USA > Iowa > Story County > A history of Story county, Iowa: Carefully compiled, from the earliest settlement to the present, March 1, 1887. > Part 28
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NOTES.
Fire was on the sixth of December.
The City Council lost their room.
Hitchen's store room is badly blistered, but wet carpets saved it.
The bank vault just opened. Nothing frozen and nothing damaged.
Dickey, Hill & Co., have moved their damaged stock into the Cole building.
Leroy Shepherd was injured by unusual exertions in getting out his press and inhaling smoke.
Dr. Goodman contradicts the statement that his building is a total loss. He has the key to the front door.
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
The passenger and freight trains did good service in alarming the people by their continuous whistling.
Mrs. Geddes millinery room was in very great danger. It stood the extreme heat of the bank building.
Several of our citizens did not get down in time to see the fire; among them Dr. Goodman and W. W. Star.
Baldwin & Maxwell's store is peculiarly decorated over the front this Monday morning with frozen blankets.
Everybody seems to be bearing the loss pleasantly this Monday, A. M., because it might have been so much worse.
S. E. Cooper & Co., have secured Bagwill & Co's agricultural im- plement building and will open their stock at once.
The train men of the freight train came up town and helped fight the fire. Two passengers left the train and came to our as- sistance.
Our town well was an excellent servant and paid for itself. It was going constantly for two hours but did not fail with its stream of water.
All household goods and merchandise in the four buildings north and in the range of the fire were removed as it was thought nothing could save the buildings.
It was only by extra efforts that the business house of Baldwin & Maxwell was saved. No goods were removed, consequently but trifling loss of blankets, buckets, etc.
The ladies deserve great praise for their work during the fire. They handled the goods, moving wagon loads several times, while the principal part of the men were fighting the fire.
Geo. W. Olinger, one of our oldest and respected citizens, died at 12:30 A. M., to-day .- (December 8, 1886.)
Mrs. Frank Higley was appointed post-mistress for Iowa Center, in October or November, 1886, in the place of Miss Sheldon, who resigned the office.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MAXWELL SCHOOL HOUSE.
The school house is very large; it has four school rooms, two re- citation rooms and three halls. It stands on a small hill, with evergreens in the yard. It is made of brick, and has nine doors and thirty-one windows. It is two stories high. In the largest room, up stairs, is an organ, library, globe, eight maps and a philosophi- cal apparatus, thirty seats, a stove, two large pictures and about fifteen song books. The other room, up stairs, is not quite so large, but has a teacher's desk, a stove and about twenty seats. The smallest room, down stairs, opposite this one is not used only when there are sociables for the school. MAMIE MEAD,
C Grade,
-Maxwell Tribune, January 6, 1887.
The tri-weekly mail from Nevada to Maxwell quit from Iowa Center to Nevada, January 1, 1887; but is still tri-weekly from Maxwell to Iowa Center.
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
COLLINS TOWNSHIP.
A HISTORY OF COLLINS TOWNSHIP FROM ITS EARLY SETTLEMENT
AND ORGANIZATION TO MARCH, 1887 .- CONTAINING, ALSO, A NOTICE OF MANY OF ITS CITIZENS.
POPULATION 1,003.
Elsewhere will be found a partial history of its early settlement. I am not sure why it was called " Collins." It may have been named for the Rev. John Collins who was a power amongst the people of Ohio, and elsewhere, about fifty years ago. His orator- ical powers were, perhaps, nearly equal to that of the Rev. Henry B. Bascom, who flourished about the same time of the Rev. Collins. This name for the Township, "Collins," is only presumed by me how it came. It was organized in 1857, comprising now only township 82 north, range 21 west.
The brief items were partly culled from our county papers.
COLLINS MATTERS.
We are sorry to announce the death of Mr. Parker's only child, which occurred on Saturday nineteenth.
Dr. Knepper has located here, at least we notice his office sign at J. Hanson's drug store. Welcome, doctor.
Business is reasonably good in every department. The new elevator is progressing rapidly.
Through trains are now running daily on the Milwaukee railroad .-- (Aug. 25, 1882.) OCCA.
John W. Kline is building a. blacksmith and wagon shop. He expects to have it in running order by New Year's .- (Nov., 1882.)
The school-house was occupied, for the first time, Friday evening with a show. It had to be dedicated.
