Keithsburg Township

Keithsburg Township

The second settler of the county was John Vanatta, who located at Keithsburg in May, 1827. He opened a supply yard to furnish wood for the steamboats. A year or two afterwards his brother Benjamin joined him. He had preempted a claim on the southeast quarter of section 22 in 1833. John Bates settled on section 34 and a few years later Isom Lakey located on the same farm. About the spring of 1835 Samuel Vanatta, a brother of John, arrived, but in the fall of the same year all the Vanattas sold out to Robert Keith, a Scotchman, and removed to Muscatine, which was then called Bloomington. In the spring of 1836 Abner Martin built a house on section 13, but sold out the same vear to John McH. Wilson. In the same year William and Paul Sheriff settled on section 24. The next year William Sheriff built a sawmill on Pope Creek on section 23. He built a large dam and at first the mill seemed destined to become very useful, but it was located on quick sand, which undermined the structure and the mill was abandoned and finally rotted down. A. B. Sheriff arrived about 1836 and Matthew Sheriff a year or two later. T. B. Cabeen came about this date. Daniel Justice located on section 1 in 1836; John W. Nevius arrived the next year. William Wilson, the father of John McH. Wilson, arrived in 1836 also and settled on section 13. Bennett Hurst located a claim on section 2. Joel A. Hall, a millwright, arrived in 1838 and established a farm on section 13. In 1837 Benjamin F. Gruwell built a home on section 1. Later he kept a hotel in Keithsburg. Joseph J. Wordin arrived in 1837. Rev. James Ross reached the township about 1841. James Garner arrived about 1842 and started a small store at Keithsburg. He sold whisky and merchandise and was one of the first business men of the village. Robert Keith was the founder of Keithsburg. The place at first was nothing but a woodyard for the steamboats and was known as such, apparently not having any other name. In the spring of 1835 it became known as Keith's Landing. In July, 1837, Hiram Hardie, deputy county surveyor, laid off the Town of Keithsburg on section 23. The original plat shows Main and Washington streets east and west and crossed by First, Second, Third, etc., streets. In all thirteen blocks were surveyed and the first sale of lots occurred in July. 1837. They brought from twenty to sixty dollars each, but the place could hardly yet be called a village. The landing made it what it was and not any stores or shops. Garner sold out in 1839 to David Bower and moved out on section 25. In 1847 he returned and opened a hotel, was justice of the peace and sheriff. Bower went to Rock Island. A Frenchman named Rochelle arrived early in the '40s, and with a small quantity of goods brought up on a steamboat, started a store. Omy Brothers succeeded to this store. In 1842 Zephaniah Wade arrived and located on section 14 and the following year Nicholas Edwards settled on section 5 at the mouth of Edwards River. The previous year William Willett and Josiah Brown built a sawmill on the river, but in 1843 Willett sold his interest to Brown. In 1837 a Mr. Gavitt established a claim about a mile below the landing at Keithsburg and immediately laid off a small tract, which he named Columbia City. It was located on a high plateau and was the site of an old Indian encampment where yet could be seen the fields used in growing corn and vegetables by the Indians. Numerous evidences of their presence were shown, among which were pits of ashes and a few wigwam poles or bark of houses. This plat was not recorded and Columbia City, amounted to nothing. The claim passed to Alexander Davis. In 1837 Bluff postoffice was established at the house of Frederick Frick in Abington Township, keithsburg mail came there until 1846. The village amounted to very little until about 1846. Another early settler in the township was Rousy Bower, who arrived about 1834. He occupied a small house on the river bank and was employed by the Vanattas in chopping wood for the steamboats. Jesse Mount arrived about 1835.

Keithsburg became the county seat in 1847 and thereafter was a pretentious and promising place. However, the settlement of the township was still in progress. A body of farmers in 1844 formed an organization and endeavored to build a warehouse in Keithsburg for the storing and handling of grain. In those years the farmers back on the river brought their grain to river points because it could there be shipped to the large markets. Robert Keith assisted in this warehouse movement and contributed several lots upon which to erect the building. William Willett succeeded in getting title to the property soon after the frame was up and Col. J. B. Patterson, of Oquawka, secured an interest therein about the time it was finished. Patterson soon after this opened a store in the Keith Building and with him was associated Booth Nettleton. They sold dry goods and groceries on Washington Street. Patterson really came to Keithsburg in 1845 lor permanent residence, although he still had a home in Oquawka. His location at Keithsburg was for business purposes. His firm immediately began to buy large quantities of produce, grain, etc., from the farmers, and in turn thev sold enormous quantities of store goods to the farmers back from the river for many miles. They had a large establishment here, including one frame house, one log house and three cabins. His trade in 1845 was 3,690 bushels of wheat, 512 barrels flour and 2,250 bushels corn. Patterson himself had other interests and left after a year or two and the management of the concern passed to Noble & Gayle, who built a one-story frame store on Main and Second streets and a large warehouse on Lot 10. In 1848 they erected a brick packing house and at that time McConaha & Rife established a combined saloon and grocery. In 1848 also Jonathan Juda established a store. He was a Jew and a successful merchant. In 1848 also Wilford J. Ungles established a store on Washington Street and built a large warehouse in 1855, at which time he had become very prosperous. Seth Redman built a brick business block about 1855. Before it was finished he sold to Dr. A. B. Campbell. In 1849 McConaha & Rife dissolved, the latter engaging in the grocery business, but later added dry goods. Still later he put up a brick building. In 1848 T. B. Cabeen built the brick block on Main and Second streets. It was a three-story structure, his family occupying the upper stories. Below Miss E. Smith kept a store. She had come from New Boston and was a successful business woman.

