USA > Iowa > Cerro Gordo County > History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo counties, Iowa and biographies of representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races > Part 81
USA > Iowa > Franklin County > History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo counties, Iowa and biographies of representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races > Part 81
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Mrs. Jane (Barnard) Clement resides on section 12. Her husband, Franklin Clem- ent (deceased), was born in Orange Co., Vt., in 1818. At the age of eighteen he went to Michigan, and after a brief residence there, returned to Vermont. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Clement occurred at Co- hoes, N. Y., in 1848, and, immediately after, they went to Connecticut, where Mr. Clement was engaged as inspector in the works of an ax manufacturing com- pany. He afterward removed to Pennsyl- vania, and there became a manufacturer of axes. The family emigrated, in 1855, to Winona, Minn., and were among its first residents. Mr. Clement was there engaged
in general blacksmithing and machine repairs. In 1869 he came to Clear Lake, where he died suddenly, Feb. 17, 1883. He was universally esteemed in the com- munity of which he was a member. He located and improved a fine farm, a little north of Clear Lake village, and built a pleasant home. He was sixty-five years old. Mrs. Clement is a native of Orleans Co., Vt., she was born in 1819, and re- from Winooska Falls, Vt., to New York State. She has two children-Emily, born in Connecticut, in 1850, and Albert Todd, born in 1858.
Henry A. Groves, dealer in agricultural implements, has been a resident of Clear Lake since the spring of 1869. He was born in Dane Co., Wis., in 1844, and came with his father's family to Winneshiek Co., Iowa, where they were numbered among the pioneers. His father, Andrew Groves, resided there until his death. Henry A. Groves enlisted at Decorah in the spring of 1861, in company D, 3d Iowa Cavalry, which was the first com- pany that left the county. In November following he was discharged on account of physical disabilities; but recovering his health, he subsequently re-enlisted in the 16th United States Infantry, and served three years, participating in many important battles and campaigns; among the former were the battles of Corinth, Miss., and the battle of Perryville, Ky., Stone River, Murfresboro, Holmes' Gap, etc. He was slightly wounded at the battle of Stone River. Mr. Groves, in con- nection with his implement business, also deals quite extensively in live stock, and is counted as one of the business men of Clear Lake. His wife was Lena
Usw. H. Mc Dowell. M.D.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY Astor, Lenux and Tilden Foundations.
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Wightman, a native; of __ England. They have one daughter-Gracie.
James A. Rice was born in Lake Co., Ill., March 23, 1847. He came to Floyd county with his father in 1855. The lat- ter kept hotel for some years and after- ward settled on a farm. Mr. Rice was married in 1869 to Laura A. Quinby, a 'native of Vermont, born in 1851. Her parents came to Floyd county in 1858. The children are three in number-Nellie, Addie and Carl. The latter died July 30, 1883. In 1870 Mr. Rice came to Clear Lake and began operation in omnibus and dray business, which occupied his time until his death, April 26, 1883. He be- longed to the orders of Odd Fellows and United Workmen, at Clear Lake. His life was upright and industrious, he was snecessful in business, and his energetic, reliable character won general esteem and respect.
John Chapin resides on the south half of the northeast quarter of section 2, Clear Lake township. Ile was born in 1833 in the town of Otselic, Chenango Co., N. Y. Ile reached manhood's estate in his native State, and went afterward with his father to La Crosse Co., Wis, The latter pur chased the farm now occupied by his son in the spring of 1871, of Isaac Pizer. The senior Chapin died in 1876. Mrs. Chapin was Sarah James, of Ohio. Her father was an early settler of La Crosse, Wis., where he died. Mr. and Mrs. Chapin have six children-Charles A., William, Frank, Bertha, George and Albert. The homestead includes eighty-five acres of land under good improvements.
