Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

Going on up this Road of Fame. one-half mile further
past the Soesbe home is the school house where most of
these boys got their first schooling. Across the Road of
Fame is the same house where Dr. E.W. Lockwood was
bom and reared. He graduated from Rush Medical
College in Chicago in 1875 and was a prominent doctor
and banker at Glidden. He married a girl at Olin,
Sherilda Mershon, daughter of Noble Mershon.
On west 40 rods. just west of the late David
Grassfleld home, was a three-year log house which was
razed some years past. This is where Daniel Stutsman
and wife lived and where their son, Henry Stutsman,
was born and reared. He was known as the world's
greatest and finest penman, When I was in Los Angeles
some time ago, I saw an article in a magazine with
Henry Stutsman’s picture which said, "World's Finest
Penman."
We go on west to the Fish House Corner where the
flrst state flsh hatchery was located. This fish hatchery
was the first in Iowa and was established by an act of
the state legislature in 1874. B.F. Shaw of Anamosa
was the flrst flsh warden at that place.
Here at the Fish House Corner was a log and frame
house where Israel and Sarah Luse lived. Mr. Luse was
a Methodist preacher but was not ordained. They had
four sons: Frank. James, William and John, all
outstanding Methodist ministers. Frank Luse was the
highest paid minister in the United States at the time of
his pastorate as the head of the First Methodist Church
in New York City.
We turn here on this Road of Fame at the Fish House
Corner and go south 20 rods to the flrst place where a
man by the name of Huber built the flrst house. He
afterwards moved to Anamosa and was among the flrst
school teachers and had much to do with our early
school system. Later he was a judge in the Circuit
Court. Huber Street in Anamosa, was named after him.
In the village of Fairview Academy, which was not in
the main part of the village, but was in a suburb. It was
south on Sandhill, in a three-story building which later
was called the Darrling House. Here lived Milo P. Smith
who, at the age of 23 resigned as teacher of this school
and. on the 18th day of May, 1861. walked to Lisbon,
Iowa. and enlisted in the Civil War. He was mustered
out as a major at the end of the war and was later a
Judge of the 18th Judicial District of Jones, Linn, and
Cedar counties in Iowa.
In Fairview the brick house on the west side of this
Road of Fame was known as the John Secrest home.
John Secrest enlisted in the Civil War and became
captain of the 13th Iowa Regiment, better known as the
famous Col. Crocker Brigade.
Also on this road in the town of Fairview was the
William Manly home. Here, William Manly and his
wife, Ann, had two sons: the Rev. Ed Manly who passed
away in 1952 at Helena. Mont.. after being a missionary
in West China for some 43 years; and Dr. Fred Manly,
now of Phoenix N.Y., who is a prominent physician and
surgeon.
What a contrast meets our eyes every day. Truth and
falsehood walked side by side down our street. Vice and
virtue met and passed every hour of the day. The groan
of the dying and cry of the infant mingled together
under the same roof.
The bridal party treaded close on the heels of the
funeral procession; and we also found Milo P. Smith at
the south end of the Road of Fame teaching and
dispensing education and good citizenship and the best
for the welfare of mankind. At the other end of this
Road of Fame. we found old John Campbell with his
saloon destroying the best in young manhood. These
were some of the contrasts on this Road of Fame.
John Peet came from England to Boston,
Massachusetts in 1635, and later moved to Stratford,
Connecticut, where many descendants still reside.
Gideon Peet, flfth generation in America. fought on
the patriot side in the Revolutionary War.
His son. Gideon and Gideon's wife. Abigail Wildman.
migrated to Cortland County. New York, in 1801.
where they farmed and reared eight children: one
daughter and seven sons.
In 1838, the family, with the exception of the
daughter and one son. came to Fairview Township and
bought land from the United States government. Later,
a son, Gideon Nelson, homesteaded four miles
southeast of Martelle. Tmman Judson settled near
Prairieburg and another son, John, built a dam at
Central City and still later built a mill and dam in Cedar
county. Eventually some of the next generation owned
land on the Military Road between Fairview and
Martelle. Six of the seven sons who came to Fairview
Township died fairly young. although Julius Allen Peet
lived to the age of 83.
'
Gideon Nelson was the first postmaster in the
Fairview area. The post office was located in his home
one mile west of the village and was called Pamaho. He
FAMILY HISTORIES
Peet Family
submitted by J .M.(Mel) Peet
and Marjorie Peet Lacock
102
was postmaster from Sept. 16, 1840 to March 1, 1844.
His brother, Burton, also served as postmaster from
rs 4* ‘n
191 9V —- First tractor cornplow made by Vestus
James Peet. Martelle. Iowa. It was attached to rear of
Fordson tractor with ropes to the steering wheel, as he
operated it from a seat on the plow. He guided the
piowshares with hisfeet.
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