USA > Iowa > Cherokee County > Biographical history of Cherokoe County, Iowa : Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state ; engravings of prominent citizens in Cherokee County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families. A concise history of the county, the cities, and townships > Part 35
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Ransome Luther, the pioneer lumber dealer at the old town, moved about the time the grand rush was made. His stock used to be brought by wagon from Dennison, on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, about fifty miles distant.
Thomas Greer, among the early shoe- makers, used to have a little shop down by the banks of the "placid Sioux." He was a great worker, and by constant pegging and saving what he made, finally gained a good
competency and started a hotel, which busi- ness he still follows in Cherokee. The pio- neers all pay Mr. Greer a high compliment for his industry and goo l citizenship. It is said at one time the river rose one night very suddenly and cut Greer's shop off from the remainder of the village. Surrounded as he was by the rising flood, the neighbors on higher lands had to rescue him with his bench and tools, by moving him in a boat.
"Zeb" Herrick, one of the pioneer black- smiths, moved his forge and anvil to the newly platted town and commenced business again.
A contractor and builder named Thomas Twifford, but nsually known as " Tomny," was one of the land-mark fixtures of Old Cherokee. It was he who built the early buildings and bridges. He moved to the new town also. Of him it is related that in a certain bridge contract with the county "dads," he was bound to have the structure, when finished, crowning two inches in the middle, but either from a lack of proper ma- terial or else mismanagement on his part, the bridge had plenty of " crown," but unfortu- nately it was down instead of up-hence it soon had to be propped from below, that the crown might not fall into the river! Mr. Twifford subsequently moved into Northern Iowa, again to become a pioneer builder.
The Cherokee Chief, established by Mr. Ford at the old town, was sold to Robert Buchanan, and that was removed and the name changed to the Times, which is still the standard-bearer of the Republican party in this county.
Fred Huxford, also of old town, removed his general store, which had been kept at the old stockade. He moved to the place Henry Nye now keeps. Mr. Huxford died a few years since.
Besides the above business men who moved over to New Cherokee, the following came:
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HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
Eugene Cowles, a very successful attorney, was among the latest settlers in the old town before the new place had been established. He removed soon and was for years among the highest of his profession in this part of the State. He is now deceased. See sketch elsewhere.
Dr. Royal L. Cleaves located at old town in March, 1870. He rented for his office and dwelling a building eight feet square, in which he remained until his removal to New Chero- kee.
The livery and stage barns of Smith & Kright were at old town. They did a large business, run a stage line to Newell, lowa, besides an extensive livery business.
Thomas Lewis was a blacksmith at old town and removed to New Cherokee, where he still resides.
Another firm who did business at old town was Banister & Lockwood, who were suc- ceeded by Walter Harriman.
Many of the first buildings erected at the new town were built semi temporarily. by way of the nails only being driven part way into the boards. The reason for this was that it was yet a problem unsolved as to whether the railroad company would settle on build- ing a depot here or at Blair City-a half mile to the northeast. Those were days when settlers who were engaged in trade of any kind wanted to be foot-loose and ready to be the first men on the ground, wherever a station should be located by the railroad company.
THE RAILROAD ERA.
The location of New Cherokee was made on account of the railroad's peculiar survey in getting in and out of the Little Sioux Val- ley, its course being near the shape of a horse-shoe. In October, 1869, no town lots had been sold here by the railroad company, and but few houses had been erected up to
the spring of 1870, and those were of a very humble sort. The main street was carpeted with wild grass, except a wagon track through the center.
But the advent of the iron horse gave new life to everything-building commenced, population increased rapidly, and by January 1, 1871, the new town had five grocery stores, two hardware stores, two meat shops, three hotels, three lumber yards, one agricultural house, a school-house, three physicians, a harness shop, a wagon shop, two shoe shops, three blacksmith shops, three law offices, three church societies, three civic societies and three saloons.
To give a better idea of the general build- ing boom then carried forward in town and country, it may be stated that the first four months James Archer sold lumber in the town, he disposed of $20,000 wortlı. And the first eleven months that Luther & Rice handled lumber, etc., they sold 226,000 feet of lumber, 467,000 shingles, 16,000 pounds of building paper, four car-loads of sash and doors, and a car-load of nails and hardware. The first six weeks C. E. P. Hobart was en- gaged in the Inmber trade, in the autumn of 1870, lie sold 225,000 feet of lumber, 150,000 shingles, 50,000 lath, 106 doors and 157 windows.
