541

TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS.

WASHINGTON.

     THIS township is in the main composed of congressional township No. 75, range 7. On the south it includes a portion of 74 of range 7, and on the west part of 75 of range 8, while on the southwest a small portion of township 75, range 7, is attached to Franklin, also a small portion to Marion, the boundary on the south and west being very irregular, it following the general direction of Crooked creek.
     The county was first divided into townships in January, 1844, at which time Washington township was named and its boundaries defined as follows:
     "Township 75, range 7, and sections from 19 to 36 inclusive, of township 76, range 7." The township, however, in fact, had its origin at a more remote date, in the formation of Washington precinct. Washington precinct was created in May, 1839, and was defined as follows:
     "The country included between the center of the prairie between Skunk river and the west fork of Crooked creek, and the center of the prairie between the west fork aforesaid and English river; elections to be held at Washington."
     It will be seen from the foregoing that the boundaries of Washington township have been subject to frequent change, it being at present much smaller than Washington precinct originally was, and somewhat larger than Washington township as constituted in 1844. The township, as now constituted, occupies a central position, being somewhat south of the geographical center of the county and includes about thirty thousand acres,. The surface of the land is very even, the northeastern half of the township being almost a dead level. The soil is the most productive in the State, there being probably less waste land in Washington township than in any other 1ike portion of country in the United States, and there being probably no other thirty thousand acres of land in the world which produces more corn and grass. Notwithstanding the many advantages which this section possesses for agricultural purposes the early settler was inclined to shun it, and had it not been for the location of the county-seat within the bounds of Washington township, it probably would have been the last to be settled. Owing to the almost total absence of timber the pionee'r shunned it, believing as he did, that it was impossible to cultivate a farm of one hundred and sixty acres without having at least eighty acres of timber land.
     The county-seat having been permanently located in 1839 there was thenceforward a continuous demand for Washington township lands, and it was not long thereafter that all the land within a radius of five miles of the county-seat was claimed and improvements begun. From the first, then, the history of Washington township centers in the history of the county-seat.

542

THE CITY OF WASHINGTON.

     As has already been stated the act for the formation of Washington county, and the appointment of commissioners to locate the seat of justice was approved in January, 1839, and during the following summer the commissioners made their report locating the county-seat on the southwest quarter of section 17, in township 75, range 7. This was the beginning of the city of Washington and the first impetus toward the settlement of that large body of productive prairie lands already described. In speaking of the organization of the county reference has already been made to the survey of the original town plat and the first sale of lots. Washington as at present constituted includes this first town plat which now constitutes the heart of the city, and in connection with this some eleven additions since made, as follows:
     North addition, Depot addition, East Washington addition, Dawson:s addition, Orr's addition, South Washington, addition to South Washington, Doig's addition, Western addition, Southwest Washington. addition to Southwest Washington. In speaking more definitely, these were in whole or in part constituted at the following dates by the men whose names are given:
     April 11, 1840, by county commissioners; October 27, 1855, division of out-lot 14 by S. C. Corbin.
     November 6, 1855, by James Dawson; March 20, 1856, by Jonathan H. Wilson, William Sensabaugh, A. P. Decker and Peter Bogue.
     March 22, 1856, by Joseph Keck; April 5, 1856, division of out-lot and part of 7, by William Barnes; April 19, 1856, by A. N. Miller.
     April 25, 1856, by Geo. W. Thompson, Sr.; May 14, 1856, by J. H. Wilson, A. N. Miller and R. B. McMillen.
     June 10, 1856, by A. L. Burris; July 10, 1856, division of out-lots 9 and 10 of Dawson's addition by David Crandall.
     October 13, 1856, division of out-lot 9 by William H. Rouseau. . November 10, 1856, by Alfred T. Burris.
     March 7, 1857, division of east half of out-lot 11 of Dawson's addition by William McGauhey.
     April 4, 1857, by J. C. Conger; May 6, 1857, by John Jackson and William A. Stiles.
     October 19, 1857, division of the west half of out-lot 11 of Dawson's addition by S. M. Cox; August 23, 1859, by N. Everson.
     It will be seen from the foregoing that the period extending from 1856 to 1860 was one of great prosperity for the city of Washington, and it is safe to say that its growth during those four years was more rapid than for any like period in the history of the city. It was during this time that, the railroad was completed to the city, and for a while it seemed as if Washington was destined to become a great metropolis. For over fifty miles to the south and west stretched away as beautiful and as productive a country as the sun ever shone upon, and this entire territory was tributary to Washington. The amount of stock and grain brought there for shipment was enormous, and every wagon which brought a load of corn took away a quantity of dry goods, hardware and groceries. As the trade increased men of capital and enterprise came and opened up business houses. As the number of business houses increased there was a corresponding increase of demand for dwelling houses, and this created a de-

