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HISTORY PALO ALTO COUNTY IOWA
DWIGHT & MCCARTY
1800
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MAP OF PALO ALTO COUNTY, IOWA
ALLANP
History of Palo Alto County Iowa
BY DWIGHT G. MCCARTY
THE TORCH PRESS CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA 1910
F627 P3M2
165006 19 %
THE TORCH PRESS CEDAR RAPIDS IOWA
K.K. Mr. 3-11
TO MY FATHER AND MOTHER WHOSE SELF- SACRIFICE AND LOVING ENCOURAGEMENT HAVE BEEN THE INSPIRATION FOR THE BEST IN LIFE THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED
CONTENTS
PREFACE
7
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION - "WESTWARD" 10
CHAPTER II THE WEST BEND SETTLEMENT 15
CHAPTER III THE IRISH COLONY 22
CHAPTER IV THE INDIANS AND THE SPIRIT LAKE MAS-
SACRE 27
.
CHAPTER V THE RELIEF EXPEDITION 33
CHAPTER VI NEW SETTLERS
42
CHAPTER VII EARLY SPECULATIVE COUNTY-SEATS
58
CHAPTER VIII THE POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF THE
COUNTY 62
CHAPTER IX THE CALL TO ARMS .
74
CHAPTER X A DECADE OF GROWTH
80
CHAPTER X THE "OLD TOWN" . 107
CHAPTER XII THE NEW EMMETSBURG 123
CHAPTER XIII
THE PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT 135
CHAPTER XIV RISE OF THE COUNTY TOWNS 145
CHAPTER XV OUR MODERN COUNTY
156
APPENDICES
159
INDEX
169
ILLUSTRATIONS
MAP OF PALO ALTO COUNTY, IOWA
frontispiece
A. B. CARTER
facing page 17
W. D. POWERS
facing page 20
JOHN MCCORMICK
facing page 20
MR. AND MRS. JAS. NOLAN
EDWARD AND MARGARET MAHAN
between pages 22 and 23
JOHN NEARY
between pages 22 and 23
LOTT LAUGHLIN
between pages 22 and 23
JOHN J. MAHAN
between pages 22 and 23
CHAS. T. NOLAN
between pages 22 and 23
MR. AND MRS. JAS. HICKEY
between pages 24 and 25
between pages 24 and 25
M. H CROWLEY
between pages 24 and 25
MRS. CATHERINE COONAN
facing page 53
THOS. TOBIN .
facing page 56
J. L. MARTIN
facing page 56
P. F. VAN GORDEN
facing page 88
E. P. McEvoY
facing page 88
Z. F. DICKINSON facing page 88 facing page 88
S. W. BALLARD
THE "OLD TOWN" OF EMMETSBURG
facing page 107
THRESHING FOR MARTIN COONAN IN 1871
facing page 107
GEO. B. MCCARTY
T. W. HARRISON
REV. J. J. SMITH
facing page 117
ALEX. PEDDIE
facing page 119 facing page 119
M. L. BROWN
between pages 120 and 121
W. J. BROWN
between pages 120 and 121
PAT JOYCE
facing page 123
THE NEW TOWN OF EMMETSBURG IN 1878
facing page 123
EMMETSBURG IN 1881
facing page 128
THE PRESENT EMMETSBURG . facing page 128
E. S. ORMSBY facing page 133
PALO ALTO COUNTY COURT HOUSE
facing page 136
J. P. CROWLEY
between pages 24 and 25
MYLES MAHAN
facing page 49
MARTIN COONAN
facing page 53
MRS. MAGGIE HICKEY-MCNALLY
between pages 22 and 23
P. R. JACKMAN
between pages 22 and 23
facing page 109 facing page 114
M. F. KERWICK
PREFACE
At the time of the celebration of the Semi-Centennial of Palo Alto County, at Emmetsburg, Iowa, in July, 1906, I was asked to prepare a short history and list of old settlers for the souvenir program distributed by the committee. The preparation of that sketch led me deep into the be- ginnings of the county, and the interest then incited has continued to grow as the researches progressed. More- over, there has been a deepening consciousness that it is our sacred duty to preserve by historical record the events and traditions of the past. The intrepid pioneers who fought the battles of the frontier in the early days are fast passing away and with them the precious storehouse of human acts and achievements so vital to any history. We cannot longer delay giving justice to whom justice is due and preserve for posterity the record of those who in the vanguard of progress made possible what we now enjoy.
