Benton County Historical Society, Vinton, IA

10/30/2026

10/29/2026

The Vinton Semi-Weekly Eagle; Tuesday, April 28, 1885

Golden Wedding
Mr. and Mrs. J.S. Tilford

It is the privilege of but few to live fifty years of married life together. When such an incident occurs, it merits some form of simple celebration. Such an event was celebrated in Vinton on Saturday evening last, at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Tilford. A company of forty or fifty gathered at the residence of Mrs. Ann Hanford, a daughter of the aged couple, and proceeded to the paternal home. The company divided and advanced upon the house front and rear, and took the citadel by surprise. The old gentleman had already removed his coat to retire, but with the instincts of an old soldier, as he is, he met the enemy with such arms as he had-in his shirt-sleeves-and fired a volley of his well-known salutations, "good morning at ye". Mother Tilford, as smart as a girl of sixteen, gave the company a hearty greeting.
Mr. John S. Tilford was born in Clark County, Ind., July 30th, 1811, and Miss Margaret J. Young was born in Washington county, Ind., Oct. 11th, 1817, They were married at Franklin Ind., April 25th, 1835. Mr. Tilford entered his first quarter section of land at Vinton in 1849, upon which a portion of the city now stands. In 1850 he came to the state, and brought his family in 1852, and has lived on the same quarter section since coming here. He laid out and named the town in 1851, and at that time, before there was a foot of railroad west of Chicago, he named one of the streets Railroad Street. It was nearly twenty years from that time that the first railway line reached Vinton, the B. C. R. & N. came and laid its track through the town from east to west, on the street named for it twenty years before.
Mr. Tilford was a liberal proprietor, and the life of the new aged couple is Vinton, marked by circumspection, generous friendship and whole-souled hospitality, has won for them the highest respect. So that the celebration of their Golden Wedding was not a cold. formal affair with regulation presents and a cut-and-dried speech of presentation, but an informal gathering of friends who were present because they wanted to congratulate the old people and send them on toward the next mile-stone with a "God bless you." The only ceremony connected with the affair was the seating of Mr. and Mrs. Tilford side by side, the reading of a chapter, a short prayer, and a few words of congratulation by their pastor, Rev. Avery.
There were present at the golden wedden four persons who witnessed the marriage ceremony fifty years before; namely, Mrs. Gilchrist, mother of G.M. Gilchrist, Frank and Bethuel Young, brothers of Mrs. Tilford, and Mrs. Geo. Freeman, a sister.
Mr. and Mrs. Tilford's family consist of John Y. Tilford, of Butler county, this state, Mrs. Ann J. Hanford and Mrs. Helen A. Tracey, both living in Vinton.

Mr. J.S. Tilford has a personal history prior to his marriage which is interesting, but we haven't space to more than allude to it. On the 4th of July 1832 - the Black Hawk war was then in progress - he enlisted for one year, in a corps of Rangers, six companies of 115 men each. The enlistment was for one year, and his captain's name was Samuel Ford. On the day of enlistment, he started for Chicago, then garrisoned by a small force, where they drew rations to last until they should reach Rock Island. At Dixon's Ferry on Rock River, he saw Abraham Lincoln and Jeff Davis then lieutenants in the United States service. After remaining about six weeks at Rock Island and Davenport, the Indian troubles having been settled, his company started on a march southwest of Ft. Gibson, in the Indian Nation, thence to Red River, the boundary between the United States and Texas. On this march they drew rations for 15 days but were out about 64 days. One of the company stole a large part of the rations of flour and deserted, and the command suffered terribly. Mr. Tilford says he paid a comrade a dollar for a pound of flour; and at another time offered his horse and equipments for a pound. Many of the men were nearly famished when they got back to Ft. Gibson.
We leave our readers to imagine the changes which have taken place since Mr. Tilford marched over Iowa soil, 53 years ago, and during his 50 years of married life.

08/24/2026

This is a free exhibit with interactive kiosks, stop by!

