History of Kossuth County, Iowa, Part 64

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

USA > Iowa > Kossuth County > History of Kossuth County, Iowa > Part 64

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Hugh Waterhouse, Frank Benjamin and W. A. Stevens made up the number. The constitution and by-laws were signed by them November 5, 1874.

The growth of Algona for the next ten years was much retarded on account of an unfortunate divided sentiment, and the coming of the grasshoppers which devasted the crops of all northwest Iowa. The full story of the causes which resulted in the division of sentiment is a long one, but in its condensed form is substantially as follows: When it became known that the line of survey for the Milwaukee road was to run into the county from the east to Algona in 1869, the location of the depot was the principal topic of conversation with numer- ous interested parties in town. Where the road should enter town, what course it should take in passing through the town to benefit the greatest number of people, and where it should cross the river, were problems that were discussed in trying to determine at what point the depot should be located. Among the various routes which had been proposed and considered by some of the leading citizens and head officials of the road, was one that seemed to meet with popular favor. That plan was to have the road enter town near the present residence of Dr. Fellows, turn south to State street, locate the depot where the John Vaughan family are living, and there have the road continue south, and after making a bold sweep around the bluffs of the present W. K. Ferguson farm, cross the river north of the Blackford residence. Several parties whose land lay along the route of the "bold sweep" made private donations to help defray the expense of running the road on that line which they understood was the one which had been agreed upon. At that time Judge Call was the local agent for the railway company and seemed to have full control of all affairs here in relation to railway matters. Many people in town, especially these donors, were thunderstruck a short time later when it was publicaly announced that the depot site had been located nearly one mile northeast of the public square. It soon became apparent that the Judge intended to plat a large addition to the town, which was to include the depot. During the next two or three years after work on the Algona House had begun in 1870, a collection of numerous houses near the depot formed. Two lumber yards, a boarding house, a three-story brick block, a couple of drug stores and several residences made up the depot village, as it was then generally called. Many supposed that in time that point would be the business center of town. Some were very anxious to move from the old town to the new. G. R. Woodworth was one who sold out at a loss and invested in building one of the stores in the brick block. Comstock & Baker com- ing to the county seat, chose one of the stores in that block in which to build up a large mercantile trade. The little village was lively, for the farmers com- ing down from the north, on the west side of the river, cut through the timber and passed along Elm street to the depot, thus leaving the main town off to the south. It was predicted about that time by many that in a few years Elm street would be lined with the most beautiful residences in Algona. The new addition, which was platted to comprise 278 blocks, was large enough on which to found a city. The plat was not recorded until September 11, 1871, and until considerable improvements had been made on the site.

During the three years while these scenes of activity were going on, other scenes were occurring that were just as interesting and were causing just as much excitement. Numerous parties in the main portion of town, who had in-

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vested in homes or business places and had induced. friends to do the same, were by no means enthusiastic over the prosperity of the depot village, or par- ticularly pleased with the thought of seeing the town slip over to the vicinity of the depot. This was especially true of those who were disappointed because the road did not circle around the south part of town, and because the depot was not located on State street. It was evident to them that if the town was not to be disrupted, some strong anchors would have to be planted to hold it where it had been. Consequently when the judge tried to have the college located on Normal Hill in 1870, his proposition was so mildly supported by the south- siders that the project failed. During the three years following the close of 1870, there were four anchors planted that sealed the fate of the depot village, and caused it to rapidly decline until it passed out of existence. These were the founding of the college at the foot of Harlan street in the south part of town, the erection of the courthouse, the Kossuth County Bank building and the Sheetz brick drug store.

Other troubles arose over the strife that were very detrimental to the growth and prosperity of the town as a whole. Judge Call, who had been out-generaled in locating the college, now had his turn at becoming a victor. He and his fol- lowing of those who had invested at the depot and were realizing that their ventures were proving a financial failure, poured so much cold water on the college enterprise that it was finally compelled to go out of existence. There was a fair prospect of having a railway division point at this place before the squabble began, but the divided sentiment caused that chance to slip away and the chance for having a college established, either of which if firmly fastened would have made Algona a city of twenty thousand long before this time.

