Part 63 (1/2)
”The first brick building was erected in 1844, on the northwest corner of Iowa avenue and Was.h.i.+ngton street, by P.
W. Earle, and is now occupied by him. The Union House, on the northwest corner of Adams and Market streets, was the first hotel. It was destroyed by fire early in 1865. The first school house was erected in 1847, and the first school taught by Nelson Felch. This structure is now occupied as a dwelling on the north side of Eagle street between Jefferson and Madison. The first white child born was the daughter of John Vardy, now removed to Texas. The first church erected is that commonly known as the 'Muddy,' and is still used as a house of wors.h.i.+p. It is a small 'grout' building at the southeast corner of Eagle and Adams streets. The first death was that of a young man by the name of William Brookey, some time in 1843. The first frame building was built by John Vardy.
”The lodge of Free Masons was established in 1850, and James Keeler, an Episcopal minister, was the first W. M. The lodge took the name of Cedar Rapids Lodge No. 25. Its name was changed in 1864 to the more euphonious and Masonic name of Crescent.
”The first newspaper was established by D. O. Finch, in 1854. Three volumes only were issued. D. O. Finch, James J.
Child, and James L. Enos, were successively its editors. The _Era_ was purchased in 1854 by James L. Enos, and the name changed to the _Cedar Valley Times_, by which name it still flourishes. C. M. Hollis, Esq., is the present editor. The second paper was the _Cedar Valley Farmer_, J. L. Enos, editor. The _Cedar Rapids Democrat_ was the third paper established, by W. W. Perkins & Co., in 1856. The _Voice of Iowa_ was commenced in January, 1857, by the Iowa State Teachers' a.s.sociation, and J. L. Enos elected editor. This journal reached a large circulation, and did much to give form to the school system of the state. The present public school edifice was erected in 1856-7-8, at a cost of some $15,000. It has six departments, and employs seven or eight teachers.
”Cedar Rapids was incorporated as a city in 1856, and Isaac Newton Whittam, Esq., was chosen the first mayor. A free bridge was constructed across the Cedar in 1855-6, but was soon carried away by the ice. As it fell, a large number were standing on the banks watching the ice as it rapidly tore the stone piers from their positions. Two sisters, daughters of Mr. Black, pa.s.sed by the guard, which was stationed at the end of the bridge to keep the people from pa.s.sing on, and had reached about the middle, when the frail fabric went down. Both young ladies were drowned, and the body of one was never recovered. A toll bridge was erected the following year, and though a slender structure, has thus far withstood the action of the ice, though occasionally broken down by cattle pa.s.sing over it.
”KINGSTON CITY
”Is a place of about 350 inhabitants, situated on the west side of the Cedar river, opposite the city of Cedar Rapids.
It is connected with this city by a wooden bridge, and is about one-quarter of a mile from the Cedar Rapids depot of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad. In the year 1838 Robert Ellis and O. Bowling settled on land in the vicinity, and in the year following Messrs. Isaac, John, and Joseph Lichtebarger settled where Kingston now stands. During the summer following David W. King and Thomas Gainor arrived here. The first child born was Mary Jane, daughter of T. and R. Gainor, on the 15th of May, 1840. Rosannah Gainor died on the 8th of June, 1840. This was the first death in the place. There is in the place one paper mill, one saw mill, two blacksmith shops, two groceries, and one dry goods store. There are three religious societies, Methodist Episcopal, Congregationalist, and United Presbyterian. There is also a commodious building for school purposes, and three libraries. This region of country is especially adapted to growing grain. Large quant.i.ties are annually s.h.i.+pped to Chicago from this place. The immense water-power will at no distant day make this a large manufacturing town.”
The following as to early things in Cedar Rapids is taken from a copy of the _Cedar Valley Times_, J. L. Enos, editor, in 1865:
”On the 4th day of July, 1841, N. B. Brown began construction of a dam for utilization of the power. Carson, Gray and Roach soon sold their interests to Messrs. Brown and Greene, who became the sole proprietors of the water-power, and constructed the first saw mill in 1842-3.
This mill is yet standing in the rear of Brown's flouring mill, which was also the first grist mill, and erected in 1843, and extensively enlarged by the present owner in 1854-5.
”The first blacksmith in the place was Harrison Campbell, who opened a shop in Shepherd's old cabin in 1843. Isaac Cook, Esq., was the first lawyer, John L. Shearer the first justice, and James Lewis the first constable. The name of the first physician seems to be lost from the memory of the 'early day,' though many of his peculiar traits of character are remembered. Like some others in the profession he was disposed to blow his own trumpet, and the stories he told to the uninitiated ones were marvelous in the extreme. Once when he had returned from Muscatine he claimed to have lost forty pounds of quinine in one of the streams which put into the Cedar below the city--the water being unusually high.
His credit was evidently then better than afterward, as was also his physical courage. Constable Lewis, at one time called upon him with an execution to secure a judgment, when the doctor becoming wrathy, threw off his coat for a fight.
The constable being more intent on collecting the claim than emulous for notoriety as a pugilist, seized the coat and made away with it--finding a sufficient amount of money to pay the debt. Dr. S. M. Brice remained here for a few months and then removed to Center Point. Dr. E. L. Mansfield was the first physician who made a permanent location in this city, and still enjoys a large and lucrative practice. He came here in 1847 and has ever since been engaged in the n.o.ble endeavor--to heal the thousand natural ills that flesh is heir to.
