Year after year is adding to the growth of the beautiful State of Iowa, many of the early land-marks are rapidly beginning to disappear, and every institution which can point to an association with the early settlements, has already assumed the character of historic interest. Among the earlier colonizations in the Mississippi valley which has become noted for picturesque situation, chivalrous enterprise of her pioneers, early advancement in commercial progress, devotion to education, religious culture, and the attainment of a commendable measure of science and fine arts, is the city of Davenport. One of the old and very interesting landmarks of this city so full of beautiful homes and of great promise for the future, is the church organization which was called into existence in the primitive days and founded on the hallowed spot designated as "Church Square" on the old city plat. This is St. Anthony's Church, the first congregation organized in this region, constructed with the first brick manufactured in this locality, always first in the old days to assist in the metamorphosis of the prairie valley into the prosperous metropolis, and constantly retaining a favored place among the affectionate reminiscences of the old days in the recollection of some pioneers, many old settlers and numerous descendants who have learned by tradition to view with reverential devotion the old brick structure near the alley that was the first church and school, the ample greensward that first teemed with fragrant exotic flowers under the skillful hand of saintly French Abbe Pelamourgues, the old little bell which nestles in an outer nook of the present church with all the dignity of a Colombian relic, the old stone edifice, not obliterated, but much enhanced by a modern cathedral-like improvement and restoration. There is something sacred in the very atmosphere of that historic church square, and a ramble along its western walks brings about an elevation of the spirits. The site was secured through the exertions of Very Rev. S. Mazzuchelli, the first priest, in conjunction with several early Catholic settlers, is situated now in the heart of the city, and in regard to location, title and purpose we learn from page 100 in "Book A of Land Deeds, Scott County, Iowa," that— " This Deed made and entered into this second day of December, 1839, by and between Anthony LeClaire and Margaret, his wife, of Scott County and Territory of Iowa and Mathias Loras first Catholic Bishop of Iowa Territory, of Dubuque Co.,....for and in consideration of Two Thousand and Five Hundred Dollars to them....paid, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged....sell and convey....tract of land situated in LeClaire's addition to the town of Davenport, Scott County, Iowa Territory, and marked and designated on the plat of said town as " Church Square " and bounded on the North by Chippewa Street, on the east by Brady Street, on the South by Ottawa Street, and on the West by Miller Street, unto the said party of the second part as the Catholic Bishop of Iowa Territory and to his successors forever, legally appointed according to the rules of the Catholic church, for the use of the Catholic congregation of Davenport, Scott County, Territory of Iowa.... (Warrantee deed)

In Presence of (Signed)

JOHN FORREST . ANTOINE LE CLAIRE [SEAL]
SAMUEL MAY MARGUERITE LE CLAIRE [SEAL] "

Acknowledgment of the instrument was duly made on December 2nd, A. D., 1839, before John Forest, Justice of the Peace; and the same was placed on the County Records December 26th, 1839. The extent of this square is 320 feet by 320 feet. For the active commencement of St. Anthony's an interesting paper is quoted in FRANC B. WILKIE, Davenport, 1858, which reads as follows: " At a meeting of the Catholics of Davenport and vicinity, held on the first day of December, 1839, for the purpose of regulating the Church accounts of said town, the following resolutions were adopted:

1. Resolved, That a board of three Trustees be regularly elected by the congregation, to open a subscription, collect its amounts, and pay all standing debts incurred for the purchase of the ground and for the building of St. Anthony's Church of Davenport.

2. Resolved. That the Trustees be elected for the term of three years, and that after said period, a new election of Trustees shall be made.

3. Resolved, That the Rev. John A. Pelamourgues, Antoine LeClaire, and Geo. L. Davenport, be the Trustees of the Catholic congregation of Davenport and vicinity for the purpose and time mentioned.

SAMUEL MAZZUCHELLI, Secretary.

JOHN F. KEMPKER,
June 13th, 1893. Pastor Mercy Hospital, Davenport.

SOME TORNADOES IN IOWA.

