As long as there was any prospect of navigating the Cedar River, Benton City held its own; but when the railroad was granted, in 1869, leaving the town two miles at one side, the village lost business and population. November 23, 1857, John H. Pulver, engineer of the Benton City Mills, was killed by slipping and falling inside the fly wheel, while adjusting the belt to a grindstone. He was carried around violently through a space one foot in diameter, and then thrown against the grindstone with such violence as to break his skull. A Masonic Lodge was formed here in 1855, but was afterward removed to Shellsburg. IRVING. This village, which lies partly in Iowa Township and partly in Tama County, is the third in age in Benton County; and prior to the building of the Chicago & Northwestern Road, was a place of considerable importance. But the engineer's transit is a potent influence on the growth of Western towns; and when a railway station was established three miles from Irving, its hopes were blasted, and it has since remained comparatively stationary. He A man named Jackson died of sunstroke, July 7, 1859, near Irving. was found prostrated in his wagon. The temperature for several days before and after this occurrence ranged from 92° to 98° in the shade. The first class of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Irving was formed in July, 1857, with the following members: Samuel Hulton, wife and mother, Mrs. Martin Smith and Mr. Smith's mother, Betsey Travis, Nancy Blair, Washington Benson and wife, Adelia Jackson, A. Shevils, Mrs. John Travis, Hattie Royce, E. Grubbs and wife. The church was erected in 1864, J. G. Wilkinson then being Pastor, at a cost of $1,500, but was not dedicated until 1866, M. A. Barnes, Pastor. The present official list is as follows: B. C. Barnes, Pastor; Jesse Roberts, Leader; H. B. Stoner, Jesse Roberts, Stewards; D. A. Collean, A. C. Boggess, J. Breckenridge, J. Benson, Dr. Powers, Trustees. The society owns a parsonage, also, which cost $600. The number of members is forty-two, and of probationers, nineteen. Austin Blair is Superintendent of the Sabbath School. Restitution Church, a society of Adventists, was organized in 1872 or '73. Elder Myers is the present Pastor. The society has a building, which was erected in 1874, at a cost of $1,500. The membership is about sixty. usual attendance at the Sabbath school is about a hundred. The Irving Lodge, No. 283, I. O. O. F., was organized in 1875. G. W. Burton is the present N. G.; Austin Blair, Secretary. The Lodge has about thirty members, and meets on Friday evenings. Irving Academy is the most prominent feature of the place. J. A. Cravens, A. M., is the efficient Principal. MARYSVILLE. This is one of the oldest towns in Benton County, and being about the nucleus of the first settlement in the county, a town naturally sprung up here. It was first known as "Hoosier Point;" but a town was laid out and called Marysville, to which an addition was afterward made and called Manatheka. In 1856, there were four steam saw-mills in the immediate vicinity of Marysville; and there were several business concerns in the village, which was then one of the thriftiest places in the county. In 1857, the people of the town offered one thousand dollars as a bonus to any one who would erect a steam flouring-mill, but could not find any one to accept their offer. W. W. Culver, a member of Vinton Lodge, No. 62, A., F. & A. M., was buried according to the ceremonies of that Order at Marysville, June 21, 1857. At present Marysville has about two dozen dwellings, a two-story school house, and a church belonging to the Christian denomination. Marysville Lodge, No. 173, A. O. U. W., started July 2, 1878, with a membership of sixteen, which had been increased by ten within five weeks. There is also a lodge of Odd Fellows, in a flourishing condition. There are two or three steam saw-mills in the vicinity, doing a good business, and affording a fair trade to the town. TABULAR STATEMENT, Showing the totals of Real and Personal Property assessed for taxation in Benton County, Iowa, for the year 1877. Aggregate value of realty in towns, as equalized by State Board........ $671,763 409,754 4,874,226 Total value of all assessed property in county.. $7,907,73 TOWNSHIPS TABULAR STATEMENT, Showing the Valuation and Tax Levied in Benton County, for the Year 1877. Total. $5521116 $5734371 $4874226 $1951988 $6826214 $13652 371 $27304 89 86826 24 $17065 53 $3413 11 $2580 50 $3345 02 861546 22 $6772 40 $142506 28 OFFICIAL CANVASS OF VOTES CAST AT THE GENERAL ELECTION, 1876, IN BENTON COUNTY, IOWA. Hays and 114 136 174 62 177 127 20 127 20 127 42 88 42 46 92 46 92 46 92 75 21 73 75 63 55 84 196 84 197 48 54 35 49 39 60 174 62 174 62 174 62 174 174 20 127 20 127 127 Stubenrauch. Jones. Groneweg. Sherman. Bemis. Secor. Ridenour. 62 20 127 20 42 88 42 88 88 42 46 92 46 92 92 46 84 196 35 65 49 39 57 54 163 21 75 63 63 63 55 27 84 196 84 196 50 196 197 48 99 54 163 54 163 163 114 130 114 130 114 130 114 129 114 130 114 114 130 130 112 112 130 38 161 37 158 38 158 38 158 38 159 159 193 129 195 128 193 129 193 129 193 129 192 194 130 129 643 167 660 156 643 167 653 167 653 167 655 655 167 167 652 651 166 815 20 112 20 113 19 113 20 113 20 113 20 113 115 20 19 35 65 49 78 39 57 Seevers. **E REGER Rothrock. Hayes. Graham. 38 159 157 233 192 196 191 119 352 316 815 536 521 72 101 96 113 111 154 133 75 65 87 90 62 20 61 39 Total.. 2901 1356 2899 1348 2941 1303 2899 1347 2910 1346 2910 1342 2913 2919 1330 1341 2929 2899 1253 4356 4138 49 55 161 50 194 117 195 49 88 100 45 57 151 53 164 55 96 124 115 136 114 132 81 165 104 120 100 120 137 16 159 34 156 37 157 36 171 187 188 125 185 131 161 167 181 544 167 593 249 665 164 630 172 639 167 320 47 303 217 306 216 302 215 303 219 55 34 71 24 75 115 24 114 24 20 113 14 49 34 25 25 20 107 20 31 62 42 47 74 48 39 2514 1280 2708 1495 2939 1295 2789 1445 2830 1146 For Cooper Electors there were cast the following votes: St. Clair, 14; Le Roy, 36; Iowa, 16; Union, 14; Kane, 10; Canton, 32; Eden, 6; Big Grove, 29; Benton, 2; Taylor, 33; Jackson, 38; Monroe, 3; Polk, 19; Harrison, 4; Cedar, 5; Bruce, 9-Total, 270. G. W. Rutherford, for Congress, had the following vote: St. Clair, 19; Le Roy, 45; Iowa, 17; Union, 35; Kane, 10; Canton, 66; Eden, 6; Big Grove, 31; Homer, 4; Benton, 2; Taylor, 36; J. Baum, for Clerk, had the following vote: St. Clair, 16; Le Roy, 46; Iowa, 16; Union, 26; Kane, 11; Canton, 6; Eden, 6; Big Grove, 23; Homer, 5; Benton, 2; Taylor, 14; Jackson, 76; |