USA > Iowa > Osceola County > History of Osceola county, Iowa, from its organization to the present time > Part 1
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1800
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Book 08P4
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CHI.
D. A. W. PERKINS.
HISTORY
-OF
Osceola County,
IOWA.
FROM ITS ORGANIZATION TO THE PRESENT GIME.
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BY D. A. W. PERKINS. 11
1892: BROWN & SAENGER, PRINTERS AND BINDERS, SIOUX FALLS, SO. DAK.
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PREFAGE.
The writer of these pages located in O'Brien County, . Iowa, in the fall of 1871, and hence knows something of the hardships and privations of the early settlers of these north- western Counties of the State, and particularly of the County of Osceola. This book is intended to rescue from coming oblivion many of the incidents and reminiscences of the early days of the County, and to give them record for the entertain- ment and benefit of the old settlers and the new, and also to give a general history of the County from its first organization.
The book is not produced as a money making scheme; is not written to advertise anybody or anything. The writer has simply taken a certain portion of his time from a busy professional life, and wielded the pen in gratifying a personal desire to preserve the County's history, and also to bring home to the intelligent people of Osceola, and all others interested in the County, a record of what has gone before, up to the present date, and from which point some future historian may continue the task, when we, who were active participants in its early struggles, will be numbered among those who are of the silent city of the dead.
THE NAME.
Osceola County was named after a Seminole chief who was the acknowledged head of that band of Indians inhabiting the everglades of Florida. In 1835, the United States authorities attempted to remove the tribe into the country west of the Mississippi, but Osceola at the head of his brave followers re- fused to go, and such renowned commanders as Scott and Taylor were out-generaled in every encounter. After two years he was captured by treachery, sent to Charleston in irons, and afterwards at Ft. Moultrie died of grief.
LAW PERTAINING TO ITS ORGANIZATION.
Chapter 9 of the Laws of the Third General Assembly, approved January 15, 1851, entitled, “ An Act to Establish New Counties and Detine Their Boundaries," among other things, provides as follows:
"Section 49. That the following shall be the boundaries of a new county, which shall be called Osceola, to-wit: Be- ginning at the northwest corner of Township Ninety-seven, Range Thirty-eight, thence north to the north boundary line of the State, thence west to the northwest corner of Township One Hundred, Range Forty-two, thence south to the south- west corner of Township Ninety-eight, Range Forty-two, thence east to the place of beginning.'
Section 27 of the same act created a new county called Wahkaw, which is the present County of Woodbury.
Chapter 8 of the Laws of the Fourth General Assembly, approved January 12, IS53, entitled, "An Act Organizing Certain Counties Therein Named," provides for the organiza- tion of the County of Wahkaw, and the holding of a special election for that purpose.
And Section 14 of said chapter reads as follows:
"Section 14. That for revenue, election and judicial pur- poses, the Counties of Ida, Sac, Buena Vista, Cherokee, Plymouth, Sioux, O'Brien, Clay, Dickenson, Osceola and Bun- combe are hereby attached to Wahkaw, and the election for said county shall be held at Sergeant's Bluff, and as many
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HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA.
other places as the organizing sheriff may designate in his notice of election."
Thos. L. Griffey was the organizing sheriff of the County of Wahkaw.
Chapter 12 of the Laws of the Fourth General Assembly, approved January 12, 1853, entitled, "An Act in Relation to New Counties," provides the manner in which citizens of an unorganized county may secure the organization of their county by application to the county judge of the county to which such unorganized county is attached, and also provides for establishing the county seat, notice of election, canvass of returns and qualification of officers elected.
And Section 4 of said chapter provides that the name of the County of Wahkaw shall be changed to Woodbury.
Sections 226 to 230, inclusive, of the revision of 1860 contain general provisions relating to unorganized counties, the holding of elections for organization, etc., in which the authority is stated to be in the county judge to perform certain duties, but Sections 312 to 326, inclusive, in effect confer upon the board of supervisors the powers and duties of the county judge in relation to unorganized counties attached to organized counties. And Section 330 of the revision of 1860 also so de- clares.
Under these provisions the County of Osceola remained attached to Woodbury County until its organization in Jan- uary, 1872.
ORGANIZING OSGEOLA COUNTY.
WOODBURY COUNTY RECORDS.
