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 91
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James Hoel, born in Hamilton County, O., March 14, 1822, is a son of Aaron Hoel, who moved to Iroquois County, Ill., in 1834, and settled on the wild prairie. His school advantages were very limited. He came to Bremer County, Ia., in 1875, and to this county in 1868. He was married in March, 1846, to Alice Fleming. Of their eight children six are living -- William, David, James, Laura, Mary and Etna. One daughter, Martha,the wife of Eli Griggs, died at the age of twenty-two.
Robert King, born in Niagara, Canada West, Feb. 8, 1820, is a son of Lewis and Elizabeth (Sanderson) King, the former a native of Lower Canada and of French descent, and the latter of English descent. In 1837 he went to Buffalo, N. Y., and two weeks later to Cleveland, then enlisted in the Patriot war and served two months, when the army disbanded. In the spring of 1838 he went to Lorain County, Ohio, and hired out to William Tillotson. In 1839 he went to Schuyler County, Mo .; in 1844, to Iowa County, Wis .; in 1852 to Lawrence County, Mo., and in 1857 came to Floyd County and settled in section 28, Rudd Township, where he still resides. May 17, 1843, he married Charlotte M., daughter of William Tillotson. Of their six children five are living-Ethan A., Edgar D., William R., Frank T. and Ettie. One son died at the age of one year. Mr. King has been Township Trustee three years, and School Director several terms. He is a member of the Christian church.
George Kirley, born in Lewis County, N. Y., Feb. 6, 1846, is a son of Michael Kirley, a native of Ireland, who came to America when quite young. In 1856 Mr. Kirley moved to Cheboygan
989
RUDD TOWNSHIP.
County, Mich., and in 1865 came to this county. He is residing on section 33, Rudd Township, where he owns seventy acres and is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He was married Dec. 30, 1873, to Bridget A. Casey, They have four children-Stephen M., William B., Agnes E. and Mary M. He was Justice of the Peace two years. The family are members of the Catholic church.
Eben L. Mansfield, born in Waldo County, Me., in January, 1830, is a son of Daniel Mansfield, a native of Massachusetts. His early education was received in the common school. He came West in 1844 and settled in Franklin County, Ill., and in 1855 came to this county, settling on a farm on section 13, Rudd Township. He was married in 1858 to Angeline Dean, a sister of William Dean, of Rock Grove Township. Of their five children two are living-Ira M. and Julia M., now Mrs. Fox. One son, Willie, died at the age of fourteen, and a daughter, Mary (Mrs. Thomas), at the age of thirty.
Lyman P. Miner, a son of Jacob Miner, deceased, was born in Erie County, N. Y., Oct. 6, 1841, and went to Iowa County, Wis., in 1857. He enlisted in the late war in Company C, Thirty-first Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He served three years, mostly on detached service. In the fall of 1864 he joined Sherman and went with him to the sea. After the war he went to Rock County, Wis., and in the spring of 1872 he came to this county. He owns 160 acres of fine land on section 34, Rudd Township, and is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He was married Dec. 19, 1867, to Mary M. Yates. They have two children-Cora A. and Lyman E. He has been Justice of the Peace for the past six years; is a Mason.
Augustus Nienstedt, merchant and Postmaster of Rudd, was born in Goslar, Kingdom of Hanover (now Prussia), Germany, Aug. 15, 1836. His father, Christopher Nienstedt, came to this country, to New York City, in the spring of 1850, and his family came a few months later. In 1856 he came to Dubuque, Iowa, and clerked in a furniture store eight years ; then worked at farming four years, and then returned to the store and remained till 1870, when he came to Rudd and established a general store, which he still runs, doing a business of $20,000 annually. He was appointed Postmaster of Rudd Jan. 8, 1875. He was married Dec. 25, 1862, to Wilhelmina Wunderlich. They have seven children-Bertha, Clara, Minnie, George, Nellie, Augusta and Gertrude. He has been School Treasurer of Rudd for the past ten years.