Some matters at Collins have taken a new departure. Instead of farmers going to other towns they are bringing their corn all here, or at least it looks that way. Corn is bringing forty cents, hogs are in demand at $6.00. Thanks to C. Mead for the rise in prices. Mr. Mead is feeding about 150 head of cattle and makes quite a market for corn .- (Nov. 29, 1882.)
W. R. Benson has a fine lot of lumber and it is still coming
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
every day. He expects to have one of the finest lumber yards in the county.
S. C. Deeter, of Jasper county. has traded liis farm for a stock of goods and will bring them to Collins. This will give another store to Collins.
John Ozmun has bought lots of hogs since the rise, and is still in the field.
Mrs. John T. Shinkle, daughter of Jacob Cronch, was buried a few days since. She was out from O'Brien county on a visit to her father and mother. The friends have the sympathy of all their neighbors.
Dr. Knepper is having a large practice in Collins, judging from the amount of driving he does, both night and day. The doctor is a success.
The Milwaukee railroad company are doing an immense busi- ness. They run seven regular trains each way daily besides several extras, making the south side of the county a good place to live.
The map man is still around Collins soliciting subscribers.
COLLINS ITEMS.
Collins is to have a new lumber yard. A gentleman from Clin- ton will soon put in a full stock of all kinds of lumber, moldings, sash, doors and blinds.
Collins needs a good stock man. Farmers have to go to the ad- joining towns to sell their hogs and cattle. There is a good open- ing for some man in that business.
Another good grain buyer would do well in Collins. There is only one buyer here now and he buys for another man, not living at Collins, and so cannot be quite as much interested in the pros- perity of the town as a resident would be.
A good furniture store would pay at Collins, as there is nothing of that kind in town. A good wagon and paint shop is also needed. All other business is well represented and prosperous.
Collins is still improving. New buildings are being erected all the time and prospects are good for a number next season. Collins expects that the Newton and Nevada railroad will cross here, which will give Collins a big boom.
Mr. Dodd, the new hotel man seems to be keeping up the repu- tation of the Collins house, judging from the number that stop there.
Farmers are busy gathering corn. There is about half a crop, a
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
good deal of it having been damaged by the first frost. No market at Collins as yet for new corn.
Supervisor A. Hale is having the pond east of John Mead's drained, preparatory to making the road passable, which is a long needed work.
C. Mead is having a lot of tile draining done on his land, that being the leading question among the farmers of Collins. They expect Collins to be the foremost township in the county for farm- ing, as soon as it is properly tiled. There is talk of putting up ma- chinery next summer for making the tile. It will pay for there will be a great deal done next year.
Collins Township has been redistricted by the school board and another sub-district, created, making ten in place of nine. The town of Collins is now No. 10. As there is no school house in No. 10, it will be necessary for the board to rent until such time as a house can be built. There is now about forty scholars in the new district. The school board are in earnest and are determined to give every child a chance for education. Success to them .- (Nov. 29, 1882.)
The town of Collins was laid out as a town February, 1882.
The snow blockade is over, and trains are again on time. Collins was without mail for nearly a week. Business has been rather slow as the farmers could scarcely reach town .- (Jan. 31, 1883.)
Charles Mead shipped six car-loads of fat cattle from Collins. Monday. They are said to be the best lot ever shipped from Col- lins Township.
C. W. Mead and R. Misskimons shipped one car-load of cattle and one of hogs Wednesday.
J. W. Ozmun shelled corn last week to be ready for shipment when the market favors.
Collins has a literary society. It meets every Friday evening in the school-house; and on those occasions the building is always full to overflowing. Success to the new enterprise.
The Collins house keeps up its former reputation; and Mr. Dodd, the landlord, spares no pains to make his guests happy. He also runs a livery stable in connection with the hotel.
The report is current that the C. M. & St. Paul railroad company have everything in readiness, and will build a branch road from Collins to Des Moines early next summer.
Farmers all busy plowing corn. Reports from all points say the corn prospect is better than at this time last year. Small grain and grass never looked better. We have every reason to be thank- ful .- (July 11, 1883.)
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
The Milwaukee commenced running a passenger train each way Sunday the 8th instant, and there will be one every Sunday after this till further orders.
Rev. C. H. Rogers, of Newton, preached one of the best sermons ever heard in Collins on Sunday. He preaches every four weeks at 3 P. M.
