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

Part II, Chapter VII

Red Rock Township - Its Geography and Early History - John D. Bedell - Red Rock Village - The Flood of '51

Red Rock township consists of all of town. 77, range 20, north of the Des Moines river. It is bounded on the north by Jasper county; on the east by Summit; on the south by Union, with the Des Moines river as its boundary line; and on the west by Perry. Most of the township is well timbered, though in the northern part, approaching the upland prairie, the timber scatters into separate groves, that margin the small streams. The principal streams that course through it, running southward, are Calhoun and Miksell's* creeks, each large enough to afford saw mill water power three or four months of the year. Coal exists in many places, but has not been so extensively mined as in some other parts of the county, fuel being abundant and coal market rather distant.

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*Miksell's creek is called "Spor's timber" on the map.
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Red Rock township, as first organized, January 6th, '47, included, besides its present territory, all of town. 77, range 19 (Summit); all of of town. 76, range 19, north of the river (now a part of Polk) and all of town. 77, range, 20, south of the river (now belonging to Union). The place of holding elections was at the house of Benjamin Bowman. Only a part of the territory that is now known as Summit; all of Polk north of the river; and so much of the present township of Red Rock as lies east of what was known as the "old Indian boundary line," a short distance west of the present site of Red Rock village, first belonged to what was called "Red Rock precinct;" and the remainder of the township, lying on the west side of said line, including all of the present township of Perry, belonged to "Gopher Prairie" precinct.

On the 8th of Jannary, 1850, the township was extended so as to include sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24 of town 76, range 20. This took the remainder of the present of Union, and one tier of sections now belonging to Knoxville; but by the organization of Union and Summit in '50 and '53 the township was reduced to it present size and shape.

We have been unable to obtain a full list of the officers elected in this township, both before and after its township organization; but we have the name of Robert D. Russell as justice of the peace, and John Tollman as constable, as early as '45. John D. Bedell was first Justice after its organization.

With Mr. Bedell's settlement in Red Rock begins the history of the township and village; and we shall therefore introduce the history by a brief sketch of his life up to the time of its location:

Mr. B. was born in Bath county, Kentucky, September 25, 1817; from whence he emigrated to Montgomery county, Missouri, in the fall of '30, and from thence to Van Buren county, Iowa, in the fall of '42, and made a claim near the present site of Farmington, and erected a cabin. Two weeks after making this claim he sold it and returned to Missouri. But early in the spring of '43 he returned to Iowa, and at Iowaville met and formed the acquaintance of a Frenchman named Lewis Leplant, who could converse in the Indian language, with whom he formed a sort of co-partnership in an expedition into the new purchase in quest of a location for a settlement.

He then went to Agency, and applied to Captain Allen, who had command of the post there, for permission to pass the line. But the captain refused, adding that he had no authority to grant such a privilege, but that he could take it at his own risk, only being careful to avoid discovery by the dragoons who sometimes amused themselves by persecuting whites who could show no legal authority for their presence in the territory.

Mr. B. and his companion thereupon concluded to risk the dangers of the adventure, and, being lightly equipped, they set out on foot. This was in March, and during the journey up the Des Moines valley, following an Indian trail, a heavy snow fell, covering the earth to the depth of nearly three feet, and rendering their progress slow and toilsome. After several days travel, attended with no little hardship, the last one of their journey up closed as they reached Miksell's creek, near where the bridge crosses it about half a mile east of the village of Red Rock.

It was already dark when they reached this place, and here they concluded to make the best preparations they could for spending the night. Having cleared away the brush and snow, they were in the act of kindling a fire, when Leplant discovered a light about in the direction of the bluff that encloses the village. Though greatly fatigued and chilled, they deemed it best to reach this light, hoping to find more companionship and a better shelter.

On reaching it they found a party of Indians on their way to Hardfish, (so named from the well known chief) where was a trading post, but who had been compelled by the deep snow to stop there. But the suffering condition of the two travelers rendered them less choice of companions and accommodations than they might have been under other circumstances, and eagerly asked for shelter, and their request was readily granted. After partaking of the no way sumptuous fare of their dusky entertainers, they retired to the wickeup, rolled themselves in their own blankets, and enjoyed a comparatively refreshing sleep.

Next morning, before the Indians resumed their journey, the chief of the party piloted their guests to the river, for then the town plat of Red Rock was covered by a heavy growth of timber, so that the stream was not visible from the camp.

On taking what may be deemed an off-hand survey of the locality, Mr. Bedell thought the beautiful flat, partly walled up as it was by hills, would make a good sight [sic] for a trading house and a town. So he immediately decided to locate there so soon as it should be practicable to do so, and in order to effect a sort of preliminary establishment of his claim, he "blazed" a tree that stood on the bank of the river a short distance below where his store now is, and from thence blazed a line northward, taking in not only the whole town plat, but a considerable tract of land besides.

