USA > Iowa > Kossuth County > History of Kossuth County, Iowa > Part 71
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101
C. W. Hendryx has no opposition in the bakery business, and is satisfying the demands of the town by turning out goods that are as fine as can be procured anywhere. Sandrey, Small, Blair, Williams, Rosewall, Schnell, Ladendorff, De- catur and others tried it there for a while in turn but soon embarked in other lines. Hollar, Keyes and Peter Winkel were early proprietors in the business at the stand one door west of where Mr. Hendryx and wife are prospering. The building they are in is the one erected by William Cordingley, long ago, for a shoe store.
It was back in the latter sixties when Woodward & Townley opened their harness shop on Call street, a little west of where the Nicoulin shop is located. Many have been in the business since then, but now F. H. Shackelford has the only shop that is running. Being a good workman and using the best of stock, he readily finds sale for all his products. When the town was booming in 1870, Fred Hawes and P. L. Slagle were the harness makers who did a rushing busi- ness.
L. A. Miner has the only candy store, although numerous other stores sell candies that are made elsewhere. His always being fresh and of good quality, he finds sale for all he can make. He succeeded C. H. Taylor in April, 1909.
There are two cleaning and pressing establishments, the first being conducted by Becker & Sutton at their pantatorium. The former bought out Williams and the latter Kingston who preceded them. They became the proprietors in March,
Dignized by Google
536
HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY
1912. The Modern Dry Cleaning and Pressing Process is operated by N. H. Nielson, who began in August of the same year.
J. Mesing began seven years ago dealing in musical instruments when many predicted he would starve out in less than a year, but he is still doing business and is prosperous and happy. He is a fine musician, the clarinet being his favorite instrument. Among the several high grade pianos he sells, and has on hand for inspection, is the Chase Brothers, which have had an extensive sale in all parts of the country.
Blacksmith shops have been in existence since Jesse Magoon opened his in 1856 and was followed by Oliver Benschoter the same year, and by Frank Nic- oulin some ten years later. Three shops are now all that can be counted. George Horberg has been hammering away since 1889 and has managed to lay up a little of his income for use when old age comes along. A. T. Akerman in 1909 succeeded L. W. Larson who in turn had succeeded the St. Johns. Nels Gron- wall and W. A. Gillespie run the third one at the old stand of M. Warner. The former before going into business for himself worked a long time in the shop for A. M. Johnson, and the latter after moving to town worked eight years for Mr. Gronwall. Mr. Gillespie and Henry Norton ran the shop later together, but they dissolved partnership in a short time when the present firm was formed. They are having all the business they can do and much more.
Charles Pettibone and W. E. McDonald are the successors to nearly every person who has dealt exclusively in the agricultural implement line for many years. Four distinct lines of the business have finally centered at their ware- house. Early in 1870, D. S. Ford established his warehouse on the John Gal- braith corner, then later in the season of that year, J. R. Jones built his "Wig- wam" where the firm is now located. In 1882 A. M. & G. M. Johnson put up the warehouse west of the court house, and still later Pettibone & McDonald began on another location. When Ford moved away his business went over to the Jones wigwam which later was conducted by W. P. Jones, and still later by W. H. Hodges. After George Johnson had met with an accident which caused his death, and old age had compelled A. M. Johnson to retire, the business passed from one to another until it was owned by Pettibone & McDonald. Then they moved over to their present location where they became the owners of the Hodges stock and business, and are monarchs of all they survey.
There used to be the Algona House, the Cliff Hotel, the Harrison House and the Russell House all running at the same time, but now the New Algona is the only one up town doing business, and that has been run since December 5, 1911, by Joe Weidman, the retired train conductor. Judging from the number of guests he is accommodating, he must be making his venture pay, at least reasonably well. The original name of the hotel, The Durdall, was given to it in honor of its first owner, O. B. Durdall, who later traded it for land out in the mountainous country. Since then the leasing-landlords have been many, and most of them must have lost money in the enterprise Harry Tremain probably did as well as any of them, and he did not get rich while the proprietor.
The Durdall Annex, where Joseph Laird is keeping boarders, is a portion of the old Bongey House which was built by Alf Bongey in 1869, and first used by him for a restaurant store, then for a restaurant hotel, and later exclusively for a hotel. While J. W. Tennant was the owner he very much enlarged the building
Digiized by Google
537
HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY
and made the place one of the most popular stopping places in this part of the state. It was torn down in August, 1902, and the Annex is all that remains.
