History of Linn County Iowa Part 103

COMPANY C, CEDAR RAPIDS

One of the best known military companies in the state is Company C, of Cedar Rapids. This company was organized November 1, 1883, its first captain being George Greene. Many of the best known young men of the town at one time or another have been members of this organization.

After serving a number of years Captain Greene resigned, and for a short time W. G. Dows was acting captain. Ed. II. Smith was then chosen to the position. He was succeeded by George A. Evans.

W. G. Dows, long a member of this company, for a time was adjutant of the First Regiment Iowa National Guards.

Upon the call for troops because of the Spanish-American war, on April 25, 1898, the entire membership of Company C left that same night for Des Moines, where the entire First Regiment was a.s.sembled. This regiment was mustered into the United States service as the Forty-ninth Iowa United States Volunteer Infantry. William G. Dows, colonel, commanding. After drilling for a time they went to Jacksonville, Florida, and then to Savannah, Georgia, where they took a government transport for Cuba. The members of the regiment did all kind of service in the army of occupation, much of it being very laborious. In May, 1899, the regiment returned from Cuba and shortly afterwards was mustered out at Savannah.

While the company was in the service in Cuba George A. Evans was its captain.

A few months later the present Fifty-third Regiment was organized, each city in the old regiment being allowed a company in the new. Company C was reorganized, and is now a part of this regiment. The first captain of the new company was Frank Hahn. He was succeeded by T. A. Berkebile, and he by John Rau, who is now the captain of the company.

Col. William G. Dows, who is now a member of the governor's staff, served for twenty-five years in various capacities in the same regiment, a service for continuity unequalled. Though offered promotions, he maintained that he would rather stay by the old boys and the old regiment.

FIFTH IOWA BATTERY

Promptly upon the declaration of war in 1898 with Spain a battery was organized in Cedar Rapids for service in that war. It was mustered into the service as the Fifth Battery Iowa Volunteer Light Artillery. Nearly all of the 100 members came from Cedar Rapids and vicinity. The members were enrolled during April and May, and the battery was mustered in at Des Moines in June by Major Olmsted of the U. S. regulars. The battery saw no regular service, but it spent ten weeks in camp waiting, ready for service in the field if called upon. George W. Bever was the captain, R. Tasker Forbes and S. Craighead Cook, lieutenants, Charles A. Loring was first sergeant, Robert M. Witwer, quartermaster sergeant.

Dr. C. H. French and Roy Waite were also sergeants in the company.

CHAPTER XLV

_Odds and Ends of History and Reminiscence_

In this chapter we give some odds and ends of history and reminiscence that could not well be inserted elsewhere or that came into our possession after the foregoing chapters were written:

The result of the vote in Linn county in 1860 showed 2,227 for Lincoln electors, 1,220 for Douglas, 24 for Breckinridge, and 84 for Bell. In Rapids township Lincoln had 397, Douglas 201, Breckinridge 3, and Bell 26.

The first telegraph line reached Cedar Rapids February 24, 1860.

On the evening of Sunday, June 3, 1860, a destructive storm occurred, since known as "The Great Tornado." It was most destructive about five miles north of Cedar Rapids, and pa.s.sed southward, leaving the county in the vicinity of Western. Some lives were lost and many buildings destroyed.

THE TOWN OF WESTERN

Western was laid out in March, 1856, under the auspices of the United Brethren church, with the design of forming proper surroundings for the college. Ground was first broken in June of that year. By August, 1857, there were forty-three dwelling houses and three hundred inhabitants.

One college building had been completed. This was of brick, three stories in height, 36 by 62 feet. This was placed upon a campus of seventeen acres. Rev. S. Weaver was first president of this inst.i.tution. The plan was to operate a large farm in connection with the college, that students might earn their way. In this new town there were already two stores, one hotel built and one building, a blacksmith shop, two physicians, and fourteen busy carpenters. Land in the vicinity was worth from $10 to $20 per acre. Its quality was proven when the college president, on his own farm, raised 1,800 bushels of wheat. There was a railroad coming there, of course, as there was one prospected to nearly every cross-roads in the state. This particular line was the Iowa Union, to run from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City.

Western was above all things a moral town. One Daniel Quin having opened a grog shop near the place, where the college authorities could not interfere, the people took up the matter. Sentiment was aroused and a ma.s.s meeting was held. At this meeting resolutions were adopted, which provided that a committee should wait upon the dram seller and urge him to desist. In case of his refusal the committee was to try legal methods for his suppression. If these proved ineffective the meeting was to be again called, to devise further measures. A very significant addendum was that the meeting would support the committee in any plan which might be considered necessary to eradicate the obnoxious business. It was further resolved to use the boycott--though the Irish captain had not yet given his name to the scheme. In other words they were not to employ or trade with any man engaged in the liquor business or who might in any way support the traffic. It is perhaps needless to say that Quin surrendered at discretion without forcing the committee and the people to extremities hinted at.

MT. VERNON

Mt. Vernon makes showing in several directions during 1857. The Congregationalists of that town being without a place of worship were enabled to rent from the Covenanters. But by the terms of the lease with that strict body promise was made that no minister of pro-slavery sentiments should be heard within the building, nor upon any occasion was a musical instrument of any description to be used therein. The inst.i.tution at Mt. Vernon which had before this time been known as "Iowa Conference Seminary," was in August, 1857, changed in name to Cornell College. And Mt. Vernon, like the other college town of Western, was careful for civic peace and righteousness. Christianity in that time and in a new country was required sometimes to be of a stalwart and muscular kind, that it might meet evil tendencies sharply and effectively. Thus we learn of the discomfitures of a gang of rowdies from Linn Grove, who invaded the peace of Mt. Vernon and disturbed its Sabbath quietude, with intent to break up a religious meeting then in progress. These were overcome, after a tussle, by the worshippers, and held until pa.s.sing of midnight brought a civic day.

