USA > Iowa > Chickasaw County > History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa > Part 20
USA > Iowa > Howard County > History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa > Part 20
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of the peace; John Krerger, assessor; A. G. Bigelow, clerk Lee Miller. Chris Mullen constables.
OCTOBER 1881.
F. Marsh, Sr., trustee; G. A. Hamilton, justice of the peace; H. P. Cotant, clerk; Michael Malona, assessor.
NOVEMBER 1882.
F. McCarthy, trustee; D. B. Sneden, C. Carr, justices of the peace; Lee Miller, Charles White, constable; A. B. Harris, clerk, John Debittinger assessor.
In the above list of officers no mention is made of appointments to fill vacancies, which frequently occurred, The names given are of those who were regularly elected at the succeeding elec- tions.
The following entry appears of date given therein.
On petition of J, H. Powers and others, presented to the county judge on the 2d day of July, 1860, the following described territory was set off from the township of Dayton and attached to the township of New Hampton, to-wit: the S. E. { of the N. E. } and the N. E. { of the S. E, & of section 12, township 95, north of range 13 west; as per notice on file in the office of the township clerk, to which reference may be had. (Signed) H. Gurley, clerk.
NEW HAMPTON.
The town of New Hampton, which is the county seat of Chicka- saw county, deserves its importance and consequent prosperity chiefly from the fact that it is the geographical center of the county. The pioneers, who established the place, relied upon this fact to make good their investments, and the sequel showed that their judgment was not at fault; for, after divers contests, which will be- found to be recorded elsewhere, the seat of county government .. was ultimately and permanently located here, and peace is now perpetuating what intermittent warfare won.
As will appear hereafter, New Hampton was incorporated in 1873, and dates its beginning from 1855, at the commencement of which year there were no building on the present townsite, and no townsite in reality. Don A. Jackson, who located within a mile and a half of the present town in May, 1855, relates that at that time the town had no existence, actual or prospective. The name of the place was at first Chickasaw center, but was afterward changed to New Hampton by Osgood Gowan in compliment to
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
his native town in New England. According to Mr. Jackson's recollection, since corroborated by other pioneers, the first house erected in the town was built by David Edwards, and stood near where the creamery is now located. It was a small board dwelling. James Jarred built a log house not long afterwards, which stood in the center of the street between the Fitch block and the Gurley store building. Jarred sold to two men named Jacobs and Ross, who put in a small stock of general merchandise; which they - subsequently sold with the building, to Osgood . Gowan At the time of this sale Gowan kept the post office-he being the first postmaster-at his home in the woods, about one mile northeast of town. Gowan had to go to Jacksonville, for the mails, and . sometimes to West Union, on foot. He owned 160 acres where he lived, and in fact traded with Jacobs and Ross for the store pro- perty, and moved the post office to what is now called New Hamp- ton. Gowan afterwards sold to Harrison Gurley, who, with Gideon Gardner, and Homer Hamlin, had come to New Hampton in 1856. Gurley erected the. well known frame store building on the corner of Main street and Locust avenue, where he kept store quite a number of years, during ten of which, at least, he was the only merchant in New Hampton. 1
It is particularly difficult to reconcile conflicting memories, as to occurrences which date back quite a number of years. The first public place of entertainment in New Hampton was a log house erected by Samuel Shaw, Harvey S. Hill becoming the owner of it at a later date, and coverting it into a rude sort of hostlery. The building was also occupied, for a time by Gideon Gardner as a dwelling. William Johnson subsequently owned it, and moving it back, erected a frame in front, which he used as a saloon, himself and family dwelling in the log portion. Johnson sold to Hon. James F. Babcock, who, with his father, moved into the log portion, and transposed the saloon into a drug store, which was the pioneer drug store of New Hampton. This log building, was never a part of the hotel proper, which was built in the first place on the ground east of it, by Daniel Shook, and which underwent various | names and changes of proprietorship, being remembered best as the Dixon house and the New Hampton hotel. Shook erected the central portion of this building and the kitchen. He was suc- ceeded by Don. A. Jackson, who sold to W. D. Gardner. Mr.
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
Gardner added the west main portion of two stories, and after- wards sold to John Dixon, who built upon the east side, moved the kitchen to the rear of the Gardner addition, and extended the main part to the rear. Dixon sold to H. L. Fitch, and in 1881 the building was destroyed by fire. Upon its site Mr. Fitch erected in 1882 a fine brick business block of two stories, with three store rooms on the ground floor, a total cost of $15,000.
