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Pioneers of Marion County P Allen Pearson Allen Pearson, whose name appears on our list as the first township clerk, moved from Missouri to this township, in July, '49, settled on section 10, and bought his claim of J. Wilcut. Mr. Pearson made the first shingle roof, laid the first brick in his own chimney and put up the first timothy hay in this township. Joseph
Pershall submitted
by Dick Barton Washington
Township ...
The earliest election of which there is any preserved record, was held on the
5th of April, '52, at which the following officers were chosen: Allen
Pearson and Joseph Grove, justices; ... Previous
to this Joseph Pershall and James M. Brady were justices; ... The
names of most of those who settled in the township at the earliest dates, are as
follows: ... and Joseph Pershall in '48; ... Joseph
Pershall, who was one of the first justices in the township, moved from
Missouri, and settled on section 3, in the spring of '48, on land now owned by
Charles McKey. Mr.
P. and his family suffered many hardships during the first few years of their
pioneer experience, particularly in the way of procuring breadstuff. One milling
expedition performed by two of his sons, I take occasion to relate, quoting from
his written statement: "I
do not remember the year, but it was in the month of December. There was a
little snow on the ground, but it was pleasant and thawing, when I started two
of my boys, Phineas and Isaac, to mill. They went to Haymaker's, on Cedar, but
failed to get their grinding done there. Then they went to Eddyville, and failed
there also; and from there to the Skunk river mills. Here they got in company
with John Harsin and Phillip Canton, stayed all night and got their grinding by
late next evening. In the mean time it turned severely cold, insomuch that it
was hazardous to undertake to travel. But they were all pretty resolute fellows,
and anxious to get home, for they knew we must be uneasy about them by that
time. So, cold s it was, they started. After getting about two miles they
discovered they had left their bed clothing at the mill, and had to stop, borrow
a horse and send the youngest boy back for them. They
got to Oskaloosa that night, and stayd there. Nest morning it was still cold as
ever, but they set out to try it again. They would drive on till they were
nearly frozen, then stop and warm and go again. One evening Phillip Canton got
so cold that he began to get stupid and sleepy, and sat down by the side of the
road, with his back against a tree, and said he was going to rest awhile. The
others tried to persuade him to get up, but he remained on his seat. They then
took hold of him and raised him to his feet, when Mr. Harsin took his whip and
gave him several pretty keen lashed around the legs. This made him a little mad
and he was then able to travel. "On the fifth day they got home in safely, and we were all glad to see them." The sad fate of Pleasant Prater is well remembered by many old settlers and others. He moved to Adams county many years ago, and there, during the late war, joined the 4th Infantry. Having returned sometime after on furlough, he got into trouble with a neighbor named Carns, about some hogs, and one day Carns waylaid and shot him as he was on his way to Fontanelle. Carns was arrested and imprisoned, after which a mob broke into the prison, took him out, hung him to a tree, and then shot him to pieces. James Price was born in Clark county, Ohio, September 14, 1817, emigrated to Cass county, Michigan, at the age of thirteen, and from thence to Burlington, Iowa, in 18--. From there, early in the spring of '43, in company with Jonathan Donnel, he came into this county, and selected a claim where he still lives. The first cabin they built was a few rods below the coal mine owned by S. S. Roberts. Some slight remains of this pioneer building are still visible. This house he occupied with his family on the 22d of June. That spring Mr. Price broke nine acres of prairie on his claim, planted it with corn, and realized from it a surplus of two hundred bushels, which he sold for fifty cents per bushel. On the following season he obtained some seed wheat from Fairfield, and obtained from it a fair crop. During the first summer he went to Burlington to mill, and in the winter to the nearest mill on Skunk. On the occasion of his winter trip he had to ferry his load over that river in a canoe. On his return from a trip to Fairfield, it rained much of the time, then turned so cold that his clothing was frozen stiff on his body. On another occasion, returning in company with Ray and Samuel Wilson, from a milling expedition to Skunk, a heavy snow storm obstructed the way so much that it was necessary to make frequent halts till one or another should go forward in search of the path and break the drifts. Besides the nine
acres he broke for himself, Mr. Price broke some for two or three of
his neighbors, among whom were Samuel Martin, David Fritz, and Wm. Adams,
who made claims in what is now section twenty, but remained in the settlement
a short time. The unfortunate career of Sam Martin may still be remembered
by most of the old settlers. Having stolen a horse at Council Bluffs,
he returned to Red Rock, was followed there, arrested and lynched by
whipping; after which he descended the river in a canoe belonging to
A. B. Donnel, and is now supposed to be in Idaho.
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