My great-grandfather Cornelius McElwee, born on May 20, 1820, was no doubt quite good at building log cabins by the time he reached Iowa in 1856. He and his wife, Sophia, were married in Ireland in 1850 and sailed for America shortly thereafter. They spent a couple years somewhere in Pennsylvania before setting out for Ohio in 1852, and then headed west for Iowa in a covered wagon sometime in 1856. No doubt Cornelius had built a log cabin in both Pennsylvania and Ohio because that’s what pioneers did. Unfortunately, they never kept a diary of their travels or early days in Iowa. The only documented history was the births of their children.
What we do know about their Iowa log cabin — built two miles north of Prole on the banks of the North River in 1856 — we learn from hand-me-down stories. Their log cabin burned to the ground in 1910 when my mother was only 10 years old. They lived in their barn for a short time while all the neighbors helped put up a fine, new two-story home from native lumber. Their carpenter son-in-law, Charlie Meyers, served as the designer and foreman.
The original St. Patrick’s Church in their vicinity, called the “Irish Settlement,” was built of logs in 1852. Records show the existing church was built sometime in 1860 and was visited by Pope John Paul II on his historic Iowa trip on Oct. 4, 1979. My grandparents, Ed and Mary McElwee, are buried on the site of that original log church.
Here are just a few facts about the three remaining log cabins in Newton, starting with the oldest one in Maytag Park. It was originally located in Palo Alto Township in Jasper County, built by Thomas Reece in 1848. It was given to the Newton Kiwanis Club in 1923 and moved to its present site the same year. Later, they donated it to the Maytag Park, and it is still used as a picnic shelter house. I have facetiously told my grandchildren for years that Abraham Lincoln was born in that log cabin.
The large 25-by-50-foot log cabin on the north side of Highway 6 out by Westwood Park was built in 1925 and remains in reasonably good condition. The other one, located at 608 S. Second Ave. W., was built in 1890, according to the current occupant. It’s smaller with a little addition jutting out front, which was formerly a neighborhood grocery years ago. The addition has large “log cabin” letters carved near the top. To the best of my knowledge, these are the last three remaining log cabins located within our city limits. I would recommend that parents or grandparents take their youngsters on a visit to all three.
Now, short and sweet, here’s how to build a log cabin, taken from the Northwest Jasper County History book. Most settlers brought with them an ax, an auger, a plane and a broad ax or “frow” used for hewing out beams or boards from the logs. Earlier settlers might live in their wagons if weather permitted until their cabin was completed. Sometimes a lean-to of saplings was thrown up until the neighbors could gather to build their permanent cabin. This would be a “house raising,” and a great occasion. In those days all the neighbors generously helped each other.
Four strong men stood at the corners to raise the logs. Near the top of each log, notches called “saddles” were cut. Notches also were hewn on the underside of each log so they would fit into the saddles. By laying the logs with the big ends first one way and then the other and cutting saddles deeper in the big end, the walls were kept nearly level. When the walls were about eight feet high, beams were laid crosswise and ends were hewn to match the shape of the roof. Wooden pegs were inserted to hold everything in place.
Average cabins were 12-by-12, or 18-by-18 feet. Cracks were chinked with split wood and daubed inside and out with clay, mud or even cow manure. Chimneys were of brick or stone. Floors, if any, were made of split logs and laid flat side up. Crude shingles on the roof were held down by their own weight. A ladder led to the loft.
Doors were held shut with a wooden latch on the inside. They could be opened from the outside by a tether string, which ran through a hole in the door above the latch. At night the latch string was drawn in for protection. From this we can understand the old saying, “Visit us, our latch string will be on the outside.” Door hinges were made from deer skin. Oiled paper, thin greased deer skin and sometimes even glass, if available, was used for the few windows. Building techniques came from older pioneers and were naturally handed down from father to son.
So now we have simple instructions on how to build a log cabin. Wouldn’t it be thrilling to turn our calendars back 150 years or so to witness some of these great adventures?