The boom did not cease but kept right on, and the Cherokee Times, under date of Oc- tober 10, 1871, said: "George Satterlee, during the past summer, has manufactured 26,000 brick. Taking this for a fair sample of what can be done in this line, we may rea- sonably hope that brick blocks will speedily take the place of our inferior pine structures, which are but so many fire traps."
EARLY BUSINESS INTERESTS.
The first man to open np a store in the new town of Cherokee was H. A. Fife.
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HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
The first eleven houses erected were built by the following gentlemen: James Archer, C. E. P. Hobart, H. Kennedy, E. Everts, H. C. Kellogg, Dr. Royal L. Cleaves, Eugene Cowles, C. F. Culver, E. Luther, H. D. Nye and Robert Buchanan.
The business interests of Cherokee in the month of October, 1872, were conducted as follows: Physicians, Dr. Cleaves, Dr. Butler; attorneys, Kellogg & Lewis, Eugene Cowles; hotels, the McLean and lowa honses; lumber, James Archer, Hobart & Snyder, Burr & Co .; grain, James Archer, Hobart & Snyder, C. Beckwith; agricultural goods, D. P. Burr & Co., R. Hall, Holt, Garrison & Co., C. A. Dow; coal (same as grain and lumber men); general stores, H. A. Fife, Kelley & Wal- rath, F. W . Huxford, M. Vandercook ; grocers, H. D. Nye, Z. A. Wellman (groceries and drugs), J. P. Howe, II. Kennedy; furniture, W. Pelton; hardware, Cornish Bros .; drugs, J. A. Cole, E. C. Herrick, Z. A. Wellman ; harness shops, T. Hopkins, Andy Meeker; shoe shops, E. Lockwood, Thomas Green; livery stables, W. II. Tiel, G. W. Hodgins; blacksmith shops, J. W. Combs & Co., A. Rollo, - Bostwick; photograph studio, J. C. Wilson; millinery, Mrs. Jones; merchant tailor, W. Jones; wagon shop, Jones Bros .; restaurant, M. Ward; boots and shoes, L. D. Carey, J. P. Howe; gunsmith, Otto Peek; meat shop, Isaac Ellis; land office, Roe & Whitmore; banks, Fulton & Scribner, Charles Goldsbury; newspapers, Times, Leader; jew- elry, George Taylor.
EARLY HOTELS.
In every new town there is much of his- toric interest associated with the first hotels. The pioneer hotel of New Cherokee was built early in .1870 by a gentleman named Moore, who came from Sioux City, Iowa, and erected what was known (through a short but very
eventful history) as the Cherokee Honse. It was built on railroad lands, at a point near which the track crosses Main street. It was talked for some time among the residents of the young town that parties were coming from Sioux City to build a first-class hotel, and this was talked to those who were look- ing abont for a business location. This dreamn vanished when it was found Mr. Moore was unloading a few car-loads of cottonwood lum- ber, from which he erected the Cherokee House! It was boarded up and down and its roof was made of double lapped cottonwood boards, which not unfrequently allowed the roomers to gaze out into the star-bespangled sky of an evening! The dimensions of the house were about 25 x 60 feet; the first floor was divided into an office, a spacious " feed- ing room " (dining hall), and a small cook room in the rear. The upper story was prin- cipally in one large room, known as the " school section," wherein were many beds, bunks and cots. The partition walls between this room and one or two " bridal chambers " were made of inch cottonwood stuff, which excluded all matters of secrecy upon the part of guests! However, the hotel was conducted in an orderly manner, and was the best that could then be afforded.
It soon fell into the hands of Daniel Me- Kay, who conducted it abont a year, when it was torn down, having outlived its useful- ness, by the erection of the McLean Hotel. An old timer says that when it was torn down the cottonwood lumber was so full of bed- bugs that weights had to be placed on the pile to keep the bugs from walking off with the boards! Had this not been related by one who used to board there, and now a highly respected citizen, it would not find a place in this work! There are very many laughable incidents related concerning this hotel, which is known among pioneers as The Cottonwood.
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HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
Abont this date the McLean House was built, and from its history, found in this chapter, it may be learned tliat it was a first- class house; but when that was destroyed by fire, in January, 1873, the village was with- out hotel accommodations of any note, so W. H. Fife, who was conducting a store, added more to his store building, which stood on lots now occupied by George Jolinson's store, on Main street, and opened a hotel, known as the Iowa Honse; this was operated until the spring of 1874, by Mr. Fife, when he leased to. Daniel Dougherty and moved to Tacoma, Washington Territory, where in a few years he became a very wealthy man.
