|
-181-
JAMES C. JORDAN
 TO continue the record of the location of the Capital at Des Moines, mention must be made of James C. Jordan, or "Uncle Jimmy," as everybody called him, one of the most prominent among the early settlers, and closely identified with the growth and prosperity of the county and town.
He came in the early Fall of 1846, and selected a location about six miles west of The Fort, in Des Moines Township, which then embraced what are now the townships of Saylor, Valley, Bloomfield, Webster, Lee, Grant, Allen, Four Miles, Delaware, part of Clay, and The Fort. His claim was between 'Coon River and Walnut Creek. The first night, he camped under two large Oak trees, where he later erected a log cabin. It was an ideal spot for a person of rural taste and habit. His cabin was large, and furnished with "battend" doors, and window frames made from lumber purchased from Parmelee's mill, near Carlisle. His near neighbors were in Dallas County. Later, he replaced the cabin with an elegant dwelling, where, as in the cabin, there was ever a broad hospitality, a hearty welcome to rich and poor, white or black. His latchstring was always out, and many a weary or storm-beaten traveler found cheerful welcome and comfort therein, for "Uncle Jimmy" was a friend to all mankind. He passed through all the vicissitudes of pioneer life in those days. Sometimes the empty flour or meal box necessitated a long trip to Oskaloosa to get a supply. For meat, the surrounding timberland provided deer, squirrels and coons——the skins of which were legal tender at the stores for groceries and dry goods, and they were not an insignificant source of revenue, either. The boys used to tell this of one of "Uncle Jimmy's" raids on coons. One day, he, with others, had driven some coons into a large hollow tree. A fellow would reach in, grab a coon by the tail, and throw it out for his comrades to quiet with a club. Finally, "Uncle Jimmy" made a grab, but the coon
-182-
had turned, and hot hold of the wrong end, which laid him up a week for repairs.
The Winter of 1847 was very severe, and wolves were a source of much trouble to settlers on bottom lands along the streams. "Uncle Jimmy" walked to The Fort nearly every day to make and build a rail fence around Hoxie's big cornfield, which lay along what is now Grand Avenue and west of Twelfth Street. He was the architect and builder of what was the most aristocratic residence at The Fort. It was at the corner of Twelfth and Walnut streets, and at an acute angle to the street, there being no platted streets then west of Seventh Street. It was built of hewn logs, covered with clapboards; had a lean-to on the west side and big brick chimney. It was surrounded by several large trees. There being but two other houses visible from it——one, Doctor Grimmel's, where Saint Ambrose Catholic Church now stands, the other where Cownie's Glove Facotry is——it was a conspicuous landmark for many years. In 1849, it was sold to S. G. Keene, a dry goods merchant, and was the center for social functions and frolics, Mrs. Keene being fond of amusements and very popular with the young people. Some of the "old girls" tell of lively times had there——things said and done which would not comport with present society exactness. The old house was torn down in 1876.
In 1849, "Uncle Jimmy" built, at or near Valley Junction, the first schoolhouse in what is not Walnut Township. The work was done by Samuel Hiner, a brother of "Jack" Hiner, who so mysteriously disappeared in 1869. It was of logs, and cost him sixty-nine dollars. He was a firm believer in the school and church as promoters of civilization and good government, and his labor and purse were freely given to each.
In 1851, the flood year, Walnut Creek, like all other streams, was unprecedently swollen. Bridges were carried away, fording was impossible. Flour and meal got short. To go to mill, the grist was placed on the back of a horse, which swam across. The owner could wade or swim.
In 1854, Jordan was nominated for State Senator, to succeed Doctor Hull. He at first resisted the nomination, but finally yielded on the earnest request of Whigs, and Free Soil Democrats——the
-183-
Kansas-Nebraska issue being before the people. The Legislature had to elect a United States Senator, which added great interest to the contest, as the Whigs were getting numerous enough to be counted upon. Jordan's opponent was Theophilus Bryan of Guthrie County. The Democratic candidate for United States Senator was Augustus Caesar Dodge, of Burlington. The congressional district embraced all the state south and west of the north line of Marshall County. At the election, on the face of the returns, Bryan had a majority. He was given the commission, took his seat, and voted for Dodge for United States Senator. The Whigs soon after discovered that down in Jasper County, just before the election, there had been employed on streets and roads a large number of aliens, whose names had got on the poll books. A contest was made, the votes re-counted, and Bryan was eighty-five short. He was ousted, and because of some irregularity in the vote for Dodge, it was also set aside. Jordan was seated, and voted for James Harlan, who was elected Senator.