In 1858 R. H. Spicer & Company seem to have succeeded Miss Smith, although she was eventually a member of the concern. The location of the county seat at Keithsburg in 1847 gave it a great boom, and numerous shops and business houses of all kinds were started. In a few years Keithsburg was one of the most active and prominent of the smaller places on the Upper Mississippi. In consideration of the location there of the county seat, Mr. Keith gave half of the land of the first addition to the county authorities. It was officially laid out in January, 1848, and the division was made by giving the county and Mr. Keith the choice of alternate blocks. The county blocks were subdivided into lots and sold or used for county building purposes. Mr. Keith was a saving and close-fisted Scotchman who believed that the village was destined to become a great citv. Accordingly he refused to sell his lots except occasionally. The first court was held in Willett's Warehouse, which was used for many other pub- lie purposes. Finally the courthouse was built on Block 7 and finished in 1 85 1. It was a good building, though low, and looked more like aschoolhouse than a courthouse. It was a one-story brick structure, about 40x50 feet. Late in the '40s William Willett began extensively buying grain from the farmers of the back country. He had associated with him Mr. McConaha for a short time, but in 1850 the latter went to California, whereupon Willett and Doughty formed a partnership and continued business. In 185 1 they established a store or grain trading station at New Boston. Mr. Doughty was left in charge of the establishment at New Boston. A little later A. B. Sheriff became associated with Willett & Doughty, but in 1852 Doughty sold out to the other two. The firm was then Sheriff & Willett, who continued to do a large and successful business until 1864, when Willett retired just in time to save himself from the decline of prices at the close of the war. Mr. Sheriff was swamped and lost much of his property. The building they had occupied was used as a grain storage warehouse until 1875. It was occupied by Phelps & Brewer for a short time before it was burned.

It would be difficult to describe the importance and activities of Keithsburg from 1847 t0 1 856. The trade on the river, the landing of steamboats, the arrival of goods from St. Louis and other cities, the cargoes of molasses and sugar which came from New Orleans and Memphis, the river men who often made Keithsburg their stopping point, the immense amount of grain that poured in for shipment or. the river, the wood, the ferry, the pork-packing, all combined to make the city one of prominence and one in which it was a pleasure to live. In October, 1850, Colonel Patterson published the Oquawk;i Spectator and connected with it a department called the Keithsburg Observer, which occupied the third page, with James W. Doughty as the Keithsburg editor. This paper served to advertise extensively the little city- In 1850 the Calhoun House was built by John Moore. Its proprietor was H. G. Calhoun, who a little later changed the name to Keithsburg House and rented it to J. B. McConaha. About this time numerous societies and lodges were started here. The Sons of Temperance organized about 1850 and two years later the Daughters of Temperance established a lodge. A debating society was founded in 1850 and was patronized by Robert Keith, John C. Pepper, B. C. Taliaferro, N. C. Adams, R. C. Cabeen, O C. Allen, Dr. E. L. Marshall and others. Many public questions of that day were debated by these men and others. James A. Noble started his slaughter and packing house in 1850, and at the same time Mr. Gayle built a new warehouse. Mr. Noble started a drug store in 1851.

Main Street, 1911, Keithsburg

That was the year when the river was higher than it had ever been before since the first settlement. Water stood from four to seven feet deep on the streets of Keithsburg. By May 29th the water was up as high as Fifth Street. In later years the streets have been graded to a higher level so that the river does not make the encroachment that it formerly did. The flood of 1851 continued high until about the nth of June and for several weeks all merchants placed their goods in the second stories or conveyed them to higher grounds. The river was from seven to ten miles wide and was a sight to be seen. Rafts and boats ran in the streets. The flood did not subside until about the 20th of June. The other big floods in early times were in 1828 and 1844.

On July 15, 1852, Keithsburg was incorporated as a town, and on the 26th of the same month elected officials as follows: Trustees, William Willett, J. J. Wordin, T. B. Cabeen, Alexander Davis and N. B. Partridge. These men put the town machinery in operation.

Earlv in the '50s William Gayle built a steam sawmill on Pope Creek at the railroad bridge, but soon afterwards sold it to John H. Marshall & Company, who in 1856 transformed it into a flour mill, which became widely known as the Ogden Mills, but after a few years' success it was destroved bv fire. The second steam sawmill was built by Ender & Eckley at the foot of Van Buren Street. It likewise was burned down and another was built, but did not prove successful. William D. Smith had possession of it. It was moved to Jackson Street, near Eighth, and was conducted as a saw and planing mill combined. In 18" the third steam sawmill was put up for the Warsaw & Rockford Railroad, on John E. Willits' land. Thousands of ties were sawed there for the railroad company. The mill was moved to Keithsburg in 1857, but was later torn down. The fourth steam sawmill was built on the site of Ender & Eckley's old mill about i86t;. Tt was the largest in the countv at the time, employed about thirty-five men and continued until about 1872. In 1864 James C. Stevens built a grist mill on Eighth Street near Main. It was dismantled in 1877, not having proven wholly successful. In 1868 the elevator, flour mills and the Rife warehouse buildings were burned down. Keithsburg was unlucky because of many fires in early years which destroyed its best business establishments. In 1855 a distillery was built on the river bv Mathews & Richardson. The following vear thev sold to William Gayle. Benjamin Phelps became the owner in 1857 DUt so'd tn ^r- Pickering. Others owned and conducted this propertv. It was finally burned in 1872, and at that time was owned by Mason & Crosley,

In 1853 tne ferryboat, Dave, owned by Seth H. Redman, ran dailv between Keithsburg and Huron and Prairie Point. This ferry was operated by horse power. Three years later the steam ferryboat Iowa was started and conducted for many years by Mr. Redman.

