(Town and Township)
The early days of Auburn, as described by an old settler, were characteristic of the snap and stir of 1856. Being on one of the main thoroughfares from Dubuque to St. Paul, the town was as ambitious and important, in the estimation of its people, as Chicago itself. Here the whole countryside would gather to swap horses, exchange slang, litigate, drink, and sometimes fight.
But, to begin at the beginning, the first dwelling erected at Auburn, and in the township as well, was that of James B. Earll, who, in 1849, began the erection of a saw-mill on the bank of the Little Turkey, at this point. With him came his sons, Morris B. and Hiram W., who assisted hi in the business. Two years after (1851) Earll and his sons erected a flouring-mill, which began to grind in September - a great boon to the inhabitants of Fayette County and the southern part of Winnesheik, who had before been compelled to go to Elkader to mill. About this time, the infant settlement was increased by the accession of John A. Griffith, Samuel Hull, Hiram and Hull Hoagland, James Boale, S. D. Helms and others. In 1851, Hiram Hoagland built a cabinet shop and started a turning-lathe, the first in the county, and here scores of early settlers, preferring to live aristocratically, came to buy their bedsteads and chairs. About the same time, Mr. Griffith, in connection with the Earlls, started a general store, and in the next two years Z. McJunken built a hotel, the "Iowa House," A. L. Dunn & Brother started a drug store, Torode & Eastman began manufacturing the "Childs Separator," and other mechanics followed, giving the town much animation and stir. The town continued to attact other business, for the Earlls started a small plow factary <sic>, I. Bilger built a small brewery, and about the same time McJunkin & Crawford started a pottery, the first in Northern Iowa.
The first school at Auburn, probably in the Winter of 1852-3, was taught by J. S. Pence.
A saloon was started in 1853, for about New Year's, 1854, a meeting was held to deliberate upon the means to suppress the evil. Samuel Hull presided; Wm. Winston and Rev. John Bowman were elected Vice Presidents, and Rev. S. D. Helms, Secretary. An association was formed, which held weekly meetings nearly all winter. At the first meeting, seventy-one persons signed the pledge.
The people of Auburn celebrated the 4th of July, 1854, in the most elaborate style, full particulars of which are given in the general history.
The same year, the people of Auburn erected a school house, which eclipsed anything then done by other towns in the county for educational purposes. The building was used, also, for many years, for church purposes, by the Methodists and United Brethren.
February 9, 1855, Augustus Turner, a blacksmith, was killed in the vicinity of Auburn, while with others he was undermining a bank, which unexpectedly gave way, fell upon him, split his skull open, and crushed him tothe ground, a mangled corpse.
In 1855, came ominous tidings from the West that the Indians were on the war path, in the neighborhood of Clear Lake, and massacreing all the Indian traders thereabouts. A few days afterward, a portentious looking letter arrived at Auburn for Capt. Neff, which, when opened, was found to bear the seal of the State of Iowa and the signature of Gov. Hempstead, commanding that officer to notify his company to be in readiness to march to Clear Lake for the purpose of exterminating or otherwise punishing the bloodthirsty savages. Capt. Neff obediently summoned his comrades, who voted to a man to offer up their lives, if need be, on the altar of their country. The next day, the Captain found that he could not be spared, for he was employed in the mill. Another could not die and leave his little children orphans, but his wife's father, a veteran of the Black Hawk war, nobly stepped into the ranks to save his son-in-law's life. Still another could not possibly leave home just then, for his wife was in such a situation that if he perished on the frontier, his next child would be a posthumous one. Several others were equally unready for glory and death, but the majority kept up their courage exceedingly well. A few days after, another order came, notifying the company that the Governor would be at West Union, on a certain day, to inspect the command prior to their setting out on their perilous march. The boys came, but Gov. Hempstead did not. Burning for glory, the volunteers, in the absence of their officers, charged upon and captured the "Black Warrior," which they held until near nightfall, to the terror of its proprietor. The stock on hand was effectually cleaned out, but before leaving, the boys settled their score with gratifying liberality. A few days afterward, another order relieved them from the necessity of leaving home to maintain their country's honor in the grassy prairies of Cerro Gordo.