This done, he and Leplant returned to Missouri for provisions. These they brought on horseback, arriving about the last of April, 1843. On the first of May a house was built. It was a light pole cabin, fourteen feet square, covered with bark, and stood about twenty steps from the river bank, near where stands the old frame building built and formerly owned by James Harp. Their only assistant at the raising was John Jordan, who, as we have heretofore stated, kept a trading house on the other side of the river, and they finished the building ready for occupation by three o'clock in the afternoon.

About two weeks after this Mr. Bedel, in company with John Jordan, went to Keokuk and purchased a keel boat and loaded it at Alexander with about ten tuns of such merchandise as was needed to stock a frontier trading house, and hired it pushed up the Des Moines to their settlement.

The first person that succeeded Mr. Bedel as a settler there, was Amos Shaw. He built a cabin in which he also traded till he died, some time in 1845 or '46. In the spring of 1844, Ray Alfrey and wife moved in and occupied the cabin of Mr. Bedel, he boarding with them. During their residence here of two or three years, a feeling of jealousy on the part of Mrs. Alfry, in consequence of the inconstancy of her husband, resulted in the first divorce case in the county. The case was successfully conducted by J. W. Alley. Mr. Alfrey had left the country at about the time the Indians did, and returned to find himself a "grass widower," when he soon disappeared the second time, and his whereabouts is not known.

Mr. Bedel kept trading house for two years, and also cultivated about ten acres of corn on the present site of the village, having previously deadened the timber. In August, 1845, he got it surveyed into town lots, and called it Red Rock, from the near locality of the lofty cliffs of red sand stone.* The Indian name for the place was sic-ella-musk-a chees, (red stone.) But as stone was not deemed a proper term by those who were accustomed to apply rock to every thing of the kind from the size of a pebble to a boulder, the new town was called Red Rock.

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*These stones are of the consistency capable of being dressed into any shape, and will harden after being exposed to the air, This proves it to be valuable as ornamental building stone; and, but for the lack of means of transportation, it would undoubtedly become an article of considerable trade.

Many years ago the writer saw the fleshless head and large horns of a deer suspended between some stunted cedars nearly half way down the perpendicular wall. The animal had evidently plunged over the height to escape the pursuing hunter, or may have been pushed over the precipice by another animal. There, beyond the reach of man or beast, the unfortunate animal had died, rotted and fallen into the river, leaving the head to tell, without a date the story of the fearful plunge.
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Those who became citizens of the place immediately after it had thus assumed its existence as a village, were James Harp and E. H. Baker. Mr Harp built the first cabin after the town was laid out. It stood a few rods from the river bank, and contained two room, one of which was occupied by E. H. Baker as a store room, and the other by Mr. H. himself, as a sort of "bachelor's hall." Baker remained here till he went to Burlington; from thence he moved to Prairie City; and is at present at Colfax station, in Jasper county. A more extendednotice of this eccentric character will be given in another place.

Robert D. Russell, who was the first justice in the township, lived a short distance above the town plat, both before and after it was surveyed. He was also postmaster for a short time previous to that event, after which James Harp was appointed, with Dr. Reuben Matthews and G. N. Crum as his bondsmen. Rev. M. J. Post, an early citizen of Pella, now deceased, carried the first mail to this office, from Fairfield, by way of Agency, Ottumwa, Eddyville; and from here to Fort Des Moines, making the trip once a week.

The first physician resident of Red Rock was Reuben Matthews, and C. M. Gilky and J. W. McCully were the next.

In '47 and '48 many additions were made to the population of the village, and several frame and respectable log houses were built, giving it a thriving appearance. Indeed, the prospect seemed favorable for its ultimate expansion into the proportions of a city. Situated on a stream already navigable for steamboats during high water, with the promise of being rendered constantly so by the addition of dams and locks, and surrounded by a rich farming country, rapidly increasing in population, the citizens of Red Rock could justly anticipate a prosperous future for their young city. In view of these natural advantages over any more inland locality, some effort was made to get the county seat there; but all hope of success vanished with the sweeping flood of '51. This memorable event occurred in June, a season unusual for such freshets, and the people were not prepared for it. It had been raining for some time and the water was high, but few expected the overflow that took place during the night, when the people were unconscious of it till the alarm was given. Finding the lower rooms of their houses deluged, and the water perceptibly growing deeper and deeper, the excitement grew almost to panic. There was a general moving up stairs by all who had such apartments to escape to, and confused cries for help came from all quarters; and all the canoes and skiffs that could be brought into service were manned for the rescue.

