History of Kossuth County, Iowa, Part 16

Author: Reed, Benjamin F
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 879

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The club was organized November 20, 1857, with Harriette E. Taylor as president ; Mrs. H. M. Moore, vice president ; and J. W. Moore, secretary. The last meeting was held November 1, 1859, Alice E. Benschoter being president and H. E: Stacy, secretary. At the last session "A motion was carried that the

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secretary retain the numbers of The Bee until the public library be formed, and then deposit them with the librarian."

The early members of this organization were J. W. Moore, Mrs. H. M. Moore, H. E. Taylor, Chauncey Taylor, Charles Magoon, A. Mckinney, James C. Taylor, M. D. Blanchard, Sylvester Rist, Mrs. J. E. Hall, Lewis H. Smith, Geo. P. Taylor, Alice Benschoter, A. S. Collins, Emeline Heckart, Polly A. Benschoter, William Benschoter, Mrs. Mary Watson, Mr. Rice, Franklin McCoy, E. N. Weaver, Asa C. Call, Sarah Call, Abbie Smith, Mrs. Charles Magoon, W. D. Eaton, Nancy Eaton, Henry Kellogg, Ambrose A. Call, Mr. Cleveland, John Magoon and wife, J. E. Blackford, Jesse Magoon and wife, J. E. Stacy, Garfelia Blanchard, Ann McCoy, Milton Henderson, Nancy Henderson, W. A. Wilson and wife, Mary Means, Dr. M. C. Lathrop and wife, Charles Gray, Howard Rowe and Thomas Whitehead.

The complete files of The Bee, as directed, were collected and turned over to the public library by Miss Harriette E. Taylor when it formed several years after the Reading Club had dissolved. The twenty-one numbers were receipted for by James L. Paine, librarian, March 12, 1864. Later these files came into the possession of Harvey Ingham who deposited them for safe keeping in the State Historical building at Des Moines, where they can be seen by anyone inquiring for them. They present an interesting record of local events that occurred years before any newspaper was published in the county.

During the year 1857, H. F. Watson had his store in the Lewis H. Smith building on the garage corner, southwest of the courthouse. A short time after the Indian scare in the spring, James Eggers came up from Waterloo, built a store building on the corner where the lumber office is now, south of the public square, put in a stock of goods which he had brought with him, and opened up a rival store. Later in the season Thomas Whitehead, R. M. Bessie, and Frank Harrison, who had come the year before, built for the former a residence on the present hospital corner. Mrs. Whitehead then arrived from Canada to join her husband. A little later George P. Taylor put up the building which now forms a part of the James Patterson house, just east of the Norton lum- ber yard, and E. N. Weaver and Charles Gray erected homes in the vicinity. The Gray cottage is still standing and is one of the best preserved landmarks in the town. It stands near the residence of Charles Rosewall and is used by him for a paint shop. It looks now but little different than it did in 1862, when Mr. Gray left for the army. It was moved years ago from its original posi- tion to make room for the erection of the Hine-Patterson square house on Call street.

Although the village was small in 1857, yet there occurred four deaths within its limits during the year. Jacob Fisher, brother to Mrs. John Heckart, died March 30th, and was the first to be buried in what is now Riverview cemetery. August 22nd Mrs. J. E. Hall passed away. The third was Mrs. Chauncey Taylor who closed her eyes in death October 12th. A little child about a year old of the James Henderson family was the fourth to go. That occurred a few weeks after Mrs. Taylor's death.

The school during the winter of 1857-8 was held in the George P. Taylor building, because the hall was not plastered. A man by the name of Dunlap from Fort Dodge was the teacher of this second school. In that building all

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the services and entertainments were held that winter. This Taylor house, built the summer previous, is remarkably well preserved.

The Congregational church was organized August 15, 1858, Rev. Skinner of Webster City coming up to conduct the services. The members joining at that time being Rev. Chauncey Taylor, his daughter Harriette, (now Mrs. Stacy), Mrs. Eugenie Rist, and George D. Wheeler and wife. The last two named lived in the Irvington vicinity, and had two children baptized on this occasion. From this little organization the present flourishing church has evolved.

