Articles by Rachel (Maxwell) Kellum

A series from 1909 "Western Work"

a regional publication of the Society of Friends

published in Oskaloosa, IA, from 1894 - 1912

first editor was Absalom Rosenberger

David M. Edwards editor last three years.

Compiled and typed in December 1999 - January 2000

by Jean (Hallowell) Leeper

her great great grandfather Charles Maxwell,

was Rachel's brother.

 

A Brief Account of Iowa Friends

 

(In this issue we begin a series of articles by Rachel Kellum of Salem, Iowa, who although past 80 years old recalls the beginnings of the Friends' Church in Iowa with remarkable accuracy. If health and strength permits she will prepare other articles. The account of the part some Iowa Friends had in connection with slavery and war times will be read with special interest, G.)

 

Location and Places of Worship

(Taken from the Sixty-sixth Anniversary held at Salem, Ia., in 1906)

It seems that Isaac Pidgeon and Aaron Street, Jr., and their families were the first Friends who located at Salem, which was in 1835. The former settled on choice tract of land about one mile south town, the latter was one of the two proprietors of the place and its first postmaster. This country was then known as the Black Hawk Purchase in the territory of Wisconsin, which you know is a part of the great Louisiana Purchase.

In the summer of 1836 a few Friends from Cherry Grove Monthly Meeting, Indiana, came out here on horseback seeking new homes. They were pleased with this location and returned, bringing their families, arriving here the 17th of 6th month 1837, nine families being members. Other families of Friends from Williamsburg, Wayne county, Indiana and also from other counties and states, coming soon after.

About the middle of the 8th month a conference was called at Isaac Pidgeon's to choose a time and place for a Meeting of worship. An agreement was reached, meetings were mostly held at the house of Henry W. Jay, located on the present M. E. parsonage lot, for about ten months, when a house was rented and used exclusively for worship, situated just west of the Bicksler bank building.

About the 5th of the 5th month 1839, the present 5-acre tract was purchased at a cost of $25 for a meeting house, school and cemetery purposes, upon which the Friends built a double hewed log meeting house, each room twenty-two feet square, covered with 3 foot boards - at a cost of $340, located between the present college building and the street.

 

Church Organization

 

The Friends from various Meetings and states had their rights of membership transferred to Vermillion Monthly Meeting, Ill., as they located at Salem, on account of its nearness to this point, that Meeting belonging to Western Quarterly Meeting and Indiana Yearly Meeting.

In 9th month 1837, they made application to Vermillion Monthly Meeting for the establishment of a Preparative Meeting. The committee appointed to visit them on account of their request did not reach here until about the 6th month, 1838, by which time many more members had settled here, so they amended their request by asking for a Monthly Meeting also, which was granted by Western Quarterly Meeting, and a committee was appointed to open said Meetings as shown by the following minutes:

"From the reports of Vermillion Monthly Meeting it appears that friends composing a settlement in Wisconsin territory request the establishment of a Meeting for worship on 1st and 4th of each week, also a Preparative and Monthly Meeting to be held near Salem, in Henry county, and to be known by the name of Salem; the Monthly Meeting to be held the last Seventh day in each month and the Preparative the fourth day preceding which request after a time of deliberation, both men's and women's Meetings united in noticing so far as to appoint a committee to visit said Friends on account thereof, and after said visit, if the Friends of the committee should be unitedly of opinion, that the honor of truth requires, that said request should be granted; they are directed to attend to the opening of the Meetings therein named, at such time as may seem to them best. The following named Friends were appointed: said committee, viz., Abraham Holiday, Thomas Ruebottom, Jeremiah H. Siler, Henry Pickard, Stephen Kersey, Mahlon Stephenson, Achsah Newlin, Mary Madden, Dorcas Hunt, Rhoda Hadley, Miriam Lindley and Mary Morrison, Jr., who were directed to report to next Quarterly Meeting." Taken from the minutes of Western Quarterly Meeting of Friends held at Bloomfield meeting house 8-11-'38 Alfred Hadley, Mary Morrison clerks."

From the list of 200 members transferred from Vermillion to Salem Meeting I note the following as the larger families:

Fraziers, 34; Hocketts, 32; Hoskins 11; Lewellings, 10; Emerys, 10; Joys, 9; Wilsons, 9; Pidgeons, 10; Johnsons, 7; Mendenhalls, 5; Teas, 5; Ozbuns, 4; Canadas, 4; Hinshaws,4; Thomas, 4; Cooks, 7, Smiths, 3; Commons, 5; Stantons, 3.

Men's Meeting and Women's Meeting were opened by appointing Stephen Hockett, Jr., and Mary Hockett clerks, respectively. Vermillion Meeting had already appointed Henry W. Joy and Stephen Hockett, Jr., for Men's Meeting and Ann Frazier and Mary Hockett for Women's Meeting overseers, which appointment was approved.