The Central house now owned and constructed by E. H. Yarger, was erected by Daniel Pepper, who sold to C. H. Clough, and he in turn to O. Dana, Yarger assuming the proprietorship in 1882.
- The property which J. F. Babcock purchased of William John- son, was located where Mr. Bacock's brick building, occupied by L. L. Briggs' drug store, now is. The first brick business build- ing in New Hampton was erected by Mr. Babcock in 1871, just west of the Johnson property, and is now occupied by W. D. Gardner & Co's. drug store. Into this building Mr. Babcock moved his stock of drugs, tore down the old log house, and rented for office purposes the frame he had just vacated. The frame gave place to the present brick structure in 1881.
Very little was done by way of building in 1855. A man named Cook and his son-in-law erected another building, in addition to those already mentioned, and there was possibly still another on the lot now occupied by Auditor Sheffield, which latter may not have been built until 1856.
In 1867 Judge Arnold erected a dwelling house, severel others, also being erected during that year.
In 1855, the only effort made toward laying out the town was the staking out of the block on which the Shook building was erected. The town was not regularly laid out until 1857, Septem- ber 12th of that year being the date when the plat was made of record. G. Gardner, Honer Hamlin, David Edwards, H. Gurley- and E. T. Runion were the original proprietors. Gardner and. Hamlin owned each an undivided half, of W. ¿ N. W. }, section 7, and the balance was owned by Gurley, Edwards and Runion.
The rapid growth of New Hampton dates from. the coming of the railroad in 1868, business for some time thereafter being stim- ulated to unwonted activity. Ernest Warner, who came in 1858, was New Hampton's first wagon maker; E. T. Runion, the first
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
blacksmith, came in 1857. A man named Morton who came in 1859, was the first shoemaker.
The post office was established in 1855 or 6, Osgood Gowan be- ing the first postmaster. Since then the following gentlemen have occupied the position in the order mentioned; H. Gurley, Daniel Shook, Samuel Cotant, Don A. Jackson, C. McCullow, Samuel Cotant, C. McCullow, J. C. Johnson, C. McCullow, the latter be -. ing the present incumbent. The office was made a money order office October 1st, 1877.
" The election to determine the question of incorporation was held at the court house in New Hampton, April 26th, 1873. A. E. Bigelow, H,. Gurley, W. W. Langdon, Zelotes Bailey and D. B. Sneden were appointed commissioners of incorporation, D. B. Sneden and W. W. Langdon officiating as clerks of the election. One hundred votes were cast, seventy for, and thirty against incor- poration.
The first election for officers of the incorporation was held May 21st, 1873. The following were elected: James F. Babcock, mayor; E. P. Sheffield, recorder; A. E. Bigelow, C. H. Clough, W. W. Birdsall. M. C. Ayres, John Mays, councilmen.
The officers elected for the succeeding years, omitting the coun- cilmen, are as follows:
1874.
G. Gardner, mayor; D. B Sneden, recorder; B. G. Smith, treas- urer; G. H. Reynolds, marshal; S. R. Shear, street commis- sioner.
1875 ..
H. M. Mixer, mayor, James Young, recorder; H. J. Wing, mar- shal; D. W. Payne, street commissioner; B. G. Smith, treasurer; Samuel Cotant, assessor.
1876.
{/H. M. Mixer, mayor; E. P. Sheffield, recorder; B. G. Smith, treasurer; Samuel Cotant, assessor; Walter Cady, marshal; Fred Simmick, street commissioner.
1877.
S. J. Kenyon, mayor; E. P. Sheffield, recorder; Samuel Cotant assessor; Fred Simmick, street commissioner; B. G. Smith, treas- urer.
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
1878.
S. J. Kenyon, mayor; E. P. Sheffield, recorder; B. G. Smith, treasurer; Samuel Cotant, assessor; F. Simmick, street commis- sioner; Tim Dorgan, marshal.
1879.
A. E. 'Bigelow, mayor; E. P. Sheffield, recorder; J. J. Arbuckle, . street, commissioner; B. G. Smith, treasurer; Samuel Cotant, assessor.
1880.
F. D. Bosworth, mayor; G. A. Hamilton, recorder; B. G. Smith, treasurer; Wilbur Sherman, street commissioner; Samuel Cotant, assessor.
1881.