Father Taylor being county superintendent that year, attended the first state meeting of the teachers at Iowa City in September. But he didn't go down on the train or even in the stage. He went as people usually traveled in those days with an ox team. He hired two yoke of oxen and took his son George along to drive, intending to bring back provisions so as to lose nothing by the trip. D. W. King and Mrs. Frank Rist who were going east on a visit went with them a portion of the way, the husband of the latter who was going be- low to spend the winter, riding along beside them for company. Occasionally Father Taylor would ride the mule, but found going in the ox wagon fully as enjoyable.

During the summer of 1858, J. W. Moore pulled down his historic old cabin and moved it to the spot where Will Cook's house is standing. There Moore rebuilt it and with lumber made his home comfortable for himself and family. That building burned many years ago when the James Henderson fam- ily were the occupants. Mr. Moore died in Brooklyn, New York, about twenty years ago. The farm he sold near Cedar Rapids about the first of January, 1855, to get funds to operate in this county, is now worth a mint of money. He left this county during the year 1863.

H. F. Watson built a residence on the corner where he now lives, in 1858. That building was moved in later years from its original location and now stands a few rods south of the Clarence Paine cottage, in a well preserved condition. It is known as the old Parker house.

The two Call brothers were awarded contracts for carrying the mail be- tween Algona and four places. Their services began July 1, 1858, but the work of making the delivery to and from the points was done by those whom they hired for the purpose or to whom they sublet the contracts. The routes from Algona to Spirit Lake and from Algona to Fort Dodge fell to the super- vision of Ambrose, while the judge had the contract for the routes between Algona and Blue Earth and Algona and Mason City. These brothers were the first contractors in the county for carrying the government mail. They worked together in this enterprise for some time and then Ambrose followed it alone, extensively for a long period of years, having contracts covering routes in nearly every state in the Union.

The first county fair was held in the old town hall on State street on the 8th day of October, 1858. There was something of a showing of stock on the out- side, and quite a little exhibit of competing articles within the building. Even at this early date there was considerable interest manifested in the fair, which after a long period of years, and after many financial struggles has developed into an enterprise which is recognized as being the most successful of any of the county fairs in the state. Very few can be found who have any definite

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recollection of the exhibit made at this early-day fair. Mrs. Harriette E. Stacy seems able to recall more of that event, perhaps, than any other in the con- munity.

The first social function of any considerable importance ever occurring in the village, was in September, 1859, on the occasion of the Judge Call family's moving "out of the old house into the new." This was the grandest social affair the citizens enjoyed at any time prior to the war, or even perhaps until its close. The judge and wife had emerged from their cabin, where they had been living since the spring of 1855, and had taken possession of their com- modious frame residence, which at the time was hardly completed. It was by far the most extensively constructed building on the site, and its interior equip- ment was in striking contrast with that found in the other homes. The guests arrived and found the doors thrown open for their reception. The invita- tion to attend had been broadly extended to everybody in the county. . In those days there were no upper and lower classes in society, no snubbish church fac- tions and no aristocratic combinations. Even if there had been, all would have been given an opportunity to be present. Such was the generous nature of the judge and such the commendable disposition of Mrs. Call.

Social intercourse was at high tide throughout the evening. Supper was served at ten on a scale previously unknown at any home, and was spiced with an enjoyable quantity of repartee. Among all those delighted with the occa- sion none were more so than the judge and his wife. Music and dancing closed this well-remembered house-warming. The center section of that building and one wing now constitute the home property of J. W. Shearer on Dodge street, where it was moved in later years to make room for the judge's more elaborate residence, the present home of the W. C. Danson family.