”The first brick building was erected in 1844, by P. W.
Earle, Esq., on the west corner of Iowa avenue and Was.h.i.+ngton street. This building is still occupied by Mr.
Earle, and shows but little the marks of age. A three-story brick store was erected the same year on the south corner of Iowa avenue and Commercial street. This building has since been removed to make room for the block of stores extending from Iowa avenue down the west side of Commercial street toward Eagle street. Greene's hotel, a fine-appearing brick hotel four stories high, also occupied a portion of this ground. It was erected in 1853-4 by George Greene, and was kept by various persons as a first-cla.s.s hotel until it was taken down to make room for a new brick block, which was erected in 1862.
”The first store proper was opened in the building now standing on the north corner of Iowa avenue and Was.h.i.+ngton street, by Joseph Greene. As early as 1842 Mr. Greene had a store in one part of a log building located on the north corner of Commercial and Sugar streets, the other end of the same building being occupied as a boarding house or hotel.
”The first building erected for a hotel was built by William Dwyer in 1847, James Gunning being the first landlord. The building was destroyed by fire in January, 1865. It was known as the Union House and was located on the west corner of Market and Adams streets.
”The Adventists held meetings here as early as 1842-3; a Mr.
Baker being the minister. The Protestant and Episcopal Methodists also had organizations at an early day. The Presbyterians organized soon after and erected the first church edifice, known as the 'Big Muddy,' taking its name from the material of which it was composed. It is a grout building, occupying the east corner of Eagle street and Adams street. The Universalists had an organization here quite early and were 'ministered unto' by Rev. Mr. Westfall.
In either 1843 or '44 a somewhat noted discussion was held between Mr. Westfall, the Universalist, and Mr. Roberts, Old School Presbyterian, at which Joseph Greene acted as umpire.
The discussion continued for four days and nights. The meetings were largely attended and the combatants were sharp and excited. The conflict ended as such discussions usually do--in the victory of both--and this was regarded by nearly all as a drawn game.
”The first school was kept by Miss Emily Coffman. The first school building was erected in 1846-7, by a company consisting of N. B. Brown, George Greene, Alex. Ely, and others, who sold it to the district, and had the satisfaction of being taxed to pay themselves for it. This building was on the north side of Eagle street between Jefferson and Madison. It is still standing and is occupied as a dwelling house. Nelson Felch was among the first teachers, also a Mr. Freeman, who has since been receiving instruction in a state inst.i.tution located at Fort Madison.
”The second saw mill was erected by Alex Ely in 1844 and the second flouring mill in 1844-5. Mr. Ely died shortly after the completion of this mill. In 1848 N. B. Brown built the first woolen factory. The first steam engine was put up here in 1855 by A. Hager, in his sash, door and blind manufactory. He had an extensive amount of machinery connected with it and employed a number of workmen.
”The second store was established by Mr. Cleveland, and the third by C. K. Mulford. Mulford's store was afterward occupied as a dwelling, on the east corner of Commercial and Linn streets, and was destroyed by fire in 1850. That was the first fire in Cedar Rapids, and none occurred after it until the autumn of 1855, when most of the block on the west side of Commercial street, between Iowa avenue and Linn street, was destroyed. No precautions have been taken to prevent the spread of the destroying element, and were a fire to occur tomorrow no more means would be found of subduing it than existed twenty years ago. It would seem that a wise people would not thus neglect what may at any moment be of such vast importance. But so it is, and so it is likely to remain until a fire shall occur that will lay in ruins a large portion of our city and destroy thousands of dollars worth of property. Personal insurance can best cover a part of this loss and perhaps not one-half are provided with this protection.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: REPRODUCTION _of_ THE FIRST MAP OF CEDAR RAPIDS (Part 1)]
[Ill.u.s.tration: REPRODUCTION _of_ THE FIRST MAP OF CEDAR RAPIDS (Part 2)
The old map was made in 1859 and the only copy now in existence is the property of Mr. Lew W. Anderson. It is yellow, faded and dim and in many parts was difficult to trace. It has been used many times as evidence in court in legal contests over property rights. The reproduction shows clearly the original plat of the city including Kingston, the islands, parks, squares, blocks, additions, stations, streets, names, etc. The street names have nearly all been changed since that time.]
Dr. Seymour D. Carpenter, who came to Cedar Rapids in 1849, contributed the below quoted memoirs to a _History of Crescent Lodge_, J. E.
Morcombe, author, and published by the lodge in 1906. It is of value in the consideration of the history of early times in the city and county:
”I wished to read law, but there was a family prejudice against the profession, and I concluded to study medicine and accordingly entered as a student the office of Drs.
Boerstler & Edwards, who were among the leading physicians.
There for a year I read books that were full of what are now exploded theories and practice, at the end of which time I was sent to the University of Pennsylvania, where two years after I was graduated as a doctor of medicine. Returning home in the spring of 1849, I remained but a few months and then started west 'to grow up with the country.' I again rode to Cincinnati on horseback, took steamer to St. Louis, thence by another boat up the Illinois river to Haverville.