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Prisen thus le Jo Hon Namillin Burdick
with Compliments of
Mr& Mrs J. W. Burdick
July. 25 1878.
Thanks for Call.
IVO
,
HISTORY
OF
Winneshiek County,
WITH
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
OF ITS
EMINENT MEN.
BY CHAS. H. SPARKS. ,
DECORAH, IOWA : JAS. ALEX. LEONARD, Publisher and Bookseller, formerly of. Syracuse. r.y.
379217
1507
Entered according to an act of Congress, in the year 1877, By C. H. SPARKS, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
RIVERSIDE PRINTING HOUSE, NO. 1 SPRING STREET, MILWAUKEE, WIS,
TO THE
OLD SETTLERS OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY,
THIS VOLUME IS
MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,
BY THE AUTHOR.
7
PREFACE.
The present work is the outgrowth of a series of articles written for the Republican during the spring of 1875. That spring I came to the county, with the intention of working for the railroad company, at Decorah. One week in its employ served to convince me that I was not fitted for the duties assigned me. I threw up my situation, and having had experience in the newspaper business, I sought the Repub- lican office with a desire to obtain a situation. Messrs. Bailey & Bro. took me into their employ, with the understanding that I should make collections, and in my rounds, collate material and write historical sketches of the early settlement of the county. This last proposition- to write historical sketches-was my own, held out as an inducement to the publishers of the paper to give me a situation. I entered upon my duties in the vicinity of Fort Atkinson, and here struck a mine of historical imformation regarding the early days of the county, that in a few years more would have been irretrievably lost.
From facts collected regarding this locality, I wrote the first papers published in the Republican. These were warmly received by the read- ing public. So great was the interest manifested over the resurrection of a history that had so long slept, that the editor of the Republican, after- wards, picked up the pen where I had dropped it, and contributed several very excellent and interesting chapters regarding the early history of the county, and which, through his kindness, I have been permitted to use in this book.
VI
HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
The friendly reception which these several articles met with on their publication, and the deep interest felt in the subject by the early settlers, led me to believe that a history of the county, published in book form, would meet with that hearty appreciation and support such an enterprise would justly merit. I therefore carefully collected and preserved every- thing pertaining to the history of the county, within my reach, with the intention of publishing such a work when I thought that the proper time had arrived. During the present almost universal depression of business would seem anything but the proper time for its publication, yet, from force of necessity, I was compelled to issue now, if ever. This I do at the risk of a severe loss to myself, and with a knowledge that imperfections may thereby mar its pages that might otherwise have been prevented, by taking longer time in its preparation.
The present work has been pursued and carried through under many disadvantages, and in the face of many difficulties. I did not undertake the compilation of the book until the middle of January, 1877, and my pecuniary circumstances were such that I could not throw up my situa- tion, and therefore evenings were the only time left for labor. But these were faithfully employed, and as a result, in less than three months time, evening work, the HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY was completed.
I have endeavored, as best I knew how, to make the work as con- plete, concise and interesting as possible, and hope that I am rightly deserving a verdict from my severest critics that I have not labored in vain. .
I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to the many estimable gentlemen who have furnished me encouragement, both by deed and word, in my present undertaking.
To Mr. A. K. Bailey I am under many obligations, for access to the files of the Republican, from which I gleaned much valuable information, and for the material aid he has furnished me. The interesting chapter on Moneek is his.
To Mr. Cyrus Wellington I return my thanks, for the beautiful poem which closes the military history.
'To the following gentlemen, all of whom have either been consulted regarding the facts herein contained, or have contributed to its pages, I return my sincere thanks: Jehu Lewis, M. D. Hesper, J. T. Atkins, O. J. Clark, J. E. Simpson, E. I. Weiser, G. R. Willett, C. W. Burdick, J. B. Kaye, Calmar, for the sketch of Calmar; S. Pike, Ridgeway, for the chapter on Ridgeway; John O. Porter and J. Fisher, Ossian; and Helge Langland.
VII
HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
I would speak a word for the advertisers whose advertisements appear in the back part of the book, as the success of the undertaking is in a great measure owing to their liberal patronage. These men were actuated by a desire to aid a deserving enterprise.
To Andreas' Atlas of Iowa, I am indebted for information regarding Decorah, and biographies of some of the eminent men that appear herein.
With these brief explanations and acknowledgements, "THE HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY" Is placed before the public, with the hope that it will meet the expectations and approbation of even the most critical.
DECORAH, IOWA, April ist, 1877.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Historical Researches-What Prompts Them, and Their Results-The Reward of the Pioneer-Winneshiek County-Its Streams-Thirty-five Years Ago -Old Mission-The First Grist Mill. I
CHAPTER II-INDIAN HISTORY.
