The National Society Daughters of the
American Revolution (NSDAR or DAR) is a
non-profit, non-political, volunteer women's
service organization.
The Spinning Wheel Chapter, NSDAR, was
chartered December 20, 1898, and the
Marshalltown Chapter, NSDAR, was chartered
February 3, 1903. The two chapters merged on
March 6, 1964, as Spinning Wheel Chapter,
NSDAR.
The chapter first selected the name "Dorothy
Quincy" as the name, but when it was
submitted, we were informed there was already
a chapter by that name. The husband of Mrs.
Elizabeth Root Spears suggested "Spinning
Wheel" and it was unanimously adopted, simply
because the chapter liked it. The spinning
wheel was a common hand or foot-driven tool in
the colonial era which helped spin yarn or
thread.
Marshalltown, Iowa, where the chapter resides,
was so named because it was nearest the center
of Marshall County, and said county was named
Marshall in the year 1849 in honor of John
Marshall, fourth Chief Justice of the United
States.
First Marshall County
Courthouse
Marietta, located approximately five miles
northwest of Marshalltown, became the first
county seat of Marshall County in 1851. After
several elections and court battles, Marshall
(now Marshalltown) became the county seat and
on December 31, 1859, and the records from the
courthouse in Marietta were brought to
Marshalltown. The old courthouse in Marietta
was later moved to Marshalltown and served as
a store and residence. The Spinning Wheel
Chapter, NSDAR, marked the old courthouse site
on June 14, 1976, with an inscribed bronze
plaque mounted on a native stone. The marker
is located in the south segment of Timmons
Grove County Park located on State Highway
330, approximately two miles south of Albion.
Site of First Log Cabin in
Marshalltown
In 1851, Henry Anson built the first log cabin
home in Marshall - now known as Marshalltown.
Anson was active in the effort of getting the
county seat moved from Marietta to Marshall. A
bronze plate, on the wall between the Shallmar
Restaurant and a jewelry store, marks the site
where the old log cabin once stood. The marker
is located in Marshall County at 112 West Main
Street in Marshalltown, Iowa.
Glick Memorial: American
Legion Building
Frank Lewis Glick, the son of a Marshalltown
businessman, was killed at Belleau Woods,
France, in World War I. As a memorial, the
American Legion building in Marshalltown was
named in his honor. The Spinning Wheel
Chapter, NSDAR, placed a bronze tablet with an
engraved inscription inside the American
Legion building on May 18, 1929.
Log Cabin Honoring
Pioneers
The William C. Ruddick log cabin was built
around 1856. The Spinning Wheel Chapter,
NSDAR, selected the cabin as a symbol honoring
the pioneers who came to Marshall County. The
site was marked June 8, 1996. The cabin and
marker are approximately 15 miles northwest of
Marshalltown.
Directions:
- From Marshalltown, drive west on either
Summit Street or West Main Street to State
Highway 330.
- Turn right on State Highway 330.
- Drive north to County Road E-29.
- Turn left (west) and drive about four
and a half miles.
- Turn right (north) on County Road S-52.
- Drive another four miles to County Road
E-23.
- Turn right onto a gravel road and drive
east less than a mile to Mormon Ridge
Road.
The Ruddick log cabin is in the southeast
intersection. |
|