With the strong following Judge Call always had, he was generally able to make a success of his undertakings; but in his depot venture he found too many men of ability opposing his enterprise. It was no doubt the mistake of his life when he sanctioned the plans for locating the depot where it is. Although he alone has always been blamed for its location, yet it is difficult to conceive why others were not equally to blame. If the railroad company had desired to place it at any other point, there seems no good reason why it should not have done so. A rich corporation like the C. Mil. & St. P. Ry. Company., could have entered town where it chose, run through Judge Call's house, cut a figure eight in his park and then left town in any direction it pleased. There is no doubt that Judge Call offered the company inducements to locate the depot where it is, but if his terms were accepted, then others besides himself were to blame for the unfortunate location.

To an old-timer it is an interesting study to note who the business and pro- fessional men have been in any one year, and to further note how few of them were doing the same service ten years later. Forty years ago, in 1872, dry- goods were sold by Smith Bros. & Co., J. L. Paine, G. R. Woodworth, Theo. Chrischilles, D. Patterson and Galbraith Bros .; Groceries by A. Bongey, J. C. Heckart, Wm. Leggett, O. H. Marvin, Wildey & Bender, and Reibhoff & Jeffreys ; flour by Wm. Cleary, Ben Peasley, and Roan & Caulkins ; baker's goods by C. F. Keys; meat by J. A. Winkel and A. McCall : clothing by J. B. Winkel; boots and shoes by H. Beard, Wm. Cordingley and C. Mertens; and harnesses by Woodward & Townley and Fred Hawes. Skoglund & Co., were competing

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in tailoring against S. C. Spear and E. D. Taylor ; the Spalding girls in millinery against Miss I .. M. Clarke ; Robinson & Co., in hardware against Jas. McIntyre; L. Cobb in cabinet work against John Heckart; Ford in implements against Jones and Nycum; J. J. Wilson in lumber against Johnson and Putnam and E. B. Ward in smithing against Nicoulin, Warner and Ackley. Geo. Abbott, Adam Baker, Mart Pearce, M. Becker, Millis, Purvis, Yeamans, Wolfe, Water- house, Bongey, Richards and Shadle were the carpenters; P. A. Gustafson, the painter ; S. B. Califf, Jas. Cowan and Sam Plumley the masons; J. F. Nicoulin and W. P. Johnson, the artists; and C. E. Heise the barber. L. K. Garfield and Billy Quick were the dentists. It was in 1872 when work began on the courthouse. In 1882, ten years later, Miss Safford was the popular Unitarian minister; B. Morse was running his flax mill; Nick Winkel his restaurant ; Grove & Son the livery; A. L. Sleyster the photograph gallery ; C. J. Johnson the billiard hall; A. M. & G. M. Johnson, implements, and Andy Shipman the dray line. Others in business were: J. Peterson, gunsmith ; Bronson & Co., furniture; A. Bronson, jewelry ; E. Loomis, beehives; Peter Johnson, wagons ; C. E. Dewitt, barber ; Frank Winkel, meat market ; L. M. B. Smith, hardware; Z. Solomon, clothing; E. G. Bowyer, jeweler; John K. Fill, tailoring; L. Lessing, furniture ; A. Bronson, jewelry ; E. Loomis, beehives; Peter Johnson, wagons ; Durant Bros., drugs; and C. W. Shepard, painter. Grove & Smith that year ran away with the other boys in the billiard business, and then Smith ran away with his partner's wife.

Twenty years ago, in 1892, some of the parties then in business were: Jones & Smith and Hay & Rice, abstracts; C. L. Lund, real estate; Fred Bronson, jeweler ; D. B. Avey, harness; H. Hoxie, insurance; Forest Stough, leather store; W. F. Carter, groceries; Jas. Taylor and John Goeders, dry goods ; S. B. Reed, creamery supplies ; H. J. Winkie, hardware; Joslyn & Pleth, land; H. Balcom and O. B. Durdall, clothing; Matson & McCall, milliners; and Charley Hoy, Chinese laundry. The Grange store was still running that year, and Cheever Hudson was the managing partner at the Langdon store. The Normal school had for its head at that time Professor Chaffee, and Algona had as one of its resident physicians, Dr. G. T. West.

