1876 Map
Highland and Grant Townships, Union County, Iowa
Corresponding history and background appears below the map
For a printable map, click here (ignore text watermark that appears on printout).
Click HERE to see the present-day ownership abstract map of these townships.
These two maps were obtained courtesy of Union County Iowa genweb (http://iagenweb.org/union/mapcolby.html), and were originally published by C.J. Colby in Creston. The combined map shows, George A. Ide’s farm (SE quarter of Grant section 6) next to his brother’s, William T. Ide Jr. (Willie). These are the present day farms of George’s direct descendants Laura (Ide) and Jerry Hartman (Ted and Dawn Ide), and Roger and Jean Ide, respectively. George A. Ide’s farm has been in the family continuously (George, Frank, John, Ted, Laura).
In 1883, Willie moved to town and sold his farm. The SW quarter of section 6 was re-acquired by the family in January 1913 on a land contract by George’s son Frank and Frank’s wife Agnes. In July of 1913, the parcel was warranty deeded to Agnes. It was quit-claim deeded to Frank’s son Frederick Waterman (Fritz) Ide in June of 1927. All three of Fritz’s sons (Russell, Robert, Roger) were born in the farm house, and Roger and his wife Jean are still living on and operating the farm. The old Ide school house is shown immediately east of George A. Ide’s place.
Also notice the farm owned in 1876 by George and Willie’s father, William T. Ide Sr. in the N half of Grant section 3 (with 40 acres in Highland section 34). William T. Ide Sr. died in the year following the publication of this map (1877) as a relatively young but accomplished man (see memoirs of George A. Ide for more information about his father). His wife and unmarried children then returned to E. Providence, leaving George A. and Willie in behind Iowa.
George said the following in his memoirs about his and his brother’s farms: “My house and buildings were about forty rods east from brother Willie’s with a footpath between. We each planted groves of about six acres on the North and West of our buildings for protection from the wind and storms, and orchards in their shelter. Our cattle corral was on my land about half way between our farms.“
Notice the Congregational Church circled in red. George wrote the following in his memoirs:
PILGRIM CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF UNION COUNTY, IOWA. And also called “Creston Second”.
The beginning of this Church was in the year 1870 when five neighboring families united in starting a Sunday School, meeting alternately in their homes until a public school house was build where Sunday School and preaching services were held until Pilgrim Church was organized. In the spring of 1875 when the settlement had considerably increased in numbers the people who had located here felt the need of a Church Home and its helpful influences. The proposition became one of great interest and agitation and on April 17, 1875, Pilgrim Church was organized at the home of William T. Ide Sr. Although Congregational in name, the membership was composed of several denominations. The first preaching service was held in Mr. Ide’s new barn, the congregation being too large for accommodation in his house.
A chapel was built the following season and dedicated on the township line between Highland and Grant, being near the center of the church parish, later a parsonage was built, trees planted and flourishing Sabbath School and Church Services maintained.
For some years this was the only church building in that part of the country. This chapel was destroyed by fire, March 3rd, 1914. The Church became depleted in number.
At their meeting, February 25, 1922, the trustees were authorized and directed to make deed of the church property to the First Congregational Church of Creston, Iowa, for One Dollar and other considerations. As many families of the parish had from time to time removed to Creston, a large part of the Congregation and church membership became associated with the Congregational Church of Creston, indeed Pilgrim had been called Creston Second.
Our children all became members of this church. Frank on March 8, 1880, when he was eleven years of age. Alice joined on November 11, 1883 when she was ten. Arthur joined January 3, 1885, when he was ten. And Fred joined March 1, 1891 at age thirteen.