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out December 12, 1856, by Chester N. Case, I. N. Bull, Lawrence Case, F. I. Miller, H. L. Dousman, B. W. Brisbois, Preston Ledwick, and F. C. Miller.

Chantry-Is another of the old town sites that have almost faded from the memory of all except those who are familiar with the records. It was laid out by Augustus French, Aug. 24, 1857, on the northeast fraction of section 12, Lafayette Township, five or six miles below Lansing, and doubtless had hopes of one time becoming a useful and perhaps important river point.

Alton--Is still another of the hopeful young villages of the fifties, which are nearly forgotten. Its situation was in the Iowa valley, on section 1 in French Creek Township, near the mouth of the stream of that name. It was platted Jan. 5, 1858, by W. W. and Nancy Woodmansee.

Buckland-Is the site of Buckland Mills, and is located on the Yellow River, very near the center of Linton Township. Laid out April 28, 1858, by Austin and Harriet L. Smith, John and Lucy Davis, and Asa and Cordelia Candee; acknowledged before James H. Stafford, J. P. The town plat was vacated May 10th, 1881.

Manchester-Is known as Manchester Mills, in the northwest corner of Franklin Township, on the south half, northwest quarter, southwest quarter section 6, and is so near to Cleveland that the names are used interchangeably. The plat bears date of May 10, 1859; surveyed by Joel Dayton in '56; and is acknowledged by Peter M. and Judith Gilson, before Trumbull Granger, Justice of the Peace.

New Albin. The youngest town in the county, had a population in 1880 of 423. Its location, on the banks of a large slough just south of the Minnesota State line, is well adapted for a large town, being high and level ground, and only its distance from the main channel of the river prevented its becoming such, as it has a large section of fertile farming and dairy lands, through the northern portion of the county, naturally tributary to its market. It owes its origin to the building of the Dubuque & Minnesota Railroad, in 1872, being laid off into blocks and lots in November of that year by J. A. Rhomberg, J. K. Graves, S. H. Kinne, Hily Ross, and administratrix of John Ross.

The New Albin Herald, a six-column folio sheet, was established about June 1st, 1873, by Dr. J. I. Taylor, who placed his son, James E. Taylor, in immediate charge of it as a publisher. The following year it was discontinued, and the Spectator, an eight page paper, was established by E. S. Kilbourne, who continued its publication until May, 1879, when he removed his office material to a new town in the West.

Myron. Is situated on the Yellow River, in Post Township, near the north line, and dates its platted existence only from May 8, 1873, although it is an old-time settlement and far more en

titled to be styled a village than many of the mythical towns socalled. It has possessed a large and excellent flouring mill for many years; also a store, postoffice, blacksmith shop, etc.

Dorchester.-The site of Haines' Mill, on Waterloo Creek, in the eastern part of Waterloo township, was settled early in the fifties, but was not platted until November 27, 1873, the proprietors being S. H. and Elsie T. Haines. It is quite a business-like community, with a population of 101, according to the last census. Lafayette-Was a settlement on the river, in the township of that name, a short distance above Chantry. The first comer was one Gordon, in 1850. It was a good boat landing, and at one time. possessed two stores and a large steam saw-mill; but if the land. was laid off into lots it was never platted. In 1857 the saw-mill

was changed to a grist-mill by Kinyon & Amsden, and in 1859, we believe, was called Foot's Mills. At this date no settlement to amount to anything exists there.

Paint Rock-Was another river point that "was to be," on Harper's Channel, in Fairview township, section 3, near the Taylor line. At an early day (probably in 1850) Wm. H. Morrison, at one time School Fund Commissioner, brought a small stock of goods and the inevitable barrel of whisky to this point, where he built a small house and started a store. His building has disappeared, and there is but one house there at this time. Mr. Morrison afterward went to California, where he died insane.