     From time to time the papers are mentioning the work of these destructive storms, and at the same time seem inclined to make it appear that they break out in this State with greater frequency than elsewhere; and also that they are of common occurrence with us, I have thought it well to record my recollections of the past fifty-three years regarding these visitations. The first of these storms in Iowa occurring within my recollection came upon this town in the month of June, somewhere in the year 1842 or '43, I believe. I have no written data, but depend upon my individual recollection of it altogether. It was I am sure close to 1844, the year of the great flood, in which the Mississippi river made its highest mark since the beginning of the settlement of St. Louis, and occurred at the time that the first building of the North Presbyterian church was in progress of erection, its walls being pretty nearly completed.
     The storm came from the west and in the early morning hours and came suddenly, for at the preceding sunset there was no sign in the sky indicating such a fearful visitor to be near at hand. My father had not long before, two or three years before completed his first substantial dwelling house upon his homestead—the same house which is now occupied by Mr. Boartz, on the old home farm just east of this city.
     This house is built of sound hewn logs of the heavy oak timber then growing upon the hills around about the then, capital of Iowa.
     My father was a good mechanic and that he "builded" his house well, and strongly founded it, was proven by this storm.
     The heavy oak logs were put together at the corners of the house by square notches and saddles, and then were securely pinned and nailed together in the saddles, the rafters were of young oak trees hewn to shape and were framed into the top logs and then nailed and pinned, and then were also securely fastened together at the ridge of the roof.
     About this house on all sides of it was then growing large forest trees of oak, aged and veritable giants of their kind. There were of these oaks three distinct species. The tall stately white oak with whitish gray bark predominated, the next in numbers was the shorter stouter burr oak, with- a trunk so twisted and plaited in its fibers, and of such toughness, that a lightning stroke rarely could mark or splinter it, and then next in numbers came the tall regular built red oak with its very dark green foliage, and its thick, rough, very dark gray bark and its straight rained watery and easily split trunk, often, from the last two qualities of its constitution, the chosen path of the lightning's stroke. That it was the primeval conductor of the forest could be seen on every hand in the "woods" of that day, for while here and there might be seen in any of the groves of pioneer times- a white or burr oak tree stricken or scarred by lightning, nearly every red oak tree would show by the splintered and dying topmost branches, the deeply furrowed trunk and the displaced roots, that the king of the storm preferred the very acid juicy trunk of the red oak for its way from cloud to earth, to the drier compact and resisting trunks of the white and burr oaks which stood thickly about the victim, untouched. Among the timber about my father's house at the time of the storm was quite a large number of shell bark hickory trees, the wood of which is celebrated for its toughness and elasticity.
     Just about one hundred feet west from the north end of the house stood a white oak tree not less than three feet in diameter and about sixty or more feet high.
     The approach of the storm was made known to the family by the terrific crashing of the thunderbolts upon the summits of the bluffs on the west side of the Iowa river. The progress of the storm was accompanied by the incessant flashing of lightning so continuous that the whole landscape was lighted up continuously by brilliant, white, quivering light, so constant that objects in the town a mile distant were continually in sight.
     The lightning flashes seemed near to the earth and were mostly horizontal in direction, and so great their blaze, that the mass of clouds in which they played from side to side could not be seen at all. The storm was one immense body of interwoven lightning flashes.
     The center of the storm came across the town to the west of us, a little to the north of the site of the church which I have before mentioned, and passed as near as we could judge directly over our house.
     My father had for years navigated the ocean and had breasted many a storm upon the "main," but this "landlubber of a storm," as I heard him call it in speaking to mother as it was coming upon us, " was a little the brightest of any that he had ever seen," but he said to her, "Elizabeth, don't be afraid, we will weather it." Father's calmness reassured us all and we stood at the west window of the house, a small one, and watched its progress. We saw the trees and bushes, which extended to a distance of about two hundred yards west of the house, suddenly seized as if by the hand of omnipotent power, and by it borne down to the earth and whirled and twisted about as one would level down and twist in the fingers the grass of the fields.