In 1853 Mr. Gayle built a 2-story packing house and began doing a large business in that line. From 1850 to 1856 several additions were laid out to the town, among which were Keith's Second, Sheriff's and Cabeen's. At this time it was one of the best produce markets north of St. Louis. Teams came here from a distance of thirty-five miles. In February, 1854, on one day, there arrived here 250 teams from the country distant from the river. Eighty remained over night, because they could not get back the same day. At that time Gayle & Company and the Noble Brothers were packers. The first considerable packing here was done in 1846-7 by Noble & Gayle. Gore & Gamble were prosperous merchants in 1854. They also did considerable packing, continuing until the time of the war. In 1855 William Gayle & Company, A. Rife, Sheriff & Willett, B. P. Frick & Company, Gore & Gamble and P. T. Hughes were storekeepers and produce dealers in the town. Several were packers. Goods were usually sold to farmers on a year's time. The merchants bought their goods twice a year - spring and autumn - and the stock they were often compelled to carry over the winter was enormous. Nearly all of the merchants, particularly Gayle & Rife, advanced large sums of money to the farmers, taking a mortgage on their crops. In tact they did almost a banking business, dealing largely in commercial paper of various kinds. They bought grain, hogs, cattle, and in this way secured the trade of the farmers. This custom was practiced extensively in the West in early years by the merchants who had the means. Such merchants would secure all the farmers' products and in return would supply them with all the store goods they needed. In fact the merchants did everything wanted done by the farmers, but in the end secured pay for this service.

From October 1, 1850, to October 1, 1851, the grain shipped from Keithsburg was as follows : Wheat, corn, oats and rye, 169,366 bushels. In addition immense quantities of meat and other products, such as potatoes, hides, etc., were purchased and shipped. The same year 4073/2 tons of merchandise were received here and distributed to the farmers. On February 24, 1852, 3,176 bushels of grain were received. The receipts for the week ending February 28 of the same year were over twenty thousand bushels. During the packing season of 1854-5,

6,852 hogs were slaughtered by William Gayle & Company; 4,790 by Rife & Company; 1,064 bv I- A. Noble, and 853 by W. H. Ungles. From May to to June 14, 1856, there were shipped from Keithsburg 48,231 pieces of bulk pork, 374 barrels pork, 75 casks ham, 344 sacks hair and 250 sacks of potatoes. From May 10 to October 1 1, [856, the grain taken from this port by the steamboats amounted to 270,727 bushels. During two weeks ending October 1 r, 1856, William Gayle & Company shipped 16,162 sacks grain; A. Rife, 10,284 sacks grain; B. P. Frick & Company, 3,536 sacks; W. H. Ungles, 7,018 sacks; and Sheriff & Willett, 2,054 sacks. The total receipts at Keithsburg from the opening of navigation in 1881 to the opening of navigation in 1882 was 550,000 bushels of grain. There was a vast difference between this sum and that which had been taken in by Thomas B. Cabeen back in 1842. He is said to have made the first shipment of grain from this port.

In 1855 Mr. Gayle erected a building which became the Larue House, but about the same time Mr. Gruwell opened a hotel which was conducted bv H. G. Calhoun. The following year the Central House, built first for a residence, was opened and a little later was changed to the Beardsley House.

The third addition to Keithsburg, the Mechanic's, was laid out in June, 1854, by J. B. Stockton. A. B. Sheriff laid out another in November, 1855. Others were laid out in 18^7, 1862 and 1863. Upper Keithsburg was surveyed on section 13 by C. S. Richey for Mr. Tvler and T. B. Cabeen. Larue was the first blacksmith and James Eaton the second. Thomas Hendricks, O. C. Allen and a Mr. Pierce were also early blacksmiths. William Brewer had a cooper shop early. Isaiah Willits came to the township in 1835, but returned to Henderson County in 1838. He came back in 1857 and became a merchant. Four years later he went on a farm, but in 1873 returned and engaged in business in Keithsburg. Benjamin D. Ellett came to the county in 1838. He was a lumber merchant at Keithsburg. Paul Sheriff arrived in 1836. In 1837 Benjamin F. Gruwell came to the township and located on the Jack Harris place. Later, as above stated, he kept the Calhoun House in Keithsburg. Oliver P. Emerson arrived in 1839 and David Pardee came here during the war, but had previously settled in Viola Township. Martin Wirt arrived about 1840, as did Joseph Wade. Benjamin L. Hardin and W. S. Calhoun arrived in the early '40s. The latter was a carpenter and cooper by trade. He clerked for Noble & Gavle for a while and later for Abraham Rife. He owned eighty acres near the town and was justice of the peace and deputv county recorder. Jacob Wolfe arrived in 1844. At this time there was an abundance of wild game along the river and it was the exception not to see a man with some kind of fur cap with the tail of the animal hanging down his back. Many farmers carried their guns with them everywhere they went. Joseph Venable was early in Keithsburg. He made wagons, carriages and sold farm machinery. In the early '70s Kate Noble was postmistress at Keithsburg. The first stock of dry goods brought to the town by Noble & Gayle came from Louisville and was first landed at Oquawka, but the following spring was divided and a portion sent to Keithsburg, where Mr. Noble for a time held forth alone. Early in the '50s R. H. Alvis took Noble's place in this concern and about the same time B. F. Wilson secured a small interest in the concern. He continued until the crash of 1857, when Gayle failed with assets greater than his liabilities; but on account of the financial crisis a large portion of his assets could never be collected, and his public store building and warehouse would not sell for half of the amount that it cost to construct them, so that there were very heavy losses. Mr. Gayle made an assignment in 1858 to William L. Ewing & Company at St. Louis, making them his preferred creditors, as he could under the law at that time, and he was largely in debt to the farmers in Mercer County for produce that he had bought during the winter of 1857-8, and those debts were never paid, he going into bankruptcy. This made it remarkably hard for the people in Mercer County, as the farmers relied upon the sale of produce for money to pay their expenses and other indebtedness. Afterwards Mr. Gayle went into business with John Holland and after a few years that firm failed and Mr. Gayle went into bankruptcy again, and subsequently he made quite an amount of money in business and died in very good circumstances.