08/22/2026

The History of Cedar Township & Mt. Auburn 1871 - 1971 (con't)

An interesting account of this time was in a 1903, 'Vinton Eagle' newspaper. It was an interview of Wm. Amburn, called, '50 Years in Iowa':
"My father left Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1853, and with a team and covered wagon (which was the customary way of traveling at that time), he came West. I was only a boy ten years old. We crossed the Mississippi at Keokuk. Then, the state along the river, was quite well settled. As we came farther west, however, there was very few houses seen. The prairie stretched out in every direction. Timber was found bordering the streams. Of course, Vinton was not a
town then. There was a little house kept by Russell Jones, which was called a hotel, and a few other houses. My father took his family (there were 7 of us) to a place 1 1/2 miles this side of Vinton. Here we remained from Nov. until the following March. During the winter, which was very mild, my father and brothers built a house on our homestead north of Mt. Auburn. The house 16X18 feet. (In this we lived until 1865.) When we first moved to our homestead, there was only one house between ours and what is now Vinton. This was on the Pratt Creek. There was only one house where LaPorte City now is, and that was built of logs. It belonged to a German by the name of Chauver. Thus, living alone was very lonesome. T'was not long, however, before people came and settled around us. Among the first were Shields, a grand good Methodist. He was one of the finest and perhaps the first member of the M.E. Church in this place. Also, there was Calahan, L.C. Abbott, A. Kile, and others. All the early settlers were of the same class socially. We were all interested in one another. It was not as it is now, where there seem so many things that separate people into classes. I remember there was quite an Indian scare in 1854. There had been a massacre somewhere up North and our people were scared. So they would all go stay in one place over night and sometimes remained several days to be prepared if Indians should come. There was a party of eight men who went from Vinton to investigate and got as far as LaPorte City, where they camped for a night. It seemed they had something strong to drink with them, to keep up their courage when they got to where the Indians were. But they needed it all the first night. So having drank it--their courage left them and they returned home the next day. The leader of this party was a man who had fought in the Mexican Army, his name was Hunt. Known as Captain Hunt after the Civil War."
"In those days, we did not consider distance as we do now. When
any religious meeting was held, people would walk eight miles to attend. A man by the name of Mills used to come and preach. He organized a Sunday School which met every Sunday during the summer at Rock Creek in a grove. When the weather became cold, it was discontinued. We used to see many animals then, wolves, deer, elk, bear and wild turkey. The winter of '58 was the hardest I can remember. Snow was very deep. We could drive over fences and not know they were there. A crust would form on the snow, that could carry a man. A deer, on account of their hoofs, would break through. The men would run them down and kill them with clubs."

08/19/2026

Mt. Auburn , Cedar Twp. 1871 ~ 1971

The History of Cedar Township and Mt. Auburn

According to the Oct. 2, 1842, Indian Treaty with Gov. Chambers, the Sac and Fox Indians didn't give up possession of Cedar Twp. until May 1, 1842. Before this time, all white man on this land were trespassers. The following year, in 1843, Cedar Township was surveyed by Isaac W. Higbee, Deputy United States Surveyor. It was but three years later (1846), that Iowa became a state.

In 1847, the first mail route opened. It was from Cedar Rapids to the seat of Benton (what is now Vinton), and it ended at the falls of the Cedar River (Cedar Falls).

Not many people came the first few years. Evidence of this was when John Knapp came in 1850, and seeming to find no settlers, he returned to Philadelphia.

When you think of the mode of travel, it's understandable why the people were slow in coming. Picture yourself in a covered wagon (called a Prairie Schooner) when it was raining. There were no well defined roads. If you came to a woods, you would have to go around, because the brush was very thick and unkept. The streams would have to be followed until a fording place could be found. Directions were never too clear either. The landmarks (such as Big Grove, Rock Creek, and potato Hill Post-Office) known by the local people were of little help to a stranger of the area. The pioneer did his best by following the rivers.

As you can imagine, travel was slow. It was of the upmost importance, however, that the settlers reach their destination early enough to plant a garden and crops in time to lay up a winter supply. In their rush to get an early start, some settlers got caught in a late snow storm and were frozen to death.

Finally, on July 16, 1851, the first claim for land in Cedar Township was filed by John Houx, in the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 25. (This is not a misprint, it reads as printed.) It wasn't until a complete year later that the second claim was filed on Aug. 2, 1852. This was by Stephen King in another part of section 25. The same year, Mr. King became owner of John Houx's claim, also. Later this first claim became the Dorsey farm. Mrs. Dorsey lives there today.

