History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo counties, Iowa and biographies of representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, Part 84

Author: Union Publishing Company (Springfield, Ill.) pbl
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 990

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 84
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 84

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Clear Lake in 1869. Mr. Phillips enlisted as a soldier in the civil war, Aug. 14, 1862, in company E, 29th Wisconsin Vol- unteer Infantry, serving nine months and receiving his discharge for physical dis- ability. The Clear Lake Moon published the following sketch of the army experi- ence of Mr. Phillips:

"On the breaking out of the war, he enlisted in Captain Dunham's company, in the regiment commanded by Col. C. R. Gills, and took his place in the ranks as a private, where he remained until his con- stitution, once so robust, gave way under the sufferings and trials of a soldier's life, and we next hear of him at Helena, Ark., prostrated on a bed of sickness, and finally the news was brought to his family that he was dead, that he had died in the hos- pital, but soon after word came that he was living. The facts of the case were

these. He left his company sick with typhoid fever and grew worse gradually until he ceased to breathe, so far as could be observed. The physicien pronounced him dead. He was then removed to the dead house, and preparations were made for his burial. But the parties whose duty it was to bury him, thought they dis- covered signs of life. He was taken back to the hospital and life was restored, although it was many weeks before he acquired sufficient strength to be about again. From this sickness he never fully recovered. Mr. Phillips was one of the earliest settlers of Dodge Co., Wis. He located on a quarter section of land, which he sold three years after for $1,000 and removed to Columbia county. He has managed a hotel since 1871. Previous to 1882 he had a number of sail and row

HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY. 799

boats on Clear Lake. Mr. and Mrs. Philips have had five children, four of whom survive-Albertus Z., Alice (Mrs. Darian Howk); Mrs. Clarissa Clark and George J., and Huldah Ann, wife of George Rice, who died in 1880.

The Felt House once stood near the Phillips house, but in 1877 or 1878 was moved to a point opposite the city park, and there run as a Turkish bath house; but in 1881 it was remodeled into a first class hotel and operated as such in 1883. In' 1870 J. M. Emmerson, of Dubuque, purchased. the island in the lake, and erected one of the finest hotels in the State, and at a great expense had it fitted up in modern style as a summer resort. Mr. Emmerson also had charge of the steamer "Lady of the Isle," which made connections with all passenger trains. This house was leased to Brown & Engels, later to a Mr. Burgh, of New York city, who operated it until the spring of 1875, when it was destroyed by fire. The build- ing and furniture were valued at $30,000.

Lake View House was built in 1876 by L. V. Davis. It is midway between the village and the camp ground park. The same year the Park House, located on the State camp grounds, was built by the Camp Ground Association. Both the Lake View and Park House, in 1883, were only run as summer hotels, as was the Webster House, just east from the camp grounds. The regular hotels, doing a commercial business in 1883, were the Lake, Phillip and Felt Houses.

The Stevens House was built ready for occupancy, May 1, 1882. This hotel is lo- cated at Stevens Landing, on a high p omon- tory, on the southwestern shore of the

lake, a distance of two and one-half miles from the foot of Main street, and about the same from the camp grounds. The building is a frame structure, about 60x60 feet, two stories in height. It is situated in one of the most picturesque and charm- ing spots in the region of the lake. It is about twenty-five feet above the water level in the lake, and in 1883 had become one of the most popular places of resort in the lake region. The grounds are made beautiful by the hand of nature alone; the native timber, composed of stately oaks, slrading the surrounding grounds.

CLEAR LAKE MILLS.

In the spring of 1856 Edward Nichols and Oscar Stevens built a steam saw-mill at Clear Lake-the first erected at that place. It was managed by Nichols & Stevens about two years, when it was partially destroyed by an explosion of the boiler, when Mr. Stevens purchased the interest of his partner, refitted the works, and operated it something like six years. The site of the mill was on Sirrine's Addi- tion on the east side of the lake. Mr. Stevens removed the mill in 1872 to, and fixed it just north of his flouring mill, where it stood until April, 1883. It was then moved to Emmettsburg. A few years later Marcus Tuttle built a steam saw- mill in the village near the lake shore. It was primarily under the management of Mr. Tuttle, followed by L. V. Davis. These mills afforded much substantial benefit to the settlers. The last named structure is now the barn of the Lake View House. In 1869 Oscar Stevens built a small frame structure at the outlet of the lake, about twenty rods west of the site of the flouring mill now in operation,

