USA > Iowa > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 17
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD REACHES ACKLEY
By the month of October, 1865, the Dubuque and Iowa Falls Railroad had reached Ackley and railroad facilities, compared with what they had been, were regarded as very good, and the prospects for an extension of the road westward through this county at an early day tended largely to induce emigrants to stop here where lands were cheap, and where, with the arrival of the railroad, they would probably largely advance in price. Indeed, the people hereabout, were exceedingly proud of the fact that the road had reached a point so near as Ackley and boasted of the convenience, for with daily stages from Ackley and a railroad beyond, an order for small articles of goods could be sent to Chicago and be returned within three days if no delays or accidents occurred.
MOB LAW
During the summer of 1865, considerable excitement was caused in the county by what was termed a case of "mob law." On the night of July I, a number of masked and otherwise disguised men, went to the cabin of a settler named Joseph Dunbar, in Cass township. They took him out of bed, dragged him to the timber near by, where they stripped and soundly flogged him. Mrs. Dunbar and a daughter, a bright young woman, interfered to protect the hus- band and father, and they also received some rather rough treatment.
The cause of the trouble seems to have been that a large number of Dunbar's
136
HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
cattle and horses were frequently found in the grain fields of his neighbors where they had gone during the night. The neighbors urged him to take care of his stock during the night time as they all did, but he seems to have paid no attention to these requests and it was even charged that he threw down fences and turned the cattle into the grain fields himself. The neighbors, therefore, used pretty rough measures in expelling his stock from their fields when they found them trespassing, and hard feelings were engendered.
Then followed a series of outrages to stock of the neighborhood such as hamstringing horses, maiming and wounding cows with a knife or other sharp weapon. These depredations were charged to Dunbar. He was frequently seen prowling about at all hours of the night by one and another of the neigh- bors. But he was never caught doing this mischief and no evidence could be produced against him to sustain a criminal prosecution. Still the damage to stock continued and as these depredations were confined to parties having trouble with Dunbar, the neighborhood generally believed he was the guilty party and a few of them, just who they were was never certainly known, de- termined to take the law into their own hands and put a stop to it if possible, and it is a notable fact that no more outrages to stock were committed in the neighborhood after the "mob" had done its work. Dunbar was a man of great irritability of temper and when angered was utterly unreasonable, vindictive and revengeful. When difficulties were once started he made himself so ob- noxious that he was thoroughly hated by some of his neighbors and shunned by nearly all.
The Dunbar family claimed to recognize a number of the mob and a half dozen arrests were made. The men arrested were regarded then, and such of them as live in the county now, as among the most peaceable, respectable and well disposed men in the county. One of them has since served in a most important county office for four years and was elected by the party vastly in the minority, which emphasizes the high opinion in which he was held. Whether he was in the mob or not, it is certain the people either did not believe he was, or did not care. Viewing the character of the men arrested and their conduct towards others then and since then, if they really were of the mob, the aggrava- tion must have been enormous to lead them to take such means to rid them- selves of the annoyance. No one was ever convicted of participation in the offense, though suits and countersuits dragged along in the courts for some years. It is said upon good authority that when the grand jury found a bill of indictment against one of the alleged mob and he was notified of it, he brought down a number of watermelons and rolled them into the jury room and told the jury to go for them. The same grand jury indicted Dunbar and he also brought watermelons and treated the jury. One of the jury after regaling himself to satiety on the melons, facetiously remarked: "If there's anybody else who has good watermelons and wants an opportunity to treat this jury, let him send in his name and we'll accommodate him with an indictment."
Mr. Dunbar was at one time fairly well to do, but his difficulties with his neighbors and his propensity for law nearly broke him up. Ilis children are still residents of the county and are among the most respectable and well dis- posed of our citizens.
It is curious to note with what complacency the people of every town and
137
HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
country regard themselves and their achievements. This was true of Hamilton county in general and Webster City in particular. This was illustrated in many ways, and especially in the case of the schools of that town, which the people were wont to consider "the best in the state" and for size were regarded as simply immense.
There was a "high school" and two lower rooms and there was talk of building an additional house for the accommodation of those pupils living across the river in the east part of town. The enumeration made in 1865 showed chil- dren of school age to the number of two hundred.