In 1902 the three station agents were R. . F. Hedrick, M. A. Winkel and F. A. Klingler, but their places are now filled by others. It was that summer that Algona became very much advertised by the colored baseball team which was managed by our local sporting fans. C. M. Doxsee, Otto Falkenhainer and the King Bros., sold hardware: W. T. Bourne & Son and Henry Hudson gro- ceries ; C. O. Simpson, shoes; John Schu and Potter & Weygand, cigars; W. P. Jones, machinery ; Albert Reed, furniture; Walker & Morse, harness; Ding- ley & Co., Donahoo & Carlon and Brunson & Whalen, land; E. F. Smith and Ehlers & Co., drugs: Herman Layer, clothing, and Hugh Norwood, hides. B. F. Crose was then doing a general abstract business and making loans. Clarke & Cohenour, Raymond & Raymond. F. M. Curtiss. E. H. Clarke and C. O. Cotant, who were practicing law here that year, are all gone, as are also Drs. Morse, Gay, Kroh, and Margaret Coles and Dentist H. C. Devereaux. Dr. Ripke, the optician, is also among those who practiced here that year, but now living else- where. It is now 1912, and this chapter will close by giving a glimmering out- line of the city of Algona as it is at the present time.

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CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS

Ever since the time when old Elder Marks, in 1855, hammered his sermons into the pioneer sinners at their log cabin homes, preaching has continued with but little interruption. He was the only one that year who ventured into this region on such a mission. Not one of our local church organizations can claim Elder Marks' sermons as being its origin, for he was neither a Presbyterian, Congre- gationalist, Methodist, Baptist, Adventist, Christian Scientist, Free Methodist, Episcopal, Swedish Lutheran, German Lutheran or Catholic. He represented the sect known as the New Light ; and judging from his fiery sermons, that light was the result of a combustion of brimstone.

During the year 1856 the population nearly quadrupled, and among the num- erous arrivals were some who had previously been affiliated with church organi- zations. Among the number who came that year was a Presbyterian and a Congregational missionary who labored at their work at log cabin homes. Neither of these ministers found enough of his religious faith in the settlements to justify him in attempting to organize a church, so both waited for the dawn of another year to see what then could be done in finding material for such a purpose.

The list of preachers who have had charge of the various churches in Al- gona since Elder Marks was here is a long one, and it contains the names of some of fine ability, some who had the gift of flowery eloquence, some who led Godly lives and were sincere, some who had mistaken their calling, and some who had striking peculiarities that seemed inexcusable. During the entire period of church organizations, it is very doubtful if there ever was a time when the local preachers, as a whole, averaged higher in the grade of intelligence than they do now, or did more effective service, or worked in better harmony than the pres- ent local clergymen who have charge of the various churches are doing.

The Presbyterians have the credit for organizing the first church of any kind in the county. Rev. D. S. McComb, who had come during the latter part of the summer of 1856, had located several families during the succeeding year whom he relied upon to help found his church. He was fortunate in finding such a family as H. A. Henderson's in Algona, Michael Reibhoff's on the Black Cat, Jacob Wright's at Irvington and Alexander Brown's over in Cresco. In that respect he had much the advantage over the other ministers, for these parties were among the most substantial families in the county, and they were Presbyterians.

Rev. McComb located on his preemption up on the Black Cat, a few miles north of Algona. He began his work preaching in the log cabins of the fam- ilies whom he later had for members of his church. After the town hall was built in Algona he used to occasionally hold service in it Sunday afternoons. All the preachers about that time had hard work getting a very large audience. Ed Blackford remembers going to hear Rev. McComb one Sunday when he and another boy and John Heckart made up the audience. After the Schryver and Love families located on the Black Cat, the Presbyterians became considerably increased in number as the result. The church was organized September 25, 1857, by Samuel T. Wells, a traveling missionary in the Presbytery of Dubuque Nine persons joined at that meeting, and five more joined the next day at Irvington, to which place the session had been adjourned for that purpose. Four- teen members at a church organization at that period in the county's history was

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remarkable. When Rev. McComb held services at Irvington, they were al- ways in the afternoon so that the Black Cat members could attend. While he could not sing a note nor start the tunes, his congregation always had good congregational singing. Like all people, he had his virtues and his failings. Although he was untidy in his appearance and addicted to the tobacco-chewing habit, he was a sincere preacher and very earnest in his work. Father Taylor of the Congregational church, who preceded him in coming into this region by about three months, says of him in his memoirs: "Mr. McComb, while not very prepossessing in his appearance, I found on acquaintance to be an excel- lent Christian brother, well educated, well informed, and a sound, systematic preacher. There have been very few ministers here of any denomination who preached better sermons than Mr. McComb."

