USA > Iowa > Floyd County > History of Floyd County, Iowa : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 56
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cago, and other parts of the United States. Among its poetic contributors were Mrs. Elizabeth Akers Allen, of Richmond, Vir- ginia, better known as "Florence Percy," author of "Rock Me to Sleep, Mother;" W. A. Bacon, of Detroit, Michigan; Matilda Fletcher, and many others of Iowa. Its regular army correspond- ence during the war of the Rebellion, was full and of the highest character. Among the latter writers was Winfield Scott Rider, of Floyd, whose army letters were always perused with deep interest.
In a volume entitled the "Valley and the Shadow," now before us, published in 1868 by J. M. Dixon, formerly associate editor of the Iowa State Register at Des Moines, under the head of "Iowa Journalism," we find the following:
"Many of my readers have noticed, for several years, a sheet or elegant appearance, called the Intelligencer, which is published in Charles City, Floyd County. Hon. A. B. F. Hildreth, its owner and conductor, was a member, several years since, of the State Board of Education, for which position his scholarly habits and tastes clearly adapted him. Subsequently he was a member of the Legislature, giving ample evidence that he was as proficient in legislating for the general interests of Iowa as for the special interests of popular education. His enterprise and his admirable economy, as well as his talent in editorial management, give him the ability to publish one of the finest looking weekly papers in all the Israel of Iowa. He is a gentleman of quick conception, of careful but not hesitating judgment, passionate in his love of literature, and very strong in his general attachments and pre- possessions. It is a miracle of success, that he never was com- pelled, through all the vicissitudes of the past eight years, to reduce the size of his very large paper, or to make any radical changes in it which looked to diminution of weekly expenditure."
It must not be supposed that all was smooth sailing and an open sea in the management of the Intelligencer. With the masses of the people the paper was always popular, but with certain unwor- thy third-rate politicians the case was different. Men of this class found but little favor in the columns of the .Intelligencer, and of course they were not pleased with it. These " political paupers " always wish to ride the press, but are never known to pay for riding. When their " claims " were rejected, and coaxing and flattery would effect nothing, threats were tried; they would "kill the paper and hang its hide on the fence." But instead of the "killing"
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the paper would thrive all the better under this kind of opposition. The common people are honest. They like a bold, faithful leader, one who will protect their interests and expose corruption ; and when men set themselves up for office who had never shown capability in any legitimate business of their own, and abused the Intelligencer because they could not control it, the citizens of the county would give it a still more liberal support. The paper was always Republican in politics, and " principles rather than men " seems to have been its guiding sentiment. Under Mr. Hildreth's management it always maintained a high moral tone. Every parent felt safe in placing it in the hands of his children. Specialist medical advertisements were scrupulously excluded from its columns, no matter what the money temptation might be to procure their insertion.
On the 1st of October, 1870, after a period of fourteen years' laborious editorial service in Charles City, Mr. Hildreth sold the Intelligencer and his entire printing establishment to Messrs. Dyke & Rowell, and retired permanently from the field of journalism.
