KNOX TOWNSHIP
Written in 1927, Unknown author

The history of Knox Township began and is contemporary with the history of the rest of Clarke County, having pretty well been pretty well explored in 1850. In 1851, there were some squatters, though no entry of land was made until November 1851, when Isaiah Twombley and his father-in-law, James Otis filed the same day, the entry of James Otis appearing as the first of record in the "Transcript of Original entries."

All the early settlers sought for land near the streams, which were more or less timbered, and in this they were wise, for fuel was an item for their consideration. In 1827, there were many living who were born in those log houses, the children of the hardy pioneers. Logs were the universal building material. These cabins were usually floored, if indeed they had floors, with split logs, the flat side of which was roughly dressed and the edges straightened for closer joining. These were called "puncheon" floors and had the quality of long service. For covering they usually split clapboards or "shakes," and were usually made of oak. These, being straight grained also, were durable and lasted for approximately 20 years.

The bedsteads of the period were equally crude, and many were made by boring holes in the log where the bed was desired, poles were sharpened and driven into the holes and the outer ends were supported by forks attatched to the floor. When the side rails were in place, small rope, and not infrequently hickory bark, was interwoven and made a very comfortable spring mattress, though lacking the aesthetic effect necessary at this time.

Their barns were of the same architecture and thin, and "worm" fencing of split rails made all their enclosures. A common method of raising water was by means of the "sweep," which was a crane made by placing a high forked pole near the well, and in this fork was suspended with the heavy end downward and to the other or high-end a rope and pail were attached, and although the rope necessarily had to be pulled down the heavy end of the sweep assisted in raising the water.

Insurance agents did not wax rich and travel about in automobiles as the modem ones are wont to do. When a settler's mansion burned down, as they often did, the neighbors made a "frolic" and a new one and often a better one was quickly erected. The ladies would, of course, attend, for it was a matter of record that those lusty young farmers were hearty eaters, and it was also a matter of record that they never went hungry on those occasions.

Pioneers were inclined to the theory of live and assist others to live. There was a community interest and a fellowship among them, now almost unknown. They were a jovial people and for the most part a debt paying, church-going folk; conscientious, and bent on making homes for their families. That they enjoyed life cannot be doubted; life to them was not a mad scramble for dollars and fashions, and fashion plates had not been a daily course of reading.

The clothing was all home-made and often the cloth also. Selection of material was not for the new and latest shades of nude and fancy colors, but for its lasting qualities. The yarns were spun at home, and much of it was "carded", by hand in the beginning, and until a woolen factory was established in Osceola. The women knit the hosiery when not otherwise engaged, and a woman calling on another always took along either her knitting or sewing or she would have been regarded as a freak and probably ostracized. So zealous were these good mothers that the writer has seen them take their work to week-day church meetings, and while the men gravely conferred on ways and means, the ladies knitted or sewed. St. Paul was an authority in those days, though we question whether his pronouncements were entirely endorsed, but it is certain that few wore bobbed hair.

The year of 1854, was the great rush for land, greater than any before or since and brought to the community as fine and hardy a citizenry as any locality could boast of. Samuel Linder, Sr.* and his family of 6 sons and 4 daughters came in '53 but did not take land until '54. Each member and his family married and raised a family in Knox Township.

Lacelle was the first town laid out in the township. On the 7th of September, 1955, the lots were offered for sale by the owners. John V. Davis was the first merchant, who opened a small store in 1856. Lacelle was the community center from the first. It was the gathering place for a wide territory even before the town was established. In 1860, it was the political center and there is a long record of meetings of various kinds, of celebrations, and the meeting place of different factions. It was the mustering point during the Civil War and the rallies were usually around a flag pole erected in 1860, by the Constitutional Union party but better known as the "Know Nothing." This pole remained standing for seven years after its erection and the community flag pole, though always referred to as "the Bell Pole," having been planted by the admirers of Bell and Everett, the"Know Nothing" candidates for president and vice president respectively.

In 1868, the Methodist people erected the first church, and in the following year the Baptists built another slightly larger building, both of which were constructed of brick.

One of the township's most popular lady citizens made this remark, "Lacelle will always be the capital of Knox Township, eventually the Capital in Washington D.C. may be moved to a more central location, but Lacelle is now and will be the Capital of Knox Township."

