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two others only equaled it. The causes for its decline were few and simple. Settlers were thronging into the country, and opening other sections. Post routes and lines of communication were being established. Nature was rather against Moneek. It was nestled away in the valley of the Yellow River, surrounded by mountainous hills, and not easy of access. Notwithstanding this, the founders of the place evidently thought Moneek had such a start that its growth was sure and permanent; that roads must come to them; they could not be left out in the cold.' One thing is certain, while the post routes were being established the Moneekers were too busy with their 'corner lots.' In the meanwhile, a busy, bustling fellow named Frank Teabout, had settled on the ridge, and when the 'state road' was run he was looking after his interests. The line was established on the ridge; Frankville sprang into existence; and ere they knew it the great tide of emigration which set in was sweeping by them, along the ridge road, but bringing no grist to be tolled and ground for the benefit of Moneek. It had its method of egress, but no artery of trade. The result was certain. Those who were in trade one by one sold out, or abandoned the place; and by the time it was ten years old it was indeed a deserted village.

Early in the sixties its postoffice was thrown up. Abner DeCow enlisted in 1861 and served in Capt. Willett's company of the 3d Iowa Infantry; and at the close of the war removed to Kansas, where he still resides. McSwain remained until about 1865, when he left, principally because the neighborhood was getting too warm for him. The rights of the property were not rigidly observed by everybody about that time; but who it was that was careless as to other people's titles, was not known. At last an old buggy was missed from the road where it had been left. Inquiry was made as to its whereabouts for several days. ineffectually, until Judge DeCow (mind, he doesn't tell us this story, and isn't responsible for it,) went down to McSwain's to look at some sheep the latter wished to sell. As the families had not visited for a long time, he took his wife and children along. During the day the children went to the straw stack to play, and pleased themselves by climbing to the top, and sliding down the stack. McSwain's boy, however, cautioned the Judge's son not to slide down on a certain side, because there was a wagon under there! This excited his curiosity enough so that he remembered to tell his father about it on the way home in the evening. It instantly struck the father-there is that missing buggy! The suspicion was more than hinted to the owner, and a search proved it to be the identical buggy. McSwain settled the matter, but used, afterwards, to charge the sheep with being the sole cause of the difficulty. He reasoned it out, somewhat after this manner. If he had not owned the sheep and wanted to sell them, the Judge would not have paid him that visit; the boys would not have

been sliding down the straw stack; the buggy would have remained hid until he could have run it off. Ergo: the sheep were wholly to blame!

This discovery gave the neighbors cause to suspicion McSwain whenever anything was missing; and as there was considerable horse-thieving going on about that time, it became too unpleasant a place to stay. As soon as he could dispose of his property, he folded his tents, and fled away to new fields.

The plat of the village was vacated in 18-; and it is now a part of a good farm, which a clever, thorough going farmer, Mr. G. W. Esty, above mentioned, annually plows, sows and reaps. Occasionally a new comer enquires where was Moneek, and the query calls up a smile to the face of an old settler, as he cheerfully answers and thinks of the swath it cut in the years which are so recent, and yet in the hurry-skurry of more important events, seem much longer than a fifth century ago.

EARLIER SKETCHES.

The following from sketches of early history, published in the Decorah Republican in 1865, give much interesting information, although some points omitted are supplied elsewhere, and the chronology of early settlers given more completely in Chapter I.

It has been repeatedly shown, and it is an undisputed fact, that the Day family are entitled to the honor of being Decorah's first settlers; and, as this has grown into the most important and influential point within the county, it will always give to them a pre-eminence over all other pioneers. But, as we have shown in the history of Fort Atkinson, there were those who preceded them. The Days came to Decorah in June, 1849. The German colony, consisting of Gotlob and Gotleib Krumm, Charles Kregg and Francis Rogers, came in 1847, nearly two years before. We have sometimes doubted whether this is not an error of a year, because the soil was then Indian territory, and not open to squatters. The Indians were removed in 1848, and the reservation opened to settlement. The date, however, has been published, and stands unquestioned, therefore we give it again, with this query, which may substantiate it or correct an error. If it is substantiated, the fact is very clear that they were the first permanent residents.

If there is an error of one year, it will give them a year's precedence over the settlement at Decorah, but it will leave it an open question whether a family named Campbell, who had settled in Bloomfield township, were not as early, or earlier comers. To these may be added the family of ex-Judge David Reed, who followed the Campbells closely, and became the pioneer settlers in the southeast corner of the county.

We learn of these through Mr. D. A. Reed. He informs us that his father's family moved upon what afterwards became the northeast quarter of Section 25, in August, 1848. The family

They

consisted of eight persons, and he was then 18 years old. found their only neighbors to be the family of this Mr. Campbell. He had come in only a few weeks previous, and was still "camping out," or occupying an emigrant wagon, over on the west side of what became Section 23. Both these points were on the Military road, then the only travelled thoroughfare. This would make the Campbells resident from some time in July, 1848. Perhaps Mrs. Campbell, the wife, now a widow, living (we believe) on the homestead which they then squatted upon, may be able to give the exact date. Mr. Reed tells us that Mr. Campbell made claim to a strip of land one mile wide and four miles long, and a year or two later he thought it hard that he could not get $20 for his claim.

Mrs. Powell, the old lady who was canonized in the sketch of Fort Atkinson as the wonderful talker at "Rattle-trap," had also come in a few weeks before, but as she did not long remain, we leave her out of the list of settlers.