     In an instant after this, it seized that grand old oak standing near the north end and west of the house, and whirled its great umbrella top about much as one can whirl the little end of a fishing rod; three times did it twist that tree about its axis, and each time the old forest monarch gained the mastery with a loss of a few of its branches, but the storm king was not to be conquered by an oak tree. Again he seized the monarch of five hundred years growth, and with sudden twist tore him asunder midway of his trunk as easily as one could twist a match in twain, the great umbrella shaped top arose on the breast of the conqueror and sailed away from its place, falling about one hundred feet southeasterly from where it had stood for hundreds of years. While the tree was being twisted off, the storm laid its colossal hand upon the house. It was shaken in all its parts, an awful blow would smite it on a corner, and it would seem as if that corner would raise from its foundation, then the power of the storm would strike the house in the midside causing the whole structure to reel and tremble and to shake in every joint. When these blows of the storm king came down upon our shelter they were each time accompanied by gushes of water as if a Niagara was being dashed upon us, thus was added to the force of the wind, the weight of water beating and battling to effect our destruction, but they prevailed not, for the house, our protection, was oak ribbed and iron bound.
     The cessation of the storm was even more rapid than its onslaught, it retired to the eastward with hollow rumblings and growlings, leaving the leveled forest behind it sighing and sobbing in the breeze which followed it, which sighs and sobs, accompanied by a gentle rainfall, seemed the mourning for the thousands of the sons of the forest laid low by the unrelenting storm king.
     When morning at last broke through the clouds behold the wreck all about us! The entire forest from the present cemetery eastward as far as could be seen, was laid low. I should say that not more than one tree in every hundred was left standing on the high grounds, and in the gulches about our place all the tall ones had lost their tops, and it was only in the deepest parts of these gullies that hut few trees were broken off.
     Our fences had disappeared, crops were leveled and beaten into the earth, but we could see that the houses of our neighbors were standing, only some small buildings being blown away. At last the neighbors gathered, the Pattersons, Irishs and Hamiltons formed a neighborhood, and from that gathering it was reported no killed or hurt. Some horses or cattle were hurt or killed. The same report came later from the town, no one hurt or killed. The house of Mr. Gardener, the Universalist minister had been blown down and torn in pieces, which with the contents of the house were scattered in a line out along the upper Muscatine road for a distance of a mile or two. The minister and his family escaped unhurt.
     A lightning stroke came down through the unfinished walls of the North Presbyterian church, throwing down part of the north end wall, and from there the lightning plowed its way. On the surface of the earth, throwing out a double furrow over two hundred yards long to a small oak tree, killing a cow and her calf which lay by her side, and carrying hair from them up the tree from the tops of which the stroke is supposed to have again reached the clouds.
     The center of the storm crossed the Cedar river about six or seven miles below Gower's Ferry, and killing several persons in Cedar county, also destroyed an enormous amount of the heavy timber on the Cedar Bluffs.
     It looked very stormy all the day succeeding the storm and at night heavy black clouds hung in the western sky, causing apprehension on the part of many that the following night the storm might be repeated. As my father's house had withstood the central fury of the storm, many of the neighbors came to it for shelter and asylum. Among them was a dutchman, John Goldwitzer by name, who showed very marked fears. My father asked him why he did not go to Pattersons to stay. Goldwitzer replied that Patterson's house was not so good as fathers, and that if father's should "preak town every poddy init would shoust he kilt" and he added "I would petter pee kilt as grippled," a saying with which he was annoyed many a day after that. I have thus given an account of, so far as I know, the first tornado experienced by the white people in Iowa. That tornadoes have swept our prairies and have torn down the groves and forests of the State for centuries before the one of which I now write can not be disputed, and doubtless they will continue to sweep over us for centuries to come leaving death and ruin in their path. That they come and go in cycles seems to me proven by the record of their visitations. I do not now recall a visitation in this location, succeeding this early one, until, I think, the year 1858, when that frightful one rolled over the country west and south of this city and took the life of Hon. Jesse Berry.
     The next in order was that of 1859, the most fearful, powerful, and extensive of any such storms which have scourged us. so far.
     Next in order was the one of 1882, which destroyed so much life and property at and near the town of Grinnell. And lastly the late one of the current year in the northwestern portion of the State.
     I am of the opinion that these storms have a tendency to recur in period of eleven years and that they are prevalent in the regions from the Gulf of Mexico to the valley of the Saskatchewan river, and between the Rocky Mountains and the Atlantic ocean in the spring, summer and fall months for two to three years during each maximum sun-spot period. A storm of this character may occur at times out of the regular periods which I have assigned, but if they do, they are very exceptional.
     I do not include in this class mere hurricanes, or other violent winds which move directly forward, but am speaking of gyration storms, the writhing, twisting monster, the tornado. It is to be hoped that some one who has the time and can reach the information, will give in the pages of the RECORD a list of the visitations of these tornado storms which have been recorded in Iowa.
     C. W. IRISH.