During the four years that have elapsed since begin- ning this work, I have used many spare moments and much of my vacation time in preparing this history. The gathering of material has entailed a larger amount of hard work and patient research than at first contemplated; and the writing and publication of the book has been com- pressed into a few months and crowded to completion for fear that the constantly increasing distractions of a busy practice might soon prevent any further work upon it be- fore its consummation. No one is more aware of the im- perfections of the book than the author and it is too much to hope that there are no inaccuracies. But it has been my purpose to give as completely and accurately as pos- sible the history of our county. I have tried to be fair
8
HISTORY OF PALO ALTO COUNTY
and impartial. No labor has been spared to make the facts thoroughly trustworthy and reliable in every detail. Ref- erences and explanations in footnotes have been given whenever practicable. But throughout it all the aim has been to keep the thread of human interest, the personal touch that makes life worth living and history worth read- ing.
The big 1906 Semi-Centennial celebration, lasting three days, bringing together as it did the old settlers and re- newing forgotten associations, brought to light many val- uable reminiscences and stories of the early days. An autograph register of all visitors, with the date of coming to the county, was a feature of the Old Settlers' Day and has since been permanently bound, together with the ac- count of the proceedings and other historical matter, and forms a valuable record for future reference. Yet it is a lamentable fact that much valuable historical material has been lost and destroyed. The most careful search and extensive inquiry among the old settlers has not reveal- ed a single copy of the old Democrat, published at Soda Bar in 1869, nor of the Palo Alto Advance, published in the Old Town in 1870, nor of the Palo Alto Patriot, pub- lished in 1873, nor of the Enterprise, issued for a short period about the same time. A partial file and one or two odd copies of the Pilot, published in 1874, have come to light. Complete files of the Reporter and the later papers have been rescued from oblivion in old cellars, barns and attics. I have tried in vain to find a copy of J. L. Martin's sketch of early county history, published many years ago; and even the manuscript of that little book is now lost. We have waited until too late to begin the preservation of the valuable records of the early days. In fact in a very few years there would have been no survivors of the first days left to tell the romantic tales now recorded in these pages.
In writing this book, I have relied much upon public
9
PREFACE
records, documents, letters, diaries, newspapers, books, printed reminiscences, and other sources of this kind. But while this has formed the framework, the real body of the narrative has come from the old settlers them- selves. Many of them have very courteously written let- ters and statements of their recollections, and others have told me many interesting facts and incidents of the early days. Often I have had long interviews with them, while our talk was taken verbatim in shorthand and tran- scribed for later use and permanent record. It is in this way that the history has developed.
I am deeply grateful for the helpful co-operation of the large number who have assisted me. Without the aid of many friends among the old settlers, my work would have been in vain. It is my one regret that I have not been able to talk to more of these rugged veterans of an early day.
It is impossible to express in detail my deep obligations to the many who have so generously assisted me in this work, and I must refer to the footnotes for more special acknowledgment.
" In all that is good Iowa affords the best." We are proud of the rich, fertile, progressive county of Palo Alto -the very best in a grand state. And if this little book shall increase our love and contentment here at home, and at the same time perpetuate the memory and worthy achievements of our illustrious pioneers, it shall have ac- complished its intended mission and perhaps be worthy of a place in the archives of our country.
CHAPTER I
Introduction -Westward!
The " Westward Movement " is one of the most im- portant facts in American history. Starting with a little fringe of colonies along the Atlantic coast, the settlements began to spread gradually westward, ever westward, to- ward the setting sun. The dangers and hardships of pio- neer life on the eastern coast were met and overcome in each successive stage of the march westward. The same kind of opportunities and difficulties, colored with local variations, recurred to make the strong and sturdy growth from frontier simplicity to permanent development. It is this fact that has given a distinctive quality to American life- the self-reliance, courage and independence which dominate American character.1 A study of the frontier, therefore, will give us the key to our history.
