USA > Iowa > Kossuth County > History of Kossuth County, Iowa > Part 24
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David W. Sample was an 1856 settler on his preemption near Irvington. As all in that community had their peculiarities he of course had his. He was much better educated than most of his neighbors, but often made use of ex- pressions that were food for the jokers. One warm day he came over to "Doc's" store and gave vent to his feelings in almost these identical words: "Hired men are no good any more. I used to have some that I could depend upon, but now in order to have work done at all I have to do the most of it myself. The other night after supper I told Cal Holden to go down the fence and put up the riders the cattle had thrown off. He started away muttering, muttering and muttering. Said I, Cal, what's the matter? What are you grumbling about? Said he, 'I didn't have any pie for supper.' Said I, pie? pie, hades! when Dave was a boy he didn't get any pie for supper. If he muttered be- cause he didn't get any pie he got slapped in the mouth and was made to sit behind the stove with a bowl of bread and milk. Pie? hades!" As a matter of fact Mr. Sample didn't use the Greek word "hades" but the Anglo-Saxon word meaning the same thing.
The peculiar men who did peculiar things in peculiar ways in that peculiar Irvington community, had some peculiar boys who could out-peculiar their fathers. Such a boy was Tommy Clark who did an act gratuitously which not one man in a thousand could be induced to do for a purse of gold. In the early days skunks were continually killing the chickens because the hen houses were made of poles banked up with manure or other like substances, through which they could easily enter. Philip Crose had a half-cave hen house. While
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Tommy Clark was there one hot evening it was discovered that a skunk was in the cave killing the hens. Just how the striped-backed animal was to be driven from the cave was a puzzle to the family. Tommy conceived of a plan by which it could be accomplished and proposed to execute it himself. Volun- teers for his proposition would have been scarce even if he had called for them. He prepared for the onset. Calling up all the courage he possessed and with his accustomed smile covering his face he plunged into the hole and disap- peared. Presently there was a shriek of pain and then Tommy emerged into the daylight dragging his victim by the tail to its doom. His clothes were not only spoiled but he was almost blinded.
Mr. Crose frequently told this story in war time until every one in the com- munity had heard it time and time again. In preparing these little stories for this chapter and desiring to keep within range of the truth, the writer addressed a letter to Thomas J. Clark, at New Carlisle, Indiana, in February, 1912, asking him if there was any truth to the story that had been often told about him and the skunk. He replied saying, "Yes that skunk story is true. It was the worst dose of medicine I ever took. My eyes were almost put out and I could see stars. That was in September, 1860."
The first woman the writer ever heard swear lived in the fall of 1863, down on Lott's Creek in Humboldt county. In fact until that time he did not know that a woman could do such a thing. But after all she ought to have had a license to be a little profane on that occasion. The family where this incident occurred were having their threshing done and this particular woman was hurriedly cooking dinner for the crew. There was a little pet pig about the premises which they called "Piggy Jimmie." The woman started in a hurry with two pails to get water from a shallow well, a few rods away. Piggy Jimmie fol- lowed along, squealing as he went. With a short hook the woman stooped, sank the pail and after bringing it up left it beside her while she attempted to fill the second pail in the same way. Before that pail was dipped Piggy Jimmie began drinking from the first. Then pulling up the second pail full of water she set it down and then threw out the water from the first one. In try. ing to refill that pail Piggy Jimmie, after having been chased away, came up on the sly and got in his dirty work again by plunging his nose up to his eyes in the water. By this time the woman was frantic. Jerking the pail up hur- riedly she struck at the pet, missing it but breaking the hook in two. Leaving the two pails by the well, she went to the house for a rope to fasten on the bails. Not finding any, she returned to the well, and when she discovered that the inside of both pails had the appearance of having been in the hog pen, like the "Schoolmaster's Guests" she "swore oaths of a violet hue." She went to the house crying and swearing and threatening the life of little Piggy Jimmie. While she had the writer's sympathy, that did not give him a relish for the coffee that was served at dinner that day.