Hotel Kossuth, after having a long checkered career, had its doors closed to the traveling public as the winter of 1912 was coming on. It was built by Ambrose A. Call at the Milwaukee depot soon after the cars began running over the road in 1870, and was called The Algona House. After the depot village had ceased to prosper, and there was no further need for such a fine hotel at that point, the hotel company was formed and incorporated June 6, 1884, for the purpose of purchas- ing it, moving it up town, having it placed over the ruins of the old Russell House, which had been destroyed by fire, and controlling it afterwards. This organized company was composed of Ambrose A. Call, G. H. Light, O. E. Palmer, T. Earley, C. Byson, Durant Bros., D. H. Hutchins, J. B. Jones, John Reed, A. F. Call, O. E. Minkler, R. H. Spencer, Alex Younie, L. M. B. Smith, M. W. Stough, J. W. Rob- inson, L. A. Sheetz and S. C. Spear, the secretary. The company bought the prop- erty of Ambrose A. Call, had it moved to its present location and named Hotel LeGrande, G. H. Light being the first landlord. Later it was christened the Thor- ington Hotel, the name by which it is still best known, and the most appropriate one it ever had after it was moved. Finally A. F. Call, for the company, traded it for land, and later it became the property of Mrs. Rausch, who conducted it for many years with the best of satisfaction and made it for some time the leading hotel in town. The property now belongs to W. H. Ketcham, one of Algona's hustling real estate dealers. Hotel Northwestern at the depot has for its landlord O. B. Kuhn. J. J. McCall, beginning in the year 1900, was the proprietor for about ten years, but finally engaged in other lines of enterprise. Since Abram Wolfe erected the building in the eighties it has had numerous proprietors.
The Algona hospital is located on the spot where R. M. Bessie built his house in 1856, where Frank Harrison ran the Harrison House for years after the war, and where Aaron Rutherford built the Kossuth County Hotel, which is the one now used for the hospital. Dr. M. J. Kenefick in raising it up on the foundation, remodeling the interior and beautifying the exterior and surroundings, made such a wonderful change that the property is now one of the most attractive of all the wooden structures in town. The hospital has been well patronized since it opened in 1907, and is regarded as a beneficial one not only to Algona, but to the people residing in other parts of the county as well. In his labors, Dr. Kenefick has the assistance of Mrs. Kenefick, who is a graduate trained nurse and having had an extended experience in that line.
There are two veterinary surgeons located in Algona, and both are graduates from the State Agricultural College. Dr. E. E. Sayers has been located here since 1885 and has been called upon for his services with frequency during his entire residence. He has been more successful in his profession than has any one else in this part of the state. He is assistant state veterinary surgeon. W. R. Laird is a recent graduate of the college and opened up his office during the summer of 1912. He has had sufficient encouragement since he became established to justify him in believing that he will get a permanent foothold and a good practice in the near future.
W. H. Lacy owns and operates with splendid success the only laundry in town. He has been the proprietor for over ten years, and has suffered loss by two ex- plosions in the rear of the building in the meantime. His equipment is ample to
Doiized by Google
538
HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY
meet the demands of the community, and the work turned out is creditable. F. L. McComb, about seventeen years ago, started the business just across the street east from where it is, and ran it there for a short time before moving it to its pres- ent location.
The four barber shops are well patronized. Carl Wauge located in 1889 and after working three years for C. E. Heise opened a shop of his own. R. P. Nor- ton began for himself about six years ago after having worked for others for some time. August Bremer began barbering for C. E. Heise in 1881 and later became his partner, the firm lasting for about ten years. Then Mr. Bremer located else- where and after an absence of four years returned and started a shop of his own. Shilts & O'Keefe is the name of the firm that succeeded Worster & Shilts in 1912. Mr. Shilts has been doing service in that line for nearly eight years.
Since E. S. Lamb began his livery in 1869, many have tried their hand at that business and most of them did not succeed. Strott & Ferson have the only livery at the present time, and F. O. Blakely and the Hanegan Bros. the only feed yards. Bert Peck was the most successful of all the livery men of recent years.