In the fall of 1862, when Little Crow's band of Sioux began massacring the settlers in the region of New Ulm and were proceeding southward with their deadly work, several families left this county for fear of an attack by the In- dians on the settlers. Among the number who left was the McComb family. He subsequently returned and held services at various places in the county, but never had the privilege of preaching in a Presbyterian house of worship, be- cause none had been built in the county during the period of his administration. He, like the other ministers in those days, preached wherever he could find a congregation. He was a peculiar pioneer character whom all the old settlers distinctly remember. In July, 1868, he severed his relation with the church in this county.

Rev. W. L. Lyons immediately began his work as Rev. McComb's suc- cessor. He had come in June, 1868, to look over the field and see whether or not he cared to accept the position. He remained until May, 1869, when he resigned his work on account of the distance he had to travel in making his ap- pointments. He had a good education and was an interesting speaker.

Rev. J. C. McDonald of Winneconne, Wisconsin, was called and he began preaching for the church on the first Sunday of October, 1869, and remained at the head of the work for just four years. He was a man who was very much respected by all classes of people, whether members of his church or not. He lived in the southern part of Algona where he built his residence, now the home of Mrs. Wheeler.

After Rev. McDonald went away the church was unable to secure the serv- ice of a regular minister, for the membership had been so depleted by those going away and by death, that the remaining members found it too difficult to keep up the necessary expenses. There were for a while occasional services, held by ministers of that denomination who happened to come into this region, but on February 7, 1877, the church went quietly to sleep and no effort was made for many years to revive it from its slumber. The elders of the organiza- tion up to this time had been H. A. Henderson and H. M. Taft of Algona. Jacob Wright and Alexander Davidson of Irvington, Alexander Brown of Cresco, John S. Love, I. G. Schryver and A. J. Gilmour of the Black Cat, and John Russell.

The church having never been formally disbanded by a Presbytery, it was re-organized October 10, 1895, by a committee, appointed by the Presbytery of Fort Dodge, consisting of Rev. T. F. Bailey, D. D., Rev. J. Milton Greene, D. D ..

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Rev. J. W. Witte, and Elders I. G. Schryver and J. T. Lloyd, with twenty charter members. The organization was incorporated November 18, 1895, by A. D. McGregor, John D. Magnusson and Wm. Dodds. The first trustees named were J. C. Raymond, Mr. Magnusson and D. S. Long. The revival of the Presbyterian interests in the county was largely the result of Rev. Jas. Clapp's efforts in organizing Presbyterian Sunday schools at Algona and on the Irvington Ridge. Services were held in Algona at first in the Swedish Meth- odist and Free Methodist churches until the present edifice was completed and occupied for the first time January 11, 1899. The present Manse was erected in 1911, and the pastor, Rev. F. A. Smiley, took up his residence there the Ist of November of that year. These two buildings are well constructed, well adapted for their respective purposes, and are attractive in appearance. The list of ministers who have served the church since its re-organization is as fol- lows: Rev. J. W. Innis, May, 1896, to April, 1897; Rev. D. B. Buchanan, Octo- ber, 1897, to March, 1898; Rev. S. Ollerenshaw, June, 1898, to June, 1901 ; Rev. Harry Kremers, December, 1901, to February, 1904; Rev. D. K. Miller, June. 1904, to May, 1906; Rev. W. N. Gillis, June, 1907, to January, 1909; Rev. Newton Metler, June, 1909, to April, 1910; Rev. Foster A. Smiley, Septem- ber, 1910, to the present time.

Rev. Smiley has been doing a grand good work in building up the church and keeping it in a prosperous condition. In this regard he has been one of the most successful of the various ministers. Not only has his interest in the welfare of the church been marked, but his influence on the life of the com- munity has always been strong and helpful. He holds the confidence, respect, and good wishes of the entire community.