STATE OF IOWA,
Woodbury County. S
I, George W. Wakefield, Auditor of Woodbury County, Iowa, do hereby certify that at the June session, A. D. 1871, of the Board of Supervisors of Woodbury County, to-wit: On the 6th day of June, A. D. 1871, the following proceed- ings were had to-wit:
Resolved, that the County of Osceola in the State of Iowa, be organized at the general election of 1871.
Resolved, that three townships be formed out of the County of Osceola in the State of Iowa, to-wit: All of Township No. Ninety-Eight, of Range Thirty-nine, Forty, Forty-One and Forty-Two, shall compose one township to be known and called Goewey Township. All of Township No. Ninety-Nine, Range Thirty-Nine, Forty, Forty-One and Forty-Two, shall compose one township to be known and called Holman Township. And all of Township No. One Hundred, of Range Thirty-Nine, Forty, Forty-One and Forty-Two, shall compose one township to be known and called Horton Township.
Resolved, that an election be held for the election of Township and County officers at the general election for 1871, to be held as follows, to-wit: In Goewey Township, at the house of E. Huff; in Holman Township, at the house of A. Culver; in Horton Township, at the house of H. R. Fenton.
Resolved, that the question of whether the Provisions of Chapter 144 of the Laws of the Twelfth General Assembly of the State of Iowa, shall be enforced in Osceola County, Iowa, shall be submitted to the legal voters of said County, at the general election of 1871, as provided in said chapter.
Resolved, that the proper officers are hereby authorized and instructed to do and take all necessary steps to have these resolutions carried into effect.
Resolved, that the Auditor be instructed to assess the lands in Osceola County at twoªdollars an acre.
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HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA.
I also certify that at the September Session, A. D. 1871, to-wit: On the 4th day of September, A. D. 1871, the fol- lowing proceedings were had, to-wit:
Resolved, that the following taxes shall be and are hereby levied for the year A. D. 1871, upon the assessed value of the taxable property in Osceola County, Iowa, for the year A. D. 1871, in accordance with law, to-wit:
For State revenue, two mills on the dollar.
For ordinary County revenue, four mills on the. dollar and a poll tax of fifty cents.
For the support of schools, two mills on the dollar.
For making and repairing bridges, three mills on the dollar.
For road purposes, five mills on the dollar.
For school house fund, ten mills on the dollar.
For teachers fund, ten mills on the dollar.
For contingent fund, four mills on the dollar.
I also certify that at the October session, A. D. 1871, to- wit: On the 16th day of October, A. D. 1871, the following proceedings were had to-wit:
On motion the Board proceeded officially to canvass the votes cast at the general October election, A. D. 1871, in and for Osceola County, Iowa, which was reduced to writing and placed on file, and the abstract of votes cast was recorded in the election book, and signed by the said Board and attested by the County Auditor, and it appearing by proofs on file that due proclamation has been made of the several offices to be filled, and to the question submitted to the vote of the County.
It was on motion ordered and declared that the following persons were duly elected to the offices set opposite their re- spective names, to-wit:
A. M. Culver, County Treasurer.
D. L. McCausland, County Recorder.
C. M. Brooks, Clerk of the District Court.
Delily Stiles, County Superintendent of Public Schools.
J. D. Hall, Coroner.
John Beaumont, Drainage Commissioner.
M. J. Campbell, County Surveyor.
George Spaulding, -
H. R. Fenton. Commissioners.
J. H. Winspear.
Also the following question submitted to a vote of the people of the County was declared to have been carried in the affirmative:
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HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA.
" Shall the provisions of Chapter 144 of the Laws of the Twelfth General Assembly of the State of Iowa, be enforced in Osceola County, Iowa."
The supervisors elect, in and for Osceola County, Iowa, were classed and divided by lot as by law provided, whereby it was found that George Spaulding was entitled to hold the office of member of the Board of Supervisors of said County for the term of three years, and H. R. Fenton was entitled to hold said office for the term of two years, and J. H. Winspear was entitled to hold said office for the term of one year.
On motion it is now ordered that the auditor be instructed to notify Wm. A. McDonald and F. M. Robinson to appear at his office and determine by lot which of them shall be declared elected Auditor of Osceola County, Iowa, also to notify S. C. Couch and T. J. Cutshall to appear at his office and determine by lot which of them shall be declared elected Sheriff of Osce- ola County, Iowa, also to give notice of the adoption of the several questions submitted to the people as by law provided.
