A Hymn Composer from Russell

 

Gospel music trivia --- and Russell

A column entitled "What People Are Saying" was a regular front-page feature in The Chariton Leader during the tenure of long-time editor and publisher Henry Gittinger. It consisted of a series of short items that were presented as person-in-the-street quotes from his subscribers.

The following, attributed to Russell's Thomas Stuart Crozier (1842-1919), was published on Sept. 26, 1910: "When I used to live on the farm in Washington township, there was a neighboring boy we called "Lew." His name was L.E. Jones. He was the only child of my closest neighbors and concluded he could compose music. We didn't think he would make any headway at the time but he fooled us. I notice in the hymn books we use in the Presbyterian church at Russell, there is a hymn composed by him and the music 'There is Power in the Blood,' and it is frequently sung."

As it turns out, L. E. Jones was Lewis Edgar Jones, only child of Lewis W. and Frances A. (Taber) Jones, who was born Feb. 8, 1865, in Yates City, Illinois. Federal census records show that the small family moved from Illinois to the Russell vicinity about the time the town was founded, in 1867, and lived on a farm in that vicinity until after 1880. The trio is listed in both the 1870 and 1880 census enumerations. Lewis reportedly lived on the farm near Russell until he turned 21 in 1886.

Chicago's Moody Bible Institute was founded by evangelist Dwight L. Moody in 1886 and at some point after that, Lewis enrolled and graduated. His brief biographies generally state that he graduated with Billy Sunday, perhaps Iowa's best-known evangelist. But there's a problem here --- there's no record that Sunday ever attended the institute.

Writing hymns was just a hobby for Jones --- he devoted his life to YMCA work, first as physical education director for the YMCA in Davenport, where he married; and then moving to Fort Worth, Texas, where he served as general secretary. In 1915, he became general secretary for the YMCA in Santa Barbara, California, where he worked until retirement. He died in Santa Barbara on Sept. 1, 1936.

I've written briefly about Lewis before --- thanks to Charles Wright, who shared the following information back in 2011:

"Your blog (an entry about Lucas County's connection to 'The Old Rugged Cross') brought to memory a fact that I doubt many Lucas Countyans know. Twice in the diary of my Grandmother Mollie Goltry Wright (1868-1954), she refers to a childhood friend and schoolmate named Lewis Edgar Jones. It's not clear from her October 10, 1940, entry whether they attended school together in the town of Russell or at Hawkeye rural school. She wrote that her father 'bought property in Russell and moved there so we children could go to school,' because their farm home was too far from the closest country school. She states that was in 1875 and 1876 while the Hawkeye Schoolhouse was being built 'for we started to school there in the Spring of 1876 after moving back to the farm.' Recalling this brought to her mind her schoolmate Lewis Edgar Jones, who composed the popular revival hymn 'There is Power in the Blood.' "

The family left Lucas County during December, 1889, according to another entry in Mrs. Wright's diary, according to Charles.

Although hymn writing was a hobby for Mr. Jones, he was prolific --- more than 100 are listed in online sources. Charles cites five others that were popular in their day: "I've Anchored in Jesus," "Lean on His Arms," "The Old Book Stands," "We Shall See the King Some Day," and "You Must Be Redeemed." 

So there you have it,  links between Lucas County and two of those great old gospel songs --- Power in the Blood and The Old Rugged Cross --- if you're interested in playing Lucas County Trivia.

Unmarked graves in Greenville Cemetery

 

Unmarked McKinley graves at Greenville Cemetery

 

Yesterday's post, "A brief visit to Greenville Pioneer Cemetery," included a few stories related to some of those buried in one of Lucas County's oldest cemeteries, located southeast of Russell in Washington Township.

But there are many other stories there, too --- including some not related to tombstones because families either did not get around to or could not afford to mark the final resting places of their loved ones. That's the case with Samuel and Mary McKinley.

Xury E. and Polly West and their family were the first to arrive at what became Greenville during May of 1848, but the McKinleys and their five children --- Lorenzo Dow, Zerelda, Oscar, Isaac Newton and Leander O --- were the second, during October of that year.