Those who have served as Elders since the re-organization of the church have been J. C. Raymond, A. D. McGregor, Wm. Dodds, J. D. Magnusson, R. Shilts, Geo. Angus, Silas Page, Wm. Miller, John C. Anderson, Lars Sorensen, Wm. J. Gudarian and L. P. Anderson. About two hundred and twenty-five members have been received since the re-organization in 1895. Previous to that time there had been, all told, about seventy-five members. Mrs. Grace Beane is the Sunday school superintendent; Leota Hackman, the president of the Y. P. S. C. E .; Mrs. I. G. Willson, president of the Ladies' Aid, Mrs. F. A. Smiley, president of the missionary society, and J. D. Magnusson, clerk of the session.

The Congregational church had for its founder the venerable Rev. Chauncey Taylor, one of the very few who ever came to the county on a specific mission. His was to found a church, uplift the early settlers into high moral atmosphere, and lead the people to espouse and practice the principles of Christianity. Being of Puritan stock and having been raised under intense religious influences, he decided early in life to became a Congregational minister. His experience in coming west has been told in preceding chapters. He began his labors in Algona on Sunday, April 20, 1856, the next day after his arrival, by preaching to an audience of about twenty-five in the J. W. Moore cabin. He began at once searching for suitable material with which to start a church, but was unable to find anyone who had ever belonged to a Congregational church or who had the least desire to endorse that religious faith; but he found in the settlement a few Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists and preached in their cabins. He

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would preach in Algona Sunday forenoon and then walk to Irvington, Cresco or the Black Cat to conduct afternoon services.

This "Patriarch of the Prairies" worked diligently and faithfully for twenty- eight months before he was able to form any sort of a church organization. On the 15th day of August, 1858, the little union of five workers was cemented and the church organized. Of that number he and his daughter, Harriette E., (Stacy) were two. Mrs. Eugenia Rist (Smith) was the only other member living in the vicinity of Algona. Just below Irvington lived the Geo. D. Wheeler family at that time. The husband and wife made up the other two members of the church organization. On that occasion two of the Wheeler children were baptized; and thus began the career of the Congregational church which is flourishing today under conditions in great contrast with those in the days of its origin in 1858. The charter members have dropped away until only Mrs. Stacy remains to recount the experiences of the church's early struggles. The Congregational Society which controls the business management of the church was not incorporated until February 7, 1866. Rev. Chauncey Taylor, August Zahlten, Warren Walston. Jas. L. Paine, Elum C. Miles, Harvey M. Taft, Jerome E. Stacy and Dr. Matthew H. Hudson signed the articles which secured the life of the society.

The church managed to maintain its existence for several years under very trying circumstances. The services were held in the town hall every Sunday whether it rained or snowed or whether the audience was small or large. "One year after the five of us organized the church," says Mrs. Stacy, "Geo. D. Wheeler and wife took their letters and left us. The next year Mrs. Eugenia Rist took her letter and went to Massachusetts, leaving my father, Rev. Chauncey Taylor, and myself the only remaining members. I don't know that we were ever discouraged, but we did feel a little blue once in a while; but we soon rallied for Jas. Paine, joined us. After two years Mrs. Rist joined us again and others soon began to add to our band." Such was a sample of the struggles the churches had to make in those days to keep up their organizations.

After holding the services in the town hall for ten years the congregation so increased in size that the little hall became inadequate for the purpose. It had been finished ready for occupancy in the spring of 1857, by a stock com- pany holding shares of $10 each, had been used for all kinds of secular and religious meetings from that time until the fall of 1868, when the building and site were purchased by the Congregational church and society, Father Taylor having been one of the shareholders. To enable the premises to be purchased, the American Congregational Mission made the society a present of $250.00 and Deacon Field of Arlington, Massachusetts, donated $50.00 more. The dedi- cation occurred September 20, 1868, Rev. E. C. Miles, of Belmond, delivering the sermon. A vestibule was added with a belfry which gave the building an attractive appearance. A fine-toned bell, weighing five hundred pounds, was purchased in August, 1868, from the Meneely Company, through the efforts of Captain Ingham. For ten years after the dedication, services were held in that building which stood where the John Galbraith business corner is, but being found to be too close to the principal thoroughfare, it was sold during the year 1878. The abstract of the title at that time disclosed the fact that two of the original shares in the property had never been purchased. They were held by

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History of Kossuth County, Iowa, Part 64

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