James Quick resides on section 24. Ile purchased his farm in 1871. He was
born_ in Somersetshire, England, in 1819. Ile was brought up as a farmer. He came to the United States in 1850. He first settled in Onondaga Co., N. Y., in the town of Marcellus. From New York, he went to Ashtabula Co., Ohio. He enlisted in 1861, under John Brown, son of old John Brown, of Kansas fame, and Har- per's ferry notoriety. He participated in the battle of Corinth, and other impor- tant battles and campaigns. He served three years and was severely injured while in the service, but has not, as yet, succeeded in getting a pension. His wife was Mary Ann Reed; she was born in Somersetshire, England. They have had nine children, seven of whom are living ; two boys and five girls. The names of the deceased are, Lewis F. and Martha Cane.
Charles E. and Harvey J. Pierce, sons of Charles and Sarah ( Leslie ) Pierce, are both natives of Essex Co., N. Y. The family moved to St. Lawrence county, in that State, and, in 1858, to Winnebago Co., Wis., where the father died, Sept. 6, 1882. C. E. Pierce was born in 1841. He remained in Winnebago county until 1873, when he came to Clear Lake and pur- chased the property he now owns, consist- ing of 120 acres of land on section 8. One forty was owned by Samuel Ward, another by Alva Goodwin, and a third by James Robinson. The combined parcels of land constitute a valuable farm. Mrs. Pierce was born in Fond du Lac, Wis. Of four children resulting from this union, two are living-Florence M .. born in Wisconsin and Frank H., born in Clear Lake township. The last named is one of
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triplets, two of whom were girls and are deceased.
H. J. Pierce was born in 1844. He located in Clear Lake township in June, 1872, purchasing 112 acres of land, eighty of which was originally entered by a man named Plummer, for Thomas S. Gardner. The latter gave it to his son Stanton, who sold it to Solomon Gardner. By another transfer it became the proper- ty of George Wetmore, of whom it was purchased by Mr. Pierce. The family of H. J. Pierce includes his wife and two children-Edith M. and Ora J. Mrs. Pierce, ( Clara E. Bliss ), was born in Ver- mont in 1841. Her parents, Stephen and Angeline ( Pattee ) Bliss, settled in Wis- consin in 1849. Mrs. Bliss was a niece of the Rev. Elias Pattee, first officiating clergyman at Clear Lake.
Francis Burnham settled on section 32, Clear Lake township, in 1868, purchasing his farm of William Boyden. Mr. Burn- ham was born in Essex Co., Mass., April 1, 1842. He lived there until the fall of 1864, when he enlisted in the heavy artil- lery and served until July 10, 1865, when he was mustered out. Mr. Burnham moved to Waterloo, Black Hawk county, in 1866, but returned to Massachusetts, and came back to Iowa in 1868. He mar- ried Susan Grant, a daughter of Francis and Margaret Grant, of Cape Bieton Island. Mr. Burnham's parents were Nathan and Sarah ( Brown ) Burnham. M . Burnham's farm consists of eighty acres of choice land.
O. A. Kimball settled on section 9, in 1874, where he now lives. He purchased his farm of Colonel Wilson, of Illinois, and was the first settler on the land, mak-
ing all of the improvements. His farm, which now consists of 120 acres, was formerly larger, but a portion of it is now owned and worked by his son. Mr. Kim- ball was born in Erie Co., N. Y., in 1829, and was there brought up. He moved west and resided in the Rock River Valley for twenty-five years previous to coming to Iowa. His wife was Philanda Pike, also born in Erie Co., N. Y. They have nine children, seven sons and two daugh- ters.
