History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 64

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1002

USA > Iowa > Hardin County > History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 64

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Catharine Eplett, who is a native of Eng- land. Five children have been born to them: Edwin J., Emma J., Anna, John C., and Frank Walford .

George Miller, son of Peter D. and Mary (Root) Miller, was born in Albany county, New York, January 15, 1854. In 1868 his parents moved to Kenosha county, Wis- consin, where they lived one year, and then moved to Hardin county, and settled in Alden on section 34. Here his father died, in March, 1882. He was married December 24, 1877, to Miss Emma Barnes, who was born in Tama county, Iowa. Two children have been born to them: Grace and James.

B. F. Bruce, is a son of Rufus and Mary (Harvey) Bruce, and was born at Wolcott, La Moille county, Vermont, December 19, 1837. His father was born in Chester, Windsor county, Vermont, January 6, 1804. His mother was born at Ackworth, New Hampshire, July 26, 1798. His father died in the month of June, 1874, and his mother, in October, 1878. In 1869, Mr. Bruce canie to Alden, and in May, of that year, bought his present farm of 160 acres, on section 8. He has held the office of School Treasurer. On the 2d of April, 1859, he was married to Miss Sarah M. Lovejoy, who was born at Sharon, Ver- mont, August 12th, 1838, and is a daughter of Nehemiah and Pametia (Ball) Lovejoy. Three children have been born to them: Abbie, born March 12, 1860, (now wife of E. J. Ricks, of Waterloo), Emma, born October 4, 1869, and Nellie, born Septem- ber 20, 1876.

Richard Palmer, son of William and Elizabeth (Fieldesend) Palmer, was born in England, September 27, 1829. He came

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

to America in 1859, and first located at Fairplay, Grant county, Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming one year. Thence he removed to Lafayette county, and re- mained eight years. In 1870 he came to Alden, and settled on section 34, where he now owns a farm of 160 acres. Mr. Palmer has held the office of School Director, and is at present Township Trustee. He was married in 1857 to Miss Mary Naylor, who was also born in England. Seven children have been born to them: Ellen, George William, Margaret Ann, Elizabeth Alice, James Albert, Charles Henry and Susan.

John Hoskin is one of the leading merchants of Alden. He is a son of Stephen and Jane (Chesterfield) Hoskin, of lowa county, Wis., and was born in that county October 20, 1848. In 1850 his mother died, and his father followed her four years later. In 1854 he went to live at Platteville, Wis., with an uncle, and received a good education at the pub- lic schools of that city. In September of 1863 he enlisted in Company E, 11th Wis- consin Infantry, and served until honorably discharged at Madison, Wis., at the close of the war, in 1865. He then engaged in farming in Grant county, Wis., until 1870, when he moved to Palo Alto county, Iowa, where he spent four years on a farm, after which he spent three years in Wright county, and then one and a half years as proprietor of the "Central" house at Alden. He then returned to Palo Alto county, and remained one year; and in April, 1880, he returned to Alden, and has since been engaged in trade. He was mar- ried in 1875, to Miss Elinor M. Davis, who is a daughter of M. J. Davis and wife, of Alden.

William A. Wilkinson, son of Herod D. and Elizabeth (Robertson) Wilkinson, was born in Lincoln county, Missouri, April 8, 1843. In 1850 his parents moved to Grant county, Wis., his father settling on a farm in Hazel Green, and dying there in 1855. In 1860 William went to California, where he remained five years, and then returned to his home. In 1872 he came to Alden, and settled on section 33, and now owns a fine farm of 285 acres. In 1868 he was married to Elizabeth A. Tomlinson, a na- tive of Lafayette county, Wis. Three children have been born to them-Olive Maude, John William and Eugene Walter.