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CHAPTER XI THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD
THE DEFENDERS OF THE FLAG
The proud boast of the early settlers that Iowa was second to no state in the Union in patriotism and loyalty to the old flag, during the darkest hours of the nation, when the very foundation stones of the government seemed to be tot- tering, was an exultation that seems to be justified from the records and public documents on file pertaining to the commonwealth during the Civil war period. The surviving settlers of that same period in Kossuth, likewise refer with equal pride to her record as having been foremost among the Hawkeye counties in helping to preserve the Union by her generous contribution of funds for the relief of the sick and wounded soldiers at the front, and by the sacrifice of her noble sons upon the altar of their country.
At the time Abraham Lincoln was elected to the highest seat in the nation, only the better informed residents of the county had any definite knowledge of the one who was soon to become the chief central figure of a gigantic contest. The most that even those knew about him was that he had been a Springfield lawyer who had represented his district both in the legislature and in congress, and that after a series of debates had been defeated for a place in the United States senate by his Little Giant opponent, Stephen A. Douglas. He became president at a time when he had not yet endeared himself to the hearts of even his own constituents. He was as yet an experiment to be tested and tried as head of an administration of the government during its most perilous years.
After Mr. Lincoln's election and before he had taken his seat, those desir- ing to learn more about the character and the sentiments of the one whom the people had chosen for that exalted position, began searching for informa- tion. The more they searched and read the more interested they became. They learned that many years before on seeing a slave girl sold in the market at New. Orleans, he had said to his companions, "Boys, if I ever get a chance to hit slavery, I'll hit it hard." They learned that in his senatorial canvass in 1858, he had said, "Slavery will not cease until a crisis shall have been reached and passed. A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this Government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved; I do not expect the house to fall, but I do expect it will cease to be divided."
He first became endeared to thousands of people, including many in Kossuth county, when they learned that after his nomination at the noted Wigwam in
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Chicago, he had said to his life-long friend, Newton Bateman, of Springfield, "I know there is a God and that He hates injustice and slavery. I see the storm coming and I know His hand is in it. If He has a place for me, and I think He has, I believe I am ready. I may not see the end but it will come."
On the 4th day of March, 1861, when the new president was inaugurated, the inhabitants of this county, like those in thousands of other places, could not realize that a desperate war was so soon to follow, notwithstanding the fact that several states had already seceded and that their statesmen and politicians were threatening to give the North the "cold steel" if they were resisted in their efforts to free themselves from the Union. Our citizens had spent the previous winter in their usual manner of eating up what they had raised the summer before, and in spending the limited funds they had accumulated in the meantime. The region of the turmoil was so far away that the pioneers con- cerned themselves but little about what the state-rights' hot heads were threaten- ing to do.
Although this indifference was manifested here, as it also was all over the west at that time, yet there existed a feverish restlessness among many of the settlers which they could neither explain nor understand. The excitement of the political campaign, the change of politics in the administration, the appear- ance of war clouds in the horizon and other similar causes may have contributed in making them uneasy. At any rate quite a number of them moved away, hardly bidding their nearest neighbors good bye or telling them where they were going. Like Sheridan's horse on his way to Cedar creek they seemed to be "snuffing the smoke of the roaring fray." A number of these men got into the ranks on the first opportunity when the war fully opened, and they of course were credited to the quotas of those counties from which they enlisted.
Spring came along in its usual way and the Kossuth county farmers were in their fields sowing their wheat and oats and having no particular feelings of patriotism; for thus far there had been nothing to fully arouse that commend- able feeling, which though dormant could be kindled into a flame in an instant, should the welfare of their country demand their services for protection. In those days the quickest news from the east came by stage from Fort Dodge. One evening in April, 1861, when Frank Rist came up from the south with the mail, which gave the first information that the war had begun, it caused the spirit of indifference to be fanned into a flame of burning patriotism, which seemed to have no bounds. The headlines, "The Old Flag Insulted-Sumter on Fire-Rebels Firing on the Burning Fort"-fairly electrified the commui- ties, both at Algona and at Irvington. Had there been a railroad running from this county direct to the seat of war. when Lincoln a few days later made his famous call for 75,000 three months' men to put down the rising rebellion, there is no doubt that half of our military strength would have left for the front if they could have entered the ranks to help whip the rebels back into line.