990
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Henry A. Payne, son of Apollos R. Payne, a native of Massa- chusetts, and Polly (Chandler) Payne, of New York State, was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio, Dec. 9, 1830. In 1852 he went to Massachusetts, and in 1854 to Dane County, Wis. In the fall of 1862 he came to this county, and is engaged in farming and stock-raising on section 21, Rudd Township. In June, 1857, he was married to Mrs. Jane Naylor, a daughter of George Pimlott. She was a native of England, and came to Canada when sixteen years old. The first summer they were here, the Indian troubles occurred in Minnesota. Mrs. Payne had many scares. At one time she was left alone seven days and nights, while Mr. Payne went to McGregor with wheat. It was all wild prairie, the near- est neighbor being a mile and a half distant. Mr. Payne is said to be the largest man in the county.
Frank Sherwin, section 21 ; postoffice, Osage ; was born in Ou- tagamie County, Wis., in June, 1852. He is a son of Herman Sherwin, a native of New York, now of Springvale, Wis., born Sept. 4, 1820. He is a prominent man in Wisconsin. His portrait will be found in the History of Fond du Lac County. His wife's maiden name was Sarah D. Coddington. Frank Sherwin came to this county in the spring of 1875. He owns 80 acres of fine land. and is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He was married in March, 1875, to Clara Elliott. They have three children-Frank E., Howard H. and Ralph L.
Henry Summers, born in Canada East, Sept. 7, 1849, is a son of William Summers, a native of England, who moved to Clinton County, N. Y., in 1851. His early life was spent on a farm, and his education received in the common schools. He came to Cal- mar, Ia., in 1868; to Fort Atkinson, Ia., in 1869, and to Rudd in 1876. He was engaged in the grain business in Fort Atkinson, and has carried on the same business since coming to Rudd. He now owns a one-half interest in the elevator of Basset, Hunting & Co., of Rudd. He was married May 25, 1875, to Matilda Krumm, of Fort Atkinson. They have one child -- Cleone.
James Swartwood, born in Newfield, Tompkins County, N. Y., June 21, 1822, is a son of Dane B. Swartwood, of Wilkesbarre, Penn. He spent his early boyhood days on a farm, and was educated at the Homer and Groton academies; then read law and was admitted to the bar at Ithaca, New York, in 1844, and prac- ticed two years. In 1849 he came West, and went to Fond du Lac, Wis .; in 1853, removed to Sycamore, Ili., and in September, 1864,
991
RUDD TOWNSHIP.
came to Rudd, and the following April brought family here. He originally owned the entire town site of Ruld, which he laid out in 1869. He gave one half of it to the railroad company. He was married Jan. 1, 1848, to Paulina E. Adams. They have had eight children, two living-Isabel and Anna C. One daughter, Myra C., died at the age of twenty-seven. He has held the offices of Assessor, has been Justice of the Peace several years, and County Supervisor three years.
Ole Tostenrud, farmer and stock-raiser, section 20, Rudd Township, was born in Norway, July 22, 1856; his father, Lars Tostenrud, brought his family to America, and settled in Iowa, in 1860, and in 1867 came to this county. There were six children in his father's family, four living-Christia, Ole, Laura and Emma. Mary and Helen are deceased. Mr. Tostenrud owns eighty acres of fine land; his parents make their home with him.
Rufus R. Turner, born near Utica, N. Y., Feb. 11, 1817, is a son of William Turner, of the same place. He went to White Water, Wis .; Jackson County, Wis., and Boone County, Ill., and finally, in 1876, to Rudd Township, and settled on the farm of forty acres, on section 10, where he still resides, engaged in farming and stock-raising. He was married Jan. 13, 1848, to Mrs. Frances R. Knight, widow of Augustus Knight, and daughter of James Ham- mond. Of their five children, four are living-William R., Nelson E., James A. and May A. Mrs. Turner had two children by her former marriage-Cynthia M. and Henry B. Knight. They are members of the Baptist church.