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

in which was placed the first flouring mill at Clear Lake. It had two run of stone, and was owned by Z. Luddington. When it was finished Mr. Stevens bought a half interest in it, and later became its sole' owner. A short time after it was burned, together with a large quantity of grain held in store for flouring. There was no insurance on mill or contents and,occuring in midwinter, was a severe loss to the owner, a man struggling to get on in the world and heavily in debt to the former owner, then resident at Union- town, Penn. Mr. Stevens communicated to him without delay an account of the disaster. and Mr. Ludington replied gener- ously deferring his own security until Mr. Stevens should rebuild and establish his business. Accordingly in the ensuing spring Mr. Stevens began a larger and better mill, but met with another misfor- tune. An accident in his saw-mill resulted in a crushed foot which disabled him for many months. Yet without money he managed to push the process of reconstruction in which he was engaged until completion was reached. Mr. Stev- ens still owns and operates the mill. It is a frame building with main part two stories high above the basement, 30x40 feet, having an addition 16x40 feet. The basement extends under the entire building. It is located at the out- let of the lake a few rods below its month, and is run by water-power. It has three run of stone and a feed mill. The business is extensive and the quality of the manufactures most excellent. Mr. Stevens is a native of Wayne Co., Penn, and was born in 1833, Alfred Stevens, his father, was a Vermonter by birth, emi-

grating with his parents to Pennsylvania when a boy. The latter went to Illinois with his family in 1836. He afterward went to Racine, Wis., where he lived two years before his death. Oscar Stevens came to Clear Lake May 1, 1855, and has been continuously engaged in the milling business. In 1879 he built a tower on Stevens' Point overlooking the lake. This was destroyed by a tornado, and from the material Mr. Stevens built the Stevens' Park Hotel.

STATE CAMP MEETING GROUNDS.

This enterprise has attracted the atten- tion and turned the eyes of almost the entire Nation toward northern Jowa, and has done more for Cerro Gordo county than any other one thing.

Upon the organization of the North- western Iowa (Methodist) Conference, held at Ft. Dodge in the fall of 1871, Rev. John Hogarth Lozier, of that conference, now presiding elder of Sioux City district, was appointed chairman of a committee to select a site for a conference camp ground. This committee visited various points in the conference, including Oko- boji and Spirit Lakes, and finally decided upon Clear Lake as the most suitable place, all things considered, for a camp meeting ground and also for a summer re- sort. They based their opinion mainly upon the fact, that, in addition to Clear Lake being bountifully supplied with fish, its waters were better sheltered by timber from heavy winds, and therefore safer for sailing parties; while its extensive shallow bathing beach, entirely safe for women and children, with water warmer than that of most lakes fed by living springs, together with other reasons, marked this

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

as fitted by nature for a summer resort and desirable location for a camp ground.

But before this site had been fixed upon and improvements commenced, the other conferences were asking for a "part and lot in this matter" also. It was accord- ingly decided to make it a State camp ground, instead of limiting to one confer- ence.

As Mr. Lozier had some ready money he was requested to purchase the grounds, providing against any "fancy price" which might have been asked had it been known what it was for. The ministers in the several conferences agreeing, in writ- ing, to help Mr. Lozier to raise the money to secure the whole property to the church. With this understanding an association was formed of which Mr. Lozier was made president, Cyrus Spaulding, vice- president, Rev. R. W. Keeler, secretary, J. Garmore, treasurer, and Edward Shaw, superintendent, and constituted the board of managers, under whose supervision the grounds were cleared, buildings erected, and the enterprise carried to a high degree of perfection. Unfortunately for Mr. Lozier's pocket, the financial panic, resulting from the failure of Jay Cooke, threw the country into such a con- dition that the men who pledged to help raise the funds to re-imburse him, were never able to fulfill their promises, so Mr. Lozier had to carry almost the entire financial burden, which he did at a great sacrifice to himself and family, and he never could have tided the enterprise over the crisis had it not been for Mr. Truman Woodford, of Milwaukee, a heavy creditor of the enterprise, and now its honored president.