Allen F. Glover was a tailor here in 1846. James Heaton came here in 1852 and moved out to Bald Bluff. Jerome A. Sweezy was a lumber dealer and merchant here in 1852. Other business men in the early times were John J. Hawkins, Thomas Marlott, Thomas A. Cummins, Charles J. Simpson, Robert C. Humbert, Clarence S. Frick, Capt. J. P. Wykoff, Capt. David M. Hoisted, Hugh Scott, C. S. Orth and Dr. Samuel Kelly. Later business men were Frederick B. Burgett, Samuel Evans, Philip Gore and many others. The early physicians were E. L. Marshall, Campbell, Adams, Rodecker, Kelly, Coe, Humbert, Allen and E. P. Willits. Early lawyers here were Isaac N. Bassett, Elias Willits, John R. Bassett, Luther T. Ball, John C. Pepper, Benjamin C. Taliaferro, John S. Thompson,

McCune's Steamboat Company ran a packet line between St. Louis and Keokuk in the earlv '50s. They did a large business, which greatly increased at the time of the Civil war. The stock of this company ran up to $400 per share, but the construction of the railroads cut down the business so that the stock fell to par. The Northwestern Packet Company ran a line from St. Louis to St. Paul and did a large business also. Its business likewise declined after the war. The St. Louis & St. Paul Company had a fine line of steamers. The Diamond Jo Line of more recent years is still in existence. It was named for Jo Reynolds, who was in his way a remarkable character. He built the narrow gauge line from the main road to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Other early lines were the Keokuk & Rock Island, which owned two steamers called City of New Boston and City of Keithsburg; the Keokuk and Burlington, Quincy & Keokuk, and others. It was not difficult to reach any point on the river from Keithsburg in the '50s and '60s. Capt. Walter Blair established a line between Burlington and Rock Island. It was called the Carnival Packet Company. He and his company yet control the lines from Burlington to Keokuk and from Keokuk to Quincy. Before the construction of railroads nearly all traffic with New Boston was done bv way of steamboats on the river. This business was entirely cut off during the winter months when the river was frozen. Accordingly the merchants were obliged to lav in their supplies in the fall in sufficient quantity to carry them through the winter. When the ice left in the spring it was no unusual sight to see three or four vessels at Keithsburg at one time loading or unloading goods. They brought in large quantities of merchandise and took away all they could carry of oats, corn, wheat, etc. In the fall of 1853 William Gavle & Company received at Keithsburg the following goods, which was supposed to last them through the winter : 100 hogshead sugar, 300 barrels New Orleans molasses, 500 tengallon kegs New Orleans molasses, 500 boxes soap, 250 cases boots and shoes, 500 boxes candles, 100 boxes tea, 300 bags coffee, 2,qoo kegs nails, 150 cases dry goods and clothing. There was an immense quantity of other miscellaneous supplies in addition. Many stoves were brought here by boat, one steamboat being entirely loaded with them.

During the season of 1854-5 Gayle & Company packed nearly five thousand hogs and had in store over thirteen thousand bushels of wheat and 25,000 bushels of corn. All this was sent off in the spring of 1855. At that time the Ben Campbell, Capt. R. F. Bartlett, and the J. McKee, Capt. Leroy Dodge, were busy vessels on the river. In July, 1855, the following were the leading merchants at Keithsburg: William Gayle & Company, J. C. Cabeen, Daniel Keith, Sheriff & Willett, B. P. Frick & Company, Gore & Gamble, A. Rife, W. H. Ungles, F. Power & Company, R. & J. C. Brisben, William Whiting, C. Falders, R. C. Cabeen, Henry Oldham, Thomas Souster, J. Thompson, J. H. Marshall, Truman Lord, J. C. McCandless and T. H. Freeman. In the summer of 1855 many brick buildings were erected in the village. By the last of June it was noted that twenty new buildings of frame and brick were either finished or under way.

In January, 1856, Mr. Keith sold his residence to J. B. Matlack. At that time John H. Marshall conducted a large flour mill and Hodson & Reese bought a new steam ferry but did not start it until some time later. One of the new buildings was owned by Mr. Gayle and in it was the famous Apollo Hall, which was used by the town for almost every public purpose for many years. In 1858 among other business men were Hughes & Cain, brokers, collectors and exchange dealers; P. T. Hughes, general store; Matlack & Butterfield, druggists; Joseph Henry, druggist. At that time the saloon license at Keithsburg was $200.