On taking his seat, Jordan at once resumed the work of his predecessor, Doctor Hull. He introduced the second bill to remove the Capital to Fort Des Moines. Bills which had been before the Legislature in 1846 and 1848, were to remove the Capital to a more central point in the state, the location to be selected by a special commission, a proviso inserted to make it possible to prevent it coming to Fort Des Moines. The first commission selected were all Quakers. They did their work admirably. They chose a spot down in Jasper County, on an open prairie, punctured with gopher holes and inhabited with prairie dogs, six miles from the Des Moines River, and several miles from a settler's cabin, laid out the future Capital, sold corner lots, put the money in their pockets, and went home. Their report to the next Legislature of their doings was so permeated with evidence that they had been defiled by the "world, the flesh and he devil," the whole business was repudiated, the money paid for corner lots returned to the purchasers, and the gophers and little dogs left undisturbed.
When the Quaker's report was submitted, McFarland, who subsequently became the notorious Judge, moved that the report be referred to a special committee to report how much of the site selected was under water and how much had been burned up.
-184-
Jordan's bill was specific; it designated Fort Des Moines as the objective point. Immediately it was loaded with amendments and dilatory motions. Naturally, Iowa City had cause for objections, as it robbed her of considerable prestige as the Seat of Government. Marshalltown, Newton, Oskaloosa, and other towns were ambitious for the prize, but Jordan, with his genial, conservative ways, and the aid of his colleagues in the Lower House, and active lobbies from The Fort, carried the bill through, the Seat of Government to be located by a commission, within two miles of the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. To placate Iowa City, she was given the State House, then uncompleted, for a State University.
In 1856, he was reëlected as a Free Soiler. When the Kansas-Nebraska contest and the Fugitive Slave Law were exciting the people, and John Brown's agents were shipping negroes to Canada over the Underground Railroad, there were several stations in Polk County. The tricks and devices practiced to escape the vigilence of slave-hunters, close on their tracks, were numerous and often ludicrous, for there was a strong pro-slavery sentiment in the county, the Statesman frequently giving voice to it in vigorous editorials, denouncing the opposition to the Fugitive Slave Law, with special anathemas against the Methodists. In fact, Slavery existed here at one time. Joseph Smart, the Indian Interpreter at the Trading Post, went to Missouri, bought two negro women, brought them here, and kept them for some time as servants. When he got through with them, he took them South and sold them. Jordan was born and raised in a slave state, yet always abhorred slave-holding. He was a staunch Methodist, and during the John Brown raid, his home was always open to the fugitive. At one time, Brown, with twenty-four negroes, were quartered there, and it required good engineering to get them disposed of, for the stations were at many angles. There was one with Reverend Demas Robinson, a pioneer Baptist preacher, in Four Mile Township; another at Grinnell, and at other places. Frequently, to elude the hunters, the negroes would have to be returned to stations passed, and routed another way.
In 1858, when the Des Moines branch of the State Bank was organized, the first authorized by law to issue bank-notes, Jordan
-185-
was a stockholder and elected one of the Directors, and thereby became largely interested in and identified with town affairs——in fact, he was always considered a part of the city. He was several times elected a member of the county Board of Supervisors, and would have been continued ad infinitum, but he got tired of it.
In 1846, Congress granted to the State of Iowa the alternate sections of land on each side of Des Moines River, in an area of five miles wide, for the purpose of improving the navigation of the river from the Mississippi to Raccoon Forks. The land was to be sold at the highest market price. In 1847, the State organized a Board of Public Works, the Slack Water Navigation Company came into being; dams were partially constructed at Bentonsport, Croton, and Keosauqua; stone was quarried all along the river for several years, but the only evidence of progress was the regularity with which the public lands were demanded and turned over to the companies improving the river.
