Read Township
(page
1069-1072)
This township was organized
March 4, 1856, and was named in honor of Robert R. Read,
an early and much respected pioneer of the county, whose
sketch is given in the chapter of "Illustrious
Dead." He held various offices at different times,
and earned the high regard of his fellow citizens. It is
situated in range 4 west, and of its twenty-seven
sections twenty-four lie in township 93 north, while two
whole and two half sections lie in the next tier south.
There is both wood and meadow land, and the soil is
considered very good. It is watered by several small
creeks,a tributary to Turkey River. The people of this
township are entirely agricultural, and there is but one
village, Clayton Center. The soil is well cultivated, and
the population is industrious.
The
first settler within the limits of Read Township (then a
part of Garnavillo) was Joel Post, who settled on or near
section 9, in the spring of 1838. After him came Elias
Misner, who settled on section 22, then sold out and went
to Texas. Then came Mrs. Mary Uriell, with her three
sons, Patrick, Michael and John, locating on sections 27
and 34, in the spring of 1839. Both of Michael's brothers
and their mother have since died. A sketch of Michael's
life is given elsewhere in this chapter. Other early
settlers were Martin Brassell, Constantine Gallagher,
Alexander Falkner, Patrick Rogers, Eugene Rogers and
Asaph Griswell. The southern part of the township was
settled mostly with Irish, and the northern part with
Germans and Americans.
Michael Uriell was born in Ireland, Sept.
25, 1816. His parents, John and Mary (Gleason) Uriell,
were both natives of Ireland. In that country Mr. Uriell
died. Mrs. Uriell soon after, in 1838, emigrated to
America with her three sons, of whom Patrick was the
oldest. Michael the subject of this sketch, was second,
being twenty-two, and John was the youngest. Patrick was
married before emigrating, but Michael and John were
single. All of the boys had passed their early life on a
farm, and had few educational advantages. They possessed,
however, the qualities most essential to success,
frugality, health, strength, energy and indomitable
perseverance, and so were well fitted for the task of
making for themselves a home and acquiring a competence
in this new country. That they succeeded the citizens of
Clayton County of Read Township cheerfully attest.
Mrs.
Uriell and her sons landed at New Orleans, whence they
proceeded to St. Louis. Remaining there a few months they
again journeyed north, arriving at McGregor, Nov. 1,
1838. They first went to Farmersburg, and then in the
spring, to what was subsequently made Read Township, but
was then a part of Garnavillo. Joel Post was the only one
who came before them. Mrs. Uriell, and Patrick and John
have all served their allotted time, and are numbered
with that throng fast swelling with the departed spirit
of Clayton's early settlers.
Michael
settled on the northwest quarter of section 29, and has
lived there ever since, with the exception of the first
five years after making his claim. He was appointed by J.
E. Fletcher, Indian Agent, to act between the Government
and the Winnebago Indians, which duty he discharged for
the term above mentioned, and then settled permanently at
home.
Mr.
Uriell has never sought office, indeed has rather avoided
what his fellow citizens would fain almost thrust upon
him. He was the second Justice of the Peace in his
township, and filled that office for two years. At the
succeeding election, Mr. Uriell relates, he wrote ballots
against himself all day, and escaped election by two
votes. He served as Supervisor four years under the law
directing that there be one from each township, or
twenty-two for the county, and since the plan of three
supervisors was adopted, he has served six years. The
only offices he has ever coveted are those of School
Director and Road Commissioner, for he is deeply
interested in having good roads and good schools.
He
was married Nov. 6, 1849, at Dubuque, to Catherine
Sullivan, of Dubuque, who was also of Irish descent. They
have had seven children, and buried six. Frank is the
only one who survives.
Mr.
Uriell is a man of liberal views and high principles, and
has won the enduring regard of the citizens of Clayton
County, of all sects and of all parties. He is at the
present time President of the Old Settlers' association,
in which he has always taken an active part.
On
the retirement of Mr. Uriell from the Board of
Supervisors, the North Iowa Times paid him the following
merited compliment: "In the retirement of Hon. M.
Uriell, the county loses the services of a valuable and
honest servant; one who has faithfully discharged the
duties devoling upon him with a zealous and earnest
desire to benefit those for whom he was laboring. We
believe we are but expressing the feelings of the people
over the county when we say that in the retirement of
Michael Uriell, Clayton County has parted with an honest,
faithful, upright servant."
The
Uriell brothers started a large breaking team and broke
the first farm in Read Township, which was then about
equally divided between Garnavillo and Boardman.
"In
those days," writes Michael Uriell, "business
moved slow. There was not a blacksmith shop in the
county, and I used to go to Prairie du Chien to get my
plow fixed, and to Catfish Mill, Dubuque, to buy a little
flour.
"In
these early days Rev. David Lowry was agent of the
Government for the Indians on the 'Neutral Ground', as it
was then called, authorized to open up a large farm for
the Indians and teach them the arts of husbandry. This
drew the attention of men and teams to that place, among
whom was your humble servant. I staid there during a part
of three administrations, those of D. Lowry, James
McGregor and J. E. Fletcher, the latter of whom finally
led the Indians on to the Crow Wing River, far up into
Minnesota.
"All
the grain raised before the construction of the Elkader
Mill was very little profit to those who raised it, there
being no machines to harvest it and no market for it when
threshed. The wheat we raised in 1840 remained in the
stock-yard for four years, and could not be sold in this
county for twenty-five cents a bushel; but the erection
of the Elkader Mill by Thompson, Sage & Davis, gave a
new impetus to farming, and from that date Clayton County
began to prosper; the people had bread to eat and a
market for their surplus grain. No men ever had more
power over the inhabitants of a new country than they
had, and no men ever exercised it so leniently.
"The
people, after a time, came in here to settle very fast,
but we were all quiet until Judge Price organized us into
a little body-politic of our own. The town was organized
just in time to take part in the county-seat contest that
first sent the county seat to Elkader. At this election,
held at the house of John Barrett, the men who voted were
in earnest. Every man had a reason of his own, and as
there was no liquor to be had, it was pleasant to hear
the arguments pro and con. Victory, however, turned in
favor of Elkader by two votes, and in all subsequent
elections since that time. Read has stood by Elkader.
The
first election held in Read was at the house of John
Barrett, Apr. 7, 1856.
The
first religious services were conducted in various
private houses, by Father Joseph Cretin, in 1841-1842. He
came occasionally to the settlements at first from
Prairie du Chien, and then from Dubuque. He was afterward
the first Bishop of St. Paul. The first church was built
some time after at Clayton Center by the Lutheran
denomination.
The
first school-house was built of logs July 2, 1850, and
the first school was taught by James O'Kief. There are at
present five school-houses, and the school property is
valued at $3,500.
The
first mill was the celebrated "dry mill."
Elisha Boardman selected a site for a mill on a creek
which seemed to promise ample power, and engaging men to
build the mill, he left for Canada at attend to some
personal affairs. Not long after his absence the creek
became dry. The men, however, went on and erected the
mill according to instructions, and in the spring freshet
they managed to saw one or two logs. The water went down
again, and in this predicament the mill was found by Mr.
Boardman on his return. The cause of the water's
mysterious disappearance lay in the presence of a sink a
half mile up the creek where the water goes into the
ground, not reappearing until three miles lower down.
No
attempts have been made since to establish either mill or
factory in the township by water-power, and this
"dry mill" has gone to decay. The creek on
which it was built is the only one suitable for mill
purposes in Read.
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