BY W. L. CLARK.

     Congressional township ninety-two, range forty-three west, since October 18th, 1881, has formed the civil township of Remsen; prior to that date it was included in Marion township. It is bounded by Meadow township on the north, Cherokee county on the east, Henry township on the south and Marion township on the west.

     The Dubuque & Sioux City (Illinois Central) railway passes through the northwest corner of the township, with a station known as Remsen, which is located on section six.

     The chief stream of Remsen township is Whiskey Slough, in the eastern part of the territory.

     The population in 1885 was given at 650, of which 400 were American born. The present population is 1,279

    The oldest settler now living within the township is Henry Mullong, who bought a second-hand homestead claim of S. C. Pringy, on the south half of the southeast quarter of section twenty-eight. Mr. Mullong settled on the land in 1873, and he thinks that it was originally claimed by the first settler of the township, whose name is forgotten, in 1867.

    The next to locate was J. J. Murphy, on the southwest quarter of section ten, where he still lives. He is at present in the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, at their water tank.

    Ed. Wilier came to the township in 1878, and bought land of a speculator named Baxter. This land was on the northwest of section thirty-two.

    Until after 1880, there were no settlers in Remsen township to speak of, and from that time on the territory was largely settled up by Germans, who have come to be wealthy farmers and stock-growers.

    Many artificial groves adorn the township and lend both beauty and actual value to the domain.

    There are no religious societies in the township, except those found at Remsen village, the only post-office and market place in the township.

    The first school was taught at the residence of R. E. McCaustland, on section thirty-four, about 1880. At this date, 1891, the county school records show that this township has five sub-districts, which are provided with four good school houses. The total enrollment of scholars is ninety-three.

    The village of Remsen is situated on the west half of section six in Remsen township. It was platted August 28th, 1876, by the Sioux City and Iowa Falls Town Lot and Land Company. Since then five additions have been made. It is located on a beautiful tract of rolling prairie land, and is now a thriving little mart of about 537 people. It derived its name from Dr. William Remsen Smith, of Sioux City, a large land owner. It was made a station on the original Dubuque & Sioux City railroad line, and has come to be one of the best market places and shipping points along the line.

    The first business in Remsen was engaged in by J. H. Winchel, who owned a large farm one mile north, and H. W. Alline, of Remsen, under the firm name of Winchel & Alline. Scales were put in and grain bought and shipped. This was in the fall of 1880. At the same time P. Hopkins, of LeMars, bought and shipped,, from this point, cattle and hogs.

    But little was accomplished in the way of business improvements until 1881, when Frank Miller put in a general store.

    The same year the "Blake House" was erected by C. R. Blake. It is now known as the Munhoven House.