William McFadden, who settled in 1874, is a native of Terra Haute, Ind., born in 1829. When fourteen years of age he went to Louisville, Ky., where he was engaged as clerk for about three years. He then returned to Indiana. His father, William McFadden, was born in Harris- burg, Penn. He was an early settler of Terre Haute, Ind. His mother was Eli- zabeth (Lee) McFadden. The parents of Mr. McFadden removed to Keokuk, Iowa, in 1848. His father engaged in keeping hotel in that city, but died in 1850. Mr. McFadden kept hotel sometime after his father's decease. He was married to his first wife at Keokuk; her name was Mary J. Heaight, a daughter of Captain S. Heaight. He went to California in 1855, where he was engaged in mining for one and a half years; then returned to Iowa; was engaged in steamboating for a num- ber of years. His residence during this time was at Galena, III. In 1855 he en- gaged as clerk for H. F. McClosky, a com- mission merchant at Dunleath. He was also engaged in the same capacity, for Charles Merry, at Earlville, Delaware county. He removed from Earlville to Delhi, and came to Clear Lake in 1874,
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and since that time has been variously engaged. He lost his first wife July 29, 1.73 His second wife was Miss A. E. Parsons, born in West Virginia; she died here Nov. 6, 1882. Mr. McFadden had five children by his first wife, four of whom are living-Harry, Willie, Laura and May. He had five by his second wife -Lena L., Wallace L., Kate, John and Leon. During the war Mr. McFadden was employed by the government as river and railroad transportation clerk. Ile was in this service for about two years. Hle is at present variously engaged. He is a first class auctioneer, and a skillful painter and an excellent accountant and book- keeper.
Clark Huntley is located on section 6 of Clear Lake township, where he has charge of the Messer farm, owned by H. M. Mes- ser, of Milwaukee, Wis. The farm is a fine one, containing 260 acres. Mr. Huntley took the management of the place in 1870, and has since been in charge, with the exception of two years. The bulk of the improvements have been made under his care, including the planting and cultivation of one of the finest groves in the township. In addition to the pursuits common to agriculture, Mr. Huntley is interested somewhat extensively in rais- ing stock. He was born in Oswego Co., N. Y., in July, 1840. His father died during his early childhood, and about 1849, he was taken with his mother's family to Dodge Co., Wis. Mrs. Huntley was Alice Joslin before her marriage. The family circle includes five children-Vin- cent, Clinton, Ida E., Nellie and Mabel.
Edward Shaw is the custodian of the camping grounds of the . Methodist
Church. Ile was born in New York, in 1813, where he was reared. In 1840 he went to steam boating on the Mississippi river. On the breaking out of the rebellion, he chartered his boat to the government, and was placed in command of the gunboat Tyler, which joined the fleet under Como- dore Rogers, and afterwards became con- nected with Comodore Foote's fleet. He took an active part in many important en- gagements on the Mississippi river and its tributaries. His boat participated in the bombardment of Forts Henry and Don- elson. At Pittsburg landing his vessel took an active part in resisting the ad- vaice of the enemies forces, when the army under Grant were apparently over- whelmed. After this battle le guarded with his boat the mouth of White river, and subsequently took charge of Indianola at Cincinnati, and af erward of the gunboat Joliet, of the Chattanooga, Tennessee and Yazoo rivers. While in this service he took an active part in all the severe and important engagements of the gunboat fleet. During the last year of the war he was a member of Gov. Morton's staff, and served as sanitary and military agent, stationed at Nashville. After the war he engaged in the oil business, in West Virginia, from whence he came to Clear Lake. His wife, was formerly Amanda Lewis. a native of New York city. She accompanied her husband in several expeditions during the war. Mr. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw celebrated their gold- en wedding Nov. 21, 1882. They relate with much enthusiasm many thrilling ex- periences in the late war. They have three children-Sarah, wife of Rev. J. H. Lozier, who was correspondent for the
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Cincinnati Commercial during the war of the rebellion, and later in the struggle was chaplain in the 37th Indiana regiment. Hle is an eminent clergyman of the Meth- odist Church, in which service he located and laid out the camp grounds of Clear Lake. Their second child, A. B. Shaw, resides in London England. The young- est, Fra k, who resides in California, is engaged in silver mining. Mr. Shaw has been a resident of Clear Lake since 1875.