Isaac Newton McKinley, who moved from Greenville to Oklahoma ca. 1905, provided an account of the family's arrival in this letter, published in The Chariton Leader on Oct. 10, 1912:

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Boynton, Okla., Oct. 7, 1912

Mr. H.W. Gittinger:

Old Friend: I got a copy of the Chariton Leader a few days ago. It called my mind back to days of other years. I thought of the home in Iowa where I spent the best part of my life. I stayed 57 years in Lucas county. When I left there seven years ago, I was the oldest resident in the county. I had lived longer in the county than any other person.

On the 17th of October, 1848, I stood on the east bank of the Mississippi river and looked across and saw Iowa for the first time. On one of the many hills that skirted the Iowa shore was a little village called Burlington. The capital of the territory was laid out by White and Doolittle in 1834. The last time I crossed there I looked across from the east bank of the Mississippi in 1903. I saw a city up and down the river as far as the eye would reach until the view was lost in the smoke of the factories and the fog of the river.

I crossed the line of Lucas county near the northeast corner of what is now known as Washington township on the 25th day of October, 1848. I came into the county two days after the first land entry was made, so I was there at the beginning, and I still have a warm place for old Iowa. I want to come back there again while life lasts, but not in the winter again.

It was in Lucas County that we saw the Lamp of Life go out in the ones we loved. In Lucas county are the graves of our father and mother. When I look over the pages of the Leader, I see this one and that one has passed away, names and faces I knew so well. In a few years more they will all be gone. In a few years at most we, too, will be consigned to the narrow confines of the grave. We will go down to that voiceless silence of that dreamless dust and cease to exist through the endless ages of Eternity.

(signed) I.N. McKinley

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Not long after Samuel and Mary McKinley arrived in Lucas County during 1848 from Indiana, his father, William McKinley (1767-1850), and four of his brothers --- William A. (1801-1873, buried Ragtown), James H. (disabled, did not marry), John (1811-1882, also buried Ragtown) and Abner (1813-1896, buried Gowrie, Iowa) --- arrived, too. 

As a result, Lucas County has done its part in populating the world with McKinleys and many, many descendants still live here --- all descended, not from Samuel and Mary, but from his brothers. 

Samuel's and Mary's only daughter, Zerelda, died on Jan. 3, 1855, age 19, and is buried in a marked grave at Greenville. That's her tombstone, upper left. We're not sure what became of son Oscar, but he reportedly died July 28, 1862. The three remaining sons all married and had families, but moved elsewhere at various points in their lives; none of their descendants were (or are) Lucas Countyans.

The patriarch of the McKinley family, William, probably was buried at Greenville when he died in 1850 and the disabled James probably is, too. But there are no marked graves or surviving stories about them. Samuel McKinley, who among other distinctions served as Lucas County's first treasurer and recorder, died on Nov. 19, 1864, and was buried in Greenville, too --- in a grave that never was marked. Twenty years later, Mary McKinley joined him at Greenville Cemetery at the age of 81. Her grave, too, is among many unmarked final resting places there. All of these unmarked graves probably are located near Zerelda's tombstone.

We're fortunate, however, because Mary was the subject of a lengthy obituary when she died on March 17, 1884 --- an obituary written and signed by Henry W. Gittinger, son of Peter and Sarah (West) Gittinger, also Greenville pioneers buried in Greenville cemetery. Here it is, as published in The Chariton Democrat-Leader of April 9, 1884:

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DIED --- At the residence of her son in Washington township on the 27th ult., after a protracted illness of over seven weeks, Mrs. Mary McKinley, at the advanced age of 81 years.

"Leaves have their time to fall.

And flowers to wither at the north wind's breath.

And stars to set --- but all.

Thou hast all seasons for thine own, Oh Death."