The Winnebagoes-Their Former Home-Enjoyments, &c .- Indian History- Habits and Characteristics-Their Funeral Services-Winneshiek, Head Chief of the Winnebagoes-" Wachon-Decorah "-Sodom and Gomorrah -Three Murders-Death of Taffy Jones-Removal of the Indians. 4
CHAPTER III-FIRST THINGS.
The Oldest Settler-The Pioneers-First Farmer-First Blacksmith-First Birth-Where was Lewiston ?- Grab All and Rattle Trap-Whisky Grove -The First Bohemians-Is there Coal in Winneshiek County ?- First Postoffice-A Souvenir-First Marriage-First Death and Grave Yard- The First Public School-The First School Teacher
CHAPTER IV-FIRST SETTLERS.
II
The First Settlers-The First Tax List-First Assessment-A Welcome Re- ception-A List of Settlers by Townships-The Richest Man-Bloomfield -Frankville-Military-Washington - Springfield - Jackson - Decorah - Madison-Bluffton - Canoe - Glenwood - Pleasant - Personality Assess- ments IS
CHAPTER V-POLITICAL HISTORY.
County Organization - County Seat Struggle- First County Officers-Judge David Reed-Township Organization-The Election of 1852-First Rep- resentative-Hon. Jas. D. Mckay -A. H. Fannon - Ninth Election- Results of the Various Elections down to 1854
29
X
HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
CHAPTER VI-POLITICAL HISTORY.
Levi Bullis-Sixth Election-Ezekiel E. Cooley-Eighth Election-Judge Reed Holds Over - Ninth Election - Winneshiek's First Senator - Hon. J. T. Atkins-First Special Election-G. N. Holway-J. E. Simpson-Hon. H. C. Bulis-The County Supervisor System - Hon. G. R. Willett -A. K. Bailey-Hon. Knudt Berg-Hon. M. N. Johnson
CHAPTER VII-MILITARY HISTORY.
The Alarm of War-Patriotic Meeting of Citizens - Organization of the First Company-Miss Carrie McNair-Battle of Blue Mills-Lieut. Anderson- Battle of Hatchie - List of Killed and Wounded-Battle of Shiloh-List of Killed and Wounded of Company D-Capt. E. I. Weisner-Surrender of Vicksburg-A Disastrous Charge - Lieut. McMurtrie - Lieut. C. W. Burdick-The Battle of Atlanta-The Third Iowa Fights itself to Death. 49
CHAPTER VIII-MILITARY HISTORY.
Company H-Camp Life-On the March -Named the "Iowa Greyhounds " -Receives its Baptismal Fire at Pea Ridge - Storming Rifle Pitts and Batteries-The March to the Sea-It had its Average Number of Bum- mers-The Loss Sustained by Company H-O. M. Bliss-A Tribute of Valor by the Ladies of Boston - Company G-Enrolled-The Battles in which it Participated-Death of Capt. C. C. Tupper-Promotion of Lieut. Townsley-Lieut. Nickerson - Sergt. A. A. Burdick-Nelson B. Burdick -Winneshiek County Contributes Three Additional Companies - Com- panies D, K and E-A History of their Maneuvers - Their Ranks are Thinned by Disease-Death of Col. D. H. Hughes -The Thirty-Eighth and Forty-Fourth are Consolidated - It takes part in the Last Battle of the War-A Short Sketch of Company D, Sixth Iowa Cavalry.
CHAPTER IX-CONCLUSION OF COUNTY HISTORY.
The Flush Times of 1856 - First Railroad Organization - The Northwestern Railroad-First Successful Railroad Company - The Decorah Branch - Jubilee over its Completion-Decorah a Station of which the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company are Proud-Statistics Showing the Railroad Business Transacted at Decorah-The Educational Interests of Winneshiek -- Statistics that Indicate the Progress of our People - Three Celebrated Murder Trials-Telyea, McClintock and Stickles - Old Settlers' Associa- tion-Conclusion of County History
CHAPTER X-FORT ATKINSON.
Description of the Fort-An Incident-The Fort Abandoned-Mr. Cooney as a Politician-The First Settlers-The Next Comers-The Godard Family -Sale of the Fort-The Ganadians-The Fort at its Zenith-Preparations for a Great City-Banking House-A Mercantile Venture-The Swiddlers and their Record-Their Society, and a Patriotic Celebration-The Ames Grist Mill-Jumping Claims-The Collapse-The Second and Third Era of Fort Atkinson -The New Era-Conclusion
38
56
67
74
XI
HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
CHAPTER XI-DECORAH.
