USA > Iowa > Dickinson County > History of Dickinson County, Iowa, together with an account of the Spirit Lake massacre, and the Indian troubles on the northwestern frontier > Part 39
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William Bascom's place on Minnie Washta is another point which of late has won deserved popularity as a place where can be found neat and quiet accommodations for a limited num- ber of guests in search of rest and recreation, who dislike the turmoil and excitement of the larger and more prominent places.
-
OKOBOJI CEMETERY AND MINNIE WASHITA.
550
DICKINSON COUNTY - IOWA
Hayward's Bay, another charming location, is on the cast side of West Okoboji, nearly two miles north of The Inn. This place was originally known as Palmer's Bay, but some years since it became the property of Mr. William Hayward of Spirit Lake, who surveyed and platted a portion of it in lake shore lots. With the people of Spirit Lake this is the most popular point on West Okoboji, and many of them have purchased lots and erected cottages there and spend a portion of each sum- mer enjoying the rest and change afforded by an outing on the sandy shores of Hayward's Bay.
Pike's Point, north of Hayward's Bay, was purchased and laid off by Baum and Patterson, of Omaha, in the early nineties. They erected a spacious pavilion and dining room and built several cottages, and for a few seasons business was rushing with them. It was they who introduced the toboggan- slide, they being the first to erect one about the lakes as a means of recreation for the summer tourists. After a few seasons busi- ness at this resort rather flagged, and finally it was neglected altogether. But for all this, it is a charming location.
North of Pike's Point is Brownell's Beach. Dr. E. L. Brownell, of Spirit Lake, owns over half a mile of lake shore,
551
MINOR RESORTS
PIKE'S POINT.
which he proposes in the near future to throw open to the pub- lie. As yet the only improvements made thereon are a few pri- vate cottages, but as the demand for cottage lots increases he will doubtless offer his for sale, many of which rank with the choicest in the lake region.
Egralharve is the location of the famous mineral spring. This place is the property of G. A. Badgerow, of Sioux City. The location is a charming one, the grounds being tastefully laid out and well kept. The place owes its celebrity to a large mineral spring. This spring is located nearly half a mile from the lake shore, from which point the water is brought down in iron pipes to the basin and fountain erected on the grounds by the proprietor. What makes this the more remarkable is that the prairie region about there is devoid of springs of any kind, and this one breaking out as it does with such a munifi-
552
DICKINSON COUNTY - IOWA
cent flow excites the surprise of every newcomer. The analysis of the water shows the component parts to be very similar to those of the famous springs at Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Willow Spring Farm at the west side of Miller's Bay has long been a favorite stopping place for a limited number of summer tourists. Like many other favorite stopping places this is not a hotel but a farm house, which has long been famous for the hospitality and good cheer which is generously extended to all newcomers. It has many interesting associations and surroundings. Here is located the celebrated mound and ob- servatory so often pointed out as the highest point in Iowa, and also as the burial place of the mythical chieftain "Okoboji."
Pocahontas Point, situated on Brown's Bay, on the southwest shore of West Okoboji, is another of the choice locations for which that lake is famed. Back in the early eighties, when the lifferent railroad companies were prospecting this region with a view to building in here, the attorney for the Rock Island road, in company with Mr. Bruce, of Pocahontas County, bought the old John Brown place for that company, and after the author- ities of the road abandoned the project of building up here af that time, the land went into the hands of others from Pocahon- tas County and soon after came to be known as Pocahontas Point.
Within the last few years quite a respectable village of sun !- mer cottages has grown up at and about Pillsbury's Point. A company of Des Moines capitalists organized what is known as the South Beach Company and purchased several desirable locations, a portion of which they have laid off and platted as cottage lots. On many of these lots some of the finest summer cottages about the lakes have been erected. Judge Given also purchased quite a tract which he laid out and platted, but in- stead of offering the lots for sale he has erected cottages on many of them which he leases to the families of summer tour-
1
PILLSBURY'S POINT.
View of Park and Lake from Arnold's Park Hotel.