A. W. Richardson, a son of Samuel and Julia (Derby) Richardson, was born in Stafford, Orange county, Vt., March 29, 1845. In 1857 he moved with his parents to Windsor county, Vt., where he engaged in farming and shoe-making until 23 years of age. In 1868 he came West to Black Hawk county, Iowa, where he remained three years, and then returned to his native State, where he engaged in chair-manu- facturing for four years. At the expira- tion of this time he came to Alden, and located on section 7, where he has since resided. In 1866 he was married to Miss Rosette Rex, a daughter of Marshall and Adeline (Ball) Rex, of Windsor county, ·Vt. Three children have been born to them-Fred., Mabel and Estella.

John Combellick, a son of John and Grace (Sincock) Combellick, was born in England in 1824. He came to America in 1841, and settled in JoDaviess county, Ill., where he followed lead-mining and smelt- ing lead ore for two years. In 1851 he went to Colorado, and for three years was engaged in mining and merchandizing.

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

His mother still resides in JoDaviess county, his father having died there in 1874. In 1875 the subject of this sketch came to Alden and located on section 35, where he now owns a farm of 480 acres. He was married in 1847 to Caroline Baw- den, and has seven children living, by her. She died in 1869, and in 1871 he was mar- ried to Mary Ann Vincent, and the result of this marriage is two living children.

John Laird, who is a son of Hugh and Nancy (Vroman) Laird, was born in Grant county, Wis., July 11, 1850. He was reared on a farm, and received a good common school education. While in Wis- consin Mr. Laird followed farming, with the exception of three years spent in Georgetown, Wis., where he engaged in the butcher's business. In 1878 he came to Alden and located on section 21, where he now owns a farm of 240 acres. He was married in 1871 to Matilda Watson, who is also a native of Grant county, Wis. Five children have blessed this marriage- Nellie, Whitfield, Johnnie, Hugh and Clarence Watson.

George Stringer, a son of Mark and Deborah (Wilson) Stringer, was born at Elgin, Ill., September 19, 1848. He was reared on a farm, and received a good education at the Elgin Academy, of Elgin, Ill. In March, 1878, he located on section 5, Alden township, where he now owns a fine farm of 400 acres, with 200 acres under improvements. He is school director of district No. 8. He was married Novem- ber 25, 1872, to Miss Kitty Peaslee, a native of Elgin, Ill. Their children are Frank and George.

O. S. Cleveland, a son of Lester and Diana (Meacham) Cleveland, was born at

Holland, Orleans county, Vt., December 31, 1853, where he received a good educa- tion, graduating at the State Normal School at Johnson, Vt., June 22, 1875, under Wm. C. Crippen, Principal; Ed- ward Conant, State Superintendent, and M. H. Buckham, Normal School Examiner. In 1876 he came west to Dixon, Ill , where he was engaged in teaching until March, 1879, when he came to Alden and located on his farm in section 6, which he had bought in 1877. He was married June 13, 1878, to Miss Eva Rogers, daughter of Jesse and Lucy B. (Gardner) Rogers, of Alden. Their children are Myron J. and Jesse Lester.

George Harris, who is a native of Eng- land, was born in Devonshire in 1852, and is the son of Isaac and Elizabeth Harris, who are also natives of England. In 1870 he came to America and settled first at Mendota, Ill., where he engaged in farm- ing. In March, 1881, he came to Alden and located on section 31, where he still resides. He was married to Miss Mary Toben, a native of Illinois, in 1876. The fruit of this union is two children-Jennie and Maud.

TOWN OF ALDEN.

The first settlement on the present site of the village of Alden was made by Henry Alden, who, in company with Sumner Kemp, came here from Massachusetts, June, 1854, driving through from Naper- ville, Illinois, with an ox team, crossing the Mississippi river at Dubuque, and thence to the Cedar river. Striking that stream at Janesville above Cedar Falls, they then proceeded up that stream (their intention being to find a mill site, and had