08/15/2026

Stop by the Vinton Depot today. We're open 10:00-2:00!
Learn a bit of Vinton's history.

08/13/2026

Stop down at the Vinton Farmers Market until 7 pm tonight! Lots of goodies including Merchant's Grilling. We have a table, too! At Celebration Park.

08/13/2026

08/03/2026

Then (early 1900s) ➡️ May 2024- Cameron's Clothing Store Cameron and Henkle Creek

08/02/2026

The Vinton Eagle; 1855 - 1905

Items of Interest from Long Ago
Clipped from The Eagle from 1855 to 1860

Extracts from Editor Lyman's salutatory, in the first Eagle, January 10, 1855
The promises made to use of raising the stipulated one thousand, have come short of fulfillment as yet, and provided that sum had been raised, it would have fallen far short of a remunerative starting point in an enterprise of this kind. Until the present aspect of affairs changes for the better, subscribers and advertisers become more plenty, it will be about as great an undertaking for us to present the citizens of Benton county with a comely paper, as it would be to satisfy the cravings of a hungryman, with moonshine.
Liberal sums have been subscribed by a few, while others more sparingly and cautiously consent to "take the paper" merely. Others still, with a greater degree of caution, refuse to subscribe until they have first "seen a copy."
* * * * * * *
Again we say, encourage in its infancy, especially, your home paper, extend to the young and unfledged Eagle the nourishment only to which it is entitled, and time will add new lustre to its plumage, strengthen its pinions, enable it to take loftier flights, until finally it will, like its kind, grow to be "a thing of beauty."

January 17, 1855 - Thus far in the season, we have, with but one or two exceptions, been favored with spring days, dry and warm enough to not interfere with building operations if those who have unfinished houses had thought fit to prosecute their work on to completion. Neither rain nor snow have made their appearance to render traveling disagreeable, and winter, as yet, is to come.

February 21, 1875 - Either a free or toll bridge across the Cedar River at this place is a subject that ought to engage the immediate attention of our citizens-it involves the present and future interests of the town. The many reasons that might be adduced why we can ill afford to continue the present uncertain method of crossing the river are too abundant and apparent for enumeration. In the matter of dollars and cents the town is too poor to dispense with the benefits derived from a bridge; those who own timber on the opposite side of the river need a bridge to facilitate their lumber operations; the traveling need a bridge; mail carriers need a bridge; farmers need a bridge; a recent case of drowning admonishes us of the necessity of a bridge; in fact the want of a bridge is a growing evil. We calculate upon seeing, ere long, a line of mail coaches passing through town on their way from Dubuque to Fort Des Moines; of course, a bridge will but hasten that time. The late charter for a bridge obtained by our Cedar Rapids neighbors assures us that some things can be done as well as others-what has been accomplished can be done again.

April 1, 1855 - Mr. Russell Jones, of this place, informs us that it is his intention to alter his present store and another building, the foundation of which is laid adjoining it, and which he had first calculated for a store, also, into a hotel, as soon as the latter building is completed. This is certainly a good move and one that will greatly advance the interests of Vinton.

April 25, 1855 - Mrs. James Wood, of this town, met with a serious loss last Saturday afternoon in the destruction by fire of his dwelling house, the principal part of his furniture, all of his own and his wife's clothing, jewelry, and about $330 in money. He estimates the whole loss at about $1,000. No insurance, we believe. The entire family were absent from the premises at the time of the fire. The neighbors in the vicinity succeeded in saving a few articles but they were of little value. The particulars as to the origin of the fire we are unacquainted with. Mr. Wood authorizes us to say to those persons who have money deposited with him as land agent, they will receive the amounts due them in full in ten days from this date.

May 9, 1855 - Between Cedar Rapids and Vinton there is now daily communication. A passenger hack starts from both points every week day at nine 0'clock.

May 9, 1855 - Our neighbors of that flourishing place, Benton City, have exhibited taste in the construction of their dwelling and other houses. They are fashionably built-and finished, too-adorned with pretty and fanciful cornices and coated over with white paint. Surrounding the houses are tidy picket fences, giving to the town a clean, handsome and healthy look. The saw and flouring mill are both in successful operation, adding to the wealth and growth of this young "city."