Two other towns in the township were established when the narrow gauge railroad was built. "Uncle Phillip" Miller was the merchant prince of Groveland, and was practically the whole thing." Mr. Miller was another of the prominent citizens of the township, and was known over most of the County having come to it in the early 60's. The township furnished even more than its share of soldiers in the Civil War, and at the last call for volunteers, Knox was the only township which furnished its full quota of all the townships in the county. Knox had no drafted men in the service of that war, and met every call in the true spirit of patriotism. It met the call with the same spirit in that great World War, its young men seeing service in France, Germany, and Russia.

Some amusing incidents of the Civil War are still remembered by some of the older citizens. It is a matter of record that a young man of an adjoining township chanced to be present at one of the musters and was invited and mildly urged to enlist, but his sympathies being for the other side replied, "I'll be damned if I do." There were present at the muster two soldiers home on furloughs, one of which was Merriman Sherrow, and at this defiant reply they both started for "Johnny," but he was too swift for them, and having a fast horse hitched close by, threw the reins over its head and made a complete get-away. Nor was he seen in those parts again until after the war was over.

Jacob L. Harness came to the township immediately after the election in 1860, and his coming was at the request of his neighbors in southern Missouri. Mr. Harless committed the capital offense of those Missourians by casting his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and his vote being the only one in that part of the country for Lincoln, they waited on him with the intimation that it might be healthier for him in the North, and feeling that he did not care to live and associate with such people any longer, Knox gained one of the best known and respected citizens.

Mr. Thompson started the first vineyard in the County. Poland China hogs were first introduced in the county by Hugh Crawford, and Knox was also the first to introduce Shorthorn cattle of a pure strain.

Mrs. Martha Emary, wife of the late F.J. Emary, was the first in the township to conduct a piano class, using an instrument she had brought with her from London, England, which was her old home. Mrs. Emary was a more than ordinary accomplished musician, and had on several occasions played before Queen Victoria.

Men did not accomplish the settling of Clarke County alone. Back of each of them was a worthy and earnest woman helper. Without them the work would not be done yet, and the country would still be the wilderness it was in 1850. The writer remembers many of these mothers and now speaks of them with reverence; knowing their struggle, and observing a later generation, the question naturally arises could they and would they have met the issues as these mothers did? Perhaps they could have and would have, and perhaps some are today filling an equally important role, but we cannot help wondering a little. Anyhow, the race of pioneers has disappeared never to return.

One pecularity of the citizens of Knox was that very few of them ever aspired to public office. In 1872, Smiley F. Bonham represented the county in the lower house, and the same year Jacob M. Linder was elected county treasurer, and held the office two terms. He was also elected recorder and served one of two terms; Daniel Sherwood was a member of the Board of county commissioners for some years, and W.S. Hedrick was elected county attorney after leaving the township, as was Elgie A. Luce, elected to the county of commissioners.

*Bernard Linder, in his life story in "Recipes for Living' Vol. VIII, wrote: One of the things that stands out in my memory as a child was the closenness of the families of the Lacelle Community. Farms were about a quarter-mile apart, everybody knew everybody and what was happening in their lives. Most of them in our neighborhood were related to others living there, and there were lots of kids. All of this contributed to some of my most vivid recollections — the bountiful potluck dinners with all the homemade ice cream you could eat. I remember there was one at Groveland which, along with the Leslie center, ceased to exist. There were neighborly deeds when someone needed help for any of a variety of reasons, and showers were given for a young couple about to be married.

HISTORY OF THE LACELLE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The following material was organized by Aldene Morgan, based on a handwritten article signed, "Written in 1935, and copies in 1940, by Sarah E. Twombley, with the notation "If I live until April, I will be 75 years old.
While we remember many things, many more we have forgotten. And much more we never knew. About the year 1865, the people of Lacelle and vicinity realized the need to band themselves together to worship the God who has given them this beautiful country, that they might realize their dreams of the wonderful possibilities for Lacelle and community.

The first religious services were held in the schoolhouse that stood on the block north of the one where the church now stands. In 1868, they bought the ground where the church is now located.

The records from William E. and Margaret Henderson, from whom the land was deeded on March 31, 1868, indicate the sum paid by the Trustees was $10, and the deed specifies it was deeded to the trustees and to their successors until there be no trustees. And then it shall go to the Conference of the United States. (Note by editor, a clarification: It will, in fact, go to the Iowa United Methodist Annual Conference.)

