USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 129
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 129
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Geo. H. Freneh, born in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, February 5, 1825, is a son of Benjamin and Alice S. (Sanders) French, who were also natives of Massachusetts. His grandfather, Benjamin French, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and served as Washington's body guard for three years, and during the time was wounded in attempting to save the Gen- cral's life. George H. passed the first ten years of his life in his native town, and the next twenty-two years in Lowell, Massachusetts, working for the Middlesex Corporation, whieli is the largest woolen manufacturing establishment in the world. During 1857, he eame west, arriving in Sumner in December of that year. He settled on seetion 22, on a farm of forty acres, wliel he had entered two years previously. Shortly after his arrival hc
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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.
purchased 80 acres more, and still owns the farm. He is a republican, and has held the office of township , trustee, besides other minor offices. Mr. French was mar- ried on the 6th day of February, 1847, to Miss Miriam S. Holt, who was born in Andover, New Hampshire, and there lived until fifteen years of age, then moving to Lowell, Massachusetts. Five children have been born to them, of whom three are now living-Isora A. L., wife of Charles Follansbee, of Morrison, Rice county, Minnesota; George O. B. and Eddie B.
These are all the first settlers that can be remembered. The township did not settle very rapidly for a number of years. Among those who came in later, and are now residents outside the town of Sumner, may be found several, sketches of whoin are here given:
David Caswell, son of Timothy and Mercy (Short) Caswell, was born on the 14th day of May, 1806, in the town of Warren, Herkimer county, New York. When he was twelve years old, the family moved to Broome county, New York, where he grew to manhood, and, when old enough to do business for himself, en- gaged in farming and lumbering. In 1835, he moved to Winnebago county, Illinois, forming one of the very first set- tlers of that county, having none but the Indians for neighbors. During Mr. Cas- well's residence there, he improved a farm, and was the first in that county to cast a vote. In the year 1863, he came to Bre- mer county, Iowa, and settled on section 20, Summer township, where he now re- sides, and owns 160 acres of land. He has filled the office of justice of the peace
five years. March 19, 1832, he was united in marriage to Miss Irene Rairden, who was born in Broome county, New York, and is a daughter of John and Rebecca (Atwater) Rairden, who were natives of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Caswell have three children living-Lydia Elvira, wife of George N. Gardner, and living in Kan- sas; John David, who lives in Kansas; Roxy C., wife of James N. Doty, and liv- ing in Nebraska.
S. N. Orvis, son of Timothy B. and Rachel Orvis, was born in Pennsylvania in 1835. His father died in 1876, at the age of 86; his mother, who is now 82 years old, is a member of Mr. Orvis' fam- ily. In 1841 his parents moved to Mad- ison county, New York, where they re- mained until 1850, when they went to Boone county, Illinois. Mr. Orvis was reared on a farm, receiving but a limited education. In 1861 he came to this State and settled in Clayton county, remaining, however, but three years, when he came to Sumner and bought the farm where he now lives. He has been trustee of the town, and trustee of the schools for a num- ber of years. Mr. Orvis is one of those quiet, unassuming men who always make friends and never enemies. He was mar- ried, in 1870, to Miss Anna Lowe, a na- tive of Delaware county, Iowa. They have had five children, one died-Edith, Millicent, Alma and Bruce.
J. Dawson was born in Yorkshire, Eng- land, August 15, 1836. During the year 1857, he came to America, and first set- tled on a farm, near the city of Chicago, where he worked two and one-half years, then moved to Missouri and entered the Missouri Home Guards. After remaining
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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.
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in that State two and one-half years, he came to Bremer county, Iowa, and lo- cated on a farm in Leroy township. In December, 1869, he sold that farm and purchased 160 acres on section 16, Sumner township. He now owns 400 acres of land, all of which is under cultivation. Mr. Dawson has held the office of town clerk two years and is present assessor. In the year 1860, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Harrington, who, also, was born in England. They have eight chil- dren living-William, John, Annie E., Mary J., Thomas, Samuel, Charles W. and Henry.