During Rev. Mr. Lozier's administration he was the target of much abuse and false accusation, as he was at the time being run by the radical temper- ance people of Iowa, against Geer, for Governor of the State, but a committee, chosen by the severally interested M. E. Conferences after a most thorough and searching investigation, published a com- plete vindication of both Mr. Lozier and his associates, a copy of which is too long for a work of this character.

After a vindication of the founder of of this giant enterprise they all agreed to carry out their original purpose, and ac- cordingly requested each of the confer- enees of northern Iowa, to be equal in possession and control of the same, and it is now in their hands, as shown by the public records of 1882.

Mr. Lozier was promptly chosen as one of the trustees from his district, but de- clined any active management of the park, and paid his way, and that of his family, into the grounds that he virtually origi- nated and gave to the church.

This camp ground association have made many fine improvements about the Lake. This tract containing several acres of land, slopes gradually to the southwest to the beach of the prettiest sheet of water in all Iowa Their grounds are covered with beautiful oak and hickory trees of natural growth, and they have streets and avenues like a village, with a goodly number of cottages belonging to stock and lot owners of the concern. Their tabernacle, built in 1876, has a seating capacity of over 1,000; it is an octagon, running high enough for gallery rooms above. This is nestled in the midst of a

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

beautiful heavy growth of oaks on the most elevated portion of the plateau. Down on the beach there are bath houses erected, and docks for the many row and sail boats which ply the lake in the suni- mer months. They also have a large tower and observatory near to and over- looking the lake. Total cost of improve- ments about $12,000. The Clear Lake Park association own about forty acres of land, lying between the railroad and lake; have it laid out for the accommo- dation of summer. residents and visitors, with special depot, hotel, market, post- office, pavilion for meeting purposes, pri- vate residences, camp grounds, etc.

Since the organization of this Camp Ground Association, Clear Lake has be- come quite noted throughout the whole western country, and it has been the great gathering place, every summer since then, for all the State meetings and conventions, especially those of a religious character, such as camp meetings, temperance jubi- lees, musical concerts, Sunday school as- semblies, etc. To these gatherings there has always been a very large attendance from all parts of Iowa, and many from out the adjacent States. The most noted men of the Nation have favored this place by lectures, speeches and sermons, among which have been Rev. Dr. Newman, of Washington, D. C., Dr. Vincent, T. De Witt Talmage, the several bishops of the M. E. Church, and other distinguished men who have been listened to by the thousands.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Among the early physicians was Dr. M. M. Skinner, who was born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., April 11, 1825. His father,

Peter Skinner, though a man of energy and intelligence, was unable to give his son a liberal education, and he was thrown upon his own resources. After receiving a common school education, he continued his studies without a tutor for several years, teaching school winters to pay his way. He studied medicine in Fulton Medical College at Oswego, N. Y., grad- uating at the Medical College of Wood- stock, Vt., in May, 1850. He began the practice of his profession in Washington- ville, Oswego Co., N. Y. Dr. Skinner was married to a sister of Hon. H. G. Parker, of Mason City. From Oswego county he moved to Litchfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y., where he secured quite an ex- tensive practice. In November, 1856, he moved to Anamosa, Jones Co., Iowa, where his older brother, Pratt R. Skinner, had settled. Early in the spring of 1857 he removed to Clear Lake, where his broth- er in-law, H. G. Parker, resided At that time Clear Lake City was only a small cluster of log houses at the east end of the lake. Although it was not his inten- tion to practice medicine in this county, it was soon known that he was a physician and he was almost compelled to attend the sick. Early in life he had worked at the carpenters trade some, and from his acquaintance with tools, he constructed the first revolving horse hay rake ever used in Cerro Gordo county. Hedelivered the oration at the first 4th of July celebration in the county, at Clear Lake, in 1857. He was appointed county school superintend- ent, in 1858, to fill a vacancy. He also taught school at Clear Lake City, in a log cabin, during the winter of 1º57-8. In 1858 he removed to Anamosa, Iowa, where

HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

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he was living in 1883. During his resi- dence at Clear Lake, he found the skull of a human being, near the house of James Sirrine; and upon examination it was found to have the mark of a knife, clearly . indicating that the victim had been scalped

by the Indians. It was supposed by some to be the head of a white man, and by some that of Pacheukar, the young Indian, who had been shot, beheaded and scalped by the Sioux, several years before, near R. O. Sirrine's house.

CHAPTER XXIII.

DOUGHERTY TOWNSHIP.