Decorah - A Beautiful Valley -- Day Family - Room for Man and Beast - Water Power-A Log Mill-First Marriage-First Carpenter-First Min- inster-Looking Up the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel -- The Pure Article-At the Close of the Year 1854-The First Harness Shop -- The First Livery Stable-Land Office-First Bankers-A Pioneer Postoffice- Decorah in 1857-Newspaper History-First City Officers-Manufactures Banking Interests-Churches -- Conclusion.
86
CHAPTER XII-MONEEK.
The Story of a Defunct Town-Moneek-The Pioneer Settlers-Their Nearest Neighbors -Their Hospitality - Paddle his own Canoe-The First Mer- chant-The Village Smithy-Medicine and the Clergy --- Postal Facilities -An Incident-An Influx of Immigrants - What Moneek was in 1853- Its Greatest Prosperity-Its Decline-Busy, Bustling Fellow -- A Deserted Village.
I02
CHAPTER XIII-SPRINGFIELD, PLEASANT AND HIGHLAND.
First Norwegian Settlers-The Anderson Party Settle in Springfield Township -The Johnson Party Follow Close After-The First Settlers of Pleasant Township-A Man with Many Offices-First Blacksmith-Bartolf Oleson First School House and Church-Hon. Ole Nelson-Highland Township -Its First Settlers - The Prosperity of its Citizens - How Lars Nelson made his Money - He Dies Worth $100,000 -- The Organization of the First School District. 108
CHAPTER XIV-FRANKVILLE
An Influx of Immigration - Frank Teabout, the Founder of Frankville-First Merchant at Frankville-The Emigrant Store-Poverty Point-" Demijohn Argument " - Trout River - Benj. Beard - The Lathrop House - The Presbyterian Church - Twice Waylaid and Once Robbed - Suspicious Characters-First Justice of the Peace-Frankville Early Contributes her Quota of County Officers - Frankville's First Saw Mill-First Grist Mill -The Religious Revival of 1857-The Railroad Seals it Fate
CHAPTER XV-HESPER.
Hesper Township in 1851-Two Explorers and their Search for Homes - E. E. Meader-The First Cabins-Opening the First Farm-Official Survey of the Northern Boundary - The Last Civilized Dwelling West of the Mississippi-The First Arrival of Members of the Society of Friends-Russell Taber Builds a Saw Mill-The First Merchant-The Friends of Erect the First House of Worship-The First Hotel - The First School House- A Town Organization Effected-Hesper's Railroad Schemes-The Indian Scare-The Educational Interests-The Library Association-The Lutheran and Methodist Churches-Hesper's Lodge of Good Templars-Conclusion. 121
114 ยท
XII
HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
CHAPTER XVI-OSSIAN.
The Value of Thoroughfares - Ossian Thirty Years Ago - Its Founders-An Account of its Earliest Settlers-A Western Tavern-The Original Town Site-The Second Addition -Ossian the Rendezvous of Counterfeiters- The Establishment of a Postoffice-Its First Postmaster-The First Mer- chant-The First School House and First Teacher -- The Assessments of Early Days -- First Death-First Doctor - Newspaper History - Hoisting the Stars and Stripes -- A New Era in the History of the Place - The Churches -- Ossian's Importance and Prospective Future. 129
CHAPTER XVII-CALMAR.
Founding of Marysville, afterwards known as Calmar -- Peter Clawson and Alf. Clark its Founders-Strife between Calmar and Conover for the Supremacy-The Iowa & Dakotah Branch Railroad -- Incorporation of the Village -- Newspaper History -- Societies -- Churches -- Hotels -- Saloons -- The Natural Situation of the Place - Its Resources - Its Prospects for the Future-Population
136
CHAPTER XVIII -- RIDGEWAY.
Early Settlers of Lincoln Township -- Water Courses - Danger of Pioneer Prairie Life-The Pioneer House and its Accommodations - Ridgeway's Birth and Christening-A Flower Blooms that Bears Seed-The Railroad Company Becomes Magnanimous and Builds a Coop for the Accommoda- tion of Travelers-Death of an Invalid-The Demon who Presides Over the Ruling Evil, and his Victims -- The First Nasby, and others who followed him-Ridgeway becomes an Independent School District-Fury of the Fire King- Ridgeway Falls its Victim and is nearly Obliterated -Death of Daniel Rice-Recapitulation of the Losses Sustained by the 143 Fire -Conclusion.
Appendix
152
History of Winneshiek County.
CHAPTER I.