Aaron B. West, a son of Simeon West, was born in Bradford County, Penn., Jan. 6, 1827. He went to Waukesha County, Wis., in 1849; to McGregor, Iowa, in 1862, and came to this county in 1870. He is a farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 28, Rudd Township. He was married April 18, 1847, to Mrs. Sarah Goff, a daughter of Wm. Knox. They had six chil- dren-Wm. M., Chas. W., Milton W., Alice A., John A. and Sarah E. Mrs. West-died Aug. 11, 1876, and Dec. 19, 1876, Mr. West married Mrs. Jane Elliott, widow of Wm. Elliott, and daughter of Mr. Webb. She had six children by her former mar- riage, three living-Eliza J., Mary A. and Arnilda. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
David S. Wood, born in Upper Canada, March 29, 1827, is a son of Joseph Wood, a native of New Jersey, who came West and settled in Boone County, Ill., in 1842. In 1851 he came to Cedar
992
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
County, Iowa, and in 1854 came to this county, and selected land where he still resides, on section 18, township 96, range 17. When he came here it was wild prairie land, inhabited by deer and wolves, but he has changed it to a finely cultivated farm. He owns 182 acres, and is engaged in both farming and stock-raising. He was married Feb. 22, 1854, to Harriet E. Thomas. They are the parents of six children, three living-George II., Ada E. and Delos W. One son, Adelbert, died at the age of fifteen; another, Charlie, at the age of seven, and a daughter, Hattie, aged six months. He has been Justice of the Peace, except for a short time, for the past eighteen years; has held the office of County Supervisor for the past three years; is now serving the second term.
SCOTT TOWNSHIP.
Scott Township was detached from Union in June, 1861, and comprised congressional township 94 north, of range 18 west, and the south tier of sections in congressional township 95 north, of range 18 west, and has never been changed.
TOPOGRAPHICAL.
There is a peculiar, instinctive characteristic of man, which seems to lead him, as it were unconsciously and imperceptibly, in the footsteps of progress, and direct him to locate in that part of an unsettled country which is destined to become, in the near future, a beautiful and fertile township. It is probably to be attributed to this innate feature of finite man that Scott Township has the many prosperous farmers of to-day. Taken as a whole there can scarcely be more desirable land in the county than this town- ship. Here everything exists in abundance, and the country is richly embellished with the beauties of nature, and, all in all, it seems to be one grand and lovely combination of the several varie- ties of pure prairie land and of art in which the former largely pre- dominates; for civilize the country all you may, improve it all you can, and then bring to bear upon it the inventions wrought out by all the skill and ingenuity of man, then compare its condition with what it was in its early pristine state, when the land was run over by the red man's ponies, and the prairies were covered with tall, waving grass, with its green, flowery carpet, its undulating surface, interspersed here and there with wild flowers which sent forth their sweet perfumes as a presentiment of the coming future, -do all of this, and you will find the conditions incomparable to the busy scenes of Scott's more densely populated sister townships, with her own rural simplicity; of the two the former one would gradually fade away like the rays of the setting sun. But no com- mendatory notice can do justice to the rural beauty of Scott Town- ship. Scott Township embraces a territory of forty-two square miles, principally prairie, and but little timber, that being on the northeast corner of sections 35 and 36, of 95 N., 18 W., and sec- ton 1, of 94 N., 18 W., or those sections that are intersected by
(993)
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994
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
the waters of Shell Rock River. The land throughout the town- ship is peculiarly rich, and adapted to corn, small grain and dairy- ing. It is watered by two small creeks, besides Shell Rock River, running easterly across the township, emptying into Shell Rock at points in Union Township. Cold Water Creek touches the two southwest sections of 94 N., 18 W., passing out of the county on the land owned by B. S. Gilman. On section 16 is quite a large fossil deposit, petrified shells and bones being found inside of the limestone and other small stones. The land bordering the Shell Rock resembles the intervales of the Connecticut River as to the "lay," and, from the farm of the Montrose's, presents a wonder. fully striking landscape.
ELECTIONAL AND OFFICIAL.
The first election held in the township was in April, 1861, but by some unknown, and probably excusable, reason the official records were never handed in to at least three of the township clerks in the past, and Mr. Oaks, the present Township Clerk, hence the impossibility to give much early electional and official records.