Only two tailor shops are now running. Foss, Fill, Taylor and many others who were in the business have gone and John Erickson has retired. O. T. Daw- son began with the Fills in the early days and is still at the work and having more than he can do. He was born out in Lotts Creek in 1867. Madson & Hanson began in 1896 and have worked up a large patronage that is yearly increasing. The firm is a reliable one and deserving of the success it is making.
The flour and feed dealers who do an exclusive business in that line are three in number. Fred C. Willson located in 1866 and since that time, with the exception of the first nine years, he has been handling seeds and satisfying his customers. M. O. Emmons is the president and manager of the Iowa Protein Feed Co., and is meeting with unexpected success. The extent of his sales may be judged from the fact that in one of the closing months of 1912 he sold 100 tons of the product. A. M. Jasperson does a large business at the old J. J. Wilson stand, on Dodge street, dealing in flour and grain, and runs the elevator at the Northwestern depot.
The oldest established millinery is conducted by Mrs. Nannie Setchell, who began the business in December, 1886. That is a longer period than any other woman was ever in any line of business in Algona. She and Mrs. Black bought out the business of Mrs. Jean P. Crose, and when, a few months later, Mrs. Black died her place in the firm was taken by Miss Cora Setchell, who remained until about four years ago before going to California ; since that time the present pro- prietor has run the business alone. Next in point of time is Mrs. Jas. Taylor, who has been located for several years on State street, near where Mrs. C. G. Jones had her Ladies' Emporium, years ago. She, like Mrs. Setchell, carries a stock of ladies' goods in connection with her work. It is now twenty years since she began in that line. Mrs. Amie Peugnet's start in the business dates back to 1890. Soon afterwards, while she was still Miss Nettie Matson, she formed a partnership with Miss Dell McCall, and they worked together for a long period of years under the firm name of Matson & McCall. Since the latter went west, the former, now Mrs. Amie Peugnet, has carried on the work alone. Mrs. Lamb, Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Jones, the Spalding girls, the Langdon sisters and Mrs. Galbraith are among those who were early milliners in the town's history.
Tigiized by Google
539
HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY
Miss Mabel Clough is established in the line of doing ladies' tailoring and has a wide field for patronage. She is succeeding well and prospering.
The two abstract offices are doing a prosperous business. The one owned and conducted by Melzar P. Haggard was established in 1870 by J. B. Jones, who some time later sold a half interest to Frank Smith. In November, 1894, Jones & Smith sold to Haggard & Peek, and then in November, 1908, the junior partner sold his interest to the present proprietor, M. P. Haggard. The other office, owned and conducted by Lathrop & Weaver, is the continuation of the business begun also in the early seventies by W. H. Nycum, who many years later sold to Hay & Rice. This firm sold to Samson & Crose, who took possession January 1, 1898. B. F. Crose bought his partner's interest during the summer of 1900 and then in 1902 sold to Lathrop & Weaver. Several other sets of abstract books have been written while these changes were taking place, but they have disappeared. When Hay & Rice bought the Nycum books they also bought C. M. Doxsee's and A. D. Clarke's. Those written by C. J. Doxsee after that deal, were bought jointly by Haggard & Peek and B. F. Crose and destroyed. The sets also written for Geo. C. Call and John Reed have also disappeared from view.
The three established auto liveries have been enjoying a bonanza feast of prosperity. The first, conducted by the Algona Auto and Machinery Co., is housed in superb quarters in the W. K. Ferguson brick garage west of the courthouse. The officers of the company are H. J. Wilson, president and manager ; L. J. Dick- inson, treasurer ; E. C. Dickinson, secretary. The business began in the fall of 1908 and now includes the sales of the Studebaker, the Cadillac, Buick, Hudson and Overland lines. H. S. Mountford and F. J. Mann own and run the business in the former storeroom of O. B. Durdall. It was begun in the fall of 1911 by Frank Seiler and Mr. Mountford during the previous year. The present firm deals ex- clusively in the Ford car. The other garage is at the old Armory building where the Pearson Automobile Co. has its headquarters. Olaf Pearson, of Swea City, is the president, and W. T. Keyes, the manager. This company began in the spring of 1911, succeeding Paine & Pearson. The Rambler and the Overland cars are the ones on hand for sale.