View of Arnold's Park and Bay from Pillsbury's Point
553
554
DICKINSON COUNTY - IOWA
ists. He already has some eight or ten which he leases that way, and proposes building more in the near future. The place was known as Pillsbury's Point long before any cottages were built, and is better known by that name now than any other. Attempts have at different times been made to adopt a more high sounding name, as "Cass Bay," "Crescent Beach," and possibly some others, but so far without success. This is a part of the old Gardner place of the pioneer days. Here is located the old log cabin which was the residence of the family of Row- land Gardner at the time of the massacre of 1857. Of the half dozen cabins built previous to that time, this is the. only one preserved. Here is located the monument erected by the state and dedicated to the memory of the victims of the only In- dian massacre ever perpetrated in Iowa. Here was enacted the bloodiest tragedy recorded in Iowa history. Hundreds of visitors every summer make pilgrimages to this historie spot to listen to the unique and tragic story of the sole survivor of this terrible tragedy, and after listening to the heart rending recital they feel that the greatest wonder is that she is there to tell it.
SCENE ON BROWNELL'S BEACH.
CHAPTER XLII.
FARMERS ORGANIZATIONS-THE DICKINSON COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY-THE GRANGE -THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE-FARMERS' INSTI- TUTES-THE DICKINSON COUNTY FARMERS MU- TUAL INSURANCE COMPANY-A FEW STATISTICS OF THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTY-A FULL LIST OF THE COUNTY OFFICERS TO THE PRESENT TIME -STATE AND DISTRICT OFFICERS ELECTED AND APPOINTED FROM THIS COUNTY.
IRST and last several organizations have been perfected with the avowed object of promoting the agricultural in- terests of the county. At least that was given as the ostensible reason for their existence. The first of these was the Dickinson County Agricultural Society, which was or- ganized in the summer of 1871, with R. A. Smith, president, R. L. Wilcox, secretary, and a board of directors of one from each township in the county. An agricultural fair was held at Spirit Lake on the nineteenth day of October, 1871, which was a decided success in its way, especially if measured by the zeal and interest manifested by its promoters. The society was kept up some three or four years, but the coming of the grass- hoppers in 1873, and the four years destruction of the crops which followed, so demoralized the agricultural interests of the county that the annual fairs were abandoned and the Dick- inson County Agricultural Society went out of existence. One or two attempts have since been made, and meetings called with the object in view of reviving the old organization or form- ing a new one, but nothing ever came of them.
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DICKINSON COUNTY - IOWA
The Granges represent the next move on the part of the agri- culturists to build up a farmers' organization. Their story has been told in connection with that of the civic societies of the several towns where located and need not be repeated. After the passing of the Grange, came the Farmers' Alliance. Their story is soon told. So long as they confined their efforts to the legitimate objects for which they were organized they enjoyed a good degree of prosperity, but when the management fell into selfish and incompetent hands, agricultural interests were neg- lected and the leaders endeavored to use the organization for per- sonal and partisan ends, it became unpopular, and soon was numbered with the things that were but are not.
The Farmers' Alliance was succeeded by the Farmers' In- stitute. This institution sprang up suddenly and became im- mensely popular at once, and bids fair to remain one of the permanent institutions of the county. The first one was held at Superior, February 21 and 22, 1895. The first move for a Farmers' Institute in this county seems to have originated with the citizens of Superior and others in the eastern portion of the county, and to them belongs the credit of making the first start in that direction. An association was formed, of which W. F. Taylor was president, and H. D. Cole, secretary. Henry Wallace was the principal speaker and conductor of the Insti- tute, and succeeded in inspiring a good degree of interest and enthusiasm. The first meetings seem to have been somewhat informal, but a regular organization was effected at the meet- ing at Spirit Lake March 10 and 11, 1897. Since the first ses- sions have been held at Spirit Lake, Milford and Lake Park, and at each place with marked success.