'THIE POTTER HOUSE"
In September. 1865, A. M. Potter came to Webster City and opened a hotel in what was then known as "The Church House," at the northeast corner of Bank and Union streets and changed the name to "The Potter House." He afterwards moved the building to Second street between Seneca and Willson avenue and added a brick front and it continued to be the Potter House until after his death.
THE DECLINE OF THE SHEEP INDUSTRY
In a former chapter mention was made of the sheep industry. This industry grew until there were many thousand sheep in the county. Nearly every farmer had a flock of from fifty to one hundred, and though they were worth from $4 to $10 a head, nearly every one who could get the money or credit had "went into sheep." But before the industry was two years old the sheep began to die. This was in the fall of 1865. All manner of stories were afloat as to the cause of the loss. But speculation upon the cause and all the doctoring they could do did not stop the death rate, and in less than four years there were almost as few sheep in the county as when the craze began. The industry, like the Roman Empire, had "rose and fell." It was thought after it was all over that the inclement winters, the length of time between green grass in fall and spring (for there was not tame hay here then), and insufficiency of shelter, combined to break down the constitution of the animals, while the wet prairie upon which they grazed in summer gave them foot rot. The industry was therefore practically abandoned as an unprofitable, if not an impossible, busi- ness to keep up. Of course such a disastrous ending to the business made future ventures in that direction almost out of the question, but in later years the cultivation and drainage of the lands, the introduction everywhere of tame grasses, the planting of groves to break the bleakness of the prairies, has changed conditions and the business has in later years been resumed in a limited degree, and now gives promise of becoming an important element in the future of the county.
GRACELAND CEMETERY
In a former chapter mention was made of a new cemetery, situated on the bluff just north of the north bridge.
To this location there were serious objections, the principal one being the
138
HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
difficulty of reaching it in case of high water, for a grade had not yet been built across the long stretch of low ground on the south side leading to the bridge. The road across this low ground was not good even at its best, and in high water it overflowed. The great expense of putting it in shape for use at all times could not be incurred at that time. Indeed, many declared that the grade never could be made and maintained. So when an attempt was made to improve the cemetery and to meet the expense of it, a public sale of lots was advertised, there were no bidders and it was decided to abandon that location. A few burials had been made there and among them, the three soldiers killed in Webster City as related herein. Prior to its establishment, burials had been made on the river bluff northwest of town and a large number had been buried there. With the abandonment of the enterprise of establishing a cemetery on the north hill, it was determined to seek a new location and the location of the present Graceland cemetery was agreed upon and laid out in lots.
Sumler Willson was president, and Isaiah Doane secretary and treasurer of the association that selected these grounds. To the new location, which was established November, 1865, removals were made from the other grounds.
Since the establishment of the new cemetery and within the past few years, the ladies of Webster City have organized a cemetery association and taken entire charge and control of it. The grounds have been greatly enlarged and improved. The new part has been artistically laid out according to plans drawn and furnished by N. P. Hyatt, Esq., a young attorney of this city, and every year new and attractive improvements are being made. Closz Brandrup is employed as sexton and spends all his time in caring for the grounds. A large number of very fine monuments have been erected and now the cemetery estab- lished in 1865 is among the finest in the state.
COUNTY ELECTION OF 1865
The October election in 1865 passed by with little excitement so far as local affairs were concerned and resulted in the election of County Judge, Isaiah Doane; Treasurer, Hiram H. Bennett; Sheriff, H. C. Hillock; Superintendent of Schools, Rev. O. A. Holmes ; Drainage Commissioner. D. Carroll; Surveyor, James Faught ; Coroner, Richard Sackett.
The board of supervisors were as follows: Cass, J. W. Lee; Rose Grove. S. L. Rose; Marion, W. Neese; Fremont, George C. Cole; Ellsworth, J. M. Foster : Boone, Sumler Willson ; Hamilton, W. M. Neely; Scott. Lars Hender- son ; Webster, D. Carroll; Lyon, E. Lakin. When this new board organized in January, 1866, S. L. Rose was elected chairman. This board seems to have had a large amount of business before it, judging from the printed "proceed- ings," and it was a board that when it determined to do anything. it went right about it, and it was done. It determined to build a courthouse, and advertised for bids.