In 1854, the State, through its functionaries, the Board of Public Works, having disposed of nearly all the land embraced in the grant below the "Forks," and incurred a debt of seventy thousand dollars, sold out to Bangs & Company, of New York, who agreed to assume the debt, take the land grant, and complete the river improvements; but in 1854, they abandoned the work, secured a franchise as the Keokuk, Fort Des Moines and Minnesota Railway Company, and started the building of the road, reaching Eddyville in 1861, where it practically stopped for want of funds. In 1862, the Legislature granted the Des Moines Railroad Company what little of the grant land were left, and had not been sequestrated or stolen outright, to complete the road to Des Moines. This gave new impetus to the railroad question, which was agitating the whole country, and Des Moines especially. Immediately, there was a rumor that a strong effort was being made to divert the road away from Des Moines, by an offer of big bonuses. The company was short of funds, and needed the money. Calvin Leighton, who was interested in the road, and friendly to Des Moines, quietly told Judge Casady, Jordan, and others that a fund of seventy thousand dollars would secure the completion of the road to Des Moines. Jordan, who had increased his land are to eighteen
-186-
hundred acres, and was raising, buying and shipping cattle by the hundreds, at once offered to be one of two hundred to raise one hundred thousand dollars. It was done; it cost him over one thousand dollars. So pleased was Keokuk, she got the subscribers to the fund there, gave them a grand ovation, an excursion down the Mississippi, and jollied them extravagantly. The road was completed, the first passenger train entered Des Moines on August Twenty-ninth, 1866. It stopped on the East Side, there being no bridge over the river, and was greeted with a large crowd of people, who had waited long and patiently for the coming of the first railway.
"Uncle Jimmy" was an ardent Methodist. His cabin and his later elegant mansion were the Mecca of circuit-riders and preachers. They liked his yellow-legged chickens and sumptuous table spread, for he was a good provider.
All his life, he was an earnest church worker and liberal supporter of churches, colleges, schools and the ministry. Under his cabin roof, religious services were first held in Walnut Township. In 1862, he organized a chapel and built a church, which was called the "Jordan." After a few years, its location was changed, when he and his wife joined the First Methodist Church, in the city, and practically became citizens of the town.
In 1862, during the Civil War, a rumor came that a band of Missouri bush-whackers were on their way to loot Des Moines, and there was great excitement. The banks at once sought a refuge for their funds. Those of the State Bank were removed to "Uncle Jimmy's" place, where he cached them beyond the probability of seizure. The marauders, however, ran up against some of Uncle Sam's "blue-coats" and didn't get here.
In 1865, the maintenance of the indigent, deserving poor people of the county had become a serious question. Hitherto, their care and support had been farmed out among divers persons, and the expenses were frequently exorbitant. A more economical system was demanded by the taxpayers. The County Supervisors, therefore, decided to purchase a Poor Farm, and Jordan, Doctor Books, and D. C Marts were elected to purchase one hundred and twenty acres, and the same is a part of the present provision made for the care of the poor and incurable insane persons of the county.
-187-
In 1868, he joined the Brotherhood of Early Settlers, and when the Old Settlers' Association was organized, Jordan was elected one of the Vice-Presidents, and was always an active member, and present at all its social functions.
In 1879, he was elected a member of the Lower House of the Eighteenth General Assembly, which inaugurated the fight against oleomargarine, for butter, established the State Pharmacy Commission, State Board of Health, and Coal Mine Inspection, in which he took and active and helpful part.
Having accumulated abundant wealth, Jordan, during his later life, disposed of much of his land, lived on Easy Street, dividing his time with the town and his rural home, until he went to his Eternal Home.
November Nineteenth, 1904.
-189-
FRANK M. MILLS
 ONE of the most active, energetic men who came here in the early days, and who impressed his individuality upon passing events, was Frank M. Mills. Small of stature, but a perfect bundle of restless energy and force, which permeated every political, social and business affair of the city and the state——in fact, several states——his sole idea seemed to be to make Des Moines the center of all territory west of the Mississippi, and in certain ways he succeeded very well. He was the head an moving spirit in what became the most extensive enterprise of its kind west of Chicago.
He came here in April, 1856, and opened a shoe store on Court Avenue, between Second and Third streets, in a small wooden building on the north side of the street, and diligently sought the welfare of the soles of the people of the little town; but it was not to his temperament. He was a practical printer. His brother, N. W. ("Web," as everybody called him), came in the Fall and started a small job printing office in the Gatling Building, down on Second Street below Market, near the newspaper and law offices. Frank ——everybody calls him "Frank"——soon quit his sole-caring business, joined his brother, and they made a good team, for they were both hustlers and good mixers. It being the only strictly job printing office in town, the business kept pace with the rapid development of events. The first handbill printed——they didn't have presses nor type for poster printing——was for Woodward (Aleck.) and Hepburn (the redoubtable "Add"), dry goods merchants.