I also certify that the following proceedings were held before the County Auditor of Woodbury County, Iowa, to- to-wit :
F. M. ROBINSON, Ex Parte.
WM. A. MCDONALD,
Now on this 27th day of October, 1871, comes Frank M. Robinson for himself and John Cleghorn, Jr., for Wm. A. Mc- Donald, and lots having been duly prepared and drawn, it was ascertained that Frank M. Robinson should be declared elected Auditor of Osceola County, Iowa, and pursuant to the order of the Board of Supervisors, made October 16, 1871, the said Frank M. Robinson is hereby declared elected Audi- tor of Osceola County, Iowa.
I also certify that at the adjourned October session, 1871, to-wit : On the 29th day of October, A. D. 1871, the follow- ing proceedings were had, to-wit :
On motion it is now ordered the Auditor be empowered and instructed to approve the bond of the Auditor of Osceola County, Iowa.
I also certify that the following proceedings were had be- fore the County Auditor of Woodbury County, Iowa, on the 19th day of December, A. D. 1871 :
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HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA.
F. M. ROBINSON, AUDITOR, OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA.
OFFICIAL BOND.
The official bond of F. M. Robinson, Auditor of Osceola County, Iowa, in the sum of Five Thousand Dollars with J. H. Winspear, H. R. Fenton and D. D. Doe as sureties is this day filed with the Auditor, and by him approved.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Board of Supervisors of Wood- bury County, this 22nd day of March, A. D. 1872.
GEO. W. WAKEFIELD, | SEAL. ] Auditor of Woodbury County, Iowa.
CHAPTER I.
History is always interesting, and there is something pe- culiarly fascinating in the record of past events. We look for- ward with feelings of hope, of admiration and of ambition, but we look backward over the seemingly forgotten past in the spirit of meditation, and with our hearts concentrated upon the scenes and incidents of other days, and we ponder them with absorbing interest. The statements of history are sometimes doubted, and controversies arise which can end only in contro- versy, never settled, because the actors then in the drama of life are mouldering in forgotten and neglected graves. And even when the actors are still living, there often arises a dis- pute which history cannot fully settle, as demonstrated by the conflicting reports and statements of many a battle by partici- pants themselves in our civil war. Our history is one of com- parative recent events, whose pages turn back only two decades, and which our earliest settlers are familiar with, and which will be of much interest to the people of Northwest Iowa generally, and indeed to the people of all parts of the State. The intention of the writer in the history of Osceola County is not only to make record of such facts as pertain to its organization, its growth and progress, but also to weave in reminiscences and events connected with the early settlers, and make mention of every circumstance that will be of interest to the general reader.
In the spring and summer of 1870, the fair and fertile prairie land of Osceola County was without a settler. The older parts of Iowa, with that instinctive feeling that an old settled country has for a new, regarded Northwest Iowa then as a barren and bleak part of the state, and as unfit for man's habitation; but before the close of that year Mr. E. Huff came and filed on a claim November 3, which was the southwest quarter of Section 32, Township 98, Range 42, in what is now Gilman Township, so that this gentleman, now a non-resident, was the first settler.
After Mr. Huff had made settlement as the law required, he retured to Beloit, in Lyon County, and remained there dur- ing the following winter. In the spring of 1871, while at
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HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA.
Sioux City, he came across C. M. Brooks, who was pushing west under the advice of the lamented and distinguished Hor- ace, but who had started for Nebraska. Mr. Huff explained to him the wonders of Osceola, and the graphic description he gave of this Garden of Eden resulted in Mr. Brooks coming to Osceola County. Mr. Brooks left behind him others, who were to follow when word was received where to go, and when he reached this County and looked upon its fair and fertile prairie land, he determined at once upon settlement here, and wrote to his friends to lose no time in hastening to this new and wonderful country.
This correspondence brought W. W. Webb, D. L. Mc- Causland and M. J. Campbell, who, with C. M. Brooks, took Section 8, in Township 99, Range 41, now West Holman, each taking of it a quarter-section. Mr. McCausland and Mr. Webb came through with oxen, and Brooks and Campbell through to LeMars by rail. About this time, and we believe on the first day of May, 1871, H. G. Doolittle, with James Richardson, from Floyd County, arrived at the house of E. Huff and remained over night. The next day they struck for claims; Doolittle settled on the southwest quarter of Section 24, Township 99, Range 41, and Richardson on the same sec- tion. They built sod houses, and had some lumber with them. Mr. Richardson after being here a short time returned.