At the Monthly Meeting in 11th month, so may Friends were absent attending the land sales in Burlington the Meeting was adjourned to next 2nd day week. A committee rented a house for meeting purposes at 7 per cent on its cost, amounting to $24.50 per annum, also purchased a heating stove at $33.30.

In 1st. Month 1839, Stephen Hockett, son of Isaac Hockett and Ruth Pidgeon, proposed marriage, which was the first Quaker marriage west of the Mississippi.

In the 3rd month Friends of "lower settlement" request privileges of holding a Meeting which was not granted.

In 5th month Thomas Frazier being the only minister, obtained liberty to hold a Youth's Meeting.

In 8th month committee appointed to lay off a graveyard on the 5-acre lot purchased and enclose it, which they did with a rail fence, also to procure a book and keep a record of each row of graves and who was laid therein. This last duty was imposed on Henry W. Joy. The book cost 50 cents. A committee was also appointed to encourage the opening of day schools in each neighborhood. 88 books and pamphlets were received from Cherry Grove Monthly Meeting, the beginning of the library.

In 10th month a committee was appointed to visit for their encouragement, a settlement in Pleasant Prairie, and give the name of a Friend for overseer of that neighborhood. These Friends at next Monthly Meeting requested a Meeting of worship and Preparative established, to be called West Plain, which was considered favorably by a committee and the Meeting and forwarded to Western Quarterly Meeting for approval but was not approved.

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Reminiscence of the Settling of Iowa

 

My father, Jacob Maxwell, like many others in Ind. and Ohio, listened to the reports that came from beyond the Mississippi river, of a prairie country, well watered and sufficiently wooded. In the spring of 1839 he started from Liberty, Union county, Indiana and traveled 40 miles by team to Cincinnati, took boat down the Ohio river to Cairo, Ill., thence up the Mississippi to Ft. Madison, a military post of a dozen houses at that time. Parrett and Buckwalter were the commission merchants.

Coming to Salem (a distance of 25 miles) he found the settlement of Friends, as mentioned in the first chapter. Being favorably impressed with the country he staked off a claim five miles northeast of Salem, and returned home to begin active preparation for moving to the far west a year later, spinning and waving towlinen for a large tent, as well as linen for clothing, table cloths and towels. (100 yards in all were the estimate made). Samples of the table linen are still to be seen on special occasions.

 

( inserted from another source. "Jacob came to Salem, Iowa by boat from Union County, Indiana, staked out his land but since the government wasn't ready to give claims yet, he returned later with $500.00 in a sack, probably in gold. The government still withheld claims and the money was hid in an old grandfather type of clock (which according to Alma Kellum is) now (1938) owned by Cliff Cook in Salem. The clock formerly belonged to his father (If this is true the clock came from Indiana at least and perhaps the Carolinas.)He finally succeeded in entering a place one and one half miles south of Webster Bridge on route 181. They attended the Salem Meeting at first...."

 

On the farm, after horses, wagons and cattle were looked after, sheep were of so much importance in the new country as to justify special attention. Sixty head being selected, the next thing was a young Shepherd dog to be raised with the sheep, to bring them safe across the Illinois prairie.

In the fall of 1839, accompanied by his brother-in-law, Samuel Heavenridge, a second trip was made with team and wagon, to attend the land sale, only to find it cut off to a date so inconvenient that he sought the advice of friends in the matter, and it was soon arranged with Nathan Cook, to receive the money for safe keeping and bid on the land when the sale came. We have lately learned the safety vault that was not broken into nor robbed was the base of a wall sweep clock and it is still keeping time and telling the day of the month, and changes of the moon. The sad experience of the time spent here on that trip was that of a friend being burned to death in a prairie fire. He took the widow and three little children back to their friends in Indiana.

During the month of March, 1840, the final preparations were made. Four bushels of seabiscuit baked, the furniture taken to Cincinnati and shipped by water, and April 1, we started for the new home with four horses to the first wagon and two to the next. The cattle and sheep were driven and the distance four hundred and fifty miles occupied just thirty days. Our family consisted of father, mother, three brothers and five sisters. I was next to the youngest and thirteen years old. The first ten years brought a great many privations in the way of living. Having left behind the sugar camps and orchards, we missed them and it seemed to take fruit trees a good while to grow, and we had not yet learned to can fruit or the wild blackberries and strawberries would have done us more good.

We had no mills to saw lumber or to grind wheat nearer than 25 miles, so we all lived in log houses and cooked by fireplaces,--had never seen a cooking stove. We ate bread when we could get it. Tall grass being turned under and rotting caused so much sickness and our physicians did not understand the disease. There were a great many died, but more came and the country filled up. Friends came from Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina and Virginia and the eastern states. We had neither railroads, telegraphs nor telephones. Every letter we received we paid 25¢, as the mail was carried in stage coaches from Indian to Ohio across the state of Illinois. As we lived no more than 20 or 25 miles from the Missouri line, the colored man would get away from his master and came through here on his road to freedom. Their masters would have an exciting chase after them, but did not catch many, as most of them got away.