Historical Researches-What Prompts Them, and Their Results- The Reward of the Pioneer-Winneshiek County-Its Streams- Thirty-five Years Ago-Old Mission-The First Gristmill.
An insatiable desire, no doubt bred by curiosity to acquire information of the past, has ever furnished a strong incentive to the human mind to search for historical facts amid mouldy records and ancient ruins. Each item of interest so preserved from the devastating ravages of time has been carefully guarded and placed on record to shine, as its age increased, with brighter luster.
This passion of man to make himself familiar with past events has led him to resort to all known expedients, practicable and impracticable, for the acquisition of such knowledge. At the touch of his magic wand, a buried Pompeii has laid bare her bosom, disclosing the secrets of her past life-secrets that for centuries had lain buried in the debris that covered her. As a reward of his energy and perseverance in the land of the Pharaohs, the ruined temples, ancient obelisks, the pyramids of forty centuries, and also the silent mummies, have each been made to furnish information of the most ancient civilized people of the globe-the history of a people who have silently slept in death for more than three thous- and years.
No undertaking has seemed too great for the historian where the goal of his ambition has been to resurrect historical facts, and no reading has proved more interesting or valuable. Every country and nation, every city and hamlet, as well as every individual, has its history, which is in a greater or less degree interesting to the general reader. More particu- larly is the early history of a new country valuable, not only for the interest it furnishes in its individual experiences of adventure and hard- ship, but for the lesson it teaches in the certain reward of energy and perseverance.
Those of the early pioneers who forsook the pleasures of civilization and bravely ventured into a wild and unknown country to hew a name
K
2
HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
for themselves out of the native forests ; men and women who at one time mingled more with the uncouth savage than with their civilized brethren, are to-day enjoying the affluence of wealth and the comforts of pleasant homes. Such has been their reward. The hardships of pioneer life, with them, is a thing of the past, about which they can talk with pleasure.
It is little more than a quarter of a century since Winneshiek County fur- nished an ample arena for the pioneer, and here he experienced all the ex- citing adventures, hardships and privations which make his life so interest- ing. Winneshiek County received its name from "Winneshiek," a celebrated chief of the Winnebagoes. The county embraces an area of 468,000 acres, mostly arable land, which is extraordinarily adapted to agricultural purposes. The general surface of the country is diversified, the greater portion being fine, rolling prairie, with plenty of timber land to supply the demands of home consumption. Along the streams there are bluffs of considerable height, which in many places present a picturesque scenery rarely met with. The soil of the county, on the whole, is of a rich and loamy nature, and as productive as can be found in the state of Iowa. The county affords an abundance of clay, sand, brick and stone for build- ing purposes, while its outcrop of Trenton limestone is burned into an excellent article of quicklime.
The county is well watered, having several important creeks within its borders. These afford excellent water power, much of which has been utilized in the various mills throughout the county. The upper Iowa River runs through the northern portion of the county, in a southeast direction, to about the center, where in flows northeasterly, in a serpen- tine course, to where it leaves the county on its eastern border. North of the Upper Iowa, flowing through the townships of Canoe and Pleas - ant, is the Canoe River, a considerable mill stream. The Turkey River runs through the southeast corner of the county, and is only second to the Iowa in size and importance. Such is a brief description of one of the richest counties in the state.
What a scene of beauty such a land must have presented to the pio- neer before the science of agriculture had marred the adornments which nature had lavished upon it. Above him was the blue canopy of heaven, at his feet lay a garden of green, broken only by the embellishment of miniature forests, in which gamboled wild beasts of every description known to the country, while on either side could be heard the musical ripples of crystal streams rushing swiftly over variegated beds in their course to the Gulf. Such a land must have been hailed with a glad ac-
3
HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
claim of delight. It was to the pioneer the land "flowing with milk and honey."
It is now thirty-five years since the first white man looked upon this country in all its natural grandeur. Antecedent to that date we have no knowledge that even the venturesome explorer, or the soulless and ava- ricious Indian trader, ventured to pierce this then unknown region.
What a contrast the wild, uninhabited country of those days presents to the present populous and cultivated land, teeming with its thousands of human beings, making onward strides in improvement with the rapid tread of cilivization.