Leaving the dates as they have been written, we have this data as established facts: The German colony was first in precedence; the Campbells and Reeds second, and the Days third. If there are any who can dispute this order we have yet to hear a hint or trace of them. They represent, too, three different sections of the county, or independent settlements, each begun prior to July 1st, 1849. In that month of July Geo. Bachel, Joseph Huber, Andrew Myers, Anthony Stottle, Joseph Spillman, and Jonah Rausch, with their families, joined the German colony; and the Goddards came in the fall. In the same month McSwain and Abner DeCow settled at Moneek. These speak of Hawks and Callenders, who were residing over in what has become Frankville township. Of the date of their coming we have obtained no information. Rev. E. Adams, in his "First Things of Decorah," mentions that the Days found but two settlers between Monona and Decorah, and these were at or near what is now called Frankville.

The history of Moneek added a few other names to that settlement in 1849. To Decorah was added the Painter family, and probably on the first of January, 1850, the residents of the county did not number over two score families, all told. Large accessions came in that year; and it must be left to an "Old Settlers' Association," to gather up all their names and put them on record (this is done in the chapter first of this history). We have a few facts gathered here and there, which will serve as contributions to such a roll of pioneers. Among these, and one of the most valuable, is a list of those who lived north of the Iowa River in 1850. Henry Holm moved into Canoe Township about August 1, 1850. His family consisted of himself and wife, three sons and three daughters. The oldest son, J. W. Holm, is still a well-known resident of Canoe, and was then 19 years old. The neighbors

were few and they soon knew each other. Happily, Mr. H. distinctly remembers the names and location of all the old settlers, and from him we gather the interesting fact that there were then twelve families living north of the Iowa River. These were,

These all lived

George Ream, John Ream and James Cross. together in an old log cabin, still standing on what is known as the H. H. Horn farm.

David Kinnison, in Canoe, on the farm he still occupies.

David Bartlett, on the farm now occupied by Wm. Marlow, where he died.

Wells McIntyre, on the farm which his sons still occupy. John Johnson, on the Jewell farm, in Decorah Township. James Boyce, on the river bottom, forming a part of what has been known since as the "Filbert" and the "Ashmore" farm. Aldrich, the miller, at the Spring mill.

Joe Brown, on the Russell farm, in Canoe.

William Klontz and Justice Wilson lived with Brown.

Mr. Holm's family made fhe 13th.

There was at this time-August, 1850-but one farm opened. the Reams had one crop of about eight acres of winter wheat, which was cut and in shock, at the time. The winter previous had proved favorable, and the crop was a good one. The Holms bought of them and sowed winter wheat that fall, but it proved then as it has repeatedly since, a failure.

Rev. Mr. Adams mentions the presence, when the Days moved in, of these Reams and a man named Button; but as they did not remain they can scarcely be called pioneer settlers.

Mr. J. W. Holm helped dig the race for the Decorah mill, and hewed logs for the first dam that was built. They were cut from a burr oak grove that was standing close by on the north side of the river.

Mr. H. says at that time the postoffice used was McGregor, and thither they had to go to get their necessary supplies.

While writing these notes, circumstances favor us with an opportunity to consult another of these thirteen.

Mr. David Kinnison came to Iowa in 1849, but wintered down on the Yellow River. In March, 1850, he came up into this section. He passed through Decorah, finding the Day and Painter families on the east or south (?) side, Aldrich on the west side, and the Reams on their claim as above stated. He settled on the northwest quarter of section seven, in Canoe township, and claims, probably rightfully, that he built the first cabin erected in Canoe township; and so far as they then knew, or have ever been able to learn, there were no white settlers north of him, and west of the river, except at St. Paul. Bartlett, Johnson, Bryce, Brown, Klontz and Wilson came in May, following; and McIntyre arrived on the last day in June. Besides these, there was one James

Kelley-not mentioned by Mr. Holm-who came on the 10th of May, and settled on a part of what is now the Col. J. W. Taylor farm.

Among others who joined these that year were two young men, named Gilbert and Lambert, who made a claim on the Iowa river above the Reams. They kept a kind of store. Bernard Harmon came in the fall, and made claim of the present Jacob Headington farm. George Smith was another neighbor, who moved in and occupied a piece of land on the Iowa, just over the line in Blufftown township (section 24) where he may yet be found. James Ackerson and B. L. Bisby were also among the '50rs. They pushed on to the front, the first getting over into Hesper and the other into the northeast corner of Bluffton township.

PIONEER NORWEGIANS.

Norwegian enterprise and their work in pioneer service have had much to do in the development and prosperity of the county. Of their first settlers here, Mr. Baily, in his address, said:

So far as I can learn, Engebret Peterson Haugen, who died last year, was the original pioneer of this nationality. He came to settle in 1850 but was here prospecting the fall previous, and bought the claim where he lived and died, and on which was the old Henry M. Rice trading post. In July, 1850, twelve Norwegian families came in from Wisconsin and found a home on Washington Prairie, a home where several of the fathers still live the heads of large and prosperous families. These twelve were represented by Nelson and Germund Johnson, Ole A. and Andrew O. Lommen, Andras Hogue, Knudt Ophal, John Johnson, A. Holverson, Ole Tostenson and Mikkle Omlie. Other families followed them rapidly, and from that day, Norwegians, by their industry and frugality, have done a large share of the hard work which has made our best prairies to bud and blossom as the rose. Not alone as emigrants have they done service in multiplying the population. The earliest marriage records show that they did not think it good for man to live alone and also that they were more disposed to giving and taking in marriage than any other class. The first recorded marriage is that of one of those early pioneers. now that useful citizen of Madison township, Mr. John Evanson, and Catherine Helen Anderson. The ceremony was performed in February, 1852, by Rev. N. Brandt, then a wandering missionary from Wisconsin, and now pastor of the Lutheran Church in Decorah. I further find that of the first 1,227 marriages recorded in the clerk's office, that other pioneer and christian gentleman, Rev. V. Koren, officiated at 247, and I hasten to accord to him the position of champion marrier.

The sketches previously published, and from which we have quoted, say:

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