Mr. Rowell, who had been for a number of years an employe in the government printing office in Washington, not taking a liking to the West, sold his interest in the paper to W. H. Leonard, Feb. 16, 1871. In October of the next year, Mr. Leonard having been offered a half interest in the Janesville, Wis., Recorder, on very advantageous terms, sold out to C. L. Dyke, and the firm name of the publishers became Dyke Bros., the same as to-day. During this year Rev. John A. Cruzan, the " printer preacher," edited a religious column, whichi added much to the value of the paper. He was pastor of the Congregational church. In the spring of 1874 the publishers were taken with the California fever, and on the first of May sold to the Owens Bros., and wended their way to the Eldorado. In July of this year, the old and beautiful heading was changed for the one in use at present, and the page head-lines were dropped. Feb. 25, 1875, H. L. Owens, who had become sole proprietor in the preceding fall, sold to C. A. Slocum, who in turn, March 16, 1876, sold to Dyke Bros., who had returned from Cali- fornia, and the paper has since been controlled by the latter. In 1876-'7, a temperance column was published, with Mrs. E. L. Slo- cum, editor; she was succeeded by Addis Schermerhorn, and the column was a feature of the paper until after the passage of the amendment, when it was discontinued. In 1878-'9, a teachers'
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column was edited by Capt. G. H. Nichols, County Superintend- ent of Schools. The Intelligencer has always led the other papers of the county in circulation, and since 1876, when Dyke Bros. last purchased it, has run up its list from less than 800, to over 1, 400, which circulation it still maintains. The office is one of the best- equipped in Northern Iowa. It has a ten-column Campbell press (without tapes) for newspaper work, half Nonpareil, and eight Peerless presses for job work, Peerless paper cutter, and an im- mense amount of material of all kinds necessary for a first-class office. The power is supplied by wire cable from the Water Power Company's mill, 514 feet distant, and is carried over the roofs of several high buildings. It is the perfection of power, safe, steady and reliable. The Dyke Bros. are both practical printers, and as ready with the composing stick and rule as with the pen, which accounts something for their success in the business. The paper has always been staunch Republican, and is the recognize I organ of the better elements of the party. Its proprietors have always carefully refrained from surrendering it to any of the "isms " which have of late years infested politics, consequently it has the confidence of the "bone and sinew " of the great party which has ruled Iowa so many years. It has often had bitter political fights on hand, but these have usually been managed with such consum- mate skill as to secure success for its side of the contest. Of course, such a paper has enemies, but its hosts of friends outnumber them a hundred to one.
The general style of the paper is very neat and tasty, and the editorial work and make-up and press work, is a credit to Iowa journalism, than which no higher praise can be given.
There are less than a score of older papers in the State, and it has never changed its name or its politics.
E. B. Dyke is editor, and C. L. Dyke business manager.
Azro Benjamin Franklin Hildreth, one of the carly settlers of Charles City, was born in Chelsea, Orange County, Vt., on the 29th day of February, A. D. 1816. His father, Daniel Hildreth, was born in Pepperell, Middlesex County, Mass., in 1783, and at an early age removed with his parents to Vermont. James Hildreth, father of Daniel Hildreth, and grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was of the old Puritan stock, and of English origin. Richard Hildreth, the progenitor of all the Hildreths in America, came with a small colony of Puritans from the north of England, about twenty years after the landing of the Pilgrims on Plymouth
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Rock, and settled in Woburn, near Boston. The mother of Daniel Hildreth, and wife of James Hildreth, was Esther Fletcher, daughter of Lieutenant Timothy Fletcher, of Westford, Mass., a gentleman of some note at the time of, and previous to, the Revo- lution, and whose family name, as well as that of Hildreth, has been somewhat distinguished to the present day. Daniel Web- ster's first wife was of that family, and their oldest son bore the cognomen of Fletcher Webster.
The mother of A. B. F. Hildreth was Clarissa Tyler, daughter of Jonathan Tyler. She was born in Piermont, Grafton County, N. H., July 5, 1794.
History informs us that, in the year 1682, a family of emigrants arrived from England, bearing the name of Tyler. The father's christian name is not given. His sons were Daniel, David and John. Daniel settled in Connecticut, David in Massachusetts, and John in New Jersey. The families of the first two passed up the valley of the Connecticut River, and located in Piermont, N. H., while the New Jersey branch wandered southward to Vir- ginia. To the latter branch belonged John Tyler, who was at one ; time President of the United States.
The wife of Jonathan Tyler, son of Daniel Tyler, was Sarah McConnell, to whom he was married shortly after settling in Pier- mont, when she was of the tender age of twelve and one-half years. She was of Scotch origin, of fair complexion, and her beauty so won the affection of young Tyler that, young as she was, he was induced to propose marriage, and was accepted. She was the mother of thirteen children, and died in 1815, at the age of fifty-three years, beloved and lamented by all who knew her. Her husband, Jonathan Tyler, lived to the advanced age of nine- ty-six years, and died in 1848, at Piermont, N. H. He was a soldier of the war of 1812-'15.