Mrs. McKinley's family name was Dicks. She was a native of Mason county, Kentucky. Here her childhood was spent and here she received her early training and grew into womanhood. In 1829,  she with her parents removed to Indiana, then a wilderness, where she was joined by the holy bonds of matrimony to Samuel McKinley two years subsequent. By this union there were five children, three of whom are still living, Dr. L. D. McKinley, now of Melrose, Leander O. McKinley, of Tingley, and Isaac N. McKinley.

They resided in Indiana until 1848, when they were induced to come west by the glowing accounts of the country beyond the great father of waters. They founded their home in Washington township, this county, and endured all the privations of the early pioneer, reared their family, and dwelt happily until November 1864 when her worthy husband was stricken down by the cruel hand of death, since which time she has lived with her son, I.N. McKinley, on the old homestead, cherishing her own sorrow in solitude until the trump sounded that called her from the shores of time to sleep the sleep that knows no wakening, beside her husband in the Greenville cemetery. She was followed to her last resting place by a large concourse of friends on Friday.

This is only another example of the frailty of the human frame. Apparently she suffered from no disease in particular, but her time had come and she was called to go. No eulogy of her life is necessary, and when she was called on to render up her life she did so without reluctance. The earth is constantly being replenished; generations give rise to generations who in turn are buried by posterity after posterity. Such is life and such is death. Joined by a brittle thread.

(signed) H.W. Gittinger

Historical Greenville Cemetery

 

Sunday, August 23, 2020

A baptizing and an old log Greenville school reunion

I've been working on a project focused on the old Greenville Cemetery, southeast of Russell in Washington Township, that should be ready to launch in a day or so (that's the title page above). So the last week's been spent immersed in all things Greenville. This 1896 map shows where the cemetery is located some distance off the road at the end of a grassed track.

Among the items I've come across is the following "Greenville News" column from The Chariton Patriot of Oct. 29, 1903. It begins with a few typical news items, then launches into the main event --- a report of a reunion of teachers and scholars at the original Greenville school, in use from 1853-1863.

Several of us who know the territory and are old enough recall the much later Greenville rural school, some distance to the south alongside the Mormon Trail road. The original school seems oddly located, but it needs to be remembered that the Mormon Trail was not confined to a surveyor's grid, but meandered at will, following the easiest route for ox-drawn wagons to follow. So in 1853, when the log school was built, the trail most likely passed nearby.

In any case, here's the report --- a snapshot of life in the Greenville neighborhood during late October 116 years ago. And yes, that baptizing in Mr. Evans' pond may have been a chilly affair.

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The baptising at Mr. Evans' pond Sunday was attended by many. James Gittinger and wife are visiting with old friends in this neighborhood. Leslie Hancock came home Friday evening. He has been cutting corn for O.H. Evans. George Ruark and family and George Raider and family attended a family reunion at Mr. Green's in Wayne county Friday.

The picnic for the reunion of the old scholars and teachers that attended school in the Greenville log school house which was held at Nathan Gilbert's Saturday, October 24th, was a grand success. The dinner was spread on a long table and served in the same manner their picnic dinners were when the old log school house stood on the hill.

After dinner, a program was first carried out by the old scholars, I.N. McKinley making the principal address giving a full history of the old school. After the old school finished their program, another representative of the school of today, of which Miss Maude Foster is teacher, formed a part of the interesting exercises.

Only three of the teachers who taught in the old log school house are living. They are Wm. West, Miss Sheeks of Wayne county and Mrs. Clayton of Bloomfield. The scholars that attended the old school who were present were, Nathan, Malisa, Amos and Elizabeth Gilbert, Mrs. Woods of Moravia, Sarah Milemon of Marshfield, Ind., I.N., S.C. and A.P. McKinley, James Gittinger of Seymour, George Sears, N.W. Kendall, Mrs. King and Mrs. Adams.

The old school house stood about eighteen rods south and three rods west of the Greenville cemetery. It was built in the summer of 1853 and torn down in 1863. The school was not run as our schools of today are. There were no taxes to run this school. Every scholar had to pay a tuition fee. It was known as a subscription school.

After the picnic was over the Greenville baseball team picked a couple of the best players from the Mound scrub team and played the crack team of Washington Center. The game stood 2 to 22 in favor of Greenville.