543

mand for building sites, new additions were surveyed and as soon as the plats could be recorded the lots were disposed of. Those who were sagacious enough to take this tide of prosperity at its flood and prepared themselves for low water before the ebb set in, accumulated comfortable fortunes, while others who concluded that there would be no ebb were left with their ships stranded on the shore. Railroads were built in all directions, and that large section of country before tributary to Washington becoming traversed by a perfect network of railroads, opposition trading points were established; those who had been accustomed to drive their cattle and hogs forty and fifty miles to Washington, presently had side tracks laid down at their very doors, and when these quit driving their stock to Washington the merchant soon missed him from his place of business. Then hard times set in and hundreds of thrifty farmers who had heretofore scarcely ever denied themselves any of life's luxuries, now are scarcely able to procure life's necessities, and thus is there a period put to the prosperity of Washington. Those who lost confidence in the city on account of this temporary depression of business and made haste to dispose of their property preparatory to emigrating to other parts again made a sad mistake by which the more sagacious again profited; for Washington is now entering upon another career of prosperity and it is destined in the near future to even surpass its former glory. With that large and fertile country still tributary to it, with men of capital and enterprise to shape and carry forward its business and social interests, and with the record of the past to afford lessons of caution and encouragement, Washington will most assuredly regain its lost prestige and fully meet the expectation of those who, from the earliest days, even to the present, have manifested an unswerving faith in its future.
     The city is somewhat irregular in its survey owing to the number of additions, but the original plat was laid out with considerable regularity, the blocks being nearly all of the same size, the streets crossing each other at right angles and being wide and straight. The center of the original plat was reserved for a public square, is so designated on the plat and yet is denoted in the survey as a public highway. This square has always been regarded as the property of the county and what improvements have been made were at the county's expense. The court-house which once adorned the, park was removed several years ago, and now there are no traces whatever of that illustrious edifice. It is often remarked of our fathers that they built better than they knew, but the building which the fathers erected in the Washington public square certainly did not exceed either in architectural appearance or durability the estimate put upon it by the builders and those of the citizens who in years gone by were wont to look upon its massive columns, but now gaze with even greater rapture upon the vacant ground which it once occupied. The principal part of the retail business of the city is done on the public square, the streets being as follows:
     North side, Main street; east side, Iowa street; south side, Washington street; west side, Marion street.
     The business houses are in the main of a commodious and durable character, they being constructed chiefly of brick, many of them having iron fronts with windows of heavy plate glass. As a rule, however, the business houses of Washington have rather an antiquated appearance; as exception, the three bank buildings, the "Press" office and the block occupied by Chilcote & Cook might be mentioned.

