USGenWeb Project Linn County Banner IAGenWeb Project

Pioneer Life
In and Around Cedar Rapids, Iowa from 1839 to 1849
Rev. George R. Carroll

- Chapter IX -

(pages 56 - 64)

Chapters:
I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, X (cont), XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX

Our First School House.

Our first school house in the neighborhood was erected in the fall of 1842. We had by this time some valuable additions to our community in the way of families, in which there were children large enough to go to school. There was the Lewis family, as also those of Messrs, Lutz, Stucksleger and McKee.

These neighbors all seemed to feel the importance of having a school and were ready to unite in the work of erecting a building at once.  The location was fixed on our place opposite to and a little beyond our house.  By the beginning of winter the school house was finished and the teacher was engaged.  This must have been on of the first school houses in Linn county.

Our first school teacher was Mr. Putnam R. Lawrence, who had but recently come to Marion.  The school passed off very well, so far as I remember.  We had our spelling schools and our exhibitions and our debating society, which were well sustained, and which proved to be not only a source of improvement, but of a great deal of pleasure.  One of our text books was the old "English Reader," whose moral tone, and the excellence of whose selections have scarcely been surpassed by any of the school books published in these later years.  Our public exhibitions in the school were, I dare say, hardly up to those of our modern schools, in point of merit, nevertheless I can easily imagine that they might have been of a much lower grade.  I can only recall a few of the pieces spoken.  One was the "Nightingale and Glowworm," by Cowper, and another was "The Beggar's Petition."  This latter was spoken by Wm. Lewis.  Emerging from behind the curtain, in the garb of an old man, bent low by the weight of years, and leaning heavily upon his long staff, he began in a low and feeble tone of voice his sad petition:

"Pity the sorrows of a poor old man,
Whose trembling limbs have borne him to your door;
Whose days are dwindled to the shortest span;
Oh, give relief, and heaven will bless your store."

The whole scene was so real and so pathetic as to leave a lasting impression upon the minds of us younger children.

The teachers in succeeding years were, Mr. Joseph Greene, in the winter of 1843-4, and Mr. H. M. Manley in the winter of 1844-5.

First Religious Services.

Our first religious meetings were held in private houses, but when the school house was erected in our neighborhood in 1842, of course, that became the center of this whole region, where all congregations assembled, whether religious, literary or political.

Our first ministers located at Marion as their center of operations.

The first Methodist minister who came on to the circuit was Rev. J. Hodges, sent out by the Rock River Conference in 1840.

Mr. Hodges preached his first sermon in Cedar Rapids, as nearly as I can ascertain, in the fall of 1840, the place of meeting probably being at Mr. John Listenbarger’s cabin on the west side of the river. This is supposed to be the very first public religious service ever held in Cedar Rapids.

Rev. S. W. Ingham, still living at the age of eighty-five, with a body and mind remarkably well preserved for a man of his years, tells me that he came to Marion in October, 1841, Mr. Hodges having closed his labors on the circuit in August of that year. Mr. Ingham remained on the circuit two years. He preached occasional sermons at the Carroll school house, at the house of Levi Lewis, and at John Listebarger’s on the west side of the river.

In the summer of 1843, when there were but five or six settlers, Mr. Ingham writes: “I preached to them three or four times and formed them into a society.”

It is stated on other authority that the members of the society were Jason Bartholomew and wife, Levi Lewis and wife, Mrs. Julia Ann Cairns, Thomas Gainor and wife, David W. King and wife, John Listebarger and wife, and Farnum Colby.

The place of organization, I believe, was at Mr. Listebarger’s house.

I remember Mr. Ingham well, and all the persons here mentioned I knew to be members of the Methodist church, although I could not have fixed the date of the organization without the assistance of Mr. Ingham.

Rev. Isaac Searles, it is stated, came in a very early day, but I do not remember to have ever seen him. He was probably the immediate successor of Mr. Ingham. Other Methodist ministers I recall who came in succeeding years, among whom were Rev. Messrs, Hayden, Maxin, Greenup and Twining, and presiding elders Reed, Worthington and Bowman.

The first Presbyterian ministers that ever visited this country, so far as I am aware, were Revs. William Rankin and John Boal. Both of them visited Mr. Barnet Lutz and preached at his house as early as 1842. Mr. Boal soon after returned East and was for some time located in Cincinnati.

Mr. Rankin preached at Mr. Vardy’s house in 1843, or possibly in the fall of 1842. The memories of different ones are somewhat conflicting on that point. But he did not stay long in this part of the State. He spent most of his life, however, in Iowa, in the southern part of the State, where he died only a few years ago.

I recall another Methodist minister by the name of Howard. He was a very tall man with red hair. His suit throughout was a heavy variegated, blue cloth, called Kentucky jeans. The coat was of the Prince Albert style, with extra long skirts. One warm Sabbath day he preached in our school house. His voice was loud, and his manner boisterous. He had not proceeded far when he became very warm, and the perspiration began to start from his heated brow, and so laying his heavy Prince Albert aside, he proceeded with his discourse with increased vigor, but with apparently greater comfort to himself, although to critical minds, not quite so becomingly attired.