James Eggers during the year 1859, managed to get out of the mercantile business and leave from behind the counter to try life on his Plum Creek farm. Under some kind of an arrangement the store was kept running for several months under the management of W. A. Wilson, who finally closed the stock out and vacated the building. H. F. Watson, who had moved his goods over from the Smith building to one beside the log hotel, north of the square, was thus left without a competitor. The postoffice had been taken from him by President Buchanan and turned over to Amos S. Collins, a democrat. When Lincoln became the chief executive he retaliated on his predecessor by bounc- ing Collins and restoring Watson to his former position. The latter during the first years of the war was still doing business on the north side of the square. Later he moved over on the south side into the Eggers building where he remained until 1871, before retiring. He had begun his work in Algona as manager for the sale of the stock which belonged to Major Williams, but after a few years he became the purchaser and ran the store in his own name. James L. Paine some time during the war opened up a competing store and conducted it for several years before closing out the stock and retiring.

The St. Nicholas log hotel became the property of Jerome E. Stacy a short time previous to his marriage to Harriette E. Taylor in April, 1860. There they provided for the wants of the traveling public and numerous boarders until about the close of the war. They were there on the 31st day of December, 1863, when the Ingham family and Lewis H. Smith returned from Fort Defiance

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in a raging storm which nearly cost them their lives. The next day was the coldest ever experienced by the settlers in any year. New Years day, 1864, in every portion of the United States, is still remembered for its extreme cold by thousands still living, among whom are perhaps a dozen in this county.

The building of the bridge across the river west of town, near J. E. Black- ford's in the fall of 1861, was an event that was welcomed by all the settlers. Up to that time there were no bridges spanning the river and none worthy of the name across the sloughs. At the raising the scene looked like a gather- ing of the people at a Fourth of July celebration. To many it seemed like news too good to be true that the river was going to be crossed in the future without fording, swimming or boating. Orange Minkler had the contract for Its erection, but he was assisted in the work by James Henderson. While they were making this valuable improvement, Samuel Reed was putting up a bridge across the river just west of the old village of Irvington. These were the first bridges over the river the settlers ever beheld in the county. That fall Hen- derson and Reed took the county warrants they received for building the bridges and bought the first threshing machine ever owned in the county. They hauled it from Cedar Falls when snow was on the ground and the weather extremely cold.

Such were the events connected with the establishment and growth of the county seat, and such the record of those who contributed to the develop- ment of pioneer Algona.

THE PIONEER IRVINGTON VILLAGE

The pioneer village of old Irvington, which flourished for several years and then went to decay, was located north of the present village in what is now the Dutton field. The only remaining building of the original town is the James G. Green tailor shop, built in 1857. It stands on its third location, just south of the track, near the brow of the hill. While it occupied its second location on the north side of the track, Dr. Armstrong had his store in it for a long period of years. Considering its age it is well preserved. The Arm- strong residence, built in 1858, now incorporated into the Dutton farm home, never stood on the original town site, but just across the road on the south. It was so close to the village, however, that it was considered one of its group of buildings.

Kendall Young, Lyman L. Treat and George Smith, wealthy capitalists from Webster City, selected the site for the town in July, 1855, and had one log build- ing erected upon it during the following October. Mr. Young was a man of influence, fine social qualities and good character. He, like Judge Call, had previously investigated the California gold fields in search for wealthfrom the mines, and was lucky in finding what he desired. At the time he came to locate this village he was single, but was married in the fall of 1858. Treat was small and light and on the dried-up order. His statements were of the matter-of- fact kind and his jokes dry. His taste was more for merchandising than for planning ways for booming the town. George Smith, like Mr. Young, liked the outside operations. He was influential and substantial but lacked Mr. Young's social qualities. These three proprietors had the town site surveyed by Lewis

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H. Smith, September 21, 1856, and the plat recorded on the 27th of that month by Chauncey Taylor, deputy recorder. This was the first plat of a town to be placed on record in the county. The town site from north to south was eleven blocks long and the distance east and west covered eight blocks. It was located on as fine a quarter-section,-the southeast of 30, 95-28-as can be found any- where in the county. The three proprietors had an ambition to make the village capture the county seat, but their hopes were blasted when they failed to elect the county judge in August, 1855, through whom they might have manipulated to secure the location for the courthouse in the future. The Algona commu- nity was just a little too large for them to down at that county organization election.