Moreover, the genesis of any settlement will show the basis and character of development. Many distinctive characteristics of any community have grown out of pe- culiar conditions or incidents in its early history. It is this frontier life, with its privations, its battles, its pleas- ures, its government, and its crude experiments and com- promises, together with the effects of natural conditions and environment, that discloses the very beginnings of so- cial life. We must study these frontier beginnings as well
1 Frederick J. Turner, "Significance of the Frontier in American His- tory," Annual Report American Historical Assn., 1893, 200-201. See also McCarty, "Early Social and Religious Experiments in Iowa," Iowa Histori- cal Record, January, 1902. McCarty, Territorial Governors of the Old Northwest.
11
INTRODUCTION - WESTWARD !
as later developments if we would appreciate our local history.
Indeed there is a romantic fascination surrounding the early days of every community. We listen with thrilling interest to the stories of the first settlers, as they recount the hardships and dangers of home making on the bound- less prairie of a new country. The simple, rugged life of these early pioneers in itself has a charm that increases with the passing of the frontier line. We admire the dauntless pioneer with his ax and gun. We admire his persevering labors in spite of obstacles and discourage- ment, and we admire his courage in the face of every danger.
On through forest and over plain, westward and ever westward pressed the adventurous and hardy pioneers. And still farther westward, on over the trackless prairie, where the elk, deer, and other wild animals roamed at will, and where occasional bands of roving Indians had camped and hunted, and departed unmolested. Undaunt- ed by the most severe weather, undismayed by the perils and hardships of a long journey, they pressed forward through the wilderness, leaving their own trail in the tall grass of the prairie, crossing the turbid streams as best they could, exploring the woods and prairies, ever on the lookout for a good location for their new home. The frontier line was gradually moving toward the west, and these pioneer settlers were the advance guard of the west- ward movement. They were willing to undergo all the hardships and privations of frontier life in order that they might found a home for themselves and their families.1
Midway in this westward march was Iowa -the beau-
1 See the writer's "Early Social and Religious Experiments in Iowa," in the January, 1902, number of the Iowa Historical Record, for a more complete description of the westward movement in Iowa, and the ex- periences of the early pioneers throughout the state.
12
HISTORY OF PALO ALTO COUNTY
tiful fertile land of Iowa. But at the Mississippi progress was delayed for a time, as Iowa soil was owned by the In- dians and title had to be acquired before this territory could be thrown open to settlement. Prior to this, the mining settlement of Dubuque had been established 1 and several abortive attempts at settlement had been made but they were not permanent. During these early times trappers and Indian traders roamed over the vast prai- ries, camping, hunting and trapping on the banks of streams and in wooded places ; but always moving and al- ways pushing farther westward ahead of the settlers. They were only skirmishers scouting ahead of the real army of progress. The few squatters who tried to find homes were driven off by the United States soldiers until the Indian title was extinguished and the country finally opened up for settlement, June 1, 1833.
Even then actual title was not given until years later when the land sales were held, but this fact did not deter actual settlers, who flocked into Iows and began to take up the most advantageous locations. The first settlers chose claims along the rivers. Burlington and Fort Mad- ison were settled in the fall of 1833. Davenport was form- ally named in 1836, and Keokuk was laid out in 1837. As settlers increased and pushed westward, other towns were formed. Iowa City was laid out on the banks of the Iowa River in 1839, and became the capital of the territory. In the same year the government removed the Pottawat- tomie Indians to Southwestern Iowa and erected a fort at Council Bluffs. Two Catholic missionaries established a mission there, but it was a frontier outpost for some years before it was reached by actual settlements. In 1843 Fort
1 Julian Dubuque in 1788 purchased a tract of land from the Sac and Fox Indians and began to work the lead mines. Annals of Iowa, April, 1896, 330. Salter, Iowa, the First Free State in the Louisiana Purchase; Gue, History of Iowa, vol. i, chap. 10; MeCarty, "Early Social and Reli- gious Experiments in Towa."
13
INTRODUCTION - WESTWARD !
Des Moines was built for the United States dragoons for the protection of the frontier from the Indian depreda- tions.
As settlers increased and the hostile Indians became more difficult to control, a fort farther north was estab- lished in 1849, called Fort Clarke. The name was changed a few years later to Fort Dodge. In 1853 the troops were moved from Fort Dodge north to Fort Ridgely, but the vacated site was purchased and in the beginning of the year 1854 the town of Fort Dodge was laid out and there- after became the distributing center for Northwest Iowa.