In 1874 Nelson & McCulloch built a frame hotel which stood where the Washington House now stands. It was called the Em- pire House. It was a frame building over a brick basement, and cost $4,000. It was afterward sold to J. M. Starbuck, who finally sold it to its present owner, George W. Young. However, the Empire was but the beginning; it was added to and rebuilt until to-day we have what was known as the Hotel Hunt, but now as the Washington House-a first-class hotel. It is a three-story brick building (veneered) and is now leased by Phillip Armonr, late of Council Bluff's.
The McLean House was erected in 1870 by E. F. McLean. It stood on Maple street; had sixty-two feet front and was forty feet deep, with an " L " 40 x 60 feet, three stories high. The building was not only large, but well furnished, and kept in first-class style. It ranked among Western Iowa's finest hotels at that day. Its proprietor did a handsome thing, financially, when he erected the lionse. He had faith in the town and put his money in freely to build up the place. The house and contents were valued at 818,000. It was also provided with a large public hall which was used for all public gatherings. Unfortu-
nately for the enterprising owner, the town as well, it was totally destroyed by fire Jann- ary 16, 1873. The total loss to Mr. McLean was $11,000. There were three fine pianos burned, belonging to different persons, one valued at $800. The conflagration was cansed by a defective kitchen flue and occurred at 10 o'clock at night, when the mercury had fallen to 26° below zero. A heroic effort on the part of citizens, together with the hook and ladder company, availed nothing, only in saving other business honses. Many of the workmen froze their fingers in that long night's exposure.
In speaking of the first grain elevator erected at Cherokee the Times said, in June, 1872: " Two elevators were raised yester- day. those of Jaines Archer and C. Beckwith. The frame of Archer's elevator is of pine, the sills are 12 x 14 inches, while the posts are 12 x 12 inches. The structure is 24 x 30 feet, on the foundation, and 30 feet high. It lias a capacity of 10.000 bushels. S. Pratt was the contracting builder.
The one being built for C. Beckwith is framed from cottonwood and is twenty feet high, having a capacity of 8,000 bushels. Mr. Foster is the contractor. Both buildings are on good stone foundations and present a solid appearance."
In September, 1872, there was a weekly pur- chase of 6,000 bushels of grain, at Cherokee, valned at 85,000, which sum was set afloat on the business streets, in exchange for goods. At that date the village was only two years old.
The same season it was shown that Chero- kee Village sold $200,000 worth of farm mna- chinery, including many hundred reapers, mowers and harvesters.
The first car-load of wheat shipped from Cherokee was billed by James Archer in Oc- tober, 1870. He also shipped the first lum- ber to the place, coming from the East.
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HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
In speaking of the milling interests at this point, the Cherokee Times, of November 17, 1871, said:
" Last Thursday marked a new era in the history of Cherokee County, second only in importance to the arrival of the first locomo- tive that sounded its shrill whistle np and down the Little Sioux Valley. This era was not marked or welcomed by sounding drums or thundering cannon, but an humble horse team bearing the first load of flour ever ground at home mills. It was the inception of a new state of things; the terrible odds against the farmner are at last removed; the selling of low-priced wheat and the shipping of flour at a high rate of freight has come to an end. Cherokee now has a mill of sufficient capac- ity to not only grind for home trade, but also to ship thousands of barrels annnally to other portions of the country. Farmers, your land is worth $2 per acre more than yesterday."
CHEROKEE POSTOFFICE.
What is known as Cherokee in the postal guides was established in the fall of 1857, at the residence-a log house-of Benjamin Holbrook, in the old town. The following have served as postmasters to the present date, July, 1889: Benjamin Holbrook, Lem- uel Parkhurst, A. C. Weber, Carlton Corbett, John F. Foskett, Samnel Lockwood, in the old town, and in the present city plat, Captain Roe, Fred Huxford, Henry Nye, Z. A. Well- man, Major R. M. Smith, James Ward, Will- iam Snell. This office was made a money-or- der station in July, 1874. The first order was issued for S. T. Richards, Chicago, Illi- nois by George E. Beebe, of Cherokee, Iowa. The amount was 84.50. The full number of money-orders issued from the Cherokee office, up to Angnst 1, 1889, was 22,180, the number of postal notes granted at this office up to the ;
above date being 9,396. Total number of for- eign money-orders issued to above date, 282.