Daniel Hildreth and Clarissa Tyler were united in wedlock at Piermont, N. H., June 9, 1814, and immediately removed to their new home in Chelsea, Vt. A farm had been purchased in that new locality, and here they, with toil and patience, m ide them a home which in time afforded many of the comforts and even lux- uries of life. There were born to them twelve children, six sons and six daughters, of whom A. B. F. Hildreth was the oldest. Daniel Hildreth, the father, died on the old homestead, in 1858, at the age of seventy-five years and six months. His wife sur- vived him a little more than eleven years, and died in 1870, aged
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seventy-five years and nine months. Both were members of the Congregational church, and died, as they had lived, sincere and devoted Christians. Agriculture was their principal avocation through life. In the business of stock raising, horses and cattle, and especially in wool-growing, the family were quite successful, and enjoyed a fair share of this world's goods.
It will be seen from the above that A. B. F. Hildreth was born and bred a farmer. He early manifested a fondness for books and soon acquired a good common-school education. When at the age of sixteen years, he taught a district school in Piermont, New Hamp- shire. The present companion of his declining years was then a pupil in his school, and gave him the cognomen of " The beardless school- master. " For several years he was accustomed to toil upon his father's farm during the spring and summer months, attend a fall term at the academy, and teach a school in the winter.
At the age of twenty years Mr. Hildreth obtained the consent of his parents to go out into the world and seek his fortune. He soon found himself in the city of New York, and obtained employ- ment there in the house of a book publisher. The next spring, 1837, he was thrown out of business by the failure of his employer, who went down in the terrible financial crash that year. His preserva- tion from vice or crime, while in that city, may be attributed to the excellent moral and religious training which he had received from his parents.
Returning to the old home in the Green Mountain State, and loving literature better than farming, he accepted a position in the newspaper and job printing establishment of Wm. Hewes, in his native town, where he gained a knowledge of the art of printing and the profession of a journalist. In 1839 he located in Lowell, Mass., and established himself in business as printer and publisher. His publications there were the Daily Morning News, the Lit- erary Souvenir (weekly), and the Ladies' Literary Repository (semi-monthly).
After a few years Mr. Hildreth sold out his business in Lowell and removed to Boston, but was soon induced to enter the field of journalism again, in Bradford, Vt. Here, in 1843, he opened a newspaper and job printing establishment, and began the publica- tion of a weekly newspaper called the American Protector, a high tariff or protectionist paper, which advocated the election of Henry Clay for President ; and a monthly magazine known as the Green Mountain Gem.
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With the defeat of Henry Clay subsided the hopes and energies of the protection or Whig party in Vermont. The publication of the Protector was discontinued, and in its place was issued the Vermont Family Gazette, a weekly literary and family news- paper. This latter journal soon became popular throughout Vermont, had a good circulation, and in connection with the Green Mountain Gem, gave its enterprising publisher a hand- some support. After continuing the printing and publishing business in Bradford some ten years, a returned Californian, with his pockets full of gold, came along and bought out the entire business, leaving Mr. Hildreth free to seek new fields of labor.
While living in Bradford, on the 21st day of October, 1844, Mr. Hildreth was married to Liveria Aurette Knight, of Frye- burg, Oxford County, Maine, a lady of education and refinement. Her father was Josiah Knight, then proprietor of the celebrated Oxford House, the popular stage hotel at that place, on the route from Portland to the White Mountains; and for the last twenty-five years he was a venerable citizen of Charles City, Iowa.
Mr. Knight was a son of Dr. Jonathan Knight, and was born in Westmoreland, N. H., March 8, 1792. He died at Charles City, Iowa, March 16, 1882, aged ninety years and eight days. His mother's maiden name was Betsey Dudley, who was born at Harvard, Mass., Oct. 31, 1764, and died in Piermont, N. H., May 8, 1866, at the remarkable age of 103 years and 6 months.
The mother of Mrs. Hildreth, and wife of Josiah Knight, was Betsey Joslin, daughter of Peter Joslin, who married Sarah Kid- der in Winchendon, Mass., June 1, 1785. Mrs. Knight was born in Winchendon Jan. 1, 1789, and died in Charles City, Ia., Dec. 25, 1858, aged sixty-nine years. She was a most estimable woman.