John and Charles Mead have just returned from an extensive trip through Nebraska and Kansas. They report no better State than Iowa; and I think they will stay in Iowa, satisfied that Iowa is best.
Business in Collins is very good. The merchants all seem to be busy. Postmaster Chapman has about all he can attend to since Harry left.
THUNDER STORM IN SOUTHEAST STORY COUNTY.
During the thunder storm of last Wednesday, lightning struck a cottonwood tree standing about fifteen feet east of John Hemp- ing's house, ran down the tree and from the tree to the house, passed through the east window, breaking all the glass but two, then passed out at the north window, breaking sixteen glass in the two windows. A double barreled shot-gun, hanging over the win- dow was knocked down and one barrel discharged; then it fell on the floor by Mr. Pulner's feet who was sitting on that side of the house. The only persons in the house at the time were Mrs. Hemping, her little boy and Mr. Pulner who was mowing for Mr. Hemping, Hemping having gone to Collins with hogs. No damage was done in the house further than breaking glass, the occupants being only slightly shocked .- (July 22, 1885.)
Last Thursday night Doc. Converse, living a mile and a half north of Supervisor Hale's had four head of young cattle killed by lightning; they were standing close to a wire fence.
Everybody is anxiously waiting the development of the coal mines. There was an impediment in the form of a very peculiar formation of sand stone, sulphur and iron combined, that delayed the work from making more speedy headway, but the company are putting forth every effort to bring the work to a focus .- (Decem- ber 2, 1885.)
George Harsh and Henry Downs are also prospecting for coal and have struck a five foot eleven inch vein at a depth of 107 feet. They passed through five different veins ranging from eleven inches to five feet eleven inches of most excellent quality. On Monday a company from Des Moines will commence prospecting for coal and natural gas on the farms of Wyatt Carr and Perry McCristian. Should they find either they will utilize the same at once. There is already an escape of natural gas on the farm of George Harsh that will burn with a brilliancy that rivals the electric light. This is giving the company great encouragement already.
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
Mr. Chapman, of Mason City, was in town the past week looking after business affairs. He thinks he will move back to Collins in the spring with his family. We all gladly welcome him back.
Thanksgiving day was observed in the usual manner. In the evening the ladies' aid society gave a supper which was well patron- ized. All expressed a degree of satisfaction as no pains were spared to satisfy the hungry souls .- (Dec. 2, 1885.)
Dr. Knepper brought into this office Monday a specimen of coal from the mine of the Wolf Creek Coal Co., situated two miles southeast of Collins. The specimen is genuine coal from a three foot vein, just below which is another vein six feet thick and of equally good quality. The people of the county are to be heartily congratulated upon finding what is proved to be a valuable coal vein .- (Dec. 16, 1885.)
The coal company has at last passed through the vein of coal which proved to be nearly four feet in thickness. They will com- mence entries Thursday. The coal proves to be as good as there is in the state. They have nothing to hinder them now from getting back some of the lucre. With the best of machinery and plenty of first quality coal they ought and will make for themselves a good thing as well as the community at large .- (Jan. 1, 1886.)
Mr. Bricker, of Ohio, was among us looking after the interest of his farm, which lies east of town.
The old year dies with this number and the new year is coming in. All should prepare to make all necessary vows, as is a com- mon saying, throw off bad habits, etc.
A splendid Christmas trade reported by all, showing that this government is not bankrupt yet, as was predicted, and that the necessary wealth still comes to all that seeks it, especially enough to make a merry Christmas.
There will be a singing school organized in our village in the near future.
Several parties from our town were at Maxwell Monday. . They report business quite lively comparatively, the same as in our own town.
Charles Fish ships a car load of hogs to-day.
Hogs are dying quite lively around here. It is perhaps due to the soft weather.
Business in town for the past week was about the average. Corn is coming in in abundance and bringing from twenty-five to twenty-seven cents per bushel .- (Feb. 17, 1886.)
The coal miners had a strike Tuesday, but after a satisfactory
4
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
explantion as to their misunderstanding, they again resumed work. The company are now ready to supply the local demand.
Mr. Foster has bought some 1200 or 1500 acres of land around Collins, for a consideration of $50 per acre, on condition that after a fair test that it is underlaid with coal in paying quantity. Pros- pecting will commence at once.