In 1858 the merchants suffered much from wild cat currency then in existence. Particularly were the bills of the Nebraska Wild Cat Bank objectionable and worthless. Their actual value was as low as 25 cents on the dollar and at no time was the actual value of any such currency known. Merchants usually discounted the paper a little below what the quotations actually showed. In June, 1 8 6 1 , P. T. Hughes & Company advertised to buy up all the shin-plaster currency in circulation at its actual market value, which was taken at Chicago specie prices. In the spring of 1865 H. M. Bruce & Company, the latter being a Mr. Kibby, established a small bank at Keithsburg. Mr. Bruce was the active man. Without seeming to do so they made great efforts to secure deposits and in a short time succeeded in obtaining about twelve thousand dollars. On the 20th of April the door was closed and thereon was a notice to the effect that the banker had gone to Chicago but would return in a few days. Nothing more was heard of him until 1866. Thomas Cabeen, who was affected by this transaction, went to Chicago to find out what had become of Bruce and Kibby. He learned that the latter was in Coles County, engaged in promoting another bank scheme. Mr. Cabeen went there, but Mr. Kibby evaded him. John C. Pepper was sent to find him and discovered him in Ohio, arrested him and brought him back to Chicago. There Mr. Pepper compromised with him to receive a sum of money for the $1,400 worth of deposit certificates held by Mr. Pepper. 1 11 1866 Bruce was discovered in Canada. He was visited but refused to come back to the United States. In October, 1866, he returned of his own accord and was arrested in Michigan, where lie was found at work on a farm. He was handcuffed and jailed at Kalamazoo, and finally brought to Chicago and thence to Keithsburg. In the end very little of the defalcation was recovered.

The pork packed at Keithsburg during the winter of 1858-9 was almost exactly ten thousand head of hogs. Pork was worth at that time about six dollars per hundred. New Boston packed almost as many the same winter. At that time a petition was sent to the Legislature to change the name of Keithsburg to Cornwall but the attempt failed. In August, 1857, tne Keithsburg Observer passed to W. R. Calhoun. As stated in the issue, it was independent in all things and neutral in nothing. In i860 V. B. Schouf was editor of the Keithsburg Press, a democratic organ. The Observer died out after a short time but in December, 1861, was revived by J. A. J. Birdsall, who continued it as a five column folio. The Observer had had a hazardous experience for a number of years. It was suspended in the fall of i8q8but was revived by a number of democrats who desired an organ and who started it again as the Mercer County Democrat. The Observer had been independent but in this period of political excitement and change the democrats desired a newspaper to support their principles and policies. The newly issued Observer was an unflinching opponent of black republicanism. In fact the whole policy of the Observer was changed as was also the name. The objects of the newspaper, as stated, were to advance the principles of democracy, to urge the reelection of Stephen A. Douglas to United States senator, and to war on black republicanism. Mr. Birdsall continued as editor until 1865. The Keithsburg News flourished for a time with W. H. Heaton as editor. This paper is yet issued but has undergone many changes. The Keithsburg Observer has passed away long ago. Theodore Glancey was editor of the Observer in 1867. Colonel McManus was connected with it but later sold to H. Mintun. In 1870 the Observer was suspended for want of support but about six weeks later came out again and was independent in politics. It passed to a Mr. Armstrong, of Iowa, in 1870. He paid $900 for it but did not continue with it long. Soon afterward Glancey & Thomas started the Keithsburg Karana and ran it successfully for some time. In 1874 the Keithsburg News again appeared under W. C. Brown but in a few months it passed to Taylor & Blackman. It was neutral in politics. In the spring of 1877 trie Keithsburg News was resurrected by Will H. Heaton.

Philip Coonrod was a wagon manufacturer in Keithsburg in 1857. He invented a riding plow, or cultivator, of which large numbers were sold by Mr. Frick, a merchant. In 1859 the leading merchants at Keithsburg were C. S. Orth & Company, C. P. Elder & Company, E. B. Starkweather, A. Frazier, P. T. Hughes, Humphrey & Evans, R. Gray, Philip Coonrod and others.

In August, i860, Thomas B. Cabeen estimated the shipments from Keithsburg from August 12, 1859, to July 23, i860, as follows: Shelled corn, 319,150 bushels; wheat, 69,425 bushels; rye, 14,871 bushels; oats, 13,719 bushels; barley, 850 bushels; millet seed, 1,424 bushels; potatoes, 4,050 bushels; not yet shipped, 38,500 bushels; amount still in the county not counted, 100,000 bushels; totals, 606,989 bushels. In addition he estimated the following shipments: Hay, 383 bales ; flour, 100 sacks ; dry hides, 675 ; tallow, 3,600 pounds ; chickens, 70 dozen; eggs, 48 barrels; hams, shoulders, etc., 406 casks of 850 pounds each; sides, 7,376 pieces; lard, 1,044 barrels. In the winter of 1859-60, 6,000 hogs were packed at Keithsburg and the winter of 1858-9, 13,000 head. The amounts hauled to New Boston, Muscatine, Andalusia, Camden, Rock Island, Monmouth and other points, raised the quantity shipped to over 1,000,000 bushels of grain. During the winter of 1860-61, there were packed at Keithsburg 4,823 hogs, their average weight being 230 )A pounds. The best two hogs were marketed by John Brown, of Ohio Grove; they weighed 486 pounds each. He received a premium of $5 from the packers. The best ten hogs were brought in bv Mr. Reynolds, their average weight being 38812 pounds; he received a premium of $8. The best twenty hogs were marketed bv Burnett & Sons, their average weight being 326 pounds; he was paid a premium of $10. The best large lot of hogs was brought in by Martin Bear; they numbered 82; the average weight was 284; he received a premium of $15. Pettis Finch delivered two hogs that averaged 478:/j pounds. David Finch sold thirty-one, the average weight being 295*2 pounds. A. Frazier marketed five hogs, the average weight being 350 pounds. Brady Willits, J. W. Hueston, A. B. Childs and Harrison Riggs also delivered choice lots. One very fine lot of hogs driven in from Badgers' Corners averaged 288 pounds. The best single hog delivered during the season was marketed by Rev. J. S. Poage, of Aledo; it weighed 528 pounds. The amounts of grain received at Keithsburg in February, i860, were enormous. In one day as high as 300 wagon loads of corn and wheat, besides many others of oats, corn, etc., were weighed there. A resident going out of town met one morning forty wagons loaded with wheat and corn coming to town in the first ten miles. At this time the price of wheat had advanced to nearly a dollar a bushel.

