USA > Iowa > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 30
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Jacob P. Johnson immigrated from Denmark in 1854 and settled in Wisconsin. He came here from Grundy county, Iowa, in 1879, and became identified with the growth and prosperity of the com- munity. He was elected to various local offices.
J. A. Green settled in Franklin county in 1876, first locating on a farm in Reeve township. In the spring of 1882 he took up his residence on section 6, Scott township.
E. B. Hill, a native of Vermont and a carpenter by trade, located in Maysville, Franklin county, in 1869. He removed to Hamp- ton in 1871, where he worked at his trade, and in 1882 took charge of the station at Alexander, this township, where he opened a gen- eral store. The same year he was appointed postmaster.
Among the later settlers may be mentioned the following named who are of foreign birth : Christian Schomburg, Onno Suntken, John Stoffers, Ben Arends, Ludwig Jakobs, James Roosa, Paul Bobst, William P. Ammerman, L. B. Magel, Philip Seeger, N. C. Rasmus- sen, Christ B. Johansen, J. H. Berghefer, J. H. Tobias, Theobald Closz, Rasmus Anderson, Peter Madsen, C. H. Muhlenbrucht, Henry Plagge, Louis Schloemer, G. W. Myers, George Muhlen- brucht, Henry Schidarck and Frank Ostendorf.
The first residents of Scott township to be married were David Keyes and Minnie Schieck, in 1878. The ceremony took place at Hampton.
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The earliest birth was a son of William Wright, born in 1866.
The first deaths were two children killed by lightning at the house of J. D. Demaris. They were buried on section 1, but after- wards the bodies were removed to Sheffield.
The first schoolhouse was erected in 1880, on the northwest corner of section 28.
The Danish Lutheran Society was organized in Marion town- ship in 1878, but many of the settlers of what was afterwards Scott township were members of the church. The first services held by the society in Scott township were at the house of J. P. Johnson on section 22, in the winter of 1881. The sermon was delivered by Rev. T. Jenson, of Cedar Falls. Among the first members of the society from Scott were Paul Erickson and wife, Jacob P. Johnson, John Larson and wife, J. C. Peterson and N. P. Johnson and wife.
ALEXANDER
A branch of the Central Railroad of Iowa was completed through the township in 1881 and its station, Alexander, was located on sec- tion 5. The first agent was E. B. Hill.
Alexander was laid out and platted for F. E. Carter, June 8, 1885, by W. F. Kelley, surveyor. The place was incorporated in 1902 and now has a population of 300.
But little was done in the way of improvement until 1882, when a general store was opened by E. B. Hill, who was at the same time appointed postmaster.
Soon thereafter a grain elevator was erected and today the little town is quite a busy trading point, having stores of various charac- ters, churches, and a well attended school.
Mention should also be made of the Alexander Brass Band, made up of good musicians, several of whom are business men of the place.
The Alexander Savings Bank, a strong and conservative financial institution, was organized in 1899. It has a capital of $16,000, and in the fall of 1913 its deposits were $135,000. W. L. Robinson is president; G. A. Robinson, vice president; James Cook, cashier ; George Dunn, assistant cashier.
The postoffice was established at Alexander, November 13, 1882. Egbert B. Hill was the first postmaster. His successors follow: A. R. Carter, December 8, 1884; Thomas B. Scott, June 7, 1887; E. L. Coldren, November 28, 1888; William A. Roberts, March 16, 1889;
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CORNET BAND, ALEXANDER
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Fred E. Carter, May 3, 1890; Joseph W. Hillyard, August 12, 1891; James Shaver, April 21, 1893; A. L. Refsnider, May 5, 1897; Ole Hong, December 8, 1909.
MARION TOWNSHIP
Marion township was originally a part of Washington township as first laid out. It was organized as a separate subdivision of the county in the spring of 1874. The first election was held at the house of John Neff in the fall of the year mentioned. The officers elected were: Trustees, John Menning, George Shaver and James Riddle; assessor, G. R. Miner; clerk, G. R. Miner.
This township is bounded on the north by Richland; on the east by Mott; on the south by Hamilton; and on the west by Scott. The land is of a rich, productive quality, gently rolling and but little of it that is not tillable. Tharp's creek and Spring creek are the natural sources of drainage. Tharp's creek rises on section 6 and taking an easterly course leaves the township at section 1. Spring creek enters on section 19 and makes its exit on section 24. There is some little timber. The township has one railroad-the Iowa Central-now controlled by the Minneapolis & St. Louis. It crosses the southern part of the township and has a station on section 19, called Latimer.