The Wolf Creek Coal Company, of Collins, are now in full blast and are supplying the local demand. The coal is of the first qual- ity and proven very satisfactory to all who have had an opportu- nity of testing it. They are now selling coal at the low figure of $2.50 per ton .- The secretary, Mr. Hampton, was in town Wednes- day and says they can furnish all who call .- (Feb. 26, 1886.)
W. W. Carr, of Collins Township, is bringing a farm of about five hundred acres under a good state of cultivation. He has four miles of tile already laid, with more to follow. He has put up two hundred tons of hay this year, mostly tame, and has some fine horses and cattle to feed it to .- (Aug. 4, 1886.)
Mrs. Susan C. Carr and daughter, Clara, of Collins Township, have a large farm, in most excellent condition in regard to cultiva- tion and improvements. Their herd of thorough-bred Short-Horns is among the best in the county. Mrs. Collins, we are sorry to learn has been quite ill of late.
Collins Township is over the average for good soil and it is improving rapidly. It is supposed by some that William Parker, yet a resident of the township, was not only the first settler of Collins Township, but the first in the county.
Mr. Parker claims to have settled in Story County, April 14, 1849; Daniel W. Ballard claims that he and his brother, Morman Ballard, moved their families into rude cabins, built for the pur- pose, March 8, 1848. This, then, shows the two Ballards the first settlers of the county. Their father, Simon Ballard, came in the fall of 1848, and died about two years after-making his death the first known in the county. (See Col. Scott's history of it on pre- ceding pages.) They settled in the grove, which took its name, " Ballard's Grove," from the fact of their being the first settlers in the grove. It would seem, from this circumstance, that this grove was named prior to any other grove.
I will return to Collins Township. In connection with Mr. Parker will be named, as early settlers, the Shenkles, Dan. Swarm, Zac. Elliott and Ephraim Smith, in the northwest corner of section 6, township 82, range 21.
Mr. Funk, who was far from any neighbor yet was the means of saving the life of a good citizen, (W. S. Vincent), trying to get home came to Mr. Funk's, accidentally, late in the evening, when
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
in almost an insensible condition from extreme cold. Mr. Funk's house, that time, was his salvation.
There are several creeks in the township, but none large: A branch of Minerva Creek, coming from New Albany Township, and crossing the north line of the section, a little east of the north quarter section, corner of 2, passing into a wide, flat or wet prairie, in the northeast quarter of section 2, and continues so to the east line of section one. A small branch of Clear Creek runs through section 13, southeasterly, and leaves the county a little south of the southeast corner of section 13. A larger branch of Clear Creek shows itself in section 23, then passes through sec- tions 26 and 35-leaving the county a little east of the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of southeast quarter of section 35. A small branch showing itself in section 26 and passes through section 35. Wolf Creek commences in section 29, then flows through sections 29 and 33-cutting off a little of southwest quar- ter of section 34, leaving the county eighty or one hundred rods east of southwest corner of section 34.
Defiance was laid out as a town, in May, 1856, in the north west corner of the northeast quarter of section 36, and a small part of it in the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 36. Recorded in Record Book B, page 383. This town is one of long standing, and it may be possible there is a house on it, or in sight of it. It has no hotels, churches nor colleges. The town of Col- lins came up early in 1882, and has done well. It is a place of stir and life. It is situated mainly on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 21. The Chicago, Minneapolis & St. Paul Railway passes through its southern border. Collins is four and one-half miles east and three-quarters of a mile north of Max- well. Nevertheless it is destined to be one of our business points -being nicely located and in the midst of a productive country. One of its valuable points is the coal fields being so near to it. This fact must help it if the coal is abundant and of good quality. Of the latter, the claim of quality is good.
The railroad enters the county a little south of the northeast corner of section 24, curving a little so as to cut sections 13, 14 and 23-then the road on a straight line with but little or no curving, running a little south of west through sections 22, 21, 20 and 19- quitting the township at or near the southwest corner of section 19.
At this time no newspaper is published in Collins.
The nine school houses of this township seem to be, all of them, in regular order-forming nine school districts, each being two miles square. This is business. The town of Collins has a high school building, or for graded schools, in addition to the nine others.
Native timber is scarce. There may yet be some in sections 24, 25, 26, 35 and 36. There once was a little timber on Wolf Creek
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
in sections 33 and 34, and a few trees in the southeast quarter of sec- tion 13. Artificial or culitvated groves cover the township all over in beauty and profit, at this time, (1886).