On July 4, 1870, a very destructive fire occurred at Keithsburg. It was started in the livery stable of H. N. Ives and two young boys who were sleeping therein lost their lives. Their names were Ives and Demsler. Among the buildings destroyed were the Nelson House, the residence of Mrs. Wade, a large corn crib, owned by Mr. Holland, Joseph Thompson's house and several other structures. Manv buildings were saved by being covered with wet blankets. The town seemed to lack in early times means for fighting fires. In 1 87 1 the Farmers National Bank of Keithsburg was established with the following officers : William Drury, president; T. B. Cabeen, vice president; C. S. Orth, cashier; Solomon Wolf, John T. Mc- Ginnis, B. D. Ellett and B. P. Frick, directors. A general banking business was commenced and carried on. Its capital was $50,000, all the stock being subscribed and paid up.

In 1 87 1 baseball took a firm hold upon this county. The game had been plaved here before but this year a county league was formed and games were played for money. The club at Keithsburg was called Ictaries and the one at Aledo was called Andes. At an important game in Aledo the Andes had forty-eight runs and the Ictaries, thirtv. The plavers of the Andes were Ward, Shearer, Falloway. Mentzer, Henderson, Porter, Law, Moore and McDonald. Those of the Ictaries were Marshall, Frick (C. S.) , Frazier, Hinzie, Flynn, Frick (C. H.), Cabeen, Llovd and one other.

In the fall of 1870 a new ferry was started at Keithsburg and in one dav sixtv teams were taken across. In December of this year passenger trains began making regular trips to the town. The county board fixed the ferry rates as follows: Two horses and wagon, $1.50; horse and wagon, $1; man and horse, ^o cents; footman. 2; cents; cattle over two years old, 25 cents per head; others 10 cents per head; hogs and sheep, 10 cents per head.

In May, 1872, the distillery was destroyed by fire, the loss being about twentv-five thousand dollars, with an insurance of about fifteen thousand dollars.

Lloyd's large hotel was erected in 1871. Huron Island near Keithsburg had a bad reputation in early times. Liquor dealers and other law breakers were wont to gather there and hold high carnival without fear of molestation from officers of the law. Occasionally when the iniquity became too great the citizens of Keithsburg would make a raid upon the island and drive off the miscreants. In time they came to be called the Huron Island devils.

About 1880 the Keithsburg Reading and Conversational Club was organized and became one of the strongest mediums of literary culture ever in that community. The members took much interest in the work and made a special study of the lives ( 1 ) of the great poets; (2) great historians; (3) great novelists; (4) great orators. They discussed and analyzed thoroughly the literary merits of the works of Bryant, Browning, Emerson, Longfellow, Whittier, Poe and others.

In October, 1879, the Keithsburg Bank quit as a national institution and became known thereafter as the Farmers Bank, being organized under the state law.

In 1888 the Mississippi River was higher than ever before since 185 1. The water was not quite as high as it was in the latter year but was high enough to flood the streets and compel the merchants in many cases to place their goods in upper stories. In 1883 trie new railroad was almost ready for business at Keithsburg. In 1883 a driving park was established on land donated by T. B. Cabeen, one mile east of the town. L. K. Jenne & Son leased the land and built the track. Here it was that many of the fast horses and many other sports and games were conducted from that period on for many vears. The shooting tournament took place there and several of the greatest shots in the world developed at this park their surprising skill. In 1883 J. Erickson conducted a steam ferry here. About this time the village authorities purchased at Chicago 150 opera chairs and other suitable equipment for the new opera house. The Maggie Reaney was a popular local steamer on the river about this time. Captain Peal was her master.

In 1884 the town voted on the question of issuing bonds for the purchase of those which had been given the Dixon & Quincy Railroad Company in 1870 and which were still drawing interest at the rate of 10 per cent. The amount was $35,000 and it was desired to refund them at a low rate of interest. This in the end was accomplished.

The opera house, though good and substantial, was not satisfactory to the people. In the late '8os it was remodeled and greatly improved. It was then known as the Marshall & Cabeen Opera House. In December, 1888, it was formally opened by the citizens, on which occasion a large audience was present. In 1881 a new paper called the Keithsburg Times was conducted by Wolfe & Cook. In the end it was removed to Aledo and merged finally with the Record. H. C. Cook purchased the Keithsburg News in 1889. Theodore Glancey, who tor a time had edited the Keithsburg Observer and later the Karana, went to California and became editor of the Evening Press at Santa Barbara. He became involved in a controversy there and was shot by C. Gray, the republican candidate for state's attorney. The bullet passed through his wrist and abdomen and hedied the next morning. His father was the early owner of Glancey Mills on Pope Creek.