At this time Simpson B. Matthews lived in a hewed log house, on the south side of the river, about half a mile above town. During the night he was awakened by the sound of rushing water in the vicinity, and hearing what appeared to be cries of alarm, he quickly bounded out of bed, and to his increased surprise and alarm found the water several inches deep on the floor. Informing his wife what was taking place he left the house and waded some distance down the river, to where he hoped to make himself heard by the town people. Here he mounted a pile of drift wood and called loudly for help; but such was the alarm and confusion in town that for a long time his efforts to attract attention were unavailing. Having at length succeeded, and obtained the promise of help, he returned to the house; and, by the way, found the water so increased in depth that he reached it with some risk of his life. After some delay, that in consequence of the perilous situation of the family seemed an age to them, they were released.

Just opposite the town, and close upon the bank of the river stood a house occupied by a family named Hall. One of the children belonging to this family was seriously ill, and on the day preceding the night of the flood Mrs. Chestnut, who still lives in Red Rock, went over to pass the night with the afflicted. This was a doleful night in their experience. The family were compelled to take an upper room, whilst the water rose rapidly in the lower, nearly filling it. The child lay panting in the agony of near approaching death, and was hourly, if momentarily, expected to expire. The heart-aching sadness produced by this solemn scene was rendered more intense by the surrounding desolation without, the roar of the flood and cries for help, distinctly heard from across the river. In addition to these causes of distress, another incident within doors was calculated to excite apprehensions for the safety of the house. The water had risen to such a depth in the lower story as to float up the bedstead lately occupied by the dying child, which, being tossed up and down by the undulations of the swelling flood, struck against the upper floor with a heavy thumping noise, peculiarly startling; and no one could restrain a fear that the flood might reach a depth sufficient to float the building, or throw it down. Of course a sleepless night was passed, and when the more than welcome day at last dawned help came, and they were all taken over the river. The sick one was taken to a house near the sugar grove, north-east of town, where it died soon after. Next day the abandoned house fell.

During that night and the day following, most of the people got out of town and prepared themselves for a temporary stay on the bluffs. With as much of their clothing as they could secure undamaged by muddy water, and as was indispensable to camp life, they spread their tents and proceeded to make themselves as comfortable as circumstances would permit, thinking that in a few days at most the water would abate enough to permit them to return to their houses. But a few days passed, and a few more, and yet the dry land did not appear.

In the meantime many persons suffered considerable loss in the destruction of property. Hogs and cattle were drowned, fences swept away, cornfields, lately planted, were ruined by the washing current, or covered by the debris of the flood. At length, at the end of about two weeks, the water went down, and there was apparent safety in returning to the town, and soon the camp was gladly deserted. But the deposit of mud in the houses rendered them unfit for occupation till they were cleaned out, which occupied considerable time and labor, and when this was done, and the citizens had fairly got settled indoors again, the relentless flood made a second raid upon the devoted city, forcing them to take refuge on the bluff for nearly another fortnight.

This second exile proved to be more distressing than the first. The weather was inclement, damp and chilly, and provisions scarce. Grist mills were inconvenient at best, and now beyond reach on account of the flooded condition of the streams. There was corn in the country, but how could it be rendered fit for use? Some relief, however, was found in a temporary mill owned by David B. Worth, who then lived about two miles north of town on Miksell's creek. This mill consisted of a pair of small burrs, turned by hand. To this mill, unable as it was to supply the demand, came people from all the surrounding country, with grists of corn varying in size from bushel to a peck, some begging the privilege of grinding a peck, or even a smaller amount, to supply the urgent demands of hunger. Coffee mills were also used to convert corn into meal, and when the grain could not be ground it was made into hominy.

But an end to these trials came at last. The water subsided and returned to its proper channel, and people returned to their homes and occupations, to recover, so far as possible, the damages they had sustained by loss of property and time. As has been stated, the corn that had been planted on the bottom lands was washed out or covered by mud. It was now apparently too late in the season to replant; yet there was need to do something in that direction, or suffer the total loss of a crop more indispensable than any other in the country. It was even so late as the fourth of July when some of this replanting was done; yet the remainder of the season was favorable to its growth in a soil already unsurpassed in fertility, and now possibly rendered more so by the sedimentary deposits of the flood, that the corn grew and matured with surprising rapidity, and well rewarded the faith and labor of the planter.

But there was a damage wrought by this flood that was irreparable to the village of Red Rock, to wit: its reputation as a safe and therefore suitable place of business. All hope of obtaining the seat of justice was swept away. And who cared to purchase property subject, even at remote periods, to such destructive inundations?

Yet for a time one hope sustained the place, which was the promised slack-water navigation. But this soon vanished, and gave place to that of railroad connection, that was entertained for several years with some apparent certainty, and finally expired with the location of the Des Moines Valley Road up the prairie. This was the last hope.

Transcribed by Mary E. Boyer, 12/06, reformatted by Al Hibbard 13 Oct 2013