There is no way now of knowing just how many people there were in the county in the year 1861. Judging from the total number of votes cast at the general election on November 4. 1860, there were at that time only about eighty- five voters in the county, as there were sixty-four for Lincoln and twenty for Douglas. There were also at that election two candidates for each of the three
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JOHN REED Of Company A, 32d Iowa Infantry
HENRY KELLOGG (1856) Proprietor of the town site of Cresco
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state offices, two for the supreme court, two for congressmen, two for clerk, three for surveyor, four for coroner, and five for supervisors. The total for each of these offices amounted to eighty-four, except for the clerk's office which had a total of eighty-five. This number indicates all those who were aged, in- firm and crippled who were twenty-one years old and over. From this vote one can form some estimate of the probable number of persons in the county subject to military duty when the war began.
The mid-summer heat of July came and with it the surprising news of the Bull Run disaster to the Federal forces. In answer to the call that imme- diately followed for 500,000 men, seven of Kossuth's promising young men enlisted to the county's credit and others left and enlisted to the credit of other places. These seven whose names will be given later to prevent repetition, went with no promise of bounty or other financial assistance, as the county at that time had not offered any bounties to encourage enlistments. Neither did they wait to be influenced by the persuasive eloquence of an enrolling officer.
From this time till the summer of 1862, only occasional enlistments from the county occurred. By that time the novelty of going to the front had worn away; the bloody battle of Shiloh had but recently been fought, where Kos- suth county men had been killed and others badly wounded; bodies of former neighbors, who had died of disease in camp, had been sent home for burial; and the reports of the neglect of the sick in barracks had been received with sorrow. These facts for a time prevented any stampede to swell the ranks of the army.
Lincoln's July call for 600,000 volunteers, for a more vigorous prosecution of the war, aroused many citizens to a realization of their duty. Death scenes and army abuses were forgotten. Patriotism was observed in the conversa- tion of every social circle, and every gathering where men were present. The call seemed to be a personal one from the lips of the president himself, direct to the hearts of those early-day residents, who now desired to become defend- ers of the flag. Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's war Governor who was held in the highest esteem by soldiers and citizens of the state alike, in calling for Kos- suth to fill her quota helped to increase the spirit of patriotism.
About the middle of August a new incentive to enlistment appeared. A company was being formed near home with Dr. L. H. Cutler of Belmond as principal promoter. He and Jacob Skinner, a fluent orator and lawyer of Webster City, came into this county and delivered stirring addresses at the old town halls in Algona and Irvington, urging recruits to complete the company. These enthusiastic meetings produced the desired results. At both places there was a scramble to see whose name would be recorded first on the roll. Five enlisted at the Algona meeting and nine at Irvington. Seven of these were married men and substantial citizens. Eight of the total number never saw home again.
On Saturday afternoon and evening, August 23, 1862, a farewell supper was tendered them at the Irvington town hall, where the flag was flying from the staff. Their friends from both villages were present, filling the hall com- pletely. Lewis H. Smith was the presiding officer who called upon different ones to express their sentiments. Doctor Armstrong and L. L. Treat, both at- tempted to speak but were so overcome that they broke down and had to take Vol. 1-12
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their seats. J. E. Stacy spoke for the Algona community and the writer made his maiden speech on being called upon to speak for the boys and girls of Irv- ington. This, however, he did not attempt to do until he had been carried from the back of the hall to the front by the presiding officer and some other Algona man. Others spoke on that memorable occasion, but no one now is able to recall who they were or what they said. After the speaking was over all partook of a bountiful supper which the Irvington ladies had prepared and which was served outside of the hall on the east, where long tables had been arranged. Dancing and sociability followed in the evening.
