the brother-in-law and sister-in-law of Decker, John and Betsey Ann Hoggard, young unmarried people. When they reached Winterset, Iowa, they met and made the acquaintance of John S. Jenkins and family, composed of his wife, Malinda, and children, Benjamin, John, Sarah, Isaac, Harriet and George, who were traveling westward in search of a new home. Mr. Hamlin told Jenkins about this place, its beautiful, fertile soil, and noble groves of timber, and invited him to come and view it himself. Mr. Jenkins decided to do so. On May 6 the little colony, with stout hearts, willing hands and a hopeful future, reached the claim of Mr. Hamlin and the first permanent settlement of Audubon county was an accomplished fact. Isaac Jenkins once told the writer that he was then a small lad (about eight years old) and that the next morning after their arrival, "Uncle Natty" commenced cutting logs for his cabin, and that he, Isaac, hauled them together with his father's yoke of stags, called "Buck" and "Brandy." After erecting his log cabin, with Mary to drive the team, Mr. Hamlin broke out forty acres of prairie land, which he planted in sod corn, and amongst which he sowed seven acres of buckwheat and planted some potatoes and turnips. The land was not then surveyed, but Mr. Hamlin's claim afterward proved to be situated in section 35, in what is now Exira township, a selection of first-class prairie and timber land. To this he afterward added many other acres. We are indebted to John T. Jenkins, Esq., of Brayton, the only survivor of the Jenkins family, for some facts concerning the first settlement. He says that when they arrived at Hamlin's claim, Troublesome creek was overflowing its banks. The next morning his father felled and lodged a tree against another tree on the opposite bank and "crooned over" on the fallen tree. His horse was led with a long rope and swam the river. Then he mounted his horse and rode over to where the town of Oakfield is now situated and selected a claim for his home at the "big spring" in the timber, in section 20, now in Exira township. To mark the site of his claim, he blazed a basswood tree and wrote on it: "This is my claim." Mr. Decker selected a claim in section 17, now in Exira township, where Boy Herrick now resides. The Hoggards settled in section 26, where Isaac Lewis afterward resided many years. William P. Hamlin immediately settled in section 6, in what is now Benton township, Cass county, at the same place afterward occupied many years by Almond Goodale. Later, Mr. Hamlin settled on Buck creek, in Cass county, afterward known as the Barney Harris place. In 1860 he moved to Exira, where he lived many years. William Powell came the same year and settled in section 3, where Ad. Seibert now lives. An important addition to the new settlement, the same year, was Dr. Samuel M. Ballard, a wealthy man for that period, and a physician, then residing at Iowa City. I was often entertained years ago by his graphic recitals of early times and events in this county. He was a rare story teller. One event in connection with the early settlement is particularly apropos--his first meeting with "Uncle" John Jenkins. The doctor said that he had heard of the fine land and timber on the Botna river in this county and decided to examine it personally. He had also heard of the settlement here of Mr. Jenkins, and, securing direction as to his place of abode, started afoot and alone from Lewis to find the place. After traveling many miles, he reached the foot of the hill south of the present town of Oakfield and supposed he was near the place sought, and there discovered a new path leading north into the timber. Soon he saw some white children, who fled at his approach. Continuing his way, he soon met a man with a rifle, who demanded of him: "Are you for peace, or are you for war?" "I replied," said the doctor, "'I feel very peaceful at this time, and I have been traveling since morning and am getting hungry. I am wanting to find a man named Jenkins, who I suppose lives somewhere in this vicinity.'" The doctor introduced himself, and Mr. Jenkins invited him to his cabin and provided refreshments. Then the doctor explained the object of his visit; that he was seeking a tract of prairie and timber land for himself, and that what he had seen suited him if he could secure it. Mr. Jenkins informed him that the rules of the Settlers' Club provided that no individual could take a claim for more than one hundred and sixty acres of land. But the doctor expressed a desire to obtain a greater amount. At that period the government land was not in market and had not been surveyed. The settlers were clubbed together to make rules and regulations regarding individual claims and for mutually protecting them. The doctor suggested the advisability of having a physician in the settlement, also the propriety of having a man possessed of wealth among them to assist in developing the country, etc. And he told the story of a once famous doctor, who, on sending his pupil out to practice medicine on his own account, gave this advice: "If you shall ever discover in your practice that you can do the patient no good, be sure that you do no harm." The story is too long and too awfully funny to relate here. But the doctor averred that if he did settle here he would endeavor to do the people no harm. The subject was discussed among the few settlers, who consented to make an exception in the case of Doctor Ballard and to allow him to select his claim as proposed, and to protect him in it. The result was that he secured the beautiful tracts of prairie and timber lands since known as the Ballard estate in Exira and Oakfield townships and adjoining in Cass county. John M. Donnel came in 1851, or soon after, and lived in the vicinity of Hamlin's Grove many years. He drove the mail hack in early days from the east to Hamlin's Grove. After Mr. Hamlin had finished his breaking and put in his crops, he returned to Mahaska county, closed out his business there and returned with his family, consisting of his wife, Margaret (Aunt Peggy), and children, Mary, Hannah, Rose, Melinda and W. Allan. They arrived here on September 13, 1851. With them came the widow Hoggard, the mother of John and Betsey Ann, and the wife of Philip Arthur Decker. Probably John Hoggard and Decker went back to Mahaska county for their people with Mr. Hamlin. Benjamin and Isaac Jenkins went back with an ox team at or about the same time, to move the family of William P. Hamlin to Cass county. There has been contention as to who was the first settler, Nathaniel Hamlin or John S. Jenkins. The honors are easy. Hamlin was here and made his claim in March, 1851, and followed it by actual settlement on May 6, 1851. He built the first cabin and broke out his land the same season and his family came on September 13, 1852. Jenkins came May 6, 1851, and decided to settle and made his claim not earlier than May 7. His family came with him, so they were actually the first family settled in the county. Hamlin himself must be held to be the first actual settler here. |
