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Pioneers of Marion County Perry Township Perry Township Histories - Page 301 Chapter XXVII. Perry Township - Geography and Early History - Lead Ore - Names of Early Settlers - Asa Hughs- The Brans Family - A Wild Cat Adventure - Hezekiah Gay - Bennington - E. H. Baker - Some of his Peculiarities - Lucky Duck Shooting - A Woman's Adventure with a Deer - First Preachers and School Teachers - Census. At a session of the county commissioner's court, January 6, 1847, it was ordered that town. 77, range 21, be called Perry. This name was in honor of Commodore Perry, of the Lake Erie victory notoriety. It was suggested by some of the citizens that it should be called Cincinnati, but this name was not adhered to after the township was organized. As above defined it included all of the present township of Perry and all that of Swan, except two sections and four half sections belonging to town. 76, range 21, since added to Swan. The place of holding elections was at the house of Wm. Markley. At this election about fourteen votes were cast, and Dan. Kiger and Hezekiah Gay were elected justices; James M. Brans and Joshua Linsey, constables; Asa Hughs and Joshua Linsey, trustees, and James M. Brans, clerk. The first precinct election was held at the house of Asa Hughs, April 7th, '46, 13 votes cast. This and the next election were held north of the river, and the two following south of it; but the flood of 1851 caused a dissastisfaction among the people, owing to the inconvenience of crossing the river, and so, at the July session of the commissioner's court, 1852, it was ordered that that portion of town. 77, range 21, north of the Des Moines river, constitute the Perry Township Histories - Page 302 township of Perry. Election to be held at the town of Bennington. At this election Harrison Freel was elected justice, but we have no record of any other officers. Perry is the northwest corner township of the county, and is bounded on the north by Jasper county, on the east by Red Rock, on the south by Swan, with the Des Moines river as its boundary line, and on the west by Warren county. The township is mostly timbered, and, with the exceptions of the bottom lands on the river, somewhat hilly. Coal is abundant along the north bank of the Des Moines river, and on the small streams. Lead ore has also been found in the bank of the river; and, at an early day, the remains of furnaces were discovered in the vicinity of the ore, supposed to have been used by the Indians in smelting it. Walnut Creek is the largest stream running through the township. The following are the names of those who settled in the township at the earliest dates: Hezekiah Gay, Joshua Linsey, Dan. Kiger, Chas. Owen, Asa Hughs, Robert Alison, Alfred Vertrice, and Mordica Yearns, in '45; Peter Brans, and his two sons, James M. and Benjamin, Thomas Car, Wm. Hughs, Wm. Gregory, Samuel Waterman, and Joseph McWilliams, in '46. Numerous other names might be added of persons who settled at a still later date, had we space to admit them. Of the above named but three still live in the township, six went to California many years ago, one to Missouri, five are dead, and one's whereabouts is unknown. Perry Township Histories - Page 304 In August, from the 10th to the 14th, '48, Wm. Gregory and E. H. Baker caused a town to be surveyed on the north bank of the Des Moines river, on the east half of section 9, and called it Bennington. Stanford Doud, surveyor. Gregory was the owner of the claim, and Baker had it surveyed, sharing equally the profits on the sale of lots. Baker then put up a store room and dwelling together, and in the fall following moved his goods from Red Rock and began business. He also secured the appointment of P. M. Shortly before Bennington was laid out, June 14, Hezekiah Gay caused a town to be laid out on the north half of section 9, and called in Perryville. This was done in competition with Baker's and Gregory's contemplated town. But neither of the places prospered, and, in process of time, were abandoned by their proprietors, leaving no more of them than their names. Two or three small houses occupy the town plat of Bennington, and one of the citizens keeps a ferry, which is on the main road between Pleasantville and Prairie City. Gregory opened a farm in the country, where he died many years since, and Baker moved to Prairie City, and from thence to Colfax station, where he still lives. Baker will always be remembered by many old settlers as one of the most eccentric characters that ever existed in Marion county. Many stories might be told to illustrate this fact, a few of which we give. He sometimes took a whim to sell no goods on certain days, and his best customers could not move him from his purpose. On another day he would be extremely Perry Township Histories - Page 305 accommodating to everybody. Then he would positively refuse to sell coffee on a certain day, or would accommodate only certain customers with it, refusing even those who had come quite a distance, and were prepared to pay for it, however promising to supply them liberally on the day following. In his transactions as postmaster, he was at one time known to retain letters when called for by their owners, so as to give him opportunity to advertise them. Their appearance on the list was clear proof that they were in the office when called for. At one time a customer called at the store and found Baker at work in his garden. And here his oddity was so conspicuously manifest that if he had thereafter been tried for murder and convicted, he could have plead insanity with some plausability. He was at full length on his abdomen, and bareheaded, his bald crown glistening in the hot sun, as it bobbed up and down to the motion of his work; and as he hoed to the length of his hoe-handle he would drive the blade deep in the ground and pull himself