There are several reasons why, in the nature of things, the Farmers' Institute is of far more value to the agricultural in- terests than anything that preceded it. In the first place, the organization is simplicity itself, and can be readily adapted to
557
FARMERS' INSTITUTES
any and all conditions. The tendency of the old time fair to degenerate into a horse race, and a poor one at that, nearly des- troyed its usefulness in any other direction. Horse racing may be all right enough, but it should be worked in a class by itself. The Grange proved too expensive in both time and money. Its organization was too complex for the purpose for which it was intended, and it gradually died out. The Spirit Lake Grange maintained its organization much longer than any other in this part of the state, but finally passed out of existence. The tendency of the Alliance was to run into politics, and to stin- ulate its members to try to get something for nothing. None of these objections can be urged against the Farmers' Insti- tute. On the contrary, the Institute has proven the most eco- nomical and satisfactory channel yet devised for the interchang- ing of ideas, and comparing experiences along the line of agri- cultural development.
The Dickinson County Farmers' Mutual Insurance Com- pany was organized in January, 1890, but no policies were written until the following June. The first officers were : Pres- ident, U. I. Bruns ; Vice-President, Don B. Smith : Secretary, J. W. Hagerty ; Treasurer, P. Rasmussen ; and a board of direc- tors consisting of one person from each township. But two poli- cies were written the first year, the first one being in favor of J. R. Leman, afterwards president of the company. At first the growth was slow and the business light, but about 1894 it commenced to increase, and since that time it has steadily grown in volume, until by the middle of 1901 the risks carried by this company aggregated nearly half a million dollars and were rapidly increasing. The present officers are: President, J. R. Leman ; Vice-President, S. A. Winey ; Secretary, H. Van Steenburg; Treasurer, Don B. Smith.
The Farmers' Mutual is proving a most effectual barrier against the oppressive exactions formerly practiced by the old
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DICKINSON COUNTY : IOWA
line companies and is rapidly growing in public favor. It is claimed by the representatives of the old line companies that they are not making any money in Iowa, and that it is impos- sible for them to make any under the present insurance laws of the state. Now, this may be true, but it is also true that the farmers' mutuals where honestly and economically managed furnish equally safe and satisfactory protection and at less than half the cost. Of course this applies strictly to farm in- surance. The question of town insurance is a different and far more difficult problem.
It will hardly be desirable, even if it were possible, to fol- low the details of the county history through the later years of its growth. In comparing figures with those of other coun- ties, the fact must be borne in mind that Dickinson County has the smallest area of land of any county in the state. While the area of a standard Iowa county is sixteen town- ships, or five hundred and seventy-six sections, this county has but twelve townships, four of which are fractional on the state line and not full size. The total area of the county is three hun- dred and twenty-one sections, about ten per cent of which is occupied by lakes, or about half the area of a standard county. This fact should be remembered when comparing the figures or statistics of this county with those of others.
Statistics are usually voted dry and uninteresting, and it is not deemed worth the trouble to give more than is necessary to show in a general way the gradual growth and development of the county. The population of the county at the several periods mentioned are from the official census reports. Dick- inson County first appeared in the census returns in 1859. The figures from that date to the present are as follows :
1859
1860
1863
1865
1867
1869
1870
1873
1875
1880
1885
1890
1895
1900
121
180
189
300
509
582
1389
1743
1748
1901
3215
4328
6023
7995
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A FEW STATISTICS
At the first glance it would seem that there is a manifes, error in the figures for 1869, the percentage of growth from that year to the next being so much greater than at any other period, but then the census of 1869 was taken by the assessor and was based on the population at the first of January of that vear, while that of 1870 was taken by the United States com- missioner and shows the population on the first of June of that year, so that nearly a year and a half elapsed between the two enumerations. 1869 and 1870 were the years in which the government land was being taken so rapidly by homesteaders, which accounts for the percentage of growth being so much more then than at any other time. With this explanation one can understand that the figures for both years may be substan- tially correct.
The total area of taxable land in the county exclusive of town lots, is 235,206 acres. The adjusted actual value of lands and town lots for 1900 was $5,939,767, which being assessed at 25 Fer cent of its actual value, makes the taxable value of real estate for that year, $1,484,892. The taxable value of the rail roads in the county for that year was $149,365, and of personal property $276,120, thereby making the total taxable valuation of the county for that year $1,910,317, and the adjusted actual valno $7,641,268.