    The first to engage in the sale of agricultural implements were Rathmann & Michael. The first hardware was sold by John H. Rathmann. The first grocery store was that of Samuel Wentz. In 1882 a furniture store was put in by Hubert Nothem. The same year, Dr. Theodore Wrede opened up a stock of drugs. "Dr." Baker had kept a few patent medicines, etc., the year prior. A saloon was started to quench the thirst of the pioneers, in 1871, by Peter Monner. The pioneer grain company was Peavey & Co. The first to handle lumber were Townsend Bros., of LeMars.  The first blacksmith to wield his hammer beside the glowing forge was Martin Seba, in 1880-81.  A wagon shop was put in operation by John Schumacher. The first bank was the Bank of Remsen, in 1887.

    In the spring of 1889, the citizens of Remsen concluded, to further the business interests of the place, that it was, best to become an incorporated town. The first election of officers resulted as follows: N. Lang, Mayor; Edward S. Lloyd, Recorder.

    The village supports a local newspaper, edited by J. P. Kieffer, who issues twice each week—one issue printed in German called the "Remsen Clocke" and later in the week one of the same contents, only printed in English, called the " Remsen Bell." These papers have a large circulation, some hundreds going to Europe, sent by Germans to their friends.

    Remsen became a post office point in 1879. H. W. Alline was appointed the first postmaster; he served until 1885, when he was succeeded by L. L. Page, who conducted it until April 11th, 1889, when A. C. Morgan was appointed, and still serves acceptably to all. It became a money order office in 1886. The first money order was issued August 20th, 1886, to Rev. F. X. Schulte, in favor of Appleton & Co., Chicago, Illinois.

    There are two church organizations at Remsen, each having a good building. The Evangelical Lutheran society was formed in 1884 by six members, Rev. Miner, of LeMars, officiating. In 1888 a frame church building was erected at a cost of $I,600. The present membership of the society is twenty-six.

    Until October, 1889, the church was supplied with a minister occasionally from other points, but at that date Henry Bender became pastor and in still serving.

    The Roman Catholic people of this vicinity were first attended by Father Gilchrist, formerly of Marcus, Iowa. He looked to the spiritual welfare of this people for some two or three years. The first church building was blown down by a cyclone in 1885, and the present building was erected the same year. Rev. F. Schulte took charge of the congregation in December, 1885, and finished the new edifice, which seats about three hundred people comfortably. In the fall of 1886 the fine parsonage was built at a cost of $I,900. In the summer of 1888 the parochial school house was built at an expense of about $3,600.

    The winter of 1880-81 is known in the annals of Remsen as the "starvation winter," it might also be termed the "freeze-out winter," because if hunger did beset the little garrison, none the less did the lack of fuel cause much trouble. Those who remember the serious inconveniences of the long snow blockades, even in a much larger town, can imagine the sufferings of those who were ten miles from a grocery store, the same distance from a meat market, and who did not live on a farm, consequently did not have a well filled cellar to fall back on.

    The first school was taught by Miss Mary Alline, during the summer of 1881, in one of the living-rooms of the depot building. It found its next home in a room over J. H. Rathmann's hardware store; from there it was moved to a building owned by J. K. Alline. This house also served the Protestant people of this section as a church. In it was organized the Methodist Episcopal church, under the leadership of William Edgar. The original members were four in number, F. K. Morgan and wife, and Daniel Arburthnot and wife. A successful Sabbath school was for a long time maintained. Its superintendent was Z. Gilman.

DEATHS.

    WILLIAM TODD, a pioneer of Louisa County of the year 1836, died March 1st, 1893, at Columbus Junction, in his 88th year.

    HERMAN MORSE, aged 80, died at his home in Independence, Buchanan county, April 24th, 1893. He had been a citizen of Iowa forty years.

    ALEXANDER LEVI, said to have been the first citizen naturalized in Iowa, died at his home in Dubuque, March 3Ist, 1893, aged 84 years. He had been a citizen of Dubuque since 1833, and was the last of the charter members of the first Masonic Lodge formed in that place.

    DR. ROBERT S. HALE, a native of Massachusetts, but an Iowa pioneer of 1856, and a veteran of the 3Ist Iowa Volunteers, died at Waterloo, May 2Ist, 1893, aged 50 years. At the time of his death Dr. Hall was a prominent member of the medical profession of Chicago, to which city he removed several years ago.