CITY WATER-WORKS.
Up to the present year, Cherokee business interests have not been protected against the fire fiend, having no good and lasting supply of water. The present system-known as the stand pipe system-is being put in at a cost of $21,000, this expenditure being met by the issning of city bonds, which were bought by N. T. Burroughs, banker of the city of Cherokee, at something above par. A "flowing well" was obtained June 16, 1889, near the banks of the Little Sioux and at the eastern end of Main street. It is abont 200 feet deep and throws forth a stream eight inches in diameter, of the purest, finest water to be found. Near this wonderful well is built the pumping station or engine honse, from which the massive iron pipes run to a point on a very high elevation, northwest of the city, a distance of abont one mile, its route going through Main street. Upon that elevated spot is being erected a stand-pipe, measuring eighteen feet in diameter and eiglity feet high, giving a total " head " or fall of 190 feet above Main street. The stand- pipe is made from heavy boiler iron, riveted together with red-hot rivets. Its capacity is about 7.000 barrels.
The pressure per square inch derived from this head is sufficient to throw a stream of water over the highest building in the city, at great force. The water is pumped to the standpipe through the pipes beneath the streets, by means of a steam pump, mannfact- ured at Dubuque and known as the Smedly Pump, its dimensions being 18 x 101 x 18 inches and having a capacity to pump 1,000,- 000 gallons of water in twenty-four hours.
In all, there are 12,000 feet of pipe, equal to about two and one-quarter miles. That
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HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
used on the business streets is eight and ten inches in diameter, while that along residence streets is four and six inches.
The original contract price for this system of water-works was $20,975. The engineer employed was W. W. Curtis, of St. Panl, Minnesota, and the contractor was E. T. Sykes, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who em- ployed as their superintendent, Frank P. Clough. The workmen who dug the trenches and aided in putting in the pipes were all engaged from among Cherokee laborers, which was one of the conditions of the contract, on the part of the city. The work commenced July 1, 1889, and will be completed Septem- ber 1, 1889.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
In 1872 a volunteer Hook and Ladder Com- pany was organized. They used pails for defense against the ravages of frequently oc- cnrring fires. About 1883 this company was re-organized, nnder an ordinance passed by the Town Council. Later on four large cis- tern tanks were set beneath the surface of the streets, at different points. Some of these were filled by connecting hose with the rail- road water tank, others by pumping from the river, and still others had to be supplied with water by hauling it in the sprinkling tank. by teams. The original company had pro- vided themselves with a few hundred feet of hose together with cart and ladders, but the town, upon the re-organization of the com. pany, procured better implements with which to operate. They purchased more hose, and also bought a Remington Fire Engine, which was worked by means of horse-power, so con- structed that it could be taken to the scene of a fire and " set " within five or eight minutes. With four horses, belonging to dray lines of the place, a strong stream of water could be pumped from the tanks or underground cis- 28
terns, sufficient to put out any ordinary fire. This engine and its attachment cost $1,300. The Hook and Ladder Company is composed of thirty-five mnen and has been divided into what is known as the Hook and Ladder Com- pany, the Hose Company and the Engine Company.
The present chief of the Fire Department is W. D. Chick, who has served faithfully for five years. In the summer of 1889 he was presented with a fine gold medal, as a token of appreciation of his well doing and good management. The business men of the town have been saved very many times from a great loss by fire, as a result of this company. At present they have 1,000 feet of good hose, excellent truck and ladders, besides the engine and horse power, which will soon be super- seded by the new system of water-works, now nearly completed. From this time on Cherokee City will be comparatively safe in the hands of the fire company, aided as it will be by an abundant supply of water-the thing they have ever lacked at the time they most needed it.
BOARD OF HOME ENTERPRISE.