Since the first organization of the county in 1857 the offices have been filled as follows :
County Judge: 1857 to 1858, O. C. Howe; 1858 to 1862. Leonidas Congleton : 1862 to 1864, JJ. D. Howe; 1864 to 1866, Ludwig Lewis; 1866 to 1868, H. C. Owen; 1868 to 1870, Sammel Pillsbury. Up to 1561 the county judges in Iowa transacted the county business and had almost despotie power, Lut in 1860 the legislature transferred this power to the Board of Supervisors, after which the duties of the county judge were merely nominal. The office was continued until 1868, when
560
DICKINSON COUNTY - IOWA
it was abolished and the then acting county judge was made ex officio county auditor for the balance of the unexpired term.
Treasurer and Recorder: 1857 to 1859, M. A. Blanchard ; 1859 to 1861, W. B. Brown; 1861 to 1865, James Ball; 1865 to 1867, A. Kingman ; 1867 to 1869, A. Jenkins ; 1869 to 1873, M. J. Smith. The legislature in 1872 separated the offices of treasurer and recorder, making them two separate offices, the law taking effect January 1, 1873. The office of treasurer was held: 1872 to 1875, G. S. Needham; 1875 to 1886, A. W. Os- borne; 1886 to 1894, O. Oliver; 1894 to 1898, D. N. Guthrie; 1898 to 1902, J. C. Davis. During this latter period the office of recorder was held: 1873 to 1875, R. L. Wilcox; 1875 to 1881, A. A. Mosher ; 1881 to 1889, C. C. Perrin ; 1889 to 1895, Harvey Wood; 1895 to 1903, C. W. Price.
Clerk of the District Court: 1857 to 1859, R. A. Smith; 1859 to 1861, J. Palmer; 1861 to 1863, John Smith; 1863 to 1865, R. A. Smith ; 1865 to 1867, Orson Rice ; 1867 to 1871, A. A. Mosher; 1871 to 1873, W. B. Brown; 1873 to 1879, J. A. Smith; 1879 to 1887, W. F. Pillsbury; 1887 to 1893, J. S. Everett; 1893 to 1897, V. A. Arnold; 1897 to 19.03, W. A. Price. From 1861 to 1869 the clerk of the district court was ex officio clerk of the Board of Supervisors, after which time this work was done by the county auditor.
Sheriff : C. F. Hill was first sheriff of the county ; elected in 1857. Following him was: 1859 to 1862, A. D. Arthur. From 1862 to 1870 it is difficult to ascertain how this office was filled, the records having been lost at the burning of the courthouse. Daniel Bennett had held the office at intervals before W. S. Beers was elected in the fall of 1869, and held until 1872. 1872 to 1873, L. A. Litel; 1873 to 1874, L. E. Holcomb; 1874 to 1876, A. L. Sawyer; 1876 to 1880, D. Ben- nett; 1880 to 1888, P. S. Mott; 1888 to 1892, A. D. Inman ;
561
COUNTY OFFICERS
1892 to 1898, P. E. Narcy ; 1898 to 1900, J. C. Guthrie; 1900 to present time. Fred Jones.
County Attorney: 1857 to 1859, B. F. Parmenter. The legislature in 1858 abolished the office to take effect January. 1, 1839, and a district attorney for the judicial district sub- stituted therefor. In 1888 the office was revived, and since that time has been held by the following persons: 1889 to 1891, William Hayward: 1891 to 1895, A. W. Osborne; 1895 to 1901, L. E. Francis; 1901 to the present, V. A. Arnold.
County Surveyor: 1857 to 1858, Alfred Wilkins. Much of the time from 1858 to 1870 this office was vacant, the duties being merely nominal. 1871 to 1873, W. B. Brown; 1874 to 1876, W. F. Pillsbury; 1876 to 1878, Emmet F. Hill; 1878 to 1882, R. A. Smith; 1882 to 1884, Fred Diserns; 1884 to 1886, C. E. Everett ; 1886 to 1888, R. A. Smith; 1888 to 1890, J. A. Smith ; 1890 to 1894, R. A. Smith; 1894 to 1902, J. M. Johnson.