George W. Richardson resides on sec- tion 7, where he settled in 1877. He bought his farm of H. Dunlap and Anna Fletcher. The farm was entered by Mr. Plummer, who sold it to Orville Hubbard, who trans- ferred it to Hugh Dunlap, of whom Mr. Richardson purchased. Mr. Richardson was born in Jackson Co., Mich., in 1841. His father, A. C. Richardson, was a native of Alabama, N. Y. His mother, Sarah (Scripture) Richardson, was born in Mas- sachasetts. They, however, removed from Canada to Michigan. Mr. Richardson went to Wisconsin from Michigan and thence to Winona, Minn., where he en- listed, Aug. 15, 1862, in company D, 7th Minnesota Infantry. He served three years, or until the close of the war. His regiment spent the first year of their term of service on the frontier, fighting the In- dians. They then went south and joined the 16th corps, under A J. Smith; were at the taking of Mobile, battle of Spanish Fort, Fort Blakely and others. On the close of the war he returned to Minnesota and in 1869 came to Cerro Gordo county, and purchased a farm in Lime Creek township, where he lived until he came to Clear Lake township. His wife was Fran- ces Hall, a native of Wisconsin. They
have three children-Alice, born May 12, 1868; Grace, born Sept. 7, 1869; and Edith, born Dec. 25, 1871.
J. H. Bolton, of the firm of Lindon & Bolton, came to Clear Lake in 1877. He was born in England in 1842. He came to the United States with his parents, who settled in the town of Portland, Colum- bia Co., Wis. Mr. Bolton has had a good deal of experience in buying, selling and the raising of cattle. He left Wisconsin in 1871, and went to Kansas and with J. R. Wheeler, of Columbus, Wis., bought and herded a large number of Texas cat- tle, but the severe winter that followed caused the loss of a large part of their herd, and the venture was not altogether a financial success. He went to Franklin Co., Iowa, in 1873, and resided some time at Northwood, Worth county. While at Northwood he was for a time associated with his present partner, Mr. Lindon, in buying and selling stock. From North- wood he went to Nebraska and came here as stated above. He resides in the village of Clear Lake where he has erected a fine residence. Mr. Bolton does most of the purchasing of stock, and is abroad much of the time while not employed. Mrs. Bolton was formerly Mary A. Vance, born in Wisconsin. They have one son-Floyd Eugene.
John M. Robinson,a farmer on section 10, is a son of the Emerald Isle. He was born in August, 1836, and accompanied his father's family to Canada in 1840. In 1865 he came to Iowa and remained in Wright county until 1878, when he bought the property he now owns of Joseph Case. Mrs. Robinson, formerly Martha Rowen, is a Canadian by birth. She is the happy
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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
mother of six children-Eva, William, Irwin, Ira, Edwin and Freddie. Both parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal C urch at Clear Lake. Mr. Robinson's father died in Canada.
FIRST EVENTS.
The first marriage in Clear Lake town- ship was that of Mr. Fletcher and Emma Morris, in 1855.
The first birth was a son to Mr. and Mrs. James McCibbins.
The first death was the wife of Levi Lawrence who died some time in 1855 or 1856
ORGANIC.
Upon the organization. of the county there were but three townships, The one on the western border was called Lake, but soon after sub-divided, and what is now known as Clear Lake township was organized.
'The first election was held November, 1856, at the house of R. O. Sirrine.
The first justices of the peace were Horace Parker and Alva B. Tuttle.
In 1883 the officers were : N. W. War- ren, H. E. Palmeter and W. L. Backhus, trustees; Charles Johnson, clerk ; I. S. Sampson, assessor, S. M. Richardson, jus- tice of the peace.
SCHOOLS.
From the time Clear Lake was set off from Lake until 1882 it comprised one school district, but at that date was made into five independent snb-districts, which, in 1883, contained eight school houses ontside of the incorporation of Clear Lake.