In January, 1887, about sixty-five of the leading business men of Cherokee City or- ganized a " Board of Home Enterprise," cal- culated to be of vast benefit to the town and county. Concerning that body, we extract from a somewhat lengthy article appearing about that date. in the Cherokee Times, the following: "To any reflective mind it is clear that the territory of which Cherokee County is a part will, in a business sense, be molded by railroads and other institutions during the next few years, in a way that will largely affect its future destiny. No Omahas, Des Moines and Sioux Cities are made purely by accident. Few if any of these places have
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HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
succeeded in "coming to the front," except by hard and persistent work on the part of a majority of the leading spirits of these places, and also they have found it necessary to form Boards of Trade, Home Improvement Com- panies, etc., to further the work of develop- ment. ' Fortune is a lazy Goddess; she will never come to you." John Deere only inade nine plows the first year. All or nearly all the great manufacturing enterprises of the country have commenced in a small and hum- ble way. No institution is to be more valu- able to us than a good, large flonring and feed mill, and this town can well afford to en- courage Mr. Beckwith to make a business that will do a $75,000 annual business. Star- buck's brick and tile works do a $25.000 business and should be encouraged. Kellogg's creamery makes dairying a cash business and adds to the material wealth of all parts of this county. The wagon shops and Fans & Un- ger's stone works, the steam laundry, Soutter's dye works-every other legitimate enterprise should be fostered and aided by our people. Above all, onr home merchants and business men should be protected, as against hucksters and scalpers who pay no taxes and bear no burdens. If the business men of a town are always poor and oppressed, the town cannot hope for prosperity. Good towns make good markets. Good markets make valuable lands around them, and the converse is ever found trne. Good roads also give good markets, and all roads lead to Rome! For the bless- ing of final success in Cherokee, let us all give a long pull, a strong pull and a pull al- together.
" P. S .- And still keep on pulling!"
A few years later a Commercial Club was organized, of which M. Wakefield is now president, and Thomas McCulla is secretary, the object being to extend home enterprise and improve the city.
INCORPORATION OF CHEROKEE.
For several years the enterprising and pro- gressive people of Cherokee felt the impor- tance of becoming an incorporated town, but not having a sufficient number of inhabitants to carry out successfully their desired plans, in the way of internal improvements and the perfect establishment of a regular incorpo- rate municipality, such a step was not taken until the spring of 1873. April 6, of that year, the question was subinitted to a vote of the people thns interested. The vote stood sixty-four for incorporation and fifteen against the measure. So, with a majority of forty- nine the citizens felt justified in the calling of an election of incorporation officials, which was held in May, 1873, resulting as follows:
For Mayor, George W. Lebourvean, 122. For Recorder, M. Wakefield, 122. For Trus- tees, F. R. Fulton, 123; William McKay, 120; R. Mason, 109; F. E. Whitmore, 77; R. Hall, 68. The total number of votes cast was 124.
Notwithstanding there was a lack of funds during the first year's history of incorpora- tion, yet the citizens were assured that they had taken the correct conrse. The first mayor, pioneer George W. Lebourvean, in his state- inent at the year's close, stated that while the council, including himself, were all " new hands at the business, "and did not profess to be lawyers, yet he believed the record made was a good one, and as it seemed to be the voice of the people that he serve in the capac- ity of mayor another year, he pledged tliem, if elected, that a material improvement might reasonably be looked for. He also made many statements concerning the welfare of Chero- kee, and urged the people to stand by the council in their earnest efforts to regulate and lawfully control the saloons (Iowa at that time was cursed with her share of them) and gambling houses, and to expend all moneys
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collected as fines and licenses upon the side- walks and streets of the incorporation.
The following constitutes the gentlemen: who have served the town as mayor, to the present year (1889), inclusive;
George W. Lebonrveau, 1873-'74; H. D. Walrath, 1875; W. Pelton, 1876; James O'Donnell, 1877; M. Wakefield, 1878 to 1884; Thomas McCulla, 1885-'89.
The city officers serving at this date. An- gust, 1889, are: Thomas McCulla, Mayor; J. C. Hall, D. Hull, O. Gage, A. B. Ross, A. B. Knox, J. P. Rankins, Councilinen; J. II. Uinhoefer, Recorder; G. W. Wheeler Marshal.
MAGNETIC MINERAL SPRINGS.
Among the peculiarities of the geological formation in and around Cherokee are the magnetic wells, which flow to the surface through tubes driven down abont 200 feet. The water thus obtained gnshes forth on the flat near the Little Sioux River, and was first discovered about 1880, while prospecting for coal. The water is the finest and mnost healthful in the world. It is a semi-soft water and highly magnetic, so much so that a pocket-knife placed in it will become so thoroughly magnetized that it will readily pick up nails, keys or other metallic pieces. That this property is of much value to the human system has been positively proven through years of use by those who have been troubled with various complaints, including those of a nervous character. Scientific ex- aminations and practical tests have proved to be very triumphant. Prof. John W. Draper, of New York, made a test of these waters and gave the following as the chemical prop- erties :
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