County Auditor: The office of county auditor was establish- ed by the Twelfth General Assembly previous to which time the clerk of the district court was ex officio clerk of the Board of Supervisors. The first auditor elected in the county was Samuel Pillsbury, who served from 1870 to 1882. 1882 to 1890. W. F. Carlton; 1890 to 1893, C. T. Chandler; 1893 to 1897, W. C. Drummond; 1897 to 1903, S. L. Pillsbury.
Superintendent of Schools: Up to about 1870 the duties of this office were nominal and but little attention given to it. It was held by James Ball, John Smith and one or two others. Since that time it has been filled as follows: 1870 to 1875, A. W. Osborne; 1875 to 1880, H. C. Crary; 1880 to 1886, R. A. Smith; 1886 to 1888, .W. H. Armin; 1888 to 1894, R. B. Young; 1894 to the present time, H. A. Welty.
The law transferring the county business from the county judge to the Board of Supervisors went into force January 1, 1861, since which time the Board of Supervisors have been :
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DICKINSON COUNTY - IOWA
1861, R. Kingman, William Barkman, J. S. Prescott; 1862, Thomas Wyckoff, Henry Meeker, Addison Arthur; 1863, T. Wyckoff, Henry Meeker, Eber Pahner; 1864, Thomas Wykoff, Henry Meeker, Eber Palmer; 1865, L. A. Stimpson, H. W. Davis, D. Bennett ; 1866, L. A. Stimpson, H. W. Davis, Philip Doughty ; 1867, L. A. Stimpson, H. W. Davis, Philip Doughty ; 1868, G. Blackert, G. 'W. Pratt, Philip Doughty ; 1869, J. Sper- beck, G. W. Pratt, W. D. Morton; 1870, G. Blackert, W. D. Morton, J. Palmer; 1871, G. Blackert, W. D. Morton ; J. Palmer; 1872, R. A. Smith, J. Palmer, W. D. Morton ; 1873, C. H. Avers, R. A. Smith, G. S. Randall ; 1874, G. S. Ran- dall, W. A. Richards, R. A. Smith ; 1875, J. R. Upton, G. S. Randall, W. A. Richards : 1876, W. A. Richards, J. R. Upton. A. D. Foster : 1877, J. R. Upton, A. D. Foster, L. W. Waugh ; 1878, L. W. Wangh, W. F. Carlton, A. S. Mead; 1879, L. W. Waugh, W. F. Carlton, A. S. Mead; 1880, L. W. Waugh, W. F. Carlton, A. S. Mead ; 1881, L. W. Waugh, W. F. Carl- ton, A. S. Mead; 1882, I. S. Foster, O. Oliver, H. Brandon; 1883, I. S. Foster, O. Oliver, W. H. Bailey; 1884, T. S. Foster, O. Oliver, W. H. Bailey; 1885, I. S. Fos- ter, G. P. Wodell, R. S. Hopkins; 1886, I. S. Foster, G. P. Wodell, R. S. Hopkins; 1887, I. S. Foster, G. P. Wodell, R. S. Hopkins; 1888, J. Austin, G. P. Wodell, R. S. Hopkins; 1889, I. S. Foster, J. Austin, D. B. Smith ; 1890, I. S. Foster, J. Austin, D. B. Smith; 1891, C. C. Gregory, H. Calkins, D. B. Smith; 1892, C. C. Gregory, HI. Calkins, D. B. Smith ; 1893, C. C. Gregory, H. C. WWiley, D. B. Smith ; 1894, C. C. Gregory, HI. C. Wiley, D. B. Smith; 1895, C. C. Gregory, H. C. Wiley, P. Rasmussen ; 1896, C. C. Gregory, O. S. Jones, P. Rasmussen ; 1897, P. Hagerty, O. S. Jones, P. Rasmussen ; 1898, P. Hagerty, P. Rasmussen, O. S. Jones ; 1899, P. Ras- mussen, O. S. Jones, P. Hagerty; 1900, O. S. Jones, C. C. Gregory, P. Rasmussen; 1901, O. S. Jones, C. C. Gregory, A. W. Bascom.