COURTHOUSE AT LAST
In May, it accepted the bid of Turner, Dalby and Baxter and entered into a contract with them for the erection of a house 28x50 ft., two stories. Two
HAMILTON COUNTY'S FIRST COURTHOUSE Now used as a residence by J. K. Kearns
139
HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
county offices were arranged for on the first floor and the second floor was fur- nished up for a court room. The contract price was $1,934.00 and the building was completed and ready for occupancy October i of that year. It was located on the old public square at the southeast corner of Seneca and Bank streets. The court room was entered by an outside stairway and in it court was held for a number of years. It was in this room that the famous Ross murder trial took place. This building is now located on East Bank street and is the residence of J. V. Kearns.
The board did a great deal of business during the year, but nothing of special note except the building of the courthouse, which it must be remembered was only intended as a temporary structure, to last until the county was able to build a costly and permanent one. The people of the county were so well pleased with this board that all its members were returned for the next year except the member from Webster, who was succeeded by Dr. H. Corbin.
A BUSINESS DIRECTORY IN 1866
Perhaps nothing could give a better idea of the extent of growth of the county than to give a business directory of Webster City, the principal town of the county, of date February 24, 1866, and to state that the census report made in 1865 showed 2,023 inhabitants in the county, and this is all the more im- portant for consideration as the time is about the beginning of a more active, if not more permanent growth of the county in population and importance.
To further show the rate of growth, the reports of statistics to January I, 1867, showed a population in the county of 3,151. The number of dwelling houses, 546, an increase of nearly two hundred during the year of 1866.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF WEBSTER CITY
MERCHANTS-John Rhodes, drugs, dry-goods, groceries, boots and shoes; G. W. Crosley, dry-goods, groceries, boots and shoes ; L. L. Estes, drugs, gro- ceries and postoffice ; K. Young, dry-goods and groceries, boots and shoes ; L. L. Treat, dry-goods, groceries, boots and shoes; Fairchild & Hoffman, general hardware; W. W. Wells, gent's furnishing goods and tailoring; J. S. Bell, gro- ceries; G. W. Bailey, groceries.
FURNITURE-Cox and Sketchley, J. S. Kenyon.
HARNESS SHOP-W. H. Mayhew, W. Young.
Br.ACKSMITHS-Howell & Cleckner, W. C. Howard, J. Fisher.
WAGON SHOP-E. Sackett. .
SHOE SHOP-A. Beauchaine, David Smith, D. Hartman, J. W. Iloliday.
LIVERY STABLE-Chas. Arthur.
LAWYERS-D. D. Chase, district judge; W. J. Covil, Miracle & Sutton, J. Skinner.
BILLIARD, SALOON-Browning & Worthington.
PHYSICIANS-H. E. Ilendryx, J. R. Burgess, H. N. Crapper, I. Soule.
MILLINERY-Miss D. Swanger, Miss M. E. Bell.
AUCTIONEER-W. L. Church.
MILLS -- Saw, Chas, Stoddard; grist, S. Aldrich.
140
HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
COOPER SHOP-James Gayer.
PHOTOGRAPHER-S. Moore.
AGRICULTURAL WAREHOUSE-O. E. Stevens. MEAT MARKET-11. C. Hillock.
This directory is taken from the Freeman of February 24, 1866. As a further basis of comparison. a market report is desirable, but none was printed, and the memory of man is too treacherous to rely upon.
THE FIRST CHURCH BUILDING
Up to the spring of 1866, while there were several church societies in the county, as yet no church building had been erected. In the country services were neld in the cabins of the settlers or in the school houses, and in town in buildings hired for the purpose. In Webster City the Baptists held services in the town hall, and the Methodists and Congregationalists used a building located just east of the present Baptist church until the completion of the new courthouse, when they used the court hall. A move was put on foot in 1865 to build a new Metho- dist church in Webster City, and in March, 1866, the contract to build a brick church was let to Turner, Dalby and Baxter for $2,500. The walls were built and roof put on, and in this unfinished condition, without seats. a grand Christmas service was held in it December 25, 1866. The next spring the building was com- pleted and regular services were held there, but owing to the inability of the society to pledge the means to clear the building of debt, it was not formally dedi- cated until about two years later.