A brief visit to Greenville Pioneer Cemetery

Here's a brief video slideshow about Washington Township's Greenville Cemetery, using photos I shot during a November visit several years ago. This is one of my favorite Lucas County cemeteries, commenced on Aug. 5, 1849, with the burial of 46-year-old Nancy Payne whose death was the first among Washington Township pioneers.

A majority of the marked graves here date from the 1850s and 1860s; the last known burial took place during September of 1902. The Russell Cemetery, established during the spring of 1879 some 12 years after the town  itself was founded in 1867, became the favored place for burial in Washington Township after that.

Greenville never was tampered with, however, and degrees of maintenance varied over the years. About 2001, the Lucas County Pioneer Cemetery Commission assumed responsibility for it, installed a new fence, repaired broken and fallen stones  and continues to maintain it. Lucas County also made minor improvements to the grassed public right-of-way.

Be warned that some of the informational slides contain a little too much information to be read conveniently as the video progresses. If interested, just hit "pause" to read at your leisure, then proceed.

representative of the school of today, of which Miss Maude Foster is teacher, formed a part of the interesting exercises.

Only three of the teachers who taught in the old log school house are living. They are Wm. West, Miss Sheeks of Wayne county and Mrs. Clayton of Bloomfield. The scholars that attended the old school who were present were, Nathan, Malisa, Amos and Elizabeth Gilbert, Mrs. Woods of Moravia, Sarah Milemon of Marshfield, Ind., I.N., S.C. and A.P. McKinley, James Gittinger of Seymour, George Sears, N.W. Kendall, Mrs. King and Mrs. Adams.

The old school house stood about eighteen rods south and three rods west of the Greenville cemetery. It was built in the summer of 1853 and torn down in 1863. The school was not run as our schools of today are. There were no taxes to run this school. Every scholar had to pay a tuition fee. It was known as a subscription school.

After the picnic was over the Greenville baseball team picked a couple of the best players from the Mound scrub team and played the crack team of Washington Center. The game stood 2 to 22 in favor of Greenville.

To see video please go to www.lucascountyan.blogspot.com 

Russell's place in automotive history

 

I've used this vintage image of the intersection of Maple and Shaw streets in Russell before, but the emphasis then was on the old bank building on the corner. The attention this morning shifts two doors west to the Huston livery barn with, of all things, an automobile parked in front.

Ruben "Rube" Huston (1854-1925) operated a livery business here from the mid-1880s until about 1920 but in one of life's oddities was piloting an automobile rather than a horse back in August of 1910 when he became the defendant in a case alleging reckless driving after his vehicle allegedly scared G.W. Sims' team of mules off the road and through a fence.

The resulting lawsuit was, according to The Chariton Herald at least, the first resulting from an encounter between this dangerous new form of transportation and horse- or mule-power. Here's the report from The Herald of Aug. 25, 1910:

The first law suit, so far as we know, that has taken place in Lucas county over an automobile meeting a team on the highway, was held before Justice Seward last Saturday. G.W. Sims of Washington township was the complaining witness, and Rube Huston of Russell was the defendant.

The case was a state case, Sims claiming that Huston had met him on the highway and scared his team of mules so badly that they ran through a hedge fence and dragged the carriage containing his family through after them. Mr. Huston, who had Homer Caughlan and wife, with his sister, Miss Kiser of Ottumwa, in the auto with him, contended that he was not running at a dangerous or scary speed, that Mr. Sims was standing beside his mules as the auto approached, and that though they ran through the hedge, it was through no fault of the auto or of himself, and no damage of any nature resulted from the scare.

Justice Seward concluded after hearing a long list of testimony that Mr. Huston was right and gave him the verdict, assessing Mr. Sims with the cost of his own witnesses and assessing Mr. Huston's witnesses against the state. Even though Mr. Huston was found innocent, the fact remains that some auto drivers in Lucas county, and a few right here in Chariton, are driving their autos at a dangerous speed, and they should hold themselves within the limits of the law before some terrible accident occurs and saddens the whole community.