Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

America. will never be the same as ‘the good ol' days‘.
but ‘hope’ will help them survive. even if in different
ways or different methods than in past years. The need
for survival and ‘hope’ helped to build the town of
Anamosa, starting 150 years ago.
The more things change, the more they stay the
same.
We could hardly write a history of Anamosa and not
include the community of Fairview, which is assuredly
known by everyone living in, moving into. or having
left Anamosa.
My first recollection of hearing the name was a day
when I was four years old; when my new playmate,
Darlene (Raymond) Bickford, pointed her hand in a
southwesterly direction and said. “That's Fairview. My
grandma and grarnpa live there." From our vantage
point on top of the hill on East Fourth street, back in
1936, a ‘fair view‘ never entered my mind.
It wasn't until ten years later, upon hearing Miss
(None) Cavenaugh with her no-nonsense approach,
explaining the ‘fair view ' theory to our seventh grade
history class: along with her thoroughly knowledgable
store of word-pictures, that I recall a flrst real interest in
the little village.
It was there that the controversial and cantankerous
Clement Russell stopped with his family for permanent
settlement in July 1837. R.J. Cleveland. a contempory.
writes this about him: "He was withal shrewd, quickwitted
and sagacious. If he appeared stolid and idiotic
his looks belied his character. One pleasant day in
June, he was deeply engaged with some boon
companions in a game of poker, the inevitable whisky
bottle within easy range. when a traveler entered,
dressed in the extreme of fashion, and with an
imperative tone gave the following order, ‘Where is the
landlord?‘ ‘Here, Sir‘, replied Russell. The travelor
continued, ‘I wish my horse to be immediately
unharnessed. well rubbed down. then a good feed of
hay, after a due lapse of time to be well watered, then to
have four quarts of oats.‘
"This imperative command, circumstantial as it was.
never altered a single feature in the countenance of
Russell, who deeply absorbed in his game
exclaimed,‘Hearts are trumps. gentlemen‘ and seemed
to ignore the presence of the traveler altogether. until
the order was repeated in a louder and still more
imperative tone; when looking up. with that comical
expression. which is difficult to describe, exclaimed.
“Who the hell are you? And where did you come
from‘?'. “I am Captain Barney, sir, United States
Engineer. in the employ of the government, and I live
3,000 miles east of here.‘ ‘The hell you do’. exclaimed
Russell '3.000 miles east of here! One thousand miles
out in the Atlantic ocean, eh? A salt water fish. by God.
Strayed out here onto our western prairies! Out of your
element, sir. evidently.’
"Russell then turned with the utmost sangfroid and
nonchalance to his wondering companions and the
conclusion of the game without taking any further
notice of the fresh arrival, leaving that crest-fallen gent
to look after the welfare of his horse himself, or to have
some of the loafers in attendance do so for him."
An 1884 Cedar Rapids Times reporter describes
Russell:"The town of Fairview was laid out by old man
Russell about 1844. He was the flrst tavern keeper and
his tavern the only house in that place for a long time. It
The Village of Fairview
byBertha Finn
is related that a traveler rode up to Russell's one day
and asked him how far it was to Fairview. This made
Russell mad and he said, ‘Great Heavens, where were
you born? You must be an ignorant man not to know
where Fairview isl' Then looking around at the new
stakes, which marked the corner lots, he said, ‘Young
man. you are now in the heart of the city.‘ "
The reporter further relates: “A lot of men from Linn
county on their way to Dubuque once stopped at
Russell's for dinner. Coffee was served to all, but it was
not to their taste and they began to call for water.
Russell considered this a reflection on his hotel and he
called out angrily. “Old woman. bring a bucket of water
— every scoundrel wants some."
Edmund Booth, who came to this area in its infancy.
and stayed on to be editor-publisher of the Anamosa
Eureka for 40 years. relates.“Notwithstanding the
exceedingly limited accommodations, Dr. S.G.
Matson's home was a stopping place for state officials
going to or retuming from the seat of government at
Iowa City. Among these being one of the flrst govemors
of the state., legislators, etc., and they cheerfully
bunked on the floor rather than take their chances at
the ‘tavern’ (Russell's) which was sometimes the scene
of unpleasant disturbances, on account of the convival
proclivities of the proprietor and some of his
associates."_
Thomas E. Booth, Edmund's son. also long-time
editor and publisher of the Eureka, wrote: The Big
Woods (which extended from Viola to Highland Grove)
region was a howling wilderness.Deer, wild turkey,
pheasants. squirrels. quail and rabbits were numerous
and kept some families continually supplied with meat.
Fish were so plentiful that every stream and the Wapsi
were literally alive with them. I have seen nets six feet
square fastened to a frame and tied to the end of a long
pole that rested on a horizontal bar. The net was let
down and often it was full of flsh as it could well hold.
Stately trees of many varieties grew thickly and made a
shade that was cool and inviting in hottest days of
summer. Plums, crab apples, hickory and bitter nuts.
black cherries, walnuts, buttemuts and hazlenuts.
black berries and strawberries were to be found
everywhere.
Booth also recalled, when as a small boy in the
1840's he lived in Fairview: "1 well remember when
every autumn the prairie was swept by great fires
extending for miles and the scattering farmers had hard
battles to keep their grain and hay stacks from being
destroyed. In the summer it was a broad area of waving
grass and beautiful flowers of varieties almost
immumerable. We do not wonder that the sturdy
pioneers and their wives were willing to endure the
hardships and deprivations of those early days of which
the present generation know nothing.‘ This was written
in 1902.
Another of the flrst settlers in the Fairview area was
Benonia Brown. who lived to be not quite 103 years old.
He emigrated to Iowa in 1837, and owned 120 acres of
prairie and timber land with an additional 40 acres of