TOWN OF CLEAR LAKE.
During 1855 a large number of new settlers came in and lands were taken up,
and a settlement commenced in earnest. Joseph Hewitt entered land and laid out the town of Clear Lake City, on the south side of the lake, which was surveyed by the government surveyor, and embraced the first camping ground. The following spring James Dickirson commenced a town which was laid out on the grounds now used for the cemetery, and this was called Clear Lake. It was afterward va- cated and the town of Livonia laid out on the same lands during the county seat contest of 1857. Large additions were made to Clear Lake City by Hewitt and R. O. Sirrine, and the town extended from the outlet of the lake to Mr. Calla- nan's place, and at one time contained twenty-five buildings.
The present town of Clear Lake was laid ont in 1856 by James Dickirson and Mar- cus Tuttle, who owned the land. Twenty- three others took an interest with them in this town site. J. Crow came early in 1856 and built a cabin on the lake shore, near the foot of Main street, and when the town was laid out, built the house after- ward occupied by William Collins and used it for a hotel. The proprietors gave away lots the first year, and in the fall of 1856 there were about forty dwellings, and quite a town commenced, but the fi- nancial crash of 1857 caused an exodus, and, in 1858, there were only fifteen fanı- ilies left. The town is located on sec- tions 12 and 13 of township 96, range 22, and sections 7 and 8, of township 96, range 21. The place has about 1,600 population, made up mostly of New England people.
RECORDED PLATS.
The following plats were recorded for Clear Lake and its various additions:
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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
Clear Lake City, platted Sept. 3, 1855, by Joseph Hewitt and wife. The survey was made by Samuel S. Montague.
Hewitt's addition was made by Joseph Hewitt, Sept. 21, 1855. Irving W. Card was the surveyor.
Sirrine's addition, on section 24, was platted by Robert and Clarinda Sirrine, Nov. 10, 1855.
Clear Lake town, platted by James Dickirson and Marcus Tuttle and their wives, Sept. 15, 1856. James Crow sur- veyed the plat.
Town of Livonia, filed June 11, 1857, by E. A. Tuttle, Orissa Tuttle, Marcus Tnt- tle and Caroline Tuttle. This place was located on sections 7 and 18.
Marcus Tuttle's addition, May 27, 1859. Surveyed by John II. Ambrose.
Elon Tuttle's addition, Jan. 7, 1860; sur- veyed by John H. Ambrose.
Sharp's addition, by Joseph and Sarah Sharp, April 23, 1863.
Allen's addition, Jan. 5, 1865; George Frost surveyor.
Rallroad addition, Jan. 4,1870,by George Burden and Benjamin Richards.
Cheney & Palmeter's south addition to Clear Lake, Sept. 28, 1869.
Dickirson & Hays' addition, April 50; 1870.
Richards' addition, July 19, 1875.
Camp Ground addition, May 10, 1876, by Rev. John Hogarth Lozier and wife, C. F. Vincent surveyor.
EARLY DAYS.
The initiatory steps toward the devel- opment of this locality were taken in 1855.
Thomas Palmer built the first store and brought the first regular stock of goods
here and opened a store, although Mr. Tuttle had brought in and sold a quantity of groceries before that time. During the summer of 1856 Oscar Stevens and Ed Nichols settled at this place and erected a steam saw mill and commenced making lumber, and supplied the whole country around. In 1857 the boiler in the mill exploded, demolishing the mill and machinery, and it was not repaired again until 1862. In 1857 Marcus Tuttle erected a large steam mill in this village and manufactured large quantities of na- tive lumber until the building of the rail- road. The old mill still stands, remodeled and changed, but still the memento of other days.
