History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo counties, Iowa and biographies of representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, Part 85

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 85
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 85

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).

ORGANIC.

This township was organized in 1870, and was named Prairie, but in 1871 it was changed to Dougherty in honor of its pioneer settler, Daniel Dougherty. The first general election was held Oct. 11, 1870, when the following officers were elected: Daniel Dougherty, Hugh Dougherty and T. H. Harris, trustees; J. McMannis, clerk; K. Conongherton and T. H. Harris, justices of the peace; Patrick Moran, assessor; Patrick Moran and Hugh Dougherty, constables; K. Conougherton, road supervisor.

At the election held at the Center school house, Nov. 7, 1882, the following officers were elected: Michael McLaughlin, Fran- cis Campbell and Daniel Dougherty, trus- tees; John Broderick, assessor; William Connors, clerk; Daniel Dougherty, Manace Gallougher, justices of the peace; W. O. Holman and R. Conougherton, constables ..

FIRST THINGS.

The first white child born in the town- ship, was John, a son of Daniel and Mary (Gallaghar) Dougherty, July 1, 1863.

The first death was Joseph Kirk, who died in December, 1870, and was buried in the Catholic cemetery.

The first marriage was that of Thomas Conners to Mary Cahill, which occured in March, 1878.

SCHOOLS.

The first school house was built in 1864 on the northwest quarter of section 36. The first teacher was Elizabeth Irwin. Daniel Dougherty and John Humphrey furnished the scholars. This building was used until 1869, when it became too small

HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

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for the accommodation of the district, and a new one was provided on the southwest quarter of section 25. The first school building was then sold, to be used as a church, and in 1870 the township bought it back again and moved it to the north . east quarter of section 23. In 1883 there were Seven sub-districts and eight school houses. The people of this township, have always taken a deep interest in edu- cational matters, usually having eight months of schooling annually. The pat- rons of the school have always been fa- vorable to home talent for their teachers, and been ready to pay good wages, and

by this method have been enabled to have the best schools in the county.

RELIGIOUS.

Prior to 1883, there were no religious denominations in the township except the Catholic. They celebrated their first Mass at the school house in 1865, Father Mur- phy, of Waverly, Iowa, officiating as Priest, at which time, he delivered a very learned discourse upon the state of society before and after the advent of Christ. Meetings were held at the school house until 1870, when a commodious church was built, it being a neat frame edifice situated,on the southeast quarter of section 25.

CHAPTER XXIV.

FALLS TOWNSHIP.

Prior to Dec. 17, 1856, the terri- tory comprising Falls township was in that known as Owen. It is bounded on the north by Worth county, on the east by Floyd and Mitchell counties, on the south by Portland township, and on the West by Lime Creek, and comprises township 97, range 19 west. The land is for the most part prairie, and the surface gently rolling, with some quite flat land in the northeast part. Along the Shell Rock river in some places are seen fine native groves, however, most of the native tim- ber has been cut off and a flourishing

second growth has sprung up. The soil is a rich, dark loam, and very productive. Wheat used to be the chief crop, but late years it has not been a profitable crop, and the farmers have turned their atten- tion more especially to other cereals and stock raising, in which they have been much more successful. In this section of the county may be found some of the finest horses and cattle in northern Iowa.

The township is well watered by the Shell Rock river and its tributaries. This stream enters the township from the north, on section 5, and takes a general southern

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

and eastern course, passing through sec- tions 8, 16, 17, 21, 22 and 27, and across the corner of 26 to 35, and from thence into Portland township. It is a beautiful stream, and in an early day supplied an abundance of fish. One of the tributaries of this pretty rock-bottomed stream enters the township from the west on section 6, passes through this and cuts across the corner of section 7 to section 8, where it enters the Shell Rock river. Another branch enters the township from Worth county, on section 3, and passes west to section 4, through that section in a general southern course to section 9, thence to section 16, into 15, and back into 16, where it joins the Shell Rock river.

SETTLEMENT.

The first permanent settler in Falls township was Elijah Wiltfong, who was a native of Ohio. He came from Indiana, in 1853, made claim to a large tract of land, and built his cabin on setion 21, where he lived until 1863, when he removed to Oregon. In 1883 he was living in Los Angeles, Cal. His son came with him to Iowa, and took a claim on the same section with his father,and afterward moved to the Pacific coast.

John Myers came, in the spring of 1854, and located on section 6. He built a small cabin and lived there until 1856, at which time he sold out and went to Kansas.