It was not until 1854-5 that the vanguard of settlement spread out into Northwestern Iowa. Prior to that time there were only two cabins north of Fort Dodge, that of the adventurous Henry Lott, near the mouth of Lott's Creek in Humboldt County, and one built by William Mil- ler six miles north of Fort Dodge, on the east side of the river. These were rival trading posts which did a flourish- ing business while the soldiers were at Fort Dodge. Lott was a desperate character and was continually stirring up trouble with the Indians. The Indians were inclined to resent the encroachments of the whites, and freely in- dulged their natural trickery in attempts at despoiling the settlers. This was of course resisted and trouble often followed. These frequent clashes, together with the un- scrupulous conduct of such men as Lott, caused a deep- seated resentment among the redmen. The Indian depre- dations increased and kept the settlers, who were coming in, continually alarmed. It was this smoldering resent- ment that caused much of the trouble in the years that fol- lowed, and culminated in the Spirit Lake massacre of 1857, and the Indian border troubles of 1862 and 1863. These periods will be more fully considered in later chap- ters.
In the face of such conditions as these the early settle-
14
HISTORY OF PALO ALTO COUNTY
ment of Northwest Iowa began. Traders, locaters, sur- veyors and stray settlers all carried back to Fort Dodge tales of the marvelous beauty of the lands along the east and west forks of the Des Moines River. During the sum- mer of 1854 Ambrose A. Call and Asa C. Call built the pioneer cabin in Kossuth County, on the east fork of the river, and that summer and fall a colony of energetic set- tlers took claims there.1
At this time the soil of Palo Alto had not been trod by a permanent settler. History records one incident of the early march across the prairies. The United States troops, on their removal from Fort Dodge in 1854, marched north to Fort Ridgely and their course took them along the river. One evening after a hard day's march, they came to a beautiful little lake and made their camp in an oak grove upon the shore. A terrible storm raged that night and the detachment were compelled to stay there several days before they could continue their northern journey. 2 In spite of the inclement weather we cannot but believe that those gallant soldiers saw the beauties around them, for they were in Palo Alto County -the first arrivals upon its virgin soil. Its beauties and fertility could not long remain unknown and the time was soon to arrive for the first settlement of the county.
1 Sketches by Ambrose A. Call in Algona Upper Des Moines, " History of Kossuth County."
2 William D. Powers, letter to Semi-Centennial Committee. Gue, History of Iowa.
CHAPTER II
The West Bend Settlement
The first settlement in Palo Alto County was made in May, 1855. William Carter and son, Fayette Carter and wife, and Jeremiah Evans and family selected permanent claims on the east bank of the Des Moines River near where West Bend now stands.1 They came from Benton County, Iowa, making their way through the sparsely set- tled country by slow-going ox teams, and from Fort Dodge following the dim trail to the northwest, known as the " Military Road." It was the route that the soldiers had taken in going north to Fort Ridgely, and the subsequent supply wagons had left their marks on the prairie grass. Slight and uncertain was the trail, but it led these pioneers straight to their new home.
Before making a final location they decided to look around a little more, and went farther north, camping on May 30th on the east bank of Medium Lake in what is now known as Jackman's Grove. As it was late in the season it seemed best to return, and early the next morning the settlers retraced their steps and began at once to make a permanent settlement at West Bend. Samuel McClelland, who accompanied them, did not stay but returned home. Carter and Evans had taken adjoining claims on a beauti-
1 These facts about the early settlement at West Bend are from inter- views with A. B. Carter, and from a letter written by him to the Semi- Centennial Committee May 12, 1906. I have often talked to Mr. Carter and listened to his interesting tales of those early days. Some important facts are corroborated by William D. Powers's letters to me and especially a letter to the Semi-Centennial Committee, June 20, 1906, which is later given in its entirety.
16
HISTORY OF PALO ALTO COUNTY
ful rolling piece of land near the shore of the river, with plenty of wood and water close by - an ideal place for a pioneer cabin.1
On the 31st day of May, 1855, on the line between the two claims, the first prairie in Palo Alto County was broken with five yoke of oxen hitched to a 28-inch plow. It was a great day for those settlers, who now began to see that nature's wilderness was in fact the provider of their future home. In the days that followed, trees were cut and roughly shaped into logs, and a log house built. It was about 14x18, of rough hewn logs, with no floor, roofed over with " shakes," rough slabs about three feet long lapped over each other, and kept in place by poles placed across above them. Only a small piece of ground was sown, that spring. Game of all kinds was plenty. Elk and deer were often seen, and the settlers fared well dur- ing the spring and summer, as they had brought some sup- plies with them.