The building was located on the northeast corner of what is now the public school grounds, and was removed in 1886, the material being used in the construc- tion of a new Methodist Episcopal church on the corner opposite the present court house. It was the first church built in the county and though the contract was let for $2,500, the building cost about $4,000 when completed.
J. D. HUNTER TAKES CHARGE OF THE FREEMAN
On the 7th of December, 1866, John D. Hunter published his first issue of the Freeman. Up to this time, since his return from the army in 1864, Mr. V. A. Ballou had published the paper and had given the county a very able and newsy journal, but desiring to return to college and complete his education, he retired from journalism and returned to school.
Mr. Hunter in his "word at the start" declared his intention to make the paper "radically republican," and that he has done so will scarcely be denied. He had had considerable journalistic experience and had good ability as a writer and espe- cially as a localizer, and the Freeman continued to take rank as a first class county paper. Not only that, but it grew better as its editor became better acquainted with Hamilton county and its men and affairs. He continued to be a resident of the county, and with the exception of one year, was editor of the Freeman to within a few years of the time of his death. His services in behalf of the county can never be fully told. From the time of his arrival until his death he exerted through the Freeman a powerful influence for good.
141
HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
A SEVERE WINTER
The winter of 1866-7 was one of unusual length and severity, snow falling carly and remaining until late in the spring, so that there were one hundred and four days of sleighing without a break. It appears that the hardest part of the win- ter was in March, when a snow storm of unprecedented severity swept over the whole northwest from which a number of people lost their lives by being frozen, though happily no Hamilton county citizens were among them. A Mr. Hand, a stage driver well known here, was lost on the prairie for four days, but escaped with the loss of his toes. One of the horses froze to death where he unhitched and abandoned it. A Wright county man perished while on his way home from a neighbor's house, but a couple of miles distant and was not found for four days ; John W. Lee, attempting to go to Hickory Grove in Hancock county from his home five miles north of Webster City, was caught in the storm and remained out on the prairie all night, and his escape from freezing was almost miraculous.
The snow did not go off until April, when as a result of warm weather and rains, the whole face of the country resembled a huge lake.
A WET SPRING
The streams and rivers were swollen to a higher stage than had ever been known before, and much damage was done while travel was almost completely stopped. Railroad bridges were washed out and travel over ordinary wagon roads were scarcely thought of for some days. None of the wagon bridges in this county were taken out, but the water overflowed the approach-ways so that for days they could not be reached. An incident of the "flood" is related of Jay Stern- berg. He attempted to take a man across the river in a boat; the boat struck a snag and capsized. The man was a swimmer and safely reached the shore, but Jay had not learned that fishy art and had to seek other means of safety. He managed to reach a tree and like Zaccheus of old, climbed into it, where he had to stay until help took him off. He was very fortunate in not being drowned and had an opportunity to find out just how it looks "to a man up a tree."
During this winter, in January, a deer was killed between Harris' mill and White Fox. It had been started near the source of the Boone and followed south until when near the mill its pursuers came near enough to get a shot at it and wounded it badly. It eluded pursuit for a time, but next day was run down and captured. It was next to the last deer captured in the county, though not the last seen, as the writer saw two of them as late as the spring of 1877, north of Webster City.
A MARKET REPORT IN 1867
Early in 1867 the Freeman began to print a Webster City market report and we choose the date of May Ist as a fair average of prices for the year, and give it in full :
WEBSTER CITY MARKET
Wheat No. I per bu .. $2.25
Wheat No. 2 per bu. 2.00
142
HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
Oats per bu.
.75
Corn per bu. $1.00 to
1.25
Potatoes per bu. 1.25 to 2.00
Flour per cwt. 7.00
Pork per cwt 7.00 to 8.00
Hay per ton 5.00 to 6.00
The reason for these high prices is found in two facts: Prices were generally high, and a constantly increasing population depended entirely upon purchasing supplies, until such times as they could raise crops. More was required than was produced, and the shortage had to be shipped from the east. This enabled the farmer to sell at high figures. These prices held good all over the county.
In May, 1866, came A. Ramharter, and in May, 1867, his brewery was in full running order and it continued to run and had grown to considerable proportions when the prohibitory law of 1884 closed it up and Mr. Ramharter left the state.