Isaac Taft was born in Lewis county, New York, July 2, 1822. When he was five years of age he went to St. Lawrence county, where he lived until he was thirteen, and moved to Loraine county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood on a farm. He went to Michigan, remained a short time, and then went to Illinois, re- maining four years. He again returned to Michigan and engaged in farming for six- teen years, when he came to Iowa, and bought the farm where he now lives. Mr. Taft has had charge of the Wilson Grove Cemetery for the past twelve years. HIe was married in 1849, to Miss Mary Hopkins, a native of New York; they were married in Lucas county, Ohio. They have had three children, one died when an infant-Fannie, the wife of Ed. Wentworth, of Sumner, and Frank, who lives at home. He was married in 1875, to Miss Martha Parker, who died, leaving twin babies and son, Guy H., seven years of age. They are the possessors of a bureau which was brought to the United States in the Mayflower, in the Baker
family, and was at that time, a chest of drawers. They also have a piece of the boat cut from the Mayflower.
William C. Husband, son of John and Margaret (Tarr) Husband, was born Jan- uary 12, 1827, in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. He obtained his education in his native county, and, when of suffi- cient years, learned the trade of black- smithing. When nineteen years old, he came as far west as Ohio, and located in the town of Akron, where he was em- ployed in the machine shops. During the year 1866, he came to Bremer county, and settled on a farm in section 17, where he now resides, and owns 130 acres of land. In January, 1870, he was married to Miss Harriet E. Parshall. Mr. Husband has two sons-John and Charles A .- by a for- mer wife.
Frederick Krause, born in Germany in 1828, came to America in 1857, and set- tled in Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming. He remained there for ten years, when he came to Iowa and settled on a farm in Sumner, where he still lives. He has made all the improvements on his farm, and has 285 acres of land. Mr. Krause was a school director for two years, and was largely instrumental in the building of the German Church. He was the first class leader and first superintend- ent of the Sunday School. He was mar- ried in Germany to Miss Wilhemina Lud- wig. They have seven children-Louisa, Will, Emma, Augusta, John, Fred and Nettie.
Anton Miller, son of John and Effie Barbara Miller, was born in Germany, in 1848. He came to America in 1851, when he was but three years of age, and lived
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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.
in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, where he grew to manhood on a farm, receiving a common school education. In 1871 he came to Sumner and settled on the farm where he now lives. He is at present one of the school board of Pleasant Valley In- dependent district. Mr. Miller was mar- ried in 1871, to Miss Anna Rockdaschel, a native of Wisconsin. They have four children-Emma, Arthur, Aaron and Lou- isa Almira.
HISTORICAL ITEMS.
The first marriage in the township was that of D. R. Hatch to Miss Mary A. Da- vis, in April, 1858, by Rev. A. K. Moulton.
The example of this couple was soon followed by Charles Sweet and Nancy Moulton, who promised to each other to ever be true, and following very soon came Dwight Mabb and Miss Levina Drake, who had concluded to make the journey of life together.
The first birth in the township was a child to Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Stevenson, born in May, 1855. It only remained a few weeks when it was numbered among the dead.
Frank Rowe, son of Charles Rowe, is the oldest living inhabitant in Sumner township.
The first death was Hattie, wife of An- drew Parkhurst, who died October, 1856, and was buried in Mentor Cemetery, Le- roy township.
There are two cemeteries in the town- ship, "Wilson Grove," located on the east line, and the "German Evangelical," situ- ated on section 17.
The first school taught in Sumner was by Mary Ann Hart, on the premises of J.
N. Bemis, in a little building used by him as a granary, during the fall of 1857.
The first school house was built in 1858, in what is now known as Rowe Indepen- dent district. The first school board was: A. L. Stevenson, secretary; J. Hubbard, president, and Luther Hubbard, treasurer. There are now five school houses in the township, outside of Sumner village. The total valuation of school property is esti- mated at $7,500; the total number of school children, about 400.
The first religious services were held by Rev. A. K. Moulton, near Wilson's Grove. There are now three churches in the town- ship: Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal, and German Evangelical.