The date of the first settlement in Marion township has been lost to the historian of this locality. It is known, however, that the three families named Finney, Scheidler and Howard settled here and made the first attempt at farming in this locality. They remained a short time and left for some other part of the country.
Henry Haecker located in Marion township in 1864. His son, T. H. Haecker, came with him. The latter became prominent in county affairs ; was elected county superintendent of schools in 1882 and held the office for ten years. He was postmaster at Hampton under McKinley's administration and died while in office.
Gideon Lumley was also a settler of 1864. He was born in Canada in 1847, and at the age of seventeen came to Franklin county, settling in Mott township, and upon locating in Marion township chose sections 1 and 2 for a home. In 1868 Mr. Lumley married Laura E. Riddle, daughter of one of the early settlers.
John Menning chose a good farm in Marion township and moved on to it in April, 1870. He purchased 160 acres of land on section 13, at $7.50 an acre, which by good judgment and unlimited industry
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he brought up to a fine state of cultivation. Mr. Menning became a staid and valuable citizen, holding several local offices at various times.
George Shaver came from Ackley and settled on section 12, in 1873, remaining there a number of years and making a fine farm of his purchase.
Frederick Rodemeyer, G. R. Miner and James Riddle chose Marion township for their future homes in the early '70s, and soon thereafter their neighbors increased quite rapidly. By 1876 there were over one hundred voters in the township.
James S. Riddle was a native of New York, who in 1851 got the Western fever and came to Grinnell, Iowa. The year 1864 found him in Franklin county and after living in several parts of it he finally purchased land and settled in this township. Mr. Riddle soon took a high place among his neighbors as a man and citizen.
Frederick Rodemeyer was born in Hanover, Germany. He came to America in 1865 and settled in Illinois. He found his way to Franklin county in 1874, at which time he bought and located on forty acres of land on section 34, in Marion township. Mr. Rode- meyer was a very industrious, frugal and thrifty man, and with these qualifications had no difficulty in taking a high place in the affairs of the community.
Herman Missman was born in Germany, came to America with his parents when eight years of age and settled in Pennsylvania. He was brought up on a farm in Illinois and in 1865 coming to Iowa located in Osceola township, where he lived until 1876. In that year he removed to Marion township, purchased 160 acres of good land on section 22 and made it his permanent home.
Heinrich Meyer came from the fatherland when nineteen years old, first stopping upon his arrival in the land of the free at Cin- cinnati. In 1876 he located on eighty acres of land on section 15, which he had purchased.
Henry Rodemeyer came from Germany to the United States in 1854 and located at Chicago. He enlisted in the Fifty-fifth Illi- nois Volunteer Infantry and served four years in the Civil war. He was a resident of Waterloo from 1869 until 1876, when he came to Franklin county and bought land on section 26, Marion town- ship.
John Wohlford, with his wife, Catherine, and family, emigrated from Illinois to Franklin county in 1877 and purchased eighty
Creamery Scene During the Harvest Home Jubilce VIEWS OF LATIMER
Latimer Residences
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acres of land on section 36, in Marion township. At the time his son, Emanuel H. Wohlford, came with him.
Ludwig F. Grassley came with his family from Germany to the United States in 1857. They arrived in Franklin county in 1877 and at that time Mr. Grassley bought 120 acres of land on section 14, this township. Mr. Grassley became a good citizen and neighbor.
Frederick Behn emigrated from Germany to America in 1871 and located in Cook county, Illinois. He found his way to Franklin county in 1877, when he bought 160 acres of land on section II, in this township. He was a good farmer, interested himself in the affairs of the community and was always looked upon as a faithful, loyal citizen.
Johan Fredericks settled here in 1878. He was a native of Ger- many who emigrated to the United States in 1854, coming with his parents. Mr. Fredericks served his adopted country in the Civil war and in the year stated became a citizen of Franklin county, locat- ing in Marion township.
H. A. Clock was a native of Ohio who moved to Illinois when eight years of age with his parents. Coming to Iowa before the war to visit a brother, H. C. Clock, who had located in Geneva, he remained in the village of Geneva as a clerk in his brother's store until 1881, when he removed to Latimer and established a mercantile establishment under the firm name of Clock & Clock.
William J. Bennington, whose native state was Illinois, settled in Marion township in 1880. In 1883 he removed to the village of Latimer, where he engaged in the farm implement business.
Henry Muhlenbruch, born in Germany, emigrated to the United States in 1873 and in 1882 settled on section 35, in Marion town- ship.