Early in April, 1866, both mills in Auburn were injured by a high freshet, the water reaching a higher point than ever before known by white settlers.
August 13, 1866, a party consisting of Charles Hathaway, Mrs. Elizabeth Lame, her fifteen-year-old daughter, and a babe of fifteen months, undertook to cross the Turkey above the dam, at West Auburn, but unfortunately Hathaway lost control of the skiff in which they had seated themselves, and it floated over the dam, where all four were drowned.
May 13, 1866, the M. E. Church at Auburn, the construction of which had been begun three years before, was formally dedicated for worship, the exercises being conducted by Rev. Dr. Kynett, assisted by the Pastor, Rev. Mr. Smith. The text from which Mr. Kynett preached was Phil. iv, 19, "But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus."
The United Brethren Church at Auburn, was dedicated on Sunday, September 30, 1877, the exercises being conducted by Rev. E. B. Kephart, of Western, Linn County; Rev. A. W. Drury, of West Union, and Rev. Mr. Thornton, of Castalia. The indebtedness remaining against the church, about $250, was fully provided for on the same day.
I. O. OF O. F.
Fayette Lodge, No. 60 - The organization of this Lodge was a notable event in the early history of Fayette County, its institution having been witnessed by a large delegation from West Union. H. C. Pierce asted as Special Deputy on the auspicious occasion, which was November 29, 1854. The charter was dated October 26. W. A. Chase was the first N. G.; J. A. Griffith, V. G.; James Boale, Rec. Sec.; H. W. Earll, Per. Sec.; M. B. Earll, Treas.
The present officers are: John Biddinger, N. G.; W. H. Canfield, V. G.; Henry Alton, Rec. Sec.; L. Irving, Treas.
I. O. OF G. T.
River View Lodge, No. 342, was organized in January, 1878, by Rev. D. Sheffer, of West Union. The present officers are: Dr. Branch, W.C.T.; Mrs. Henry Miller, P.W.V.T.; Henry Miller, B.W.C.T.; R. Belknap, Marshal.
Political Record
April 5th, 1852, David Downs and Samuel Lewis were elected Justices of the Peach; Israel C. Gregory and S. Finch, Constables; David Cross, John Bowman and Hiram Hoagland, Trustees.
March 7, 1853, road districts were established.
April 4, 1854, Lyman Nash and Hiram Hoag <sic> were elected Justices; A. M. Quivey and Aretas Whitcomb, Constables; Jerome Boswell, Assessor; James Boale, Clerk; A. Winston and A. Whitcomb were two of the Trustees elected.
April 1854, John R. Bailey was elected Justice; Hiram Tibbits and Amri Curtis, Consstables; M. B. Earl, J. H. Williams and George Brown, Trustees; William B. Winston, Assessor; John J. Arbuckle,Clerk.
The same month Road District No. 5 was established.
April, 1855, the electors of the township chose John L. Carson, Justice; J. L. Sawyer, T. F. Curtis and I. Utter, Trustees; R. E. Burlingham, Clerk; J. S. Lame, Assessor.
The record from this year forward to 1863 is missing.
In October, 1863, A. Biddinger, J. C. Williams and M. Duclos were elected Trustees; Hull Hoagland, Clerk; J. P. Blakeney and John L. Carson, Justices.
The officers for 1865 were: Barney Foreman and J. M. Bemis, Justices; Samuel Gardner, Wm. B. McCleary and John Witte, Trustees; Hull Hoagland, Clerk; J. S. Lame, Assessor.
For 1866, W. H. Austin, Justice; M. Duclos, J. T. Edson and Jacob Cloyer, Trustees; Hull Hoagland, Clerk; J. S. Lame, Assessor.
February 10, 1866, the electors of School District No. 1 held a special election and unanimously voted to establish the Independent District of Auburn.