forward. Thus he toiled away as though his life depended upon it, and would not stop a moment to talk to or wait upon a customer. But the most heartless instance of his whimsical behavior is the manner in which he received his aged mother, whom he had not seen for many years. She had come from Illinois to make him a visit, and had brought him a valuable present. It was late in the evening when she arrived, and a neighbor accompanied her to the house of her son and knocked for admittance. Baker asked who was there, and, on being informed that it was his mother, he informed the visitors that he was in bed, that he would not get up to admit even Jesus Christ, that she might go to John Young's that night, and he would see her in the morning. And no pleading of the old lady or her escort could move the unworthy son to open the door. Mortified and grieved beyond expression, she retired and resolved not to see him. So, early next morning, before breakfast, she Perry Township Histories - Page 306 sat out on her return home. Baker, on hearing of her departure, was pricked to the heart, mounted a horse and went in pursuit of her. After a hot chase of several miles, he came up with her. He apologized for his want of civility in not admitting her, stating that he was not in a condition to receive her just then, and asked her to return with him. But Mrs. B. was exasperated beyond conciliation, and no pleadings of her son seemed to have any effect upon her purpose, only to make it stronger. So she went on her way, and he returned to his bachelor home, conscious that he had made a grievious mistake. Among those who settled in Bennington at an early date was a family named Moon. During their residence here they were victims to the ague, which reduced them so much in strength and finances that they were at one time on the point of starvation, and probably would have perished but for one little circumstance that seemed a direct interposition of Providence in their behalf. Mrs. Moon went down to the river to try to do some washing, when she saw four wild ducks swimming in still water near the shore. She immediately returned and informed her husband of the discovery. He was too weak to carry the gun, but proposed to do the shooting; so his wife took the gun and he followed. Coming within easy shot of the game, Mr. Moon took rest against a big tree and fired. The shot was effectual, causing one duck to turn on its back. It was to be supposed the others would have taken flight, but not so; they merely fluttered away a few yards and then returned to their dead companion. Taking advantage of their want of discretion, the gun was soon re-loaded and another duck killed; and in like manner the others clung to the fatal spot, and likewise perished. Mrs. M. then fished them from the water with a stick, and the large family of Moons made the first full meal of them and proportionate share of grated corn Perry Township Histories - Page 307 bread that they had enjoyed for some time. The next day they shook easier than usual. Mr. Moon afterwards made a claim a few miles north-east of Bennington, where he still lives. Here Mrs. M. had another adventure worth relating. One day, during her husband's absence, word came to her that the pups were playing with a deer, in a clearing a short distance north of the house. Taking one of the two guns - a heavy piece - she went out and got upon a log that was elevated upon a stump some ten feet from the ground, the better to see over the tall weeds. From this elevated position she spied the game within easy shot, confronted by the brave young dogs; and, taking deliberate aim at it, fired. But she had no time to see what effect the shot had upon the deer; for the treacherous gun shot both ways, and its reverse shooting sent Mrs. M. backwards to a horizontal position on the ground. Not being much hurt, she got up and went to look for the game; finding it down and evidently dead, she went to give it a close inspection, when it instantly roused up, and ere she had time to think of her danger, or make her escape, the enraged brute sprang upon her, knocked her down and tore off a portion of her clothing, compelling her to roll under a log near at hand, to escape further injury. From this narrow retreat she emerged in a short time, re-loaded her gun and put an end to her adventure by shooting the deer through the head. The first preacher of the gospel that labored in this township was a Rev. Mr. Kline, of the M. E. Church. He was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Rainer, of the same denomination. The first person that taught school was Patience Drouylard, at her own house, in 1850. She had from fifteen to twenty scholars. The next school was taught by James M. Brans, near his present residence. He had an attendance of from twenty to thirty scholars. Perry Township Histories - Page 308 The first school-house was built in sub-district number one, in 1851. It was a roughly-hewed log-house, built by William Cowman at a cost of $100. The population of this township, by the U. S. census of '70, was as follows: Natives - 450 Index of names mentioned in Perry Township Histories section Alison, Robert - Perry township page 302 Baker, E. H. - Perry
township page 304, 305, 306 Car, Thomas - Perry
township page 302 Doud, Stanford -
Perry township page 304 Freel, Harrison - Perry township page 302 Gay, Hezekiah -
Perry township page 301, 302, 304 Hughs, Asa - Perry
township page 301, 302 Kiger, Dan. - Perry
township page 301, 302 Linsey, Joshua - Perry township page 301, 302 McWilliams, Joseph - Perry township page 302 Markley, Wm. - Perry
township page 301 Owen, Chas. - Perry township page 302 Perry, Commodore - Perry township page 301 Rainer, Rev. Mr. - Perry township page 307 Vertrice, Alfred - Perry township page 302 Waterman, Samuel - Perry township page 302 Yearns, Mordica
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