The first school taught in this community was by George Miner, in a building erected for the purpose on section 1, in 1874. The next school building was erected on section 13, in 1877.
Reverend McCord preached the first sermon in Marion town- ship at the schoolhouse on section I and soon thereafter Reverend Schmidt preached in German. For several years thereafter the various religious societies not being strong enough in numbers and for lack of sufficient funds, held their meetings in schoolhouses.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
TOWN OF LATIMER
Latimer was laid out and platted on section 19, by J. F. Latimer, in November, 1882, Thomas Kelley being the surveyor. This was about the time that the Iowa Central Railroad, now the Minneapolis & St. Louis, began operations. Latimer was made a station along the line and that year the firm of Clock & Clock, consisting of the brothers, H. A. and C. L., and a nephew, Eugene Clock, began doing a general mercantile business.
B. F. Andrews, who had been farming in Geneva township the previous ten years, settled in Latimer in the spring of 1883, and at that time, besides the Clock general store, there was a hotel conducted by Edward Vanderman. Dennis Donovan was here working in the Clock elevator. Fred Fries and his family had taken up their residence in Latimer, and Peter Damm, still working at the forge, opened a blacksmith shop. Ole Christiansen and his brother, Christ Christiansen, were the carpenters. There were no churches. A small frame building had been erected for school purposes on the site of the present school building. This was removed and now stands among the business buildings of the town. It is owned by Lewis Rodemeyer. A two-story frame building was erected on the old site in the early '90s. It has four rooms but only three are used. There are three instructors, including the principal.
THE POSTOFFICE
The postoffice was established in Latimer in 1882, and H. A. Clock was the first postmaster, receiving his appointment September 13th of the year mentioned. He remained in the office one term and was succeeded November 17, 1886, by E. B. Hill. The date of the next postmaster's commission was April 9, 1889, Charles L. Clock being the appointee. E. B. Hill was next appointed, his commission dating April 22, 1893. Then came the present postmaster, Benjamin F. Andrews. His first commission was dated June 24, 1892. He has been in the office sixteen years.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The Latimer Methodist Episcopal Church was organized April 7, 1893 .. The present church edifice was erected in the same year and dedicated November 11, 1893, by Rev. A. S. Flanigan. The
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building cost about two thousand dollars. Rev. G. P. Hathaway was the next pastor. C. L. Clock, who furnished most of the material for the building, T. E. Rick and W. A. Gamble were the first trustees. Others of the early members were Edward Stauffer, T. H. Haecker, Miss Martha Zook and C. D. Berger. This charge was for a time attached to Alexander, then for a while it was unattached. These changes took place several times, which make a gap in the church registry of pastors. It is known that Reverend Pendell was in charge here in 1898 but there is no record to fill the gaps between the first pastor's administration and 1901. In the year just mentioned C. C. Calkins was here. The names of his successors follow: Revs. C. H. Bryan, S. L. Eddy, C. R. Dix and R. C. McCoy, who is now occupy- ing the pulpit.
Reverend McCoy also preaches at Maple Grove every Sunday. The Latimer Church now has about fifty members, while at Maple Grove there are only six members, but the church pews are usually well filled by people of the community.
ST. PETER'S LUTHERAN (DANISH) CHURCH
St. Peter's Danish Lutheran Church was organized in 1883. The first members were: J. C. Christiansen, N. Sorensen, John Hansen, J. Meyer, Peter Larsen, Ole Hansen, Hans Oleson, Hans Hansen, Frederick Jensen, Andrew Jensen, Andrew Hansen and Andrew Rasmussen. Most of these persons have moved away from Latimer.
Rev. N. Petersen was the first pastor. He came from Dows and helped to organize the congregation. The first regular pastor was J. Johansen, who served eleven years. His successor was L. P. Jensen, a brother of Mrs. J. C. Christiansen. He also served eleven years. Rev. H. C. Fectenberg was the pastor eight years following. Then came S. Marckmann, who served two years. His successor is the present pastor, P. Blicker, who came to the charge January I, 1914.
The first house of worship was built about four miles from Lati- mer in 1893. It was destroyed by lightning and burned to the ground. The next building was erected in Latimer in 1903, and cost $2,300. The parsonage was built during the administration of Reverend Johansen, but has been improved several times. Between the period of the destruction of the first church and building of the second and prior to the erection of a house of worship, religious services were
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held at various schoolhouses. The present membership consists of eleven families, or about fifty souls.