The little printing office, costing six hundred dollars, was a winner from the start, and so increased that in 1859 a three-story brick building was erected on Court Avenue, adjoining the old well-known Baker drug store at the southeast corner of Third, and Frank began to spread out. He added an old-fashioned Adams press for book printing, an "alligator" job press, which kept the
-190-
surgeons busy repairing fingers it chewed up, an Ericson hot air engine, which wheezed and rattled like a threshing machine, was whimsical and uncertain as a mule, would often, when work was pressing, give a despairing groan, like a lost soul, and stop. Then the "devil" had to go for one or two stout natives of Ireland to turn the wheels of the presses until the "caloric" got over the sulks. There were no electric motors, few steam engines, and wood for "caloric" fuel was cheaper than coal. The Adams press did good printing, but was slow, its speed being about five hundred impressions an hour. It was a very different outfit than its successors of to-day.
In 1858, Frank added another feature to his enterprise. He got into the good graces of the Legislature, and was elected State Binder. He managed to hold the place until 1867. In 1869, he was elected State Printer, and reëlected in 1878 and 1880. So popular was he that it was a common saying that all he had to do was to ask for the office.
These appointments gave an immense impetus to his business. New machinery was purchased, and the establishment equipped to meet the demand. Blank book making, book printing, lithographing, map making, wood engraving, stereotyping, music printing, a book, stationery and music store were added, and a large corps of men were put on the road, who traversed every county in Iowa, and seven other states, and brought an immense amount of business to Des Moines, not only in their lines, but many side lines, for they were rustlers and popular. Of them I recall Cranston, Pelton, Norman, Blackmar, Dickenson, Ecker, Burns, C. T. Haskins, "Charley" Greene, and "Bob" Flynn, the last two notorious jokers and exaggerating yarn-spinners. They are all dead, I think. "Will" Lehman, still with us, who graduated from the music department, was cutting obituaries on headstones to be set in Woodland Cemetery when Frank was selling boots and shoes, but the cemetery didn't populate fast enough to secure him a good living, and he took charge of the music department.
In book making, Frank's genius inclined to law. The first book was The Civil Code of Iowa, written by Hon. John A. Kasson. This was followed by fifty-six volumes of Iowa Supreme Court
-191-
Reports, Kansas, Nebraska, and Arkansas Court Reports, and several extensive books on special subjects by eminent lawyers, White's Geological Survey of Iowa, in three costly volumes, the Western Jurist, a law magazine, seventeen years, and in 1866 the first City Directory, which contained four thousand five hundred and twelve names. He personally prepared an index Digest of ten volumes of the American Turf Register, which is the standard authority among horsemen to-day. He employed the best talent he could find to edit his publications, as in all the business departments. On his payroll at times, there was a Governor, and United States Consuls, one Untied States Supreme Court Judge, three state Supreme Court Judges, and two First Assistant Postmaster-Generals.
The mechanical departments were occupied by one hundred and fifty to two hundred men and women, skilled in their several duties, among whom I recall Al. Swalm, Jut. Rhoads, Lafe Young, Philo Kenyon, George A. Miller, Lewis Bolton, the Bishard boys, Bernard Murphy, State Printer,, the ubiquitous "Tac" Hussey, W. S. Welch, Ella McLoney, City Librarian, and Charles Sheldon, now the celebrated artist and illustrator for a leading London Publication, "Ret" Clarkson, and Henry Sheppard, now publisher of the Inland Printer, the finest trade journal in the world. Every Saturday, Frank was confronted with a cash demand for about two thousand dollars to meet the payroll.
In 1861, when the call was made for the Tenth Iowa Infantry, during the Civil War, one Sunday "Hub" Hoxie, Wiley, C. Burton, Judge John Mitchell, and Doctor Brownell brought Frank a commission as Adjutant, and earnestly solicited him, because of his energy and popularity, to raise the regiment, another having attempted to and failed, on condition that he would not be required to go with it to the field, owing to the demoralized condition of his business, his brother, "Web" having, as Major and Captain of the Capital Guards, gone into the Second Regiment, and taken with him nearly every eligible man of the establishment. Frank assented and at once went to the task. After riding over the country day and night for several weeks, he secured the men, swore them in, subsisted them, and went with them to the rendezvous in Iowa City.