Houston A. Doolittle, a brother of H. G., came in June, 1871, and filed on Section 30, Township 99, Range 40. He left here in 1889, and now lives in Hancock County. H. G. Doolittle established a land business that year near Shaw's store, elsewhere referred to, and did business in a tent. He was engaged in locating incoming settlers, and did consider- able business.
Returning again to Messrs. Webb and McCausland, they with the others, Brooks and Campbell, came from Fayette County. At the starting of Mr. Webb and McCausland with the oxen, Mr. McCansland was ill, indeed, low with consump- tion, but the idea of still going to a new country seemed to in- fuse new life in him, and his entire recovery afterwards was indeed miraculous.
When Webb and McCausland got to Osceola County and came to the Ocheydan, McCausland, still weak, undertook to jump across the narrow stream and landed nearly to his neck in the middle. This was severe for a consumptive man near to death's door, but after a change of clothing he was all right again. This was in April, 1871, and the weather disagree-
REV. JOHN WEBB.
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HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOW'A.
able with rain and sleet. There is something wonderful in the mixture of ambition, of romance and love for a pioneer life, that will turn a seemingly disagreeable hardship into pleasure and enjoyment. The forces of nature seem to hold a man with peculiar devotion to a venturesome life in a new country; he can scale a cliff, cross troublesome streams, lay down con- tent on the damp ground, and stand all kinds of weather as long as the El Dorado is ahead of him, and, indeed, after it is reached. Webb and McCausland that night remained at the bank of the Ocheyedan, and crawled supperless into their wagon and slept soundly until morning. When morning came they drove on west and soon spied a sodded shack, which they reached, and, building a fire, had a good square meal. The shack evidently had been put up by a trapper, as some deer meat was hanging inside, but was alive with living evi- dences of decay. After breakfast they pushed on to the resi- dence of our first settler, Mr. E. Huff. Huff's house was one story, 12 by 16. No windows had been put in and no door, but a blanket hung over the place of entrance. They re- mained over night, and besides them, within this limited habi- tation to slumber through, were Amos Buchman, with wife and five children, Huff and his family, James Richardson and H. G. Doolittle, and how they packed themselves around none of them seem to remember. Buchman had been there about one week, and had drove through with his family from Buchanan County.
That sort of hotel accommodations might strike an east- ern dude as somewhat inconvenient, but to those early settlers it was no doubt delightful and enjoyable in the highest degree. After a night at the " Huff" house, Webb and McCausland started back with Buchman to locate him where the trappers shack was, and, not knowing the exact spot or even the right direction, their going was somewhat devious, but they finally found it, and this claim Mr. Buchman at once settled upon and lived there until 1882, when he moved into Sibley. Mr. Buchman sold the claim this year ( 1892) and its description is the northeast quarter of Section 22, in Ocheyedan Town- ship. If any new settler ever had a hard time to get along, it was Amos Buchman and family the summer and fall of 1871. They lived on anything they could get ; ground corn in a coffee mill, caught hawks, badgers, skunks and any other animal they could get hold of. Some friend living in Dickinson County sent his team before winter set in and removed the Buchman family to Milford, where they remained until the
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HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA.
spring of 1872, when they returned again to their claim. Mr. Buchman now resides at Sibley, one of its most respected citi- zens, and is able now to enjoy the comforts of life.
In June, 1871, Elder John Webb, then living in Fayette County, came to Osceola, and along with the rest filed on a government claim, which was the southeast quarter Section 6, Township 99, Range 41. When the Elder first drove up to where his son, W. W. Webb, was, it was Sunday, and coming across D. L. McCausland with a gun on his shoulder, said to him, "Young man you are breaking the Sabbath." Mc re- torted and inquired, "Why are you not preaching? "
In connection with the coming of these people from Fay- ette County, the writer wrote to Rev. John Webb, now living in Des Moines, for some contribution in regard to himself or his living here, which he thought might be of interest. Mr. Webb replied and contributed as follows:
" In June, 1872, in company with Mr. James Block, I left Fayette County, this state, to visit my son and others who left Fayette to locate in Osceola County on government claims. I was directed from Lakeville to go to Ocheyedan Mound, and was told that when on the mound I could in all probability see the tents in which McCausland, Brooks and W. W. Webb were living. I went to the mound and on top of it, but could not see any signs of life in any direction. Mr. Block and my- self then went down to the banks of the Ocheyedan and camped for the night. The next morning we started in search of the boys, and about noon found them one mile east of where Sibley now is. We spent a few days with them, and our horses were picketed out by the fore leg. While the horses were thus secured, something gave them a fright, when they run the full length of the rope and brought up so suddenly both turned somersaults and one of them was killed. I liked the country, and that fall took charge of the Spirit Lake Cir- cuit, and the next year took charge of Sibley Circuit, and formed the first class ever formed in Osceola County at the house of A. M. Culver. I cannot remember all the members of the class, but Mrs. Culver, Annie Webb, Robert Stamm and wife, Mrs. Rodgers, Mrs. McCausland and Mr. Morrison and wife were among them. I built the first Methodist Episco- pal Church, or enclosed it, and Rev. Brasheers finished it.