Then the justice was roused, the disturbers formally accused, tried and fined to the utmost extent of their resources. The affair was over before one o'clock Monday morning, the rowdies started home with empty pockets, sadder and wiser men, and the G.o.dly inhabitants of Mt. Vernon again slept the sleep of the just.

FIRST AGRICULTURAL a.s.sOCIATION

The Linn County Agricultural and Mechanical a.s.sociation was organized in 1855, its first meeting being held at Cedar Rapids in May of that year. The organization was completed in July. The object, as stated, was "the encouragement of agriculture, manufactures and the mechanic arts." To accomplish this laudable purpose an annual county fair was to be held. The first of these was at Cedar Rapids in September, 1855, and the second at Marion the next year. These are reported as very creditable in exhibits, and fairly well attended. In 1857 the a.s.sociation was incorporated, and in consequence drew $200 from the state treasury. The third fair was again at Cedar Rapids, and the management took the public into its confidence in advance by revealing its slender resources. The premiums for '56 were not paid, but those of the next year were very promptly met, and a surplus remained over for the future. These annual fairs were recognized as something to be aided by all parties, and the various toll bridges notified intending exhibitors that all live stock taken to the fair would be pa.s.sed free.

The statement of the a.s.sociation for 1860 shows total income of $462.00, of which amount $259.00 represented the gate receipts. The expenditures were $414.95, including $146.98 for premiums. The indebtedness of the society had increased to $618.65. The amount received from the state each year was $200.00. Officers elected for 1861 were: President, Charles Taylor, Cedar Rapids; vice presidents, Andrew Safely and W. S. Gott, Marion; secretary, S. D. McCauley, Cedar Rapids; treasurer, Lysander Jones, Marion.

FIRST TEACHERS a.s.sOCIATION

Another organization, though having nominal existence before this time, was really made effective in 1857. This was the Linn County Teachers'

a.s.sociation.

On October 31, on call of J. L. Enos, the teachers and others interested met in Cedar Rapids. Mr. Enos was then editor of the _Voice of Iowa_, the educational organ of the state. At this meeting a reorganization of the a.s.sociation was effected, and officers elected as follows: President, Rev. S. Weaver, president of Western college; vice presidents, Prof. S. M. Fellows of Mt. Vernon, E. A. Cooley of Marion, Ira G. Fairbanks of Cedar Rapids; secretary, Prof. N. W. Bartlett, Western; treasurer, Hon. E. N. Bates of Cedar Rapids. The executive committee consisted of M. Bowman, Franklin township; S. M. Bruce, Washington; William Parmenter, Western; J. L. Enos, Cedar Rapids; and A. Witter, Franklin. The work of preparing a const.i.tution was committed to J. L. Enos, E. A. Cooley, and Ira G. Fairbanks. A further meeting of the a.s.sociation was held at Western, December 12th, at which time the const.i.tution was adopted and the organization started on a very useful existence.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STREET VIEWS IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IN 1910]

FIRST TEACHER'S CERTIFICATE IN CEDAR RAPIDS

The first teacher's certificate issued in Rapids township reads as follows:

"This certifies that I have this day examined Miss Susan A. Abbe, touching her ability to teach, both in regard to her education and to her moral character, and I find her well qualified for a teacher of common schools.

"This certificate shall be valid for one year.

"Rapids township, Linn county, Iowa, July 16, 1847.

"Alexander L. Ely, "Inspector of Common Schools for said Township."

Alexander L. Ely was one of the early settlers of Cedar Rapids, was interested in the public matters of the new town, and early engaged in politics. He was also largely interested in real estate, and operated one of the first mills on the Cedar river at the dam, which he caused to be built with N. B. Brown and other leading citizens.

Susan A. Abbe, the person to whom this certificate was issued, is still living in Hollister, California, and is known as Mrs. Susan Shields.

She was seventeen years when the certificate was issued, and had then been a resident of the county ten years. She taught for a number of years in the public schools of this county.

Mrs. Shields maintains that she was the first legally qualified person to teach in the public schools of Cedar Rapids, according to the laws then in force in the state.

The evidence seems to confirm her contention.

TEACHERS' INSt.i.tUTE

A teachers' inst.i.tute, first of which record is made and notable in point of attendance, was held in Cedar Rapids December 26, 1859, and continued for three days. There was constant drilling for the pedagogues in common school branches. Some sixty teachers were present.

Linn county teachers held their inst.i.tute for 1860 at Western October 29-30, with Prof. F. Humphrey of Cedar Rapids, president. Some of the subjects discussed may serve to ill.u.s.trate differences in the times.

Question of teachers (presumably male) using tobacco came up, and a resolution was adopted expressing "disapproval of the use of tobacco by teachers, and recommend to those of Linn county to abstain therefrom entirely." Dr. J. Maynard of Tipton made an address on the subject of "Children's Rights." Prof. Wheeler of Cornell orated on "Demosthenes."

Editor Jerome of the Iowa City _Republican_ urged teachers to use the press as an ally in the cause of education.