The assessor's list for 1866, the earliest record extant, gives the following persons assessed: Wm. (). Crumb, Egbert Davis, N. P. Inman, Samuel Kinney, N. J. Lee, E. E. Mott, Job Randall, Daniel Shook, C. A. Crumb, Absalom Gleason, Joseph Daniels,. J. Kelsey, Hiram Losee, Milton Rowland, Isaac Sharp and I. H. Tree.
The same year the live-stock assessed and total value is as follows:
Eighty-three heads of cattle, valued at $1,440; eighty-nine sheep, valued at $178; twenty-four hogs, valued at $34; thirty-one horses, whose valne was estimated to be $1,655. Total value of live-stock in township, $3,307. The present valuation is: Cattle, 1,106, value $7,760; horses, 459, value, $10,583; asses, 3, value $80 ;. sheep, 163, value $121; swine, 1,290, value $1,537.
ASSESSORS.
Since 1873 the following persons have been regularly elected Assessors: J. A. Rex, 1873 and '74; Seth M. Blood, 1875; Frank D. Burlingame, 1876; T. W. Nicholson, 1877-"78; F. D. Bur- lingame, 1879-'80, and is the present incumbent.
995
SCOTT TOWNSHIP.
Cyrus H. Oakes has been annually elected Township Clerk since 1873; also as a member of the County Board of Supervisors since 1875, serving now his third term.
The Trustees of the township since 1869, with the exception of two years, have been as follows:
1869 .-- Uriah S. Waist, William Galbraith, Samuel Kenny.
1870 .- E. D. Montrose, Samuel Kenny, Wm. Galbraith.
1873 .- I. B. Schermerhorn, Blair Barney, E. D. Montrose. 1874 .-- Blair Barney, E. D. Montrose, A. J. Donney.
1875 .- Jacob A. Rex, George Schultz, Samuel Kinney.
1876 .- Blair Barney, Isaac Sharp, August Mauch.
1877 .- Blair Barney, August Mauch, J. A. Barnum.
1878 .- Blair Barney (one year), Isaac Sharp (two years), August Mauch (three years). Note: The change in the election, one trustee to serve three years, electing one each year, necessitated one of the three to withdraw. It was pleasantly decided by drawing lots, and decided as above years indicate.
1879 .- J. P. Miller.
1880 .- Geo. Schultz.
1881 .- H. Mauch.
The following is the number of polls cast at each October elec- tion since 1873:
YEAR.
ELEOTORB. YEAR.
ELECTORS.
1873.
60
1878.
78
1875.
.74
1880
94
.77
1881.
101 1877.
.62
The earliest Road Supervisors that we have record of were: D. W. Cornish and Henry Eads. The present ones are: C. J. Bick- ford, Thomas Garber, James Galbraith, J. W. Nicholson, G. L. Brown, Charles Dean, A. J. Esser, and B. S. Gilman.
EDUCATIONAL.
The Secretary's record shows the following as the first minutes : "First meeting was called to order by H. Losee, on motion of N. P. Inman. Voted to raise one-half mill on the dollar for school
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1874.
.54
1879
100
1876.
996
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
purposes ; also to leave repairing of school-house to Board of Direct. ors. Wm. O. Crumb, President; E. Davis, Treasurer; H. Losee, Secretary."
" April 23, 1864 .- A motion that A. Gleason be appointed a committee of one to settle school matters with Union Township. Carried."
" Motion: That Scott has seven months' school. Carried."
The following September a meeting was called. Among other matters Wm. O. Crumb and Isaac Sharp were appointed a com- mittee to see to finishing the school-house. The following January, 1865, H. Losee and William O. Crumb were appointed a com- mittee to investigate the "dnes " of Scott Township. There was an nnimportant meeting the 16th of March, and another the 26th. During this year (1865) Joel Lee, H. Losee were chosen Sub-Directors for districts 1 and 2. One mill on the dollar was raised as contingent fund; two mills on the dollar for teachers' find. One dollar was voted for a trip for each of the members of the Board to Charles City; and one dollar to the Secretary for recording minutes of each meeting.