The foundation was begun for the new brick church, which was finished in 1869, after much hard work and sacrifice by the people. For many years it was a place of joys and sorrows, until in 1899, when the trustees met to see what repairs the old church needed. It was agreed it was too old for a shelter from Iowa's cold and stormy winters. It was torn down and the present frame building erected. Many hands that had built the brick church had ceased from their labors and only a few were left to help with the new church. They had not only laid the foundation for the new church building, but a foundation on which we may build for eternity. The new church was dedicated on June 16, 1900.

Many have been the names of the good people that have been added from the beginning who have helped to carry the burdens and so the church and Sabbath school have continued for more than 60 years. And many good people are still carrying on. May we ever be true to the trust that is left to us. Our fathers and mothers may not have been perfect in their neighbors' judgment but they have gone where they will go to be judged by a perfect and loving Father who doth all things well.

Oh how sweet it will be
In that beautiful land
So free from all sorrow and pain
With songs on our lips
And harps in our hands
To meet one another again.

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Leland Hunt and Enid Kendall remember those church members and their activities, as well as knowing what is happening presently. The 1940s, brought the annual God's Portion Supper and Auction. Home embroidered articles, always a quilt, and various other items were for sale and brought a nice income to help with church expenses. They recall those and other pot luck dinners. There were no "box" ingredients. Everything was produced on the farm and prepared in the kitchens of wives and mothers, who took pride in the dishes they brought. They were made with cream, not tampered with but straight from the separator. Eggs from the hens and fruits and vegetables from the gardens and orchards. The memory of Mabel Saddoris' hot rolls cause mouths to water even now.

Those meals were a high-light of Osceola's businessmen who responded eagerly to the invitation to attend the Farmers'/Businessmen's Dinners held regularly at the church. It was an innovative way for two factions to become acquainted socially in a different than usual setting.

Reunions were and are held at the church. Each October the Siefkas family gathers at the home of Larry, Fran and their children for a weekend. On Sunday morning they fill the small church they attend for worship.

In 2011, the Lacelle congregation remains active due to leadership of Doug and Betty Craig, and Wendy Short, pianist. Rev. Dwayne Henrich is their pastor. The prayer of Sarah Twombley is still being answered, "May we ever be true to the trust that is left to us."

LESLIE
Information gleaned from " Four Trails and a Tale or Two" by Margaret Thurlow Reeves
with the help of Beverly Thurlow Wilson

The 4 trails are (1) the Mormon trek to the west, (2) the Dragoon Trail, which refers to a military organization created by Congress in 1833, to defend the frontier, (3) the narrow gauge railroad tracks in '81-'84, from Des Moines, Iowa, to Cainsville, Missouri; and (4) 1-35. The town suffered when the railroad took over and they moved the Leslie station to Green Bay, forcing out Leslie as a trading center. The railroad also had been instrumental in helping Knox school get teachers, who could come to the community on Sunday, room and board in Leslie until Friday when they could take the late train back to Osceola for the weekend. It also enabled young people to continue their education in Osceola and higher learning in Des Moines. The heavy earth-moving equipment literally buried the town, and caused its demise.

Right on the heels of the Mormon migration came the Iowa settlers. When Iowa was made a state in 1846, it opened the gates to those seeking new and cheaper land. During the 1850s, hundreds of families purchased land in Iowa. Along the Mormon Trail east of where Hebron would be located, Robert Jamison became Clarke County's first settler in 1850. David Overton came in 1851, and settled one mile west of Green Bay, while A.J. Crew settled 1 1/2 miles southwest of Leslie's future location in 1855. Green Bay rapidly became a small settlement at the same time Osceola was founded in November of 1851. In fact, Green Bay boasted of having Clarke County's first doctor, Jerome Bartlett. A postoffice was established in Green Bay, a store was erected there and several homes were built. The Atlas of 1875 shows four. A church was erected and a cemetery plotted.

My father, Ted Thurlow, told me the story of how the Green Bay cemetery came to be. It was part of a 160-acre farm situated northeast of Green Bay. In the extreme southwest corner of the farm was a beautiful wooded grove. The two-story brick farmhouse was in the northeast corner of the farm. Here a young woman, dying of consumption, sat in the upstairs window with a white cloth in her hand. She watched until she saw her father reach the spot in the grove she had chosen for her grave, then waved the white cloth. With the pole he carried topped also with a white cloth, he carefully marked where the grave would be dug later . That was the beginning of Green Bay Cemetery. Leslie never established a cemetery, and many of the early settlers were laid to rest in Green Bay. New babies who couldn't quite survive the rugged pioneer life, grand­mothers whose years of difficult living at last claimed the proud spirit, those who were careless in the timber and with animals, were the ones sought by death — it was mostly the young, those susceptible to disease and deprivation. Again my Father's story:

I remember the new baby brother who lived only a few days, and who surely broke our hearts for we seven children had never known a death in our immediate family before. Mother dressed his tiny body in the baby clothes he was to wear — the long white dress and petticoats and wee booties. He was placed in the wooden box and then in the wagon. We children large enough all got into the wagon with Dad, Mother, the girls and aunt came in the carriage and we drove to Green Bay where Dad had bought a lot and dug the small grave. By using the cemetery plot map I was able to locate this large lot with one small, solitary grave.