-192-
In 1865, Frank concluded there was room for further enlargement of the business. The lot on Fourth Street, where the Western Union Telegraph office and Munger's Hotel are, was purchased, Father Bird's church torn down, and a three-story brick erected. His elder brother, J. W., joined him, and in December, 1866, the Daily Register was purchased, and consolidated with the other business. The daily was a small six-column folio sheet. It was soon enlarged——in fact, was enlarged four times under Frank's management. Frank Palmer continued as editor two years, and was succeeded by J. W. and a score of special writers. An early move of the management was to put new, young blood into the paper. Among the "type-stickers" were "Ret" Clarkson, Al. Swalm, and Lafe Young. They were assigned to the reportorial department, where they quickly impressed their individuality so distinctly it need no confirming signature. "Ret's" forte was panegyrics and politics, in both of which he developed remarkable brilliancy. He soon became editor-in-chief, and one of the most important factors in Iowa politics, and, with John S. Runnells and Judge N. M. Hubbard, became what was known as the Republican Regency.
During Frank's management, he institued [instituted] a series of descriptive sketches of the counties of this state, especially in the Northwest, then uninhabited, written by Judge A. R. Fulton. The sketches were printed in the Register, accompanied with a map showing every unoccupied forty acres in each county, and set forth the inducement to home-seekers. The result was the immediate settlement of the whole region by an intelligent, sturdy people.
After four years' newspaper experience, the Register was sold to C. F. Clarkson, and his two sons, Richard P. and James S. ("Ret").
In 1872, the Iowa Exposition Company was organized, and a three-story brick building 132x132, erected on Walnut street west of Eighth, to be used as a permanent exposition of the goods and wares of merchants and manufacturers of the state, and also of curios and the State Horticultural Society. A large, fine organ was put in, and several exhibitions were given, but public interest waned; it was ahead of time; too far out, and for several months was closed. That was Frank's opportunity. He bought the building, remodeled it, removed from Fourth Street, and occupied it
-193-
until 1886, when he closed his business. The building was sold and transformed into what is now the Iliad Hotel.
A notable feature of the big establishment was its educational facilities. Embracing as it did a multiplicity of branches, book, job, music, lithographing, bland books and newspapers——at one time, four newspapers——it was a veritable printer's college. Good printers were scarce, and the best way to get them was to make them, hence there were always several apprentices, and they began with the rudiments of the business——Frank was exacting on rudiments——and worked their way through the several departments. Sometimes they demurred to so much time spent on rudiments, but he would tell them the more time spent on rudiments, the better craftsmen they would make. The result was there graduated from the college many who became foremen or superintendents in establishments all over the country, newspaper publishers, or went into business themselves. When the first typesetting machine was inaugurated in Chicago, Frank was requested to send a person competent to run it, and he sent Miss Ella McLoney, now City Librarian, who was an expert book compositor and good proofreader. She went and made good, as she always does.
Sometimes the apprentices chafed at their slow progress, and thought they were worth promotion and more pay than they were getting, and would come to me as Superintendent for a raise. I recall an instance when Lafe Young one day very gently informed Frank that a boy of his caliber, superior ability, and large experience——less than a year——was worth more than three dollars and a half a week——it was too small pay entirely. Frank solaced him by telling him that too much money was bad for a boy; that to succeed in business, he must learn the business, practice economy; that then was the time to acquire habits of economy. He graduated from the establishment as the city editor of the Daily Register and is now the publisher for the Des Moines Daily Capital, with a circulation of over forty-six thousand.
At one time Frank had a notion to revolutionize the horse industry of the state. He bought a big farm, no far out, on which he proposed to breed Percheron horses from the finest specimens that could be found in France. After he had got his project well
-194-
advanced, he invited an old, experienced live-stock man to go out there and make observations. After going over the premises and eating a good, square meal, he asked his visitor what he though of it.
"It's all very nice, Frank," he replied, "but you have made a mistake. You'll find that farmers are a good deal more interested in cattle and hogs than one-ton horses. They haven't got to that yet."
Among his live-stock was a herd of Polled Angus cattle, of very fine blood. There was one heifer he was proud of, which produced more champion-herd individuals than any other in the state. In 1902, three of her progeny were sold for ten thousand dollars. But live-stock prices took a big slump, and he had so many irons in the fire, he sold the farm. But his venture, so far as he went, was a success.
In 1873, he was elected Alderman from the Second Ward, on purely local issues. He didn't want it, but had to yield to public demand.