While the people were on the outside of the hall getting ready to partake of the soldiers' banquet, an incident occurred which further indicated the patriotic spirit of the meeting. A resident on the Cresco side of the river by the name of George W. Blottenberger had formerly lived in Baltimore, and had as a result strong southern sympathies, which he boldly expressed wherever he went. Wil- liam T. Crockett, one of the new recruits, saw him driving towards the hall, seated on a hay rack. He called the attention of the presiding officer to the fact by saying, "There comes that copperhead. He says he hopes Lincoln will not live to see the end of the war." The team came up and stopped, then Blottenberger asked, "What's the flag flying for, and why are these people here?" He was told that the occasion was a farewell reception to the soldiers who had enlisted a few days before. He then said with vehemence, "If they are going to fight in Abe Lincoln's d- nigger war, I hope they will never come back." These words were hardly out of his mouth before Lewis H. Smith said in a tone that expressed his feeling, "Get down from that rack, hold up your hand and take the oath of allegiance." "I can just as well take it sitting here," said the southern sympathizer. "Up with that hand and do it right now." said Mr. Smith. The hand went up and the oath was administered much to the delight of the soldiers and much to the humiliation of the one who was forced to swear his allegiance to the flag against his well-known will.
On Monday following the new recruits were again at the hall awaiting the teamsters to leave with them for Webster City. There were present also numer- ous relatives and friends. Samuel Reed and Kinsey Carlon cach took a load. but the third teamster's name cannot now be recalled.
With the exception of an occasional enlistment, furnishing recruits nearly ceased from this time till the fall of 1864, when nine more offered their serv- ices to their country, two of whom had families. These settlers also, when about to leave for the front gathered at the Irvington hall, where many friends met to bid them farewell. Four of them represented the Algona community. and five Irvington. All of these men going into service as they did near the close of the war returned home, excepting two of those who were single who died from disease.
Had all the enlistments been made so that the proper credit could have been given to this county, the number of recruits furnished would have more than filled her quota. But as they were not, the draft in the latter part of 1864, caught two of the residents of lower Old Cresco (Riverdale) township, much to the surprise of the entire river settlement.
The first action taken by the board of supervisors, to encourage enlistments and to recompense the soldiers in addition to what the government was pay-
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ing, was July 26; 1862, when that body of men pledged the county to pay a bounty of $10 at enlistment and the further sum of $5 per month to each volun- teer while he was in the service under such enlistment. September 1, 1862, the board increased these amounts, $25 being allowed for bounty, and $10 per month as compensation. But on January 5, 1863, the board realizing that the county had furnished more recruits than the governor's apportionment required, re- solved to pay no more bounties. Towards fall, however, the president was calling for more troops and a draft was threatened if sufficient new forces were not enlisting to fill the quotas. With that event in mind the board, December 28, 1863, offered a bounty of $500, without further compensation, to those who would enlist to the credit of the county before the date of the proposed draft on January 5, 1864. Even with this inducement enlistments were too slow to satisfy the board. In August, 1864, Kossuth county bonds of $1,000 each, payable in ten years, with ten per cent interest, were authorized to be issued to each of those volunteering sufficient to furnish the required number. The last time the board found it necessary to take any action regarding in- centives for enlistment was January 16, 1865. This became necessary at that time because of Lincoln's December call for an additional 300,000 men. The board resolved that each of its three members should act as agent in his own township to procure volunteers necessary to fill its quota on the best terms he could, not to exceed $1,000 per man.
COMPANY F 2nd IOWA CAVALRY
James C. Taylor, after whom the local G. A. R. post is named, was one of the seven who enlisted August 9, 1861, following Lincoln's call after the de- feat of the federal forces at Bull Run. He was the younger son of Rev. Chauncey Taylor, and the brother of Mrs. Harriette E. Stacy still residing in Algona. He was a young man of much promise, and was a favorite among the young people of the pioneer village. He did not live to see any battle service, for while the company was at St. Louis the deadly measles broke out and claimed him as a victim, February 5, 1862, when he was but nineteen years old. His body during the first week in January, 1863, reached Algona for burial, and it was interred in what is now Riverview cemetery.