During the early days mail had to be carried from Douglas postoffice, Fayette county, a distance of twenty-five miles. Afterward a postoffice was established at Wilson's Grove, J. N. Bemis postmaster.
ORGANIC.
In the summer of 1858 the following notice was served:
To Charles Rowe:
You are hereby notified that the County Court of Bremer county has, this 27th day of July, A. D. 1858, formed and erected into a new civil township the territory embraced in Congressional township No 93, range 11, west, in said county, to be known by the name of Sum- ner township, and you are required to post up notices in the most public places thereof, em- bracing the following, to-wit: That a special election will be held in said Sumner township, on the 16th day of August, at the house of Rev. A. K. Moulton, at which the following officers will be elected: Two justices of the peace, one township clerk, three township trustees, and two constables. Notice of the same shall be given
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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.
at least fifteen days before the day of holding the same .. You are also required to return this Warrant to the presiding officer of the meeting, with your return thereon, as required by law.
· Given under my hand and seal of office, at Waverly, this 27th day of July, A. D. 1858.
[SIGNED.] GEORGE W. MAXFIELD,
County Judge.
I hereby certify the above to be a true copy of the original warrant.
H. W. GRIFFITH, Township Clerk.
The election was held accordingly, at which time George H. French was elected chairman; E. P. Bemis, J. N. Bemis and H. W. Griffith, judges; H. E. Jaggar and George Wheaton, clerks. The following officers were elected: J. N. Bemis and J. E. Wilson, justices; H. E. Jaggar, Geo. H. French and L. N. Sholes, trustees; H. W. Griffith clerk; Charles Rowen, M. Baker, constables.
The following comprises the township officers from 1858, to date:
October 12, 1858 .- H. E. Jaggar, J. E. Wilson, justices; H. E. Jaggar, Geo. H. French, David Stevenson, trustees; L. M. Sholes, clerk; H. W. Griffith, assessor; Charles Rowe, A. Stevenson, constables.
October 11, 1859-At the house of John Hall .- D. R. Hatch, C. Rowe, F. Mabb, trustees; L. M. Scholes, clerk; Abel Per- kins, Jr., assessor; A. L. Stevenson, C. I. Thorp, constables.
November 6, 1860-At the house of John Hall .- L. M. Sholes, supervisor; H. S. Munger, clerk; J. O. Huddatt, Chas. Rowe, justices; Abel Perkins, Jr., assessor; Al- len Rowe, George Wheaton, B. Webster, trustees; A. Stoddard, Albert Rowe, con- stables.
October 6, 1861-At the house of John Hall .- Abel Perkins, Jr., supervisor; Elias Congdon, justice; U. B.Webster, assessor; H. S. Munger, clerk; Chester Miller, E. P. -Bemis, L. M. Sholes, trustees; N. Bogart, J. W. Hart, constables.
October 14, 1862-At the school house in sub-district No. 5 .- N. E. Jaggar, jus- tice; L. M. Sholes, assessor; D. R. Hatch, clerk; Calvin Miller, John M. Lombard, U. B. Webster, trustee; David Whitney, Henry L. Dunn, constables.
October 13, 1863 -- At a school house .- D. R. Hatch, justice; D. R. Hatch, super- visor; O. S. Wright, assessor; S. B. Hatch, clerk; Elias Congdon, Allen Rowe, D. Berkstresser, trustees; John Lombard, Nel- son Bogart, constables.
October 10, 1865-At the school house in District No. 3-Elias Condon, supervi- sor; David Caswell, justice; R. H. Rey- nolds, John Caswell,. constables; H. S. Munger, clerk; D. R. Hatch, assessor; Allen Rowe, Walter Tabor, H. Witney, trustees.
October 9, 1866-At the school house in sub-district No. 3-D. R. Hatch, supervi- sor; L. M. Sholes, clerk; Myron Condon, assessor; H. B. Bixby, Charles Rowe, S. N. Orvis, trustees; David Caswell, justice; M. F. Watenpaugh, O. L. Farrand, constables. The trustees elected did not qualify according to law, and April 13, 1867, J. A. Barnes, H. B. Bixby and S. N. Orvis were appointed, who qualified.