During the forty years of his business activity here, he assisted very materially in building the town in many ways. His books show that he paid as wages to employés while in business over two million five hundred thousand dollars. He is now running a daily paper in Springfield, Illinois, and building an electric street railway in Salt Lake City, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and an inter-urban electric road at Benton Harbor, Michigan, but still claims Des Moines as his home city, to which he will some time return and abide.
December Fourth, 1904.
-195-
BENJAMIN B. BRYANT
AMONG the earliest settlers in this region, antedating Barlow Granger and his clan of "pioneers," was Benjamin B. Bryant, small of stature, active, energetic, unique in many ways, social, genial, who became quite popular and held many places of public trust, the duties of which he performed with strict integrity.
He came here in 1842, with others, to make preparation for removing the Wapello Indian Agency to this locality. Subsequently, he joined the Trading Company as Chief Clerk and Trader with the Indians, being familiar with their language and acquainted with nearly everyone on the reservation, their villages or camps being about three miles down the river. He was rigidly honest, and had the most implicit faith of the Indians. He often related incidents of his transactions with them. He had more faith in the "honest Indian" than he did in white men. He gave them credit for whatever they purchased, and put it on record in a book in the form of a promissory note, payable at a certain price, after certain moons, the only almanac the Indians understood. They signed the notes the same way Martin Tucker, an early tavern keeper on 'Coon Row did, with a big "X". Ben used to say the notes were paid, and he never lost a dollar. His old book is still in existence, and would be an interesting addition to "Charley" Aldrich's State HIstorical Collection.
His knowledge of the language induced me to inquire of him the Indian name of the river we call Des Moines. He said it was "Keosauk-sepo," from its mouth to its source, "Keosauk" meaning "dark, rolling water," and "sepo" meaning river. They didn't accept the corrupted, misapplied misnomer we now have, a sui generis, the only distinctive quality of which is it has never been duplicated by any other community, a feature appreciated only by the postal clerks. It is unfortunate the Indian name was not perpetuated.
-196-
It may not be generally known that Des Moines came very near being given another name, officially. In 1833, Lewis Cass, then Secretary of War, in his annual report, recommended that dragoons be sent west of the Mississippi to protect emigrants from outrages committed by predatory bands of Indians. The President, in his message to Congress, approved the plan, and in accordance therewith, by order of the War Department, Colonel Kearney, with three companies of dragoons, in May, 1834, was ordered t move to the right bank of the Mississippi River, near the mouth of the Des Moines River, for Winter quarters. Through sickness of his troop and other causes, he did not get under way until September. On the Second, he wrote the Department he would leave the next day with four companies, and requested that a name be given the new post, and that it be declared a "double-ration" post.
The troops arrived on the Twenty-eighth. The Winter was very severe, and there was much suffering from uncomfortable quarters. In February, 1835, he repeated his request that a name be given the post, and stating that, merely for convenience, he had designated it "Camp Des Moines, Michigan Territory." On the back of this letter, Secretary Cass wrote, "Let the post be called Fort Des Moines, and let it be a double-ration post."
During the year 1834, emigrants came into the territory westward along the river, and in March, Kearney was ordered to go up to Raccoon Fork and reconnoiter for the selection of a military post. He arrived August Eighth, and after going over the field, reported unfavorable to the project; that he saw nothing to make it necessary or advisable; the land was covered with timber and underbrush, no stone or other material for making chimneys; no springs, and the river unnavigable for boats to carry stores to it, etc., etc.
The War Department did not agree with Kearney's opinion, and Colonel Croghan, Inspector-General, was detailed to make a more careful examination and report upon the expediency of removing the garrison from Fort Armstrong, at Rock River, to a place up the Des Moines, which he did, and reported that so rapid was the emigration in that direction, before a suitable post and garrison could be established, the emigrants would be abundantly
-197-
able to take care of themselves, and it was needless to expend so much money, only to be abandoned in a couple of years.
The War Department did not accept his opinion, and decided that not only was it a duty to protect emigrants, but also those Indian tribes with whom treaties had been made, against whom emigrants, unscrupulous land sharks, and speculators were making encroachments, and marauding bands of other tribes continually making raids.
To this end, General Scott decided to send a detachment of dragoons to the reservation of the Sauks (Sacs) and Foxes, and in October, 1842, Captain James Allen came and selected "The Point made by the junction of Des Moines and Raccoon rivers." He reported that "during next Summer a good, comfortable establishment could be made for one company of dragoons for two thousand dollars."