J. C. Heckart, aged twenty-two, was an 1856 resident of Algona who en- listed August 9, 1861. He was with this company for several months and then joined Company A, 32nd Iowa Infantry.
Charles F. Kellogg, son of the proprietor of the townsite of Cresco, enlisted August 9, 1861, and went with the company to St. Louis where after a few months he joined another regiment.
Elias D. Kellogg, whose father was the proprietor of the Cresco townsite, enlisted August 9, 1861, and while with the company at St. Louis was discharged and transferred to Company I, 32nd Iowa Infantry.
John Ehingher, a German, who had been making his home with his friend, August Zahlten, enlisted at Algona, August 9, 1861. He was attacked by the measles which were prevalent in camp and died at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, January 25, 1862. Just before entering the army the writer had worked with him in the hay field near Irvington.
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Levi Carey, the nineteen-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Carey, placed his name on the enlistment roll at Algona, August 9, 1861. He soon found himself in quarters at St. Louis and almost as soon found his comrades dying from results of the measles. He was attacked by the disease complicated with pneumonia and did not recover, dying February 7, 1862. His body reposes in grave 70, in section 51, in the National Cemetery at St. Louis.
John Reibhoff was twenty years old when he enlisted August 9, 1861. He was one of the group of seven who first left for the front without any financial inducement from the county. He was the son of Michael Reibhoff and wife, early respected pioneers on the Black Cat. Measles made him its victim at Benton Barracks, January 4, 1862. He lies buried in the National Cemetery at St. Louis in grave I, section 51. His funeral sermon was preached at the Schenck school house by Rev. D. S. McComb, February 9, 1862. Before the services began the assembled friends had learned of the deaths of James C. Taylor, and John Ehingher and that Levi Carey was at death's door. As a result the meeting was one of the saddest in the county of the whole war period. Some one asked if the mourners were expected to sit together. Then came the reply : "Who are here who are not mourners?" Fifty years have elapsed since those services were conducted but the event is still verdant in the memories of numerous parties in the community.
Henry M. Johnston, nineteen years old, was the next to enlist in the com- pany from this county, the date being January 4, 1864. He was not a resident, but came from the eastern part of the state, mustered to the credit of Kossuth and received the bounty of $500 the board was offering at that time as an in- centive for enlistments. He was mustered out September 19, 1865, at Selma, Alabama.
Henry M. Patterson enlisted from Irvington, January 5, 1864, at the age of twenty-three. The most important battle in which he was engaged was Nashville. He was mustered out at Selma, Alabama, September 19, 1865. He returned and was later married to Miss Mary Burtis. His death occurred at his home at Algona a number of years ago. He had been a member of the Northern Border Brigade before going into the United States service.
John Henderson was twenty-two years old at the date of his enlistment, September 1, 1864. He came with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Henderson, to Algona during the year 1857. He died while in the service at Cairo, Illinois, November 24, 1864, and was buried in the National Cemetery at Mound City. Later his remains were removed to Algona and interred in Riverview cemetery.
Charles Moll, the seventeen-year-old son of Edward Moll, an early settler, enlisted from Algona, September 1, 1864, but died February 22, 1865, at the hospital at New Albany, Indiana. He was buried at that place, his grave being in Section B, No. 1111.
Horace Schenck's enlistment occurred September 1, 1864. He participated in the battle of Nashville and was mustered out of service at Eastport, Miss. June 25, 1865. He was an 1856 settler on the Black Cat, where he made his home until his death in 1894. He was forty-two years old when he joined the army.
William B. Carey joined the army at the age of forty-five, having enlisted from Algona, September 1, 1864. At the battle of Nashville he was with his
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