STATE OF IOWA, -
BREMER COUNTY. - SS. To the township clerk of Sumner township, Bremer county, Iowa: "You are hereby notified that on the 5th day of June, A. D., 1867, sections 6 and
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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.
7, in township 93, range 11, west of the 5th principal meridian, was by the board of supervisors of said county, detached from Leroy township, and attached to Sumner township, for all civil and politi- cal purposes. In witness whereof, I have hercunto written my name and affixed the seal of my office, at Waverly, the 12th day of June, 1867.
H. C. MOORE, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of Bremer county."
Tuesday, October 8, 1867-At the school house in sub-district No. 3-S. N. Orvis, Myron Congdon, Allen Rowe, trustees; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; G. H. Hinkley, G. H. French, constables; L. M. Sholes, county supervisor; A. L. Stevenson, justice; J. O. Barnes, assessor.
Tuesday, November 3, 1868-School house No. 3-David Caswell, Alonzo O. Ketchum, S. N. Orvis, trustees; Chester Dymond, David Caswell, justices; Geo. W. Tabor, O. Farrand, constables; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; J. A. Barnes, assessor.
Tuesday, October 12, 1869-At school house District No. 3-A. L. Stevenson, supervisor; Lester Congdon, Charles Rowe, D. Berkstresser, trustees; Philip Callahan, George Hinkley, constables; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; Geo. Wheaton, assessor.
Tuesday, October 11, 1870-At school house No. 3 .- Charles Rowe, D. Berk- stresser, Lester Congdon, trustees; D. Berkstresser, George Wheaton, justices; U. D. Smith, L. A. Munger, constables; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; S. F. Cass, assessor.
August 5, 1871-At Cass's store, in Sumner .- For taxation or no taxation, to aid the Iowa Pacific Railroad-For, 60; against, 29.
Tuesday, October 10, 1871-At Cass Hall, Sumner .- John A. Haag, David Berkstresser, Myron Congdon, trustees; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; A. J. Lowe, as- sessor; Lester Congdon, M. F. Waten- paugh, constables.
Tuesday, November 5, 1872-At Cass' storc .- David Berkstresser, Myron Cong- don, Charles Rowe, trustees; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; S. F. Cass, assessor; George Wheaton, David Berkstresser, justices; John Brown, M. F. Watenpaugh, constables.
Tuesday, October 14, 1873 - At Cass' store .- S. N. Orvis, assessor; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; Myron Congdon, Charles Rowe, John A. Haag, trustees; M. F. Watenpaugh, Alfred Wheaton, constables. Tuesday, October 13, 1874 - At Cass' store-E. Brooks, David Berkstresser, justices; S. F. Cass, assessor; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; John. A. Haag, Myron Congdon, Charles Rowe, trustees; C. C. Parsons, M. F. Watenpangh, constables.
Tuesday, October 12, 1875 -- At the Sumner House .- S. F. Cass, assessor; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; Myron Congdon, Orris Wescott, John A. Haag, trustees; H. H. Horton, F. N. Steen, constables.
November 7, 1876-At the Sumner Housc .- James Muffley, D. R. Littell, jus- tices; A. F. Thull, assessor; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; Myron Congdon, John A. Haag, Orris Wescott, trustees; A. H. Jarvis, E. B. Carroll, constables.
October 9, 1877-At the Sumner House. -O. O. Tibbits, assessor; John Dawson, clerk; Myron Congdon, Orris Wescott, George Baumgartner, trustees.
October 8, 1878 .- D. R. Littell, David Berkstresser, justices; Henry Lease, Jr.,
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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.
assessor; John Dawson, clerk; Myron Congdon, F. Ladwig, B. J. Allen, trustees; A. H. Jarvis, M. F. Watenpaugh, con- stables.
October 14, 1879 .- Henry Lease, Jr., as- sessor; John Dawson, clerk; F. Ladwig, trustee.
November 2, 1880-At Carpenter's Hall. -Myron Congdon, trustee; D. R. Hatch, assessor; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; D. R. Littell, J. Lowe, justices; A. H. Jarvis, William Winn, constables.