F. D. Bosworth, mayor; G. A. Hamilton, recorder; B. G. Smith, treasurer; Samuel Cotant, assessor; Chas. Carpenter, street commis- sioner. During this year F. D. Bosworth presented his resignation as mayor, to take effect June 4th, and at a special election held June 20th, J. H. Gurney was elected to fill vacancy. Gurney resigned July 11th, and at a special election held July 25th, Hiram Shaver was elected mayor for the unexpired term.
1882.
Hiram Shaver, mayor; G. A. Hamilton, recorder; B. G. Smith, treasurer; W. B. Porter, assessor; Thos. Hall, street commissioner. The office of marshal, which has been of . late years appointive, is held at date of this writing by H. J. Wing. The members of the city council for 1882-3 are H. H.Potter, E. P. Sherman, John Foley, H. H. Heming, J. M. Gilliland, Charles Lilge.
A history of Chickasaw county would be incomplete without more than mere mention of the late F. D. Bosworth. In so far as the writer has been able to learn, Mr. Bosworth, was a man of excellent executive capacity, and a gentleman in the truest sense of the word. He was a native of Vermont, and was educated at Tiffin, Ohio. He came to Chickasaw county in 1856, and first taught school at Greenwood, in Bradford township. After- wards he went to the old town of Forest City, where he worked for Judge Hiram Bailey, at splitting rails. The rails where twelve feet long, and the price paid for splitting was $1.25 per hundred. He was subsequently appointed deputy county clerk, was elected treasurer and recorder, was county
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
school superintendent, internal revenue assessor, mayor of New Hampton, and at the time of his death in December, 1881, was cashier of the First National bank. He was at one time an un- successful candidate for representative to the state legislature, be- ing defeated therefore by D. B. Hanan, Esq., main cause of his defeat appearing to be republican disaffection, with A. J. Felt, the then editor of the Nashua Post, in the van of the opposition, per- sonal ambition for the state senator being the actuating motive .. Mr. Bosworth entered the army as a private, and became second lieutenant of company B, seventh Iowa infantry. . Much historic matter could be found in the annals of this well remembered company, but space does not permit, neither, perhaps, would it be best to enter too closely into details; but it is sufficient to say that among its members were, "Andy" Felt, G. J. Tisdale, E. A. Haskell, Judge Robert G. Riniger, J. H. Powers, Deacon Gardner, J. Rutherford, G. W. S. Dodge, Charles H. Trott, W. W. Birdsall, Z. Bailey, D. Campbell, B. E. Morton, and Robert H. Mills.
These men were all more or less interested in political affairs, were "manipulators of the wires," so to speak, with ambitions and aspirations of their own, and company B. was known as one in which there was even more than the ordi- nary amount of intrigue. These things are said, not in the way of casting reflections upon any one, for all now look back upon those times with a smile and the appreciation of hum- or, and there is nothing of bitterness and little of discredit in the recollection; but it may be readily imagined what kind of a time there was, and also will be in an organization composed of such managing spirits as those named above.
Mr. Bosworth was also a lawyer although he did not engage in active practice.
To appreciate fully the important part enacted in the history of Chickasaw county by Bosworth, one should study the records, wherein his name almost constantly appears for a series of years, in one capacity or another. The writer is conscious that this tribute to the dead should be written by a loving hand, by one who knew Mr. Bosworth, and therefore thinks tenderly of him. For all who knew him speak of him with reverence, and there are qualities of head and heart which are in themselves imperishable, though he who had them may go out from among us. There is
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
nothing left for the writer to do, save to put on record some hint of what he would like to say concerning F. D. Bosworth, some vague hint of roses and evergreen, that should be kept in constant fragrance upon his tomb, for dear remembrance sake. If a stranger can be so impressed with a life-record learned at second hand, truly those who know the maker of that record can linger lovingly in tender contemplation of it.
