Wednesday, March 11, 2009

A History of the Old Stone House


In the 1880’s news of the fertile soil, excellent timberlands and rivers of the Midwest was sent to eastern United States and across the ocean to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland, England and Ireland. Because of political upheaval, military service, religious persecution, poverty and restlessness, many people began looking for a new life. In 1833 white easterners and immigrants began pouring across the Mississippi River into Iowa. Land could be purchased for $1.25 an acre from the Government.

In April 1953, Leander Reeve came by train from Ashtubula County, Ohio, to the end of the line in Rockford, Illinois. He then traveled by stagecoach to the end of its route at Galena, Illinois. From then on he walked to Franklin County to find his brother, James, who was living with Mr. and Mrs. John Mayne in a log cabin which was located where the During farm is now, about ½ mile west of the Stone House on the north side of the road. This was the first and only cabin in Franklin County at the time.

After doing some trapping, he took over the parcel of land where the Stone House sits from Allison Phelps, who had claimed it the previous year. He broke 10 acres of this prairie sod east of the house. Prairie sod had thick matted interwoven roots two feet deep that hadn’t been disturbed for 8,000 years. In Illinois sixteen years earlier, in 1837, John Deere had invented a plow with a steel mould board that was needed to turn this sod. Strong oxen were better able to pull a plow than horses. Perhaps Leander had such a plow. Any provisions and supplies had to be gotten from Cedar Falls or Janesville by foot or by horse and wagon.

Leander then went back to Ohio and the following spring of 1854 he returned and built the Stone House. The stone surely came from Maynes Creek nearby. The walnut timbers in the cellar on which axe marks are still visible surely came from Maynes Grove. This house must have been elegant for this area as most others were log cabins. Soon many came to Maynes Grove, the first settlement of Franklin County. They conducted church services in cabins, had the first courthouse in James Reeve’s cabin and a sixteen-year-old girl, Octavia Smith, taught the first class of children in the county.

Except for the Mesquakies at Tama, very few Indians or buffalo were seen in Iowa after 1854. Leander brought his family here in 1854 but his wife could never like Iowa, she longed for more civilized life in Ohio. So they went back for good three years later. Leander’s wife apparently had household help as Marion Boots of Dumont says her grandmother walked from Four Mile Grove to work in the Reeve home.

Simeon Carter bought the house and farm from the Reeves. In 1859, four years after the Stone House was built, D. W. Dow, a young lawyer, came to Hampton, which had acquired 75 residents, 20-25 homes and several businesses. He set up a law office in Hampton House but had only one client that summer, who paid him in watermelons. So he had to carpenter and then taught school in the Maynes Grove settlement. Here he met Simeon Carter’s daughter and they were married in the Stone House. Her wedding dress is in the Franklin County Museum. They were the third residents in the house, followed by about 13 more families. The list is on the north wall of the house. None of the house’s contents were ever owned by those who occupied it.The floor plan has never been altered.

this information was given to us by the Historical Society.

7 comments:

  1. What is the building like inside?

    joanne

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  2. i am a history buff. I love historical houses too.

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  3. http://www.maysvilleiowa.com and you can click on Old Stone House to see the inside.

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  4. Humble suggestions:
    Instead of 1959, I think you meant 1859.
    Phrase "had to be gotten" should be rephrased.
    This is wonderful information you have on a great stone house. Suggest you have a writer or English teacher tweak the wording to make the narrative smooth and correct.

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  5. Just another humble suggestion because your info on the stone house is great. I too am a history buff. Instead of 1953 in the second paragraph, I believe you mean 1853. Thanks for a great website. I will be making a trip to see this at some time.

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  6. Great website. I am distantly related and myself spent 3 years in Iowa before returning to Ohio (We visited the home in 2005). Thanks for keeping house up and running.

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  7. I am also related in some way to this house. But not to Leander Reeves, but to Reuben Smith. the original owner and builder. If anyone has any info on him or the house please contact me at jr.boom757@yahoo.com

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