The first record of teachers and schools are as follows, though undoubtedly the old log house and subscription schools comes in long prior to this.
EARLY SCHOOLS.
As the earlier records of the actions in the township territory, now Scott, have been lost, or laid beyond the reach of the present residents, but few facts regarding the schools and their teachers can be given as authentic. We have no positive record until later than 1865, and it is unfair to suppose the settlers had no schools in their midst before this. Schools were kept in those days by crude systems, all over the county, and why not in 94 north, 18 west ? And so we can give nothing better than a supposition based on a description given the writer orally-not saying schools, or teachers or its wanton rudeness existed there but the presump- tion that it might.
FIRST SCHOOLS.
1865, Nov. 13. Sub-District No. 1 .- Teacher, Laura Stearns; length of school, three months (sixty days); salary, $75; average cost per pupil, 39 cents.
George Morsfield
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SCOTT TOWNSHIP.
1866, May 8. Sub-District No. 1 .- Teacher, Laura Stearns; length of school, four months (eighty days); salary, $100; average cost per pupil, 30 cents.
1866, Nov. 5. Sub-District No. 1 .- Teacher, Carrie E. Waste; length of school, four months (seventy-nine days); salary, $100; average cost per pupil, 14 cents, 2 mills.
1867, Dec. 2. Sub-District No. 1 .- Teacher, H. L. Weatherell; length of school, four months (eighty days); salary, $88; aver- age cost per pupil, 12 cents, 3 mills.
The enrollment, average attendance and teachers' names for spring term of 1882 can be seen from the following table, from the County Superintendent's report:
SUB-DISTRICT.
ENROLLMENT.
ATTENDANCE.
AVERAGE DAILY
TEACHERS.
1
17
13.7
Nellie S. Merril.
3.
16
9.3
Mrs. Baldwin.
4.
20
14
Ella Comstock.
5.
13
11.8
Blair Barney.
6. .
19
16
Lucy Lorenz.
7
15
12.7
Dwight Merrick.
8
14
11.3
Jennie V. Reed.
We give the names of some of the sub-directors for different years, to show the increase of sub-districts:
1866, March 12 .- I. Sharp, Wm. O. Crumb, A. R. Blodgett (September meeting).
1869, March 6 .- Daniel Joseph, Milton Rowland, E. D. Montrose.
1870, March 5 .- E. D. Montrose, J. B. Schermerhorn, A. J. Denney.
The present officers are: J. P. Miller, President; A. W. Montrose, Secretary; J. B. Schermerhorn, Treasurer.
The Sub-Directors are: John Kreider, Samuel Kinney, J. P. Miller, Geo. Shultz, W. E. Efner, B. Courtwright, J. J. Maxwell, Andrew J. Esser.
There are eight large, convenient and neat-looking school-houses (20 x 30) to-day, which speaks well for the growth of the township.
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1000
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
RELIGIOUS.
Scott Township, although having no church edifices, is well supplied with religious teachings, and has been for a long while. There has been, at different seasons, preaching in nearly every school-house in the township-at least in Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8. This summer there is preaching in Nos. 1, 6 and 7; and Sabbath- schools in Nos. 2 and 7. Rev. Mr. Grumley, a Methodist preacher from Cerro Gordo County, preaches Thursday evening every fort- night, in Sub district School-house No. 6, and Friday evening in No. 8. In No. 1, the Methodist preacher from Rockwell preaches.
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
To while away the long winter evenings the citizens living within Sub-district No. 5, have held lyceums. They have always been quite well attended, the exercises being, in common with other social gatherings of this nature, speaking, recitations, debates, a paper, etc.
There was a grange organized in '73 or '74, with about twenty charter members. It was in existence for about two years. C. H. Oaks was Master.
FIRST EVENTS.
The first township election was held in the Kinney School- house, on section 11.
The first sermon was preached by Loral Inman, a resident of the township, afterward of Rockford, and now deceased.
The first furrow turned over for earnest agricultural intentions was on section 12, Charles Smith being the " husbandman."