This is the southeast township in the | county. It is bounded on the north by Owen township, the east by Floyd county, on the south by Franklin county,and on the west by Geneseo township. It is a prairie township, the surface is rolling and the soil of a very productive quality. Cold- water creek passes through the township, running in a southeasterly course, leaving the territory from section 36, entering. Floyd county. This stream furnishes an abundant supply of water for stock and drains the township in a very complete manner.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Daniel Dougherty made the first settle- ment, on section 36, in 1863, upon land he had taken up in 1856. In about a year from the date of his arrival, a fellow countryman, John Humphrey, also came on from Clayton county and bought the west half of the southwest quarter of sec- tion 36, where he lived until 1875, at

which time he removed to Mason town- ship.

Daniel Dougherty, the pioneer set- tler of Dougherty township, born in the county of Donegal, Ireland, Feb. 18, 1829, came and entered the southwest quarter of section 36, township 94, range 19, what is now Dougherty township, and made actual settlement on the same in 1863. He was reared on a farm in his native land, and in 1851 came to America, landed at Philadelphia and spent two years there. He then went to Montgom- ery Co., Penn., and labored in an iron furnace. In 1856 he visited Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa, and after entering his land, re- turned and continued work in the furnace as foreman until 1858, when, with his family, he started for Iowa, traveling on the cars to Dunleith, on steam boat to McGregor, Iowa, arriving at their destina- tion after four days travel. He there located in Giard township, where he

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IIISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

rented a farm and later bought forty acres. In 1860 he was elected a member of the board of supervisors of the county, and was re-elected in 1862. In 1863 he re- signed that office and came to Cerro Gordo county and settled on his land, being the first settler in Dougherty township. He built a log house on his land near the corner of four counties : Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin and Butler He took an active interest in the settlement of this section, acting as agent for different parties in selling land in his vicinity. The fami- ly occupied their log house until 1869, when he built the house in which he now lives, on the northwest quarter of section 36, and, in 1872 he built a barn 40x60 feet. He owns 720 acres of land and has the finest apple orchard in northern Iowa. It contains over 1,000 trees. He was mar- ried in 1848 to May Gallagher, a native of Donegal, Ireland. They have had fifteen children, twelve of whom are liv- ing-Hugh, Charles, Patrick, Daniel, James, Mary, John, Margaret, Bernard, Edward and Catharine T. (twins), Wil- liam and Annie. Three children, William, William N. and Margaret, died in infancy. The oldest son, Hugh, is married and has three children and lives on the southwest quarter of section 25. Charles is married and has three children and lives on the northeast quarter of section 26. Patrick is a lawyer, is married and resides in Mason City. James is married and resides on the southeast quarter of section 26. The rest of the children make their home with the parents. Mary is a teacher in the public schools. Mr. Dougherty is a prominent man and is well respected. He started poor but has made himself wealthy.

He is a life-long democrat, has served Cerro Gordo county as county supervisor two terms, and in 1880 was a candidate on the democratic ticket for register of the State land office. He represented the State at the Baltimore convention in 1872, and is still quite prominent in politics.

In 1868 Patrick Moran, a native of Ire- land, came from Wisconsin and settled on the northeast quarter of section 2, where he still lived in 1883. In company with Mr. Moran came Joseph Kirk, a native of Bohemia, and settled on section 2, where he died in December, 1876. William and James, brothers of Patrick Moran, came in 1868 and purchased the southwest quarter of section 2, and improved the same, but made their home with their father in Jefferson Co., Wis. John (). Crapser also came in 1868 from Franklin county, and located on section 35, where he lived ten years and then returned to Franklin county.

James Jessmore, a French Canadian and stone mason by trade, came from Oshkosh, Wis., and settled on the northwest quarter of section 14, in 1869, where he built a sod house, in which he lived until 1870, after which he moved to Marble Rock and was engaged working at his trade.

A P. Ames, a native of the State of Maine, came to the township in 1868 and located on section 12, improved his land and lived there eight years, and removed to Dakota Territory.

T. H. Harris came in 1869 and settled on section 13, where he lived eight years and then removed to Franklin county, near the town of Sheffield.