Waterville. A thriving village of 75 or 100 inhabitants, on Paint Creek, fourteen miles from Waukon and nine from the river. The first settlements in the neighborhood were made in 1850. In 1854 the Waterville mill was erected by Nathaniel Beebe, and the same year Col. J. Spooner came and bought land, and the following winter or spring purchased a part interest in the mill, which was then completed and put into operation. Col. Spooner returned to the East in the fall of 1854, but in May, 1855, came on again with a stock of goods and started a store, in which he was joined by Daniel P. Carpenter. In 1856 James Beebe built a large frame hotel, the outlook at that time being very promising for the future growth of the place, possessing, as it does, three of as good water-powers as can be found anywhere in the valley. Here was organized the old "Prairie du Chien & Mankato Railroad Company." After the collapse of this enterprise the many natural advantages of this village site were lost sight of, until its growth was renewed upon the construction of the W. & M. Railroad in 1877, since when there have been several substantial stores and a grain warehouse erected, and it is now a live little market town, the only railroad station between Waukon and the Junction. Although laid off into lots and streets at an early day, it has never been platted.

New Galena. The old village of this name was situated on the north side of the Iowa River, in Hanover Township, at the mouth

of Waterloo Creek, and nearly opposite the mouth of Mineral Creek, which comes in from the south, through what was at one time supposed to be a rich lead region; hence the name of the creek and settlement. The land in which it was situated was bought of the government by Peter Lander, July 1, 1852, who sold it to Phineas Weston, of South Bend, Ind., June 22, 1853. In 1856 one A. C. Tichenor discovered what he supposed to be paying quantities of lead, in the valley of Mineral Creek, and not having sufficient means of his own to carry out his plans, went to New York City to get men of capital interested, stopping in Indiana to see Phineas Weston, the owner of the land, with whom it is supposed he made satisfactory arrangements for opening a mine. In New York he succeeded almost immediately in interesting one Jas. T. Moulton, who laid the matter before another party of some means, Aug. F. Lee, and together they proceeded to act in the matter. Mr. Lee came on with Tichenor, looked over the ground, procured specimens of the ore and had it tested, and everything proving satisfactory Moulton and his son Arthur came on with all the necessary materials and laborers and proceeded to erect buildings. Among others, they built a large store, which was filled with a huge stock of goods purchased in New York by F. M. Clark, who had accompanied Tichenor east for that purpose, and who clerked for Moulton & Lee until the following January. At one time the company had as many as a hundred men in their employ. The village site was laid off into lots and streets, and some of the lots were sold at good round prices; but it was never platted. The village at its best comprised some eight or ten houses, but they have disappeared, and at this time the land where the town stood is one of the best farms in the Iowa valley, and is owned by Levi Green, who purchased it from the creditors of the lead mining company. Some of the buildings were moved off, and others left to fall to pieces. Among the latter was a large stone barn which stood until a couple years ago or so, a monument of the New Galena folly.

But to return to the mining operations. The company penetrated the side of the bluffs on Mineral Creek and took out ore in such quantities that they felt warranted in erecting a smelting furnace, which was done some fifteen rods south of the bridge which was built at a later day, and smelted a considerable quantity of ore-how much we cannot tell-but it did not pay. The ore was mostly in the shape of floats, but they kept on, hoping to strike a paying "lead," In this they were disappointed however, as no well defined lead was developed, and the store part of the venture was the only thing about it that paid. In the spring of 1857, Tichenor had run through what little means he had invested in the concern, and Moulton and Lee, disappointed in their bright expectations, were inclined to blame him for the result of the enterprise, and so cast him off. The elder Moulton took to

drink; and sometime in the course of a year the whole thing collapsed under the stress of circumstances. The creditors got what they could out of the property, and we believe Moulton and Lee returned to the east. Tichenor, it seems, could not give up the idea of getting riches out of a mine, and sought the mines of the west. Only a year or two ago he was heard of in connection with a fraudulant mining concern, shares of stock in which he had sold to the extent of $20,000 or $30,000, and having been discovered in his game, had skipped out.

