deer, he never met with an accident but twice; once he was kicked by a large buck in its death throes and was knocked about a rod on frozen ground. On another occasion, a large buck that Mr. S. thought he had killed, rallied just as he had taken hold of it, and struck him a blow on the left breast that knocked him insensible for a time. When he recovered his senses he was clinging to the deer's neck, while it was circling and kicking in a frightful way. He drew his knife and ended the circus, but has never fully recovered from that blow.

He once killed a buck with sixteen prongs to his antlers. He killed a moosehead in Hardin county, with forty-three prongs to his antlers.

Reptiles were very large in early days. Mr. Shepardson once killed a bull snake 8 feet long, just as it was coiled to spring upon him.

Large orchards numbering 100 trees or more, are owned by Hon. Geo. Paul, N. Scales, Chas. Colany, Wm. Wolfe, Hon. Rolla Johnson, A. J. Bond, H. Springmeyer and Wesley Reynolds. Mr. J. R. Willis had an orchard of 500 or 600 trees that have borne well; but using his orchard for a hog pasture has greatly injured it and in many instances killed the trees. He is now plowing it and filling the vacancies with choice fruit.

The orchard owned and planted by Hon. Geo. Paul was the first orchard planted in the township-principally apples from the Nicholas Longworth nursery, of all varieties; but also contains pears, peaches, plums, cherries.

No personal enterprise of the township is viewed with more public satisfaction and interest than the large and flourishing orchard of Hon. Rolla Johnson, which occupies forty acres in extent. Since it came into bearing it has yielded enormous crops of fruit. The land is part of the original farm of Mr. Johnson, and most favorably located as to soil and protection for the purpose of raising fruit. About ten years since it was planted principally with apple trees, but later with all varieties of grapes. One year his vines gave a marvelous yield. He sold two tons; and finding it impossible to give them any more time without neglecting his crop of fall and winter apples, he gave notice to the people to come and get what grapes they wanted, free of cost; and tons of them were disposed of in this way, while other tons dropped to the ground ungathered. Last year his trees did not bear so well, but he sold over $400 worth of winter apples. Mr. Johnson thinks that the late freezes that destroyed all the fruit this spring [1882] will change the bearing year, and that another year the trees will bear heavily. For choice fruit he cultivates cherries, pears, peaches, Siberian crab apples, chestnuts (bearing trees), grapes,-principally [Concords-strawberries, raspberries, &c. Mr. Johnson has something over 1,500 apple trees, comprising the following varieties: Ben Davis, Jonathan, Willow Twig, White Pippin, Benoni, Sweet June, Red June, Fameuse, Walbridge, Red Romanite, Dominie, Snow apple,-about the only apple bearing this year-and others. In crabs his favorite is Whitney No. 10-as large as an ordinary apple and of most delicate flavor. In 1880, that wonderful fruit year, Mr. Johnson sold 1,100 bushels of winter apples.

Bryan Dennis was born Angust 1, 1819, in Batavia, Clermont county, Ohio; came to Clear Creek township in 1839 with his mother. October 30, 1844, he was married to Miss Agnes J. McConnell, in Iowa City, at the residence of the bride's brother-in-law, Rev. W. K. Talbott, who also performed the interesting ceremony. In coming to their home the same day, when coming up the Folsom hill near where the "Centennial bridge" is now, Mr. Isaac V. Dennis, who as "best man" of the occasion, was driving, sportively threatened to upset the party, which feat, [not difficult to accomplish at the same place even in the present time,] he succeeded in doing, to his great mortification and regret, a moment later for it hurt Mr. Bryan Dennis quite badly. Mr. Dennis bought the land where he now lives, which then was claimed by Mr. Sprague, and the happy pair set up their home on this spot, a home that has been noted for more that forty years for its hospitality, and social delights.. From his youth up Mr. Dennis has been one of the foremost men in the community in all matters of public interest, occupying the most of the time some township office. His counsel is sought on many subjects, and by all classes of people, and is always kindly and sympathizingly given. He has been quite prominent, as these pages will testify, in all matters connected with literary exercises, debates, etc., and although debarred by the few school privileges of pioneer life from the education he has so liberally given his children, he has yet had the natural nbility to apply the three months' schooling, (all he ever had), to better account than many who take a university course. Like his compatriot and fellow pioneer, Hon. Geo. Paul, who never attended school after he was nine years of age, there is nothing to indicate illiteracy either in speech or pen. These men have profited by reading and observation to an extent worthy to be imitated by our men of to-day. His wife, Mrs. Agnes J. Dennis, was born April 25, 1825; came to Iowa in 1837, with her father, John McConnell, and to this township, in 1841. Mrs. Dennis is a lady beloved and respected by all who know her, useful in church and society, and a model wife and mother in her own family. Seven children were the fruits of this union, four of whom are living; Mrs. Mary Howe, of Janesville, Iowa, her husband, Rev. Chas. Howe, being a Presbyterian minister; Mrs. Josie Remley, whose husband is a lawyer in Iowa City; Mr. E. J. Dennis of Tiffin, and Miss Lottie Dennis, who is still at home. Their family includes also, an adopted daughter, Miss Nellie Slocum, a niece of Mrs Bryan Dennis, whose mother died in 1865, leaving her orphan daughter of five years to Mr. and Mrs. Dennis, who have most faithfully fulfilled their promises to the dying mother to care for the little motherless one as their own.