ST. PAUL'S LUTHERAN (GERMAN) CHURCH
The organization of St. Paul's Lutheran Church took place March 3, 1895, Rev. C. W. Diederich presiding at the first meeting, which was held in the public schoolhouse in Latimer. Among the first members can be remembered the following: Fred Berghorn, Dick Kraegel, William Pralle, Herman Hesse, Fred Fahrmann, Christ Schomberg and H. C. Weber. Before a church was built, services were held by this society in the schoolhouse until 1896, when an edifice was erected for church purposes. The congregation had previously bought five acres of land of C. L. Clock, now in Cali- fornia, where the building was erected, and dedicated in 1896. The structure is a substatial frame, the original cost of which was $1,500. By improvements and changes the value of the property has been greatly enhanced. A parsonage was erected two or three years after the church building, at a cost of $2,500.
The first regular pastor of St. Paul's was C. Westphal, who came when the church was dedicated. He resigned in 1897 and his suc- cessor was August Lutz, who remained until New Year's of 1905. The next pastor was Theodore Hanssen, who resigned in August, 1908. The present pastor, R. H. Beer, came in October, 1908.
The present membership consists of about seventy-five families or about three hundred souls. A parochial school is held in con- nection with the church. The instructor is the pastor.
LATIMER INCORPORATED
Latimer was incorporated as a town in 1901 and now has a popu- lation of about four hundred. Its growth has been steady and sub- stantial until it is one of the leading trading points outside of the county seat. It has a number of good business houses, a hotel, a town hall, elevator and the original blacksmith shop, still conducted by Peter Damm, now located in another part of town. There is also a newspaper, which is mentioned further in the chapter on the Press.
The vote on incorporation was held March 20, 1901, and carried by a large majority. The first officers were: Mayor, E. B. Hill; clerk, T. P. Johnson; trustees, T. D. Smith, P. M. Damm, P. O.
Danish Church
German Lutheran Church
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Public School
Methodist Episcopal Church
SCHOOL AND CHURCHES OF LATIMER
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Guldberg, Fred Rodemeyer, Ole Hansen, G. G. Kaus, K. H. Kaus. The names of the chief executives from this time on to 1913 follow : G. G. Kaus, 1903; C. P. Roberts, 1905; G. G. Kaus, 1907 and 1908; A. W. Meyer, 1909; F. H. Dohrmann, 1910; Charles Johnson, 1911 and 1912; T. P. Johnson, 1913.
In 1902 the proposition of building waterworks and issuing $3,000 in bonds for the purpose was submitted to a vote of the citi- zens of Latimer. Fifty-seven votes were cast for the proposition and only seventeen against. The improvement was installed at a cost of between $5,000 and $6,000. It consists of a frame power house, air lift pumps, run by a gasoline engine, a storage tank eight feet in diameter and thirty-six feet in length, and a well of splendid water 155 feet in depth. This well has shown a capacity of 175 gallons per minute, without any evidence of exhaustion. The plant, which is entirely satisfactory to all concerned, was finished and in operation in 1903. P. O. Guldberg was the first superintendent.
The Latimer State Bank was organized in 1896. The present list of officials are : N. Sorensen, president; D. W. Parks, vice presi- dent; F. D. Smith, cashier; H. H. Roemer, assistant cashier. The capital stock is $25,000; surplus, $4,500; deposits, $175,000. This bank is located in a well constructed and substantial brick building of its own.
THE VILLAGE OF COULTER
Sometime in the '8os, after the Chicago & Great Western Railway began operations, a station was located on section 31, in the extreme southwestern corner of Marion township. It is quite an interesting little trading point and now has a population of about two hundred. Its general stores carry lines of merchandise suitable to the wants of the community in contiguous territory. There is a good school and a well attended church.
The Coulter Savings Bank was established in Coulter in 1908, with a capital of $10,000. Its deposits are about $50,000. Of this conservative and well regulated financial concern, W. L. Robinson is president; Nels Petersen, vice president; Ole Hansen, cashier; D. O. Hansen, assistant cashier.
The postoffice was established in Coulter and George F. Propst was commissioned postmaster, April 30, 1902. The names of his suc- cessors follow : Peter Madson, November 25, 1902; Jans Peter
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
Guldberg, Fred Rodemeyer, Ole Hansen, G. G. Kaus, K. H. Kaus. The names of the chief executives from this time on to 1913 follow : G. G. Kaus, 1903; C. P. Roberts, 1905; G. G. Kaus, 1907 and 1908; A. W. Meyer, 1909; F. H. Dohrmann, 1910; Charles Johnson, 1911 and 1912; T. P. Johnson, 1913.