The two photograph galleries have been established for a long time and are destined to continue under their present managers for another long period. The proprietors are rushed with business, which is constantly on the increase. A. L. Peterson, coming in 1892, bought out Hudson & Shadle. By studying every detail of the business he has developed into a skilled artist. Geo. Blackford began the business in 1903 and three years later succeeded J. F. Nicoulin, who had been in the business for many years, and by satisfying his customers has seen his business grow to satisfactory proportions. Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Sears and J. C. Heckart were early day tin-type takers. Just before the Milwaukee road came Rufus Walston started a little gallery south of the hospital corner, and then traded it with the lot to J. F. Nicoulin for a billiard table in 1871. About 1870 W. P. Johnson put up a gallery which he conducted for several years before selling it to B. W. Burlingame. The latter a little later sold it to J. F. Nicoulin, who then had both galleries. In the meantime Culver had his gallery where the Savings Bank is, but only ran it a short time before moving away and taking his outfit with him. The Walston-Johnson-Nicoulin line is centered in the present Blackford gallery. The Peterson gallery had its origin in the enterprise of A. L. Sleyster, who ran the
Dytized by Google
540
HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY
new gallery he had established for several years before selling to J. H. Saunders, who died recently out at Ukiah, California. Hudson & Shadle, who bought of him, only ran it a short time before selling to A. L. Peterson.
The American Express Co. has had for its local agent since 1900 Roy Mc- Getchie, an old residenter, and he has had the assistance of Ernest Blackford, an 1855 settler. Roy has to hustle for his life now because he has two lady com- petitors, Mrs. Ada Post being the agent for the Wells Fargo office, and Mrs. Thos. Akre doing service for the Adams Co. Her husband is the agent, but attends to other matters, leaving the express business to be looked after by Mrs. Akre.
J. T. Bohannon is the proprietor of both billiard halls, the west one being man- aged by Jas. Phillips and the other by himself. John has them run on the quiet and in the best manner possible. He is a model proprietor, and the town will never have one who will keep better order or within bounds of the law than he.
The ice business has been conducted by Chas. Magnusson for about eighteen years, and he has served his many patrons faithfully and well. Although the work is laborious and disagreeable, he has kept at it all these years with untiring energy. The bus line is run by Mrs. R. E. Brown and G. E. Van Dorstan, the electric sup- ply house by W. H. Horan, the junk business by John Bingaman, the draying by W. E. Naudain, Nels Larson, Ed Lashbrook and Warren Baldwin, the repair shop by Matson & Strom, the plumbing establishment by Geo. Holtzbauer, cement block factories by Black & Morgan and A. Van Derlinden, exclusive undertaking by W. E. Laird, shoe repairing by Ernest Theil, Frank Preus, Jess Speraw and Ray Cooper, the Moore elevator by Geo. A. Besha and the telephone management by J. A. Brown. All of these parties are making a success of the work in which they are engaged, and are doing as well as their successors can do when that time comes.
The three station agents at the present time are J. H. Morgan, at the Minne- apolis & St. Louis ; C. R. Mundhenk at the Northwestern, and W. L. Whitney at the Milwaukee depot. The former has held his position since the beginning of 1905, but the appointments of the other two were made during the year 1912.
Our local engineers have found plenty to do during the past few years, since the public drains began to be run through the various portions of the county. Chas. E. Chubb and Clarence E. Paine make that line their exclusive business and have had a vast amount of experience. C. B. Hutchins has also been employed in sur- veying, leveling and estimating a large portion of the time since the drainage busi- ness began. The two firms, Danson & Butler and Hutchison & Gilmore, have engineered the drainage system on many farms where tiling was done, and have become adepts at the business.
Four dentists are kept busy looking after the care of the teeth of thousands of people who live in this vicinity. Dr. E. S. Glasier, having located in 1893, has built up a large practice, and is having all the work he can attend to in his line. Dr. A. L .. Rist has lived here all his life, and has a wide acquaintance. He learned the profession from Dr. G. B. Cole and has been very successful. W. E. Kain, after graduating from the dental department of the State University, came back to prac- tice his profession at his home town, where he is now enjoying a large patronage. Dr. E. C. Tessman opened his dental parlors here in 1910 and is now getting his share of the work to do. The first dentist to locate in Algona was Dr. C. H. Parker in 1869.
Di zed by Google
541
HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY
The lawyers, doctors and editors in town having had their puffs and cuffs pre- sented in appropriate previous chapters, further comment concerning them is not deemed necessary.