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

the present location of Sioux City in view) to near the Minnesota line, where they crossed to the Iowa river, and there found Thomas Bailey and others hunting, who told them, in the course of the conversa- tion, of their settlement near the present site of Alden; also telling them of plenty of vacant land to be had, and a good loca- tion for a mill. Hearing such glowing accounts of this county, they determined to come and see for themselves. They descended the Iowa to this point, and, upon arriving, immediately began the building of a dam and the erection of a saw mill, their millwright being "Uncle" Ben Talbot, of Rocksylvania. This mill was a rude affair, with an old-fashioned "flutter-wheel." The iron, etc., was hauled here by team from Naperville, Ill. Mr. Kemp soon after retired from the firm, and in 1855 the whole property passed into the hands of J. W. Cowles. He sold to Stephen Whited, and he to Henry Alden. This saw mill was destroyed by a freshet in April, 1862. In 1859 the prop- erty was purchased by G. M. Woodbury, of Marshalltown, and in 1859 he improved the dam and supplied the necessary ma- chinery, and commenced operating the grist mill the following winter. In June, 1863, the property was bought by George Rule, of Clinton county, who sold it the next year to Wm. Sherrard, who made a great many improvements, and retained the ownership ten years. Mr. Von Berg, of Galena, Ill., was the next purchaser. He added another dam of stone, and sold it the following year to Wm. Pagle, the present proprietor, who, in 1882, changed it to a roller mill.

A· steam saw mill was brought here in October, 1856, and located on the Iowa river, on what is known as Clover's Ad- dition, by Taylor Bros. & Potter, and McClure & Co. This mill supplied nearly all of the lumber for the surrounding country for fifteen years. In 1873 it was sold to parties who moved it to Webster county, where it is still doing work.

The old town of Alden was laid out by Henry Alden, in 1855. This was after- wards known as Upper Town.

N. A. McClure & Co., of Dubuque, and Lott Clover, of Alden, in 1856, laid out Clover's Addition. This was known as Lower Town. The Central Addition was laid out by Raymond, Peabody and Hawes in 1857, the land having been . bought of Henry Alden for $100 an acre. This ad- dition was located between the other two, and was on neutral ground. A great many who afterwards settled here located on this addition, fearing that either Upper or Lower Town would eventually be abandoned, which has since proved true. At the moving of Taylor Bros.' mill all business was transferred to the upper town. During the year 1857 the town grew very rapidly, but owing to the financial crash of that year, it received a back set. A great many of the town owners abandoned their property.

The first house was erected by Lott Clover in 1855, and is now owned by Wil- liam Pagh, as part of his residence.

Charles Schoenhals opened the first store in October, 1856, in a building now owned by James Barnes.

In the spring of 1857 a two-story store building was built by Taylor Bros., near their saw mill, which was occupied by

HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

531

Charles Schoenhals. This building was struck by lightning, August 13, 1857, and one end torn out, two men being killed, . Hoeing and Peters, who had just completed their suppers in the building. All the goods were damaged, with the exception of a piano.

Ferguson & Young opened a store in the fall of 1857, in a building erected by themselves for that purpose, near where the "Spencer" House stood. This firm remained until 1862, when they dissolved, and the business was continued by Duane Young, who did business at the old stand until 1868, when the building was moved to its present location, and purchased by A. C. Whitney, and is now a part of his furniture store.

POSTOFFICE.

When the mail route from Cedar Falls to Fort Dodge was opened, Alden was not included in the list of postoffices to be supplied. The stages ran from Iowa Falls to the Moss place on the south side of the river, thence, to Pilgrims, now Alvords, thence by the way of Skunk or Rose Grove, to Webster City. In May, 1859, the people of Alden determined to open a short route through the town to the west, and J. Allen Spencer was employed with several assistants, to survey a route from this place to Webster City, and determine upon its practicability. After several days spent in making examinations, he reported to a citizens' meeting, the entire feasibility of such a route. A subscription paper was at once started, and the sum of $160 was soon raised, and the sum expended in bridging the South Fork, and otherwise

improving the road. . The postoffice was established here, in 1855. Lott Clover being the first postmaster. It was made a special office, that is to say, the postoffice department did not undertake to supply the office with the mails, but donated the net proceeds to pay a carrier. This sum probably amounted to two or three dollars a week. John Langdon contracted with postmaster Clover to carry the mails weekly to and from Iowa Falls, receiving therefor the net proceeds, the remainder being supplied by subscription. After Langdon's contract expired, the mails were carried to and from occasionally, or sent occasionally, as opportunity afforded. In September, 1857, the new road from this place to Webster City, having been opened for travel, the Webster Stage Com- pany commenced running the tri-weekly stages through this town. The line was changed to a daily, August 15, 1862, and so continued until supplanted by the iron horse in the spring of 1869.