October 11, 1881-At the restaurant of D. H. Robinson .- B. J. Allen, trustee.
November 7, 1882-At King's Hotel .- T. W. Tower, H. C. Alger, justi :es; Henry Lease, Jr., clerk; John Dawson, Sr., asses- sor; F. Ladwig, trustee; A. H. Jarvis, D. H. Robinson, constables.
HORSES.
In every community where the people are as prosperous as in the vicinity of Sumner, there is a constantly increasing demand for good horses. This demand is fully met by Tower & Tibbits. They have many good animals of the best strains of imported stock. Among recent purchases may be found the following: "Young Scotland's Glory," a jet black, 17 hands high, weight 1815 pounds, age four years. A stallion imported from Glasgow. He is the best bred horse in this part of the State, and is valued at $2,000. "Young Clyde," three years old, weighs 1435 pounds, is 16} hands high, was imported from Scotland in 1881. He is a blood- bay and a fine animal. Another horse de- serving of mention is Mohawk Hambleto- nian, a blood-bay, sixteen hands high, sired by Mohawk, Jr., with a record of 2.25.
Thomas W. Tower was born in Under- hill, Chittenden county, Vermont, April 21, 1824. He was the son of Hon. John H. Tower, one of the first settlers of Un- derhill, who was between thirty and forty years, a leading merchant of that place; associate judge of that district for two terms; also one of the board of commis- sioners of the Vermont Central Railroad. He died at the age of sixty-two. Thomas was brought up in the mercantile business, but having a desire to become an attorney, he supplied himself with law books and commenced to read law while attending to his duties about the store, continuing for three years, or until he was twenty, when he went to Morrisville, Vermont, il .- to the law office of Judge Poland. Mr. Tower continued in his office study, how- ever, but one year, when at the urgent solicitation of his aged father, he gave up his chosen profession and returned to Un- derhill to take charge of the extensive mercantile business his father had built up. He remained in Vermont until 1854, when he moved to Wisconsin and settled in Crawford county. There he built a flouring mill and in the same year sur- veyed and platted the village of Tower- ville. He also engaged in the mercantile business, and in 1865, built and operated a woolen mill. He built up a prosperous business in each branch he undertook, and also made a thriving little village which grew to be quite a business and manufac- turing place. He continued the mercau- tile business in Towerville until he came to Sumner, in 1879, and engaged in business with Tibbetts, Reimler & Co. Mr. Tower was a member of the county board of Crawford county for a number of years,
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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.
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and a member of the State Legislature of Wisconsin in 1858, for one term, elected. by the Whig party. He continued in bus- iness in Sumner, until August, 1882, when he sold out and engaged with his son-in- law, O. O. Tibbetts, in the horse business. Mr. Tower was married, in 1846, to Miss II. Maria Livingston, (a distant relative of Dr. Livingston, of African fame,) a native of Chittenden county, Vermont. She died in 1855, leaving three children. Mr. Tower married again in 1856, and in 1872 married for his third wife, Miss Rasallie R. McAuley a native of Wisconsin. They have five children living-Ida M., Eva E., May L., John H., Pearl E. Dewitt C. died at the age of twenty-five years.
O. O. Tibbitts, son of Chauncey and Hannah Tibbitts, born in Canada, in 1853, came to the States with his parents, set- tling in Fremont county, Michigan, until 1861; they then went to Towerville, Wis- consin, where they remained seven years, then came to Sumner. Mr. Tibbitts being then fifteen years of age, went into the store of his brother-in-law, S. S. Cass, as clerk, remaining until he went in com- pany with him, in 1877, under the firm name of S. F. Cass & Co. In 1879, in company with C. Reimler and T. W.Tower, he bought out the Cass interest, and con- tinued the business under the firm name of Tibbits, Reimler & Co., and continued under that name until the firm was suc- ceeded by S. F. Cass & Co. In the fall of 1879 he, with his father-in-law, T. W. Tower, platted what is known as Tibbitts' and Tower's addition to Sumner. In 1879 and 1880, Mr. Tibbitts built onc of the finest residences in the village. He was postmaster from 1878 to 1882, also express
agent from the time the railroad came through, until 1882. He was married in 1878 to Miss Mary L. Tower, daughter of T. W. Tower. They have one child- Mattie, aged three years.