Mrs. Hildreth was born in Surry, N. H., June 11, 1817. Her only child was Mary Liveria Aurette Hildreth, born at Bradford, Vt., June 23, 1851, and died in Charles City, Iowa, Nov. 30, 1857, aged six years, five months and seven days. She was a precocious child. In her birth many hopes were centered-in her death all these were forever blasted.
After closing up his business in Bradford, Vt., Mr. Hildreth removed to Holyoke, Mass., in January, 1853, and engaged in mercantile business. Not many months elapsed before some of the leading citizens there, induced him to relinquish his store and once more engage in the work of newspaper printing and publish-
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ing. In this he was very successful. His newspaper was called the Holyoke Mirror. He conducted the business until Novem- ber, 1855, when he sold out, and in the spring of 1856 removed to Charles City, Ia.
At that time Floyd County was a new country, and many hard- ships and privations were to be endured. Here was opened a broad field for enterprise and usefulness. How unlike the old overcrowded towns of Eastern States, where business is overdone and competition crowds out or crushes under every new comer, who is looked upon as an interloper. In the great and growing West men are wanted and are welcomed. In those days Charles City contained a population of only a few hundred. Not a dozen frame houses were to be seen in the whole town, the others being built of logs. Provisions were very scarce, and could only be obtained at high prices. The few settlers who had come into the county during the previous year had raised but a small quantity of farm produce, not nearly enough to supply the rapidly increasing demand of the new settlers who succeeded them. There was no time for idleness.
Mr. Hildreth erected a two-story frame building, the lower story for a store and the upper story for his printing office, and had i ready for occupancy in June, and before cold weather came he had also built a comfortable dwelling-house.
On the 31st of July, 1856, he issued the first number of his newspaper, the Republican Intelligencer. It contained sev columns to the page, was handsomely printed, and furnished much interesting and valuable reading. The advent of this journal in this then new town, was an event of much importance to settlers, and the first sheet struck off was sold at auction for $20. During the day and evening a large number of subscriptions was handed in, and three editions of the paper of 1,000 each were printed be- fore the demand could be supplied. The Intelligencer grew to be a power in the land. Before the year closed it was enlarged to nine columns to the page. When first started, the politics of the county were controlled by the Democrats. This was soon changed. The Republicans came into power and have held control of the county ever since.
In 1858 Mr. Hildreth was elected as a member of the State Board of Education, representing a district composed of the coun- ties of Allamakee, Winneshiek, Howard, Mitchell, Floyd, Chicka- saw, Fayette, Clayton, Bremer, and Butler. This board held its
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biennial session in the Capitol at Des Moines, and had control of all the educational interests of the State, except private or secta- rian institutions. As a member of this board, Mr. Hil- dreth held a prominent and leading position, and the impress of his mind and acts is still left upon the educational laws and institutions of the State. Among the more impor- tant results of his legislative efforts in behalf of education was a law requiring the State University at Iowa City, to be opened to young ladies and free alike to them, as well as young gentlemen. This measure met with considerable opposition, both from the peo- ple and the press of the State-it being the popular opinion that it would never do to educate the sexes together. What an absur- dity ! As if men and women were not created for each other's society. The law prevailed, providing that the State University shall be for the free education of the youth of Iowa of both sexes upon equal terms in all respects ; and to-day no legislator dare raise his hand or voice in favor of its repeal.
A few years later, when Mr. Hildreth was a member of the Gen- eral Assembly, he was appointed by that body as chairman of a select committee to investigate and report upon the affairs of the university. He has said that one of the proudest days of his life was when he was permitted to stand up in the university chapel, in the presence of more than two hundred young lady students, and nearly as many young gentlemen students, and, in the course of an address requested by the President, explain how it happened that those young ladies were permitted to enjoy such exalted edu- cational privileges. When the exercises had closed the grateful thanks tendered him by those young ladies for his efforts in their behalf, repaid him a thousand fold for all that he had done for them. The officers and professors of the university assured him that the plan of the co-education of the sexes was working well. A spirit of emulation and rivalry was awakened which was profitable to both, and there was no difficulty in regard to morals or general de- portment.