544

     The opera house block erected by Norman Everson several years ago, is a very substantial and commodious building; it is an imposing structure and readily impresses the visitor with the fact that it was built for use rather than ornament, Here is transacted the principal part of the county business and traveling troupes of artists as well as home troupes of amateurs find a commodious and comfortable audience-room, a substantial stage and chaste if not gorgeous scenery.
     The Brison House block with its recent additions compares very favorably with the hotel blocks in the river towns, Owing to the number of railroad connections which are made at this city, the hotel facilities required are of a more commodious and metropolitan character than most of the inland county-seat towns.
     A way from the square, the academy building with its famous town clock, and the First United Presbyterian Church building are the most prominent buildings.
     Newhall, in his "History of Iowa," published in 1841, speaking of Washington, says: "It contains a population of one hundred inhabitants, is handsomely situated near one of the tributaries of Crooked creek; it is twenty-nine miles from Iowa City and promises to become a thriving and important town." Twenty years later it was by proclamation of the governor declared a city of the second class, and as such was incorporated under the general law for the incorporation of cities.
     The first steps taken toward the incorporation of the town were in 1852. On the 22d of May, that year, an election was held at the court-house for and against incorporating the town which resulted in favor of incorporation, On the 29th of May, same year, D. L. Parker, William H. Jenkins and Samuel Miller were elected to prepare the charter, which they did, filing the same in the office of the county judge. On the 10th of July, same year, an election was held on the adoption of the charter, which resulted in its adoption. From some cause this charter was revoked and the town reverted to its former standing as an unincorporated village,
     In 1855 steps were again taken toward the corporation of Washington. After taking the necessary preliminary measures, a meeting was called for the election of officers, which resulted in the election of the following first corps of municipal officers:
Mayor, A. J. Disney; recorder, J. M, Furguson; marshal, John H. Bacon; councilmen, first ward, Joseph Keck and Norman Chipman; second ward, Hiram Wallingford and W. Perry Organ.
     The first ward comprised all of the town west of the public square, and the east part of the town constituted the second ward.
     Owing to some defects in the steps taken for the incorporation of the town, the municipal government was declared illegal and Washington was again without a government.
     The Buris City "Commercial and Reporter" published in 1856, an article concerning Washington, which gave a tolerably good idea of the town.
Among other things, it says that "Washington contains about twelve hundred inhabitants and the number is rapidly increasing. There will be erected this season about one hundred and forty buildings. Washington College is located here; it has an endowment of forty-five thousand dollars and is under the superintendence of the Associate Reformed Church. They are now erecting a new college building on a very eligible site, which is to be fifty by seventy-five feet on the ground and three stories high. The court

547

house, which is nothing to be proud of, stands in the public square and is about the center of the town. The upper part of this building is occupied by the Washington 'Press' office."
     From this it will be seen that Washington when it began to grow in size and importance made immense strides for three or four years, after which it showed a tendency to relapse into that steady-going, monotonous pace which had characterized the town from 1850 to 1855.
     The great impetus to the growth of the city was the large emigration of 1855 and 1856 and the railroad prospects. Houses of all kinds went up as if by magic in every part of the town, and everybody seemed to be pushing his own and his neighbor's business. It was during this period of prosperity and excitement that many of the brick blocks, which are now the center of trade and traffic, were erected.
     In 1857 the State legislature passed a law incorporating the city of Washington, requiring the act to be published in. the Iowa City "Republican" without expense to the State. As the matter was neglected by the citizens of Washington, the publication of the act was not made until the Friday preceeding the time fixed by law for the election of officers. The law was not received at Washington until the following Sunday, when an extra was issued by the "Press" of the next week as follows:
     "Are [are] all of our citizens aware that the mud-begirt, mud-begrimmed, mud-overwhelmed town of Washington is elevated into the dignity of a city? That all the vast expanse of black al1uviurn which envelops our streets is incorporated dirt, chartered mud? The act of incorporation was published in the Iowa City 'Republican' of last Friday and sent by Saturday's mail for this place, reaching here sometime during Sunday. It was not produced in our office till sometime Sunday afternoon, and as the next day, February 16th, was specified in the instrument, for its adoption or rejection by our citizens by nine or ten o'clock on Monday, it was passed into the hands of the voters in the form of an extra. Polls were opened in due form and one hundred and twenty-nine votes cast, of which one hundred and twenty-seven were for, and two against its adoption."
     The officers elected under this charter were as follows: Mayor. S. P. Young; recorder, Alonzo R. Wickersham; treasurer, S. M. Cox; assessor, Jonathan H. Wilson; marshal, James R. Easton; councilmen, first ward, Andrew Kendal1, Enoch Ross, M. C. Kilgore; second ward, Richard H. Maish, George C. Anderson, William Perry Organ. After the trouble and expense of incorporation and election it was decided by the district court that the charter was null and void. The decision was rendered in a liquor case and being appealed to the Supreme Court was affirmed. The difficulty seems to have been in the notice of election which was held to be insufficient and illegal.
     In the "Press" of May 20, 1857, was published the following in relation to Washington:
     "We have now a population of near two thousand, five churches and two more to be erected the coming season, four hotels, nine dry goods stores, two clothing stores, two hardware stores, two banks, three stove and tinware establishments, two drug stores, one book store, seven grocery and provision stores, one bakery and confectionary, one millinery and fancy store, four blacksmith shops, and sash and door factory, three wagon makers, two boot and shoe stores, three furniture stores, three cabinet shops,