TOWN OF SUMNER.
In the midst of a gentle, rolling prairie, bordered on the northeast by a ridge, on the east by timber, and on the southeast by the meandering course of a small river, is a still more gently undulating plain of several hundred acres extent, from which rises the flourishing little town of Sumner. "Forty years ago the plain where Sumner now stands was a vast, howling wilder- ness," does the embryo orator credit; but does not do justice to the town or the wilderness. Ffteen years ago this was one wide expanse of prairie, except here and there a lonely farm, but the virgin soil of the present town plat was then unbroken. The large portion of this plat, which was owned by Chauncy Carpenter, before the railroad or town were even thought of, was broken up in 1869, and annually presented waving fields of grain thereafter, till its agricultural worth gave place to a town site, and possible future greatness. Sumner, in Sumner township, Bremer county, Iowa, is principally located on the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 24, township 93, range 11, west of the fifth principal meridian. At a distance of one-half mile east of town is Wilson's Grove, extending from one mile south to three miles north, making a total length of four miles, and having an average width of about one milc. Rising far to the north of Wilson's Grove, extend- ing through its entire length, and then
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David High.
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HISTORY OF BREMER COUNTY.
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taking a huge bend to the northwest, with a gradual return to its southerly direction, is the Little Wapsipinicon.
In June, 1871, a company of engineers made the first survey, coming in from the east of what is now the railroad. The company employing theni was styled the Iowa & Pacific Railroad Company, and the proposed road was to form a juncture on the prairie, this side of Randalia, with a Minnesota line, that was to make Du- buque connections. When the surveyors struck this plain they found the surface to be on grade, and, after due considera- tion, thought it a suitable location for a town, so in the fall of 1871 they returned and, assisted by Chauncey Carpenter, owner of the land, staked off the south- west quarter of the southwest quarter of section 24, consisting of forty acres, into town lots, and called it Sumner, at the instance of the proprietor. This was the original town of Sumner.
As the locating of stations is at the option of railroad companies, the Iowa and Pacific very naturally exacted of Mr. Carpenter a consideration for the loca- tion of a depot on his land. In compli- ance Mr. Carpenter donated the company for depot grounds a strip of fine land eigh- teen rods wide and ninety rods long, amounting to ten and one-cighth acres. In addition to this he also gave to the company ten acres in town lots. So, that of the original plat of forty acres, the railroad company secured half. Mr. Car- penter's donation was not all. In the fall of 1871, Sumner township voted a five per cent tax in aid of the road, as did a few other townships on the line. Banks township voted down the tax. About $400
of the tax voted by Sumner township, was paid into the company treasury, and drawn by the Iowa & Pacific Railroad.
In June, 1872, work was commenced all along the line, from the junction this side of Randalia to Belmont, twenty-five miles beyond Hampton, and was vigorously pros- ecuted till toward winter, when operations ceased, and were not resumed for some years. Meantime, the proposed road was very nearly gradcd and bridged over the entire extent, and the track laid from Waverly to Clarksville. Work on the road with which it was to form a junction was also abandoned. There were many along this line, who lost work, material or board furnished; but the greatest disap- pointment came to those who built their hopes on Sumner. Every winter and spring,hope would build on what the next summer would bring forth, only to fall and die with the leaves of autumn. In the season of 1872, during which the road was graded, Sumner was a field of waving grain, the stakes having been driven down so as to interfere with nothing except plowing; but the next year the demands for a town in the vicinity, railroad or no railroad, became so apparent and impera- tive that Mr. Carpenter gave up farming in the streets of Sumner, and threw open the site for future developments already begun. In 1878 a new company was or- ganized on the ruins of the old, styled the Dubuque and Dakota, and the road was soon in operation from Waverly to Hamp- ton. The company proposed to the peo- ple along the line, from Waverly east, to complete the road, if a five per cent. tax was voted in their aid. Sumner township voted the tax, on the additional proviso
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