His report was accepted, but it failed to get through the circumlocution office at Washington until February, 1843, when an order was made establishing the post, and directing Captain Allen to fix the site. He reported May Tenth that he had located the post, named it Fort Raccoon, and requested that it be made a double-ration post. The War Department didn't like the name; declared it was shocking, too "wild and wooly West." Adjutant-General Jones, suggested "Fort Iowa." Soon after, however, Captain Allen received notice from General Scott that "Racoon" would not be a proper name, and until further direction by the War Department, he would call it "Fort Des Moines." To this Captain Allen forcibly objected, because of the liability to be confused with the late post on the Mississippi (it having been abandoned), and the old post in Wisconsin, causing great delay and inconvenience in business transaction——which, in fact, had already been experienced. He therefore asked that some other name be given. He also renewed his request for a double-ration post, to all of which General Scott was willing to accede, but the War and Treasury Department had got at loggerheads as to the rights of a post to double rations, asked for by Colonel Kearney. Captain Allen's request was pigeonholed pending a decision of that question, but before it was decided——if it ever was——public use and common consent to a fortuity of
-198-
corroborative circumstances, had so fixed the name that a change was unnecessary.
On the convening of the first session of the District Court, in 1846, "Ben" was appointed Bailiff of the court.
August Sixth, 1849, he was elected County Treasurer, and he must have been quite sure of his election, for a presumed record shows that his official bond was filed July Fourteenth. As he was a good Democrat, and as Barlow Granger, Judge Casady and R. I. Tidrick ran the machine in those days, and no Whig had even a hope of public office, the particularity of records was of little account. "Ben" served the term and was reëlected.
In 1853, he was elected a member of the Town Council, and reëlected in 1854-56-57, and was a very active and influential member at that formative period, when good judgment was an important factor in public affairs.
He served several terms as Justice of the Peace, and was quite popular as an arbiter among litigants. A story was told that once, when he was a candidate for office, the Whigs, who had gained enough strength to take some active part in politics, started a report that "Ben" was not the man for the place; that he was completely under control of Crocker (subsequently General), and so was his court. "Ben" denied it most emphatically. "Give me an opportunity," said he, "and I will show you." It was not long before a case was brought before him in which Crocker was one of the lawyers. During the hearing, Crocker made several objections to his opponent's method of procedure, and "Ben" in every one decided against Crocker——with an eye to the Whigs and that office——until finally, after a knockout, Crocker retorted: "I cannot understand the action of the court in this case. I believe the court has been tampered with."
"I fine you ten dollars for contempt of court." replied "Ben."
"All right," said Crocker, as he drew a paper from his pocket, "I'll endorse it on the back of this promissory note of yours."
-199-
There was a couple of well-known fellows in town I will call B and C, who by some means were very frequently summoned as jurymen in "Ben's" court. They didn't like to be hauled into court every few days from their business, and they put their heads together to get rid of it. The next time they were called, B, who is still in business at the old stand, went to the defendant's attorney in the case and very confidentially said to him that he did not think he was a proper person for the jury, as he had some knowledge of it, and beside, was strongly prejudiced against some of the parties to the suit. He suggested that C would be a good juryman.
C, who has since passed beyond the reach of mundane courts, went to the plaintiff's lawyer and told the same tale, and suggested the selection of B.
When the case came up for hearing, both were peremptorily challenged for cause, and dismissed. They played the trick until they got rid of jury serving in "Ben's" court.
After the close of his several terms as Justice of the Peace, he was appointed Deputy Sheriff, and held that place, I think, until his decease, in 1866.
He amassed considerable wealth, and began the erection of a fine brick residence at the corner of Fifth and Vine streets, now a part of the Rock Island Station. The spot was low, wet, little else than a slough; in fact, in early Spring the boys used to shoot wild ducks a block east of it. His project was accepted as one of his eccentricities. A cellar being impossible, he built a basement story above ground, and got the first story up, when the panic of 1857 came, which strewed this country with wrecks of fortunes, and he was obliged to stop. He put on a nondescript roof, and made it his home,w here for many years it was, with its high skeleton basement of open doors and windows, a conspicuous reminder to the whole town of hard times, of one who deserved a better fate, and who was a prominent personage in the earliest days of the town.
December Eleventh, 1904.
|