. George A. Massee came to Dongherty township in 1874, locating on the south-

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

west quarter of section 10. Though wild land when purchased, he has so improved and cultivated it, that he now has a de- sirable home, having erected a good frame dwelling house and barn, and beautified it with shade and ornamental trees. He was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., in 1840. When twelve years old his parents moved to Kane Co., Il'., where he made his home until 1870, then went to Manchester, Del- aware Co., Iowa, remaining until 1874. He was married in 1873 to Julia Ferris, born near Columbus, Ohio. They have two children-Nellie and Frank.

William Keenan came to Clear Lake in 1871. Ile was born in Pennsylvania, Feb. 20, 1849. When but two years old his parents moved to Wisconsin and set- tled in Washington county, where they were among the early settlers. They crossed Rock river on a log, the father carrying the children over one by one. The subject of this sketch made his home with his parents until eighteen years of age, when he went to Fond du Lac county, and carried the United States mail for fourteen months and then returned home and worked at the carpenter's trade. In 1871 he came to Iowa, first settling at Clear Lake, but a year later removed to Dongherty township, where he had the contract of building the Catholic Church. In 1874 he went to Wisconsin and was married to Catherine Rice. They re- turned to Dougherty township and located on section 36, on land previously pur- chased. In 1876 he engaged in the mer- cantile business. In 1881 he started a wagon shop, and in 1883 was engaged in this trade and also in running a store.

They have three children-Ellie, Alice and Annic.

Patrick Broderick became a resident of the township in 1877, locating on the southeast quarter of section 16, which he bought in that year and on which he now makes his home. He has erected a good set of buildings, set out a grove and put his farm in good cultivation. Since he came here he has taken an active in- terest in matters of education, and is now secretary of the school board. He was born in Lenox, Berkshire Co., Mass., Nov. 9, 1847. lle was brought up to farming, and received a common school education and also four terms at Marshall Academy, in Marshall village, Wis. His parents re- moved to that State when he was ten years old. He was married Nov. 30, 1871, to Hanora Hanifin, a native of Portland, Dodge Co., Wis. He had bought a farm a few years previous on which he settled until 1877, when he came to Iowa. They are the parents of six children-Ellen, John Francis, Lydia E., Mary, Stephen and Agnes.

John Broderick, Sr., is a native of Ire- land, and became a resident of section 9, township of Dougherty, in 1877. He has improved his land, set out trees and made an addition to the house in which he now lives He was born in Galway Co., Ire- land, April 10, 1818. When twelve years of age he went to learn the tailor trade, which he pursued in Ireland till 1846, when he emigrated to America. He landed at Quebec, where he followed his trade four months, then went to Massa- chusetts and located at Lenox, and opened a tailor shop under the anspices of Peck & Co., proprietors of the Lenox Iron

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Works. Here he continued until 1850. when he removed to Wisconsin and settled in Dane county, where he was an early settler in Deerfield township. Here he opened a tailor shop, which he conducted two years, then bought land and engaged in farming until 1877, when he came to his present home in Iowa. He was mar- ried in 1843 to Catharine Maloney, who bore him ten children, eight of whom are now living-John, Mary, Patrick, Marga- ret, Michael, Catharine, Bridget and Law- rence. Mrs. Broderick died May 3, 1882, being sixty-four years of age. Henora, the first child, died in Ireland at the age of five; Bridget, the second, died in Lenox, Mass., aged two years and three months. Lawrence, Margaret and Catha- rine make their home with their father. Bridget is teaching school in Mitchell county, and Michael is married and lives on section 9.

Daniel Campbell, residing on section 20, is a native of Donegal, Ireland, born March 17, 1828, where he made his home until eighteen years of age, when he went to Ayrshire, Scotland, working until 1870, when he emigrated to America to seek a home. He went to Hazelton, Lu- zerne Co., Penn., where he worked at the mason trade three years, and in a coal mine one year, when he came to Iowa, buying wild land in West Fork township, Franklin county, which he improved nicely and sold, moving then to Dough- erty, where he rented one year, then bought his present farm, upon section 20, upon which he has built a fine residence. He was married in 1853 to Bridget Gal- lagher, by whom he has had nine children -Francis, Marjie, John, Manus, Ann,

James, David, Mary (deceased at six years of age), and Joseph.

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History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo counties, Iowa and biographies of representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, Part 84

Author: Union Publishing Company (Springfield, Ill.) pbl Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Union publishing company Number of Pages: 990

Author: Union Publishing Company (Springfield, Ill.) pbl
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 990