Lott Clover was succeeded by Milton Clover; then came Stephen Whited, Duane Young, A. B. Ferguson, J. Allen Spencer, L. H. Utley, Martin Pritchard and W. W. Jones.

A money order department was estab- lished here, August 1, 1871. The first order was drawn by B. E. Dodson, in favor of W. H. Pool, of Eldora, for the sum of $15. The first order paid was August 5, 1871; W. H. Pool, of Eldora, being the remitter, and Steplien Catlin, payee; the amount was $36.

The amount of business annually trans- acted, is $1,100, exclusive of money order business.

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

INCORPORATION.

The town of Alden was incorporated by the Circuit Court of Hardin county, upon petition of thirty tax-payers of the place. It embraces the village of Alden proper, Central addition, Clover's addition, South Alden and Duane. At an election held February 11, 1879, there were 61 votes cast for and 19 against incorporation .

The first annual election was held March 17, 1879. The following named officers were elected: Mayor, M. J. Davis; Re- corder, W. W. Jones; Assessor, H. F. Taylor; Trustees, George Simpson, S. L. Pierce, L. Rummel, L. H. Utley, A. C. Whitney and J. M. Fisher.

In 1880 the following named gentlemen were elected: Mayor, M. Pritchard; Trus- tees, B. P. Birdsall, George Simpson, L. H. Utley, A. C. Whitney, J. M. Fisher, S. L. Pierce; Recorder, W. W. Jones; Assessor, W. W. Jones; Treasurer, Wil- liam Keating.

For 1881 the officers were: Mayor, M. Pritchard; Trustees, B. P. Birdsall, A. C. Whitney, George Simpson, S. L. Pierce, L. H. Utley and E. W. Crockett; Re- corder, J. L. Savage; Assessor, W. W. Jones; Treasurer, C. D. Pritchard.

In 1882 the officers were: Mayor, M. Pritchard; Recorder, T. L. Savage; As- sessor, T. A. Button; Treasurer, A. C. Whitney; Trustees, S. L. Pierce, E. W. Crockett, B. P. Birdsall, T. C. Sperry, Wm. Keating and Geo. M. Simpson.

RELIGIOUS.

The religious well-being of Alden is cared for by four religious organizations- Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, Ger-

man Methodist Episcopal and the German Lutheran.

The Alden and Buckeye Congregational Society was organized July 4, 1866. The following named received letters of dis- missal from the Iowa Falls Congregational Church and became members of this body: Fabian Beard, Jesse Rogers, Seymour Stratton, Martha A. Stratton, Lorin Burn- ham, Mary J. Burnham, J. R. Colt, Eliza M. Colt, Therom Kellogg, Lorinda Kel- logg, Maria Sperry, Sarah C. Silvernail, D. A. Beard, Fanny E. Utley, Mary J. Catlin, Margaret J. Sheward, Alice Beard, Elizabeth Beard, G. C. Wood, Electa Wood, Henrietta Treat, Hannah Kemp, Ellen M. Rogers, Anna H. Neill, Adelia Neill. The first officers of the church were, Fabian Beard and Jesse Rogers, Dea- cons; J. R. Colt, Clerk.