548

one boiler factory" with foundry and machine shop attached, Qne flouring mill, one carding and fulling mill, two tailors, eight or ten ministers, six or seven lawyers, and eight physicians.
     "We have invested in the dry goods business about seventy-five thousand dollars, with yearly sales amounting to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. In the grocery business some twenty thousand dollars, with yearly sales amounting to forty thousand dollars. In hardware and agricultural implements from twelve to fourteen thousand dollars, with yearly sales amounting to thirty-five thousand dollars. In drugs and medicines twenty thousand dollars, with yearly sales amounting to eighteen or twenty thousand dollars.
"Within the past year the Methodists have erected a fine substantial brick church; the Associate Reformed Church has also erected a nice hol1se of worship; Washington College has the walls of its fine edifice up to the second story, and during the year a fine two story brick building has been erected for school purposes. The Methodist church was dedicated on the 28th of June and two thousand dollars subscribed then and there toward paying the debt incurred in its construction."
     On the 17th of September, 1858, measures were again taken for the incorporation of the town of Washington, under the State law for the incorporation of towns and cities. The limits were to be one and a half miles square, taking as a center, the center of the original town plot. This project was strongly opposed by many of the citizens and resulted in a failure as the other efforts had from some defect in the proceedings of the incorporators.
     On the 1st day of June, 1855, Norman Everson opened an exchange and deposit bank in the building on the northwest corner of the square, where now is located the opera-house block. He continued to run this bank until after the organization of the Washington Branch of the State Bank, when the latter institution swallowed up all the minor institutions. In March, 1857, a smaller bank was established by Shaw, Rigour & Co., cal1ed the Washington Deposit Bank, which was carried on by this firm till the summer of 1858, when they were succeeded by William H. Jenkins & 00., who continued the business till the opening of the State Bank. This firm was composed of William H. Jenkins, A. H. Patterson and Hiram Schofield.
     The first move for the establishment of the Washington Branch of the State Bank was made in July, 1858, and on the 29th of the same month the following notice was published:
     "In accordance with the provisions of the law authorizing the establishment of the State Bank of Iowa, approved March 17, 1858, the undersigned have associated themselves together for the formation of a branch of said State Bank at Washington, Washington county, Iowa, and hereby give notice of their purpose to open a book for the subscription of the capital stock at the exchange and collection office of William H. Jenkins & Co." at Washington, in said county and State aforesaid, on the 19th day of August, A. D. 1858, at 10 o'clock A. M. of that day, and thereafter to hold the same open for that purpose, according to the provisions of said law.

549

James Dawson.                  E. W. Twining.
Jonathan H. Wilson.             J. Black, Sr.
George C. Anderson.             C. H. Abbott.
John Dawson.                 Joseph Keck.
George Brokaw.             William H. Jenkins.
A. W. Chilcote.                 A. H. Patterson.
A. N. Miller.                   Isaac Van Nostrand.
John Young.                     S. P. Young.

" Dated at Washington this 29th day of July, 1858."
     The first application to the bank commissioners failed, but subsequent exertions proved successful, and on the 15th of March, 1859, books were again opened and $50,000 of stock subscribed, as follows:

A. H. Patterson ............................4 shares.
Calvin Craven ...............................5 shares.
Joseph Keck ............................... 10 shares.
John W. Quinn ........................... 6 shares.
James Dawson............................. 10 shares.
Lyman Whitcomb .........................5 shares.
S. G. Owen ................................... 4 shares.
Thomas Walker ............................5 shares.
William Wilson, Jr.  ...................4 shares.
George Brokaw ........................... 5 shares.
Thomas Wilson .............................2 shares.
Robert Dawson ...........................10 shares.
William H. Jenkins ................... 30 shares.
George C. Stone ...................... 200shares.
Joseph A. Greene ....................200shares.
Total ..........................................500shares.

     The bank was organized by the election of the following officers: President, Joseph A. Greene; cashier, George C. Stone; directors, Joseph Keck, John W. Quinn, James Dawson, Joseph A. Greene, and George C. Stone.
     Business was commenced on the 19th day of April, 1859. Howard M. Holden was afterward elected cashier in the place of George C. Stone. In February, 1861, Mr. Holden resigned his office, and William H. Hubbard, afterward cashier of the First National Bank of Iowa City, was elected to that office, which he held till February, 1862, when Mr. Holden resumed the duties of cashier and retained the position until the bank was discontinued.
     The first board of directors who attended to any business of the bank were Joseph A. Greene, George O. Stone, Howard M. Holden, Joseph Keck and James Dawson. In August, 1861, Mr. Greene was succeeded in the presidency of the bank by Joseph Keck, who retained that position to the end of its existence. We append two statements--the first and the lastof the business of the bank, by which it will be seen that the business prospered, and, as the common expression runs, was always sound.

