Pioneers of Marion County by Wm. M. Donnel, 1872

Part II, Chapter V

Lake Prairie Continued - Thomas Tuttle - The Buffingtons - A sad Accident -
Jacob B. Brown - First Religious Societies - First Orchard

The first settler in the neighborhood of Pella was Thomas Tuttle, whose present residence is in Vandalia, Jasper county. He first came to the State in 1838, and settled in Jefferson county the year following. In 1843 he came to this county, arriving there on the 13th of May. Not having any children and no other help, Mrs. T. helped him to build a cabin in the edge of the nearest timber north of the present site of Pella. Soon after this they made a claim of part of the town plat of Pella, and put up a claim pen on what is now "Garden Square." This cabin remained there, and was for a portion of the time occupied several years after the city had grown up around it.

When this lonely pair took up their residence in the county they were not aware of the existence of another family or white people within twenty miles of them. After being here a month or so it was found necessary to replenish their stock of breadstuff ere it should run too low; so it was decided to go to Fort Madison for a supply, Mrs. T. to accompany her husband or to stay at home as she chose. She chose the latter, and for nine days and nights was the sole occupant of the little cabin, except a big cat,* seeing no human beings except Indians, as they passed and re-passed, and occasionally came in without first announcing their presence or uttering any kind of salutation.

----------
*This cat was still living within the last few years; a remarkable instance of feline longevity.
----------

In August following, four families named Buffington settled three miles north of Tuttle's, forming what was soon after styled "The Buffington Settlement," and for a year these families were their nearest neighbors. The names of those who headed these families were William, James, Samuel and Abram.

A painful accident occurred in the family of James Buffington just previous to reaching their new home. Their youngest were a pair of twin boys, about six moths old. On the way it was discovered that one of them was missing from the wagon. Search being made, it could nowhere be found, and the anxious parent prosecuted the search along the trail they had come for two or three miles, and at last found the infant barely alive, with one of its thighs crushed and flattened by the passage of a wagon wheel. It had, probably, been so stunned by falling from the wagon that it was unable to utter any cry. So far as they were aware, there was no surgeon within a hundred miles; so they bound up the limb and dressed it to the best of their ability. It was, however, too badly mangled to be saved, and eventually came off at the hip joint; but, strangely enough, the child recovered.

The next family that settled in the neighborhood of Pella was that of Jacob C. Brown. He was a native of North Carolina, and became a pioneer at an early period in life. First moved to Tennessee, and from thence to Illinois, an 1830, where, with his family, and but a half dollar in money, he began the battle of life in the wilderness, and became inured to the privations of frontier life before he came to Iowa. In May, 1844, he settled near where Pella now is, where he remained till '47, when he sold his claim to the Hollanders, and moved to Summit. He now lives in Monroe, Jasper Co.

James Duese also settled near Pella, in 1845. He afterwards moved to Summit, but is now living in Minnesota.

The Methodists and Baptists were the first religious denominations that organized societies in Lake Prairie township. The first Methodist class was formed at John B. Hamilton's, and the first Baptist church was organized at Aaron Foulk's by Rev. Moses J. Post, and the place of holding service was at Nossaman's school house, four miles south of Pella. The first persons that received the ordinance of baptism, by immersion, in this township, and in the county, were Sarah Nossaman and Emily Barker, administered by the Rev. M. J. Post. The first Baptist preacher that was licensed to preach the gospel in this township, and also the first in the county, was Rev. G. C. Curtis.

The first apple orchards planted in this township were by Green T. Clark and John B. Hamilton, in the spring of '47, in sections 36 and 25, town. 76. The trees, (about fifty in all), were brought from Illinois. Most of them are still alive, and bearers, and some of the more thrifty ones measure a foot in diameter.

Transcribed by Mary E. Boyer, 12/06, reformatted by Al Hibbard 12 Oct 2013.