The first religious services of the society were held in the school house which is now used for a dwelling and owned by Mrs. Anna H. Neill. The first regular pastor was Rev. H. A. Thompson, who came here in the fall of 1864 from Ohio, remained two years, and then removed to the eastern part of the State. The second pastor was Rev. W. J. Smith, who came in 1868, and remained until 1872, then re- moving to Jasper county. Rev. H. M .- Parmalee supplied the pulpit during the summer of 1872. He died in 1880. Rev. O. S. Smith, from the Theological Semin- ary of Chicago, supplied the pulpit for a time. In the fall of 1873, came Rev. P. P. Sheir, who remained until April 1, 1874, and was succeeded by Rev. H. H. Robbins, who remained until June, 1877, when he went to Allamakee county, where he remained until his health failed, when

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

he went to Texas, and is now engaged there in railroad work. Rev. T. T. Frickstadt succeeded Mr. Robbins, deliv- ering his first discourse June 24, 1877. He only remained until September of the same year. Rev. Charles Hancock was Mr., Frickstadt's successor, commencing his regular labors here December, 1877. He resigned November 28, 1880, and was succeeded by Rev. T. J. Reid, the pres- ent pastor. The present church edifice was erected in 1866, the corner stone being laid July 4, of that year. It is a frame structure, 40x50, and erected at a cost of $3,300. The present officers are: Jesse Rogers and L. T. Beard, Deacons; Jesse Rogers, Lorin Burnham and R. F. Bruce, Trustees; E. C. Rogers, Clerk. The pres- ent membership of the church is about 70. It has had an average membership of 55 since the beginning.

The Congregational Sunday School was organized in 1857, with Jesse Rogers as Superintendent. Mr. Rogers filled this position for fifteen years. The present officers of the school are: E. C. Rogers, Superintendent; Charles Clapp, Assistant Superintendent; Mrs. Alice Peck, Secre- tary; Claude E. Wood, Treasurer. The average attendance is about 90.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Alden was first organized in 1857 in Ellis township. The first members were J. M. B. Oviatt, class leader; Christian Oviatt, Mary S. and Lucretia Oviatt, James Peck and wife, Mrs. Henry Cooper, Mrs. John- son and G. L Morriell. The first services were held in a log school house at Burr Oak Grove. The Alden class was organ- ized soon after. Rev. B. Holcomb was the first pastor; next came Rev. Iliram

Burleigh, who located at Iowa Falls, and held services at the house of J. M. B. Oviatt, Burr Oak Grove, in the log school house, and also at the house of Hugh Morriell, four miles south of Alden. In 1858 he was succeeded by Rev. Smith Knickerbocker, who located at Alden, and formed .a class of five-Mr. and Mrs. Yeomans, Dr. and Mrs. John F. George, and Roseline Rice. He was succeeded in 1857 by Rev. J. Critchfield, who located at Iowa Falls, but had charge of the church at Alden, Buckeye and Ellis. In 1860 came Rev. Dunton, from Marshalltown, but he remained only a short time. He was succeeded in 1862 by Rev. Wm. O'Connell, who remained until 1862, when Rev. Charles Jones located at Alden. During the winter of 1862-3 he held a revival, which did a great deal of good and increased the small class considerably .

Rev. Billings came in the fall of 1863, and in 1864 R. L. Kenyon. He was suc- ceeded in 1865 by Mr. Perkins, and he in 1866 by Rev. B. B Lane. In 1867 Rev. R. L Kenyon returned and located on the South Fork. In 1868 came Rev. Thomas Hamilton, who built a parsonage at Oak- land, and held services in the Congrega- tional Church at Alden. Rev. Kimball located at Alden in 1870, and revived the Methodist class at that place.

In 1871 came Rev. John H. Todd, who, by dint of wonderful perseverance, suc- ceeded in erecting a church at Alden at a cost of $3,100. He was succeeded in 1872 by Rev. J. R. Horsnell, who remained two years, when Rev. T. W. Owen came, and .in 1875 built a par- sonage and held a revival, which added quite a number to the church.

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

In 1877 came Rev. Jas. W. Williams. He was succeeded in September, 1878, by Rev. Edwin Hobbs, who remained until September, 1880, when the pulpit was supplied by Rev. A. Jamison, one year. Then came the present pastor, Rev. E. C. Warren. The Church has a membership of 62, at present. A Sunday-school was organized soon after the church was built, and has a large attendance.