Among our county records we find the "Articles of Association of the New Galena Lead Mining and Real Estate Company," entered into on the 18th day of August, 1857, and to continue twenty years with the right of renewal.

"James Thorington, James T. Moulton, J. Arthur Moulton, Aug. F. Lee, Wm. L. Easton, Leonard Standring, Warren Ballou, James I. Gilbert, Grant Telford, Milo C. Fuller, Alanson H. Barnes, D. B. Defendorf, L. B. Defendorf, S. H. Kerfoot, James L. McLean, Robt. L. McClelland, Horatio Hill, Solomon Goodrich, E. E. Cooley, and their associates, and such persons as may hereafter become stockholders in the Company by these articles incorporated," formed themselves into a body corporate under the name and style above mentioned, "for the purpose," the document goes on to say, "of mining, smelting, and manufacturing lead, and for the purpose of acquiring, by purchase or otherwise, any lands in the State of Iowa, or any other State or Territory in the United States; and for laying out such lands into towns or villages, additions to town or villages, and disposing of the same at private or public sale; and also for engaging in internal improvements, manufactures, agriculture and commerce, and in any or all financial or monied operations not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Iowa," etc., etc. The document further provides that the capital stock shall consist of $200,000, of $20 a share, with power to increase to not exceed $500,000. The principal place of business was to be the village of New Galena; and "the directors shall cause semi-annual dividends to be declared out of the profits of the Company." About how many dividends were declared may be readily imagined. We believe this company did continue to operate the diggings for a time, but they were finally abandoned entirely. The diggings mentioned by Prof. Hall as located on the southwest quarter of Sec. 13, 99, 6, were doubtless the ones operated by this Company; the land is now owned by the Fitzgeralds. The first lead taken out was probably near by the smelting furnace.

Wexford-By right of priority of settlement, this community, situated in the southern portion of Lafayelte Township, some three miles from the Mississippi, on Priest Cooley (or creek), should have been mentioned earlier in the list of villages, having been settled in 1851. In the spring of that year Father Thomas

Hare, the first Catholic Missionary in the county, came here direct from Ireland, and with material said to have been brought from Dubuque, erected a frame church, supposed to have been the first church built in the county, and called the place Wexford. This church, we understand, was built at Father Hare's own expense. In earlier life he had been a missionary in Virginia, but had returned to Ireland. He was independent of the Bishop, and operated on his own responsibility. His field of operations reached over a wide extent of country. He was a genial and influential man, and drew to this county a large immigration of his countrymen, who settled around him at this point.

Union City-Is the name of a settlement on the north side of the Iowa, above the mouth of French Creek, which was to have been platted as a village and so gave its name to the township in which it is located. It was never laid out, or, if it was it was never platted and entered on record.

CHAPTER VII.

History of Post Township; Location; Early Settlements; Villages; War Record, Miscellaneous Incidents and Reminiscences.

BY A. R. PRESCOTT.

"Our fathers to their graves have gone,
Their strife is past-their triumph won,
But sterner trials wait the race
Which rises in their honored place."

- Whittier.

Post Township occupies Congressional Township No. 96 north, range 6, west of 5th principal meridian: is the southwest corner township of Allamakee County, Iowa, and contains 22,491

acres.

The surface is undulating, and in the northern part, bluffy. Yellow River runs easterly through the entire township, somewhat north of the middle sections, and is formed from two branches, one coming from the northwest through sections 6 and 7, the other from the southwest through section 18, meeting on the southwest corner of section 8, and almost immediately disappearing in the lose limestone formation of its bed, running underground for about two miles, then suddenly gushing out at the foot of the bluff, in one huge spring, on the northwest quarter of section 3. Thence onward, the river is rapid, clear, and in its descent affording numerous mill sites, and from the influx of other

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