The first building on the town site was the old log "Kendall Young House," which had been erected there before the site was surveyed and platted. This early-day structure was built for the proprietors in October, 1855, by Hiram G. Wiltfong and William G. Clark. Mr. Young kept bach hall there that winter and also kept a few goods to sell. Smith spent the winter in New Hampshire and Treat at Webster City, both returning in the spring. During the sum- mer of 1856 the three established, on the banks of the river west of town, the first sawmill in the county and began making lumber for the settlers, and especially for those who desired to help boom the village. The "four corners." necessary in starting every town, began in Irvington on the southwest part of the site, the log hotel forming the southwest corner, Bing Howard's residence the northwest, William B. Moore's the northeast and the James G. Green tailor- shop the southeast. One block north of this corner was Howard's blacksmith shop, and five blocks further north was Leonard Hinkle's bachelor cottage, where he and O. W. Robinson made their home. These buildings were all lo- cated on Chestnut street. One block east and one north was the bach hall, where Charley and Levi Parson, Leicester Fox and others had their place of abode. On the next block north stood the Charles E. Orcutt residence. These two houses were all that ever stood on Walnut street.

Main street was the one next towards the east. On it facing the west, on the northwest corner of the second block from the south, stood the residence and the store building of Ransom Parmenter. A few rods northwest of these was Treat's store facing the public square on the north. Four blocks north of the Parmenter buildings was Lafayette square, where the town hall stood. The old Joe Hewitt house was located about half way between the hall and Parmen- ter's, but was one block further east. These were all the residences and busi- ness houses the town ever had, and they were all built before the close of the year 1858. With the exception of the log hotel all were made of new lumber, and were adorned with a variety of scroll work. They were mostly sided with boards on the "up and down" order, after the custom of building with lumber in that period when that article was to be had from any source. Proprietor Young's residence was just west of the northern part of the village on the farm on which for several years Charles Armstrong lived. The house was painted white and was the most tasty in appearance of any of the dwellings in that vicinity.

The Kendall Young log hotel had several landlords during its existence, the C. E. Orcutt and George D. Wheeler families being early occupants. The

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Samuel Reed family were there for nearly one year, beginning with May, 1858. Riley Mason was landlord during the early years of the war. Z. E. Brown made that place his home while he was a partner with his brother-in-law, J. R. Armstrong, in the store for a few years. Rev. Seymour Snyder, the local M. E. pastor, also lived in that 1855 log structure.

In the fall of 1856, Ransom Parmenter started the first store and J. R. Armstrong clerked for him in 1857 after he came. They managed the postoffice, although George Smith was the postmaster, having received his commission May 27, 1857. Treat bought the stock of goods and soon moved over into his own new building. There he became postmaster after having had a hard time to get Uncle Sam to approve his $300 bond, on account of the inability of his bondsmen to make the necessary financial showing. During the year 1863, J. R. Armstrong bought the building and stock and succeeded Mr. Treat as the Naaby of the com- munity. In a short time he moved the stock into the Green building which he had moved near to his residence. Here he continued in business until 1878. when he retired, having been the last merchant and the last postmaster in the old village.

The town hall built by means of selling stock in the project, in the sun- mer of 1857, was not only a credit to the village but was of great value for many years to the entire Irvington community as well. It was about twenty feet wide and thirty-two in length with a ceiling ten feet above the floor. The cupola with flag staff gave the structure an attractive appearance. It was not plastered until about the close of the war when Samuel Reed put on two coats of the old-time mixture lime, sand and hair. After the first two or three years, as the stockholders began to disappear, the building was left un- locked at all times and was under the control of no one. By common consent the party that first got possession of it had the exclusive right to it for the time being. It all depended on whether the preacher or the fiddler got inside the door first to determine whether a religious service or a dance was to take place. At one time quite a large congregation assembled to enjoy the preaching serv- ices, but on arriving found several hundred bushels of oats in the room which Kinsey Carlon had put there for want of a better place. At that time his home consisted of two frame buildings, one of which was but little used. This one he seated as a temporary hall and tendered it to the congregation. Services were held there for some time without one word of complaint. That was the Irvington way of doing things in those days. At another time a photographer by the name of McMannus came along and took possession of the hall and staid there for several weeks with unlocked doors. Campers made that location their favorite stopping place and traveling showmen performed there before paying audiences and had no license to pay. When the Irvington bridge was erected in the fall of 1861 the hall was the place where dinner and supper were served. As early as 1858, Doctor Armstrong started a Sunday school in that building which later developed into a religious organization that attracted the attention of nearly all the citizens of the community. During the summer of 1864, a man by the name of S. A. Holt, taught the Sunday school to sing the songs in the "Sunday School Bell," using his violin to lead in the music. After A. M. Johnson moved into the neighborhood in 1865, he and Armstrong alternated annually in being the superintendent. The practice of having several each Sunday read original