James Wright, a native of Brown Co., N. Y., came to the township in 1854, pur- chasing a claim on section 17, but for some reason did not prove up, but sold his claim in the fall to. Lewis Mosher, and took another claim, on section 5, where he built him a cabin, broke and fenced a few

acres. In the fall of 1855 he again sold to George Frederick, and in the spring of 1856 removed to Minnesota, and from there to Kansas, where he died March 18, 1859. His widow is now the wife of John D. Massey, who lives in Rock Falls.

Robert Campbell,a native of Columbiana Co., Ohio, came here from Porter Co., Ind., in October 1854, coming over land by teams. He settled on the northwest quarter of section 16, lived in a log house, 14x16 feet, which had split puncheon for the floor and was roofed by shakes. It was here, in this humble abode, that the first white child in this town was born- Delphina Campbell. The first marriage ceremony was also made sacred within this rude cabin home. The family re- mained in this house three years and then moved to section 17, where they lived un- til 1874. Mr. Campbell now resides in Mason City.

Mahlon Brown, a native of New York, came in May, 1854, and settled on section 16, where he built a log house and lived for two years then moved to the prairies on section 15, where he remained seven or eight years then went to Dakota and later to Colifornia, after a few years stay there, he returned to Dakota Territory and then died.

George and Peter Clymer came in 1854. George settled on section 8, where he lived a short time and then moved to Lime Creek, where, in a few years he died. His brother Peter settled near Worth county line and lived there about two years, then went to Winnebago county, and located.

Among the few settlers who located in the township in 1854 was Richard Mor-

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

ris. Upon his arrival, he had but $1.60 left in his pocket and no funds from which to draw. He at once sought employment by which to drive the "wolf from his door," and he got work on a saw mill, which was going up at Nora Springs. He sowed some buckwheat and planted a small patch of corn, near Nora Springs, which provided something upon which to subsist during the following winter. In October of that year he came to Falls township, and bought a claim on section 22. There was a small cabin on the land, but it had no roof, so he at once covered it with shakes. He was forced to sell one of his horses to raise money with which to enter his land, and then had to borrow, paying 40 per cent. in order to make out enough. His family lived the first winter on buckwheat cakes and corn meal ground in a coffee mill. The following spring he went to the Turkey river for some flour, and paid $6 per hundred after going that long journey of sixty miles and return. This family contented themselves in this cabin until 1879, at which time they built a comfortable house.

Mr. Morris is a Green Mountain boy by birth, having first seen the sunlight in Bennington Co., Vt., Nov. 28, 1812. Dur- ing the first year of his life his parents removed to Washington Co. N. Y. In 1824 they became residents of Cattarau- gus county, in the same State, where they were early settlers. There his father bought government land and cleared a farm. Mr. Morris remained at home until twenty- one years of age when he was married to Fannie Stoddard, a native of Vermont, born Dec. 1, 1811. He purchased forty acres of land in Erie Co., N. Y., built a

log house, cleared most of his tract of land and held it as a homestead four years, when he moved to LaGrange, Wyoming county. Five years later he changed his residence to Roscoe, Ohio, and worked three years as a carpenter, when he again made a transfer to Dresden, sixteen miles from Roscoe. Here he bought a team and engaged in the transfer of supplies and manufactures for a distillery, opera- ting between Dresden and Zanesville. Af- ter three years he purchased a lot in Uhrichsville, Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, built a house and worked as a carpenter until 1853, when he set forth to seek a spot for a home in the west. He spent a winter in MeHenry Co., Ill., and the following spring came to Iowa. The next fall he settled in township 97 north, range 19 west of the fifth principal meridian, buying a claim on section 22. The record of Mr. Morris is eminently creditable to him. Coming to the State with nothing but his team, he has pushed his way with energy and economy, until he owns 420 acres of land, well equipped with good buildings. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Morris, ten in number, were born in the following order-Edwin F., Florilla, Charles S., Mary J., Ellen, Rebecca, Joseph, Matilda, Olive A. and Alice. Ellen died when six years old. Mary became the wife of Minor Wright, settled in Kansas, and died in 1877, leaving four children.

Chauncy Lugard, said to have been an Italian by birth, came from Canada in 1854, and settled on section 25. He was a natural genius and a good mechanic, but was addicted to drink. He lived here until 1863 when he moved away.