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3rd article

Reminiscences

 

Samuel Kellum and family came to Salem in the spring of 1839 from near Port LaHanna, now Fountain City. His wife was a sister of Levin Coffin and was in sympathy with his anti slavery work.

The work of assisting fleeing slaves began here as soon as any called for it. Remaining near salem the first summer, they permanently located the following year, twelve miles southeast, near the Lone Tree, one of the marks that travelers were told to look for on the road from Ft. Madison to Salem. The tree was a very large cottonwood and while it served as guide for so many people, few if any, left the road to go nearer, as a thicket of thorn bushes would prevent their seeking its shade, and the spring of cool water was a quarter of a mile distant on the other side of the road. During all the years of the anti-slavery work the Lone Tree with the thorn thicket at its base and the prairie grass on the outside of that, made a hiding place for the fugitive slave that was never penetrated by his pursuer. Next in importance was the task of getting him there without arousing the suspicion of neighbors, as well as the stranger that came in pursuit, and offered money to any that would betray their slaves.

Sheep took an important place, as they had done so many times before, in educating men for higher duties. As every family expected to keep sheep from whose fleeces the winter clothing was all made, and those tufted mittens were a joy to their possessor when he went fifteen or twenty miles to market or twenty-five to mill.

Hunting Wolves

The prairie wolves were so numerous that it became necessary to organize a band of wolf men for the protection of its sheep. In the chase they became acquainted with the lay of the land for miles around, where the streams could be forded away from the traveled roads, etc., and with the horses that could finish the chase and not be lame the next day. A small grey mare belonging to Nathan Kellum, second son of Samuel Kellum, proved to be one of these, and it entitled her to service later on when her master became conductor of the underground railroad as it was called. One of the first things the Missourians did was to go to the stables and hunt for lame or tired horses, believing they could tell whether they had been on duty during the night in that way.

 

Return to Indiana

In the fall of 1844 Nathan accompanied his father back to the old home in Indiana, called by the sickness of the grandmother, and as she felt it was her last sickness, and which it proved to be, though lingering three or four months, when her son had remained with her four weeks and thought he must return home, she asked that Nathan might stay with her, and it was arranged. During the weeks that followed as she felt able to talk, she told of how her husband was sent, when quite a young man from South Carolina to New Garden to school because of his hatred of the cruelties of slavery. This made him an unwelcome member of his father's family, and especially after the coming of the stepmother. This account deepened his desire to see slavery on its native soil so that when he was approached shortly after the death of his grandmother, to know if he would go south and transact business for a doctor and his wife living in Mooresville, he was prepared to answer in the affirmative.

 

Sees Slavery in the South

 

After a severe legal drill as to what must not be done, such as speaking to a negro unless there was a white man in hearing, to be found with counterfeit money a capital offense, a test of which was given him later, as well as what should be done and the owner of attorney to collect estates in Virginia, North and south Carolina, also with letters of introduction to such families as the Hancocks, he started. The traveling was to be done on horseback and four horses were taken to be sold. This would occupy some of the time that would necessarily elapse between the sessions of court. After challenge and a great deal of argument he was admitted as duly authorized to transact business. He was entertained with true southern hospitality, not being allowed to pay his bills although staying in one home three weeks, and was shown the institution of slavery apparently in the same spirit a large manufacturer might take a guest over his building, and they seemed especially anxious that he should note the promptness with which their slaves obeyed their commands. Numerous illustrations were given of the methods by which this was brought about. They admitted that the hardest problem they had to meet was to keep families from visiting over Sabbath when they had sold them apart, and gave the account of one man they shot to death because he would not be whipped for going to see his family who had been sold to a planter twelve miles distant.

On the day before he was to start home, the property of a deceased planter was to be sold at public sale, consisting mostly of slaves, and as there was a large number it would bring people for miles around. He had been invited to attend several days in advance and it was insisted upon as the time drew near. He felt it would be a severe ordeal for him, but decided it was best to go, and as he wanted his horse shod, they told him that it could be done by the blacksmith where they were going.

They went, but the blacksmith could not be found until half an hour later, when a white boy about fourteen years of age, came and asked if he really wanted a horse shod, and said he would find the smith. The old man had hid because he knew that they expected to sell him first, and he seemed to think it would be better if he could put it off until the last.