For the business men of the town of Collins, see the " Directory " for Collins.
The members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and others, have recently built a church building in Collins. It is 60x30 feet, and 16 feet high-no bell-cost $1,800. There are ten members at Collins. The Christian Society has ten members here. Four miles south of Colo there is an United Brethren Church building, at which the Methodist Episcopal Church Society has seventeen members to meet. W. A. Welker, pastor. This United Brethren Church is situated in the southeast corner of section 30, township 83, range 21, and was built in 1886, costing about $1,200.
There is a United Brethern Church in the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 25, town- ship 82, range 21.
Also, there seems to be a church in the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 33, township 82, range 21.
Mr. C. E. Campbell is the postmaster at Collins, and Mr. A. H. Tracy is the station agent.
There are those who ship stock and grain, some of whom I will name: John W. Osmun, Chas. Mead, R. Miskimmons and Chas. Fish.
Those who raise stock and for sale, and other farmers, and citi- zens of energy, some of whom I will name, viz: S. I. Shearer, A. Jones. C. W. Etherton, Theo. Fowler, E. W. Shearer, Geo. Pease, W. S. Price, Wm. Parker, W. R. Heath, C. Day, J. A. Pringle, I. L. Hidy, Z. Elliot, E. H. Guy, W. T. B. Shenkle, E. M. Patton, B. R. Shenkle, C. E. Dodd, Frank Millhouse, Anthony Jackson, Wyatt Carr, A. G. Armstrong, H. Angelo, Daniel Lamb, G. M. Kennedy, J. A. Pringle, A. L. Kennedy, Mrs. Susan C. Carr, R. Carpenter, Jno. Thompson, John Denniston, D. Parker, Wm. Richard, Jacob Crouch, J. W. Reagan, Aaron Hale, Anthony Hale, L. W. Marsh, L. Bence, R. Williams, Geo. Donning, L. Tipton, C. Mead, Sr., C. Patterson.
HISTORY OF THE SIXTEEN TOWNSHIPS CLOSED.
The history of the sixteen townships is now complete, and the directories for all the towns are placed adjacent to each other, but are to be found elsewhere in this history.
The list of names of stirring, active, go-a-head men of the differ- ent townships of the county-such as stock raisers, farmers, ship-
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HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
pers of stock and grain and teachers are meant-looms up to over 800. There are many more just as industrious, perhaps, whose names I had no good chance to get. Then, when the names of about 400 business men as indicated by the directories are consid- ered, and a list of near 900 names of early settlers, and 400 names for county officers, since 1852, and 2,000 names of the dead of our county, we have nearly or quite one-half the names of the adult population of the county published in this history.
The history of the townships is preceded, however, by a mis- cellaneous or general history; also followed by many interesting incidents and statements as the book will show.
THE ADAMS BEQUEST TO IOWA.
A somewhat eccentric bequest has just been made to the Iowa State Agricultural College by a venerable couple living in Florida, by the name of Adams. Mr. and Mrs. Adams were former resi- dents of Iowa, and, with warm regard for the subject of agricul- tural education, they have set aside a handsome tract of land in Allamakee County, in Northeastern Iowa. The rental of the land is to be set apart as the Adams endowment fund for the benefit of the State Agricultural College till the year 1936, when the amount is to be used for the support of one or more pupils in the school. The Agricultural College is already the wealthiest school in the State, with an endowment of hundreds of thousands of acres, but the bequest from Florida will be accepted, nevertheless, for the good motive that prompted it .- (Nov. 24, 1886.)
The grand jury at Sioux City has returned indictments for the murder and conspiracy against Arrensdorf and nine of his accom- plices in the Haddock murder. This grand jury has been regarded with much suspicion, but to its credit it is stated that the indict- ments were all adopted by a unanimous vote. The conviction at Sioux City has grown very strong that one Peters, who was a driver of a brewery wagon and a witness to the murder of Haddock, has also been murdered by Arrensdorf, and his body burned in the brewery furnace.
STORY COUNTY VOTE.
The Board of Supervisors canvassed the vote of Story County Monday. The official canvass differs in no material respect from the unofficial returns published last week, and will be given in our next issue. The totals and the majorities are as follows:
SECRETARY OF STATE:
Jackson .2005 -- 991 Sells 1014
Farnham (Pro.).
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