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

Benjamin Sutton, a native of Devon- shire, England, came from Wisconsin in 1854, and entered 400 acres of land in this township. He went to the land office at Des Moines to enter the land, making the journey on foot. In the fall of 1855 he came back from Wisconsin, and spent the winter in hunting and rail-splitting-get- ting out fencing enough for a quarter sec- tion of land. In July, 1856, he sold his land and returned to Wisconsin, and in 1857 he started back to Iowa with some cattle, crossing the Mississippi river at McGregor with 100 head, ten of which he sold, and the balance he brought through to this township. He let them graze during the summer, and provided an ample supply of prairie hay for them to feed upon during the winter months. He kept this drove of young stock at the grove on section 8, retaining them until 1861, when he sold them and purchased land on section 8, where he erected good buildings, and there resides at the present time.

Ira Williams, a native of New York, came to Falls township in 1855, from Illi- nois. He settled on section 17, where he. made a hay house and strewed hay upon the ground for a floor. In this abode he and his family lived for two years, when they built a log cabin, which at first was roofed with bark, but later by shakes. In 1859 he sold out and moved over into Lincoln. He served as a soldier in the last war, and died in Lincoln township in 1877. His widow, now the wife of O. E. Thompson, still resides in that township.

Adam Kramer came from Muscatine' Co., Iowa, in 1855, and entered land on sections 7 and 8. He lived there three

years and then moved to the northwest quarter of section 6, and stil later to Clear Lake, where he died. His widow now lives in Worth county.

John Morgan came, in 1855, from John- son Co., Iowa, and located on section 8, where he lived two years and then moved to Texas.

Heman M. Redington was a pioneer farmer of Cerro Gordo county, where he located in 1855 on section 8, Falls town- ship. Soon after he moved to section 7, where he died in 1865. He was born Nov. 25, 1796, in the State of New York, and was married in 1819 to Christian Au- renger, also a native of New York, born in 1799. In 1842 the family moved to Illinois, where Mr. Redington bought a farm in Boone county, where he resided until he moved to Iowa. Mrs. Redington yet survives and lives with her daughter at Rock Falls. Two sons, Martin and Wil- liam, are residents of the same village. The first was the pioneer blacksmith of the town. A daughter, Clarissa Reding- ton, was married in 1854 to James Wright and settled in Falls. He died in 1859 in Kansas. His widow was married in 1863 to John D. Massy, the proprietor of the hotel at Rock Falls.

In the spring of 1855 Charles Tenney, a native of Maine, and George Frederick, a German by birth, came from Kenosha Co., Wis. They came from McGregor on foot. Tenney selected the west half of the northeast quarter of section 8, and also bought the southeast quarter of that sec- tion. Frederick chose land in Roek Grove. Mr. Tenney walked to the land office at Des Moines to enter his land. From there he went to Grinnell, Iowa, where he was

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

joined by Frederick and they returned to Wisconsin, and in July of the same year they started back to Iowa with ox teams. In company with them were John Brown and Henry Senior, who settled in what is now Portland township. They were four weeks on their way Tenney built a log cabin on his land which he covered with shakes and then laid a puncheon floor. He and his comrade Frederick were both single men and kept bachelor hall to- gether ; but Frederick married the follow- ing fall and settled on section 5, where he now resides. Tenney married two years later. He now lives on section 6.

Thomas Perrett, a native of England, came to Ame ica in 1854 and spent that winter in Dubuque and Delaware counties, this State, and the following spring (1855) came to Falls township aud entered there three "eighties" on section 27, and bought eighty acres of timber land on section 16. The first season he worked for A. J. Glover, and that fall he was joined by his brother, J. C. Perrett, and his cousin, Joseph. They were all single men and they spent the winter in a log cabin on section 16. This hoase was called the "bachelors' retreat." In the spring, J. C. or Charles, as he is better known, and Joseph returned to the lakes, where they were employed as sailors ; but in t e fall of that year they returned to spend another winter in their cozy retreat. In 1857 "Thomas built a log cabin on his place, on section 27, and lived in it until 1871, when he built the stone house in which he now resides. In 1860 Joseph Perrett settled on section 27, on land his cousin had entered for him. He built a log cabin in which he lived until 1876, when he

built the farm house in which he now lives.

Charles Johnson came in 1855 and set- tled on secton 17. He carried the mail from Charles City to Mason City for some years. At that time he was a single man, known as "old bach" Johnson. He af- terwards married and raised a family. He died in 1868.

Charles Perrett never made a perma- nent settlement, though he is well known here from his frequent visits. He now lives in Chicago, where he is superintend- ent of the Menomonee barge line, and a member of the board of trade.

Edwin Beckwith came in 1855 and set- tled on section 36, where he lived until 1860, at which time he moved to Michi- gan.