Some time that summer, perhaps in July, a band of Sioux Indians, under the leadership of the famous chief, Inkpadutah, came and camped near by. They did not ap- pear to be hostilely inclined, but were nevertheless very troublesome. The settlers' covered wagons, containing all their provisions, were drawn up in the shade of the trees about a hundred yards from the Carter cabin, which was just being completed. Mrs. Evans saw an Indian sneak into one of the wagons and shortly afterward a butcher-knife and some small bags of beans were missed. The settlers had a very savage dog which they tied to the wagon, and it kept such good watch that the Indians main- tained a respectful distance, although they longed to get their itching fingers on some more of the white man's
1 This was in section 21, West Bend township. William Carter's son, A. B. Carter, still owns the old farm and lived there until the spring of 1909, when he moved to the town of West Bend.
A. B. CARTER
17
THE WEST BEND SETTLEMENT
property. Finally the Indians drove the settlers' cattle away, killing and devouring one of the oxen. The rest of the cattle were found near the east fork of the Des Moines River, a good many miles to the south. The little colony was glad to be well rid of this insolent band of Indians.
In the fall William Carter returned to Benton County and brought back Mrs. Carter and their son Ben (A. B. Carter), who was then fourteen years old. They traveled in a wagon drawn by oxen, and after leaving Fort Dodge it was a slow and tedious journey for sixty miles along the rough trail over the waving plains of grass. They arrived at the settlement in October, 1855, and received a royal welcome to their new home.
The C: ter and Evans families were the only settlers during tl year 1855. They raised some sod corn, forty or fifty i shels of buckwheat, and about two hundred bushels of turnips. This was considered a good return for the few acres of prairie sod. These pioneers did not suffer for food, as they had brought flour and bacon with them, and wild game was plenty. They threshed the buck- wheat with flails, ground it in a coffee mill, and had plenty of buckwheat cakes.
Mr. A. B. Carter, in telling about their experiences, says : "It was very cold here during the first winter, and I guess we all were nearly frozen to death. Every one of my toes and fingers turned black, with frost. One time we started to go to Fort Dodge with a load of shingles that we had made. There was a great demand for those shingles then, and we had three pairs of cattle on the sled. Got down about Rutland, and it was getting dark and we got stuck in a snowdrift and had to camp there all night. We were nearly frozen to death.
" During the winter of '55 a band of Sioux Indians camped in our woods about fifty rods from the house. From that time on there were adventures every day. The
18
HISTORY OF PALO ALTO COUNTY
old chief's name was Sleepy-Eye. He was undoubtedly a first class man, and kept strict control of the Indians. A few things were stolen from us that winter. One thing was a hatchet. We had just come home from Fort Dodge. The Indians got the hatchet out of our sled, and we told a young Indian about it. He shook his head and went to the camp. Soon he came back with the hatchet and told us who took it. The one who had taken it was the best hunter around and a pretty tough one, and that Indian never came there again. It showed that the chief had pretty good control of them.
"That was a hard winter. The snow was very deep and as all wild game was driven away, the Indians came pretty near starving. The Indians would watch us grinding buck- wheat in the coffee mill and thought we had to work hard enough for our living. I used to try and get some of the young bucks to try the coffee mill, but only one of them would help me and I would divide with him. The Indians were in desperate straits for food. My brother and I went to Fort Dodge and got a dressed hog and what corn meal we could bring back, and peddled that to them. They bought what they could, and we bought lots of moccasins from them. We went to Fort Dodge and traded moccasins and furs for provisions. There was one pair of oxen that they had noticed we did not work, so they came and de- manded that pair of oxen that they had not seen us work- ing, as they were about starving. The next day we hitched up all the oxen and hauled up some wood to show that we needed them. We went to Fort Dodge again and got them something to eat. When the wild birds came they went up north. Two days after one of the Indians came back and stayed with us all summer. He was about my age, a young boy, and the only Indian among them who would do any work. He came to help do the chores and took quite a notion to me, and that was what brought him back. He
19
THE WEST BEND SETTLEMENT
helped anything he could, tried to learn the language, and learned very fast. He tried to do anything he saw anyone else do. We called him ' Josh.'
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