Previous to 1856 the nearest postoffice was at Cedar Falls, seventy miles distant, and the accommodating postmaster used to send the mail to this region of the country by teamsters who were frequently passing to and from Dubuque for grocer- ies and other supplies. In the fall of 1855 J. B. Stewart, of Mason City, run a weekly express from that place to Cedar Falls, bringing the mail in a grain sack and distributing it all the way as he traveled. A spirit of accommodation was then the rule instead of the except- ion, and many a traveler on the road, anx- ions to hear from distant friends, would get the mail-carrier to stop and open the bag, and receiving his mail, would go on his way rejoicing. During the following winter, one .Cummings was employed and paid, by subscription from the people, to bring the mail weekly from Cedar Falls to Clear Lake. Sometimes in consequence of storms or high water, several weeks would intervene between the visits of the
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mail carrier. In 1856 the Government em- ployed Charles Johnson, of Shell Rock, in this county, to carry the mail ; and most faithfully did he fulfil his trust. No storms or high water, interfering with the trip, and the running of his cloth covered ve- hicle; he would travel on horseback or on foot, with snow shoes, or raft to cross the waters, if need be, but guarding the United States mail most faithfully as a treasure more sacred than life itself. And though passengers and packages were left on the road or lost in the streams, the mail must go through. James S. Sirrine, of this place, succeeded him as mail car- rier. When the railroad came to nearer points a semi-weekly mail route was es- tablished. A tri-weekly four horse stage coach run from Charles City here for about a year, but was then followed by the iron horse upon the completion of the M. & St. P. R. R. to this point in 1870.
One of the most ludicrous incidents of this early settlement, was when stories were current of the merciless savages butchering whole families in Minnesota, and some of our timid neighbors feared they might sometime serve us in the same manner. One Amos Garrett, with his family of small children living near here in his cabin, was given largely to boasting of his bravery, and telling how he would scatter death and destruction among the red-skins, should they ever molest him. But finally his courage was put to a test. A company of hunters camped one night some little distance from his cabin, but were not perceived by him until he espied their camp fire through the bushes. Short- ly after, hearing a succession of gunshots caused by the hunters emptying their
guns after their day's hunt, he was con- vinced that they were Indians, and had commenced their slaughter. He was not slow in ordering his family to follow him to a place of safety. The mother snatched the infant to her breast, the father took the next older one on his back, and the others followed, and fled hastily through the brush from the enemy. Fear lent wings to their footsteps; but the lusty child on the back of the redoubtable Amos grew wonderfully heavy, and be- lieving that the Indians were in hot pur- suit at their heels, he dropped the child, and without one farewell embrace, told his wife and children they must "take care of themselves," and left them to their fate, to save his own precious life, and next day reached the Iowa river, giving a glaring account of the massacre of the entire settlement at Clear Lake, and that he alone was left to tell the story. Two or three days later he came sneaking back to his cabin, where he found his family safe, but not particularly anxious to see the brave father and defender. The poor fellow never heard the last of the story here, and finally emigrated to parts un- known, where it is hoped his dreams are not disturbed by the yell of the savages, or the scarcely less endurable jeers of his neighbors.
EDUCATIONAL.
No record of the first school at Clear Lake was preserved, but it has been found by old settlers that the first school was taught by Elizabeth Gardner, in the log house of Joseph Hewitt. This was also the first school in the county. Miss Gard- ner had one dollar per scholar and her board. The school had an average attend-
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ance of seventeen scholars, and was taught in the summer of 1855. Miss Gardner was a daughter of Rowland Gardner, who, with six of his family, was killed by the Indians in 1857 at Spirit Lake. Miss Gardner afterward married William Wil- son, of Mason City, who froze to death at that place.
Mrs. Stiler taught the next school at the Lake.
The first teacher whose name appears on the district record is Reuben Humphrey- ville, and his contract bears date, Dec. 14, 1857, and was signed by himself and James Sirrine, A. B. Tuttle and T. S. Palmer, directors. The wages paid him for his services was $30 per month for a three and a half months' school, twenty four days re- garded a month.
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