In 1890 Drurv, Burgett & Company conducted the bank. The population at that time was 1,540. A large shooting tournament was held here in 1890, on which occasion many noted shots from distant places were present and many large prizes were offered and awarded. Earlv in the '90s Tom A. Marshall was elected mayor of the city and held the position for many years. He was exceedingly popular, a cultured and companionable man and had many friends throughout the county and the west.

In 1890 it was stated that Keithsburg was the largest grain shipping point of its size on the Mississippi River. Immense quantities of sand of excellent quality were unearthed here and shipped by rail to distant points. It is an excellent source of income at this date and will continue to be for many vears. Here were some of the largest lumber concerns of the west. It was on the Galva and Keithsburg branch of the C. B. & Q. Railroad and was the western terminus of the Central Iowa Railway extending from Peoria to Mason City. Its water system was planned at this time and soon constructed. This gave it an abundance of pure, healthful water. The Keithsburg Gun Club, of which Tom A. Marshall was a leading member for many years, became known all over the world about this time. Standing purses were offered bv the leading citizens and merchants, one for $100 being offered by L. C. Smith.

Eate in March, 1891, the village authorities made an offer to the Iowa Central Railroad, if it would build its round house here, to pay half of the expenses, or about eight thousand dollars, for the erection of the same. At a public meeting this proposition was agreed to and in twentv-five minutes $4, ;oo of the sum needed was pledged. The town wanted the round house. It meant an addition to the population of from thirty-five to fifty families. A special committee was appointed to visit the company and secure the round house if possible.

Marshall was the first mayor. A little later a large brick schoolhouse, costing $10,000, was constructed. In the early '90s during two or three years, about twenty new buildings, many of them brick, were constructed. Secret societies and social clubs were numerous here in the '80s and '90s. The Mercer County Republic, another paper, was started about 1892. In September of this year a Soldiers' Reunion was held here, which was memorable in the beauty of the speeches made and the great orators present. Over four hundred and ten old soldiers registered. It was about 1892 that the Excelsior Library was established and about two hundred books served as the nucleus for the future collection. At that time the postmaster was Mr. Mertz. The electric plant was started by E. B. Hillman & Company, of Peoria, who later sold the plant to Dr. E. L. Marshall, W. S. Cabeen, Tom A. Marshall and Charles Frayer, who formed a company and elected the first named president, the second named treasurer, the third named secretary and the last named manager. They immediately improved the plant by adding a better boiler and a dynamo completing the equipment in 1893. At the start 175 lights were taken for residences and many others were added later. The new organization became known as the Keithsburg Electric Light & Power Company. The people were proud of the public schools at this time. The high school was in an encouraging condition, with sixtv-one pupils. Upper Keithsburg was annexed about the year 1889 or 1890. In 1893 new ar,d improved waterworks were talked of. The question was submitted to a vote, with the following result: For new waterworks, eighty-three; against it, ninetv-two. At the same time ninety-seven votes were cast in favor of a new city hall and 177 against the project. At this election T. A. Marshall was made mayor; H. P. Humbert, clerk; F. P. Burgett, treasurer, and S. M. Booe, attorney. The new round house which had been secured at great expense, and which had been the means of increasing the population of Keithsburg to a considerable extent, was damaged by fire in February, 1893. Six engines were almost wholly ruined and several buildings were burned. The round house itself was damaged to the extent of $1,500. The Literary Club in 1893 was the means of adding greatly to the books in the public library. In 1893 tne Republican consolidated with the News and was conducted by George Bloomer and George Porter. In July, 1893, the waterworks contract was let to the Monmouth Construction Company and the city issued bonds to the amount of $12,000 for their construction. It was provided that the cost should not exceed $15,000, $3,000 was paid in cash and the rest in bonds. Tax sufficient to meet the bonds as they became due and the interest thereon was levied. Although the city had a considerable fire fighting force, yet it seemed somewhat incompetent, because the fires usually got the start and were destructive in the extreme. In the fall of 1893 a new hose cart was ordered but in the following October another big fire occurred and swept nearly all the buildings on the river front from Battle Row to Christian Avenue. The rest of the town was saved by hard work. Twenty-eight buildings were destroyed and forty families were thrown out of homes. The total loss was estimated at $30,000. Immediately after this event the people, now fully awake, assembled and reorganized wholly the fire company. A hose team of twenty and a hook and ladder team of thirty were organized. The three wards were divided into signal stations and J. M. Derr was appointed fire marshal. At a firemen's ball and supper held to raise means about this time, a large sum was realized, mostly through the device of voting for two young ladies for sponsors of the hook and ladder and the hose teams. The young ladies who were sponsors of the two fire concerns were known as Sadie C and Cora C. Thus one of the companies were called the Sadie C Hose Company, and the other, Cora C Hook and Ladder Company. The company gave public exhibition and on one occasion ran 227 vards, raised a 20-foot ladder and had men at the top in forty-four seconds. Thev joined the state association at that time. At last Keithsburg meant business in the way of stopping fires. During the '90s the temperance war was conducted and is described elsewhere herein. Usually the license ticket carried.

In April, 1897, the Circuit Court appointed a receiver for the Drury, Burgett & Company Bank at Keithsburg. It was solvent but this step was made necessary by the death of William Drury at that time. C. S. Orth was appointed receiver. About this time C. E. Bennett bought the Keithsburg News of Sweezy & Veach. In 1897 Tom A. Marshall served his sixth term as mayor of Keithsburg. He was again reelected without opposition. The Farmers Bank was organized under the statutes in the fall of 1897. Among the subscribers were H. W. Olcott, K. M. Whitham, John S. Allen. John Swanson, Solomon Wolfe, Francis Harrison, J. L. Allison, Grant M. Wolfe, C. E. Dryden, Leopold Adelsdorf, David Adelsdorf, William Kellogg and others. The managers were Olcott, Whitham & Company. The capital was $25,000.