In 1902 the proposition of building waterworks and issuing $3,000 in bonds for the purpose was submitted to a vote of the citi- zens of Latimer. Fifty-seven votes were cast for the proposition and only seventeen against. The improvement was installed at a cost of between $5,000 and $6,000. It consists of a frame power house, air lift pumps, run by a gasoline engine, a storage tank eight feet in diameter and thirty-six feet in length, and a well of splendid water 155 feet in depth. This well has shown a capacity of 175 gallons per minute, without any evidence of exhaustion. The plant, which is entirely satisfactory to all concerned, was finished and in operation in 1903. P. O. Guldberg was the first superintendent.
The Latimer State Bank was organized in 1896. The present list of officials are : N. Sorensen, president; D. W. Parks, vice presi- dent; F. D. Smith, cashier; H. H. Roemer, assistant cashier. The capital stock is $25,000; surplus, $4,500; deposits, $175,000. This bank is located in a well constructed and substantial brick building of its own.
THE VILLAGE OF COULTER
Sometime in the '8os, after the Chicago & Great Western Railway began operations, a station was located on section 31, in the extreme southwestern corner of Marion township. It is quite an interesting little trading point and now has a population of about two hundred. Its general stores carry lines of merchandise suitable to the wants of the community in contiguous territory. There is a good school and a well attended church.
The Coulter Savings Bank was established in Coulter in 1908, with a capital of $10,000. Its deposits are about $50,000. Of this conservative and well regulated financial concern, W. L. Robinson is president; Nels Petersen, vice president; Ole Hansen, cashier; D. O. Hansen, assistant cashier.
The postoffice was established in Coulter and George F. Propst was commissioned postmaster, April 30, 1902. The names of his suc- cessors follow : Peter Madson, November 25, 1902; Jans Peter
.
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Jacobson, August 7, 1903 ; Ole Hansen, January 22, 1906; Simon N. Juhl, September 18, 1906.
ROSS TOWNSHIP
On petition of several citizens in 1879, Clinton township was divided and the major portion was organized into Ross township. That part left to Clinton township simply comprised sections 3, 4, 9 and 10, and a portion of 5 and 8, all of which is now coextensive with the town of Sheffield. As it now exists, the boundary lines of Ross are as follows: To the north is Clinton township and Cerro Gordo county ; on the east, West Fork; on the south, Ingham; and on the west, Richland township.
This township was named after Abner S. Ross, who was the old- est settler living in the township at the time of the organization. The township contains some of the best cultivated farms in Franklin county and is made up of beautifully rolling prairie, which is watered by the west fork of the Cedar river. This passes through the north- eastern part of the territory, making its exit from section 12 by Bailey creek which crosses through the township from the northwest corner to section 13, where it enters West Fork township; and by Buffalo creek, which traverses sections 19, 30 and 31, and touches the extreme southwest corner at section 32, at a point where it enters Mott town- ship.
There were occasional natural groves on either side of the three principal streams. The soil is of a rich loam, very productive, bring- ing forth splendid crops indigenous to this latitude. The Central Railway of Iowa, now under control of the Minneapolis & St. Louis, runs through the central part of the township from north to south, having a station at Chapin, which is located on sections 28 and 29.
The first election in Ross township took place October 14, 1879. At that time the following officers were elected: Trustees, N. Rhu- tasel, M. Bird and H. Stott; justices of the peace, M. Gibbs and W. W. Richards; constables, E. C. Cook and Thomas Gibbs; clerk, William Glendenning; assessor, James Carroll.
The first person to settle in the township was Abner S. Ross, who located on section 31, in the spring of 1857. He at once put up a habitation and in the winter of 1857-58 this primitive prairie home sheltered about twenty men and women. Previous to this, however,
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in the spring of 1857, the settlers hearing of the massacres at Spring Lake, being fearful of their lives, left the vicinity for a place of safety. There were some of a braver spirit who remained, among them being the Tharp family, who afterward removed to Kansas, E. D. Wright, Lyman Bailey, the Goheens and the Manns.
Abner Ross was a native of New Jersey, whence he emigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio, with his parents, who owned a farm on which part of the Queen City is now built. He lived at various other places and finally moved further west, taking up his residence in Poweshiek county, Iowa. From there he came to Franklin county in the spring of 1857 and started the town of Chapin. Mr. Ross was the third sheriff elected in Franklin county and the first school director in Chapin. He was appointed United States deputy marshal in 1863 and assisted in raising recruits for the army.
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