This lovely christian home is also still lighted by the presence (1882) of Mr. Dennis' aged mother, Mrs. McConnell, who is at once mother and step-mother,'and mother-in-law and grandmother in the same family circle; for mother McConnell was step-mother to Agnes McConnell before she became Mrs. Bryan Dennis.

CHAPTER X.-PART 4.

Beginnings of "Big Bottom," by Nicholas Zeller.-Being the Early Settlement of what is now Madison and Penn Townships.

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BEGINNINGS OF BIG BOTTOM."

In 1870 Mr. Nicholas Zeller wrote for the "Annals of Iowa," a brief history of the early days of the "Big Bottom," or "Big Bend," or "North Bend❞ settlement, as it was variously called, and which ultimately developed into Madison and Penn townships. Mr. Zeller was one of the most careful and reliable of the pioneer history writers, and we here by permission give his sketch entire; but the reader should bear in mind all the time that it was written in 1870, and not in 1882, so that some things mentioned are not now just as they were when Mr. Zeller wrote: John Gaylor and Alonzo C. Denison were the first men who made claims with the intention of settling in what is now known as Penn and Madison townships, Johnson county. Both were from Bureau county, Ills. Gaylor arrived late in the summer of 1838, with his family, and made his claim where the farm of John Wilson now is, who bought Gaylor's claim and entered the first land in the settlement.

Alonzo C. Denison in a few weeks followed Gaylor, and made his claim near by and returned to Illinois, and the following spring returned with his family and brothers, Joseph and George Denison, who all made their claims on the edge of the prairie and timber. Gaylor erected a cabin about twelve feet square in the timber to winter in the first winter, where was born the first white child in the settlement, no white settlers being nearer than Iowa City, ten miles distant. Medical assistance was had from the neighboring squaws. Gordon A. Denison, then about three months old, was the first white child brought to the settlement. This was in the spring of 1839. Gaylor was an athletic man, about six feet two inches in height, kind and affectionate, but able and willing to defend himself in any emergency, and is supposed to be still living in Illinois.

The three Denisons are still residents of the county, and two of them have seen their second generation. Joseph still resides on the claim he first made, and is now the oldest "settler" in the vicinity. These were soon followed by other, and in June, 1840, the following persons were residents by claim law, as the land had not been surveyed, viz.: David Wray, Carson B. Wray, George Wein, John W. Alt, Jacob H. Alt, Joseph A. Alt, Adam Alt, Jackson Purdoo, Ira Purdoo, Evan Dollarhide, Rev. Israel Clark, Martin Harless, Robert Waterson, John Aslan, Hugh Napier, David Crozier, Gilbert and Frank Herington, and James Chamberlain. About this time emigration commenced again to travel toward the setting sun.

William Dupont was the first white man who moved through the settle

ment, "westward bound." These pioneer families were all "metal of the true ring," and began to think of founding a school; and in 1841 Benjamin Horner taught the first school in a cabin erected by David Crozier, and vacated by him. It took fire and burned down during school time; but not discouraged, in 1843 a pretty good and respectable log house was built, where North Liberty is now located. In 1849 the house was remodeled and improved; in 1860 a new frame house was erected, and the school graded. The first graded school was taught by Miss Martha J. Bowman. The house built in 1843 answered for school and all public business, and religious worship.