550

FIRST MONTHLY STATEMENT MAY, 1859.

Assets.
Safety fund .........................$ 3,000.00
Specie ......................................15,159.80
Notes of other banks .............5,140.00
Cash items ....................................185.00
Due from other banks ...........4,543.64
Notes discounted ..................13,313.82
Expenses .....................................967.45
Furniture ....................................743.65

Total ........................$43,053.36
Liabilities.
Capital stock paid in .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . .. . $25,000 .00
Notes in circulation .................................................................7,824.00
Due other banks ...................................................................... 1,346.60
Deposits ....................................................................................8,557.35
Surplus .........................................................................................325.41

Total ....................................................................................$43,053.36
The monthly statement for May 1, 1865, which was the last, is as follows:

Assets.
Specie, legal tender and bank notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $130,056 .75
On deposit with other banks. . .. .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . . .................51,339.59
Notes and bills discounted .........................................................................156,309.54
Safety fund .......................................................................................................9,500.00
United States bonds. . .. . . ... . . .. . ... .. . . . ... . . .. .. . . . . .. ...................35,600 00
Real estate and furniture ..............................................................................41,500.00
Revenue stamps ................................................................................................. 1,500.00

Total ..........................................................................................$388,805.91
Liabilities.
Capital stock .............................................................................................$ 50,000. 00
Notes of circulation .....................................................................................59,856.00
Due other banks ..............................................................................................3,365.68
.Deposits: .....................................................................................................247,042.38
Surplus ........................................................................................................... 28,541.85

Total ,.................................................................................. $388,805.91

     From the foregoing it will be apparent that the business of the bank, and, of course, the business of the county, increased rapidly during these six years. The item of deposits alone, which in 1859 was but little over $8,000, was in 1865 nearly a quarter of a million of dollars. The same large increase is noticeable in the item of notes and bills discounted. There were good reasons why this bank was always considered one of the best in the

551

State: there were but three others in the State which transacted more business than the Washington branch did. It ceased to do business on the 30th of April, 1865, when it was merged into a National bank. The following
were the stockholders at the time the bank discontinued business:
Joseph Keck. .......................128 shares .................... $12,800
Howard M. Holden. . . . . .145 shares. . . . .. .. . ... . . . . .......14,500
George Brokaw ......................28 shares ..................................2,800
Sam G. Owen ..........................45 shares .................................4,500
Mrs .E. A. Banta ......................8 shares .....................................800
A. W. Chilcote .......................33 shares ................................. 3,300
Mrs. A. W. Chilcote .............17 shares ....................................1,700
Calvin Craven .........................18 shares.. .. . ... .. .. ... .. . .. .. 1,800
James Dawson...,....................... 3shares .....................................300
Shepard Farnsworth ............34 shares .................................3,400
J. M. Craven ..........................12 shares ..................................1,200
Robert Dawson ........................1 share .......................................100
John Moore ............................11 shares ...................................1,100
Hugh Smith .............................11 shares ...................................1,100
Jesse Rose ...............................6 shares ................................... 600

Total ......................................500shares .............................$50,000

FIRST NATIONAL BANK.

     This bank was organized in April, 1864, but did not commence business until May 1, 1865. The stockholders were the same as owned the stock of the State bank at the time it discontinued, and the first officers were as follows: President, Joseph Keck; cashier, Howard M. Holden; directors, Joseph Keck, Howard M. Holden, S. G. Owen, A. W. Chilcote, James Dawson.
      The capital stock was at first fifty thousand dollars but was afterward increased to one hundred thousand dollars, the increase of capital stock being made October 22, 1870.
     The bank now has a surplus of twenty thousand dollars. The stockholders include among their number some of the wealthiest men in the county, and the institution is regarded as among the most reliable banks in the State. The officers at present are as follows: President, N. Everson; cashier, R.R. Bowland; assistant cashier, W. G. Simmons; directors, George Brokaw, R. R. Bowland, N. Everson, Oliver Crawford, Leon Mayer, Hugh Smith, W. G. Simmons.
     The corporation owns its own place of business, and the First National Bank building on the southwest corner of the square is one of the most creditable blocks in the city.

Return to top