Thirty-five years ago our beautiful county, now spanned with railways and telegraphic lines-necessary implements of modern civilization- decked with verdant fields of waving grain in summer, and dotted with innumerable thriving and enterprising towns, was the home of the Win- nebago Indians, then numerous and comparatively thrifty, but now com- prising only a few wandering ones who have not where to lay their heads. As early as 1835, Rev. D. Lowery, the man who afterwards established the Old Mission, conducted a school of like nature near the mouth of Yellow River. Mr. Lowery emigrated from Tennessee, and was a strict . adherent to the sect known as the Cumberland Presbyterians. In his youth he had received the benefits of a thorough education, and was peculiarly qualified for the arduous duties of ameliorating the condition of the Indians. In 1874 he took up his residence in Pierce City, Mis- souri, where he died on the 19th of January, 1876, at the advanced age of 82 years. Mr. Lowery was a man of marked ability, and during the more active portion of his life was prominent in all that pertained to the history of the country in which he lived. He was, for perhaps more than fifty years, a minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. A man of unusual physical make up, and possessed of a large brain, which eminently fitted him for the frontier life which he led. He was one of . our noble men, and will be long remembered by many of our people, and especially by the early settlers of this portion of the great west.
In 1842 Mr. Lowery was appointed Indian Agent for the reservation which included the tract of land now known as Winneshiek County. The same year he received instructions from the Government to form a Mission and farm on the reservation, for the education of the Indians in husbandry and the English language, in hopes of civilizing and morally benefitting them. The erection of the Mission was commenced, as near as can be ascertained, in June, 1842, the Rev. D. Lowery superintending the work. The Mission was a large, commodious wooden building,
4
HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
located about five miles southeast of Fort Atkinson. A remnant of one of the buildings still exists.
The Government had authorized Mr. Lowery to open a farm for the instruction of the Indians in agricultural pursuits, the expenses incurred thereby to be deducted from their annuity. Mr. Lowery turned over this part of the work to his assistant, Col. Thomas. The first year, under Col. Thomas' supervision, a farm of three hundred acres was opened, and endeavors were made to instruct the Indians how to till the soil; but they were so careless and indolent that but little work could be got out of them. The crops planted began to show neglect. In fact the farm began to retrograde, when Col. Thomas had a force of garrison men detailed to cultivate it-they being paid for their labor out of the Indian annuity. One year served to demonstrate that the Indian as a husband- man was a failure. In 1843, Col. Thomas, under instructions from the Government, built the first gristmill in Winneshiek County. The Mission and farm was continued under Col. Thomas' supervision, until the Indians sold their reservation to the Government, when they were re- moved, and there was no further need of these enterprises.
Lowery continued in charge of the Indian Mission some time after building it, but finally resigned to take charge of a mission in Minnesota, whereupon Gen. Fletcher was appointed to serve in his stead.
CHAPTER II.
The Winnebagoes-Their Former Home-Enjoyments, &c .- Indian History -- Habits and Characteristics-Their Funeral Services-Win- neshiek, Head Chief of the Winnebagoes-" Wachon-Decorah "- Sodom and Gomorrah-Three Murders-Death of Taffy Fones- Removal of the Indians.
A history of Winneshiek County, without an account of the original inhabitants, would be incomplete. In early days the Winnebago Indian was sole possessor of this land, and here for ages he held sway. This country had been his home for centuries. It was the heart of an Indian paradise. From every point of the compass, his trail centered here. It was the land of his birth, and no other furnished the same attractions for
5
HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
him. It was here that he buried his dead, and with heathen reverence rendered worship to the omnipotent ruler of the spirit land, which his uncultured mind had conceived. It was from these crystal streams that he hooked the tiny trout, and through the tangled labyrinths of these miniature forests that he hunted the wild deer, the partridge and the squirrel. Here, after the manner of his patriarchal form of government, were held his councils, in which all the great men of the nation partici- pated. Here, upon these bluffs, as he missed his mark, has he often, no doubt, made sacrifices to appease the wrath of the Great Spirit, through whose agency he firmly believed such results had been wrought. It was amidst the scenes of this wild and natural grandeur that he wooed and won the dusky maid of the forest. It was here he reared his children. Though the land was wild, and filled with experiences that to the civilian would seem unendurable, yet it was his home, and about it clustered all there was to fill his rough heart with love. The land seemed to his wild nature to contain all the enjoyments worth living for. Here, often, no doubt, were the games and sports of the young; here too, lamentations and sorrows, even as in later times, in burial scenes, as some old warrior, chief, maiden, or child, was called to depart. And here, thanksgivings, too-doubtless feasts of rejoicing at success of hunting parties, or victory in bloody strife. Yes, up to within the brief space of twenty-seven years ago, this beautiful valley was all full of life-primitive life of nature and man. But now the scene is changed, and the white man is the possessor of the land. The process has been a rapid one. A superior race has superceded these simple children of the forest, and little more than tradition remains to tell who and what they were, what habits and characteristics they possessed, or who were their rulers. But such as remain in authentic form, is here given in a bit of Indian history.
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