The German Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in Alden, was organized in 1870, by the Rev. John Spicker. The members at the time of organization, were John and Caroline Wesenberg, August and Emile Wesenberg, and August Hack- barth. In 1872, John Wesenberg, August Wesenberg and Carl Neubener were elected trustees; August Hackbarth stew- ard, and John Wesenberg, class leader. The first services were held in a house now owned by Mr. August Wegner. Rev. John Spicker, John Schneider, and E. W. Henke, have ministered two years each; Rev. E. F. Pramm and Jacob Schneider, Rev's E. Draeger and C. H. Priebe, two years each. Special revival services have been held at different times, by Rev's John Schneider, C. Tramm, E. Draeger, and C. Priebe, which have been attended with success.

Three lots, with a building which had been used as a store, was purchased in 1871, from E. Taylor, for four hundred dollars, and prepared as a place of worship.

The building was 22 by 32 feet, and two stories high; the second story being occu- pied as parsonage. The cost of the whole property, was $500. This property was sold in 1880. Two lots were purchased in block 5, central addition of Alden, and a

chapel erected 22 by 34 feet, and two stories high, at a cost of $7,150. The present officers are H. Renken and A Granzaw, class leaders. D. Lutterman, A. Granzaw and O. Granzaw, stewards; J. Wesenberg, C. Huebner and Wm. Pagel. trustees. The whole membership since its organization, 70; number of members at the present time, about 62. The condition of the Church, is not as promising as it ought to be, still the majority of the members are upright people that do not only mean to do right, but also to serve and glorify their Lord and Savior, and work out their soul's salvation.

Their Sunday School was organized in 1872, with C. Doege Superintendent. The present officers are, Wm. Pagel, Superin- tendent; John Wegner, Secretary; Ernst Pagel, Treasurer; H. Garbe, Librarian. The average attendance is four teachers and 20 scholars.

EDUCATIONAL.

The first school in the township was likewise the first school in the village. Martin Pritchard, in the winter of 1856-7, in a building now owned by Mrs. Neill, taught a term of school.

In 1866 the district erected a brick building 28x48, two stories in height, at a cost of $3,400. The school at this time was thoroughly graded. Stephen Whited was the first principal. This building becoming too small to accommodate the pupils in the district, an addition was built, the same size as the original build- ing, at a cost of $3,000. Mr. Whited served as principal one year. The follow- ing named have since served as principal: Miss Maude Hill, Miss Helen Thompson,

Birj PBirdsall.

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

C. D. Pritchard, Arthur L. Smith, Miss Ella Way, Homer Whipple, Miss Mary Foote, O. M. Reeve, J. Allen Spencer, A. I. Troth, Mr. Reeve, J. F. Hardin, W. A. Hellsell, Mr. Waterman, Frank Helsell, W. I. Benham and O. S. Brown.

SOCIETIES.

There are at present in Alden, lodges of A., F. & A. M., A. O. U. W., I. O. O. F. and I. O. G. T., all of which are in good working order.

Radiant Lodge, No. 366, A., F. & A. M., was organized under dispensation granted December 11, 1875. The first meeting was held January 8, 1876, in the present lodge room. The first officers were: C.D. Pritchard, W. M .; George Brewster, S.W .; E. R. Streeter, J. W .; M. Pritchard, Sec .; L. S. Warner, Treas .; S. M. Massey, S. D ; John Tomlinson, J. D .; William Smith, Tyler; William Smith and John W. Kin- ney, Stewards. The charter was granted by the Grand Lodge at its June session, 1876. The charter members were: M. Pritchard, J. W. Kinney; William Smith, J. C. Sperry, John Tomlinson, L. S. War- ner, S. M. Massey, C. D. Pritchard, George Brewster and E. R. Streeter. Those who have held the office of W. M. since the organization of the lodge have been C. D. Pritchard, George Richardson, George Brewster and Silas Pierce. The lodge has had a prosperous existence, and is now in a flourishing condition, financially and otherwise.

The following named comprise the pres- ent officers of the lodge: Silas Pierce, W. M .; J. C. Sperry, S. W .; E. W. Crockett, J. . W .; M. Pritchard, Treas ; C. D. Pritchard, Sec .; S. M. Massey, S. D .;

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History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 64

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1002

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1002