In the spring of 1861, immediately after the war of the Rebell- ion, Mr. Hildreth was appointed Draft Commissioner for Floyd County, by Gov. S. J. Kirkwood, since known as Iowa's "war governor." Every able-bodied citizen, liable to bear arms, was promptly enrolled and held subject to draft whenever a draft should be ordered. This difficult and delicate business was trans- acted faithfully and to the satisfaction of all concerned.
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In the fall of 1863 Mr. Hildreth was elected to represent the Fifty-fourth District of Iowa in the Tenth General Assembly. As a legislator he acquitted himself with much credit and to the gen- eral acceptance of his constituents. He was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Schools and State University, and was also a member of the Committee on Banks and Banking, and of the Committee on Printing. Any one at all familiar with the work of legislation can readily understand that these were very important committees, and that the amount of labor incumbent upon them was necessarily large.
Mr. Hildreth was very successful in carrying through the Legisla- ture whatever measure he was interested in. Among the more important, and one that proved of lasting benefit to his part of the State, was a memorial to Congress asking for a grant of land to aid in the construction of a railroad on or near the forty-third par- allel of north latitude, and passing from McGregor, on the Missis- sippi River, westward through his own town of Charles City. Repeated efforts had been made by others to obtain this land grant and secure the building of this railroad, but all had signally failed until the enterprise was taken hold of by Mr. Hildreth.
A copy of the memorial, above referred to, may be found in this volume in that portion of the chapter on railroads which pertains to the McGregor & Western Railroad, now known as the "Iowa & Dakota Division of the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail- road.
Hon. James Harlan, then a member of the United States Sen- ate, introduced a bill in the Senate, making a grant of lands as prayed for in the memorial, which became a law, and as a result the railroad was built and operated within a few years thereafter, greatly to the convenience and benefit of the settlers along the line of the road.
Mr. Hildreth was one of the incorporators of the Congregational society of Charles City, of which church his wife was a member. He is somewhat liberal in his religious views, and inclines to the sentiments of the Unitarian wing of the New England Congre- gationalists, who are a very numerous and influential body of Christians in New England. Both he and his wife are constant attendants and supporters of the Congregational church.
On the first of October, 1870, Mr. Hildreth sold the Intelligen- cer newspaper and his entire printing establishment to Messrs. Dyke & Rowell, and retired from active business. Having only
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himself and wife to provide for, he believed he had acquired a competency for their remaining years. They have a pleasant ·home, surrounded with many attractions and pleasing associations. Here they are enjoying the fruits of an industrious and useful life in the perusal of a well stocked library, and in social intercourse with neighbors and friends.
In the spring of 1871 the First National Bank of Charles City was organized. In this enterprise Mr. Hildreth took an active part. From the beginning he has been one of its directors, and a part of the time vice-president.
On the 25th of August, 1873, the Floyd County Savings Bank, at Charles City, was incorporated. In this institution Mr. Hil- dreth has ever been a stockholder and director. At the first meet- ing of the board he was elected its president and has held that office to the present time.
For many years Mr. Hildreth has been a member of the School Board of Charles City, and much of the time has been its presi- dent, which office he now holds. His well known educational tastes and proclivities, as well as business tact, admirably fit him for that position. He was never an office-seeker, and it is said that he was never known to ask a man for his vote. His idea of pro- priety in such matters is, that the office should seek the man and not the man the office. As a business man he has the confidence of all who know him, and no one can gainsay his integrity.
Eugene B. Dyke, editor of the INTELLIGENCER, was born in Parish, Oswego County, N. Y., Jan. 11, 1842. He is of pure New England stock, and his ancestors on both sides date back of the Revolution, in which his great-grandfathers served as patriot sol_ diers. He came west with his parents in 1854, settling in Wal- worth County, Wisconsin. Here his life was passed upon the farm until 1861, when he entered the freshman class in Beloit College. He was absent from school during a part of his course, serving as a soldier in the Union army, in Company C, Forty-seventh Iowa Infantry. Returning to Beloit, he graduated with honor in the class of 1865. The next fall he commenced the study of law in the office of Sanders & Ludington, Syracuse, N. Y., where he was admitted to the bar in April, 1877. The next year was spent in legal study with the late Judge Knowlton of Chicago. Then for two years he occupied the position of superintendent of the graded schools of Rockville, Ind., which position he resigned in 1870 to
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