Elder Lineback preached the first sermon in the settlement in the shade of the grove where the first claim was made by Gaylor, John Horner and Israel Clark. The next, A. C. Denison, was the first man to erect the "family altar" in the settlement; now whose families number several

scores.

The settlement increased rapidly, and when the township was organized, on motion of Francis Bowman, it was named Penn township, in honor of the renowned William Penn, which was since, under the county judgeship of Hon. Geo. W. McCleary, divided into Penn and Madison townships.

NAMES OF STREAMS.

There are four small streams entirely within the "big bottom," as it was originally called, now known as North Bend: 1st, Purdoo creek, Jackson and Ira Purdoo settling near the mouth of said creek. One of the Purdoos exploring the creek to its head saw a cabin near the source, to which he went, and as he was a stranger and somewhat jocular, enquired of the lady of the cabin where Purdoo river was. The lady could think of no such river, and the stranger (Purdoo) got no information of Purdoo river. Afterward the joke was discovered, and the creek was called Purdoo creek. This was the original name, and should now characterize the little stream. Afterward it bore several names, viz.: Buffalo, Dollarhide, and Dirty Face creek. The name Dirty Face originated thus: In those early days citizens did not always settle disputes by feeing lawyers, and passing through the routine of law, but sometimes settled them with the stout arm of their own law, without lawyers or justice's court. A settlement or suit of this kind came off in Iowa City, then a small village, between the-before-named Harless and one Aslin. Both parties being in town, and it being a very dry time, the streets were several inches deep with dust (street sprinklers being then unknown in Iowa). The trial took place in the street, without lawyers or justice, and whoever was willing pitched in, and before it was over some half dozen were at it. Both sides claimed the victory, and it was unsettled, both parties coming out of the battle with their faces covered with dust (and, of course, no credit) so as to be hardly recognizable. Harless, to give vent to his

feelings and outflank Aslin, called the creek "Dirty Face," as it was then called Dollarhide creek.

Spring run was so named twenty years ago by the writer, from its being less liable to freeze than ordinary streams emptying into Purdoo creek.

Spring creek was so named for similar reasons as Spring run, and its neighborhood was first settled by Adolph Roberts.

Dry run, so named from its liability to rise very high during a thaw in winter, freeze over, and the water leave the ice sometimes ten or twelve feet, was first settled upon by O. G. Babcock and Henry S. Gould.

NAME OF SETTLEMENT.

Big Bottom was the name known to frontier men before settlement; after settlement it named itself the Bend or North Bend, the Iowa river bearing nearly due north, and then nearly due west, making the name— North Bend of the Iowa River.

A scarcity of mills for grinding was among the privations to endure by those pioneer families. Before any mills were in the county, not an unusual mode of grinding corn was by a grate made of a piece of tin eight by ten or twelve inches, punched full of holes, and nailed, with the rough side up, on a piece of hewed wood, and raised in the middle by sticking a cob under it. The corn was boiled, then half dried, and it would grate easily. One of these primitive grates or mills is still in existence, and ought to be preserved. The Switzer mills, near Iowa City, the first in the county, afforded some relief. Next, Mr. Chaney commenced building a mill near the mouth of Purdoo creek, the burrs of which he manufactured out of our prairie boulders. This was some help, but in low water Mr. Chaney had to sometimes help the water-wheel to start, and if it ceased to move help was applied, and it would grind and bolt some. At present the nearest mill on the Iowa River claims over two hundred horse-power, and there is another of considerable capacity, and a number of steam flouring mills, and the Iowa river water-power is still not yet half improved. Imagination may well be stretched to measure the next thirty years by the past thirty, or by looking at the little corn grate and then at our present merchant mills. It would be worth a little boat-ride on the Iowa river to the millers of the present day, to see the little corn grate of 1839 and 1840.

ANECDOTES.

In those early days Mr. Geo. Wein procured a Durham bull calf from Ohio, which grew to be a gigantic animal, and was known by the name of Santa Anna, not being handled much, and wild. Israel Clark became the owner of him, and his son Daniel, a young man in the prime of life, undertook to bring him home from the prairies, he being on foot with a bridle in his hand. The bull refused to be driven and he could not drive him, so he concluded to mount him and drive him with the bridle. He