" While I was living at Sibley at that early day there was a young lawyer came to town, not very scrupulous, and per- suaded the board of supervisors to pay him $20,000 and he would recover certain moneys due from Woodbury County to
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HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA.
Osceola. I heard of it and went to the court house where the board was in session, requested them to hear me and they consented. I told them they would regret the day that they issued the warrant, and gave the general reasons why such an official act should not be done, and even as an outsider I made a motion, to the board and to the crowd, that Blackmer be allowed $500 retainer, and a per cent. afterwards, and I added to the motion that the hiring include all the lawyers, or the remainder will be coming in for a share. J. T. Barcley, Esq., who was standing close by me, moved an amendment that the preachers also be added, but they were not. This was the last ever heard of the suit against Woodbury County.
" I continued to live in Osceola County, and in 1876 my first wife was taken from me by death, and I was afterwards married again to Mrs. A. D. Bellord, a sister of Captain Chase. I saw the County and town grow from a small be- ginning to a county well settled and a thriving town. I went from Sibley to Vermillion, S. D., where I remained not quite a year; then went to Kansas, where I was three years, and from there to Des Moines. I then went to California and re- mained there a year, when I longed for lowa again and re- turned to it, where I shall spend the remainder of my days, for, take it as a whole, Iowa is ahead of all the rest of the uni- verse, and here let me abide and pass the remnant of this mortal career.
"On my return from Osceola that early time, and after I had got to Independence, the hotel keeper, Mr. Naylor, asked me what the Osceola County people used for fuel. I told him principally hay. I think I could have heard him laugh twenty miles away. 'Hay for fuel,' said the astonished listener, 'why the last armful would be consumed before they could get from the house to the stack and back again.' Notwithstanding, under the circumstances, hay was a pretty good fuel.
" When our Methodist Church at Sibley was ready for dedication, we met Sabbath morning, and, just before time to commence public worship, and while some of us were stand- ing on the steps of the church, it was discovered that some- thing was coming from the Northwest, which looked like a cloud, but still it could be seen that it was not a cloud, and upon its nearer approach we could then see that it was a swarm of grasshoppers. This so disconcerted and discouraged the people that it was impossible to hold them for the purposes of dedication that day, and it was deferred. The ravages of these pests which followed are known to old settlers."
D. L. McCAUSLAND.
CHAPTER II.
The intention of the writer is to confine these events to the separate years as far as possible, and also to speak of townships separately, but after all they will be more or less blended. Having drifted into Ocheyedan Township by the location of Mr. Buchman, it is perhaps best to finish this township for the year 1871. Ocheyedan had no prospective railroad to cross it, which, perhaps, may be the reason that this township was not sooner settled, or its land filed upon as early as Holman. Buchman's place, meagre as it was, and not tempting to a traveler for hotel accommodations, was, nevertheless, a sort of headquarters between Western Osceola, Eastern Lyon and Milford and Spencer; and the boys had many a rollicking time at the Buchman habitation. About the first of May, 1871, Will Dunham and Fred Frick settled on Section S in Ocheyedan Township. Frick lived there about four years, and Dunham went to California in 1882. On Section 18, we think the southwest quarter, Ole Peterson settled.
This same summer of 1871 also came A. B. Elmore, L. G. Ireland and E. N. Moore; these came from Clayton County, also Elder Dean. Mr. Elmore first filed on a part of Section 34, in Horton Township, but afterwards settled on Section 2 in Ocheyedan, where he still resides and is highly respected. E. N. Moore settled on Section 4, in Ocheyedan, as did also Elder B. D. Dean. Mr. Moore still owns the same quarter-section, but resides now in the Town of Ocheyedan, is postmaster, and considered one of its best citizens. Elder Dean is now in Exeter, New Hampshire, and left Osceola County in 1878. L. G. Ireland, who was a very honorable and conscientious man, left in 1879 with his family and moved to Florida. They have since all died.
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