A. J. Glover came in 1855 and settled at Shell Rock Falls, where he bought a mill site of Elijah Wiltfong and built a mill. He was an enterprising man and much liked by all. He remained but abont four years, when he sold out and went to Michigan, where he still lives.

Thomas Perrett, one of the settlers of 1855, was born May 27, 1827, in Somer- setshire, England. He received a good education and was reared to agricultural pursuits. In 1854 he came to America and proceeded direct from New York city to Iowa. He spent a short time at Du- buque, then went to Delaware county, where he aided in laying ont the town of Manchester. In March, 1855, he came to Cerro Gordo county and entered land in township 87 north, range 19 west. The tract was located on section 27, and he also purchased land on sections 16 and 21. During the summer following he was in

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

the employ of A. J. Glover, and aided in the construction of a saw mill. He drew the first load of sawed lumber into Falls township from Charles City. In the fall of 1855, he settled on his own land, and in 1859 was married to Mary J. Brown, of Ohio. He has brought his farm under a good degree of cultivation and erected thereon substantial buildings, among which is noted the fine stone house in which he now resides. He owns 450 acres of land and has filled responsible of- ficial positions in his town and county. Mr. and Mrs. Perrett are the parents of four children-Lizzie, Hattie, Laura and Thomas.

Horace Gregory was a pioneer of Cerro Gordo county, whither he came from Kane Co., Ill. He was a New Yorker by birth, born in Delaware county Aug. 14, 1805. He there reached his majority and married there March 22, 1829. His wife, nee Sally Varnald, became the mother of nine children, six of whom yet survive. Mr. Gregory lived in Delaware county a few years after his marriage, and then lo- cated in Steuben county. Ten years after he removed with his family to Kane Co., Ill., where he became a land holder in Big Rock township. He labored early and late and met with the meritable success of thrift and industry, settled his family in a comfortable house and steadily advanced in prosperity until 1855, when he disposed of his landed interests and sought a new home in this State. With his household he made an overland trip, effecting trans- portation by the aid of three pairs of oxen and a span of horses, and driving fifteen head of cattle. The journey consumed about four weeks, and was by no means

tedious and wearisome. They settled on section 12 of township 96 north, range 19 west. Their land was wholly unimproved, but its culture was an entirely different matter from former experience, and its progress to a better condition was - rapid and encouraging under the efforts of experience and resolution. Mr. Gregory died March 8, 1873, in Rock Co., Minn, where he removed in 1869. His wife survives him and lives with her sons at Rock Falls. Thaddeus W. Gregory was born in Delaware Co., N. Y., May 6, 1832, came to Iowa with his parents, and in 1862 enlisted as a soldier in the civil war, but did not live to enter active service. He died a month after his enrollment, leaving a wife and three children now residents in Nemaha Co., Kan. Jasper C. is engaged in farming and trading in lumber in Washington territory. Elba S was a soldier in the 7th Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, and now lives in Washington territory. Horace A. enlisted in com- pany B, 7th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and received a severe wound at the battle of Belmont which procured his discharge. On recovery he re-enlisted, and was in service until the end of the war. He now lives in Washington territory, and is clerk of the court of Snohomish county. Salathiel D. was a soldier in company A, 21st Iowa Volunteer Infantry, served until the expiration of his term, and now resides at Rock Falls. Francis M. Greg- ory was born in Steuben Co., N. Y., April 16, 1839. At the age of twenty-one he went to Illinois, and Sept. 18, 1861, en listed in the 8th Illinois Cavalry, which was sent to Washington to join the army of the Potomac. He was under fire at

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

Manassas Junction, Yorktown, Williams- burg, Gettysburg, South Mountain and Antietam, besides participating in minor engagements. He was commissioned second lientenant April 11, 1864, pro moted to first lieutenant Sept. 18, 1864, and raised to the rank of captain Dec. 15, 1864. His regiment was discharged July 21, 1865, and he went to Portland, lowa. In 1868 he came to Falls township where he located, on section 28, buying wild land upon which he has made the usual im- provements and erected his present resi- dence. He was married Feb. 11, 1866, to Maggie J. Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Gregory have had three children-Marion, Myrtie and Mary. Marion was born Feb. 17, 1867, and died Oct. 15, 1872. Mr. Greg- ory has one other surviving brother, George B., who is a cooper by trade and resides at St. Cloud, Minn.