During the 1850s and early 60s, the countryside surrounding Green Bay, Lacelle and Leslie were quickly settled. Isaiah and Lydia Mehitable, and Otis Twombley migrated from Ohio in 1853, and settled near the town of Lacelle. In 1855, my great-grandfather, J. W. Thurlow, coming also from Ohio, came into the same area and soon opened the Lacelle store. Meanwhile-settlers were driving their livestock to market at Eddyville. Sometimes driving a wagon with a load of shoats but most often driving the cattle, hogs, and sheep on the hoof. But can you imagine driving a flock of turkeys or geese that distance? That was done but at a slow process. Dwight's grandfather, who came to Iowa as a lad in 1855, used to talk of the "early days of Iowa," and I have never forgotten John Wilson Adams' story of doing just that. It was a slow process, for a flock of turkeys was never hurried and as it began to grow dusk he began to look for a grove of trees, perhaps in a kind farmer's wood lot. Many were the wagons of wheat, oats, and corn that went there as Eddyville had the nearest mill, and flour and cornmeal came back.

In 1861, Van Wert had a post office and the Civil War began. It was the national conflagration that interrupted the flow of covered wagons. Farm boys were eager to enlist and in the southern cunties of Iowa, anxiety was caused by the Missouri slave holders. Slaves were going north by the underground railroad and all along the border were northerners ready to help and southerners bound to see that they didn't. Clarke County had its regular underground railroad and skirmishes were bound to occur as this valuable southern property disappeared into Iowa. Wagon loads of firearms came into the area and the Home Guard was established. Knox Township had its own. A few small conflicts were resolved even in Clarke County. The Home Guard was to gather at the slightest provocation of civil unrest in the township. Naturally, there was extreme caution and distrust of strangers.

The fighting lasted from 1861 to 1865, but the afteiinath lingered on until after the turn of the century. Even in the 1930s, the very last of the old soldiers would gather on the town squares of Iowa and fight again the battles of the Great War. In 1867- '68, the railroad came through from east to west and now transportation of long distances changed completely. In 1867 and 1868, Woodburn and Murray were plotted and settled. In 1874, Eden Yates settled 'right at Leslie'; he came in time to give the plot of land to the north-south railroad, the D.M.O. and S.R.R. (with financial help from neighbors and friends) so that Leslie might have a station there. In November of 1882, A.C. Rarick surveyed and plotted the town of Leslie, and Leslie received a post office. In 1884, there were two stores — A.B. Seay and a store in the shed of his barber shop, and Tallman and Pollock had started one also. A.B. Seay built a house and by now the train was regularly stopping at Leslie.

In 1885, Tallman and Pollock sold the store to a man named Hutsinpillar who was also a grain buyer. Now Leslie had not only a new station, but a stockyard and grain bins with a spur from the narrow gauge to load out produce, livestock and grain. People were going not only to Osceola, but now on to Des Moines on the railroad pass. The narrow guage brought new life to this area. Leslie boasted two stores, a post office, blacksmith shop, four to six houses, and in one store a bank and a barber shop. The trouble with the railroad came when ownership changed and it became the Des Moines and Kansas City Railway Company and owned by the C.B.&Q. In 1888, the facility was moved to Green Bay. By 1891, the station was back as were the grain bins, stockyards,and spur line and Leslie were going again. As a small section of this great land, probably Leslie was not a great deal different from any other area in many respects. It was strictly rural; the people who shared this area through the years seem to have come from pretty much the same background; most of those still in the area are descendants of those who moved west through the years. The land was the magnet that call them to Iowa. When they had sunk the breaking plow into the good rich prairie earth, they knew they had truly come home.

