Iowa Genealogy Express

A Part of Genealogy Express
 

Welcome to
Delaware County, Iowa
History & Genealogy

Source:
The History of Delaware Co., IA
containing A History of the County, its Cities, towns, &c.,
A Biographical Directory of its Citizens, War Record of its Volunteers
in the late Rebellion, General and Local Statistics,
Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men,
History of the Northwest, History of Iowa,
Map of Delaware County, Constitution of the
United States, Miscellaneous
Matters, &c
- illustrated -
Publ. Chicago: Western Historical Company
Successors to H. F. Kett & Co.
1878

YANKEE SETTLEMENT
(Honey Creek Township)
p. 556 - 557

Almoral
Bremen Tp.
Coffin's Grove Tp.
Colesburg
 & Colony
Delaware
Delaware Center
Delhi
Earlville
Elk Tp.
Forestville
Greeley
Hartwick
Hazel Green
Hopkinton
Manchester
Manchester -561
Masonville
Millheim
Petersburg
Rockville
Sand Spring
Yankee Settlement
York

     In the Spring of 1842, two young men, Lorenzo Mulliken and Daniel B. Noble, from "York State" or "Yankee Land," settled in the edge of the Turkey timber, in the northeastern part of Township 90 - 5 (Honey Creek), on Section 1.  Soon after their arrival, Henry W. Lyon and his family settled near them.  Lyon appears as a taxpayer in the first assessment roll, in September, 1842.  He did not remain long.  Becoming alarmed after the murder of T. Garden, in February, 1843, he removed to Eads' Grove in the Spring of that year, and the year following went to Missouri.
     In the Fall of 1843, Nelson Steele and family located near Noble and Mulliken; and in 1844, Lorenzo's father, Samuel Mulliken, and his family arrived.

[pg. 557]
     About this time, the new settlement in this part of the county began to be called "Yankee Settlement," from the fact that the settlers were all from Yankee Land, to distinguish it from other Turkey settlements.  The name was not confined to any single section, and the Yankee Settlement extended into 90—4 (Elk), and into Clayton County.
     In 1846, Elder N. W. Bixby and his wife, Ruby, from Williamstown, Vt., located in the Yankee Settlement. Elder Bixby was the first Free-Will Baptist minister who settled in Delaware County.  His wife, also, occupied the pulpit,
"and," says Mrs. Bailey, "was considered the smarter preacher of the two."
     January 12, 1848, the " Yankee Settlement " post office was established, on Section 1, 90—5, and Bohan Noble appointed Postmaster; and in May following, Joseph S. Belknap, from Barre, Vt., located on the northeast quarter of
Section 2, 90—5, about a mile west of the post office, and founded the town of " Yankee Settlement," now called Edgewood.  At that time, there was but one settler in that vicinity, on the Clayton side, John Gibson, who settled there about 1846.
     In the Spring of 1849, Mr. Belknap built the first house on the site of the future village. This house was afterward used for hotel purposes.  In 1852, Mr. Belknap built and opened the first store, and erected several other buildings in 1853-4. In 1854, he built another store, on the Clayton side, removing thither, selling his claim on this side-to Harrison Gifford.
     A Congregational Church was erected in 1854, in which Rev. H. N. Gates first officiated as Pastor, succeeded about 1857, by Rev. A. Graves. Rev. L. P. Mathews occupied the pulpit in 1862.  No regular services are held in this house now.  Rev. Mr. Amsden, of Manchester, and others, preach there occasionally.
     The school house was built in 1855—6. The first hotel was kept by Joseph S. Belknap, about 1852.
     When the Davenport & St. Paul Railroad was built to and through the little town, which is mainly in Clayton County, the name was changed to Edgewood, and that part of the town lying in Delaware was surveyed and platted about
     There are now on the Delaware side, in Edgewood, a hotel, kept by Robert Fairweather ; a store, kept by H. F. Beyer; a school house and a church.
     The main portion of the town is in Clayton County, where are the railroad station, post office, several stores, Methodist Church and a fine frame school house.

< CLICK HERE to RETURN to TABLE of CONTENTS >

NOTES:
 

CLICK HERE to RETURN to
DELAWARE COUNTY, IOWA
INDEX PAGE
CLICK HERE to RETURN to
STATE OF IOWA
INDEX PAGE
CLICK HERE to RETURN to
GENEALOGY EXPRESS
INDEX PAGE

FREE GENEALOGY RESEARCH is My MISSION
GENEALOGY EXPRESS

This Webpage has been created exclusively by Sharon Wick for Genealogy Express  ©2008
Submitters retain all copyrights

.