563
DISTRICT OFFICERS
At first the supervisors were elected one from each organized township, after the New York plan. In 1868 the change was made to elect the supervisors from the county at large. This plan was followed until 1900, when the county was divided into three districts, and each district elects a member of the board once in three years. Under the law a county can have three, five or seven supervisors, as they choose. It. is also optional to elect them from the county at large or divide the county into districts, and as before stated, this county was divided into three districts in 1900.
The following district officers have also been elected from this county: In 1859 to 1863, O. C. Howe was district attor- ney; 1867 to 1871, O. Rice was district attorney: 1887 to 1891. J. W. Cory was district attorney. House of Representa- tives: Tenth General Assembly, John Smith; Twelfth Gen- eral Assembly, R. A. Smith; Eighteenth General Assembly, W. B. Brown: Twenty-eighth General Assembly, H. H. Myers. Senate, 1887 to 1899, A. B. Funk.
The Eighteenth General Assembly created the office of As- sistant Fish Commissioner, which office was held by A. 1. Mosher, of this county, until the office was abolished in 1888. In 1SSS E. D. Carlton, of this county, was appointed Fish Commissioner by Governor Larrabee, and held the office two terms. The office of Steamboat Inspector was created about 1886, and has been held by residents of this county as follows: A. A. Henderson, E. O. Henderson, Milo Brown, J. C. Chris tensen, Arthur Arp.
More statistics might be given were it deemed desirable, but unimportant figures soon become monotonous. Enough have been given from which to form a fairly intelligent idea of the growth and development of the county, and while this growth and development has not been as rapid or as marked as that of some other localities, it has been steady and sub- stantial and in the main satisfactory.
CHAPTER XLIII.
THE MONUMENT-LEGISLATION RELATING TO IT -COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED-THEY ORGANIZE -EX-GOVERNOR CARPENTER MADE PRESIDENT- CONTRACT AWARDED TO P. N. PETERSON COM- PANY OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA-MONUMENT COMPLETED-REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS-DEDI- CATION OF MONUMENT-ADDRESSES BY R. A. SMITH, HON. C. E. FLANDRAU, OF ST. PAUL, HON. C. C. CARPENTER, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DUN- GAN, SECRETARY RICHARDS AND OTHERS-PRE- SENTATION SPEECH BY GOVERNOR CARPENTER, PRESIDENT OF THE COMMISSION, AND THE MONU- MENT ACCEPTED ON BEHALF OF THE STATE BY HON. W. S. RICHARDS, GOVERNOR JACKSON'S PRI- VATE SECRETARY.
OR SEVERAL years there had been among the old set- tlers a feeling in favor of erecting a suitable monument to the memory of the victims of the massacre of 1857, and as the years went by and as the people became more and more interested in preserving the history of that tragic event, this feeling became intensified and it remained for the Twenty-fifth General Assembly to take final and successful action in the matter.
Doubtless one of the chief factors in awakening public sel .- timent on this point was the procuring, largely through the efforts of Hon. Charles Aldrich, the memorial tablet in the Webster City courthouse which commemorates the labors and sufferings of the company from that town in the disastrous march to Spirit Lake in 1857 The dedication of this tablet
565
THE MONUMENT
was an interesting occasion. Governor Larrabee presided and addresses were made by Ex-Governor Carpenter, Hon. J. F. Duncombe, Hon. C. B. Richards, Charles Aldrich and many bthers, and much enthusiasm prevailed. This seemed to be the first awakening of the people to the fact that the most tragic event in the history of Iowa had hitherto received but little notice.
The Spirit Lake Beacon of July 25, 1895, in referring to this subject, has the following:
"Measures looking to this end had been previously introduced and received the sanetion of one legislative branch, but it re- mained for the last assembly to make the landable enterprise successful. Following is the law in question :
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