Another minister of the Wesleyan type used to preach in our school house.  He was, no doubt, a godly man, and I believe, a very good preacher.  His dress was not after the modern clerical style, but I dare say, more serviceable. His coat and vest were not of the conventional black, but of a more durable texture, and of a color less subject to being soiled. His pantaloons were of blue, and closely fitted his slender limbs, showing off to good advantage his large, substantial boots. It was the custom in those days for the minister while waiting for his congregation to assemble to sing a voluntary solo. This minister had a very fine voice, and he took special delight in singing his hymns on a key that was far beyond the reach of common mortals. One hymn that he used to sing with fine effect, and which made a lasting impression upon our young minds, began with these words:

“Time speeds away, away, away,
Another hour, another day,
Another week, another year,
Proclaim Eternity is near.”
 

This tune was most strange and solemn, and the high strains came welling up from a heart that seemed to us deeply imbued with the spirit of the Divine Master.

Rev. Mr. Maxin, above mentioned, used to make our house his stopping place, and I remember well how it impressed me to see him kneel by the side of his bed to say his prayers before retiring. His voluntary began something like this: 

“Draw nigh to us Jehovah,
In our social meeting.”

The first line was repeated three times, rising higher and louder, with each repetition, terminating in a more rapid and lively strains with the words, “In our social meeting.”

He was a young man who was attractive in person, and an interesting speaker.

Debating Societies in the School House.

Of course the literary societies of those primitive times were for men only, as the women had not yet found out their own capabilities in the matter of public speaking. But among the men, there was a good deal of interest in these public discussions, and they would often come from a distance of several miles to attend and participate in them.

Among the prominent speakers were Messrs. Levi Lewis, Joseph McKeyy, Barnett Lutz, the Lewis and Cook boys.

I can only recall a few of the questions discussed on those interesting occasions.  One was something like this: “Resolved that the pen is mightier than the sword.” Another: “Resolved that the signs of the times indicate the destruction of the Union.” Still another: Resolved that slavery should be abolished.” And then that all-absorbing question: “Resolved that there is greater happiness in the pursuit of an object, than in its possession.”

I cannot recall the lines of argument pursued on these various topics, but a friend reminds me of an illustration used by Mr. Lutz, in connection with the discussion of the last named question. The question, as we can well imagine, elicited a good deal of interest, and Mr. Lutz spoke on the side of the affirmative, and illustrated his point with the story of an Irishman who had but recently came to this country. One day this immigrant from the Emerald Isle was passing along and happened to discover a hornet’s nest hanging on a bush. He had never seen anything like it before, and he imagined that this snug package, done up in brown paper, as he supposed it to be, contained a prize worth securing. Possibly it contained something good to eat; or what is far better, it might be filled with treasures that would place him beyond the reach of want for all time, and so Mr. Paddy made a wild rush for the prize, and he grabbed the hornets’ nest and ran away with it, when, shades of St. Patrick! The hornets swarmed out in an instant more, and nearly stung him to death. Here, said Mr. Lutz, was a clear case where the pursuit of an object afforded far greater pleasure than the possession.

How the question was decided by the grave occupant of the chair, I do not know, but I think the affirmative must have won.

I do not suppose they indulged very much in pyrotechnics of wit, nor in any oratorical displays of eloquence in those days, but I think there was some very sensible talk, for they were men of sound intellects. There was Mr. Joseph McKee, who was in some respects a little eccentric, and very modest, and even diffident in his manner, yet when he got up to speak he always had something worth saying. He would generally plant one foot on the bench in front of him and then proceed to talk, slowly and deliberately, but in a manner that was both interesting and convincing.

Mr. Levi Lewis, in his manner of address, was not unlike Mr. McKee, but his words were generally well chosen and weighty, and always commanded the respectful attention of his auditors.

Mr. Lutz was more fluent of speech, and more polished in manner, and quite apt in his illustrations, as the above specimen will indicate.

Mr. and Mrs. Lutz.

Mr. and Mrs. Lutz are still living near the old homestead, in comfortable retirement, their original farm having mostly been cut up into city lots, in Kenwood Park.

It is with pleasure that we refer to them as honored representatives of our early pioneers. After a life of fifty-six years in this community, with a record unstained by any unfair or dishonest dealing or act, we have a right to point to them with peculiar pride as important factors in our early history. The example of such people is worth more than gold to any community where their lot is cast.

Source: Pioneer Life In and Around Cedar Rapids from 1839 to 1949 by Rev. George R. Carroll. Pub. Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Times Printing and Binding House, 1895.

Transcribed by Terry Carlson for the IAGenWeb. For research only. Some errors in transcription may have occurred.

Chapters:
I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, X (cont), XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX

Contact the Linn County Coordinator

Home