In June, 1867, "Uncle" John Bonner purchased or leased the "Willson House" and changed the name to the "American House." The name was afterward changed to the "Hamilton House," and still later was known as "Park Hotel."
A DISASTROUS FIRE
On July 9, 1867, the Ten Eyke steam saw and grist mill at Hook's Point burned to the ground. This mill had been doing quite a business as a saw mill and had a lath mill and planing machine attached as well as burrs for grinding grists. It had also a machine used in making cheese boxes. All, including about thirty thousand feet of lumber, was destroyed. The loss footed up several thou- sand dollars. Immediate steps were taken to rebuild and by the following April. 1868, it was again in running order. Its career of usefulness did not last many years, however, and now scarcely a trace of it is to be seen.
COUNTY ELECTION IN '67
At the election in the fall of 1867 the following officers were elected : Judge, I. Doane; Treasurer, John Eckstein ; Sheriff, John McMiller ; Superintendent of Schools, W. J. Covil; Surveyor, W. T. Wright; Drainage Commissioner, Huitt Ross; Coroner, Dr. J. R. Burgess. There was no contest over any of the offices except sheriff. For that office Fred A. Harris had secured the regular republican nomination and Mr. MeMiller, who was also a candidate before the convention thinking he had not been fairly beaten, ran independently and was elected by a small majority. John D. Hunter was elected to the legislature and on going to Des Moines on the first day of January to take his seat, he left the Freeman in charge of Judge S. L. Rose as editor and Will F. Smith was made foreman and business manager.
TOWNSHIP OF BLAIRSBURG CREATED
At the September session of the board of supervisors, the township of Blairs- burg was created and the record of its creation shows it to have been made up of certain sections and half sections cut off from Cass, Boone and Rose Grove town-
143
HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
ships, and to have been made up mostly of territory lying east of the present townships of Blairsburg and Liberty. Only two half sections of the present town- ship of Blairsburg were then in the township so named. The present town of Williams is very near the geographical center of Blairsburg township as first organized. A. P. Allen was its first member of the board while the other members of the board, all of whom were new members except three, were as follows : Boone, J. R. Burgess ; Ellsworth, J. A. Cooper ; Lyon, William Tatham ; Fremont, A. Mclaughlin ; Marion, Joseph Bone ; Cass, J. W. Lee; Rose Grove, S. L. Rose ; Scott, Lars Henryson ; Webster, B. E. Boynton. Judge Rose, as usual, was made chairman of this board.
BASE BALL IN THE SIXTIES
It was about this time that Hamilton county, like the whole country, was struck by what might be termed the "base ball craze." It was then a new game, and clubs were formed in different parts of the county. Crowds went out to wit- ness the game. and old and middle-aged men seeing it, were reminded of how they used to play "town ball," and took a hand. A report of what was denomi- nated "a hotly contested game of base ball" is given in one of the local papers of the day, in which the score is put down at 105 to 62. But then with the rules of that day and a "live" ball, the surprising number of runs may well be excused. The "craze" has never died out, and probably never will.
THE FIRST BANK ESTABLISHED
In December, 1867, B. F. Miller arrived in Webster City and immediately opened the "Bank of Webster City" and he is entitled to be listed as the first banker and his, the first bank in the county. During the year he was joined in business by Jay Sternberg and the business enlarged, a building put up, and a new fire and burglar proof safe was procured.
A GRASSI1OPPER SCARE
The last of September, 1867, witnessed quite a scare throughout the county. Stories had been circulated about the ravages of grasshoppers in Dakota, and other western localities, and so when suddenly the very sun was obscured by clouds of these festive "hoppers," that alighted and swept everything green before them, and then proceeded to bore the earth full of holes and plant therein their eggs, the people became truly frightened. True, the grasshoppers did little damage, for the corn was generally too well matured to be injured by them, and little was left for them but turnips and cabbages. But these afforded the "hoppers" an opportunity to show up "a sample" of how they could clean up a crop of green. and the farmer trembled when he thought of what might happen in the spring when that mat of "hopper eggs" should hatch, and be turned loose upon the spring crops. His fears were not wholly unfounded, for when spring came, the "hoppers" hatched out and went to work on the young crops. They appeared to be re-en- forced by others from the southwest, and for a while it seemed certain that the whole crop must go. But suddenly they arose and left in the early part of July,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.