These Iowans were proud and self-sufficient, but also ready to help if the need arose. They sent their young men off to the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I, finally World War II; and they rolled out the grain, the hogs and cattle to help feed America and the World. And always there was the school and the church. A.B. Seay had given the land for the church in 1891. By the turn of the century, there were fertile small farms all over the area and everyone milked cows and raised chickens. Leslie had a chicken packing plant and candled eggs. There was a farmstead about every quarter of a mile down every road. There were orchards and gardens, and people were feeling that Iowa, Clarke County, Knox Township was truly the garden spot of the world and a most special place

WATERMELON PATCHES AND 88 TRAVELING SALESMEN

In so many of Charlie's recollections and my Uncle Pete's as well, the stories of watermelon patches and traveling salesmen seem to have high priority. One of the unique parts of our American society was the traveling peddler, a hold over from European customs and commercial enterprise. He was welcomed during the time that trips to the neighboring towns were long and arduous and not attempted more than two or three times a year. But as time went on and travel became easier and not so long between trips, he became a pain. I remember as a small girl how I enjoyed the visits from the Watkins man and how quickly my father could disappear to the barn or fields, leaving my mother to cope with the swift talking, high pressure visitor.

The railroads brought the young traveling salesmen by the dozens to the small towns where they spent hours pushing their products on the storekeepers. (I still hear from Ralph how there could be three or four waiting patiently for a moment to sell him the products he didn't want and didn't need, and the tactics he used to sidestep their high pressure salesmanship.) They rapidly became a headache and different methods were used to make their visit a discomfort and to discourage their return. The teenage boys then were as full of vim and vigor as they are now and often their ingenuity was used in this procedure.

Apparently the Leslie boys were on good terms with farmer Matt Saffell, not really too much older than they, and who raised the biggest and juiciest melons anywhere around. Just how they came to be such good friends I have never heard, but whatever it was, I have a suspicion it was because Matt was just one jump ahead of them, or perhaps because he let it be known that he always had a loaded shot gun near the back door, and he was an excellent shot. Also, he was known as a generous man, not failing to offer the boys all they could eat when the melons were ripe. But woe to anyone who raided the patch, for he was a light sleeper, as were his old hounds.

I loved it when I could overhear conversations at family and community gatherings among my uncles and their boyhood friends. There would be a lot of knee slappings, raring back in the chair guffaws and "do you remembers," and the watermelon tales would begin. I might also add that on the distaff side of the family, my aunts were pretty sneaky in luring me away from "such talk. "

While the farm boys had plenty of farm work and chores to keep them busy, still there was time after that and after supper to ride their horses to Leslie to see what was going on, and if any greenhorn salesman had been forced to stay overnight tg catch the morning train. The store was usually open until 9 or 10 p.m. and here they would congregate. If there happened to be one or more salesmen handy, a watermelon patch raid was on, and before the poor salesman knew it, he was completely involved. These boys were so accommodating, too. One would find him a horse, or boost him up behind, or perhaps borrow a buggy. (Riding an unfamiliar horse determined to trot along with the others was a particular fine form of torture for it kept one scrambling to stay on and the bumping was pure misery.) Another could slip away quietly to let Matt know they had a pigeon, and the watermelon raid was in full swing. As they rode along, they took turns regaling him with tales of Matt's ferocity, and how the blood thirsty hounds could chew him to pieces, but they could pull this off, and the treat would be worth it — large, beautiful, juicy melons. The plotting and the planning and the visions of such a good treat, the excitement of it and the feeling that these fellows were surely great to include him in their fun would completely override reason, plus by that time he was hopelessly lost.

The punch line came when they quietly approached the patch on foot only to have Matt rise from his hiding place roaring out what was going to happen to them and blasting away with his shot gun. Of course, the Leslie boys were running every which way yelling at the top of their voices, "Run, run!" which our salesman did, promptly hitting a fence that knocked him flat, attempted to climb over which knocked him over again, but at last he regained his feet and ran like he had never run before. At the same time, the whole pack of hounds were adding to the confusion with their baying. The ruse usually did what it was supposed to do--scared the be-jabbers out of the young salesman who probably vowed never to stop at Leslie again, and gave the boys something to laugh about for days. I experienced something of the same, when I overheard my father asking Harold Blaine why his footprints were in his watermelon patch.
Margaret

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Mabel Oehlert adds her memories of moving to Leslie when she was a High School Senior. She was active in their Christian Church, attending worship services and Sunday School, and teaching Bible School. Evangelist Ira Ward came for a week at a time and stayed in their home. She taught at Knox #6 school for several years. She remembers Mr. Henry McPherson had a store there as did Mary Oyl Cox.

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