August Huenhold is the city gardener and greenhouse man, and is continuing the business which was begun by Harry Richardson. He is soon to remove from his location east of town to the third ward, where he will run the greenhouse for- merly owned by J. P. Fohlin. Mr. Huenhold came first in 1894, then after re- turning, three years later, began his present business.
Among the leading masons are J. M. Cowan, Hal Cowan, Dan Long, the Bow- mans, Mike Johnson, Julius Kresensky, Eric Strom, Tom Stull, Oscar Norman and James Devereaux. Of these J. M. Cowan did more work on public buildings than any of the others, for he has been here since 1869. In the carpenter line O. W. McMurray has probably superintended the building of more public edifices than any one else. Conrad Herman, Dave Mitchell, Cook, Abe Conolly and E. P. Fuller are among the other principal contractors and builders; while Rosewall, Platt, Ward, Adams, Snell and Corbin are chief among those who do the painting and decorating.
Although opticians are to be found at the three jewelry establishments, E. R. Talley is the only one in town who does an exclusive business in fitting spectacles.
"Throw a stone into any crowd and you will be sure of hitting a real estate agent" is a remark that is frequently heard. Since the earliest days all classes of people have dealt in land whenever they saw a chance to make money by the operation. Lewis H. Smith and Geo. A. Lowe in partnership set the precedent several years before the war. Judge Call followed up the business with vigor dur- ing the homestead days, and A. D. Clarke got into the harness soon after coming in 1865 and continued the work with great activity in the county for a long period of years. Capt. W. H. Ingham also did an extensive business in that line for twenty years after the war had come to an end. Since that time a score or two of young men embarked in the business and then by degrees located elsewhere. There are some veterans of that line living retired lives on the profits made from land trans- actions. Frank Dingley, Sr., was at one time a power in making land deals and operated with great success for a long time.
The oldest land firm now in business is Danson & Butler, who began in 1893. and the next is perhaps Hutchison & Gilmore, who became established in that work twelve years ago. H. C. Adams is continuing the business that was launched by A. D. Clarke back in the sixties. B. F. Crose for several years has made land sales his special study, and E. J. Murtagh has done something in that line almost from boyhood. F. W. Waterhouse, T. H. Wadsworth, E. P. Keith, C. I .. Lamp- right, W. H. Ketcham, Claude Nicoulin and C. L. McFarland are also among those who have tasted the sweets of commissions on sales and are on the sharp lookout for more.
Insurance agents are as numerous as are the land men, especially those who do insuring for protection from fire. At present the most active in soliciting for life insurance are A. H. Stock, J. B. Johnston, J. O. Paxson, C. O. Simpson, James McDonald and Charles Nolte. In some other lines there is no competition; for instance, Fred Ryther has the only house-moving appliance and Geo. Johnson the only grading outfit. F. H. Slagle is almost alone in his line-putting up small, up-to-date residences to rent. It would be well for Algona if others would do a
DKiized by Google
542
HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY
little in that way for the benefit of the town, as well as for themselves. Very few have continued their enterprises longer than J. B. Winkel has his sewing machine business. Competitors have come and gone, but he remains and holds the field alone. So far as holding a position is concerned, S. B. French is a stayer, for he has been traveling auditor for the Queal Lumber Co. so long that "the memory of man runneth not to the contrary."
Marshal Geo. Hackman has been interested for several years in collecting samples of the various kinds of wood that are growing in, around or in the vicinity of Algona. He has collected seventy-four specimens and ascribes to them the fol- lowing names : cultivated, thorn and crabapple; white, black, prickly and moun- tain ash; red and white cedar; wild, cultivated, black and choke cherry; red and water elm ; box and berry elder ; shell bark and butternut hickory ; hard, soft, silver leaf and scarlet maple; burr, white, red and black oak; Norway and white pine ; Lombardy and white poplar ; white and black walnut ; black, wild, tame, water and weeping willow ; red and white birch ; balm of gilead, basswood, barberry, buckeye, catalpa, coffee bean, cottonwood, dogwood, grapewood, hazelwood, hackberry, hemlock, red and black haw, ironwood, killikinnick, larkspur, locust, lilac and white lilac, mulberry, olive, osage. pear, peach, plum, piegeonberry, sarvia, snowball, syringa, sumac, spruce, "Wawhoo," and waterbeech.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.