An incident showing the danger which beset the life of the pioneer, was the losing of Miss Hannah Runion, daughter of E. T. Runion, in the snow, in February, 1867. Miss. Runion who mar- ried F. B. Weed was, about eighteen years old at. the time. In coming home from Jacksonville, Mr. Runion stopped for a time at his daughter's place of residence, about one mile and a half from that town. She concluded to come on home with him and the two left the house together. Mr. Runion had been driving a team attached to a sled, but on coming out of the house they discovered that the team was missing, and consequently undertook to walk to New Hampton. The night was a fearful one; they lost their way, wolves followed them; and their experience was indeed a thrilling one. Hannah became exhausted; and the father carried her quite a distance. It finaly became only too apparent that escape was impossible for both of them; they could no longer go on together and the only hope for them was for the father to bury the daughter in the snow, and himself reach means of assis- tance. This was accordingly done; a spot was selected upon a knoll around which shrubbery grew, near the creek, a willow tree serving as a landmark, by which to know again the locality. This was in the early morning, and to reach New Han. pton required Mr. Runions utmost efforts, through out the entire day. He stopped at Utley's residence east of the fair grounds. The alarm was given but nothing could be done until the following day. On the third day a vigorous search was instituted; the citizens turned out en masse, but the winds and drifting snow had changed the aspect of the landscape as to make it impossible to locate the spot were the young woman was buried. For a time the search appeared to be a hopeless one, and the impression grew upon the searchers that the girl would not be found until after she had succumbed to the terrors of her perilous situation, to hunger or all the combined causes which rendered her position such a fearful
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
one; she had used every effort to dig away the snow which enveloped her, and to make her presence known but to little avail, the snow being removed from about her sufficintly however to cause one of the searchers, Wilbur Sher- man, in crossing the spot to fall through thus terminating the exciting hunt. The young lady was immediately taken care of and was soon out of danger. It is no wonder that even at this distance of time neither Mr. Runion nor Mrs. Reed care to talk of their terrible experience in that bitter storm, and it is only given here because it is a matter of history which is even yet talked of with interest by the citizens. .
School was first taught in New Hampton in the winter of 1866-7 in the north east room of the David Edwards dwelling a house enclosed with siding and plastered with prairie mud between the studding. The school was taught by Mrs. Isabel H. Gurley, wife of Harrison Gurley. Eight or ten pupils attended. The furniture was of the most primitive description. Mr. Gurley had purchased property, but had not yet moved to the town, and Mrs. Gurley kept house in the school room, moving the rude benches in and out after school.
The term lasted three months in that building and school was next held during the summer in a little frame house east of town; afterwards in the old log store formerly occupied by H. Gurley and subsequently,a building (now H. L. Fitch's residence) was erected,the lower story of which was used for school purposes, the upper for county officers. School was taught in this building until the erection of a structure on the site occupied by the present school house, in 1867. This building was thirty by forty feet in dimensions, an addition of about equal size being subsequently made, and contained four departments. Dr. I. K. Gardner as principal opened the school in this building. In the spring of 1881 the building was destroyed by fire, the present structure being erected during the same year, and completed in 1882, at a cost of $13,000.
At the time of writing, the following gentlemen comprise the board of education: Dr. H. M. Mixer, president; Dr. A. Babcock, W. W. Birdsall, W. D. Stafford, A. L. Montgomery, J. W. Snyder; B. G. Smith, secretary; A. E. Bigelow, treasurer.
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
Previous to the burning of the school building in 1881, a prim- ary school was also held in Dawes Hall.
A course of study for the public schools was written by Prof. Gardner in 1880, and re-arranged and published by Prof. H. A. Simons in 1882, with the following prefatory re- marks:
"In preparing this course of study the principal and school- board have been controlled by the conviction that the ground-work in education is of supreme importance; that it is our duty, so far as it is possible, to fit the pupils intrusted to our care for intelligent and useful citizenship; and that those who wish to pass from our schools to higher instit- utions, should have the foundations thoroughly laid here. They have therefore restricted the course to such fundamental work as can be well done in the limited time.
"Pupils taking the entire course and passing a creditable exam- ination thereupon will be entitled to a diploma.
"Those who do not wish to graduate, will be permitted, after they reach the high school course, to make their own selection of studies, whenever there are classes in the branches selected."
The following is a list of the text books adopted: Readers, Webb's Model readers; Edwards' Student's reader, for the high school. Gilbert's spellers. Sherwood & Co's. Analytical copy books. Kirk & Belfield's arithmetics. Greenleaf's algebra. Reed & Kellogg's grammars. Parker's composition. Kellogg's rhetoric. Appleton's Geographies. Anderson's histories. Hutchinson's Physiology. Gray's Botany.
The enrollment of the schools is about 315, and is constantly increasing. The first-class to graduate will be that of '84, and now contains eight members.
The following is the present efficient corps of teachers: Prof. H. A. Simons, principal; Miss Alice R. Green, assistant, high school; Miss Abbie S. Powers, senior grammar; Miss Willie Nel- ing junior grammar; Miss Carrie Ward, fourth primary; Miss Emma E, Fitch, third primary; Miss Eva E. Mixer, second primary; Miss Lucy Cameron, first primary.
THE BUSINESS OF NEW HAMPTON.