There is one township postoffice named "Scott," established about 1877, Mrs. Mary Waller, Postmistress, situated in the center of the township.
The first forge was built by Uriah Tree, on section 2, 94 N., 18 W. He has since moved to Verndale, Minn., where many of Floyd's oldest settlers immigrated a few years ago. A shop is now run by P. Shultz on the same section.
The first birth was that of a son to Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Sharp, whom they named George.
One of the earliest Justices of the Peace was Edmont Rose. The present gentlemen holding the office are J. B. Schermerhorn and G. L. Brown.
1001
SCOTT TOWNSHIP.
The first marriage within the limits of the township was Wm. Down to Phebe Down. It was the immediate result of better resolves, and a re-kindling of old loves-they having been married and divorced previous to coming to Floyd County. "True love never does run smoothly."
The first death was that of the Riddle child, and the uncle, by lightning, in June, 1855.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Thomas Alexander was born in Belmont County, Ohio, Sept. 7, 1833. He left there in the fall of 1864, and went to Canada; remained there until the fall of 1879, when he came to Floyd County, Iowa, and settled on section 33, Scott Township, where he still resides, engaged in farming, raising corn and stock. He has 320 acres of fine land. He was married in Ohio, Feb. 22, 1855, to Catherine B. Atkinson. They had one child-John F., born Dec. 7, 1855. Mrs. Alexander died Oct. 15, 1857. He was married a second time May 25, 1858, to Matilda Sparling. By this union there were three children-W. S., born Aug. 9, 1859; Agnes, Dec. 22, 1860, and Olivia J., Jan. 2, 1863. Mrs. Matilda Alexander died Aug. 28, 1881. Politically, Mr. Alexander is a Democrat, and in his religious belief is a Baptist.
T. J. Barnum, one of the prominent citizens of Scott Township, was born in the State of New York, July 3, 1819. He was reared and educated in his native State, and made it his home until 1864, when he came West, and in the fall of 1867 settled in Winne- shiek County, Iowa. He followed farming there four years, then moved to Floyd County, settling on section 35, Scott Township, where he owns 80 acres of finely cultivated land. He was married in 1839, to Nancy Lewis, a native of the Green Mountain State, born in 1820. They have one child-Menard, born in New York in 1845. In his political views Mr. Barnum is a Democrat.
G. L. Brown was born in Tompkins County, N. Y., Oct. 8, 1840. His parents moved to Pennsylvania when he was three years old, and from there, fourteen years later, to Illinois. He lived in Ogle and Winnebago counties, Ill., till 1868, when he came to Floyd County, Iowa, where he has since resided, following the occupation of farming. He owns 240 acres of land, 160 in Scott Township, Floyd County, and 80 acres adjoining, on section 1, Binnezette Township, Butler County. He raises both live-stock
1002
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
and grain. Politically, he is a Republican ; has held the office of Justice of the Peace eight years, and is Road Supervisor. He was married in October, 1860, to Martha McNeill, a native of Winne- bago County, Ill., born Nov. 17, 1844. They are the parents of seven children-Charles E., born Nov. 16, 1861; Mary M., Dec. 26, 1863 ; Cora D., Feb. 20, 1866; Thomas II., Feb. 17, 1867; John J., March 9, 1869; George W., March 15, 1871; William H., Aug. 15, 1873.
Benjamin Courtright was born in Monroe County, Penn., Aug. 2, 1826. Hemoved to Illinois in 1866, where he remained till 1874, when he came to Floyd County, Ia., and settled on section 35, Scott Township, where he has 160 acres of good, well-improved land. His entire life, with the exception of one year spent in Mendota, Ill., has been spent in farming. He is neutral in his political views, and has held the office of School Director. He was married May 4, 1853, to Catharine Transue, a native of Monroe County, Penn., born Aug. 24, 1830. They have eight children -John, born Oct. 4, 1851; Anna E., March 5, 1853; Alice, April 26, 1858; Isaac, May 28, 1860; William A., March 3, 1862; Mary M., March 5, 1864; Sabrina, Dec. 24, 1868. He is a member of the. Methodist Episcopal church.
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