This writer has had the privilege of presenting, to the Quad City Civil War Roundtable and to the Port Byron Historical Society, a piece entitled “The Copperheads in the Civil War”. It deals with the anti-war people, not about snakes, which is often the impression. The same presentation will be given to the Hampton Historical Society at the meeting February 19, at 7:30 PM in Hampton School library
All of this is preliminary to introducing the subject of this month’s column. Jerry Baff, President of Port Byron Historical Society, presented me with several items for our Society, and also loaned me a book with the title “A Sailor Goes Farming, 1816-1956”. It is a privately published book, dealing with Henry Frels and his descendents. It was edited by Clara H Frels Payne and Louis D Hauberg, both descendents. Henry Frels settled on the bluffs above Hampton about 1840 and the book relates his history and that of his descendents from his birth in 1816 to the date of publication, 1956. It is a superb account of what frontier life was like in the era we have been discussing in this column the past several months. Frels was a contemporary of the folks who founded Hampton and considered Hampton his home town, though he lived about 4 miles from there. At this time Hampton was one of the most significant commercial spots on the Mississippi. Larger and busier than Moline. The book contains a whole chapter about Frels’ dealings with Francis Black both before and after Brettun & Black’s store was built.
Henry Frels was born in Germany, January 2, 1816 (he died March 30, 1880). When he was four years old his mother died and four years later his father died. He and his two brothers were distributed to several relatives. Late in life Henry related that he grew up on potatoes and buttermilk. He never attended school, perhaps there was none in the tiny village where he lived. At age 14 he left and obtained work on a sailing ship (1830). After working as a seagoing sailor for 5 years he decided to join his brother who had emigrated to America. He probably landed at Norfolk since he worked in Virginia awhile and then found work as a sailor, this time on the Ohio River. It is said he was considered a useful worker on the river boats because he could carry sacks up to 450 lbs.
The boats did not run in the winter so he obtained a job making salt. He stepped back into a kettle of boiling brine and suffered severe scalding of his foot and leg. He was laid up for 4-5 weeks, cared for by the lady from whom he rented the room where he lived. She had several children and the story is he asked her for yarn and knitted stockings and mittons for all the children. Do you suppose his buddies on the boat, teased him about such a sissy activity? Personally, I doubt it. You don’t pick on a guy who can lift 450 lbs.
After being in America a year he applied for, and received, American citizenship. After working the Ohio awhile, he started working the Mississippi, out of St Louis, perhaps because of that city’s large German population. Like Henry McNeal and Joel Thompson before him he tried working in the lead mines of Galena. It didn’t take long for him to get tired of this and he shipped out on another river boat. The boat stopped at Hampton to “wood up” and Henry got off because his brother was living in a log cabin up on the bluff. He lived with his brother for two years. While working out of St Louis he had met a young lady named Catherine Mandler. He hopped a steamer to St Louis and got a new suit of clothes and also a new bride. Their honeymoon was the return trip to Hampton. They were accompanied by Catherine’s sisters Anna and and Elizabeth. It is not recorded what Henry thought about taking his sisters-in-law on his honeymoon. It is recorded that Elizabeth is quoted as saying “when we got off the boat in Hampton we walked to Black’s Store (across from the present building). Then we walked along the road through the brush to Uncle John’s cabin”.
The newlyweds built a cabin of their own. A bit fancier than most in that it had an upstairs, two logs high. The hired man and hired girl lived there. It is said after a snowfall, those in the upstairs room had to brush away the snow before they could get dressed. There were also poles handy to push the chimney over if it caught fire. We talked about this danger in a previous column. It seems that Henry and Catherine had a little free time because Catherine taught her husband to read and write. Henry’s cabin was located near where present day Hubbard Road turns down toward the Interstate. Gene Dennhardt knows the location and has promised to show me where it was once the weather gets better.
In due time children came. When old enough, they attended Harris Cook’s School. A log cabin on the site of the Cook School remembered by many readers, I’m sure. Gene Dennhardt has torn down the school house and reassembled it on his farm.
Frels worked hard and prospered. In 1852 he bought 40 acres of land for $ 9 an acre. This was near the present site of Peace Lutheran Church. Frels built a new, 2 ½ story brick house. The brick were burned on site from local clay. Black’s Store was probably done in the same way. The house had a brick fireplace and upstairs bed rooms. No need for poles to push down the chimney. No more snow sifting through the ceiling boards. No more sleeping in the kitchen. In 1853 there is an account in Black’s Day Book of a heating stove purchased by Henry Frels. Life was probably still dominated by work but it was sure more comfortable. By this time the family consisted of 5 children and a hired man. We’ve reached the end of the space allowed for this column, but not the story of Henry Frels and his family. It is actually the American Dream in action. Look for more in later columns,