Auction Block

 

But to shoe a horse for a northern man, as that was the name he went by, was enough to bring him out, and he fastened the shoes on the front feet undisturbed, but the sound of the hammer had told that he was there, and enough men came to overpower him and take him to the auction block. He screamed with terror amid the jeers of the bystanders. The bidding was spirited between the heirs, until $900 was bid by the young master, fourteen years old, and he was knocked off to him, then the joy on the old man seemed to know no bounds, and he expressed it in shouts of joy and songs of praise to "the good Lord" that he would get to end his days with the young massa on the old plantation. He returned to the shop and finished shoeing the horse. He had shod race horses for years and he had a better shop and tools than the average and was proud of his work which was the very best.

Attempt to Sell Mother from Her Children

 

The closing scene of the day was trying to sell a mulatto mother from her two children, one three years old and the other, perhaps one. They had promised her that she would be sold with her children, so that she came to the block without resistance, and there was a great deal said about the amount of work she was able to do, etc., and then all at once the bidding began on the little boy, three years old. Knowing this meant separation, the mother gave one heart-piercing cry of despair and fell senseless. Then began a scene of cruelty that need not be described more than to say, the skill displayed in striking so many cruel blows without breaking bones would have done credit to a better cause, but they could not and did not win. Finally growing tired of their fruitless task, with muttered curses they sold them together.

Tells Them What He Thinks of Slavery

 

That evening there were more guests at the home and during the evening after they had assembled in the parlor the man of the house spoke directly to Nathan Kellum, and said, now we want to know what you, as a northern man and a stranger, think of our institution of slavery? Believing that his answer would be used as evidence against him, he took time to think and offer a silent prayer to God for wisdom. Then asking if the slaves were in their quarters for the night, so they would not hear, and when assured that they were, he told them that he would give them an honest answer, as they had kept insisting upon it. So he told them that in the light of a Book that they claimed to honor, which said, "all nations of the earth are made of one blood" they were holding their brother man in cruel bondage, and that the negro would not endure it much longer. He used some of their own narratives as an illustration of the truth that the negro had begun to say in action what Patrick Henry said in words, "Give me liberty or give me death." At this they almost ground their teeth. Then in answer to those questions as to what his solution of the question would be he pointed out emancipation by peaceable legislation, then hiring possibly the same men and women. Honoring the marriage relations and the right of parents to their children. They answered almost as with one voice, "Never, while the sun shines." "Then it will be done with the sword, and if it comes to that, your streams will run with blood" This continued for nearly two hours, their anger seeming to give place to astonishment that he did not seem to fear the consequences of using the right of free speech.

 

Accused of Having Counterfeit Money

 

In the morning he was allowed to start on his journey just being asked the question if he was going to the court house to have his money changed. Answering that he was they seemed to be satisfied. When he go there he was told that one ten dollar bill was counterfeit. Then he understood the situation and when a little distance on the road back to where it had been given him, there was a path turned off into the woods that went the direction he ought to go, so allowing the horse to have its own way, they traveled ten miles without leaving the woods. The officers and men that were to arrest him, passed over the road not more than a quarter of a mile from the path he was following. When he came out of the woods he found lodging with a poor white family who were willing to take pay for what he wanted and asked no questions. He told them he was tired and would like to sleep during the heat of the afternoon and go on his journey when it would be cool in the early morning. Thus he was led safely on his way reaching Mooresville, Indiana at the appointed time.

He came to Iowa fully persuaded in his own mind and ready for the dangerous work that had increased during his absence, an account of which will be given in the next chapter.

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I am skipping over the slavery issue and will get back to it and am inserting the cholera epidemic here.

 

Cholera Epidemic

 

Before the close of sixth month, 1849, the Asiatic cholera became epidemic. The school closed and my first knowledge of the disease was in being sent for by an uncle, to come because his wife and four sons were sick. By the time we reached him the doctor had pronounced the disease to be cholera. Uncle came out to meet us with tears streaming down his face to peg our pardon for bringing us into the infected district, and offering to send us back immediately, so we had to decide sitting in the carriage, whether to try to flee from danger or committing our lives into His keeping, do what we could for others. We chose the latter and with the power of faith appropriated the ninety-first Psalm. We spent the first night caring for five patients. The physician called for volunteers for nurses, that were willing to take instruction. Ten quickly responded and he watched over our health as carefully as that of the sick, not allowing us to eat food bought in the nearby towns, but sending beyond the infected district for provisions which was carefully stored and systematically distributed. Our band nursed seventy cases, only one having a slight attack and soon recovered. While the air was so full of disease the birds could not sing and truly the silence of death reigned. Many or most that died only lived a few hours after being attacked. The cases that developed more slowly could be helped.

The atmosphere remained in this condition for two long months, when a black cloud loomed up in the northwest just before sunset, and a night of thunder, lightening and torrents of rain followed. In the morning the clouds disappeared, a strong north west wind prevailed, and the birds began to sing, until it truly seemed like a new world. The sick recovered and very few new cases developed.

  

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