George Frederick, a pioneer farmer, set- tled in Falls township in July, 1855. He entered land in Rock Grove in the spring of that year, after which he returned to Wisconsin, coming back as stated. He was unmarried, and, in company with a Mr. Tenney, he operated his own domestic affairs until fall, when he changed his condition to the married state. His wife was Arvilla Campbell, and theirs was the first marriage in the township. In the autumn of 1855 Mr. Frederick purchased land on section 5, of which he took pos- session the following spring, ocenpying a log house until 1870, when he built the frame house his family now occupy. Hc owns 172 acres of well wooded and watered land. Their are eight children belonging to the household-Amzie, Ella, Leslie, Mary, George, Charlie, Belle and

Orlin. Mr. Frederick was born in Ger- many, June 25, 1825, where he was trained to agricultural pursuits, and educated in the public schools. He came to America in 1850, landed at New York, and pro- ceeded to Tarrytown. He was employed two months on a farm, and then went to Kenosha Co., Wis., where he followed farming for a livelihood until 1855, when he became a citizen of Iowa.

William Sherick, a native of Pennsyl- vania, came here from Illinois, in 1856, and settled on section 36, where he remained until 1872, at which time he removed to Oregon, where he now lives.

William Wilson, a native of South Car- olina, came from Illinois in the fall of 1859 and settled on section 36, where he died two years later. He was buried at Spring Grove, Floyd county. His widow now lives with her daughter at Wadena, Minn.

Among the number coming in between 1857 and 1860 were Jacob Frederick, John Claus, Joseph Perrett, B. A. Brown and George A. Morse.

Jacob Frederick was born in Germany, Aug. 17, 1836. He was a farmer's son and attended school until he was sixteen years old, when, fixing upon the trade of a wagon maker as a vocation, he appren- ticed himself and worked at the business until 1857 in his native land. In that year he came to America, landed at New York and spent nearly a year there, working a part of the time at carriage painting. In 1858 he came to Iowa and settled in Cerro Gordo county. He opened a wagon shop at Plymouth where he transacted his busi- ness two years, when the shop with its contents was burned, entailing a loss of

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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

$500. He then turned his attention to farming, entered land and engaged in stock raising. In 1866 he purchased a farm lying on sections 7 and 8 and built a house. He is still engaged in raising stock and exhibits some fine blooded specimens. He was married in 1868 to Adele Alden, a New York lady by birth, by whom he has four children-Lewis E., Ida M., Carl V. and Ada Belle.

John Claus, an early settler in Falls township, is a native of Germany, where his birth occurred June 27, 1829. He was trained in his native country to agricultu- ral pursuits and educated at the public school. In 1850 he sailed for America and after a prosperous voyage landed at Castle Garden, N. Y. He entered at once as an apprentice with a baker in New York city, where he remained five years and then returned to Germany on a visit. He spent a year among the friends and scenes of his childhood, coming back to Long Island, where he resumed his former business. He came to Iowa in 1858 to se- cure a home. He invested his savings in land on sections 7 and 8 in Falls township, residing at Plymouth until 1862, when he became the owner by purchase of wild land on section 4, and there took up his residence. He has improved the land and and erected substantial and suitable build- ings. July 4, 1858, he was married to Cynthia, daughter of Robert and Amanda (Baker) Campbell. They have eight chil- dren-Frank, Lettie, Jonn, Ernest, Annie, Alice, Willie and Clara.

Joseph Perrett, an early settler in Falls township, was born in Somersetshire, Eng- land, Feb. 25, 1834, where he labored on a farm until the age of sixteen, when he

entered upon his career as a sailor. Dur- ing the four years that followed he sailed around the world and visited some of its principal ports. In 1854 he set out for America, landed at New York, from there went to Buffalo, where he engaged for the season as sailor on the lakes. In the autumn of the same year he came to Iowa, passed the winter in Dubuque and Dela- ware counties, and assisted in laying out the town of Manchester. The following spring he responded to his longing for a sailor's life, and passed the season on the lakes, returning to Iowa in the fall. In company with his cousins, T. and J. C. Perrett, he spent the winter in Falls township, and entered a tract of land. He was married in Illinois, April 4, 1858, to Sarah H. Brown. In 1859 they came to Falls township, and became inmates of the household of Thomas Perrett, where they remained one and a half years. Meanwhile Mr. Perrett built a log house, 14x20 feet, on his land on section 27. With the exception of three years, when he was engaged as captain of a schooner on the line from Chicago to Buffalo, and which finished his career as a sailor, this has been the home of his family. In 1876 he erected his present residence. Mr. Perrett has met with a fair degree of prosperity, being now the owner of 317 acres of land under advanced improve. ment. Two children-Jennie and Mary, are members of the household.

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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 85

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