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DR. J. R. ARMSTRONG (1857)

JAMES G. GREEN (1856)

KINSEY CARLON (1856)

MRS. KINSEY CARLON (1856)

PIONEERS TO THE IRVINGTON REGION

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essays on biblical characters proved a source of great interest and benefit. The little children were taught to read from McGuffey's Primers; that was the Irvington way. All others became a class as a whole and received as valuable religious instruction by the lecture form as could well be imparted. It has been a long time since those old straight-back benches and rusty box stoves were familiar objects to be seen every Sunday.

The first school taught in that community was in the hall in the summer of 1857, Andalusia Cogley being the teacher. The next summer W. P. Davidson performed the same mission. The only other school taught there was in later years when the Andruss schoolhouse burned and Gaylord Burtis moved his school to the hall until other arrangements could be made. It was in the hall that John Sherwood, a couple of years after the war, taught the first singing school where singing by note was learned. J. G. Foster and Francis Long had made an attempt in this line before, but had failed to accomplish anything. Sherwood's explanation of the transposition of the scale was considered in those days a wonder. In order to help "carry the tune," while using the "Silver Lute," Abe Crose always sat between a couple of good-looking young ladies. But when J. C. Jay held his singing school in the winter of 1869-1870, he used the "Temple Choir" and compelled the girls to sing by themselves. This was an abrupt departure from the usual custom, and one that neither the boys nor the girls indorsed. In the winter of 1879-80, Fancher taught the last singing school in the hall ever conducted in that settlement. The book he used was the "Palace of Song."

In the early days there were no organized church societies in the village or community, all attending services together no matter to what denomination the preacher belonged. Many attempts were made by ministers to give the Sunday school a denominational name, but they failed. Not until many years later when J. B. Clapp organized a Presbyterian Sunday school, in the Newcomb neighborhood on the ridge, did any particular sect get an organized foothold in Irvington township. The preaching services for some time after the war were held nowhere except at the old hall. Reverend Mallory was a resident preacher in the winter of 1858-9. As he had a special fondness for describing the torments of hell he was referred to generally as Brimstone Mallory. Reverends Billings, King, Holbrook and Snyder conducted services at stated times for the Methodists and David Zimmerman for the Baptists. J. H. Todd never lived there but, for a time during the later 60's, preached there and held a couple of successful revivals. So far as ability is concerned he was equal to the best and was furthermore a most eloquent speaker. The Presbyterians always held their services at the hall in the afternoons so that those interested on the Black Cat could attend. The members of that denomination were good singers, fur- nishing the best church music ever heard in those days in that neighborhood. Rev. D. S. McComb began holding services there occasionally before the war. His leather flynet which covered his sorrel horse furnished several boys with whip lashes which they naughtily obtained on the sly while the elder was dis- coursing on the subject of the eighth commandment. It was while lying in the shade under his buggy, one hot afternoon, that the writer traded a yearling steer to Brint Robison for a mule, "sight unseen." The beast of burden was one that he had obtained in lieu of money for a Humboldt county thresh bill,

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History of Kossuth County, Iowa, Part 16

Author: Reed, Benjamin F Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 879

Author: Reed, Benjamin F
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 879