An indication of the volume of business transacted in New Hampton will be found in the following accurate statement:
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
Shipment of grain and produce from New Hampton, via C. M. & St. P. Ry., during the year 1882:
Wheat
310 850
Barley
725 155
Oats
2 057 570
Corn.
3 649 848
Grass seed
870 160
Flax seed
1 810 575
Potatoes
202 818
Dressed hogs
34 040
Cheese
58 623
Eggs
131 855.
Butter
265 840
Hogs, 108 cars
2 160 000
Horses, 3 cars
60 000
Cattle, 17 cars
340 000
Total shipments.
14 004 534
Total receipts.
13 368 136
Total money on shipments of freight
38 050 88
Total money on receipts of freight.
30 658 98
Total money received for tickets
7 253 78
Total.
$75 963 64
There has also been a large amount of butter and eggs shipped by express, not included in the above figures.
The past year was marked by quite a number of improvements in the way of new buildings, etc. Among the business structures erected may be mentioned the following:
H. H. Kenyon, brick; two stories; cost $5,500.
H. L. Fitch, brick, for three stores; two stories; cost $15,000.
Dr. H. M. Mixer and Bennett Bros., brick; two stories; offices. and opera house above; cost $20,000.
Addition to Odd Fellows' block: cost $1,100.
B. Tierney, brick; two stories; cost $4,000.
The entire list of buildings, additions and improvements during the past year, would foot up to many thousand dollars.
Glenwood creamery, W. D. Kipp & Co., proprietors, was estab- lished November 1st. 1881, and is one of the institutions in which
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
New Hampton's citizens justly take pride. The creamery build- ings are located on east Main street, and are forty by sixty feet in dimensions. The average price paid for cream, by Messrs. Kipp & Co., during 1882, was twenty-one cents per pound. Dur- ing the year 1882 the firm paid out in all about $25,000. Seven wagons are employed in collecting cream and two employees are regularly kept at work in the creamery.
The First National bank of New Hampton, is an outgrowth of the Chickasaw county bank and the bank of New Hampton, both of which it absorbed at the date of its formation, December 15th 1881. The Chickasaw county bank was the pioneer institution of the kind in New Hampton, and was organized in January, 1870, by A. E. Bigelow and J. H. Easton, proprietors. Mr. Bigelow is a pioneer citizen of the county, in which he has large" landed interests, and has held various positions of re- sponsibility and trust, was formerly county treasurer, and is held in high esteem. Mr. Easton is a well known capitalist, whose principal place of residence is in Decorah, Winnesheik county, where, as here and in still other localities, he has exten-
sive banking interests. Harrison Gurley was president of the bank of New Hampton, and F. D. Bosworth was cashier. Mr. Bosworth died shortly after the formation of the present bank. The First National occupies a handsome brick structure on the corner of Main street and Locust avenue, erected especially for banking purposes, and which is one of the best equiped bank buildings in northern Iowa. The capital stock of the First National is $50,000. It does a general banking business, buys and sells ex- change, makes loans, receives deposits, etc. An extensive real estate business is also transacted in this connection. The present officers of the bank are: A. E. Bigelow, president; Samuel J. Kenyon, cashier; A. G. Bigelow, assistant cashier.
The banking house of Smith & Darrow was established in 1879. The proprietors are Messrs. B. G. Smith and W. L. Darrow. Mr. Smith has lived in Chickasaw county twenty-seven years, thirteen years of the time in New Hampton. Mr. Darrow has resided in the county eighteen years, and has been in the loan business for the past twelve years. The latter gentleman is a large real estate owner, having over 1,000 acres of finely improved land in this county. Mr. Smith has been actively engaged in banking
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HISTORY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.
ever since it began to have an existence in New Hampton. The firm do a general banking, loan and real estate and insurance business, and are reckoned among the county's most substantial and reliable citizens.
ATTORNEYS.
J. H. Powers came in 1857, and is still in practice here.
C. O. Case came in 1858; is now a resident of Oswego, New York.
M. C. Ayres came in 1865, and still resides in New Hampton.
Hiram Shaver, still in practice here, located in New Hampton in 1871.
S. J. Kenyon, now cashier of the First National bank, located in practice at New Hampton in 1869.
H. H. Potter, still in practice, located here in 1870.
D. B. Hanan came to New Hampton from Fredericksburg.
D. B. Sneden a regularly admitted attorney, but who holds the office of justice of the peace, located here in 1871.
F. D. Bosworth, who never regularly practiced the profession, died in New Hampton in 1882. A sketch of his life appears in preceding pages.
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