The first paid fire department was established in February, 1900, at House No. 1, with T. A. Marshall in the chair. C. S. Finch was elected chief. Among the members were R. E. Mellinger,

In April, 1899, Tom A. Marshall won in the great American Shooting Tournament at Jersey City against a powerful opposition and repeated the victory the next year. The shooting took place at Elwood Park, Long Branch, and there were a total of 263 entries of the best shooters of the world. He closed the shoot on Wednesday without a miss and that night sixty-two men had clear records. During Thursday all these except seven were retired. On Friday there were but two men left at one stage of the contest. Marshall in succession killed his thirty-third bird. Grim, his only competitor, missed his thirty-third bird, thus giving Marshall the victory.

In 1900 the businessmen of Keithsburg were as follows: Attorneys, Kirkpatrick & Wiley; bank, Olcott, Whitham & Company; bakery, E. D. Johnson; barber, Ed Ogle; bicycle repairs, W. H. Davis; boots and shoes, Famous Shoe Store, M. Hendrickson, Thomas Souster; contractor and builder, J. M. Kaufman; cigar manufacturers, B. G. Humbert & Company, the H. & H. ; grain and coal, C. R. Eddington, E. J. Glancey, W. R. King; hardware, Mulford& Company, S. W. Smith; hotels, Commercial, Gem; insurance, L. L. Mertz, Porter & Cannon; justice of the pecae, Daniel Clark; jeweler and optician, E. Siever; laundry, Keithsburg Steam Laundry; livery and feed barns, C. F. Beach, R. M. Willett; lumber, the Keithsburg Lumber Company; merchant tailors, A. J. Johnson, H. A. Mitze; dentist, R. E. Bloomer; dry goods and clothing, Adelsdorf Brothers; dray line, W. F. Haas; druggists, Allen & Bozarth, W. Hadley; express and baggage, M. Teberg; furniture and undertaking, W. A. Starker; groceries, Ellett Brothers, Frick Mercantile Company, Hall & Bettler, Noble, Wickett & Company; milliners, Anna Hoyt, Hattie N. Noble; meat market, J. Kerker; newspaper, The Keithsburg News; oil can manufactory, The Stoutenberg Manufacturing Company; physicians and surgeons, J. S. Allen, T. D. Coe, Wilber Kelley, E. N. McKee, A. P. Willits; poultry, J. W. Abrams; painter and paper hanger, George F. Parsons; real estate and loans, G. M. Wolfe; restaurants, E. E. Deterline, C. F. Johnson & Son; racket store, W. S. Cabeen; stone masons, Lett Brothers.

In 1906 the Monarch Button Factory at Keithsburg was a successful and promising business concern. It had hand machines, big automatic machines and other suitable equipment and secured large

In December, 1908, C. A. Hovt and L. J. Temple became proprietors of the Keithsburg Bank, buying out the stock of Mr. Olcott in April, 1909. Wolfe, Bloomer & Company were managers of the Keithsburg Bank. Grant M. Wolfe was president, J. F. Humbert cashier and the capital was $35,000.

In 1910 the Bay View Home Study Club was an important institution at Keithsburg. In recent years the construction of the big drainage levee at Keithsburg is one of the important improvements. There were removed 182,000 yards of earth for the levee and 10,900 yards of muck for the ditch. The total cost was $52,234.50. In the spring of 1910 the new bridge over the Mississippi was completed.

In August, 191 2, a new public library was planned and at the head of this movement were Mrs. E. E. Deterline, Miss Kate Noble, Mrs. J. S. Allen, Mrs. Lottie Olcott, Mrs. M. J. Humphreys, Mrs. Hod Ogle, Miss Ethel Boruff and Miss Leila Venable.

The new city hall was projected in 1913 and was planned to cost $5,000. The first floor was made ready for the fire department and on the upper floor were the city offices. The building was erected 28 by 60 feet. In 1913 the Keithsburg News was under the charge of A. N. Cole, editor and publisher.

In 19 14 Keithsburg had a population of 1,566 and had the following business establishments: W. C. Bassett & Company, boots and shoes; H. C. Bettler, groceries and meats; A. L. Bloomberg, harness; R. E. Bloomer, oil can manufacturer; A. P. Canon, machinery; A. H. Clark, grocery and bakery; E. E. Deterline, restaurant and confectionery; Charles H. Ditto, sporting goods ; Dryden Brothers, hardware; Ellett Brothers, grocery; W. P. Finch & Son, grocery and market; R. E. Fleming, restaurant; John S. Gilrain, drugs; Globe Clothing Company; Helwig & Helwig, racket store; Henderson Brothers, boots and shoes; Humphreys & Newell, grocery and market; A. J. Johnson, tailor; Keithsburg Pearl Button Manufacturing Company ; W. R. King, lumber and coal ; King & Venable, grocery; Marshall Telephone Company; Mississippi Sand & Gravel Company; J. W. Morgan, fish market; J. L. Noble, dry goods and clothing; Noble & Hoyt, millinery; Orth & Taylor, dry goods and clothing; A. E. Reasor, livery; H. S. Schroeder, pool and cigars; E. Siever, jewelry; H. I. Smith, blacksmith; William Streit, livery; L. F. Stuebinger, undertaker; Tri County Light & Power Company; Ed Waters, blacksmith; Keithsburg Bank, capital $36,500; Citizens Bank.